Pain for All — ruling 1

If lethal damage is dealt to the enchanted creature, Pain for All’s last ability still triggers.

Pain for All — ruling 2

If the enchanted creature leaves the battlefield before Pain for All’s second ability resolves, use its power as it last existed on the battlefield to determine how much damage is dealt.

Pain for All — ruling 3

If the enchanted creature is dealt damage by multiple sources at once, such as by two creatures blocking it, Pain for All’s last ability triggers only once. When that triggered ability resolves, the enchanted creature deals damage equal to the total amount of damage dealt to it to each opponent.

Pain for All : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Pain for All 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

Enchant creature you control When this Aura enters, enchanted creature deals damage equal to its power to any other target. Whenever enchanted creature is dealt damage, it deals that much damage to each opponent.

Complete guide

Pain for All is a volatile red enchantment that turns your own creatures into explosive weapons of mass destruction. By enchanting one of your own units, you gain an immediate strike against any target followed by a powerful deterrent against incoming damage.

Explosive Entry and Retaliation

When Pain for All enters the battlefield, it immediately triggers, causing the enchanted creature to deal damage to any target equal to its power. Once attached, it grants the creature a triggered ability: whenever the creature is dealt damage, it reflects that exact amount to every opponent. This turns combat math into a nightmare for your foes, as any attempt to block or burn your creature results in their own loss of life.

The Resolution Process

The 'enters' ability targets a creature, player, or planeswalker. If the enchanted creature leaves the battlefield before this resolves, the game uses its 'last known information' to check its power. The secondary triggered ability reacts to damage events. If multiple sources deal damage to the creature simultaneously—such as during combat with multiple blockers—the ability triggers once for the total sum of that damage. Even if the damage is lethal, the ability triggers and stays on the stack to resolve after the creature has moved to the graveyard.

Strategic Implementation

You should play Pain for All on high-power creatures to maximize the initial enter-the-battlefield effect. It is also effective on creatures with high toughness or Indestructible, as they can survive multiple damage events to keep triggering the reflect ability. Since the reflection hits 'each opponent,' this card is significantly more powerful in multiplayer formats like Commander where it can threaten the entire table at once.

Interaction examples

Immediate Tactical Strike

You control a creature with 5 power and cast Pain for All targeting it. As it enters, you choose an opponent's creature as the target for the triggered ability. Your creature deals 5 damage to that target immediately. If the opponent responds by destroying your creature, the ability still resolves using the 5 power it had before leaving the battlefield.

Synergy with Direct Burn

Impact Tremors

While Impact Tremors deals damage when creatures enter, Pain for All provides a way to weaponize damage your creatures take later. If an opponent casts a spell that deals 3 damage to your enchanted creature, Pain for All triggers. When it resolves, the creature deals 3 damage to every opponent, compounding the pressure already provided by Impact Tremors.

Recursive Pressure

Underworld Breach

If your enchanted creature dies or the Aura is destroyed, Underworld Breach allows you to cast Pain for All from your graveyard for its escape cost. This lets you repeatedly trigger the enter-the-battlefield damage effect or re-apply the reflection shield to a new threat during a pivotal turn.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Pain for All

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1July 25, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
If lethal damage is dealt to the enchanted creature, Pain for All’s last ability still triggers.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2July 25, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
If the enchanted creature leaves the battlefield before Pain for All’s second ability resolves, use its power as it last existed on the battlefield to determine how much damage is dealt.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3July 25, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
If the enchanted creature is dealt damage by multiple sources at once, such as by two creatures blocking it, Pain for All’s last ability triggers only once. When that triggered ability resolves, the enchanted creature deals damage equal to the total amount of damage dealt to it to each opponent.
No other card is named in this ruling.