Karplusan Minotaur — ruling 1

The coin flip rules have changed. You now win or lose a flip only if *you* flipped the coin. If your opponent loses a flip, that no longer means that you win that flip. Only coin flips caused by cards that say “win” and/or “lose” anywhere on them have a winner or loser.

Karplusan Minotaur — ruling 2

If a spell or ability uses a coin flip to determine what happens on a heads result versus a tails result, the flipping player doesn’t call “heads” or “tails.” Such flips have no winner or loser.

Karplusan Minotaur — ruling 3

When Karplusan Minotaur’s cumulative upkeep ability resolves, you either flip a number of coins equal to the number of age counters on it, or you sacrifice it. Once you start to flip, you can’t stop; you must continue until all flips are made. If you flip, you call heads or tails for each flip. Each time you’re right, the Minotaur’s second ability triggers. Each time you’re wrong, the Minotaur’s third ability triggers. The triggers wait until after you’re done flipping, then they all go on the stack in whatever order you choose. Each may have a different target.

Karplusan Minotaur — ruling 4

The Minotaur’s last two abilities will trigger whenever you win or lose any coin flip. For example, if you cast Stitch in Time, one of the Minotaur’s abilities will trigger.

Karplusan Minotaur : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Karplusan Minotaur 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

Cumulative upkeep—Flip a coin. (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.) Whenever you win a coin flip, this creature deals 1 damage to any target. Whenever you lose a coin flip, this creature deals 1 damage to any target of an opponent's choice.

Complete guide

Karplusan Minotaur is a chaotic powerhouse from Coldsnap that brings the thrill of gambling to your upkeep. By tying its survival to repeated coin flips, it turns luck into a flurry of damage that can clear boards or backfire spectacularly. Understanding how its triggers stack is the key to surviving its volatile nature.

Winning and Losing the Flip

Karplusan Minotaur has a unique relationship with coin flips. According to official rules, you only win or lose a flip if the card text explicitly uses those terms or requires you to call 'heads' or 'tails.' If an effect simply says 'flip a coin; if it is heads, do X,' there is no winner or loser. However, for Karplusan Minotaur's cumulative upkeep, you must call the result of every flip. Each correct call counts as a win, triggering 1 damage to a target of your choice, while each incorrect call is a loss, allowing an opponent to choose the target for 1 damage.

Resolving Cumulative Upkeep

When the cumulative upkeep trigger resolves, you first add an age counter to Karplusan Minotaur. Then, you choose to either sacrifice it or pay the cost: flipping a coin for every age counter currently on it. If you choose to flip, you must complete all flips; you cannot stop halfway through. The damage triggers do not resolve during the flipping process. Instead, all 'win' and 'loss' triggers wait until you have finished all required flips, at which point they are all put onto the stack in the order of your choosing.

Strategic Targeting

One common mistake is forgetting that Karplusan Minotaur is the source of the damage for both its second and third abilities. Even if an opponent chooses the target because you lost a flip, the Minotaur is still the one dealing the damage. This means effects like lifelink or deathtouch on the Minotaur will apply regardless of who chose the target. Additionally, since you put the triggers on the stack after all flips are done, you can see the total number of 'wins' and 'losses' before deciding where to aim your successful shots.

Interaction examples

Double the Chaos

Roaming Throne

If Roaming Throne enters the battlefield naming 'Minotaur,' it interacts with all three of Karplusan Minotaur's abilities. During your upkeep, the cumulative upkeep triggers twice. If there is 1 counter on the Minotaur, the first trigger adds a second counter and makes you flip twice; the second trigger adds a third counter and makes you flip three times. Furthermore, every time you win or lose a flip, Roaming Throne causes that damage ability to trigger an additional time, effectively doubling your damage output from every coin toss.

The Golem's Sacrifice

Solemn Simulacrum

Suppose you have Karplusan Minotaur and Solemn Simulacrum on the battlefield. During your upkeep, you flip three coins and lose two of them. Your opponent chooses the targets for those two damage triggers. If they choose to target your Solemn Simulacrum for both, the Golem will take 2 damage and likely die. Because the Minotaur is the source of the damage, this sequence successfully triggers the Simulacrum's 'dies' ability, allowing you to draw a card despite your opponent choosing the target.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Karplusan Minotaur

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1July 15, 2006· Wizards of the Coast
The coin flip rules have changed. You now win or lose a flip only if *you* flipped the coin. If your opponent loses a flip, that no longer means that you win that flip. Only coin flips caused by cards that say “win” and/or “lose” anywhere on them have a winner or loser.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2July 15, 2006· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell or ability uses a coin flip to determine what happens on a heads result versus a tails result, the flipping player doesn’t call “heads” or “tails.” Such flips have no winner or loser.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3July 15, 2006· Wizards of the Coast
When Karplusan Minotaur’s cumulative upkeep ability resolves, you either flip a number of coins equal to the number of age counters on it, or you sacrifice it. Once you start to flip, you can’t stop; you must continue until all flips are made. If you flip, you call heads or tails for each flip. Each time you’re right, the Minotaur’s second ability triggers. Each time you’re wrong, the Minotaur’s third ability triggers. The triggers wait until after you’re done flipping, then they all go on the stack in whatever order you choose. Each may have a different target.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4July 15, 2006· Wizards of the Coast
The Minotaur’s last two abilities will trigger whenever you win or lose any coin flip. For example, if you cast Stitch in Time, one of the Minotaur’s abilities will trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.