Withering Boon 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
As an additional cost to cast this spell, pay 3 life. Counter target creature spell.
Complete guide
Withering Boon is a rare and powerful color-pie break that brings countermagic to black's repertoire. Originally from Mirage, this instant allows you to surprise your opponents by stopping a creature before it ever hits the battlefield.
What It Does
Withering Boon is a specialized counterspell that targets only creature spells. While most countermagic is found in blue, this card gives black the ability to deal with threats proactively. Note that you must pay 3 life as an additional cost to cast it; this life loss occurs at the moment you cast the spell, not when it resolves.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, you announce the spell and choose a target creature spell on the stack. As part of the casting process, you pay the mana cost of {1}{B} and the additional cost of 3 life. Once the spell resolves, the targeted creature spell is countered and put into its owner's graveyard. If the creature spell is an illegal target by the time Withering Boon tries to resolve, the spell will fail to resolve, but you do not get your 3 life back.
Common Mistakes
The most common error is trying to use Withering Boon on creatures already on the battlefield; it only targets spells on the stack. Additionally, remember that a creature spell is any spell with the 'Creature' type, including Artifact Creatures or Enchantment Creatures. You cannot use this to counter non-creature spells like Sorceries or Artifacts that aren't creatures.
When to Play It
This card is best used in aggressive black decks that need to stop a pivotal blocker or a combo creature from entering play. Because it costs life, it pairs well with strategies that don't mind a lower life total or have ways to recover life later in the game.
Interaction examples
Dark RitualYou can use Dark Ritual to generate three black mana. You then spend two of that mana and pay 3 life to cast Withering Boon, allowing you to counter an opponent's high-cost creature early in the game while still having one black mana floating for other plays.
Vampiric TutorIf you use Vampiric Tutor to find Withering Boon, you lose 2 life. When you later cast Withering Boon, you pay an additional 3 life. In total, you have spent 5 life to ensure that a specific creature never hits the board, demonstrating black's philosophy of power at any price.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Withering Boon
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
A “creature spell” is any spell with the type Creature, even if it has other types such as Artifact or Enchantment. Older cards of type Summon are also Creature spells.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The payment of 3 life is an additional cost of casting the spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Withering Boon
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