Does Lathril Work with Infect?
Infect is a fascinating mechanics in Magic: The Gathering, and it’s natural to wonder if it combines well with other abilities. One creature in particular that has garnered significant attention is Lathril, but does it work with infect?
Magic is Literal: Lathril’s Ability Deals No Damage
To understand Lathril’s interaction with infect, let’s start with its ability: "Whenever Lathril, Blade of the Empty Throne deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card. " Magic is literal, and Lathril’s ability does not deal damage. It simply has an effect that triggers when it "deals combat damage" to a player.
Infect Modifies How Damage is Dealt, Not its Effect
Infect’s ability modifies how damage is dealt, turning it into -1/-1 counters on creatures and poison counters on players. However, this modification only affects the way damage is dealt, not its effect. Since Lathril’s ability doesn’t deal damage in the first place, infect’s ability can’t modify it.
Lathril’s Ability is Not Combat Damage
To further clarify, Lathril’s ability is not considered combat damage. It triggers when a player is dealt "damage" by Lathril, but this damage is not actually combat damage. Combat damage is dealt to a player’s life total, while Lathril’s ability simply forces a player to discard a card.
Implications for Infect
So what does this mean for infect? Does Lathril’s ability with infect still work? Well, Lathril’s ability can still trigger with infect’s ability, but it will simply cause the player to discard a card due to Lathril’s ability. This won’t interact with the poison counters or -1/-1 counters caused by infect.
Combos and Interactions
Combining Lathril with infect can lead to interesting combinations and interactions. For example:
- Use Lathril to discard cards, then use an ability to copy its effect, causing your opponent to discard even more cards.
- Chain multiple Lathrils together, creating a "card-piling" effect that can overwhelm opponents.
- Use infect to turn one of your creatures into a 10/10, then use Lathril to discard cards and disrupt your opponent’s plans.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Lathril does not directly interact with infect’s ability, as its ability does not deal damage in the first place. However, it’s still possible to combine Lathril with infect in creative ways that can lead to powerful effects.
Key Takeaways:
• Lathril’s ability does not deal combat damage.
• Infect’s ability modifies how damage is dealt, but only affects actual combat damage.
• Lathril’s ability with infect can still trigger, causing opponents to discard cards.
• Combining Lathril with infect can lead to interesting interactions and combos.