Does Infect and Wither Stack?
Infect and Wither are two powerful card abilities in Magic: The Gathering that can wreak havoc on opponents. Many players are curious about whether these abilities can be stacked together, dealing massive amounts of damage to their enemies. In this article, we’ll delve into the details of Infect and Wither, exploring whether they can be combined for devastating results.
What is Infect?
Infect is an ability that allows creatures to deal damage to opponents’ life totals in a unique way. When a creature with Infect deals combat damage to a player, it gives that player one poison counter instead of subtracting life from their total. This means that players with Infect creatures are more likely to win the game through poison counters rather than traditional life loss.
What is Wither?
Wither is a separate ability that also affects damage dealt to players. When a creature with Wither deals damage to a player, it adds -1/-1 counters to that player’s creatures. This reduces the toughness and power of those creatures, making them easier to kill.
Do Infect and Wither Stack?
Now, let’s get to the million-dollar question: Can Infect and Wither be combined? The answer is a resounding no. According to the Magic: The Gathering rules, Infect and Wither are redundant abilities that can’t be stacked together. This means that when a creature with both Infect and Wither deals damage to a player, it will either give them poison counters (Infect) or add -1/-1 counters to their creatures (Wither), but it won’t do both simultaneously.
Here’s a breakdown of how this works:
- If a creature with Infect and Wither deals combat damage to a player, the Infect ability will give the player one poison counter. The Wither ability won’t apply, and no -1/-1 counters will be added.
- If a creature with Infect and Wither has a separate ability that causes damage, such as trample or lifelink, the Infect ability will still apply, giving the opponent one poison counter.
Examples of Infect and Wither in Action
Let’s look at some examples to illustrate how Infect and Wither work together (or, rather, not work together):
- Scenario 1: You have a creature with Infect and Wither, like Fleshbag Churna. When it deals combat damage to your opponent, it will give them one poison counter, but no -1/-1 counters will be added.
- Scenario 2: You have a creature with Infect, like Kaldra Ghist, and a separate ability that causes damage, like Tainted Wood’s trample ability. When Kaldra Ghist deals combat damage to your opponent, it will give them one poison counter due to Infect, but no -1/-1 counters will be added.
Conclusion
Infect and Wither are two powerful abilities that can be formidable when used separately. However, they can’t be combined to create a synergistic effect. When dealing with creatures that have both Infect and Wither, you should focus on using their abilities individually to achieve your desired outcome.
By understanding how Infect and Wither work together (or don’t work together), you can make more informed decisions about which creatures to include in your deck and how to use them to maximum effect. Remember, strategy is key in Magic: The Gathering, and knowledge is power!