Seifer, Balamb Rival 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
First strike Whenever you attack a player, goad target creature that player controls. Whenever a creature attacking one of your opponents becomes blocked by two or more creatures, that attacking creature gains deathtouch until end of turn.
Complete guide
Seifer, Balamb Rival is a ruthless commander that excels at manipulating the battlefield through forced aggression. By combining tactical goading with a lethal deterrent for double-blocking, he ensures your opponents are always fighting on his terms.
Dictating the Combat Phase
Seifer features two distinct triggered abilities. The first occurs whenever you attack a player, allowing you to goad a creature that player controls. This forces that creature to attack a player other than you during its next turn, provided it is able to do so. The second ability is a defensive measure for your attackers: if any creature attacking one of your opponents is blocked by two or more creatures, it gains deathtouch. This makes multi-blocking extremely punishing, as the attacking creature will likely destroy every creature it touches.
Resolving the Triggered Abilities
When you declare an attack against a player, Seifer's goad ability triggers and goes on the stack. You choose a target creature that player controls. If that creature is later able to attack, its controller must attack an opponent other than you. Later, during the declare blockers step, if an opponent chooses to block a single attacking creature with two or more creatures, Seifer's second ability triggers. Once this ability resolves, the attacker gains deathtouch until the end of the turn, even if some of the blockers are removed from the battlefield before damage is dealt.
Common Misconceptions
A common mistake is assuming Seifer must be the one attacking to trigger his goad ability; however, it triggers whenever YOU attack a player with any number of creatures. Additionally, remember that Seifer's deathtouch-granting ability is not restricted to your own creatures. If another opponent is attacking a third opponent, Seifer's ability will still trigger if that creature is multi-blocked, as long as it is attacking one of your opponents. Finally, goading doesn't force a player to pay mana costs (like Propaganda) or tap a creature to attack; if they can't attack legally, the goad requirement is simply ignored.
When to Play Seifer
Seifer is most effective in multiplayer games where you can deflect high-threat creatures away from yourself. Use his goad ability to force utility creatures or heavy hitters into other players' defenses. The threat of deathtouch also serves as an excellent 'rattlesnake' effect, discouraging your opponents from gang-blocking your smaller creatures, ensuring your board presence remains stable while others lose theirs.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumYou attack an opponent with Seifer, Balamb Rival. That opponent decides to block Seifer with a Solemn Simulacrum and another creature token. Because Seifer is now blocked by two creatures, his second ability triggers, giving Seifer deathtouch. Because Seifer has first strike, he will deal lethal deathtouch damage to the Solemn Simulacrum and the token before they can deal damage back, effectively clearing the path.
Roaming ThroneWith Roaming Throne on the battlefield naming 'Human' or 'Mercenary', Seifer's abilities will trigger an additional time. When you attack a player, you can goad two different creatures they control. Furthermore, if one of your creatures is blocked by two or more creatures, it will trigger the deathtouch ability twice (though the second instance of deathtouch is redundant).
If you attack a player with only Seifer, his first ability triggers, allowing you to goad a creature that player controls. If that player then blocks Seifer with only one creature, the deathtouch ability does not trigger. This highlights that Seifer encourages opponents to block with exactly one creature to avoid the lethal consequences of deathtouch.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Seifer, Balamb Rival
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· 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.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature you control has been goaded by multiple opponents, it must attack one of your opponents that hasn't goaded it, as that fulfills the maximum number of goad requirements. If a creature you control has been goaded by each of your opponents, the creature must attack an opponent (rather than a planeswalker or battle), but you choose which opponent it attacks.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· 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.
- #4· 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.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Once Seifer's last ability has triggered, it doesn't matter what happens to the blocking creatures. The creature will keep deathtouch even if one or more of the creatures blocking it are removed from combat or leave the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· 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.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Seifer's last ability triggers regardless of which player controls the attacking creatures.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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