Stun counter

Stun counter
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Icon Stun-Counter.png}}|70x70px]]
Counter
Use	Prevent untapping
Placed on	Permanents
Introduced	Dominaria United
Last used	March of the Machine
Statistics
8 counter creation cards 12.5% 87.5%
Scryfall search
oracle:"Stun counter"

Stun counters are a counter type in Magic. They were introduced in Dominaria United. Stun counters prevent tapped permanents from untapping.

Description

Stun counters act similar to a Freeze mechanic. They keep permanents out of the action for an extended period. Freeze effects restrain themselves to preventing the next untap during the untap step, but using stun counters let the freeze persist beyond the first turn of effect. This is most pertinent for instants and sorceries as opposed to Auras.

If a tapped permanent with a stun counter on it would become untapped, a stun counter will be removed from it instead. This is a replacement effect. The use of counters makes for better memory tracking, if the source that "froze" is no longer apparent. It also allows for compounding, whereas multiple freeze effects will overlap on itself.

Stun counters are considered to be evergreen. They are mostly blue.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Stun Counter

A counter that stops a permanent from untapping. See rule 122.1d.

122.1d defines how stun counters work:

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

• 122.1d One or more stun counters on a permanent create a single replacement effect that stops the permanent from untapping. That effect is “If a permanent with a stun counter on it would become untapped, instead remove a stun counter from it.”

Rulings

• Stun counters can be put on permanents that are already tapped.
• A single stun counter will be removed if the permanent tries to untap for any reason, including its controller's untap step, a spell or ability trying to untap it, or even its controller trying to untap it to pay a cost.
• If a permanent has more than one stun counter on it, only one will be removed each time it would become untapped.
• Abilities that trigger when a permanent “becomes untapped” won’t trigger if a stun counter is removed instead.
• If untapping a permanent is part of a cost (such as that of Halo Fountain’s first ability), you may pay that cost by “untapping” a tapped permanent with a stun counter on it. The stun counter will be removed and the creature will remain tapped. However, the cost will still be paid.
• On the other hand, if untapping multiple permanents is part of a cost (such as that of Halo Fountain’s last two abilities), you can’t “untap” the same permanent more than once to pay that cost.
• Stun counters exist independently of the effects that created them. If a permanent has no stun counters on it, it will untap as normal.
• Stun counters are not keyword counters, and they don’t cause the permanents they’re on to gain any abilities. They won’t be affected by effects that cause permanents to lose all abilities