Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel 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
Flash Flying Whenever Malcolm deals combat damage to a player, put a chorus counter on it. Draw a card, then discard a card. If there are four or more chorus counters on Malcolm, you may cast the discarded card without paying its mana cost.
Complete guide
Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel is a high-flying Siren Pirate that rewards aggressive play with consistent card filtering. As you accumulate chorus counters through combat, Malcolm eventually allows you to cast your discarded spells for free, skipping their mana costs entirely. This makes him a powerful engine for tempo and value in any blue-based deck.
Combat and Counters
Whenever Malcolm deals combat damage to a player, a triggered ability goes on the stack. First, you place a chorus counter on Malcolm. Then, you draw a card and discard a card. This looting effect happens every time he connects, helping you dig through your library for answers while building up to his ultimate payoff.
Casting for Free
The final part of Malcolm's ability checks the number of chorus counters. If there are four or more, you may cast the card you just discarded without paying its mana cost. This happens during the resolution of the ability, meaning you ignore normal timing restrictions. If you discard a creature or sorcery during the combat phase this way, you can cast it immediately. However, you cannot play land cards this way, as the ability specifically says to 'cast' the card.
Alternative and Additional Costs
When casting a spell 'without paying its mana cost,' you cannot choose other alternative costs. If a card has an X in its mana cost, X must be 0. You can, however, pay optional additional costs like Kicker, and you must pay mandatory additional costs if the spell requires them. If Malcolm leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, use the number of counters he had when he was last on the battlefield to determine if you can cast the card.
Interaction examples
Ornithopter of ParadiseIf Malcolm has three chorus counters and deals combat damage to a player, you add a fourth counter. You then draw a card and discard Ornithopter of Paradise. Because Malcolm now has four counters, you may immediately cast the Ornithopter of Paradise without paying its mana cost, putting it directly onto the battlefield during your combat phase.
Foundry InspectorIf you have Foundry Inspector on the battlefield and Malcolm's ability allows you to cast an artifact spell for free, the cost reduction from Foundry Inspector does not apply because you are already paying zero mana. However, if the discarded card had an additional mana cost (like a tax), the Foundry Inspector would help reduce that extra cost.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a spell using Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel's last ability, you do so as part of the resolution of the ability. You can't wait to cast the spell later in the turn. Timing permissions based on the card's type are ignored.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
You may not play land cards discarded with Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel's last ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a card "without paying its mana cost", you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast the card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell has
in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel isn't on the battlefield as its triggered ability resolves, you won't put a chorus counter on it, but you'll still draw a card and discard a card. You may still cast the discarded card without paying its mana cost if Malcolm had four or more chorus counters on it when it was last on the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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