Jinxed ChokerHow it works & interactions with other cards

A Toxic Gift

The Choker operates through two triggered abilities and one activated ability. At the end of your turn, it forces you to give control of it to an opponent and adds a charge counter. During each player's upkeep, the artifact deals damage to its current controller equal to those counters. The third ability allows any player currently controlling it to spend three mana to either add or remove a counter, giving you a way to mitigate your own damage or increase the pressure on your foes.

Passing the Burden

When your end step begins, the first ability triggers. You must choose an opponent as the target. As the ability resolves, that opponent gains control of Jinxed Choker, and then a charge counter is placed on it. Note that the counter is added after the change of control, but the damage trigger only checks for counters during the upkeep of the player who starts their turn with it.

Strategic Adjustments

A common mistake is forgetting that 'You' in the text refers to the current controller. If you activate the ability to add a counter while you control it, you are likely doing so to hurt the opponent you are about to pass it to. However, when the ability resolves, you must choose whether to add or remove a counter. You cannot choose to remove a counter if there are none on the artifact.

When to Play Jinxed Choker

This card is most effective in aggressive decks that want to put the opponent on a clock. Since you can remove counters on your own upkeep to save your life total, or add them before passing the turn, it functions as a flexible, albeit risky, finisher. It is best played when you have excess mana to manipulate the counters and your opponent is low on health.

Interaction examples

Powering the Curse

Arcane Signet

If you have an Arcane Signet on the battlefield, you can use the mana it produces to help pay the three-mana cost for the Jinxed Choker's activated ability. You might do this during your main phase to remove a counter so you take less damage next turn, or during your end step before the control-change trigger resolves to ensure your opponent takes even more damage.

Protecting the Bearer

Swiftfoot Boots

If your opponent controls a creature equipped with Swiftfoot Boots, they have hexproof. However, Jinxed Choker targets the opponent, not a creature. You can still target that opponent with the end-step trigger to pass them the Choker. Note that Swiftfoot Boots does not protect the player from the damage dealt by the Choker's upkeep trigger, as that damage is dealt directly to the controller of the artifact.