What Does the Doubling Season Affect?
The Doubling Season is a popular Magic: The Gathering card that has been a game-changer in many decks. But what exactly does it affect? In this article, we’ll delve into the details of what the Doubling Season affects and how it works.
Permanents with Counters
The most obvious answer to what the Doubling Season affects is permanents with counters. When a permanent enters the battlefield with counters, the Doubling Season’s replacement effect kicks in, doubling the number of counters. This means that if a creature enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters, the Doubling Season will add two more +1/+1 counters, making it a total of four +1/+1 counters.
Loyalty Counters
The Doubling Season also affects loyalty counters on planeswalkers. When a planeswalker enters the battlefield, it usually starts with a certain number of loyalty counters. The Doubling Season’s replacement effect will double the number of loyalty counters, allowing the planeswalker to gain more benefits and abilities.
Counters from Abilities
In addition to permanents with counters, the Doubling Season also affects counters gained from abilities. For example, if a creature gains a +1/+1 counter from an ability, the Doubling Season will double that counter, making it a total of two +1/+1 counters.
Proliferation
The Doubling Season also interacts with the Proliferate mechanic, which adds +1/+1 counters to permanents. When a permanent with counters is proliferated, the Doubling Season’s replacement effect will double the number of counters again, making it a total of four +1/+1 counters.
Example Scenarios
Here are some example scenarios to illustrate how the Doubling Season affects different permanents and abilities:
| Permanent | Initial Counters | Doubling Season | Final Counters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creature | 2 +1/+1 counters | 4 +1/+1 counters | |
| Planeswalker | 3 loyalty counters | 6 loyalty counters | |
| Creature | 1 +1/+1 counter (from ability) | 2 +1/+1 counters | |
| Creature | 2 +1/+1 counters (proliferated) | 4 +1/+1 counters |
Interactions with Other Cards
The Doubling Season interacts with other cards in various ways. For example:
- Vorel, the Hull Clade: This card allows you to double the number of counters on a permanent. When combined with the Doubling Season, it effectively triples the number of counters on a permanent.
- Simic Ascendancy: This card allows you to gain life whenever a creature with a +1/+1 counter enters the battlefield. When combined with the Doubling Season, it effectively doubles the amount of life gained.
- Proliferate: This mechanic adds +1/+1 counters to permanents. When combined with the Doubling Season, it effectively doubles the number of counters added.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Doubling Season is a powerful card that affects permanents with counters, loyalty counters on planeswalkers, counters gained from abilities, and the Proliferate mechanic. Its replacement effect doubles the number of counters on permanents, making it a valuable addition to many decks. By understanding how the Doubling Season interacts with other cards and mechanics, you can build more powerful and strategic decks.