Nucleus Aetherbolt (Red)

When playing Nucleus Aetherbolt, you must declare two targets (these targets can be the same target or different). When Nucleus Aetherbolt resolves, you will deal 3 arcane damage to the target of its first ability. Then, if Nucleus Aetherbolt deals damage, you may choose to your hero. If you choose to your hero this way, your hero will deal 1 arcane damage to the target for its second ability.

Card-based buffs/effects that apply to a card and increase its arcane damage (e.g. Crucible of Aetherweave, Metacarpus Node, Blessing of Aether) will apply only to the arcane damage event generated where the card is the source of the arcane damage event. Specifically for Nucelus Aetherbolt, these card-based buffs/effects will increase the arcane damage event from Nucleus Aetherbolt’s first ability; however, they will not apply to the arcane damage event generated from the Nucleus Aetherbolt’s second ability because the specified source that is dealing the arcane damage is your hero and not Nucleus Aetherbolt the card itself.

Event-based buffs/effects that apply to events of arcane damage such as Amp or Aether Wildfire will apply to the arcane damage events generated from either of Nucleus Aetherbolt’s abilities. Note amp will typically only apply to the first instance of arcane damage dealt by Nucleus Aetherbolt.

Cards with prevention effects that prevent damage from a source of your choice (e.g. Oasis Respite, Steadfast) would only prevent the arcane damage generated from Nucleus Aetherbolt’s first ability if Nucleus Aetherbolt was chosen. It would not prevent the damage generated from the triggered effect from Nucleus Aetherbolt’s second ability because the specified source that is dealing the arcane damage is your hero and not Nucleus Aetherbolt the card itself.