Infect and Damage: Untangling the Poisonous Web in Magic: The Gathering

Yes, Infect deals damage. While it doesn’t reduce a player’s life total directly, it replaces life loss with poison counters. Damage dealt by a source with Infect is still considered damage in every sense; it just has a different consequence for players and creatures.

Understanding Infect: A Deep Dive

Infect is a keyword ability in Magic: The Gathering that fundamentally alters the outcome of damage. Instead of reducing a player’s life total, damage from a source with Infect causes them to receive an equivalent number of poison counters. If a player accumulates ten or more poison counters, they lose the game. For creatures, Infect damage is dealt in the form of -1/-1 counters, weakening them and potentially leading to their destruction.

The beauty (or horror, depending on your perspective) of Infect lies in its ability to bypass traditional defenses against life loss. While life gain can negate damage, it does nothing to remove poison counters. This makes Infect a potent alternative win condition, especially in formats like Commander where life totals are higher.

It’s crucial to remember that Infect is not a replacement for damage; it’s a modifier. The damage is still being dealt. This means effects that trigger “when a creature deals damage” will still trigger if the creature has Infect. Furthermore, concepts like combat damage still apply if the damage is being dealt by a creature during the combat damage step.

How Infect Works on Creatures

When a creature with Infect deals damage to another creature, the damaged creature receives -1/-1 counters equal to the amount of damage dealt. This can quickly weaken and kill creatures, bypassing abilities like regeneration (which doesn’t remove counters). The -1/-1 counters remain on the creature indefinitely, unless a specific effect removes them. This persistent weakening can be a powerful advantage.

Infect vs. Wither

Infect is often compared to Wither, another ability that puts -1/-1 counters on creatures when they are dealt damage. The primary difference is that Wither still deals damage to players, while Infect replaces that damage with poison counters. This means that a creature with both Wither and Lifelink will cause you to gain life. A creature with both Infect and Lifelink will not affect your life total.

Frequently Asked Questions About Infect

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) to further clarify the intricacies of Infect:

1. Are there “Infect counters”?

   No, there are no such things as “Infect” counters. “Infect” is an ability that causes poison counters to be placed on players and -1/-1 counters to be placed on creatures when a source with Infect deals damage.

2. Do poison counters count as commander damage?

   Yes, damage dealt by your commander that results in poison counters counts as commander damage. This is particularly relevant if your commander has or gains Infect. If an opponent cannot get poison counters, the damage is still dealt, and your commander damage still applies, but no poison counters are gained.

3. Can you remove poison counters?

   Generally, poison counters cannot be removed. This is what makes them a potent alternative win condition. However, there are very few exceptions, such as the card Leeches from Homelands. The intended function is to be a fundamentally different way to win outside of life totals, that cannot be removed through lifegain.

4. Does deathtouch work with infect?

   Yes, Deathtouch and Infect work together. If a creature with both abilities deals combat damage to another creature, that creature will be dealt “lethal damage”, regardless of how much damage the deathtouch creature dealt.

5. Does infect affect planeswalkers?

   Yes, a creature with Infect can damage a planeswalker, removing loyalty counters as a result. Infect only replaces how damage is dealt to players and creatures.

6. Does damage prevention stop infect?

   Damage prevention can prevent the damage from a source with infect. You can use this to prevent receiving poison counters.

7. Can you proliferate poison counters?

   Yes, you can proliferate poison counters that are on yourself or an opponent. Proliferate allows you to add an additional counter of each kind already present on the target.

8. Does Hexproof stop Infect?

   No, Hexproof does not stop Infect. Hexproof only prevents a player from targeting the creature with spells or abilities. Infect is a result of damage, not a targeted effect.

9. Does indestructible stop Infect?

   Indestructible does protect against -1/-1 counters applied via infect. While an indestructible creature can’t be destroyed by lethal damage from a creature with deathtouch, it can still be given -1/-1 counters and be weakened over time.

10. Does lifelink work with infect?

    Yes, Lifelink works with Infect, though not the way you might expect. If a creature with Infect and Lifelink deals damage, the creature’s controller gains life equal to the damage dealt if the damage was dealt to a creature. Because poison counters are placed instead of damage done to players, there is no life gained when damage is dealt to players.

11. Does first strike negate deathtouch and infect?

    First strike can negate deathtouch and infect. If a creature with first strike deals lethal damage to a creature with deathtouch and infect, the creature with deathtouch and infect will not deal any damage back.

12. Does infect work with 0 power?

    No, a creature with Infect needs to deal damage for its ability to trigger. If a creature has 0 power, it will not deal any damage, thus poison and -1/-1 counters will not be applied.

13. Does Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider stop poison counters?

    Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider is effective against poison counters. It halves the number of counters your opponents would place (rounded down). This means that it can effectively delay or even prevent an opponent from reaching the threshold of ten poison counters needed to lose the game.

14. What’s the difference between Infect and Toxic?

    The key difference between Infect and Toxic is that Infect replaces damage dealt to players with poison counters, while Toxic grants a fixed number of poison counters in addition to any other effects of the damage. Toxic deals damage in addition to applying poison counters, but Infect will only apply poison counters.

15. Is infect a viable strategy in Commander?

    Yes, Infect can be a viable strategy in Commander, though it can be politically challenging. Given the higher life totals in Commander, achieving victory through poison counters can be quicker than dealing 120 damage.

The Allure and Challenge of Infect

Infect presents a fascinating and often controversial strategy in Magic: The Gathering. It allows players to circumvent traditional defenses and pursue an alternative win condition. However, it also carries the risk of becoming a target, as other players may view Infect strategies as less “fair” or more aggressive. Nonetheless, it remains a powerful and strategic option for those who dare to embrace the poison.

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