Desperate Gambit

Instant

Choose a source you control and flip a coin. If you win the flip, the next time that source would deal damage this turn, it deals double that damage instead. If you lose the flip, the next time it would deal damage this turn, prevent that damage.

Double

Set: Weatherlight (WTH #96)
Rarity: Uncommon
Mana value: 1
Released: 1997-06-09
Artist: Pete Venters
EDHREC rank: #12,035
Colour identity
Finishes: Nonfoil
Served from: Local database

Commander bracket

1 +

Fits any bracket

No Game Changer, land denial, extra turns or two-card combos.

Derived from card traits, not a ruling — bracket rules turn on how a deck intends to use a card. Bracket rules

EDHREC

Salt Score 0.17

How much players resent seeing this card. The scale tops out around 3.1.

Combos

Not part of any combo on Commander Spellbook.

Format legality

Standard Not legal

Pioneer Not legal

Modern Not legal

Legacy Legal

Vintage Legal

Pauper Not legal

Commander Legal

Oathbreaker Legal

Duel Commander Legal

Brawl Not legal

Standard Brawl Not legal

Historic Not legal

Timeless Not legal

Alchemy Not legal

Penny Not legal

Premodern Legal

PreDH Legal

Pauper EDH Not legal

Old School Not legal

Future Not legal

Gladiator Not legal

All printings Scryfall ↗Gatherer ↗Edhrec ↗

Rulings

2004-10-04
The coin is flipped during resolution of this spell, so you know in advance what will happen when the source deals damage the next time.
2008-04-01
The chosen source may be a permanent, a spell on the stack, or anything referred to by something on the stack (such as a Prodigal Pyromancer that’s left the battlefield while its ability is still on the stack)