Toxic

Toxic
[[File:{{#setmainimage:MTGA Toxic.png}}|70x70px]]
Keyword Ability
Type	Static
Introduced	Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Last used	Alchemy: Phyrexia
Reminder Text	Toxic N (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get N poison counter(s).)
Storm Scale	5
Statistics	42 cards 21.4% 2.4% 19% 28.6% 4.8% 2.4% 2.4% 2.4% 4.8% 4.8% 7.1%
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keyword:"Toxic"

Toxic is a static keyword ability that allows the use of multiple poison counters. It was introduced in Phyrexia: All Will Be One as a reworking of Poisonous. Niche wise, it is also a replacement for the infect mechanic of Scars of Mirrodin, which also focused on poison counters and exemplified the Phyrexian identity there as toxic does here.

Description

Any time a creature with toxic deals combat damage to a player, that player gets a number of poison counters equal to the toxic value of that creature. The toxic value is the number after the toxic keyword. Poison counters are handed out in addition to the damage being dealt.

A creature's toxic value and its power aren't necessarily connected, unlike infect. If a creature with toxic 6 deals 1 combat damage to an opponent, they're getting six poison counters. Toxic has no effect if the creature deals combat damage to another creature or a planeswalker.

Instead of giving poison counters as a triggered ability like Poisonous, Toxic acts more like Lifelink, adding the counters instantaneously. This mostly matters for digital play. Instead of redefining Poisonous, R&D preferred a new name as poisonous means it poisons you if you eat it, not that it poisons you if it bites you.

White tends to only grant one poison, black goes up to two poison, and green gets higher numbers. Blue received one toxic creature in Unctus's Retrofitter with a toxic-giving spell in Aspirant's Ascent.

Rules

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

Toxic

A keyword ability that causes a player to get poison counters due to combat damage from creatures with the ability. See rule 702.164, “Toxic.”

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

• 702.164. Toxic
  • 702.164a Toxic is a static ability. It is written “toxic N,” where N is a number.
  • 702.164b Some rules and effects refer to a creature’s “total toxic value.” A creature’s total toxic value is the sum of all N values of toxic abilities that creature has.

    Example: If a creature with toxic 2 gains toxic 1 due to another effect, its total toxic value is 3.

  • 702.164c Combat damage dealt to a player by a creature with toxic causes that creature’s controller to give the player a number of poison counters equal to that creature’s total toxic value, in addition to the damage’s other results. See rule 120.3.

Rulings

• A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game. This is a state-based action and doesn't use the stack. In other words, it happens immediately and players can't respond to it, just like a player losing the game due to having 0 or less life.
• Toxic doesn't change the amount of combat damage a creature deals. For example, if a 2/2 creature with toxic 1 deals combat damage to a player, that creature will deal 2 damage. The results of that damage are the player loses 2 life and gets a poison counter.
• Any other effects of that damage, such as life gain from lifelink, still apply.
• If a creature with toxic deals combat damage to a creature or planeswalker, or if it deals noncombat damage, toxic has no effect and no player gets poison counters.
• Damage dealt by a creature with toxic grants the same number of counters regardless of how much damage is dealt. Notably, if a replacement effect modifies the damage in some way (such as that of Gratuitous Violence), the number of counters given remains unchanged.
• Conversely, replacement effects that apply to the number of counters put on a player can modify the counters placed this way. For example, Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider's last two abilities can apply to counters placed this way.
• Multiple instances of toxic are cumulative. For example, if a creature has toxic 2 and gains toxic 1 due to another effect, combat damage that creature deals to a player will cause that player to get 3 poison counters.

Examples

Example

Venerated Rotpriest
Creature — Phyrexian Druid
1/2
Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.)
Whenever a creature you control becomes the target of a spell, target opponent gets a poison counter.

Cards that grant Toxic

• Aspirant's Ascent
• Karumonix, the Rat King — Rats
• Kinzu of the Bleak Coven
• Necrogen Communion
• Phyresis Roach — Insects (combat damage to a player)
• Plague Nurse —
• Prosthetic Injector Equipment (Equip )
• Skrelv, Defector Mite —