Scion of Calamity 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
Myriad (Whenever this creature attacks, for each opponent other than defending player, you may create a token copy that's tapped and attacking that player or a planeswalker they control. Exile the tokens at end of combat.) Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, destroy target artifact or enchantment that player controls.
Complete guide
Scion of Calamity is a formidable Dinosaur that punishes your opponents' board states simply by connecting in combat. By utilizing the Myriad keyword, this creature can threaten every player at the table simultaneously, turning a single attack into a wave of destruction. It is a powerful tool for green decks looking to clear away problematic artifacts and enchantments while applying significant pressure.
Understanding Myriad and Combat Damage
Scion of Calamity features two distinct triggered abilities. The first is Myriad, which triggers the moment the creature is declared as an attacker. This creates token copies of Scion of Calamity for every opponent other than the one you are currently attacking. The second is a combat damage trigger: whenever the Scion (or one of its tokens) deals combat damage to a player, you destroy a target artifact or enchantment that specific player controls. Note that if a token deals damage to a planeswalker instead of the player, its destruction ability will not trigger.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, declare Scion of Calamity as an attacker against an opponent, planeswalker, or battle. The Myriad ability triggers and goes on the stack. Upon resolution, you create tapped and attacking token copies for each other opponent. During the Combat Damage step, the original Scion and each token deal damage. For every instance where a Scion deals damage to a player, a separate 'destroy target artifact or enchantment' trigger is placed on the stack, targeting a permanent controlled by that damaged player. Finally, at the end of the combat phase, all Myriad tokens are exiled.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is assuming the tokens trigger their own Myriad ability. Because the tokens enter the battlefield already 'attacking,' they were never 'declared as an attacker,' so their own Myriad abilities do not trigger. Additionally, remember that the tokens are exiled at the end of combat; you cannot keep them around for future turns unless you have an effect that explicitly stops the exile trigger or allows you to keep tokens. Lastly, the destruction ability requires damage to be dealt to a *player*; if the Scion is blocked or attacks a planeswalker, it will not destroy an artifact or enchantment.
When to Play Scion of Calamity
This creature is most effective in Commander or other multiplayer formats where you have multiple opponents to maximize the Myriad value. It is best deployed when your opponents rely on utility artifacts or powerful enchantments for their strategy. Since it costs five mana, ensuring it has haste or a clear path to an opponent's life total is key to getting immediate value before it can be removed.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf you attack Player A with Scion of Calamity while Player B controls a Solemn Simulacrum, Myriad creates a token attacking Player B. If Player B does not block, the token deals combat damage. You then target and destroy the Solemn Simulacrum. The Simulacrum's owner will still get to draw a card because it died, but their board presence is reduced.
Roaming ThroneWith Roaming Throne on the battlefield naming 'Dinosaur', Scion of Calamity becomes twice as dangerous. When the Scion attacks, Myriad triggers an additional time, creating two tokens for each other opponent instead of one. Furthermore, if the original Scion deals damage to a player, its destruction ability triggers twice, allowing you to destroy two artifacts or enchantments controlled by that player.
CopyWhen Scion of Calamity's Myriad ability resolves in a four-player game, you use two Copy tokens to represent the new attackers. These tokens are exact duplicates of the printed card Scion of Calamity. They have the same power, toughness, and abilities, and they will trigger their own destruction effects upon dealing damage to the players they are attacking.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Scion of Calamity
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The term "defending player" in the myriad rules (or any other ability of an attacking creature) refers to the player the creature with myriad was attacking, the controller of the planeswalker it was attacking, or the protector of the battle it was attacking at the time the ability resolves. If that creature is no longer attacking, it refers to the appropriate player based on who or what the creature was last attacking.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If the defending player is your only opponent, no tokens are put onto the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You choose whether each token is attacking the player or a planeswalker they control as the token is created. If it's attacking a planeswalker, you choose which one. You can't have any of the tokens attack a battle.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Although the tokens enter the battlefield attacking, they were never declared as attackers. Abilities that trigger whenever a creature attacks won't trigger, including the myriad ability of the tokens. If there are any costs to have a creature attack, those costs won't apply to the tokens.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
The tokens all enter the battlefield at the same time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Each token copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else. It doesn't copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
Card named in this ruling
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the tokens enter the battlefield. Any "as [this permanent] enters the battlefield" or "[this permanent] enters the battlefield with" abilities of the copied creature will also work.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If myriad creates more than one token for any given player (due to an effect such as the one Doubling Season creates), you may choose separately for each token whether it's attacking the player or a planeswalker they control.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Related cards and tokens
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Scion of Calamity
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.