Kiora's Dambreaker 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
When this creature enters, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.)
Complete guide
Kiora's Dambreaker is a massive Leviathan that brings the power of the tides to your board state. When this creature enters the battlefield, it triggers a Proliferate effect that can bolster your forces or accelerate your victory conditions. Understanding the timing and selection process of Proliferate is key to mastering this deep-sea behemoth.
What it Does
Kiora's Dambreaker features a powerful Enters-the-Battlefield (ETB) ability: Proliferate. This mechanic allows you to choose any number of players or permanents on the battlefield that already have at least one counter. For each one you choose, you add another counter of every kind already present on that player or permanent.
Resolving the Ability
When Kiora's Dambreaker enters the battlefield, its ability goes on the stack. Once the ability begins to resolve, you choose the targets for Proliferate. You can choose yourself, your opponents, your permanents, or your opponents' permanents, provided they have counters. If a chosen target has multiple types of counters (such as a +1/+1 counter and a Shield counter), it receives one more of each type. You cannot pick and choose which specific counters to add if a permanent has more than one type.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is trying to Proliferate cards that are not on the battlefield, such as suspended cards in exile or cards in a graveyard; however, Proliferate only affects players and permanents. Another mistake is thinking you must add a counter to everything that has one. Since the text says 'any number,' you can choose to skip permanents with negative counters, like -1/-1 counters, even if you are proliferating other targets.
When to Play It
Kiora's Dambreaker is best utilized in decks that rely on +1/+1 counters, loyalty counters on Planeswalkers, or poison counters on opponents. Because it is a 5/6 creature, it also provides a significant defensive body while progressing your mechanical synergies.
Interaction examples
If you cast Kiora's Dambreaker while you have a Poison counter and a creature you control has a +1/+1 counter, the Dambreaker enters. You may choose to give yourself another Poison counter (though you likely won't) and give your creature another +1/+1 counter. If you have no counters on anything, the ability still resolves, but nothing happens.
Hullbreaker HorrorWith Hullbreaker Horror on the battlefield, you cast Kiora's Dambreaker. Hullbreaker's ability triggers first because it is a 'cast' trigger. You can return a nonland permanent to an owner's hand. Then, the Dambreaker resolves and enters the battlefield, triggering its Proliferate ability. This sequence allows you to clear a blocker before potentially strengthening your other creatures.
Psychosis CrawlerIf Psychosis Crawler has a +1/+1 counter on it from another source, playing Kiora's Dambreaker allows you to add another +1/+1 counter to it. While Proliferate doesn't interact with the Crawler's power/toughness static ability (which checks your hand size), increasing its permanent counters ensures it remains a threat even if your hand size decreases.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Kiora's Dambreaker
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
To proliferate, you can choose any permanent that has a counter, including ones controlled by opponents. You can choose any player who has a counter, including opponents. You can't choose cards in any zone other than the battlefield, even if they have counters on them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
You don't have to choose every permanent or player that has a counter, only the ones you want to add another counter to. Since "any number" includes zero, you don't have to choose any permanents at all, and you don't have to choose any players at all.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If a player or permanent has more than one kind of counter on it, and you choose for it to get additional counters, it must get one of each kind of counter it already has. You can't have it get just one kind of counter it already has and not the others.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
An ability that triggers "Whenever you proliferate" triggers even if you chose no permanents or players while doing so.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Players can respond to a spell or ability whose effect includes proliferating. Once that spell or ability starts to resolve, however, and its controller chooses which permanents and players will get new counters, it's too late for anyone to respond.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If a permanent ever has both +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters on it at the same time, they're removed in pairs as a state-based action so that the permanent has only one of those kinds of counters on it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Myojin of Cryptic Dreams + Kiora's Dambreaker
- 1Cast Kiora's Dambreaker by paying its mana cost.
- 2Holding priority, activate Myojin by removing an indestructible counter from it, copying the Kiora's Dambreaker spell three times.
- 3Resolve the first Kiora's Dambreaker spell.
- 4When the Kiora's Dambreaker token enters the battlefield, it triggers, putting an indestructible counter on Myojin.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Myojin of Life's Web + Cloudstone Curio + Kiora's Dambreaker
- 1Activate Myojin of Life's Web by removing a divinity counter from it, putting Kiora's Dambreaker and another nonartifact creature from your hand onto the battlefield.
- 2When Kiora's Dambreaker and the additional creature enter the battlefield, Bloom Hulk triggers once and Cloudstone Curio triggers twice.
- 3Resolve the Kiora's Dambreaker trigger, putting a divinity counter on Myojin of Life's Web.
- 4Resolve both Cloudstone Curio triggers, returning Kiora's Dambreaker and the additional creature to your hand from the battlefield.
- 5Repeat.
Legal formats
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