Vexing Radgull 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
Flying Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player gets two rad counters if they don't have any rad counters. Otherwise, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.)
Complete guide
Vexing Radgull is a pesky Bird Mutant that introduces the radioactive mechanics of the wasteland to your Magic: The Gathering games. This flying threat specializes in starting the clock on your opponents and accelerating their downfall through the power of radiation and proliferation.
What It Does
Vexing Radgull is a two-mana creature with Flying that utilizes a conditional triggered ability. When it deals combat damage to a player, it checks if that player already has rad counters. If they have none, it gives them two. If they already have at least one, it allows you to proliferate, letting you add additional counters to any number of permanents or players that already possess them.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, Vexing Radgull must deal combat damage to a player. Once the damage is dealt, the ability triggers and goes on the stack. Upon resolution, the game checks the damaged player's current rad counter count. If the count is zero, they receive two rad counters immediately. If the count is one or more, you perform the proliferate action. During proliferation, you choose any number of players and permanents that already have counters and add one more of each type of counter they already have. Note that if a player or permanent has multiple types of counters, you must add one of each kind if you choose to include them in the proliferation.
Common Mistakes
A frequent misconception involves how rad counters are removed. Rad counters do not disappear at the end of the turn; they only go away when their inherent triggered ability causes a player to mill a nonland card. Additionally, remember that you cannot choose to proliferate only one type of counter on a target if it has multiple; you must add one of every type present on that specific permanent or player. Finally, keep in mind that you can choose yourself when proliferating if you have beneficial counters like +1/+1 counters or energy.
When to Play It
Vexing Radgull is most effective in the early game where its Flying keyword allows it to bypass blockers. It serves as an 'enabler' by landing the initial rad counters, and subsequently acts as a 'payoff' by proliferating those counters or any other counters you have established on the board. It is particularly strong in decks that care about +1/+1 counters or poison, as it provides a repeatable source of proliferation every time it connects.
Interaction examples
Vexing RadgullYou attack an opponent who has no counters. Vexing Radgull deals 1 combat damage. The trigger checks their status, sees they have zero rad counters, and gives them two rad counters. At the start of their next precombat main phase, they will mill two cards and potentially lose life and counters based on the nonland cards milled.
Foundry InspectorSuppose your Foundry Inspector has a +1/+1 counter on it, and your opponent already has one rad counter. When Vexing Radgull deals combat damage, it sees the opponent already has a rad counter and instructs you to proliferate. You choose the opponent (increasing their rad counters to two) and your Foundry Inspector (increasing its +1/+1 counters to two).
Ornithopter of ParadiseIf your opponent attempts to block Vexing Radgull with a ground creature, Flying allows it to fly over. However, if they have an Ornithopter of Paradise, they can block. If Vexing Radgull is blocked and deals no damage to the player, its ability will not trigger, and no counters will be added or proliferated.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Vexing Radgull
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Rad counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They’re not associated with any specific permanents.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Keep track of how many rad counters each player has. Potential ways to track this include writing them down on paper or using dice, but any method that is clear and mutually agreeable is fine.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Rad counters don’t go away as steps, phases, or turns end. They only go away when an effect instructs a player to remove rad counters from themselves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
There is an inherent triggered ability associated with having rad counters. This triggered ability has no source and is controlled by the active player. The full text of this ability is “At the beginning of the precombat main phase of a player with rad counters, that player mills cards equal to the number of rad counters they have. For each nonland card milled this way, that player loses 1 life and removes one rad counter from themselves.”
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
In a game using the shared team turns option, such as an Archenemy or Two-Headed Giant game, the inherent triggered ability associated with rad counters triggers once for each player on the active team that has rad counters. Each instance of that ability is controlled by one of those players.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Any effects (such as proliferate) that interact with counters a player gets, has, or loses can interact with rad counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
The cards are milled all at once, which means abilities that trigger “whenever one or more nonland cards are milled” will trigger exactly once as long as at least one nonland card was milled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If a player has fewer cards remaining in their library than the number of rad counters they have when the triggered ability resolves, they’ll mill as many cards as they can.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
You can choose any permanent that has a counter, including ones controlled by opponents. You can choose any player who has a counter, including opponents. You can’t choose cards in any zone other than the battlefield, even if they have counters on them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
You don’t have to choose every permanent or player that has a counter—only the ones you want to add counters to. Since “any number” includes zero, you don’t have to choose any permanents at all, and you don’t have to choose any players at all.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
If a player or permanent has more than one kind of counter on it, and you choose for it to get additional counters, it must get one of each kind of counter it already has. You can’t have it get just one kind of counter it already has and not the others.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
Players can respond to a spell or ability whose effect includes proliferating. Once that spell or ability starts to resolve, however, and its controller chooses which permanents and players will get new counters, it’s too late for anyone to respond.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
Some spells and abilities that cause you to proliferate may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won’t resolve. You won’t proliferate.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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Meta decks with Vexing Radgull
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