Triumph of the Hordes 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
Until end of turn, creatures you control get +1/+1 and gain trample and infect. (Creatures with infect deal damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
Complete guide
Triumph of the Hordes is one of the most feared finishers in the history of green magic, capable of ending games out of nowhere. By granting your entire board a power boost, trample, and the lethal infect keyword, it turns even the smallest creatures into game-ending threats. Understanding how these mechanics overlap is the key to securing a swift victory.
What It Does
When you cast this sorcery, every creature you currently control receives a +1/+1 buff and gains two specific keywords: trample and infect. Infect fundamentally changes how your creatures deal damage. Instead of lowering a player's life total, they provide poison counters, and instead of dealing marked damage to creatures, they apply permanent -1/-1 counters.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, you cast the spell during your main phase and it goes on the stack. Upon resolution, the game checks which creatures you control at that exact moment; these creatures receive the bonuses. The +1/+1, trample, and infect last until the end of the current turn. Note that any creatures entering the battlefield after the spell has finished resolving will not benefit from these effects.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is assuming that infect stacks. As the official rulings state, multiple instances of infect are redundant; having infect twice does not double the poison counters given. Additionally, remember that while the creatures deal damage in the form of counters, it is still considered damage. Effects that prevent damage or trigger upon damage being dealt will still function normally.
When to Play It
The ideal time to cast Triumph of the Hordes is when you have a wide board state and your opponent is tapped out or low on blockers. Because you only need to inflict ten poison counters to win the game, this spell effectively cuts your opponent's starting health in half, making it a perfect tool for aggressive decks to close out long matches.
Interaction examples
Poison CounterIf you attack with a creature buffed by Triumph of the Hordes and it deals 10 damage to your opponent, they receive 10 Poison Counter objects. According to the rules, a player with ten or more poison counters loses the game immediately as a state-based action.
Cultivate
Kodama's ReachTo cast Triumph of the Hordes early, you can use ramp spells like Cultivate or Kodama's Reach to search for basic lands. By putting one land onto the battlefield and another into your hand, you ensure you have the four mana (including two green) required to cast your finisher on a subsequent turn.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Triumph of the Hordes
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Multiple instances of infect are redundant.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Hydra Omnivore + Triumph of the Hordes
- 1Cast Triumph of the Hordes by paying
, giving creatures you control +1/+1, trample and infect until end of turn. - 2Deal combat damage to an opponent using Hydra Omnivore, causing them to get at least nine poison counters.
- 3The opponent loses the game as a state-based action due to having ten or more poison counters.
- 4Hydra Omnivore triggers, causing each other opponent to get at least nine poison counters.
- 5Each remaining opponent loses the game as a state-based action due to having ten or more poison counters.
Super State + Triumph of the Hordes
- 1Cast Triumph of the Hordes by paying , giving creatures you control +1/+1, trample and infect until end of turn.
- 2Deal combat damage using the creature that has Super State and Triumph of the Hordes attached, causing the opponent it was attacking to get at least ten poison counters. The opponent loses the game as a state-based action due to having ten or more poison counters.
- 3Super State triggers, causing the creature to cause each opponent to get at least ten poison counters. The opponents lose the game as a state-based action due to having ten or more poison counters.
Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar + Triumph of the Hordes
- 1Cast Triumph of the Hordes by paying
- 2Deal combat damage to an opponent using your commander, which will get at least ten poison counters due to its infect. This will cause the opponent to lose the game due to having ten or more poison counters.
- 3Kediss triggers, causing your commander to give each other opponent at least ten poison counters due to its infect. This will cause each opponent to lose the game due to having ten or more poison counters.
Windfall + Triumph of the Hordes + Razorkin Needlehead
- 1Cast Triumph of the Hordes by paying , giving creatures you control infect until end of turn.
- 2Cast Windfall by paying
, causing each player to discard their hand and then draw a number of cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way. - 3Razorkin Needlehead triggers for each card drawn this way, giving each opponent a poison counter for each card they drew.
- 4Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters
Razorkin Needlehead + Echo of Eons + Triumph of the Hordes
- 1Cast Triumph of the Hordes by paying , giving creatures you control +1/+1 and infect until end of turn.
- 2Cast Echo of Eons by paying
, causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards. - 3Razorkin Needlehead triggers for each card your opponents draw.
- 4Resolve the first trigger, causing the opponent to get a poison counter.
- 5If the opponent has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game as a state-based action.
- 6Repeat from step 4 for each remaining trigger.
- 7If needed, cast Echo of Eons from your graveyard for its flashback cost by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
- 8Repeat from step 3.
Heartless Hidetsugu + Triumph of the Hordes
- 1Cast Triumph of the Hordes by paying , giving each creature you control +1+1, trample and infect until end of turn.
- 2Activate Heartless Hidetsugu by tapping it, causing each player to get a number of poison counters equal to half their life total, rounded down.
- 3Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters.
Syr Konrad, the Grim + Triumph of the Hordes + Bone Harvest
- 1Cast Triumph of the Hordes by paying , giving creatures you control +1/+1 and infect until end of turn.
- 2Cast Bone Harvest by paying
, putting at least ten creature cards on top of your library from your graveyard. - 3Syr Konrad triggers for each creature card that left your graveyard this way, giving each opponent that many poison counters.
- 4Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters.
Hallar, the Firefletcher + Triumph of the Hordes
- 1Cast Triumph of the Hordes by paying
- 2Cast the spell with kicker or multikicker by paying its mana cost plus its kicker cost at least once.
- 3Hallar triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it, then causing each opponent to get a number of poison counters equal to its power.
- 4Each opponent loses the game.
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Meta decks with Triumph of the Hordes
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