When is power and toughness calculated?
Asked by ErichZann 11 years ago
Example 1: I have Forgotten Ancient on the battlefield with 5 +1/+1 counters, making it a 5/8 and the creature with the highest power I control. I play Miming Slime to put a X/X green ooze creature token on the battlefield where X is the greatest power among creatures I control. Being that I played a spell, Forgotten Ancient then gets another +1/+1 counter.
Is the ooze token creature I put on the battlefield a 5/5 or a 6/6?
Example 2: I have Crusader of Odric on the battlefield with 4 other creatures, making Crusader of Odric a 5/5. Benevolent Bodyguard is also one of the creatures I control. I declare an attack on my opponent with Crusader of Odric, to which my opponent declares blockers. I then sacrifice Benevolent Bodyguard to give Crusader of Odric protection from my opponents blockers.
Does Crusader of Odric stay a 5/5 or does it go down to a 4/4?
daniferrito says... Accepted answer #2
1: 6/6. The ancient gets the counter as you cast the spell, so it wont have resolved yet. When it goes to resolve, the ancient will alredy have its 6th counter.
2: It goes down to 4/4. The crusader has a Characteristic defining ability (simbolized by the stars on the bottom right), which means that it applies in all zones, and that it updates every time State based actions are checked (basically at all times). Note that giving the crusader protection from its blockers will prevent all the damage that those could do to the crusader, but they will still be blocking the creature. If you want your crusader to be unblocable you need to give it protection before the oponent declares blockers
January 4, 2014 12:39 p.m.
The X will be calculated upon resolution of the spell.
So you can cast Miming Slime , which will trigger the Ancient's ability, leaving the stack with (top to bottom)
+1 triggerSlime
The ancient will get a +1, then you put the X/X token :)
Example 2!
The cost of activating the bodyguard's ability IS to sacrifice the dude. So:
Sac the creature as your opponent declares blockers, THIS and this alone will make your Crusader a 4/4 with protection from whatever color you chose. Crusader's ability is a static ability, which checks the number of creatures constantly.
January 4, 2014 12:40 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
P/T is not "calculated," it just always is. P/T changes that happen from characteristic-defining abilities, static abilities, and buffs/counters all affect the relevant creature(s) immediately.
ErichZann says... #1
Sorry for not linking the cards. Here they are:
Forgotten Ancient
Miming Slime
Crusader of Odric
Benevolent Bodyguard
January 4, 2014 12:19 p.m.