Red Death, Shipwrecker 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
Alluring Eyes —: Goad target creature an opponent controls. That player draws a card. You add
. (Until your next turn, that creature attacks each combat if able and attacks a player other than you if able.)
Complete guide
Red Death, Shipwrecker is a fascinating Commander card that blends political manipulation with resource generation. As a Crab Mutant, it uses its Alluring Eyes to force your opponents into combat while refueling their hand and your mana pool simultaneously.
Eyes on the Prize
The Alluring Eyes ability is a unique activated ability that requires a target creature an opponent controls. When it resolves, three things happen in order: the target creature is goaded, its controller draws a card, and you add one Red mana to your mana pool. It is important to note that this is not a mana ability because it requires a target; therefore, it uses the stack and can be responded to by any player.
The Mechanics of Goad
When a creature is goaded, it is forced to attack each combat if able until your next turn. Furthermore, it must attack a player other than you if possible. If the creature cannot attack another player—perhaps because you are the only opponent left or other players have safety measures—it must still attack you, a planeswalker, or a battle if it is able to do so. Goaded status remains even if the creature loses its abilities later in the turn.
Strategic Mana Use
Because this ability adds {R} to your mana pool upon resolution, you can use Red Death, Shipwrecker as a specialized mana dork. However, since the mana is added during the resolution of a targeted ability, you cannot use it to pay for the activation of the ability itself. You should plan to use the Red mana for instant-speed spells or save the activation for your main phase to cast follow-up spells.
Timing and Illegal Targets
If the creature you targeted leaves the battlefield or gains protection from blue or red in response to the ability, the entire ability fizzles. This means you will not add the Red mana and the opponent will not draw a card. Always ensure your target is likely to remain on the board to guarantee your mana generation.
Interaction examples
Ornithopter of ParadiseWith Ornithopter of Paradise and Red Death, Shipwrecker on the battlefield, you have access to highly flexible mana. You can tap the Ornithopter for a blue mana and then tap Red Death, targeting an opponent's creature, to produce a red mana. This allows you to chain spells together while ensuring an opponent's creature is forced to leave you alone during their next turn.
Professional Face-BreakerIf you have Professional Face-Breaker on the field, you can use the Red mana generated by Red Death to help pay for spells exiled by the Face-Breaker's ability. By goading an opponent's creature, you might also clear a path for your own creatures to attack a different unprotected opponent, triggering Face-Breaker to create Treasure tokens for even more mana.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Red Death, Shipwrecker
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If the target creature is an illegal target as Red Death’s ability tries to resolve, it won’t resolve and none of its effects happen. You won’t add any mana, and the creature’s controller won’t draw a card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Red Death’s ability isn’t a mana ability even though it causes you to add mana. It uses the stack and can be responded to.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If, during a player’s declare attackers step, a creature that player controls that’s been goaded is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can’t attack, or hasn’t been under that player’s control continuously since the turn began (and doesn’t have haste), then it doesn’t attack. If there’s a cost associated with having a creature attack a player, its controller isn’t forced to pay that cost, so it doesn’t have to attack that player.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the creature doesn’t meet any of the above exceptions and can attack, it must attack a player other than the controller of the spell or ability that goaded it if able. If the creature can’t attack any of those players but could otherwise attack, it must attack a planeswalker an opponent controls, a battle an opponent protects, or the player that goaded it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Being goaded isn’t an ability the creature has. Once it’s been goaded, it must attack as detailed above even if it loses all abilities.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Attacking with a goaded creature doesn’t cause it to stop being goaded. If there is an additional combat phase that turn, or if another player gains control of it before it stops being goaded, it must attack again if able.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Red Death, Shipwrecker + Chromatic Orrery + Freed from the Real
- 1Activate Red Death by tapping it, adding , goading a creature an opponent controls and causing that opponent to draw a card.
- 2Activate Freed from the Real's second ability by paying
, untapping Red Death. - 3Repeat.
Red Death, Shipwrecker + Chromatic Orrery + Pemmin's Aura
- 1Activate Red Death by tapping it, adding , goading a creature an opponent controls and causing that opponent to draw a card.
- 2Activate Pemmin's Aura's first ability by paying , untapping Red Death.
- 3Repeat.
Red Death, Shipwrecker + Mycosynth Lattice + Freed from the Real
- 1Activate Red Death by tapping it, adding , goading a creature an opponent controls and causing that opponent to draw a card.
- 2Activate Freed from the Real's second ability by paying , untapping Red Death.
- 3Repeat.
Red Death, Shipwrecker + Mycosynth Lattice + Pemmin's Aura
- 1Activate Red Death by tapping it, adding , goading a creature an opponent controls and causing that opponent to draw a card.
- 2Activate Pemmin's Aura's first ability by paying , untapping Red Death.
- 3Repeat.
Red Death, Shipwrecker + Xyris, the Writhing Storm + Intruder Alarm
- 1Activate Red Death by tapping it, adding and goading a creature an opponent controls and causing that opponent to draw a card.
- 2Xyris's first ability triggers, creating a 1/1 Snake creature token.
- 3When the Snake enters, Intruder Alarm triggers, untapping all creatures.
- 4Repeat.
Red Death, Shipwrecker + Prismite + Freed from the Real + Training Grounds
- 1Activate Red Death by tapping it, adding , goading a creature an opponent controls and causing that opponent to draw a card.
- 2Activate Prismite by paying , adding
. - 3Activate Freed from the Real by paying , untapping Red Death.
- 4Repeat.
Red Death, Shipwrecker + Prismite + Pemmin's Aura + Training Grounds
- 1Activate Red Death by tapping it, adding , goading a creature an opponent controls and causing that opponent to draw a card.
- 2Activate Prismite by paying , adding .
- 3Activate Pemmin's Aura by paying , untapping Red Death.
- 4Repeat.
Red Death, Shipwrecker + Heartstone + Prismite + Freed from the Real
- 1Activate Red Death by tapping it, adding , goading a creature an opponent controls and causing that opponent to draw a card.
- 2Activate Prismite by paying , adding .
- 3Activate Freed from the Real by paying , untapping Red Death.
- 4Repeat.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Red Death, Shipwrecker
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.