MTGNexus

Is this a bend or a break?

It's essentially "Destroy target creature. If that creature dies this turn, exile it." So, I'd say it's a break because it does something red is not supposed to do (that being straight up creature destruction. It may be worded differently, but that is what it is.)

Krishnath wrote: ↑

2 years ago

It's essentially "Destroy target creature. If that creature dies this turn, exile it." So, I'd say it's a break because it does something red is not supposed to do (that being straight up creature destruction. It may be worded differently, but that is what it is.)

Not sure what you mean by that, red already does this (Damage + exile). See for example Burn from Within

Magiqmaster wrote: ↑

2 years ago

Krishnath wrote: ↑

2 years ago

It's essentially "Destroy target creature. If that creature dies this turn, exile it." So, I'd say it's a break because it does something red is not supposed to do (that being straight up creature destruction. It may be worded differently, but that is what it is.)

Not sure what you mean by that, red already does this (Damage + exile). See for example Burn from Within

The difference is that Burn from Within has the damage set by the spell itself, and not the toughness of the target. That is the difference, and why it is a break.

How is this a break when terminate exists?

Moved to the main forum. Not a rules question.

TheAmericanSpirit wrote: ↑

2 years ago

How is this a break when terminate exists?

Can Terminate be cast with only red mana? Red is meant to trade lethality for flexibility - it can often also hit players and planeswalkers. Mr. Rosewater has said lately that red's been moving away from REALLY high amounts of damage to creatures.

Break. This reads "Exile target creature" in all but a few cases (indestructible, regeneration, damage prevention). While black gets that at 4-5 CMC (Final Reward, Settle the Score) we can be sure red doesn't get that ever.

Red could get this if it dealt fixed damage, but then black wouldn't get it because black doesn't deal damage. Burn from Within as cited above only does the job if red deals sufficient damage; this card deals that much damage automatically always, and that's not how red operates.

If this cost black-red you could do it, like Terminate or Dreadbore, but dealing damage to a creature equal to its toughness is a little redundant when you can just destroy it.

Note that red does get capacity to make creatures deal damage to themselves equal to their power: see these cards. Black had this ability back in Kamigawa briefly but it hasn't been seen in black since, which I'm interpreting as a deliberate decision to move it out of black's slice of the pie since it already has other ways to destroy stuff. (Asmora in there? Definitely a bend.)