Selenia, the Cursed HeartHow it works & interactions with other cards

A Beacon of Life

While Selenia is on the battlefield, she possesses a powerful replacement effect that modifies any life gain you would receive. Instead of gaining the original amount, you gain twice that much life. This applies to her own lifelink ability as well as any other spells or abilities that would cause you to gain life.

The Cursed Legacy

When Selenia dies, her triggered ability goes on the stack, targeting an opponent. Upon resolution, a legendary black Aura Curse token named Selenia's Curse is created and attached to that player. This token features a replacement effect that doubles any life loss that player would suffer. Because it is a replacement effect, it does not use the stack and happens immediately as the life loss occurs.

Timing and Strategy

It is best to play Selenia when you have established a board presence that benefits from life gain or when you are prepared for her to die to secure a finisher. Note that if Selenia is exiled or returned to your hand, her death trigger will not fire. The curse she leaves behind is legendary, so if you manage to create a second copy of the token, you must choose one to keep and put the other into your graveyard.

Interaction examples

Devotional Drain

Gray Merchant of Asphodel

With Selenia, the Cursed Heart on the battlefield, you cast Gray Merchant of Asphodel. If your devotion to black is 5, each opponent loses 5 life. Gray Merchant's ability then causes you to gain life equal to the total life lost (e.g., 15 life in a four-player game). Selenia's replacement effect intervenes, and you gain 30 life instead.

The Final Curse

Syr Konrad, the Grim

If Selenia, the Cursed Heart dies while Syr Konrad, the Grim is on the battlefield, Selenia's trigger creates Selenia's Curse on an opponent. When another creature dies later, Syr Konrad deals 1 damage to that opponent. Because damage causes life loss, Selenia's Curse doubles that loss, causing the opponent to lose 2 life instead of 1.

Double Trouble Combat

When Selenia, the Cursed Heart attacks and isn't blocked, she deals 3 damage. Because she has lifelink, this damage causes you to gain life. Her second ability replaces the 3 life gain with 6 life gain. If she later dies in combat, you can then attach Selenia's Curse to your opponent, making all subsequent damage they take twice as lethal.