Super State 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

Enchant creature you control Enchanted creature has base power and toughness 9/9 and has flying, first strike, trample, and haste. Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to an opponent, it deals that much damage to each other opponent.

Complete guide

Super State is a powerful legendary Aura that turns any small creature into a massive aerial threat capable of finishing games in a single swing. Not only does it set your creature's base stats to 9/9, but it also provides a suite of keyword abilities and the potential to damage every opponent simultaneously. It is the ultimate tool for turning a single attacker into a multiplayer board wiper.

Unpacking the Super State

Super State applies several layers of effects to the enchanted creature. First, it sets the base power and toughness to 9/9, which overwrites the original stats printed on the card but still allows for additional bonuses from +1/+1 counters or other Auras. It also grants flying, first strike, trample, and haste, ensuring the creature can attack immediately and likely push damage through blockers.

Resolving the Damage Trigger

The final ability is a triggered ability that occurs whenever the enchanted creature deals combat damage to an opponent. Once that damage is dealt, the ability goes on the stack. When it resolves, it checks how much damage was dealt to that specific opponent and deals an equal amount to every other opponent you have. Note that this secondary damage is not combat damage, so it won't trigger 'whenever this creature deals combat damage' effects again.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

One common mistake is misunderstanding how 'base power and toughness' interacts with other buffs. If your creature has Eldrazi Conscription attached, it will be a 19/19 because the +10/+10 is applied after the base 9/9 is established. Another thing to remember is that Super State can only enchant a creature you control; if you lose control of the creature, the Aura will be put into your graveyard as a state-based action.

Strategic Timing

Because Super State grants haste, the best time to play it is during your pre-combat main phase when you have a creature ready to attack. In multiplayer games like Commander, target the opponent with the fewest blockers to ensure you deal maximum combat damage, which then scales to every other player at the table.

Interaction examples

Building a Behemoth

Eldrazi Conscription

If you enchant a creature with both Auras, the creature's base power becomes 9/9 due to Super State. Then, Eldrazi Conscription adds +10/+10 to those stats, resulting in a 19/19 creature with flying, first strike, trample, haste, and annihilator 2. When this creature hits an opponent for 19 damage, Super State triggers and deals 19 damage to every other opponent.

Colorless Echoes

Echoes of Eternity

Super State is a colorless enchantment. While Echoes of Eternity is on the battlefield, the triggered ability of Super State (the damage spread) will trigger an additional time. If your creature deals 9 combat damage to one opponent, you will get two triggers, each dealing 9 damage to every other opponent, for a total of 18 non-combat damage to those players.

Solo Dominance

If you cast Super State on a simple 1/1 Soldier token, that token immediately becomes a 9/9 with four keywords. Because it has haste, you can attack immediately. If the opponent blocks with a 1/1, the trample and first strike keywords ensure the Soldier deals 1 damage to the blocker (killing it) and 8 damage to the opponent. Super State then triggers, dealing 8 damage to all other opponents.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.