Neheb, the Eternal 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
Afflict 3 (Whenever this creature becomes blocked, defending player loses 3 life.) At the beginning of each of your postcombat main phases, addfor each 1 life your opponents have lost this turn.
Complete guide
Neheb, the Eternal is a powerhouse commander that rewards aggression with an explosive influx of mana. By converting the life lost by your opponents into raw red energy, this Zombie Minotaur can fuel massive spells in your second main phase. Understanding the timing of its triggers is key to maximizing your turn's potential.
Converting Pain to Power
Neheb, the Eternal features two distinct abilities that work in tandem. Afflict 3 ensures that even if Neheb is blocked, your opponent still loses 3 life, which guarantees at least three red mana during your next main phase. The second ability tracks the total life lost by all opponents throughout the entire turn, regardless of how they lost it—be it through combat, spells, or even their own life-payment costs.
Timing and Resolution
Neheb's mana-generating ability triggers at the beginning of your postcombat main phase. Unlike standard mana abilities, this is a triggered ability that uses the stack and can be responded to. Crucially, the ability checks how much life was lost, not the net change in life total; if an opponent loses 5 life but gains 10 before your main phase, Neheb still sees the 5 life lost and adds five red mana.
Strategic Considerations
It is important to remember that Neheb must be on the battlefield when the postcombat main phase begins to trigger. If an opponent destroys Neheb during the combat phase, you will not receive any mana for the life they lost that turn. Additionally, if you manage to take multiple combat phases, Neheb will trigger at the start of every main phase that follows a combat phase, potentially generating mana multiple times in one turn.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf you control Neheb, the Eternal and Roaming Throne with 'Zombie' or 'Minotaur' chosen, Neheb's mana ability will trigger twice at the start of your postcombat main phase. If opponents lost a total of 5 life, the first trigger resolves to add five red mana, and then the second trigger resolves to add another five, giving you 10 red mana total.
Solemn SimulacrumIf you attack an opponent with Neheb, the Eternal and they block with Solemn Simulacrum, Afflict 3 triggers immediately. The opponent loses 3 life before combat damage is even dealt. During your postcombat main phase, Neheb's ability will trigger and add at least {R}{R}{R} to your mana pool based on that Afflict loss, even if Neheb is destroyed by combat damage later in that same step.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Neheb, the Eternal
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature is attacking a planeswalker, that planeswalker's controller is the defending player. If a creature is attacking a battle, that battle's protector is the defending player.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Because it triggers at the beginning of a phase, Neheb's last ability isn't a mana ability. It uses the stack and can be countered by effects that interact with triggered abilities, such as that of Nimble Obstructionist.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You get a postcombat main phase even if no creatures attacked during a turn. Neheb's last ability will trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If an opponent loses life but Neheb leaves the battlefield before your postcombat main phase begins, its last ability doesn't trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Neheb's ability checks only how much life opponents lost during the turn, not by how much their life total decreased compared to the start of the turn. For example, if an opponent lost 2 life and then gained 8 life before your postcombat main phase, you'll add
.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If you somehow have more than two main phases in a turn, each main phase after your first one is a postcombat main phase, and Neheb's last ability triggers at the beginning of each of them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If multiple creatures block a creature with afflict, afflict triggers only once.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Afflict causes the defending player to lose life; it's not damage or combat damage.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
Afflict resolves before combat damage is dealt. If this loss of life brings a player to 0 life or less, that player loses the game immediately. A blocking creature with lifelink won't deal combat damage in time to save that player.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
If an opponent loses life and subsequently loses the game before your postcombat main phase, Neheb's last ability counts that loss of life.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Neheb, the Eternal + Aggravated Assault
- 1At the beginning of your postcombat main phase, Neheb adds at least .
- 2Activate Aggravated Assault by paying
: untap all creatures you control, and create an additional combat phase and postcombat main phase. - 3Repeat.
Legal formats
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