Laccolith Rig 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
Enchant creature Whenever enchanted creature becomes blocked, you may have it deal damage equal to its power to target creature. If you do, the first creature assigns no combat damage this turn.
Complete guide
Laccolith Rig is a versatile Aura from the Nemesis set that gives any creature the unique ability of a Laccolith. It provides a strategic tactical advantage by allowing your creatures to strike down potential blockers before they can even trade blows. By turning combat damage into a targeted ability, you can pick off utility creatures or ensure your attacker survives an unfavorable block.
Tactical Target Damage
When the creature enchanted by Laccolith Rig becomes blocked, a triggered ability goes on the stack. You, the controller of the Aura, choose whether to use this ability. If you do, the enchanted creature deals damage equal to its power to any target creature on the battlefield, not just the ones blocking it. This happens during the Declare Blockers step, which is significantly earlier than the Combat Damage step.
The Trade-Off
Using this ability comes with a specific condition: the enchanted creature will assign no combat damage during this turn. This applies even if the creature has Trample or First Strike. It effectively replaces the creature's normal combat participation with a targeted 'snipe' effect. Because the ability triggers as soon as blockers are declared, you can destroy a blocker before it has a chance to deal damage back to your attacker.
Timing and Control
It is important to note that the controller of Laccolith Rig controls the trigger, even if the Aura is attached to an opponent's creature. If you enchant an opponent's creature, you decide if it deals damage and where that damage goes. This can be used defensively to force an opponent's creature to deal its damage to another one of their own creatures instead of your blockers.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is thinking the damage is dealt by the enchantment itself. The Oracle text specifies that the 'enchanted creature' deals the damage, meaning abilities like Deathtouch or Lifelink on the creature will apply. Also, remember that once you choose to use the ability, the 'no combat damage' clause applies for the entire turn, regardless of whether the target creature survives or if the Aura is later removed.
Interaction examples
Impact TremorsIf you have Impact Tremors on the battlefield and cast a creature that you then enchant with Laccolith Rig, you can use the Rig to protect that creature. When your creature is blocked, you can use the Rig's trigger to deal damage to a problematic utility creature your opponent controls. Even though your creature won't deal combat damage to the blocker, it survives to trigger Impact Tremors again next turn when you play more creatures.
You enchant your opponent's 5/5 creature with Laccolith Rig. When they attack you and you block with a 1/1 token, you (as the controller of the Rig) choose to activate the ability. You target another one of your opponent's creatures. Their 5/5 deals 5 damage to their own creature and assigns zero combat damage to your token, effectively neutralizing their attack and turning their strength against them.
Urza's SagaWhile Urza's Saga can find artifacts with mana cost 0 or 1, Laccolith Rig is an enchantment and cannot be tutored by the Saga's third chapter. However, if you use Urza's Saga to create a large Construct token, enchanting that token with Laccolith Rig allows you to use the Construct's massive power to destroy any creature on the board as soon as your opponent tries to block it.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Laccolith Rig
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Moving the enchantment after the ability triggers will not affect which creatures are affected.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If this is on an opponent’s creature, the controller of this card (not the creature’s controller) decides whether to use this card’s ability or not, and decides what the target will be.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
The ability triggers even if a spell or ability makes it blocked, instead of being blocked by a creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If placed on a Laccolith creature, both this card’s ability and the Laccolith’s ability will trigger and have their effect.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
The ability allows you to deal damage during the declare blockers step of combat, which is well before even first strike creatures deal damage.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
The ability is optional. You can decide to allow it to deal combat damage as normal.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
It can target any creature on the battlefield, not just one of the ones blocking it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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