-1/-1 counter
| -1/-1 Counter | |
|---|---|
| Counter | |
| Introduced | Arabian Nights |
| Last used | New Phyrexia |
| Scryfall search | |
| oracle:"-1/-1 Counter" | |
-1/-1 counters are the second most common counter type in Magic, following +1/+1 counters. They were introduced on the Arabian Nights card Unstable Mutation.[1]
At least one set within the next seven years is expected to use -1/-1 counters,[2] and they are currently ranked at a 1 on the storm scale.[3]
For ease of comprehension, blocks tend to focus on only a single type of counter on creatures. -1/-1 counters are used less often than +1/+1 counters because they have less available design space, due to their similarity to +1/+1 counters[1] and their capacity to kill creatures and thereby simplify the game state.[4]
As a further concession to mitigate complexity, +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters are the only power/toughness altering counters used in new products.[1] Additionally, they are never used in the same block, to minimize confusion in limited play.[5][6] A small handful of cards from the earliest sets still use other, obsolete counters.
Cancellation With -1/-1 Counters
When both +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters are present on the same creature, they are immediately removed in matched pairs until only one or the other remains.
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Mechanics
Because +1/+1 counters are the default creature counter,[7] -1/-1 counters have been used by far fewer mechanics. There are currently three keyworded mechanics using -1/-1 counters, all of them from Lorwyn–Shadowmoor block or Scars of Mirrodin block:
References
- ↑ a b c Mark Rosewater (February 11 2008). "+1/+1 Size Fits All". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (April 11 2015). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (January 30 2015). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (August 14 2014). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (November 15 2014). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (June 9 2015). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 26 2005). "+1/+1 For the Road". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.