Poison-Tip Archer 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
Reach (This creature can block creatures with flying.) Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.) Whenever another creature dies, each opponent loses 1 life.
Complete guide
Poison-Tip Archer is a versatile defensive powerhouse that punishes your opponents for every casualty on the battlefield. With the combination of Reach and Deathtouch, it serves as a formidable deterrent against attackers while its triggered ability drains your enemies.
What It Does
Poison-Tip Archer is a four-mana creature that excels at controlling the board. Its keywords, Reach and Deathtouch, mean it can block and destroy almost any creature, including those with flying. Its most potent feature, however, is its triggered ability: whenever any other creature on the battlefield dies—regardless of who controlled it—each of your opponents loses 1 life.
How It Resolves
The Archer's ability triggers the moment another creature's toughness hits 0 or it is destroyed by an effect. This trigger goes on the stack and resolves independently of the creature entering the graveyard. If multiple creatures die at the same time, such as during a board wipe, Poison-Tip Archer sees all of them. Crucially, if the Archer dies simultaneously with other creatures, its ability still triggers for each of those other creatures.
Common Mistakes
A common misconception is that the Archer must survive the event to trigger its ability. According to official rulings, if a board wipe destroys Poison-Tip Archer and three other creatures at once, the Archer's ability triggers three times. Another mistake is forgetting that this effect targets each opponent; in multiplayer formats like Two-Headed Giant, this results in the opposing team losing 2 life total because each individual opponent loses 1 life.
When to Play It
You should play Poison-Tip Archer when you have a way to facilitate creature deaths or when you need to stabilize against an aggressive deck. It is particularly effective in 'Aristocrat' style decks where you sacrifice your own creatures for value, turning every sacrifice into direct damage to your opponents.
Interaction examples
Eternal WitnessIf your Eternal Witness blocks an opponent's creature and both are destroyed in combat, Poison-Tip Archer sees the Eternal Witness (and the opponent's creature) die. You will put two triggers on the stack, and each opponent will lose a total of 2 life.
Solemn SimulacrumWhen you sacrifice Solemn Simulacrum to an effect, two things happen: Solemn Simulacrum's own ability triggers to let you draw a card, and Poison-Tip Archer's ability triggers because another creature died. Each opponent loses 1 life, and you get your card draw.
If an opponent attacks with a massive flying dragon, Poison-Tip Archer can block it due to Reach. Because the Archer has Deathtouch, even 1 point of damage is enough to destroy the dragon. Once the dragon dies, the Archer's ability triggers, and the opponent loses 1 life.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Poison-Tip Archer
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If another creature dies at the same time as Poison-Tip Archer does, each opponent loses 1 life.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
In a Two-Headed Giant game, Poison-tip Archer's last ability causes the opposing team to lose 2 life.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Tombstone Stairwell + Poison-Tip Archer
- 1At the beginning of each upkeep, Tombostone Stairwell's first ability triggers, causing each player to create a 2/2 Zombie creature token for each creature card in their graveyard.
- 2At the beginning of each end step, Tombstone Stairwell's second ability triggers, destroying all tokens created by it.
- 3When the token(s) die, Poison-Tip Archer triggers that many times, causing each opponent to lose that much life.
- 4Repeat during each turn.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Poison-Tip Archer
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.