Do -1/-1 counters and +1/+1 counters negate each other?

Asked by Dr_Devious 8 years ago

If I have a creature that adds -1/-1 counters to itself in order to activate its own ability, would the creature having undying (which brings a creature back with a +1/+1 counter) be able to negate the +1/+1 counter by adding a -1/-1 counter? Or would it just have both the -1/-1 counter and the +1/+1 counter and then if it died just go to grave normally?

Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #1

704.5r If a permanent has both a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter on it, N +1/+1 and N -1/-1 counters are removed from it, where N is the smaller of the number of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters on it.

December 28, 2015 11:21 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... #2

Note that if a creature with a +1/+1 counter on it would receive enough -1/-1 counter to reduce its toughness to 0 or less, it will die and neither undying nor persist will trigger for it. This is because the state-based action that negates counters is performed at the same time as the state-based action that puts that creature into its owner's graveyard. The creature's last state on the battlefield will have been one in which both counters existed simultaneously because state-based actions were not yet performed.

December 29, 2015 12:56 a.m.

Raging_Squiggle says... #3

Also note:

There are some very rare occasions where +/+ counters don't negate -/- counters. The best example for this would be Baron Sengir. He gives himself +2/+2 counters. This is important because even if he would have 2 -1/-1 counters placed on him, they would not negate each other because it is a single +2/+2 counter, not two +1/+1 counters.

This is also true for cards that give asymmetrical types of counters: Armor Thrull, Frankenstein's Monster, Clockwork Avian, Coral Reef.

December 29, 2015 1:28 a.m.