Need an education on Divine Deflection.
Asked by Ohthenoises 12 years ago
The Gatherer rules text confuses me.
If someone Miracles Bonfire of the Damned and I control 3 creatures can I cast Divine Deflection for 6 to prevent 5 to each creature and myself? Or can I only prevent 5 total damage split between any of the creatures that would be affected?
Johnnathan says... #3
Oh yeah Divine Deflection is so awesome. I don't even sideboard them, I would mainboard it all the way in Standard.
November 8, 2012 10:30 p.m.
Johnnathan says... #4
...okay so I just read this correctly and realized you can cast the bonfire on yourself and then use the deflection to off your opponent!? rushes off to build this deck
November 8, 2012 10:31 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #5
Thinking of it, don't know where to squeak it in. the board is so tight.
November 8, 2012 10:31 p.m.
Um no. That's not how it works. lol. You only prevent x total Damage. Let's say you have two 4/4's. Your opponent bonfires you for 4, and you have mana to cast divine Deflection for x=6. You can only prevent 6 total damage. In this case you could prevent 1 damage on each creature so neither creature dies, and also prevent the 4 damage at your face.
November 8, 2012 10:48 p.m.
Let's get an official ruling here...
From Gatherer:
"If damage is dealt to multiple permanents you control, or is dealt to you and at least one permanent you control, you choose which of that damage to prevent if the chosen value for X won't prevent all the damage. For example, if 3 damage would be dealt to you and to each of two creatures you control, and Divine Deflection will prevent the next 3 damage, you might choose to prevent the next 2 damage it would deal to you and the next 1 damage it would deal to one of the creatures, among other choices. You don't decide until the point at which the damage would be dealt."
So that means if someone hits you with Bonfire for 3 and you cast Divine Deflection for 3 as X, you could only prevent 3 total damage, and not 3 damage fro each permanent or yourself.
November 8, 2012 10:51 p.m.
Oh, it's definitely still good. There are just better answers to Bonfire of the Damned , Witchbane Orb being my favorite. It makes it 100% dead, and then turns off some Planeswalkers, any direct burn, any Rogue curses, etc. Orb is a very underrated sideboard card, and especially now since almost no one's running Artifact hate.
November 8, 2012 11:11 p.m.
This card was a nightmare for judge calls when it was first released.
November 9, 2012 11:46 a.m.
Ohthenoises says... #12
It's not just bonfire I have to worry about. Blasphemous Act is a thing at my shop because it can reliably hose ramp/aggro.
November 9, 2012 2:30 p.m.
You won't normally have enough mana to save your guys from Blasphemous acts even in a very rampy ramp deck, but I suppose you could have enough to punish your opponent for casting Blasphemous Act
November 9, 2012 3:27 p.m.
If you're looking for a good counter to Blasphemous Act , Safe Passage is very good. It's also very good against Bonfire of the Damned . It's more-or-less a Counterspell + Fog .
Johnnathan says... #1
Yes, because of the wording of Divine Deflection you can choose the AND option to prevent the next 5 damage to both yourself AND all of your creatures (all 3 of them). Which would deal 20 damage to your opponent and win you the game btw.
November 8, 2012 10:27 p.m.