Leveler card

Leveler card

This page is about the mechanic. For the creatures from Mirrodin, see Juggernaut#Levelers.

Leveler cards feature striated text boxes, three power/toughness boxes and use the level up keyword. They are usually referred to as Levelers.

Rules

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

Leveler Cards

Cards with striated text boxes and three power/toughness boxes. See rule 711, “Leveler Cards.”

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

• 711. Leveler Cards
  • 711.1. Each leveler card has a striated text box and three power/toughness boxes. The text box of a leveler card contains two level symbols.
  • 711.2. A level symbol is a keyword ability that represents a static ability. The level symbol includes either a range of numbers, indicated here as “N1-N2,” or a single number followed by a plus sign, indicated here as “N3+.” Any abilities printed within the same text box striation as a level symbol are part of its static ability. The same is true of the power/toughness box printed within that striation, indicated here as “[P/T].”
    • 711.2a “{LEVEL N1-N2} [Abilities] [P/T]” means “As long as this creature has at least N1 level counters on it, but no more than N2 level counters on it, it has base power and toughness [P/T] and has [abilities].”
    • 711.2b “{LEVEL N3+} [Abilities] [P/T]” means “As long as this creature has N3 or more level counters on it, it has base power and toughness [P/T] and has [abilities].”
  • 711.3. The text box striations have no game significance other than clearly demarcating which abilities and which power/toughness box are associated with which level symbol. Leveler cards each contain only one text box.
  • 711.4. Any ability a leveler card has that isn’t preceded by a level symbol is treated normally. In particular, each leveler permanent has its level up ability (see rule 702.87) at all times; it may be activated regardless of how many level counters are on that permanent.
  • 711.5. If the number of level counters on a leveler creature is less than N1 (the first number printed in its {LEVEL N1-N2} symbol), it has the power and toughness denoted by its uppermost power/toughness box.
  • 711.6. In every zone other than the battlefield, a leveler card has the power and toughness denoted by its uppermost power/toughness box.
  • 711.7. Some enchantments have the subtype Class and associated abilities that give them a class level. These are not level up abilities and class levels do not interact with level counters. See rule 716, “Class Cards.”

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

Level Symbol

A symbol that represents a keyword ability indicating abilities, power, and toughness a leveler card may have. See rule 107.8 and rule 711, “Leveler Cards.”

Rulings

• When a leveler enters the battlefield, it will generally have zero level counters on it, meaning it will have the power and toughness printed in its uppermost power/toughness box.
• The abilities a leveler grants to itself don't overwrite any other abilities it may have. In particular, they don't overwrite the creature's level up ability; it always has that.
• Although the abilities granted by its {LEVEL N3+} symbol don't overwrite the abilities granted by its {LEVEL N1-N2} symbol, once the creature has at least N3 level counters on it, it won't have the abilities granted by its {LEVEL N1-N2} symbol anymore. This is simply because it will no longer have the necessary number of level counters on it for that symbol to do anything.
• Effects that set a leveler's power or toughness to a specific value, including the effects from a level symbol's ability, apply in timestamp order. The timestamp of each level symbol's ability is the same as the timestamp of the leveler itself, regardless of when the most recent level counter was put on it. For example, say Coralhelm Commander is on the battlefield, then Godhead of Awe, which says "Other creatures are 1/1," enters the battlefield. After the second level counter is put on Coralhelm Commander, it will be 1/1 (not 3/3) and have flying, because Godhead of Awe's ability applies last. (If Godhead of Awe entered the battlefield before Coralhelm Commander, on the other hand, then the Commander's ability would apply last and it would be 3/3.)
• Effects that modify a leveler's power or toughness, such as the effects of Giant Growth or Glorious Anthem, will apply to it no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for counters that change the creature's power or toughness (such as +1/+1 counters) and effects that switch its power and toughness.
• If another creature becomes a copy of a leveler, all of the leveler's printed abilities—including those represented by level symbols—are copied. The current characteristics of the leveler, and the number of level counters on it, are not. The abilities, power, and toughness of the copy will be determined based on how many level counters are on the copy.
• A creature's level is based on how many level counters it has on it, not how many times its level up ability has been activated or has resolved. If a leveler gets level counters due to some other effect (such as Clockspinning) or loses level counters for some reason (such as Vampire Hexmage), its level is changed accordingly.