Quest counter
- Not to be confused with Quest.
| Quest counter | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Counter | |
| Use | Quests, Ascensions, Expeditions, Legendary Creatures |
| Placed on | Enchantments, Artifacts, Creatures |
| Introduced | Zendikar |
| Last used | Modern Horizons 3 |
| Scryfall Statistics | |
Quest counters are used for multiple cycles of enchantments from Zendikar block and returned in both Universes Beyond: Fallout and Modern Horizons 3. They mark the progress of the informally named "quests" enchantments.
Cycles
Zendikar
Three cycles in Zendikar use quest counters:
The "ascension" cycle flavorfully represents an adventurer's quest to find their true calling.[1] These cards gain quest counters from triggered abilities, and have a second set of abilities that become active or usable once a threshold is reached.
The "quest" cycle was originally conceived as maps,[2] and portray the search for treasure in Zendikar's wilderness.[3] Mechanically, the quest cycle is similar to the ascension cycle, except that the eventual activation requires that the enchantment be sacrificed.
The "expedition" cycle, like the quest cycle, is sacrificed upon completion, and has a similar flavor,[4] but all five accrue quest counters via landfall.
Worldwake
Worldwake revisited the theme with another cycle of quests:
- Quest for Ula's Temple (
) - Quest for the Nihil Stone (
) - Quest for the Goblin Lord (
) - Quest for Renewal (
)
These are closer to the Ascensions in that none require sacrificing or removing counters.
However, the cycle is incomplete. Instead of a white quest, Terra Eternal was printed instead.
Modern Horizons 3
As a callback, a one-off quest was printed named Quest for the Necropolis. It uses landfall, much like the Expeditions, but unlike all other quests, the ability can always be activated, and the quest counters mark a mana discount.
Universes Beyond
Fallout
Quest counters returned in Fallout to represent both main and side quests from the Fallout video games. Quest counters form a thematic tie-in with the mechanics of the Fallout series and Magic: The Gathering.[5] Some cards in this set use quest counter as a resource, and uniquely Moira Brown, Guide Author distributes them to any nonland permanent.
Storm Scale
Mark Rosewater considers Quests as an interesting gameplay concept and rated them at a reviewable 5. However, they were not revisited for over a decade before Modern Horizons 3, though various counter-accumulating enchantments have similar effects. Some elements of them are seen on double-faced cards, such as on Ixalan's enchantment-to-land cycles.
Rulings
- Not all quests have the word "quest" in their names.
- Each quest has two abilities. The first ability triggers whenever a certain condition happens and puts a quest counter on the enchantment as a result. The second ability works only if there is a certain number of quest counters on the enchantment.
- The second ability of each common and uncommon quest requires you to remove a certain number of quest counters from it and sacrifice it as a cost. You can activate this ability only if it has the appropriate number of quest counters on it, since otherwise, you couldn't remove enough of them. Also, you may activate this ability only once, since you can sacrifice the enchantment only once. You can't search for two Equipment cards if Quest for the Holy Relic has ten quest counters on it, for example.
- The second ability of each rare quest doesn't require you to remove any counters from it or sacrifice it. The counters and the enchantment will just stay put.
- Once there are enough counters on a quest for its second ability to work, there's usually no particular need to add more counters to it with its first ability, though you are free to do so.
Trivia
- In Magic Online, the counter is colored green as it's considered a positive effect and shares its icon with Filibuster, Landmark, Level, Page, Plot, Story, and Study counters.[6]
References
- ↑ Noel deCordova (October 15, 2009). "Ascension Pending". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 14, 2009). "Achieving Zendikar, Part II". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2020-08-05.
- ↑ Kelly Digges (September 22, 2009). "Are You the Beastmaster?". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
- ↑ Tom LaPille (September 18, 2009). "This Land Is Your Land". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
- ↑ Eric Levine (February 27, 2024). "Magic: The Gathering - Fallout Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Christopher Bellach (September 5, 2018). "Counter Development in Magic Online". magicthegathering.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2022.
