Vicious Clown 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
Whenever another creature you control with power 2 or less enters, this creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn.
Complete guide
Step right up and witness the mayhem of Vicious Clown, a red creature that turns every small arrival into a massive surge of power. This Human Clown thrives on teamwork, growing stronger whenever you summon low-power allies to the battlefield. Understanding how its triggered ability interacts with entering creatures is the key to maximizing your combat damage.
The Entry Requirement
Vicious Clown possesses a triggered ability that monitors the battlefield for other creatures you control. The ability triggers if, and only if, another creature enters with a power of 2 or less. This check happens at the exact moment the creature enters the battlefield. If a creature enters with +1/+1 counters, such as from a global effect or its own ability, you must count those toward its power when determining if the Clown's ability triggers.
Resolution and Power Changes
Once the ability is placed on the stack, it becomes independent of the entering creature's power. If the creature that triggered the ability has its power increased beyond 2 while the ability is still waiting to resolve, the Clown will still receive its +2/+0 bonus. The ability only checks the power at the instant of entry, not upon resolution.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is assuming that a creature's 'base' power is what matters. If a continuous effect (like an enchantment) gives your creatures +1/+1, a creature with a printed power of 2 will enter as a 3/3, and Vicious Clown will not trigger. Conversely, if you play a creature that enters as a 0/0 and immediately gains counters to become a 3/3, the Clown checks the power including those counters immediately as it exists on the battlefield.
Strategic Timing
To get the most out of Vicious Clown, you should aim to play multiple low-power creatures in a single turn before moving to your combat phase. Since the bonus lasts until the end of the turn, each successful trigger stacks, potentially turning this 2/2 creature into a devastating attacker with 6, 8, or even 10 power.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumYou have Vicious Clown on the battlefield and cast Solemn Simulacrum. When the Golem enters, it is a 2/2 creature. Because its power is 2 or less, Vicious Clown's ability triggers. You can search for your land and, once the Clown's trigger resolves, it becomes a 4/2 for the rest of the turn.
Roaming ThroneIf you control Roaming Throne and chose 'Human' or 'Clown' as it entered, its static ability will affect Vicious Clown. When another creature with power 2 or less enters, Vicious Clown's ability triggers twice instead of once. This results in the Clown gaining +4/+0 total from a single entering creature.
When Roaming Throne itself enters the battlefield, it is a 4/4 creature. Even if you choose 'Clown' for its type, Vicious Clown will not trigger because the Throne's power of 4 is greater than the required 2 or less.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Vicious Clown
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Vicious Clown's ability checks the power of the other creature only at the moment it enters. If a creature enters with counters, those counters are included. If a creature's power is 2 or less when it enters but becomes greater than 2 while Vicious Clown's ability is still on the stack, Vicious Clown will still get +2/+0 until end of turn when its ability resolves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Vicious Clown
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.