Raid Bombardment 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
Whenever a creature you control with power 2 or less attacks, this enchantment deals 1 damage to the player or planeswalker that creature is attacking.
Complete guide
Raid Bombardment is a powerful red enchantment that punishes opponents for letting small creatures through your front lines. By weaponizing your low-power units, you can chip away at your opponent's life total even before blockers are declared. This card is a staple for aggressive decks that utilize wide boards of tokens or tiny utility creatures.
What Raid Bombardment Does
This enchantment features a triggered ability that looks for creatures you control with power 2 or less at the moment they are declared as attackers. If the condition is met, Raid Bombardment deals 1 damage directly to the player or planeswalker that the specific creature is attacking. Note that this ability does not trigger if you are attacking a battle.
Resolving the Ability Step by Step
First, you declare your attackers during the Combat Phase. For every creature with power 2 or less, a separate Raid Bombardment trigger is placed on the stack. The game checks the power only at this moment; if the creature's power is boosted by a spell or ability later, the damage will still be dealt. Each trigger resolves independently, dealing 1 damage to the specific player or planeswalker targeted by that creature's attack.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
A common mistake is thinking the creature must stay small for the damage to happen. Once the ability triggers, it doesn't matter if the creature grows or even leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves. Additionally, remember that creatures with 0 power or less will still trigger this ability as long as they are legally able to attack. Finally, because the ability triggers on attacking, it won't work for creatures put onto the battlefield already attacking.
When to Play Raid Bombardment
This card shines in 'Goblins' or 'Weenie' strategies where you have a high volume of small creatures. It provides a source of non-combat damage that bypasses high-toughness blockers, making it an excellent tool for finishing off opponents who have stabilized their board presence but are low on life.
Interaction examples
Impact TremorsIf you have both Impact Tremors and Raid Bombardment on the field, your small creatures provide value at every stage. Impact Tremors deals 1 damage to each opponent when the creature enters the battlefield, and Raid Bombardment deals another 1 damage when that creature later attacks an opponent or planeswalker.
Underworld BreachIf an opponent manages to destroy your Raid Bombardment, you can use Underworld Breach to cast it again from your graveyard by paying its mana cost and exiling three other cards. This allows you to maintain your aggressive pressure even if your enchantments are targeted by removal spells.
If you control a creature with 0 power that does not have defender, you may declare it as an attacker. Raid Bombardment will see a creature with power 2 or less attacking and trigger, dealing 1 damage to the player or planeswalker that 0-power creature is attacking.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Raid Bombardment
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Raid Bombardment's ability won't do anything when a creature you control with power 2 or less attacks a battle.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The power of the attacking creature is checked only when the ability triggers. Once it triggers, Raid Bombardment will deal 1 damage to the appropriate player or planeswalker even if the creature's power changes before the ability resolves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you attack with multiple creatures with power 2 or less, Raid Bombardment's ability triggers for each of them separately.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
A creature with 0 power can attack, as long as it doesn't also have defender.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If the attacking creature leaves the battlefield before Raid Bombardment's triggered ability resolves, Raid Bombardment deals 1 damage to the player or planeswalker that creature was attacking before it left the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Raid Bombardment
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.