Doesn't Understand Evolve
Asked by Leinahtan 9 years ago
------Backstory, skip if you want------So, I was on Untap, hanging out in the lobby, when these two guys start fighting about Evolve. The guy in question (who was wrong, to my understanding) thought that if you had a 1/1 with evolve and you played a 4/4, the 1/1 would Evolve, then keep evolving until it was a 4/4. Here is his exact wording: @Leinahtan: it doesnt trigger again it compares it againSo, to respond, I wrote him a response, trying my very best to explain it. (About 5-10 people were telling him that he was wrong, so it wasn't just me.)
Noah, i'm going to try to explain this to you one last time. Please try to read this before posting that link again.
Firstly, evolve is a triggered ability. Triggers happen when all the conditions needed for them to trigger are met. There are two conditions for evolve: 1. A creature enters the battlefield under your control, and 2. The said creature has higher p/t than the creature with evolve. I hope you understand triggers now.
Secondly, evolve triggers. Let's assume that neither player has a response. The ability begins to resolve. The evolve creature gets a +1/+1 counter on it. Ability finishes resolving.
Thirdly, the ability has finished resolving. The trigger leaves the stack. Now, if the conditions (see above) are met for evolve, then the ability would trigger again. However, the "enters the battlefield under your control" condition is not met yet. Therefore, evolve cannot trigger.
Nowhere on there do they say that "evolve repeats itself until the p/t are equal" or "compare the p/t and see if you can do it again." Evolve has no subclause saying this.
Finally, I'll give an example to clear this up. You have an Cloudfin Raptor (0/1 flyer, evolve) in play. You then play a Nulltread Gargantuan (5/6 with downside). Evolve triggers, goes on the stack. It resolves, giving Cloudfin Raptor a counter. That's it. No "extra counters" or "comparisons of new p/t." Just that.
-----End Backstory-----
tl;drGuy thinks that a 1/1 evolver can go to a 4/4 from a single evolve trigger.Basically, he said that Evolve "keeps comparing" until the p/t are equal. (i.e. multiple counters from a single evolve)
So, I'd like the community of Tappedout to post here, with your explanation of evolve, so I can send him this link. After about 20 minutes of me/other people giving reasonable explanations, he didn't stop. It doesn't have to be much, just Evolve happens once, and can't place multiple counters (without multiple instances of Evolve).
Seraphicate says... #2
Rules text says "Whenever a creature enters the battlefield, if that creature had greater power or toughness than this creature, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature"
That's about as simple as it can get, resolving an evolve trigger would have you put ONE +1/+1 counter on the creature. The ability triggers for each creature that enters the battlefield under your control.
June 24, 2015 8:28 p.m.
HonoraryFugu says... Accepted answer #3
He's wrong, and everyone knows that. So, I'm going to cite rules/rulings here, but to be honest, if you explained it well (judging by the length of your Q here, you probably did) and he still doesn't believe you, he's probably just too stubborn anyway.
702.99a [Evolve is a triggered ability. "Evolve" means "Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, if that creatures power is greater than this creatures power and/or that creatures toughness is greater than this creatures toughness, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature."]
"Whenever" indicates evolve only triggers once per creature ETB. "put a" indicates evolving only puts a single counter on the creature.
"If multiple creatures enter the battlefield at the same time, evolve may trigger multiple times, although the stat comparison will take place each time one of those abilities tries to resolve. For example, if you control a 2/2 creature with evolve and two 3/3 creatures enter the battlefield, evolve will trigger twice. The first ability will resolve and put a +1/+1 counter on the creature with evolve. When the second ability tries to resolve, neither the power nor the toughness of the new creature is greater than that of the creature with evolve, so that ability does nothing."
This ruling also indicates it only triggers once.
Again though, he's probably too stubborn to listen to you regardless, so don't get too worked up about it. Untap is nice in the sense that even if he did that 3 counters thing, if he attacked you, you could choose to only lose 2 life rather than 4. Keep in mind it's the internet though, and you should pick your battles and know what to spend time on. The stubborn annoying guy should not be the thing to ruin/stress out your day.
Cheers
June 24, 2015 8:29 p.m.
HonoraryFugu says... #4
Editing previous "This ruling also indicates it only triggers once." to "once per creature"
billpasdmf says... #1
Wow, that is quite simply ridiculous. Your friend is very wrong. The rule is very clear and on the reminder text for evolve.
"Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, if that creature has greater power or toughness than this creature, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature."
To highlight the relevant bit: put A +1/+1 counter on this creature. Not put an amount of +1/+1 counters on this creature until both creature have an equal power and/or toughness.
June 24, 2015 8:23 p.m.