Counters and Mer-Ek Nightblade.
Asked by LittleGizmo 9 years ago
Hello! Im sorry if this has already been answered. But i searched and could not find anything about it. And yeah, im new to magic. So this might be a stupid question.
My question is essentially a question about counters. And if a +2/+2 counter would trigger something that says "If a creature has a +1/+1 counter, do something".
Question: If i have Ambuscade Shaman & Mer-Ek Nightblade on the battlefield. And then dash Pitiless Horde for example. Pitiless Horde gets a +2/+2 counter from Ambuscade Shaman, right? Does that also mean that Pitiless Horde gains deathtouch from Mer-Ek Nightblade ? Or does Mer-Ek Nightblade ONLY trigger on one or several +1/+1 counters and NOT +2/+2 counters?
Thanks in advance.
In your example Pitiless Horde would not get deathtouch. Ambuscade Shaman doesn't put counters on anything it simply gives the creature +2/+2. Something only puts counters on anything if it specifically states that it does. So for example Honor of the Pure also doesn't put counters on your creatures.
Also as a side note Mer-Ek Nightblade doesn't trigger, it has a static and not a triggered ability.
April 5, 2015 6:19 a.m.
Named_Tawyny says... #3
To continue with the above, it also specifically has to be a +1/+1 counter on the Nighblade for it to get Deathtouch Other counters, be they Fate, Divinity, +1/+2 or any other counter type will not apply.
April 5, 2015 1:25 p.m.
LittleGizmo says... #4
Thanks for the response and help guys! I really appreciate it.
To continue on my question. If I pay the outlast coast for Herald of Anafenza, would it get deathtouch by Mer-Ek Nightblade ability?And if i pay the outlast coast for Herald of Anafenza several times, does it still get deathtouch from Mer-Ek Nightblades ability?
Thanks!!
April 5, 2015 3:49 p.m.
Yes. Multiple counters can be on a permanent. Activating Outlast puts a +1/+1 counter on the creature you activated it with, and if you were to use it, say, 3 times, the creature would have 3 +1/+1 counters on it. Mer-Ek Nightblade and other similar creatures only care if a creature has at least 1 +1/+1 counter on it.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #1
You're confusing two different things.
A counter (as in the marker, not the spell-negating effect) represents an indefinitely persistent property, usually a change in power or toughness or a certain number of charges corresponding to an ability. +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters are used when a lasting change in P/T occurs. An effect uses counters only if it explicitly uses the word "counter(s)."
A static change in power or toughness, commonly called a static buff or debuff, is typically conferred for a defined duration (such as "until end of turn") or otherwise conferred by a static ability for the duration that the ability exists (such as Honor of the Pure buffing for as long as Honor of the Pure itself is on the battlefield).
The two are not the same. A static buff is not a counter, and effects that care about counters of any kind will not register static buffs.
Ambuscade Shaman's ability does not give counters. It gives a static buff. Therefore, it does not interact with counters-matter effects like that of Mer-Ek Nightblade.
April 5, 2015 6:12 a.m.