Hedron Detonator 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 artifact you control enters, this creature deals 1 damage to target opponent., Sacrifice two artifacts: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn.
Complete guide
Hedron Detonator is a versatile Goblin Artificer that turns every artifact entering your battlefield into a direct damage source. Beyond its pinging capabilities, it offers valuable card advantage by converting your spare artifacts into fresh resources from the top of your library. Whether you are building an aggressive artifact deck or a grindy engine, this card provides both reach and utility.
Ping and Propel
Hedron Detonator has two distinct functions. First, it features a triggered ability that deals 1 damage to a target opponent every time an artifact enters the battlefield under your control. Second, it has an activated ability that costs two artifacts and a tap to exile the top card of your library. You can play that exiled card until the end of the turn, effectively trading board presence for card draw.
Timing and Restrictions
When you exile a card using the activated ability, you must still follow all normal rules for playing that card. You must pay its mana cost, and you can only cast it when its timing allows—sorceries and creatures during your main phase, and instants whenever you have priority. If you exile a land, you can only play it if you have not used your land play for the turn. If you do not play the card by the end of the turn, it remains in exile indefinitely.
Strategic Deployment
Hedron Detonator is best used in decks that can generate multiple artifacts at once, such as Treasure, Food, or Clue tokens. Because the damage is targeted, it can be used to pressure opponents or finish off a player with low life. The sacrifice cost is steep, so aim to sacrifice artifacts that have already provided value or have 'dies' triggers to maximize your efficiency.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf Roaming Throne enters and you choose 'Goblin', it will trigger Hedron Detonator's first ability twice (once for being an artifact and once because it is an artifact entering). Furthermore, because Roaming Throne is now a Goblin, any subsequent artifact entering will cause Hedron Detonator to trigger twice, dealing 2 damage instead of 1.
Solemn SimulacrumWhen Solemn Simulacrum enters, Hedron Detonator triggers and deals 1 damage to an opponent. Later, you can activate Hedron Detonator by sacrificing the Simulacrum and another artifact. This allows you to exile a card to play while also triggering Solemn Simulacrum's ability to draw a card, replacing both resources spent.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Hedron Detonator
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You may play the card exiled with Hedron Detonator even if Hedron Detonator leaves the battlefield or you lose control of it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Playing the card exiled with Hedron Detonator follows the normal rules for playing that card. You must pay its costs, and you must follow all applicable timing rules. For example, if the card is a creature card, you can cast that card by paying its mana cost only during your main phase while the stack is empty.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Unless an effect allows you to play additional lands that turn, you can play a land card exiled with Hedron Detonator only if you haven’t played a land yet that turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If you don’t play the card, it will remain exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator + Hedron Detonator + Maskwood Nexus
- 1Cause an artifact to enter the battlefield under your control.
- 2Hedron Detonator triggers, dealing 1 damage to target opponent.
- 3Malcolm triggers, creating a Treasure token.
- 4Treasure token enter the battlefield, triggering Hedron Detonator, dealing 1 damage to target opponent.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator + Hedron Detonator + Arcane Adaptation
- 1Cause an artifact to enter the battlefield under your control.
- 2Hedron Detonator triggers, dealing 1 damage to target opponent.
- 3Malcolm triggers, creating a Treasure token.
- 4Treasure token enter the battlefield, triggering Hedron Detonator, dealing 1 damage to target opponent.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin + Prosper, Tome-Bound + Sensei's Divining Top + Hedron Detonator
- 1Cast Sensei's Divining Top by paying
. - 2When Sensei's Divining Top enters the battlefield, Hedron Detonator triggers.
- 3Holding priority, activate Sensei's Divining Top's second ability by tapping it, causing you to draw a card and put Sensei's Divining Top on top of your library.
- 4Resolve the Hedron Detonator trigger, dealing 1 damage to an opponent.
- 5Ob Nixilis triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it, and exiling Sensei's Divining Top from the top of your library with the ability to cast it from exile until your end step.
- 6Cast Sensei's Divining Top from exile by paying .
- 7Prosper triggers, creating a Treasure token.
- 8Activate the Treasure by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator + Hedron Detonator + Captain's Hook
- 1Cause an artifact to enter the battlefield under your control.
- 2Hedron Detonator triggers, dealing 1 damage to target opponent.
- 3Malcolm triggers, creating a Treasure token.
- 4Treasure token enter the battlefield, triggering Hedron Detonator, dealing 1 damage to target opponent.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator + Hedron Detonator + Stalactite Dagger
- 1Cause an artifact to enter the battlefield under your control.
- 2Hedron Detonator triggers, dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
- 3Malcolm triggers, as Hedron Detonator is a Pirate due to Stalactite Dagger, creating a Treasure token for each opponent dealt damage this way.
- 4When the Treasure(s) enter, Hedron Detonator triggers that many times.
- 5Resolve the first Hedron Detonator trigger, dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
- 6Repeat from step 3.
Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin + Glaring Fleshraker + Sensei's Divining Top + Hedron Detonator
- 1Cast Sensei's Divining Top by paying .
- 2When Sensei's Divining Top enters the battlefield, Hedron Detonator triggers.
- 3Holding priority, activate Sensei's Divining Top's second ability by tapping it, causing you to draw a card and put Sensei's Divining Top on top of your library.
- 4Resolve the Hedron Detonator trigger, dealing 1 damage to an opponent.
- 5Ob Nixilis triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it, and exiling Sensei's Divining Top from the top of your library with the ability to cast it from exile until your end step.
- 6Cast Sensei's Divining Top from exile by paying .
- 7Glaring Fleshraker's first ability triggers, creating a 0/1 Eldrazi Spawn creature token.
- 8When the Eldrazi Spawn enters, Glaring Fleshraker's second ability trigger. dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator + Hedron Detonator + Conspiracy
- 1Cause an artifact to enter the battlefield under your control.
- 2Hedron Detonator triggers, dealing 1 damage to target opponent.
- 3Malcolm triggers, creating a Treasure token.
- 4Treasure token enter the battlefield, triggering Hedron Detonator, dealing 1 damage to target opponent.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Duchess, Wayward Tavernkeep + Crime Novelist + Quest for Pure Flame + Hedron Detonator
- 1Activate Duchess by paying and removing a quest counter from a permanent you control, creating a Junk token.
- 2When the Junk enters, Hedron Detonator triggers, dealing 1 damage to an opponent.
- 3Quest for Pure Flame triggers, putting a quest counter on it.
- 4Activate the Junk by tapping and sacrificing it.
- 5Crime Novelist triggers, adding
and putting a +1/+1 counter on it. - 6Resolve the Junk's ability, exiling the top card of your library with the ability to play it until end of turn.
- 7Repeat.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Hedron Detonator
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.