"Creature gets +1/+1" vs. "Put a +1/+1 counter"
Asked by michalplatek 10 years ago
Some cards (like Agility, Ethereal Armor) give a bonus of +1/+1. Can I mark the bonus with a counter? Does the card have to say explicitly "put a +1/+1 counter on target creature"?
Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #2
An effect only uses counters if it specifically says it does. If it doesn't say so, then it doesn't use counters.
Usually the reason an effect uses counters is because it's meant to give a long-lasting bonus, and the way it works would cause memory issues if there weren't some tangible way to represent it. For example: the Bolster ability on Dragonscale General would be hell to keep track of if it didn't use counters to show its bonuses.
Effects that don't use a counter avoid these memory issues by being temporary. They either only last for one turn (Giant Growth, Cutthroat Maneuver, etc.) or only last as long as the permanent generating them is on the battlefield (Agility, Ethereal Armor, etc.).
raithe000 says... #1
Getting +1/+1 and getting a +1/+1 counter are very different. Many cards care about +1/+1 or other counters, so it probably isn't a good idea to mark the bonus with a counter if there is any chance of confusing yourself or your opponent into thinking that a card has a +1/+1 counter on it.
March 18, 2015 9:06 p.m.