Undying
| Undying | |
|---|---|
| Keyword Ability | |
| Type | Triggered |
| Introduced | Dark Ascension |
| Last used | Avacyn Restored |
| Reminder Text | Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.) |
| Statistics |
20 cards 45%  20%  20%  15% |
| Scryfall Search | |
| keyword:"Undying" | |
Undying is a keyword triggered ability introduced in Dark Ascension [1][2][3] and also featured in Avacyn Restored.
Description
Undying's function is similar to persist, a keyword ability from the Shadowmoor block; if a permanent with undying is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it returns to the battlefield under its owner's control. However, unlike persist, a creature with undying returns to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it (rather than a -1/-1 counter) unless it already had one or more of those counters on it when it died.
Rules
Rulings
- All cards printed with undying are creatures. If a creature with undying stops being a creature (for example, an artifact creature with undying becomes a noncreature artifact due to Neurok Transmuter's second ability), undying will still trigger.
- Likewise, if a noncreature permanent becomes a creature, gains undying, and is put into a graveyard, the undying ability will still trigger even though that permanent won't be a creature when it returns to the battlefield.
- Multiple instances of undying trigger separately, but are effectively redundant as only the first instance to resolve will have any effect.
- An object returned to the battlefield with the undying ability is a new object with no memory of its previous existence. It has "summoning sickness".
- Tokens can gain undying, and the ability will trigger if a token is put into a graveyard. However, like all tokens, it can't return to the battlefield and will cease to exist as a state-based action before the ability would go on the stack.
- Undying relies on the last known information about the permanent just before it was put into a graveyard. If that permanent had a +1/+1 counter on it, then receives enough -1/-1 counters for it to be put into a graveyard due to having 0 toughness or lethal damage marked on it, it won't return to the battlefield despite the state-based action of +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters "cancelling each other out". As the permanent last existed on the battlefield, it had a +1/+1 counter on it, so undying will not trigger.
Example
Example
Sightless Ghoul 
Creature — Zombie Soldier
2/2
Sightless Ghoul can't block.
Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Spells that grants Undying
- Undying Evil
- Mikaeus, the Unhallowed (Non-Humans)
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 16, 2012). "Dancing in the Dark Ascension, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Zac Hill (February 24, 2012). "(Un)Die Another Day". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (February 22, 2012). "The Horror of Breaking the Rules". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.