Tree of Perdition 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
Defender: Exchange target opponent's life total with this creature's toughness.
Complete guide
Tree of Perdition is a chilling Plant creature that can drastically alter the state of a game with a single tap. By exchanging its own toughness for an opponent's life total, it serves as both a defensive wall and a terrifying offensive engine.
The Exchange Mechanic
When you activate the ability of Tree of Perdition, you are performing a swap between two numbers: the creature's current toughness and a specific opponent's life total. This is not just a numerical change; the game treats the player as gaining or losing life to reach the new total, and the creature's base toughness is set to the player's old life total.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, you tap Tree of Perdition and target an opponent. Upon resolution, the game checks the creature's current toughness and the player's life total. If the creature is no longer on the battlefield, the exchange fails and nothing happens. If it is still present, the player's life total becomes the creature's toughness, and the creature's base toughness becomes that player's former life total. Any existing modifiers, like +1/+1 counters or Auras, are then reapplied to this new base value.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is assuming that removing Tree of Perdition in response to its ability will still change the player's life; it won't. Additionally, remember that this exchange counts as life gain or life loss. Effects that prevent life gain will stop an opponent's life total from increasing during the exchange, though the Tree's toughness will still change.
When to Activate
Timing is crucial. Using this ability while Tree of Perdition has high toughness can effectively 'heal' an opponent, which is rarely ideal. Instead, look for ways to reduce the Tree's toughness before the ability resolves to set an opponent to a dangerously low life total.
Interaction examples
If your opponent is at 20 life and you tap Tree of Perdition (which is a 0/13), the exchange occurs. Your opponent's life total becomes 13, and Tree of Perdition's base toughness becomes 20. The opponent effectively lost 7 life.
Solemn SimulacrumIf you control both cards and tap Tree of Perdition targeting an opponent at 20 life, the exchange happens normally. Solemn Simulacrum does not interact with this activated ability, as the Tree's ability is not a triggered ability, nor does it involve searching the library or dying.
Roaming ThroneEven if you choose 'Plant' for Roaming Throne, it will not affect Tree of Perdition's exchange ability. Roaming Throne specifically doubles 'triggered abilities' (starting with When, Whenever, or At), whereas Tree of Perdition uses an 'activated ability' (identified by the colon). The exchange will only happen once.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Tree of Perdition
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
When the ability resolves, Tree of Perdition's toughness becomes the targeted opponent's former life total and that player gains or loses an amount of life necessary so that their life total equals Tree of Perdition's former toughness. Other effects that interact with life gain or life loss will interact with this effect accordingly.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Any toughness-modifying effects, counters, Auras, or Equipment will apply after its toughness is set to the player's former life total. For example, say Tree of Perdition is equipped with Cultist's Staff (which makes it 2/15) and the player's life total is 7. After the exchange, Tree of Perdition would be a 2/9 creature (its toughness became 7, which was then modified by Cultist's Staff) and the player's life total would be 15.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If Tree of Perdition isn't on the battlefield when the ability resolves, the exchange can't happen and the ability will have no effect. Notably, activating the ability and giving Tree of Perdition -13/-13 in response won't cause your opponent to lose the game.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Tree of Perdition + Bloodletter of Aclazotz
- 1Activate Tree of Perdition by tapping it, causing its toughness to become equal to an opponents life total, and causing that opponent to lose life equal to twice the difference between their life total and Tree of Perdition's toughness as the ability resolved.
- 2If the opponent's life total was at least double Tree of Perdition's toughness as the ability resolved, they will lose the game as a state-based action due to having 0 or less life.
Tree of Perdition + Wound Reflection
- 1Activate Tree of Perdition by tapping it, causing its toughness to become equal to an opponents life total, and causing that opponent to lose life equal to the difference between their life total and Tree of Perdition's toughness as the ability resolved.
- 2At the beginning of your end step, Wound Reflection triggers, causing the opponent to lose life equal to the life they lost this turn.
Tree of Perdition + Soul Immolation
- 1Activate Tree of Perdition by tapping it, swapping its toughness and an opponent's life total.
- 2Cast Soul Immolation by paying
and choosing to blight a number of -1/-1 counters equal to an opponent's life total, dealing damage to each opponent and each opposing creature equal to the number of -1/-1 counters placed - 3The opponent whose life total was swapped loses the game due to having 0 or less life.
Triskaidekaphobia + Tree of Perdition
- 1At the beginning of your upkeep, Triskaidekaphobia triggers; hold priority.
- 2Activate Tree of Perdition to make target opponent's life total 13.
- 3Allow Triskaidekaphobia's trigger to resolve, making that opponent lose the game.
Ezio Auditore da Firenze + Tree of Perdition
- 1Activate Tree of Perdition by tapping it, swapping its toughness with an opponent's life total.
- 2Deal combat damage to that opponent using Ezio.
- 3Ezio triggers, causing you to pay
to have that opponent lose the game.
Tree of Perdition + Astarion, the Decadent
- 1Activate Tree of Perdition by tapping it, causing its toughness to become equal to an opponents life total, and causing that opponent to lose life equal to the difference between their life total and Tree of Perdition's toughness as the ability resolved.
- 2At the beginning of your end step, Astarion triggers, causing the opponent to lose life equal to the life they lost this turn.
Tree of Perdition + Archfiend of Despair
- 1Activate Tree of Perdition by tapping it, causing its toughness to become equal to an opponents life total, and causing that opponent to lose life equal to the difference between their life total and Tree of Perdition's toughness as the ability resolved.
- 2At the beginning of your end step, Archfiend of Despair triggers, causing the opponent to lose life equal to the life they lost this turn.
Mairsil, the Pretender + Hateflayer + Tree of Perdition
- 1Activate Mairsil using Tree of Perdition's ability by tapping it, exchanging target opponent's life total with Mairsil's toughness.
- 2Activate Mairsil using Hateflayer's ability by paying
and untapping it, dealing damage equal to Mairsil's power to the opponent. - 3The opponent loses the game due to having zero or less life.
Legal formats
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