Bitter Downfall

{3}{B} · Instant
Uncommon · The Hobbit Eternal · Art by John Di Giovanni

This spell costs {3} less to cast if it targets a creature that was dealt damage this turn. Destroy target creature. Its controller loses 2 life.

Predicted power

Standard — Eng.NLUsr.—

Pioneer — Eng.NLUsr.—

Modern 28 Eng.FUsr.—

A one-mana follow-up to damage is efficient, but it needs setup; it is far less reliable than Dismember and four mana is unacceptable otherwise.

Best home Rakdos creature-combat decksBand speculativeConfidence 62%

Could be wrong if A strong damage-based shell could make the discounted mode frequent enough for sideboard adoption.

Legacy 20 Eng.FUsr.—

Legacy removal must be more immediate and reliable; unlike Dismember, this is either setup-dependent or a very inefficient four-mana answer.

Band speculativeConfidence 68%

Could be wrong if An emerging black-red tempo shell with repeatable cheap damage could create a narrow role.

Pauper — Eng.NLUsr.—

Commander 36 Eng.DUsr.—

It is serviceable instant creature removal in decks that routinely ping or fight, but four mana and creature-only targeting leave it behind broader answers.

Best home Rakdos damage-based decksBand fringeConfidence 64%

Could be wrong if Repeatable commander-based damage could make the one-mana mode substantially more dependable than expected.

Limited 64 Eng.B-Usr.—

Four-mana instant creature destruction is normally solid, and combat or burn can occasionally turn it into a huge one-mana tempo play.

Best home Black creature decksBand solidConfidence 48%

Could be wrong if Unknown speed, removal density, and damage-enabler availability could shift its pickup priority materially.

conditional creature removal

“A four-mana kill spell whose one-mana mode is powerful but requires prior damage, limiting it mostly to combat- or burn-oriented decks.”

AI prediction made before release — not a measured result. Real performance data replaces this once the set is legal and tournament results come in.

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