Afflict
| Afflict | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Keyword Ability | |
| Type | Triggered |
| Introduced | Hour of Devastation |
| Last used | Doctor Who |
| Reminder Text | Afflict N (Whenever this creature becomes blocked, defending player loses N life.) |
| Storm Scale | 7[1] |
| Scryfall Statistics | |
Afflict is a keyword ability introduced in Hour of Devastation. Afflict is focused in red, and present in blue and black.
Description
Whenever a creature with this ability becomes blocked, defending player loses life equal to the Afflict value.[2]
History
Called "unstoppable" in design, the mechanic was created to convey the destructive and vicious power of the God-Pharaoh's legions, the Eternals.[3]
Afflict was designed to be used in War of the Spark as the mechanic of the Eternals. Still, players didn’t enjoy it as much, the design space and play pattern were more problematic. It had little interaction with the set's planeswalker gameplay.[4] The mechanic's limited and linear payoff made for small design space, as each Afflicter snowballs, but not with any gameplay benefits. This problem, coupled with the lukewarm reception, landed it a 7 on the Storm Scale and meant it was replaced in War of the Spark with Amass.[5]
Afflict was one of the non-evergreen, non-deciduous keywords included in the Unfinity sticker sheets.
Rules
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)
- Afflict
- A keyword ability that makes the defending player lose life for blocking. See rule 702.130, “Afflict.”
From the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)
- 702.130. Afflict
- 702.130a Afflict is a triggered ability. “Afflict N” means “Whenever this creature becomes blocked, defending player loses N life.”
- 702.130b If a creature has multiple instances of afflict, each triggers separately.
Examples
Example
Khenra Eternal 
Creature — Zombie Jackal Warrior
2/2
Afflict 1 (Whenever this creature becomes blocked, defending player loses 1 life.)
Related cards
Dagger of the Worthy grants the equipped creature Afflict 1.
A handful of other cards mimic the Afflict mechanic - lowers life total if blocked - but with minor twists.
- Vedalken Ghoul has Afflict 4 by text.
- Simian Sling and Tormentor's Helm have damage-based Afflict 1. Rakdos Roustabout is the same unless it attacks a planeswalker, to which it will damage that planeswalker.
- Vicious Battlerager and Gloom Sower cause 5 and 2 life loss, respectively, but they trigger on each blocker.
- Assembled Alphas deals 3 damage for each blocker.
- Karplusan Wolverine deals 1 damage to any target. Close Quarters grants it to all creatures you control.
Trivia
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (2019-03-25). "Storm Scale: Kaladesh and Amonkhet". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Matt Tabak (June 17, 2017). "Hour of Devastation Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 19, 2017). "Darkest Hour, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (April 02, 2025). "How did the design team feel about the Aflict mechanic?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 25, 2019). "STORM SCALE: KALADESH AND AMONKHET". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.