Does infect affect Planeswalkers?

Does Infect Affect Planeswalkers?

Infect is a popular mechanic in Magic: The Gathering that deals -1/-1 counters to creatures, but does it also affect Planeswalkers? In this article, we’ll dive into the answer and explore some important considerations.

The FAQ Clarifies

The Magic: The Gathering Community FAQ for Scars of Mirrodin states that creatures with infect deal damage to players in the form of poison counters. This means that when a creature with infect deals damage to a Planeswalker, it does not simply disappear – it actually applies poison counters to the player. This is a significant point, as it changes the way we think about infect interactions with Planeswalkers.

How Does Infect Interact with Planeswalkers?

So, how does infect actually work with Planeswalkers? Let’s break it down:

• Creatures with infect deal -1/-1 counters: When a creature with infect deals combat damage to a Planeswalker, it applies -1/-1 counters to the Planeswalker.
• No additional effects: There are no additional effects triggered by infect on a Planeswalker, aside from applying the -1/-1 counters.
• Planewalkers are considered creatures: From a gameplay perspective, Planeswalkers are treated as creatures, so the infect interaction works as normal.

Important Considerations

There are a few key considerations to keep in mind when dealing with infect and Planeswalkers:

• Loyalty Counts: When a Planeswalker is damaged by infect, its loyalty counter reduces accordingly. For example, if a Planeswalker has 5 loyalty and is damaged by -5/-5 from infect, it would then have 0 loyalty and be exiled.
• Planewalkers with zero loyalty: A Planeswalker with 0 loyalty is exiled, just like any other creature.
• Poison counters: Poison counters applied by infect do not have an immediate effect on the player, but rather accumulate until the player would lose life. For example, if a player is poisoned to 0 poison counters and then gains a creature with infect, it would simply add more poison counters, rather than directly killing them.

Real-World Examples

Here are some real-world examples to help illustrate the concepts:

• Example 1: A player is attacked by a creature with infect that deals 4 damage to their Planeswalker, reducing its loyalty to 1. If the Planeswalker takes an additional 3 damage from other sources, it would then have 0 loyalty and be exiled.
• Example 2: A player has a Planeswalker with 3 loyalty and is poisoned by a creature with infect that deals 3 damage to the Planeswalker. The player now has 3 poison counters, which will accumulate if they’re not removed. If the player gains a new creature with infect that deals another 2 damage to the Planeswalker, they would now have 5 poison counters, but the Planeswalker would not be exiled immediately.

Conclusion

In summary, infect does indeed affect Planeswalkers by applying -1/-1 counters and accumulating poison counters. While this can lead to some interesting strategic decisions, it’s important to remember that Planeswalkers are still creatures in the context of the infect mechanic. Understanding these interactions can help you make the most of infect’s power in your decks and create more competitive Magic: The Gathering gameplay.

Common Questions

• Do Planeswalkers lose loyalty when they’re dealt damage by infect?
Yes, they do lose loyalty when damaged by infect.
• Can infect kill a Planeswalker?
Not directly. Infect can apply poison counters, but the Planeswalker would still be exiled when it reaches 0 loyalty.
• Do poison counters from infect have an immediate effect?
No, they don’t. Poison counters from infect accumulate and don’t have an immediate effect until the player would lose life.

Infect Interaction Table

Here’s a table summarizing the interaction between infect and Planeswalkers:

Note: This article is meant to provide general guidance on the topic. If you have any questions or disputes about specific rules interactions, please consult the official Magic: The Gathering rulebook or a knowledgeable Magic community member.