Magda, Brazen OutlawHow it works & interactions with other cards

Wealth through Work

Magda, Brazen Outlaw has three distinct functions. First, she acts as a tribal lord, giving other Dwarves you control +1/+0. Second, she provides a triggered ability that creates a Treasure token whenever a Dwarf you control becomes tapped. It is important to note that Magda does not have an ability to tap Dwarves herself; you must use other methods like attacking, activating abilities, or outside spells to trigger this effect. Finally, her activated ability allows you to sacrifice five Treasures to search your library for any artifact or Dragon card and put it directly onto the battlefield.

The Timing of Tapping

The triggered ability checks for a status change from untapped to tapped. If an effect attempts to tap a Dwarf that is already tapped, Magda's ability will not trigger. When you declare attackers during the Declare Attackers step, any Dwarves you choose will tap simultaneously, putting a corresponding number of Treasure triggers on the stack. These Treasures are created before your opponent even declares blockers, providing you with mana or sacrifice fodder mid-combat.

Sacrificing for Power

Magda's final ability is an activated ability that costs five Treasures. Because the cost is specifically 'Sacrifice five Treasures', you cannot use the mana from those Treasures to pay for this ability; they must be sacrificed as the cost of the ability itself. Once the ability is activated, you search your library. Since the card is put directly onto the battlefield, it cannot be countered by spells like Negate, though the activation itself can be interacted with by abilities that target the stack.

Common Pitfalls

A common mistake is forgetting that Magda is a Dwarf herself. While her +1/+0 bonus only applies to 'other' Dwarves, her Treasure-generating trigger applies to any Dwarf you control, including herself. If Magda attacks, she will generate a Treasure. Another frequent error is trying to use the search ability at sorcery speed; however, Magda's sacrifice ability is an instant-speed activated ability, meaning you can bring out a Dragon blocker during your opponent's turn.

Interaction examples

Basic Resource Generation

Magda, Brazen OutlawTreasure

You control Magda, Brazen Outlaw and declare her as an attacker. Because she is a Dwarf you control and has become tapped, her second ability triggers. A Treasure token is created and placed on the battlefield under your control before blockers are declared.

Multi-Layered Value

Magda, Brazen OutlawProfessional Face-Breaker

You attack with Magda, Brazen Outlaw and she is not blocked. When she taps to attack, Magda creates a Treasure. When she deals combat damage to the player, Professional Face-Breaker triggers, creating a second Treasure. You now have two Treasures from a single combat phase to use for mana or Magda's search ability.

Finding Your Finisher

Magda, Brazen OutlawOrnithopter of Paradise

You have five Treasure tokens on the battlefield. You activate Magda, Brazen Outlaw's last ability by sacrificing the five tokens. You search your library for Ornithopter of Paradise (since it is an artifact card), put it directly onto the battlefield, and then shuffle your library. This can be done at the end of your opponent's turn so the Ornithopter is ready to tap for mana on your next turn.