Rules glossary
122.1 A counter is a marker placed on an object or player that modifies its characteristics and/or interacts with a rule, ability, or effect. Counters are not objects and have no characteristics. Notably, a counter is not a token, and a token is not a counter. Counters with the same name or description are interchangeable.
- 122.1a A +X/+Y counter on a creature or on a creature card in a zone other than the battlefield, where X and Y are numbers, adds X to that object’s power and Y to that object’s toughness. Similarly, -X/-Y counters subtract from power and toughness. See rule 613.4c. (refs: 613.4c)
- 122.1b A keyword counter on a permanent or on a card in a zone other than the battlefield causes that object to gain that keyword. The keywords that a keyword counter can be are flying, first strike, double strike, deathtouch, decayed, exalted, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, reach, shadow, trample, and vigilance, as well as any variants of those keywords. See rule 613.1f. (refs: 613.1f)
- 122.1c One or more shield counters on a permanent create a single replacement effect and a single prevention effect that protect the permanent. These effects are “If this permanent would be destroyed as the result of an effect, instead remove a shield counter from it” and “If damage would be dealt to this permanent, prevent that damage and remove a shield counter from it.” See rule 614, “Replacement Effects,” and rule 615, “Prevention Effects.” (refs: 614, 615)
- 122.1d One or more stun counters on a permanent create a single replacement effect that stops the permanent from untapping. That effect is “If a permanent with a stun counter on it would become untapped, instead remove a stun counter from it.”
- 122.1e The number of loyalty counters on a planeswalker on the battlefield indicates how much loyalty it has. A planeswalker with 0 loyalty is put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based action. See rule 704. (refs: 704)
- 122.1f If a player has ten or more poison counters, that player loses the game as a state-based action. See rule 704. A player is “poisoned” if they have one or more poison counters. (See rule 810 for additional rules for Two-Headed Giant games.) (refs: 704, 810)
- 122.1g The number of defense counters on a battle on the battlefield indicates how much defense it has. A battle with 0 defense is put into its owner’s graveyard if it isn’t the source of an ability that has triggered but not yet left the stack. This state-based action doesn’t use the stack. See rule 704. (refs: 704)
- 122.1h One or more finality counters on a permanent create a single replacement effect that stops the permanent from going to the graveyard. That effect is “If this permanent would be put into a graveyard from the battlefield, exile it instead.”
- 122.1i One or more rad counters on a player cause a triggered ability to trigger at the beginning of that player’s precombat main phase. See rule 728, “Rad Counters.” (refs: 728)
- 122.1j A hone counter on an Equipment gives +1/+0 to any creature that Equipment is attached to.