Smaug, the Great Calamity // Spew Flame 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
Flying Spew Flame deals 5 damage to target creature. (Then exile this card. You may cast the creature later from exile.)
Complete guide
Smaug, the Great Calamity is a terrifying legendary Dragon that can incinerate foes with its Spew Flame adventure before descending onto the battlefield. This versatile card allows you to deal heavy damage to a creature early on and then summon a massive flying threat from exile later in the game.
How Smaug and Spew Flame Work
Smaug, the Great Calamity is an adventurer card. In your hand, graveyard, library, or on the battlefield, it is a red creature card with a mana value of 7. However, you have the option to cast the 'Spew Flame' portion of the card as a sorcery for five mana. If you do, the spell goes on the stack with only its sorcery characteristics, ignoring the creature half entirely until it leaves the stack.
Resolving the Adventure
When Spew Flame resolves, it deals 5 damage to its target. Instead of going to the graveyard, the card is exiled as part of its resolution. Once in exile this way, you gain permission to cast the creature spell, Smaug, the Great Calamity, from the exile zone at any time you could normally cast a creature. Note that if Spew Flame is countered or its target becomes illegal, it goes to the graveyard instead and you lose the chance to cast Smaug later.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is trying to cast the Adventure portion from exile; you can only cast the creature half once it has been exiled by the resolving sorcery. Additionally, if Smaug is exiled by any other effect (like a removal spell or an opponent's ability), you cannot cast him from exile unless that specific effect gives you permission to do so. The 'on an adventure' status only applies if the sorcery resolves successfully.
When to Play Smaug
Use Spew Flame when you need to clear a high-toughness blocker or a key utility creature from your opponent's side. Because Smaug costs seven mana, using the Adventure first helps you impact the board state while ensuring you have a late-game win condition ready to go as soon as you reach seven mana.
Interaction examples
Ancient Copper DragonIf your opponent controls Ancient Copper Dragon, you can cast Spew Flame targeting it. Spew Flame deals 5 damage, which is not enough to destroy the 6-toughness Dragon on its own, but it places the Smaug card into exile. You can then cast the Smaug creature later to provide a blocker with Flying to finish the job or defend your life total.
Etali, Primal StormWhen Etali, Primal Storm attacks and exiles Smaug, the Great Calamity from the top of a library, you may choose to cast either half. If you cast Spew Flame, it will exile itself upon resolution, allowing you to cast the Smaug creature from exile later. If you cast the Smaug creature directly, it enters the battlefield normally.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Smaug, the Great Calamity // Spew Flame
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions for the permanent spell you cast from exile. Normally, you'll be able to cast it only during your main phase while the stack is empty.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If an object becomes a copy of an object that has an Adventure, the copy also has an Adventure. If it changes zones, it will either cease to exist (if it's a token) or cease to be a copy (if it's a nontoken permanent), and so you won't be able to cast it as an Adventure.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell is cast as an Adventure, its controller exiles it instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard as it resolves. For as long as it remains exiled, that player may play it using its primary characteristics. If an Adventure spell leaves the stack in any way other than resolving (most likely by being countered or by failing to resolve because its targets have all become illegal), that card won't be exiled and the spell's controller won't be able to cast it as a permanent later.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect refers to a card, spell, or permanent that has an Adventure, it won't find an instant or sorcery spell on the stack that's been cast as an Adventure.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
An effect may refer to a card, spell, or permanent that "has an Adventure." This refers to a card, spell, or permanent that has an adventurer card's set of alternative characteristics, even if they're not being used and even if that card was never cast as an Adventure.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Casting a card as an Adventure isn't casting it for an alternative cost. Effects that allow you to cast a spell for an alternative cost or without paying its mana cost may allow you to apply those to the Adventure.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
When casting a spell as an Adventure, use the alternative characteristics and ignore all of the card's normal characteristics. The spell's color, mana cost, mana value, and so on are determined by only those alternative characteristics. If the spell leaves the stack, it immediately resumes using its normal characteristics.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If an adventurer card ends up in exile for any other reason than by exiling itself while resolving, it won't give you permission to cast it as a permanent spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast an adventurer card as an Adventure, use only its alternative characteristics to determine whether it's legal to cast that spell. For example, if you control Gandalf, Party Guest ("At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may cast an instant or sorcery spell with mana value X or less from your hand without paying its mana cost, where X is twice the number of legendary Wizards you control."), you could cast Burglar's Plot from your hand without paying its mana cost (provided you control enough legendary Wizards), but not Bilbo, Luckwearer.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect copies an Adventure spell, that copy is exiled as it resolves. It ceases to exist as a state-based action; it's not possible to cast the copy as a permanent.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect instructs you to choose a card name, you may choose the alternative Adventure name. Consider only the alternative characteristics to determine whether that is an appropriate name to choose.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
An adventurer card is a permanent card in every zone except the stack, as well as while on the stack if not cast as an Adventure. Ignore its alternative characteristics in those cases. For example, while it's in your graveyard, Bilbo, Luckwearer is a blue creature card whose mana value is 2. It can't be put into your hand by the effect of Speak Secrets ("Mill four cards, then put an instant or sorcery card from among them into your hand.").
No other card is named in this ruling.
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