Blight

Blight
Keyword Action
Introduced	Lorwyn Eclipsed
Last used	Lorwyn Eclipsed Commander
Reminder Text	Blight N (Put N −1/−1 counters on a creature you control.)
Scryfall Statistics
26 cards 11.5% 3.8% 38.5% 26.9% 19.2%

Not to be confused with Blight counter.

Blight is a keyword action introduced in Lorwyn Eclipsed. Blight includes a number and is often phrased as a cost you pay, such as to activate an ability or as an additional cost to cast a spell. It forces a player to put a number of −1/−1 counters on a creature they control.

Description

When a player is instructed to blight N, they put N −1/−1 counters on a creature they control. That creature isn't targeted, so you choose which creature will get the −1/−1 counters as you're taking the blight action. You can put more −1/−1 counters on a creature than it would take to get rid of it. On the other hand, there are several possibilities in the Lorwyn Eclipsed set to negate the negative impact of −1/−1 counters on your creatures. As a cost, it recalls the unnamed "Ruthless" mechanic of Amonkhet, another −1/−1 counter mechanic.

Blight also can be used as a ward cost (e.g. Auntie Ool, Cursewretch). High Perfect Morcant and Champion of the Weird are the only cards that can force opponents to blight.

The mechanic is a play on the Shadowmoor mechanic Wither, which also used −1/−1 counters, and might be named after the card Incremental Blight from that same set. Scarscale Ritual has the effective cost Blight 1 which is a potential precursor to this mechanic. Flavorwise, "Eyeblight" is a term Lorwyn's elves use for creatures they deem ugly.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (January 16, 2026—Lorwyn Eclipsed)

Blight

A keyword action. To blight N means to put N -1/-1 counters on a creature you control. See rule 701.68, “Blight.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (January 16, 2026—Lorwyn Eclipsed)

• 701.68. Blight
  • 701.68a To “blight N” means to put N -1/-1 counters on a creature you control.
  • 701.68b If a player is given the choice to blight but is unable to put N -1/-1 counters on a creature they control (usually because they control no creatures), they can’t choose to blight.
  • 701.68c Some spells and abilities that instruct a player to blight refer to the “blighted creature.” This phrase refers to the object that the player who was instructed to blight chose to put -1/-1 counters on when blighting.
  • 701.68d An ability that triggers whenever a player blights triggers after the process described in rule 701.68a is complete, regardless of what events actually occurred.

Rulings

From the Release Notes for Lorwyn Eclipsed (January 9, 2026)

• All of the −1/−1 counters must be put on a single creature. You can't choose to split them up between multiple creatures.
• The creature you choose to put −1/−1 counters on doesn't have to have enough toughness to survive the process. For example, if you blight 2, you can choose to put the counters on a 1/1 creature you control.
• If you can't place −1/−1 counters on any creatures you control (probably because you control no creatures), you can't choose to blight.
• Once you've announced that you're casting a spell or activating an ability, players can't take actions until you've finished doing so. Notably, opponents can't try to destroy or otherwise remove your creatures to stop you from blighting as part of paying the cost of that spell or ability.

Example

Example

High Perfect Morcant
Legendary Creature — Elf Noble
Whenever High Perfect Morcant or another Elf you control enters, each opponent blights 1. (They each put a -1/-1 counter on a creature they control.)
Tap three untapped Elves you control: Proliferate. Activate only as a sorcery. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.)
4/4