Skip to content
Heartless Act, art by Ryan Pancoast
Art by Ryan Pancoast · ™ & © Wizards of the Coast · image via Scryfall
Selected printing · USD
$1.02
checked Jun 14, 2026 · Scryfall
Scryfall page →

Heartless Act

{1}{B} · Instant

Choose one — • Destroy target creature with no counters on it. • Remove up to three counters from target creature.

Rulings (4)

Apr 17, 2020 · If you choose the first mode and the creature gains a counter in response, you can't remove counters from it instead; the spell just doesn't resolve. Similarly, if you choose the second mode and the creature loses its counters in response, you can't destroy it instead.

Apr 17, 2020 · If you choose the second mode for Heartless Act, you choose which counters to remove from the creature, no matter who controls the creature. You may choose counters of different kinds.

Oct 2, 2025 · If you choose the second mode for Heartless Act, you choose which counters to remove from the creature, no matter who controls the creature. You may choose counters of different kinds.

Oct 2, 2025 · If you choose the first mode and the creature gains a counter in response, you can't remove counters from it instead; the spell just doesn't resolve. Similarly, if you choose the second mode and the creature loses its counters in response, you can't destroy it instead.

LegacyLegal
VintageLegal
ModernLegal
PioneerLegal
StandardLegal
PauperNot legal
PremodernNot legal
cEDHLegal

Where it’s played now

Inclusion by archetype

% of archetype's lists running it · last 30 days
No data yet
No qualifying decks played Heartless Act in the last 30 days. Tournament coverage starts Jun 1, 2026.
Data as of Jun 14, 2026 · MTGO + papercasthaven.com

Price

Heartless Act — price trend

Daily cheapest printing · USD · last 90 days · n=2 snapshots
Data as of Jun 14, 2026 · Scryfallcasthaven.com

Recent qualifying decks