Scorpion, Seething Striker 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
Deathtouch At the beginning of your end step, if a creature died this turn, target creature you control connives. (Draw a card, then discard a card. If you discarded a nonland card, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.)
Complete guide
Scorpion, Seething Striker is a formidable villain that rewards you for the demise of your enemies—or even your own allies. By combining the lethality of deathtouch with the looting power of the connive mechanic, this Scorpion Human ensures your hand is always fresh and your board is always growing. Whether you are forcing trades in combat or using sacrifice outlets, this card turns every death into an opportunity for growth.
Understanding the Trigger
Scorpion, Seething Striker features a conditional triggered ability that checks for a 'morbid' condition at the start of your end step. It doesn't matter who controlled the creature that died or how it perished; as long as at least one creature was put into a graveyard from the battlefield during the current turn, the ability will trigger. When the ability resolves, you choose a target creature you control to connive.
The Mechanics of Conniving
When a creature connives, you first draw a card and then discard a card. If the discarded card is a nonland card, you place a +1/+1 counter on the creature that connived. If you have no cards in hand and cannot draw due to an effect, you cannot discard, and therefore the creature will not receive a counter. Note that if the target creature leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, you still perform the draw and discard, though no counter can be placed.
Strategy and Timing
Because the ability triggers at the beginning of your end step, you must ensure a creature has died before that phase begins. Using Scorpion, Seething Striker's deathtouch to force a trade during your combat phase is an excellent way to guarantee the trigger. Additionally, once the connive process begins, opponents cannot intervene between the discard and the placement of the +1/+1 counter, making it a reliable way to buff your units.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf you attack with Solemn Simulacrum and it is blocked and destroyed, its death trigger allows you to draw a card. Then, at the beginning of your end step, Scorpion, Seething Striker sees that a creature died this turn. You target the Scorpion to connive: you draw a card, discard a nonland card, and the Scorpion grows into a 3/4 with deathtouch.
Roaming ThroneWith Roaming Throne on the battlefield naming 'Human' or 'Scorpion', Scorpion, Seething Striker's end step ability will trigger an additional time if a creature died. You can target two different creatures to connive, or target the same creature twice. Each instance of connive is separate, allowing you to draw and discard twice, potentially placing two +1/+1 counters.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Scorpion, Seething Striker
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to connive but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still connives. If you discard a nonland card this way, you won't put a +1/+1 counter on anything. Abilities that trigger "when [that creature] connives" will trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If no card is discarded, most likely because that player's hand is empty and an effect says they can't draw cards, the conniving creature does not receive a +1/+1 counter.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Once an ability that causes a creature to connive begins to resolve, no player may take any other actions until it's done. Notably, opponents can't try to remove the conniving creature after you discard a nonland card but before it receives a counter.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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