Trailblazer's Torch 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
When this Equipment enters, you take the initiative. Whenever equipped creature becomes blocked, it deals 2 damage to each creature blocking it. Equip(
Complete guide
Lighting the way through the deepest dungeons, Trailblazer's Torch is a powerful artifact that introduces the initiative to your game. This Equipment not only helps you navigate the Undercity but also punishes anyone bold enough to stand in your creature's way.
Claiming the Initiative
When Trailblazer's Torch enters the battlefield, you 'take the initiative.' This is a special designation that allows you to venture into the Undercity dungeon immediately. While you hold the initiative, you venture again at the start of each of your upkeeps. Be careful, though—if an opponent deals combat damage to you with one or more creatures, they take the initiative away from you and start their own journey through the Undercity.
Navigating the Undercity
Taking the initiative always results in venturing into the Undercity. If you aren't currently in a dungeon, you place the Undercity card in the command zone and move your marker to the first room, Secret Entrance. If you are already in the Undercity or another dungeon (like Lost Mine of Phandelver), you simply move to the next room of that specific dungeon. You cannot start a different dungeon if you are specifically told to 'venture into Undercity.'
The Defensive Burn
Beyond the dungeon mechanics, Trailblazer's Torch has a triggered ability that triggers whenever the equipped creature becomes blocked. It deals 2 damage to each creature blocking it. This happens during the Declare Blockers step, meaning the damage is dealt before regular combat damage is calculated. If this 2 damage is enough to destroy the blockers, the equipped creature remains blocked but won't receive combat damage from those destroyed creatures.
Strategic Timing
Because the initiative triggers both when the Torch enters and at your upkeep, it is often best played during your pre-combat main phase. This ensures you get the first room benefit immediately and sets you up to defend the initiative during your opponent's next turn. Remember that 'Equip' is a sorcery-speed ability, so you must attach it to your creature before moving to combat.
Interaction examples
Undercity // The InitiativeYou cast Trailblazer's Torch. When it enters the battlefield, its triggered ability goes on the stack. Upon resolution, you take the initiative. Since you aren't in a dungeon, you put Undercity into the command zone and resolve the 'Secret Entrance' room, searching your library for a basic land card to put into your hand.
Solemn SimulacrumYou equip Trailblazer's Torch to Solemn Simulacrum and attack. Your opponent blocks with two 1/1 tokens. The Torch's ability triggers, dealing 2 damage to each token. The tokens are destroyed before they can deal combat damage to your Golem. Since your Golem was still 'blocked,' it does not deal damage to the opponent, but it survives the encounter.
Commander's SphereAt the start of your turn, you already have the initiative from a previous round. During your upkeep, the initiative's inherent ability triggers, moving you to the next room of the Undercity (e.g., Forge, to put two +1/+1 counters on a creature). You then use mana from Commander's Sphere to pay the {1} equip cost to move the Torch to a fresh attacker.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Trailblazer's Torch
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The initiative is a designation a player can have. A player with the initiative designation is said to "have the initiative." The initiative carries two inherent rules. First, whenever a player takes the initiative, and at the beginning of the upkeep of the player with the initiative, that player ventures into Undercity. Second, whenever one or more creatures a player controls deal combat damage to the player who has the initiative, the first player takes the initiative. Also, some abilities will refer to having the initiative and provide other benefits.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
There is no initiative in a game until an effect instructs a player to take the initiative. Once a player is instructed to do this, they have the initiative until another player takes the initiative.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Only one player can have the initiative at a time. As one player takes the initiative, any other player that had the initiative ceases to have it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
A player who currently has the initiative may take the initiative again. This causes that player to venture into Undercity again, but does not cause them to have multiple initiative designations.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If the player with the initiative leaves the game, the active player takes the initiative at the same time that player leaves the game. If the active player is leaving the game or if there is no active player, the next player in turn order takes the initiative.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
In a Two-Headed Giant game, if both players on a team deal combat damage to the player that has the initiative at the same time, the player with the initiative will choose the order of the triggered abilities. Then, as those abilities resolve, one team member takes the initiative (and ventures into Undercity) and then the other team member does the same. The last player to take the initiative keeps it until the initiative changes again.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
You cannot venture into Undercity unless instructed to do so, either because you have the initiative at the beginning of your upkeep or because you take the initiative. Notably, if you aren't in a dungeon and an effect instructs you to venture into the dungeon (not venture into Undercity), you can't start Undercity.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Similarly, when instructed to venture into Undercity, you can't start a dungeon that isn't Undercity.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
If you aren't in a dungeon when instructed to venture into Undercity, you will put Undercity into the command zone and move your venture marker to Secret Entrance (the first room).
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
If you're already in a dungeon when instructed to venture into Undercity, you move to the next room of that dungeon. If you are already in the last room, you will complete that dungeon and start Undercity. This is true whether you're already in Undercity or any other dungeon.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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