Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink 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
,
: Create a token that's a copy of another target creature you control. It gains haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step. Activate only as a sorcery.
Complete guide
Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink is a powerhouse in Mono-Red decks, offering the ability to duplicate your best creatures for a single explosive turn. Whether you need a single utility trigger or five game-ending attackers, Orthion provides the versatility to overwhelm your opponents. Understanding how copy effects interact with the stack and timing is key to mastering this legendary soldier.
What Orthion Does
Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink has two activated abilities that create copies of another target creature you control. The first costs two mana and creates one token, while the second costs nine mana and creates five tokens. These tokens gain haste, allowing them to attack or use tap abilities immediately, but they must be sacrificed at the beginning of the next end step. Importantly, both abilities can only be activated at sorcery speed, meaning during your main phase when the stack is empty.
How it Resolves Step by Step
First, you pay the mana cost and tap Orthion to target another creature you control. When the ability resolves, the game creates the token(s) using the base characteristics of the target creature. The tokens enter the battlefield, triggering any 'enters-the-battlefield' (ETB) abilities they possess. During the turn, these tokens have haste and can participate in combat. Finally, at the beginning of the next end step, a delayed triggered ability goes on the stack, requiring you to sacrifice those specific tokens.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is trying to copy Orthion himself; his abilities specifically state you must target 'another' creature. Additionally, players often forget that copy effects do not include temporary buffs, counters, or attached Auras. If you copy a creature with a +1/+1 counter on it, the token will not have that counter. Finally, remember the sacrifice happens at the 'next' end step. If you somehow activate Orthion's ability during an opponent's turn (such as with a card that grants flash), the tokens will survive until your own end step.
When to Play It
Orthion is best utilized in decks that feature creatures with powerful ETB effects or 'dies' triggers. Since the tokens are sacrificed at the end of the turn, you are guaranteed to get both the entry and exit benefits. The nine-mana ability is a finisher, intended to be used when you can create five copies of a massive threat to end the game in a single combat phase.
Interaction examples
Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink
Solemn SimulacrumWith Solemn Simulacrum on the battlefield, you activate Orthion's first ability for {1}{R}. A token copy of the Golem enters, triggering its ability to search for a basic land. You attack for 2 damage with haste, and at the end step, you sacrifice the token, which triggers its second ability to draw a card.
Roaming ThroneIf you control Roaming Throne (with 'Human' or 'Soldier' chosen), Orthion's ability triggers an additional time because he is a Human Soldier. When you activate Orthion's {1}{R} ability targeting a creature, the Throne causes that ability to trigger again. You will end up creating two tokens instead of one, each with haste and the sacrifice clause.
By spending {6}{R}{R}{R} and tapping Orthion, you target Solemn Simulacrum. Five token copies enter the battlefield simultaneously. You search your library for five basic lands and put them onto the battlefield. At the end of the turn, all five are sacrificed, and you draw five cards.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If the copied creature has
in its mana cost, X is 0.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If the copied creature is a token, the token that’s created copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created that token.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If the copied creature is copying something else, then the token enters the battlefield as whatever that creature copied.
Card named in this ruling
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
The tokens each copy exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else (unless that creature is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
Card named in this ruling
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the token enters the battlefield. Any “as [this creature] enters the battlefield” or “[this creature] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the copied creature will also work.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink + Terror of the Peaks
- 1Activate Orthion's second ability by paying
and tapping it, creating five token copies of Terror the Peaks. - 2When the Terror of the Peaks tokens enter, the nontoken Terror of the Peaks triggers five times, and each Terror of the Peaks token triggers four times.
- 3Resolve all Terror of the Peaks triggers, dealing 125 damage divided among a maximum of 25 targets.
Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink + Fanatic of Mogis
- 1Activate Orthion's second ability by paying and tapping it, creating five token copies of Fanatic of Mogis.
- 2Each Fanatic of Mogis enters the battlefield, triggering their abilities.
- 3Resolve the first trigger, dealing damage equal to your devotion to red to each opponent.
- 4Repeat step 3 for each remaining trigger.
Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink + Gray Merchant of Asphodel
- 1Activate Orthion's second ability by paying and tapping it, creating five token copies of Gray Merchant of Asphodel.
- 2Each Gray Merchant of Asphodel enters the battlefield, triggering their abilities.
- 3Resolve the first trigger, causing each opponent to lose life equal to your devotion to black, and causing you to gain that much life.
- 4Repeat step 3 for each remaining trigger.
Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink + Craterclaw Colossus
- 1Activate Orthion's second ability by paying and tapping it, creating five token copies of Craterclaw Colossus.
- 2When the Craterclaw Colossus tokens enter, they each trigger.
- 3Resolve a Craterclaw Colossus trigger, giving each creature you control +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the number of artifacts you control.
- 4Repeat step 3 for the remaining triggers.
Scourge of Valkas + Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink
- 1Activate Orthion's second ability by paying and tapping it, creating five token copies of Scourge of Valkas.
- 2When the Scourge of Valkas tokens enter, each Scourge of Valkas triggers five times.
- 3Resolve all Scourge of Valkas triggers, dealing at least 180 damage divided among a maximum of 30 targets.
Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink + Village Bell-Ringer
- 1Activate any number of creatures by tapping them, adding at least
. - 2Activate Orthion's first ability by paying and tapping it, creating a token copy of Village Bell-Ringer with haste.
- 3When the Village Bell-Ringer token enters the battlefield, it triggers, untapping all creatures you control.
- 4Repeat.
Be'lakor, the Dark Master + Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink
- 1Activate Orthion's second ability by paying and tapping it, creating five token copies of Be'lakor.
- 2Put all the Be'lakor tokens into your graveyard due to the legend rule.
- 3Each Be'lakor token's first ability triggers, the nontoken Be'lakor's second ability triggers five times, and each Be'lakor token's second ability triggers four times.
- 4Resolve the nontoken Be'lakor triggers, dealing 30 damage to up to 5 targets.
- 5Resolve all the Be'lakor tokens' second abilities, dealing 120 damage to up to 20 targets.
- 6If needed, resolve all the Be'lakor tokens' first abilities, causing you to draw five cards for each Demon you control and lose that much life.
Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink + Timestream Navigator
- 1Activate Orthion by paying and tapping it, creating a token copy of Timestream Navigator with haste.
- 2If you don't have the city's blessing, the Timestream Navigator token gives you the city's blessing.
- 3Activate the Timestream Navigator token by paying
, tapping it and putting it on the bottom of your library from the battlefield, causing you to take an extra turn after this one. - 4Repeat each turn.
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