The Destined Black Mage 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,
: Another target creature you control gains deathtouch until end of turn. Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, The Destined Black Mage deals 1 damage to each opponent. If you have a full party, it deals 3 damage to each opponent instead.
Complete guide
The Destined Black Mage is a powerful legendary Wizard that rewards you for gathering a band of adventurers. It punishes your opponents every time you cast a spell, with its damage output scaling significantly once your party is assembled. Mastering this card requires understanding both combat deathtouch and the technicalities of the party system.
Understanding the Party System
To maximize The Destined Black Mage, you need to understand how a 'full party' works. A party consists of up to four creatures: one Cleric, one Rogue, one Warrior, and one Wizard. To have a full party, you must control one of each. Each creature you control can only fill one of these roles at a time, even if it has multiple types. The game automatically calculates the highest possible number of party members based on the creatures you control.
Casting and Triggering
The final ability of The Destined Black Mage triggers whenever you cast a noncreature spell, such as an Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, or Artifact. This ability goes on the stack on top of the spell you just cast. It will resolve before the original spell does. Even if your opponent counters your noncreature spell, the damage trigger has already been placed on the stack and will still resolve to deal damage to each opponent.
Deathtouch Utility
Beyond its passive damage, The Destined Black Mage has Deathtouch and an activated ability that shares it. For the cost of one black mana and tapping the Mage, you can grant another target creature you control Deathtouch until end of turn. This makes it incredibly difficult for opponents to block your larger creatures profitably, as even one point of damage from a deathtouch source is lethal to any creature.
Strategic Timing
Since the damage checks for a 'full party' upon resolution of the trigger, you want to ensure your board state is set before casting your noncreature spells. If you have three party members and cast a noncreature spell that creates a token of the missing type, the Mage will only deal 1 damage, because the spell hasn't resolved to create the fourth member yet.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf Roaming Throne enters the battlefield choosing 'Wizard', it becomes a Wizard and counts toward your party. Because it is a Wizard, it causes the triggered ability of The Destined Black Mage to trigger an additional time. Now, whenever you cast a noncreature spell, the Mage will deal damage twice (either 1+1 or 3+3 if your party is full).
Solemn SimulacrumNote that Solemn Simulacrum is a creature spell. When you cast it, it will not trigger The Destined Black Mage's damage ability. However, if you cast a noncreature artifact (like a Mana Rock), the ability will trigger. The Destined Black Mage itself counts as the 'Wizard' for your party, but you would still need a Cleric, Rogue, and Warrior to reach the 3-damage threshold.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : The Destined Black Mage
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The Destined Black Mage's last ability resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger. It resolves even if that spell is countered or otherwise leaves the stack.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Some cards refer to you having a "full party." This is true if the number of creatures in your party is four.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature has more than one party creature type, and there are multiple ways to count that creature that could result in a different number of creatures in your party, the highest such number is used. For example, if you control a Cleric and a Cleric Wizard, the number of creatures in your party is two. You can't choose to have it be just one by counting the Cleric Wizard first as a Cleric.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
To determine "the number of creatures in your party," check whether you control a Cleric, whether you control a Rogue, whether you control a Warrior, and whether you control a Wizard. The number is the total number of those checks to which you answered yes. Each creature you control can be counted for only one of those checks.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with The Destined Black Mage
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.