Triangle of WarHow it works & interactions with other cards

How it Works

Triangle of War has an activated ability that costs two mana and requires you to sacrifice the artifact. When you activate it, you choose two targets: one creature you control and one creature an opponent controls. Upon resolution, these two creatures fight, dealing damage to each other equal to their respective power. Because it is an artifact, it can be played in any deck regardless of color, though it relies on you having a creature strong enough to survive the bout.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, you pay the two mana and sacrifice Triangle of War as the cost to put the ability on the stack. At this time, you must announce both legal targets. Second, players have a chance to respond with spells or abilities. Third, as the ability resolves, the game checks if both targets are still legal. If one creature has gained Hexproof, Protection, or has left the battlefield, the ability does nothing and no damage is dealt. Finally, if both are legal, they deal damage to each other simultaneously.

Common Mistakes

A common error is forgetting that if either target becomes illegal, the entire fight is cancelled; your creature won't even deal damage to the opponent's creature if the opponent's creature is gone or protected. Additionally, remember that fighting is not combat. Abilities that trigger 'when this creature attacks' or 'whenever this creature deals combat damage' will not trigger from Triangle of War. However, Lifelink and Deathtouch do function during a fight.

Strategic Timing

The best time to use Triangle of War is when your opponent is tapped out or has no cards in hand to prevent the fight. Since you must sacrifice the artifact as a cost, you cannot get it back if your opponent plays a trick to make their creature stronger in response. Use it to pick off utility creatures or to trade a high-power, low-toughness creature for a significant threat on their side of the board.

Interaction examples

Powering the Triangle

Sol Ring

With a Sol Ring on the battlefield, you can tap it to provide the exactly {C}{C} needed to activate Triangle of War's ability. This allows you to deploy the artifact and use it immediately for a total of three mana, catching your opponent off guard before they can stabilize their board.

Fixing Mana for Removal

Arcane Signet

In a Commander game, you can use Arcane Signet to produce the specific colored mana needed for your creatures, then use Triangle of War as a colorless removal spell. If you have a creature with Deathtouch, you can use the mana from the Signet to activate the Triangle, ensuring that any opponent's creature it fights will be destroyed regardless of its toughness.