Magmakin Artillerist 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
Whenever you discard one or more cards, this creature deals that much damage to each opponent. Cycling(
Complete guide
Magmakin Artillerist is a versatile Elemental Pirate that turns your discarded cards into direct damage against your opponents. Whether it is sitting on the battlefield or being cycled from your hand, this creature ensures that every discard counts toward victory. Understanding how its triggered abilities layer is key to maximizing its explosive potential.
Burn from the Bench or the Hand
Magmakin Artillerist has two distinct triggered abilities. The first is a static presence on the battlefield: whenever you discard one or more cards, it deals damage equal to the number of cards discarded to each opponent. The second is a triggered ability that occurs specifically when you use its Cycling ability from your hand. This means the card provides value whether you need a creature on the board or you need to dig for a different answer.
The Timing of the Cycle
When you pay the Cycling cost and discard Magmakin Artillerist, two things happen. First, the 'When you cycle this card' ability triggers. Second, the card is now in the graveyard, but the cycling action itself is already complete. According to official rulings, the triggered ability from cycling resolves before you actually draw the card from the Cycling ability. Both of these are activated/triggered abilities, not spells, so they cannot be stopped by standard counterspells.
Maximizing Discard Synergies
Common mistakes involve miscounting the damage when discarding multiple cards at once. If an effect causes you to discard three cards simultaneously, the Artillerist triggers once and deals 3 damage to each opponent. It does not trigger three separate times for 1 damage each. However, if you discard cards one by one through separate effects, it will trigger for each individual action.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield with 'Elemental' or 'Pirate' chosen and a Magmakin Artillerist in play, discarding a card will cause the Artillerist's damage ability to trigger twice. Each opponent will take 2 damage instead of 1 for every card you discard.
Solemn SimulacrumIf Magmakin Artillerist is on the battlefield and your Solemn Simulacrum dies, you may draw a card. If that draw leads you to a clean-up step where you must discard down to your maximum hand size, the Artillerist will trigger and deal damage for each card you are forced to discard during that step.
With an opponent at 1 life, you can pay {1}{R} to cycle Magmakin Artillerist from your hand. You discard it as a cost, which puts the 'deal 1 damage' trigger on the stack. This resolves first, winning you the game before you even draw the new card from the cycling effect.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Magmakin Artillerist
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Some cards with cycling have an ability that triggers when you cycle them, and some cards have an ability that triggers whenever you cycle any card or discard any card. These triggered abilities resolve before you draw from the cycling ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Triggered abilities from cycling a card and the cycling ability itself aren’t spells. Effects that interact with spells (such as that of Cancel) won’t affect them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You can cycle a card even if it has a triggered ability from cycling that won’t have a legal target. This is because the cycling ability and the triggered ability are separate. This also means that if either ability is countered (with Disallow, for example), the other ability will still resolve.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Magmakin Artillerist + Kefka, Court Mage // Kefka, Ruler of Ruin
- 1Proceed to your cleanup step, causing you to discard down to your maximum hand size.
- 2Magmakin Artillerist triggers for each card discarded this way.
- 3Resolve the first Magmakin Artillerist trigger, dealing damage to each opponent.
- 4Kefka triggers, causing you to draw a card for each opponent that lost life.
- 5Repeat from step 3 as needed for all remaining Magmakin Artillerist triggers.
- 6Once all players have passed priority and the stack is empty, you will still be in your cleanup step, and will discard down to your maximum hand size.
- 7Repeat from step 2.
Magmakin Artillerist + Curiosity
- 1During the next cleanup step, discard cards down to your maximum hand size.
- 2Magmakin Artillerist triggers, dealing 1 damage to each opponent for each card discarded this way.
- 3Curiosity triggers, causing you to draw a card.
- 4As you are still in the cleanup step, once the stack is empty and priority has been passed by all players, you will discard down to your maximum hand size again.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Magmakin Artillerist + Ophidian Eye
- 1During the next cleanup step, discard cards down to your maximum hand size.
- 2Magmakin Artillerist triggers, dealing 1 damage to each opponent for each card discarded this way.
- 3Ophidian Eye triggers, causing you to draw a card.
- 4As you are still in the cleanup step, once the stack is empty and priority has been passed by all players, you will discard down to your maximum hand size again.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Magmakin Artillerist + Tandem Lookout
- 1During the next cleanup step, discard cards down to your maximum hand size.
- 2Magmakin Artillerist triggers, dealing 1 damage to each opponent for each card discarded this way.
- 3Magmakin Artillerist triggers, causing you to draw a card.
- 4As you are still in the cleanup step, once the stack is empty and priority has been passed by all players, you will discard down to your maximum hand size again.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator + Magmakin Artillerist + Quicksmith Genius
- 1Cause an artifact to enter under your control.
- 2When the artifact enters, Quicksmith Genius triggers, causing you to rummage.
- 3Magmakin Artillerist triggers, dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
- 4Malcolm triggers, creating a Treasure token for each opponent that was dealt damage.
- 5When the Treasure(s) enter, Quicksmith Genius triggers that many times.
- 6Resolve a Quicksmith Genius trigger, causing you to rummage.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Magmakin Artillerist + Keen Sense
- 1During the next cleanup step, discard cards down to your maximum hand size.
- 2Magmakin Artillerist triggers, dealing 1 damage to each opponent for each card discarded this way.
- 3Keen Sense triggers, causing you to draw a card.
- 4As you are still in the cleanup step, once the stack is empty and priority has been passed by all players, you will discard down to your maximum hand size again.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Magmakin Artillerist + Snake Umbra
- 1During the next cleanup step, discard cards down to your maximum hand size.
- 2Magmakin Artillerist triggers, dealing 1 damage to each opponent for each card discarded this way.
- 3Snake Umbra triggers, causing you to draw a card.
- 4As you are still in the cleanup step, once the stack is empty and priority has been passed by all players, you will discard down to your maximum hand size again.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator + Magmakin Artillerist + Tortured Existence
- 1Activate Tortured Existence by paying
and discarding a creature card. - 2Magmakin Artillerist triggers, dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
- 3Malcolm triggers, creating a Treasure token for each opponent dealt damage this way.
- 4Resolve the Tortured Existence ability, returning another creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
- 5Activate the Treasure by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
- 6Repeat.
Legal formats
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