Steel Kite “X mana” ability is non-funtioning
All below from same game.
Opponent has 3 creatures, each with 3 total mana.
I have Steel Kite, and another attacking creature. I pay 3 for X, deal combat damage to opponent with both cards, and Steel Kite ability didn’t trigger.
Then, over the next few turns, I try the following combinations, each with combat damage to the opponent:
- Two other creatures attacking, dealing combat damage to opponent without Steel Kite, then paying for Steel Kite’s ability.
- Steel Kite attacking, opponent damage by Steel Kite, then paying for the ability cost.
- Steel Kite attacking, opponent damage by Steel Kite, then paying 1 for another creature.
All didn’t work.
2026.64.50.5736.1332174
FlatKitten#81162
shared this idea
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Rezzahan#77802
commented
"I have Steel Kite, and another attacking creature. I pay 3 for X, deal combat damage to opponent with both cards, and Steel Kite ability didn’t trigger."
That ability does not set up a delayed trigger. Activating it before combat damage is dealt does nothing, correctly so.
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"Two other creatures attacking, dealing combat damage to opponent without Steel Kite, then paying for Steel Kite’s ability."
Steel Hellkite specifies, that the combat damage has to be dealt by "this creature", meaning the Hellkite itself.
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"Steel Kite attacking, opponent damage by Steel Kite, then paying for the ability cost."
This is the one that should work. Though X has to match exactly the mana value of whatever you want to have destroyed. You cannot destroy permanents with two or more different mana values. And they have to be not lands, so if your opponent has Ashaya on the field, their nontoken creatures are safe. Similarly, Toph, the First Metalbender saves their nontoken artifacts.
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"Steel Kite attacking, opponent damage by Steel Kite, then paying 1 for another creature."
Same as above, this should work. On permanents with exactly a mana value of 1.