Annihilator

**Annihilator** is a triggered ability introduced in *Rise of the Eldrazi* that appears on all the colorless Eldrazi creatures from that set.

## Description

Annihilator originally only appeared on colorless Eldrazi creatures, and on a single colorless Eldrazi Aura, Eldrazi Conscription. The mechanic serves two purposes: it helps break the large board stalls that can occur in *Rise of the Eldrazi* games, and it demonstrates the storyline idea of the Eldrazi as extremely powerful destroyers of planes in an in-game mechanic.

Annihilator is also granted by the Nazgûl Battle-Mace equipment from the *Lord of the Rings Holiday Release* set.

Its power and design limitation put it high on the Storm Scale, and the return in *Battle for Zendikar* left it behind as an Eldrazi mechanic in favor of Processors and colorless mana. It got a single callback in Bane of Bala Ged, which has an exiling variant.

### History

According to Mark Rosewater, it is unlikely to be reused. It returned however as a one-off as a mechanic granted by Nazgûl Battle-Mace from the *Lord of the Rings Holiday Release*.

## Rules

From the glossary of the *Comprehensive Rules* (November 17, 2023—*The Lost Caverns of Ixalan*)

Annihilator
A keyword ability that can make a creature particularly brutal when it attacks. See rule 702.86, “Annihilator.”
From the *Comprehensive Rules* (November 17, 2023—*The Lost Caverns of Ixalan*)

* **702.86.** **Annihilator**
	+ **702.86a** Annihilator is a triggered ability. “Annihilator N” means “Whenever this creature attacks, defending player sacrifices N permanents.”
	+ **702.86b** If a creature has multiple instances of annihilator, each triggers separately.

## Rulings

* The defending player is the player that the creature with annihilator is attacking, or the controller of the planeswalker that the creature with annihilator is attacking.
* Annihilator abilities trigger and resolve during the declare attackers step. The defending player chooses and sacrifices the required number of permanents before they declare blockers. Any creatures sacrificed this way won't be able to block.
* If a creature with annihilator is attacking a planeswalker, and the defending player chooses to sacrifice that planeswalker, the attacking creature continues to attack. It may be blocked. If it isn't blocked, it simply won't deal combat damage to anything.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, the controller of an attacking creature with annihilator chooses which of the defending players is affected by the ability. Only that player sacrifices permanents. The choice is made as the ability is put on the stack. See rules 810.7 and 805.10e

## Examples

**Example**

Ulamog's Crusher
Creature — Eldrazi
8/8
Annihilator 2 *(Whenever this creature attacks, defending player sacrifices two permanents.)*
Ulamog's Crusher attacks each turn if able.

## References

1. ↑ Mark Rosewater (2016-11-21). "Storm Scale: Zendikar and Battle for Zendikar". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
2. ↑ Mark Rosewater (February 22, 2014). "Annihilator a returning mechanic on the storm scale?". *Blogatog*. Tumblr.

## External links

* A Planeswalker's Primer to Rise of the Eldrazi: Eldrazi (Video). *Magic: The Gathering*. YouTube.