Thicket Basilisk 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
Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by a non-Wall creature, destroy that creature at end of combat.
Complete guide
Thicket Basilisk is a classic Green creature that represents the terrifying gaze of a forest predator. Any non-Wall creature that engages it in combat is marked for certain death, regardless of how much damage is dealt. It serves as a powerful deterrent, forcing opponents to decide if they are willing to lose their best creatures just to stop its path.
Lethal Gaze
The core mechanic of Thicket Basilisk is a triggered ability that fires as soon as it is declared as a blocker or is blocked by another creature. Unlike Deathtouch, which requires damage to be dealt, the Basilisk simply needs to be in a combat engagement with a non-Wall creature to trigger its effect. This ability does not target, meaning it bypasses keywords like Hexproof, Shroud, or Protection from Green.
Resolution and Timing
When the Basilisk enters combat, the ability triggers immediately and creates a delayed trigger that resolves 'at end of combat.' This means the combat phase proceeds normally: creatures deal their combat damage first. If the Basilisk survives the exchange, it will still destroy its opponent at the end of the phase. If a creature has Regeneration, it would need to regenerate once if it took lethal combat damage, and then a second time when the Basilisk's effect resolves at the end of the combat step.
Common Pitfalls
It is important to note the restriction on 'non-Wall' creatures. If Thicket Basilisk is blocked by or blocks a creature with the Wall subtype, its ability will not trigger at all. Additionally, because the destruction happens at the end of combat, the Basilisk is still susceptible to being destroyed by combat damage before its own ability finishes off the opposing creature.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf you control Roaming Throne and chose 'Basilisk' as the creature type, Thicket Basilisk's ability will trigger twice when it blocks or becomes blocked. This creates two separate delayed triggers at the end of combat. If the opposing creature has a regeneration shield, the first trigger will use up the shield, and the second trigger will successfully destroy it.
Solemn SimulacrumWhen Thicket Basilisk blocks Solemn Simulacrum, the Basilisk's ability triggers. First, combat damage is dealt. If Solemn Simulacrum survives the damage, the game moves to the end of combat, where the Basilisk's delayed trigger resolves and destroys the Golem. The controller of Solemn Simulacrum will then get to draw a card because it died.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Thicket Basilisk
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Protection from Green does not stop the Basilisk’s ability because the ability is not targeted.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The ability destroys the creature at the end of the combat, which is after all first strike and normal damage dealing is done. This means that a creature may have to regenerate twice to survive the combat, once from damage and once again at end of combat.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Thicket Basilisk
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.