Does giving a creature -1/-1 equate to damage?
Asked by kevenwparry 6 years ago
Playing "Kingdom" form of Commander (5 players), I had a dinosaur that gave me +2 health whenever it took damage. Another player wanted to help me gain health by casting an instant that gave target creature -1/-1 until end of turn.
As much as I would have liked the help, I believed that it didn't do damage. Three of the players thought it did count as damage, myself and one other thought it didn't. An additional observer also thought it didn't and searched the internet for answers while we played the game. Nothing conclusive.
References to relevant rules are appreciated! Thanks in advance!
Notes: my creature was Ravenous Daggertooth. I don't remember what the player's instant was. Also, we were clear, it wasn't doing damage in the form of a -1/-1 counter, just giving it -1/-1 until end of turn.
this
You will reduce a creature's power and toughness (be it permanent in the form of a -1/-1 counter or temporary with a -x/-x effect until end of turn).
Cards that deal damage will always say so (such as Steadfast Armasaur orCunning Sparkmage) whereas other cards don't deal damage (Rags or Liliana's Influence).
October 24, 2017 3:44 a.m.
ugh, meant to use an 'up-arrow' symbol to point to dracula's answer. It somehow didn't pick it up.
You won't get the Ravenous Daggertooth trigger as there is no damage being dealt.
However, would a creature with infect or wither such as Plague Stinger deal damage to the daggertooth, you WILL get a trigger, as there is damage involved, but it is dealt in the form of -1/-1 counters.
DRACULA150704 says... #1
If a creature say "Whenever this is dealt damage..." and it is hit with a spell that gives it -1/-1 it doesn't count as damage. Like a 1/1 creature with indestructible can still be killed by a card like Executioner's Swing because it isn't damage.
October 24, 2017 1:09 a.m.