Does Phasing Out Remove Counters in Magic: The Gathering?
No, phasing out does not remove counters from a permanent in Magic: The Gathering. When a permanent phases out, it essentially “blinks” out of existence until the beginning of its controller’s next untap step (or as otherwise specified by the phasing effect). The key is that the permanent remains on the battlefield in a hidden state. Because it hasn’t truly left the battlefield, anything attached to it, including counters, enchantments, and equipment, stays with it and phases back in along with the permanent.
Understanding Phasing in MTG
To fully grasp why counters aren’t removed by phasing, it’s crucial to understand what phasing actually does. When a permanent phases out, it is treated as though it doesn’t exist for almost all purposes. It can’t be targeted by spells or abilities, it doesn’t participate in combat, and it doesn’t trigger any “leaves the battlefield” effects. However, it’s not exiled, destroyed, or put into any other zone.
Instead, the phased-out permanent simply ceases to interact with the game until it phases back in. Any Auras, Equipment, and counters that were attached to it remain attached, and any choices that were made upon the permanent’s initial entry onto the battlefield are retained. This is because phasing is considered a temporary state of non-existence, rather than a zone change or a change of game state that would normally cause such things to be removed or reset.
Phasing vs. Other Removal Methods
It’s helpful to compare phasing to other methods of removing permanents from the battlefield, like exiling or bouncing (returning a permanent to its owner’s hand). When a permanent is exiled, it’s moved to the exile zone, severing all previous connections. Counters and Auras are lost. Similarly, bouncing a permanent resets it, causing it to lose any counters, Auras, or Equipment it had. However, since phasing doesn’t move the permanent from the battlefield zone, these resets do not occur.
FAQs About Phasing and Counters
Here are some frequently asked questions about phasing and its interactions with other aspects of Magic: The Gathering:
1. What happens to Equipment attached to a creature that phases out?
A creature that phases out also phases out with any Equipment attached to it. When the creature phases back in, the Equipment remains attached, provided the Equipment isn’t a token, in which case it ceases to exist.
2. Does phasing out trigger “leaves the battlefield” abilities?
No, phasing out does not trigger “leaves the battlefield” abilities because the permanent never actually leaves the battlefield zone.
3. If I phase out a creature, can it still attack or block?
While phased out, a creature is treated as though it doesn’t exist. Therefore, it cannot attack, block, or be targeted by spells or abilities.
4. Does phasing out remove enchantments or Auras?
No, enchantments and Auras attached to a permanent will phase out along with the permanent and phase back in still attached.
5. What happens to tokens when they phase out?
If a token phases out, it ceases to exist. Tokens are not designed to exist outside the battlefield.
6. Can I sacrifice a phased-out creature?
No, because a phased-out creature is treated as though it doesn’t exist, it cannot be sacrificed.
7. Does phasing out reset summoning sickness?
No. If a creature was under your control since the beginning of your most recent turn, or has Haste, phasing it out and back in does not re-apply summoning sickness.
8. What happens if my Commander phases out?
Your Commander will phase back in during your next untap step. You can only choose to move your Commander to the command zone if it would change zones, so phasing does not provide an opportunity to do so.
9. Can my opponent target my phased-out creature?
No, phased-out permanents cannot be targeted by spells or abilities.
10. What happens to -1/-1 and +1/+1 counters when a creature phases out?
Both -1/-1 and +1/+1 counters will remain on the creature when it phases out and phase back in. These counters cancel each other out in pairs per normal game rules.
11. Does phasing out remove counters placed by proliferate?
No, any counters placed on a permanent, regardless of how they were placed, will remain on the permanent as it phases out and back in.
12. If a creature is equipped and enchanted, and it phases out, what happens to the equipment and enchantment?
Both the Equipment and Enchantment phase out along with the creature and phase back in still attached to the creature.
13. Does phasing out affect abilities that trigger based on a creature’s power or toughness?
Abilities that trigger based on a creature’s power or toughness will not trigger while the creature is phased out, as the creature is treated as though it doesn’t exist. Upon phasing back in, the abilities will once again function based on the creature’s current power and toughness (including any modifications from counters).
14. Does phasing out prevent damage?
Yes, phasing out prevents damage because the permanent is treated as if it doesn’t exist, and therefore cannot be affected by any effects, including damage.
15. Does phasing out affect triggered abilities of permanents that trigger when a creature enters the battlefield?
No, phasing does not count as entering or leaving the battlefield so triggered abilities would not be affected.
Conclusion: Counters and the Ethereal Dance of Phasing
Phasing is a unique mechanic in Magic: The Gathering that temporarily removes a permanent from the game without actually removing it from the battlefield. As a result, counters, Auras, and Equipment remain attached to the permanent as it phases out and back in. Understanding this interaction is essential for using phasing effectively and for accurately predicting the state of the board. As you continue your journey in Magic: The Gathering, remember to explore the different ways mechanics interact, further solidifying your understanding of this complex and fascinating game. The Games Learning Society is an excellent resource for those seeking to deepen their knowledge of game-based learning and the educational potential of games like Magic: The Gathering. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to discover more.