Infused ArrowsHow it works & interactions with other cards

Understanding Sunburst

The effectiveness of Infused Arrows is determined at the moment it is cast. Sunburst is a replacement effect that checks how many different colors of mana (White, Blue, Black, Red, and Green) were spent to pay its total cost. If you spend four different colors, it enters the battlefield with four charge counters. If you only use colorless mana, it enters with zero counters and will be unable to use its ability without external help.

Resolution Step by Step

To activate the ability, you first choose a value for X and target a creature. You then pay the costs: tap Infused Arrows and remove X charge counters simultaneously. When the ability resolves, the target creature receives -X/-X until the end of the turn. Because removing counters is part of the cost, your opponent cannot respond by destroying the artifact to prevent you from spending the counters once you have begun the activation process.

Common Mistakes

A frequent error is forgetting that Sunburst only counts colors of mana, not the total amount of mana spent. Spending five mana of only two colors will still only result in two charge counters. Additionally, remember that the -X/-X effect lasts only until the end of the turn; if you do not remove enough counters to reduce a creature's toughness to zero, it will recover during the cleanup step.

When to Play Infused Arrows

This card shines in 'Domain' or five-color decks where you can consistently cast it for three or four colors. It serves as a repeatable source of removal that can pick off several small utility creatures or combine all its counters to take down a single large threat. It is particularly potent in formats where combat math is tight, as the threat of activation can deter opponents from attacking.

Interaction examples

Fixing for Sunburst

Commander's Sphere

If you have Commander's Sphere on the battlefield, you can tap it to produce a color of mana you might otherwise lack. If your commander is five colors, Commander's Sphere helps ensure Infused Arrows enters with the maximum four charge counters, providing more ammunition for its activated ability.

Clearing the Path

Solemn Simulacrum

An opponent might block your Solemn Simulacrum with a creature that has 3 toughness. Before damage, you can tap Infused Arrows and remove one charge counter to give that blocker -1/-1. This allows Solemn Simulacrum to trade with a larger creature or survive a combat it would otherwise lose, while also letting you draw a card if the Simulacrum does die.