Can the power of a creature get below 0 temporarily?
Asked by Knochenvonk 11 years ago
So I'm kinda unsure if the question even is the situation I want an answer for, so here's the example:
My opponent attacks with a 1/1 creature. I block with a 1/1 creature. My opponent casts Weapon Surge on his 1/1 creature making it a 2/1 with first strike. Now I react to that by casting Downsize . Now what I want to happen is that his creature goes to 0 power. But that would mean that the creature's power would've been below 0 temporarily. What I think happens is, since Downsize is on top of the stack, that his creature's power would become 0, then Weapon Surge resolves and he gets 1/1 first strike. So what I did would be essentially a total waste of mana and a card.
Which one is correct?
Bobgalarneau says... #2
After everything resolve, the creature would be -2/1 and would not deal any damage.
May 26, 2013 6:37 p.m.
Arachnarchist says... #3
Bobgalarneau, thank you for correcting me. Despite being an engineer, I sometimes fumble basic math. I was not factoring in the Weapon Surge
Arachnarchist says... Accepted answer #1
A creature's power (and toughness) can fall below zero. If it's power is zero or less it simply deals no combat damage. In your example the resulting creature would be a -3/1, and would need to get +4/+0 before it would be able to deal combat damage.
May 26, 2013 5:48 p.m.