Multiply by Zero 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
Target creature has base power and toughness 0/0 until end of turn.
Complete guide
Multiply by Zero is a potent black instant that allows you to shrink any threat down to its bare essentials. By resetting a creature's core stats, you can turn a massive behemoth into a fragile shell that is easily removed.
What It Does
Multiply by Zero targets a single creature and sets its base power and toughness to 0/0 until the end of the turn. This effect overwrites the numbers printed on the card and any characteristic-defining abilities that would normally determine its size. It essentially nullifies the natural strength of the creature without removing its abilities or other bonuses.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, you choose a legal target creature and pay the mana cost. Upon resolution, the game checks the creature's current base power and toughness and forces them to 0. Next, the game applies any existing 'layer 7' effects, such as +1/+1 counters or static buffs from other permanents. Finally, if the resulting toughness is 0 or less and there are no counters or buffs keeping it alive, the creature is put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based action.
Common Mistakes
A common error is assuming Multiply by Zero always kills the creature. If the creature has +1/+1 counters on it or is being buffed by an anthem effect, it will survive as a 1/1 or larger. Additionally, remember that this spell only changes the base stats; it does not remove keywords like Flying or Deathtouch, so the creature may still be a utility threat even at 0/0.
When to Play It
This spell is best used during the combat phase to surprise an opponent by making their blocker or attacker significantly weaker. It is also an effective way to remove creatures that rely on their printed stats to survive, provided they aren't carrying equipment or counters that boost their toughness above zero.
Interaction examples
Dark RitualOn turn one, you can cast Dark Ritual to add three black mana to your pool. You can then use two of that mana to cast Multiply by Zero on an opponent's early-game creature, potentially destroying it immediately if it has no other buffs, leaving you with one black mana remaining for another spell.
Vampiric TutorIf your opponent plays a massive creature you cannot block, you can cast Vampiric Tutor during their end step to place Multiply by Zero on top of your library. On your next turn, you draw it and cast it to reduce that massive threat to a 0/0, allowing you to attack through it or let it die to state-based actions if it lacks counters.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Multiply by Zero
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The effect of Multiply by Zero overrides any other effect that sets a creature's base power and toughness, as well as any characteristic-defining abilities that set base power and toughness (such as that of Fblthp, Knows the Way, another card in Reality Fracture). However, if any other effects are increasing that creature's toughness, such as a +1/+1 counter or an effect that gave the creature +1/+1 until end of turn, those will still apply, and in that case, the creature will not die due to having 0 toughness.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Multiply by Zero
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.