Can Stifle Counter Planeswalker Abilities?
The short answer is a resounding yes, Stifle can indeed counter Planeswalker abilities. Stifle, a blue instant card with the ability to counter an activated ability, directly affects Planeswalker loyalty abilities, making it a crucial tool in any Magic: The Gathering (MTG) player’s arsenal. However, it is not always that straightforward, so it’s essential to understand how and why it works this way, and what the limitations are.
Understanding Activated Abilities
To understand how Stifle interacts with Planeswalkers, we first need to break down the concept of an activated ability. In MTG, an activated ability is defined by a specific format: “Cost: Effect.” The cost can vary from tapping a creature to paying mana or, crucially for Planeswalkers, adding or removing loyalty counters. Loyalty abilities of Planeswalkers, like adding a +1 loyalty counter to draw a card, or a -X loyalty counter to destroy a creature, fall squarely under this definition. They all are activated abilities that involve a cost (usually a + or – loyalty counter) and an effect.
How Stifle Works
Stifle is a card that specifically targets activated abilities. Its text states: “Counter target activated ability.” This means when a player activates a loyalty ability of a Planeswalker, for instance, using Jace, the Mind Sculptor’s +2 loyalty to brainstorm, an opponent can respond by casting Stifle, countering that ability. This will prevent the effect of the ability from resolving.
Key Point: Loyalty Counters and Countered Abilities
A critical detail is that even if a Planeswalker ability is countered, the cost is still paid. In the example with Jace, if Stifle counters the brainstorm ability, Jace would still lose two loyalty counters (the cost of the ability), even though the actual drawing of cards did not happen. This distinction is crucial because it opens up some complex interactions when playing with or against Planeswalkers.
Planeswalkers and the Rules
Planeswalkers are a unique card type in MTG, with their own set of rules and interactions. Understanding these rules is essential to grasping the full impact of how Stifle works against them. Let’s review some basic Planeswalker rules:
- Loyalty Counters: Planeswalkers enter the battlefield with a specified number of loyalty counters. These counters are used to pay the cost of activated loyalty abilities.
- Activated Abilities: Planeswalkers have loyalty abilities denoted by a plus sign (+) to add counters and a minus sign (-) to remove counters.
- State-Based Actions: A Planeswalker is put into the graveyard if it has zero loyalty counters. This occurs before any player receives priority.
- Combat and Planeswalkers: When attacking, players can choose to attack the opponent or an opposing Planeswalker. If the Planeswalker takes combat damage, that amount of loyalty counters are removed.
Why Stifle is Effective Against Planeswalkers
The effectiveness of Stifle against Planeswalkers stems from its ability to disrupt the timing and strategy associated with loyalty abilities. By countering an ability, Stifle prevents the player from gaining an advantage, forcing them to either waste a valuable activation or use more counters to achieve their desired effect. The power of Stifle isn’t just in that disruption, but also in its versatility, since it can target activated abilities from ANY permanent.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To further clarify the intricacies of Stifle and its interaction with Planeswalkers, here are 15 related FAQs:
1. Does Negate counter Planeswalker abilities?
Yes, Negate can counter Planeswalker spells when they are first cast. However, it cannot counter activated loyalty abilities of Planeswalkers, only Stifle or similar counter-ability cards can do that. Negate only stops a spell from resolving, not an ability.
2. Can I block a Planeswalker ability?
No, you cannot block a Planeswalker ability. Planeswalker abilities are not treated like attacks from creatures. You can attack a Planeswalker with creatures, but you cannot block their abilities. The only way to stop them is to counter or otherwise disrupt the activation.
3. If I counter a Planeswalker ability, does it still gain or lose loyalty counters?
Yes, if you counter a Planeswalker ability with Stifle, the loyalty cost is still paid, as stated before. This means that if you counter a +1 ability, the Planeswalker still gains the counter, and if you counter a -3 ability, the Planeswalker still loses 3 counters.
4. Do Planeswalkers lose loyalty counters from deathtouch?
No, deathtouch does not directly affect Planeswalkers. Deathtouch only causes lethal damage to creatures; since Planeswalkers are not creatures, the mechanic does not apply to them. You will need other abilities such as Vraska, Swarm’s Eminence, to have deathtouch apply to planeswalkers.
5. What happens when a Planeswalker has zero loyalty counters?
When a Planeswalker reaches zero loyalty counters, it is put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based action. This removal doesn’t destroy the planeswalker, but rather sends it to the graveyard regardless of whether it has indestructible or not.
6. Can you proliferate loyalty counters?
Yes, you can proliferate loyalty counters on a Planeswalker. Proliferate adds an additional counter of each type of counter to a permanent, including loyalty counters on Planeswalkers.
7. Does the legendary rule affect Planeswalkers?
Yes, the legend rule applies to Planeswalkers. If you control two Planeswalkers with the same name (even if they are different versions with different abilities), you must choose one and put the other in the graveyard.
8. Does Vorinclex affect Planeswalker loyalty abilities?
Yes, Vorinclex affects Planeswalker loyalty abilities. Vorinclex’s replacement effect will add +2 counters instead of +1 counter to Planeswalkers you control, and makes an opponent lose twice the amount of loyalty counters from their Planeswalker.
9. Can an indestructible Planeswalker lose loyalty counters?
Yes, an indestructible Planeswalker will still lose loyalty counters when it is dealt damage or a loyalty ability requires a cost to be paid. Indestructibility only prevents destruction; it does not prevent loyalty counters from being removed.
10. Does hexproof prevent me from targeting a Planeswalker’s ability?
No, hexproof only stops spells and abilities from targeting a player or permanent. The use of Stifle would target the loyalty ability of the Planeswalker, and not the Planeswalker itself. Because of that, hexproof is irrelevant.
11. Can a non-Planeswalker activate a loyalty ability?
Yes, in theory, if some rare effect allowed a non-planeswalker to have a loyalty ability, it can be activated. But only one loyalty ability can be activated per turn, and only once.
12. Does lifelink work on damage dealt to a Planeswalker?
Yes, if a creature with lifelink deals damage to a Planeswalker, you will gain life equal to the damage dealt, as the damage is simply removed as loyalty counters, and is still considered damage.
13. Does Indestructible override deathtouch?
Yes, indestructible does override deathtouch. Deathtouch will inflict “lethal damage,” and because an indestructible creature cannot be killed by lethal damage, deathtouch has no effect.
14. Can you control two Planeswalkers at once?
Yes, you can control two Planeswalkers at once as long as they do not share the same name.
15. Can deathtouch work with 0 damage?
No, deathtouch will not have any effect with 0 damage, as 0 damage is still no damage dealt.
Conclusion
Stifle is a powerful and flexible card that can effectively disrupt Planeswalker strategies by countering their activated loyalty abilities. While it won’t stop the loss or gain of loyalty counters associated with paying for those abilities, its capacity to negate crucial Planeswalker effects makes it an essential countermeasure in the ever-evolving landscape of MTG. By understanding how Stifle interacts with Planeswalkers and their specific rules, players can make more informed decisions and gain a crucial advantage in any match.