Gleeful Arsonist is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Whenever an opponent casts a noncreature spell, this creature deals damage equal to its power to that player. Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Complete guide
Gleeful Arsonist is a specialized punisher creature that turns your opponent's noncreature spells into direct damage. Featuring both a reactive trigger and the resilient Undying keyword, it forces opponents to reconsider their strategy or face a fiery backlash. This Human Wizard is particularly effective at punishing spell-heavy decks while remaining difficult to remove permanently.
Punishing the Non-Physical
Gleeful Arsonist triggers its first ability whenever an opponent casts a noncreature spell, including Sorceries, Instants, Artifacts, Enchantments, and Planeswalkers. The amount of damage dealt is equal to Gleeful Arsonist's current power at the time the ability resolves. If the Arsonist is removed from the battlefield in response to the trigger, the game uses its 'last known information' to determine how much damage it deals based on its power before it left.
The Resilience of Undying
Undying is a triggered ability that triggers when Gleeful Arsonist is put into a graveyard from the battlefield. If it had no +1/+1 counters on it when it died, it returns to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter. This not only makes the creature harder to kill but also naturally increases its power to 3, meaning subsequent noncreature spells cast by opponents will deal even more damage.
Timing and Resolution
The damage trigger is placed on the stack on top of the opponent's spell. This means the Arsonist deals its damage before the opponent's spell actually resolves. Even if the opponent's spell is countered or fails to resolve for other reasons, the Arsonist's damage trigger has already been placed on the stack and will still resolve independently.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is assuming that removing the Arsonist in response to the trigger will prevent the damage; however, the ability still resolves using the creature's last known power. Additionally, remember that Undying only functions if the creature had no +1/+1 counters. If it dies a second time while carrying the counter from its first return, it will stay in the graveyard.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf you control Roaming Throne and chose 'Human' or 'Wizard' as it entered, its ability will cause Gleeful Arsonist's trigger to fire twice. When an opponent casts a noncreature spell, they will take damage equal to the Arsonist's power two separate times before their spell resolves.
Solemn SimulacrumIf your opponent casts Solemn Simulacrum, Gleeful Arsonist does not trigger. Even though Solemn Simulacrum is an Artifact, it is also a Creature. Gleeful Arsonist only triggers on spells that do not have the 'Creature' type, so artifact creatures are safe from its fire.
If a spell like 'Murder' is cast on Gleeful Arsonist, it will die. Because it had no +1/+1 counters, Undying triggers. It returns to the battlefield as a 3/3 creature. Note that if the 'Murder' was the spell that triggered the damage, the Arsonist would deal 2 damage first, then die, then return as a 3/3.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Gleeful Arsonist
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Gleeful Arsonist's first ability resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger. It resolves even if that spell is countered.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If Gleeful Arsonist is no longer on the battlefield when its first ability resolves, use its power as it last existed on the battlefield to determine how much damage it deals.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Once undying returns the creature, it's considered a new object with no relation to the object that it was. Auras that were attached to it won't return to the battlefield. Equipment that was attached to it will remain unattached. Any counters that were on it won't be put on the new creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight + Ashnod's Altar + Gleeful Arsonist
- 1Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 2When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its undying ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 4When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its persist ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
- 5Repeat.
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight + Goblin Bombardment + Gleeful Arsonist
- 1Activate Goblin Bombardment by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 2When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its undying ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3Activate Goblin Bombardment by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 4When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its persist ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
- 5Resolve both Goblin Bombardment abilities from step 1 and 3.
- 6Repeat.
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight + Phyrexian Altar + Gleeful Arsonist
- 1Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 2When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its undying ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 4When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its persist ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
- 5Repeat.
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight + Altar of Dementia + Gleeful Arsonist
- 1Activate Altar of Dementia by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 2When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its undying ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3Activate Altar of Dementia by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 4When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its persist ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
- 5Resolve both Altar of Dementia abilities from step 1 and 3.
- 6Repeat.
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight + Umbral Collar Zealot + Gleeful Arsonist
- 1Activate Umbral Collar Zealot by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 2When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its undying ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3Activate Umbral Collar Zealot by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 4When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its persist ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
- 5Resolve both Umbral Collar Zealot abilities from step 1 and 3.
- 6Repeat.
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight + Viscera Seer + Gleeful Arsonist
- 1Activate Viscera Seer by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 2When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its undying ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3Activate Viscera Seer by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 4When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its persist ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
- 5Resolve both Viscera Seer abilities from step 1 and 3.
- 6Repeat.
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight + Blasting Station + Gleeful Arsonist
- 1Activate Blasting Station by tapping it and sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 2When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its undying ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3When Gleeful Arsonist enters, Blasting Station triggers, untapping Blasting Station.
- 4Activate Blasting Station by tapping it and sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 5When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its persist ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
- 6When Gleeful Arsonist enters, Blasting Station triggers, untapping Blasting Station.
- 7Resolve the Blasting Station abilities from step 1 and 4.
- 8Repeat.
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight + Carrion Feeder + Gleeful Arsonist
- 1Activate Carrion Feeder by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 2When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its undying ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3Activate Carrion Feeder by sacrificing Gleeful Arsonist
- 4When Gleeful Arsonist dies, its persist ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
- 5Resolve both Carrion Feeder abilities from step 1 and 3.
- 6Repeat.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Gleeful Arsonist
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.