Which of You Burns Brightest? 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
When you set this scheme in motion, you may pay. If you do, this scheme deals X damage to target opponent or planeswalker and each creature that player or that planeswalker's controller controls.
Complete guide
Which of You Burns Brightest? is a powerful scheme card designed for the Archenemy format, allowing the villain to unleash a devastating wave of fire. This card provides a scalable board wipe that selectively spares your own forces while punishing a single rival and their entire army. It serves as a mana sink that can turn the tide of a game in a single turn.
What it Does
This scheme features a triggered ability that occurs as soon as it is set in motion. It allows you to invest mana to deal X damage to a specific target—either an opponent or a planeswalker—and simultaneously deal that same amount of damage to every creature controlled by that player or the planeswalker's controller.
How it Resolves
When the scheme is set in motion, you first choose a target opponent or planeswalker. Once the ability begins to resolve, you decide the value of X and whether to pay the mana. Because this decision happens during resolution, opponents cannot wait to see how much mana you spend before deciding to respond; they must act before you choose X.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is assuming you must declare the value of X when the scheme is first revealed. In reality, you only declare the target initially. The payment of {X} is an optional choice made during the resolution of the effect. Also, remember that the damage is dealt to each creature individually, meaning abilities like Enrage or Shield counters will trigger or apply for every creature hit.
When to Play It
This scheme is best utilized when one member of the hero team has built a significant board state of small-to-medium creatures. Since you can choose any value for X, it is also a flexible finisher to eliminate an opponent who is low on life while simultaneously clearing their blockers.
Interaction examples
Sol Ring
Command TowerIf you have Sol Ring and Command Tower untapped when you set Which of You Burns Brightest? in motion, you can tap Command Tower for mana and Sol Ring for two colorless mana. During resolution, you can choose X=3, paying the three mana to deal 3 damage to an opponent and 3 damage to each creature they control.
If you only have Sol Ring available, you can choose X=2. As the scheme resolves, you pay the two mana generated by Sol Ring. The targeted opponent takes 2 damage, and their entire board of 1/1 and 2/2 creatures is wiped out, while your own creatures remain untouched.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Which of You Burns Brightest?
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You choose the target opponent when the ability triggers. As the ability resolves, you choose a value for X and decide whether to pay
. If you do decide to pay , it’s too late for any player to respond since the ability is already in the midst of resolving.No other card is named in this ruling.
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Meta decks with Which of You Burns Brightest?
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.