Launch Party 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
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a creature. Destroy target creature. Its controller loses 2 life.
Complete guide
Launch Party is a flavorful black removal spell that demands a high price for its efficiency. By sacrificing one of your own, you can remove any threat and chip away at your opponent's life total simultaneously. Understanding the timing of additional costs is key to mastering this card.
Understanding the Additional Cost
Launch Party requires you to sacrifice a creature as part of the casting process. This is not optional; you must have a creature on the board to even put this spell on the stack. Because this sacrifice happens during the casting phase, your opponent cannot respond to the sacrifice itself to stop the spell. By the time they receive priority to cast a spell like Deadly Rollick, the creature you sacrificed is already in the graveyard.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, you announce Launch Party and choose a target creature. Second, you pay the mana cost and sacrifice one creature you control. Once the spell resolves, the targeted creature is destroyed. Finally, that creature's controller loses 2 life. Note that if the target becomes illegal before resolution—for example, if it gains Hexproof or is sacrificed by the opponent—the entire spell fails, and no one loses any life.
Strategic Timing and Combat
Timing your Launch Party is crucial, especially during combat. If you sacrifice a creature that was blocking, it will not deal combat damage, but it will still have 'blocked' the incoming attacker. Be careful not to wait until the combat damage step if your creature is likely to die from lethal damage, as you cannot sacrifice a creature that has already been destroyed by damage.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is assuming you can sacrifice multiple creatures to increase the damage; the spell specifically requires exactly one sacrifice. Additionally, players often forget that the 2 life loss is tied to the destruction of the target. If the target is not destroyed due to an effect like Indestructible, the controller still loses life, but if the spell is countered or fizzles due to a lack of target, no life is lost.
Interaction examples
Deadly RollickYou cast Launch Party, sacrificing a small token as a cost. Your opponent wants to stop you by using Deadly Rollick on that token. However, because the sacrifice is a cost, the token is already in the graveyard before the opponent even gets a chance to cast Deadly Rollick. The opponent must instead target a different creature or let Launch Party proceed.
Fell the Profane // Fell MireIf you have both Launch Party and Fell the Profane in hand, consider the board state. Launch Party is excellent for triggering 'dies' effects of your own creatures while removing a threat. However, if your opponent uses a spell to give their creature protection from black while Launch Party is on the stack, the spell will fail to resolve and the opponent will not lose the 2 life.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Launch Party
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell; you cannot cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you cannot sacrifice additional creatures.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Players can only respond once this spell has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting this spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you sacrifice an attacking or blocking creature during the declare blockers step, it won’t deal combat damage. If you wait until the combat damage step, but that creature is dealt lethal damage, it’ll be destroyed before you get a chance to sacrifice it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the target creature is an illegal target when Launch Party tries to resolve, it won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. No player will lose 2 life.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Launch Party
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