Soul counter

Soul counter
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Doom.svg}}|70x70px]]
Counter
Use	Sacrificial abilities
Placed on	Artifacts, Lands, Enchantments
Introduced	Commander 2020
Last used	Streets of New Capenna
Statistics
4 counter creation cards 50% 25% 25%
Scryfall search
oracle:"Soul counter"

Soul counters are a type of counter introduced in Commander 2020. They have often been related to sacrificial abilities involving losing life or the death of a creature.

Description

Soul counters first appeared on the Netherborn Altar in Commander 2020. It is an artifact with an activated ability to place a soul counter onto it alongside putting the player's commander into their hand from the command zone. As an additional cost, the player loses 3 life for each soul counter on the artifact. This represents sacrificing life to the altar. They appeared shortly thereafter in Core Set 2021 on Malefic Scythe was an equipment artifact that enters the battlefield with a soul counter on it and gains another any time its equipped creature dies. The equipped creature gains +1/+1 for each soul counter on it. This represents the scythe absorbing the soul of those that wield it.

In Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, soul counters appeared on the land Hostile Hostel which could sacrifice a creature to add a soul counter to it. These were used for the transform mechanic in that it would transform into Creeping Inn once 3 or more of the counters were on it. Following that they appeared in Streets of New Capenna on Obscura Ascendancy which is an enchantment that gains a counter if a spell is cast with a mana cost of 1+ the number of counters on it. Alongside the counter addition, it also creates a 2/2 Spirit creature token. If 5 or more counters are added, then all spirits get powered up with +3/+3.

Trivia

• In Magic Online, the counter is colored green as its considered a positive effect. It shares an icon with Corruption, Death, Despair, Doom, Mannequin, Paralyzation and Petrifications.