Do Creatures Lose Counters When Exiled?
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The short, definitive answer is yes, creatures lose all counters when they are exiled. Exile in Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is a zone change, and when a permanent moves from one zone to another, it becomes a completely new game object with no memory of its previous existence. This means that any counters, enchantments, equipment, and other modifications that were attached to it are immediately lost. When the creature returns from exile, it does so as a fresh instance, essentially as if you’ve just played it from your hand.
Understanding Exile and Game Objects
To fully grasp why counters are lost upon exile, it’s crucial to understand the concept of game objects in MTG. Each card on the battlefield is considered a game object. When an object moves to a different zone, such as from the battlefield to exile, it becomes a brand new object. This new object retains no connection to its previous state. Think of it like a file on your computer: if you delete it and then recreate a file with the same name, the new file will have none of the original file’s content.
Exile as a Zone Change
Exile is a specific zone in MTG, distinct from the battlefield, graveyard, hand, and library. When a creature is exiled, it leaves the battlefield completely and exists as an entirely different entity in exile. Thus, any counters or other modifiers it had on the battlefield are left behind. When an exiled card is returned to the battlefield, it comes in as a fresh instance.
Counters are Not Inherited
Counters, such as +1/+1 counters, -1/-1 counters, and others, are not intrinsic to a creature card. They are separate modifications. When a creature with counters on it moves to a different zone (including exile), it does not carry those counters with it. It re-enters play as a vanilla version of the creature without any counters.
FAQs About Exile and Counters
To further clarify the impact of exile on counters and other game elements, let’s delve into some frequently asked questions:
1. What happens to auras and equipment when a creature is exiled?
Just like counters, auras and equipment also detach when a creature is exiled. They will go to the graveyard if they are auras but will remain on the battlefield otherwise unless otherwise specified. They will not be attached to the creature when it returns from exile because it becomes a new object.
2. If a creature is exiled and returned to the battlefield, does it have summoning sickness?
Yes, if a creature returns from exile, it will have summoning sickness, just like any creature entering the battlefield under your control for the first time in a turn. This means it cannot attack or use abilities that require tapping unless it has haste.
3. Does exile count as a creature “dying”?
No, exile does not count as a creature “dying.” Death triggers, which activate when a creature goes to the graveyard, will not activate when a creature is exiled. Exile is a different zone and does not trigger the same effects as a creature being sent to the graveyard.
4. Can indestructible creatures be exiled?
Yes, indestructible creatures can be exiled. Indestructible only protects a creature from destruction, such as from damage or spells and abilities with effects that “destroy” a permanent. Indestructible does not protect a creature from being exiled, bounced, or sacrificed.
5. Do creatures lose counters when they are bounced back to hand?
Yes, creatures lose their counters when they are returned to your hand. Similar to exile, moving a card from the battlefield to hand creates a new object with no ties to its previous state, so any counters are lost.
6. Do counters stay on a creature when it’s phased out?
Yes, counters and stickers remain on a permanent while it’s phased out. Phasing out doesn’t cause a permanent to leave or enter the battlefield, or change its controller. It remains as the same object with all the counters, auras, and equipment it had before phasing out.
7. Do creatures lose counters when they “blink” (exiled and returned immediately)?
Yes, flickering (or blinking) removes all counters and auras from a creature, even if it is exiled and returned immediately. The creature returns as a fresh instance with no memory of its prior state.
8. What happens to counters when a creature is turned face down?
Counters remain on a creature when it is turned face down. Turning a permanent face down does not change the game object itself, so it retains all counters, enchantments, and equipment it had before being turned face down.
9. Can shield counters protect a creature from exile?
No, shield counters do not protect a creature from exile. Shield counters only prevent damage and destruction, not exile. The creature can still be sent to exile, returned to your hand, or sacrificed even if it has a shield counter.
10. Do experience counters get removed when a creature is exiled?
No, experience counters are not removed when a creature is exiled. Experience counters are placed on a player, not on a specific creature, and therefore are not affected by any card entering or leaving any zone.
11. Does being exiled stop a blocking creature from dealing combat damage?
No, if a blocking creature is exiled, the attacking creature is still considered blocked, but does not deal damage unless it has trample. If the attacking creature has trample, the trampling damage will go through as normal.
12. Can you counter a spell from exile?
No, you can’t “counter” a spell in exile. “Counter” is a specific keyword action. You can prevent a spell from resolving by exiling it before it resolves, but that does not use the keyword “counter”. Exile is a different game mechanic altogether.
13. Does infect add counters to creatures?
Yes, infect adds -1/-1 counters to creatures. It changes the way damage is dealt to creatures (as -1/-1 counters) and players (as poison counters).
14. Do +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters cancel each other?
Yes, +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters cancel each other out as state based actions. Any time a player is about to receive priority, counters will remove opposing ones.
15. Does exile remove indestructible from creatures?
Exile removes the creature from the battlefield, irrespective of indestructible. Indestructible only prevents destruction, but exile is a separate effect that moves a card to a completely different zone.
Conclusion
In summary, exile effectively resets a creature, removing all of its counters, auras, equipment, and other modifications. It is a powerful removal option because it does not allow for graveyard recursion and causes the card to become a completely new instance when it returns to the battlefield. Understanding this principle is crucial for any MTG player, and we hope this article and the FAQs have clarified any confusion you might have had regarding exile and counters.