Public Execution 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
Destroy target creature an opponent controls. Each other creature that player controls gets -2/-0 until end of turn.
Complete guide
Public Execution is a powerful black instant that turns a single elimination into a demoralizing blow for your opponent's entire army. By singling out one victim, you ensure that the rest of their forces are too shaken to strike effectively for the remainder of the turn. This card is a staple for controlling the flow of combat and punishing players who rely on wide boards of small creatures.
What It Does
Public Execution serves two purposes: it is a high-cost removal spell and a defensive combat trick. It requires one target creature controlled by an opponent. When it resolves, that creature is destroyed, and every other creature currently controlled by that specific opponent receives a -2/-0 power reduction until the end of the turn.
Resolving the Execution Step by Step
First, you cast Public Execution by paying its mana cost and choosing a legal target creature an opponent controls. Upon resolution, the game checks if the target is still legal. If the target is destroyed, the second part of the spell applies a continuous effect to the opponent's remaining creatures. If the target was indestructible or regenerated, the destruction fails, but the other creatures still suffer the -2/-0 penalty. Note that only creatures on the battlefield at the exact moment of resolution are affected; anything entering the battlefield later will have its full power.
Common Pitfalls
The most important rule to remember is that Public Execution only has one target. If your opponent manages to give that target Hexproof or removes it from the battlefield before Public Execution resolves, the entire spell is removed from the stack and does nothing. In this scenario, the other creatures will not get the -2/-0 penalty. Additionally, keep in mind that this spell does not target the other creatures, so protection or Shroud on the non-targeted creatures will not save them from the power reduction.
When to Play It
This spell is best utilized during your opponent's Declare Attackers step. By destroying their best attacker and weakening the rest, you can often turn a lethal swing into a minor annoyance or set up profitable blocks that would otherwise result in losing your own creatures.
Interaction examples
Not of This WorldIf you target an opponent's Eldrazi with Public Execution and they respond by casting Not of This World, your spell will be countered. Because Public Execution failed to resolve, no creatures will be destroyed and the -2/-0 effect will never be applied to the opponent's other creatures.
Ad NauseamIf you are facing an overwhelming board state, you might use Ad Nauseam to dig through your library for Public Execution. Once you find it and cast it, you can destroy their primary threat. Even if you took significant damage from Ad Nauseam, the -2/-0 debuff from Public Execution can prevent the remaining creatures from dealing lethal damage to you during the combat phase.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Public Execution
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If the target creature regenerates or has indestructible, each other creature controlled by that creature's controller will still get -2/-0.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Only creatures controlled by the player when Public Execution resolves will get -2/-0. Creatures that enter under that player's control or that the player gains control of later in the turn are unaffected.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Public Execution targets only the creature it destroys. If that creature is an illegal target when Public Execution tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. No creature will get -2/-0.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Public Execution
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.