The Filigree SylexHow it works & interactions with other cards

Accumulating Oil Counters

The primary function of The Filigree Sylex is its ability to build up oil counters over time. By tapping it, you add one oil counter to the artifact itself. This sets the stage for its two explosive activated abilities, allowing you to choose between mass destruction or direct damage.

Resolution Step-by-Step

When you activate the destruction ability, you must tap and sacrifice The Filigree Sylex as part of the cost. The game checks how many oil counters were on it at the moment it was sacrificed. Upon resolution, every nonland permanent with a mana value exactly equal to that number is destroyed. For the damage ability, you must remove ten oil counters from any permanents you control—not just the Sylex itself—and sacrifice it to deal 10 damage to a chosen target.

Common Mistakes

A frequent error is miscalculating the mana value of tokens or permanents with X in their cost. Remember that tokens usually have a mana value of 0, and for permanents on the battlefield, X is always treated as 0. Additionally, because sacrificing the Sylex is a cost, your opponents cannot respond by destroying it to prevent the ability from triggering once it has been activated.

Strategic Timing

Use The Filigree Sylex as a deterrent. By keeping it on the board with zero or one counter, you can threaten to destroy low-cost utility artifacts or tokens at instant speed. If you have other ways to place counters on permanents, you can reach the ten-counter threshold much faster than your opponents might expect.

Interaction examples

Clearing the Sol Rings

Sol Ring

If you have one oil counter on The Filigree Sylex, you can tap and sacrifice it to destroy Sol Ring. Since Sol Ring has a mana value of 1, it matches the number of counters exactly, sending it to the graveyard.

Wiping Two-Drop Artifacts

Arcane Signet

After tapping The Filigree Sylex twice over two turns to accumulate two oil counters, you can activate its second ability. This will destroy Arcane Signet, as its mana value is 2, matching the two counters that were on the Sylex.