Can You Exile a Creature with a Shield Counter?
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Yes, absolutely. A shield counter does not prevent a creature from being exiled. While shield counters offer significant protection against certain threats, they are not a universal defense mechanism. This is a crucial distinction to understand when strategizing with or against decks that utilize shield counters. The primary function of a shield counter is to prevent damage or destruction effects. However, it leaves permanents vulnerable to other forms of removal, such as exile.
Understanding Shield Counters
The shield counter is a relatively new mechanic, popularized by the Brokers family from the Streets of New Capenna set. These counters are placed on permanents, typically creatures, offering them a unique layer of protection. When a permanent with a shield counter would be destroyed, either through damage or a destruction effect, instead of being destroyed, one shield counter is removed, and the damage or destruction is prevented. Think of it as a single-use buffer against damage or spells like Murder or board wipes.
How Shield Counters Work
A shield counter creates a replacement effect. This means that instead of the permanent being destroyed, the counter is removed, and the destruction or damage is prevented. This works for both combat damage and damage from spells like Lightning Bolt. However, this replacement effect only works when destruction would happen via damage or spells that destroy.
Limitations of Shield Counters
While shield counters are potent, they have key limitations. They do not prevent a permanent from being:
- Exiled: Spells like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile will remove a creature with a shield counter without triggering the counter’s removal effect.
- Returned to Hand: Spells or abilities that return a permanent to its owner’s hand, like Unsummon, bypass the shield counter entirely.
- Sacrificed: If a creature with a shield counter is sacrificed, say through a card like Diabolic Edict, the shield counter does not prevent this from happening.
- Bounced: If a permanent with a shield counter is returned to the owner’s hand by a spell or ability, the shield counter is bypassed entirely.
- Having zero or less toughness: Shield counters won’t save creatures with zero or less toughness.
These limitations are essential to keep in mind when facing creatures with shield counters. Understanding what the shield counter does not do is as important as knowing its strengths.
Why Shield Counters Don’t Stop Exile
The reason why shield counters don’t stop exile boils down to the fact that exile is neither destruction nor damage. A shield counter’s specific replacement effect is triggered only when a permanent is about to be destroyed via damage or by a “destroy” effect. Exile, by its definition, bypasses the normal “destroy” trigger. So, the shield counter’s protection doesn’t activate during the exile process.
Think of it as a shield only stopping swords and not arrows. While a sword could destroy a creature, exile is like a portal that sucks the creature away, bypassing the shield entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the primary purpose of a shield counter?
The primary purpose of a shield counter is to prevent a permanent from being destroyed either through damage or through the effect of a spell or ability that uses the word “destroy.” It essentially acts as a single-use buffer against removal.
2. Can a shield counter stop a board wipe like Wrath of God?
Yes, a shield counter can stop a board wipe like Wrath of God or Damnation. If a creature with a shield counter would be destroyed by a board wipe, the shield counter is removed instead, preventing the creature’s destruction.
3. If a creature has multiple shield counters, do they all get removed at once?
No, only one shield counter is removed when a permanent would be destroyed. If the damage dealt is more than one instance, only one counter is removed. Additional damage or destruction effects would need additional shield counters. This means it would take another destruction or damage effect to remove the second one if it is present.
4. Does a shield counter work against trample damage?
No, shield counters do not stop trample damage. Trample still requires a creature to assign lethal damage to all blockers before assigning damage to the defending player. The shield counter does not impact how trample is calculated or applied.
5. How does a shield counter interact with deathtouch?
A shield counter prevents damage, so it does protect from deathtouch. If a creature with a shield counter takes damage from a creature with deathtouch, the shield counter will be removed instead of the creature being destroyed. However, the damage is still assigned.
6. Is a shield counter better than indestructible?
Neither is inherently better; they serve different purposes. Indestructible prevents a permanent from being destroyed at all by destroy effects, while a shield counter is a one-time protection that is then removed. Indestructible doesn’t protect against damage. Shield counters protect against damage and destroy effects. Indestructible doesn’t protect against exiling, sacrificing, or being returned to hand, while a shield counter also doesn’t protect from these things.
7. Can I sacrifice a creature with a shield counter?
Yes, a shield counter does not prevent you from sacrificing a creature. Sacrifice is neither destruction nor damage, so the counter’s protective ability is bypassed.
8. Can I bounce a creature with a shield counter back to the player’s hand?
Yes, you can return a creature with a shield counter to its owner’s hand. The shield counter does not protect against “bounce” effects.
9. Can shield counters protect against exile spells?
No, shield counters do not provide any protection against exile effects. Exile is not considered destruction and therefore does not trigger the shield counter’s protection mechanism.
10. If I have a creature with a shield counter, and it blocks multiple creatures, will only one shield counter be removed?
Yes, all damage is dealt simultaneously (with the exception of first or double strike). This means that only one shield counter will be used if a creature with one counter is blocked by multiple creatures, unless first strike or double strike are involved.
11. Can true damage bypass a shield counter?
No, shield counters block all damage, including true damage. However, they only block a single instance of it.
12. Does indestructible prevent exile?
No, indestructible only protects against “destroy” effects. It does not prevent a permanent from being exiled.
13. Does first strike beat a deathtouch creature?
Yes, a creature with first strike can kill a creature with deathtouch in combat before the deathtouch creature deals damage, preventing the first-strike creature from being affected by deathtouch.
14. Can hexproof prevent spells and abilities from countering it?
No, you can counter a hexproof creature. Hexproof only protects a permanent from being the target of spells and abilities controlled by an opponent. It does not protect a spell from being countered while it is on the stack.
15. Does sacrificing overrule indestructible?
Yes, sacrifice can get rid of a creature with indestructible. Indestructible only prevents destruction, not being sacrificed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while shield counters offer a valuable layer of protection against destruction and damage, they are not a complete safeguard. They do not prevent effects like exile, sacrifice, or bounce. Understanding these limitations is crucial for successful gameplay and deck building. Knowing how to bypass shield counters, especially by employing exile effects, is a critical aspect of mastering strategy against decks that utilize shield counters.