Decoding Deadly Doses: Proliferate and Poison Counters in Magic: The Gathering

Yes, proliferate absolutely works with poison counters in Magic: The Gathering! Proliferate is a powerful mechanic that lets you add more counters of a kind already present on permanents or players. If your opponent has even a single poison counter, proliferate can quickly escalate the threat, bringing them closer to a swift and toxic defeat.

Understanding Proliferate and Poison

Before diving into the specifics, let’s clarify what both proliferate and poison counters are and how they function within the game.

• Proliferate: This ability allows you to choose any number of permanents and/or players that already have one or more counters on them. Then, you add one more of each kind of counter already present. It’s a potent way to amplify existing advantages or accelerate an opponent’s demise. Proliferate does not target.

• Poison Counters: Unlike most counters that affect permanents, poison counters are placed directly on players. A player who accumulates ten or more poison counters loses the game. Poison counters are typically associated with the Infect and Poisonous abilities, found most prominently in black and green mana cost cards.

The Synergy of Proliferate and Poison

The real strength of proliferate lies in its ability to snowball a small advantage into an overwhelming one. With poison counters, this is especially true. Even one poison counter can be a death sentence if left unchecked. By using proliferate, you can quickly increase the number of poison counters on your opponent, shortening the timeline to their inevitable loss.

Imagine a scenario where you’ve managed to inflict one poison counter on your opponent. A single proliferate spell doubles that to two. Subsequent proliferate triggers can rapidly increase the count to four, eight, and beyond, leaving your opponent scrambling for answers.

Strategies and Considerations

When building a deck around poison and proliferate, consider the following:

• Early Poison: Focus on cards that can reliably inflict the first poison counter. Creatures with Infect or Poisonous are excellent choices.
• Proliferate Engine: Include multiple proliferate spells or abilities. Consider cards that let you proliferate multiple times in a turn, or even repeatedly over multiple turns.
• Protection: Protect your creatures and yourself from removal and disruption. Cards that grant hexproof or shroud can be invaluable.
• Counter Strategies: Be prepared for opponents who might try to remove poison counters or prevent you from proliferating. Cards like “Solemnity” can completely shut down poison strategies.
• Mana Ramp: Proliferate strategies often require a significant mana investment. Ensure you have ways to accelerate your mana production.

Common Misconceptions

It’s important to clear up a few common misconceptions about proliferate and poison counters:

• Proliferate doesn’t target. This means that hexproof and shroud offer no protection against proliferate.
• Doubling Season doesn’t affect poison counters. While Doubling Season doubles the number of counters you place on permanents you control, it does not affect counters placed on players.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does proliferate work on all counters?

Yes and no. Proliferate can technically work on any counter, but its effectiveness depends on the context. You can proliferate +1/+1 counters on creatures, loyalty counters on planeswalkers, and even charge counters on artifacts. However, you can only proliferate counters on permanents if the permanent is on the battlefield.

2. Does proliferate go through hexproof?

Absolutely! Proliferate does not target. Instead, it “chooses” permanents and players. Hexproof only prevents targeting, so it has no effect against proliferate.

3. Can you proliferate negative counters?

Yes, proliferate works on all types of counters, including negative counters like -1/-1 counters.

4. Does Deathtouch add poison counters?

Normally, no. Deathtouch usually just means that any amount of damage a creature with deathtouch deals to another creature is enough to destroy it. However, some cards, like the card “Nashi, Moon Sage’s Scion” give a player poison counters from deathtouch.

5. Does Doubling Season work with poison counters?

No. Doubling Season only affects the number of counters placed on permanents you control. Poison counters are placed on players, not permanents, so Doubling Season has no effect.

6. Does protection work against proliferate?

No. Protection only prevents targeting, damage, enchanting/equipping (depending on the protection), and blocking (DEBT). Proliferate does not target, so protection is ineffective.

7. Can you proliferate poison counters on other players?

Yes. Proliferate allows you to choose any number of players with counters on them and add another counter of a kind already there.

8. Does Vorinclex stop poison counters?

Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider halves (rounding down) the number of counters your opponents would place on you. This includes poison counters.

9. Do poison counters count as infect?

No. Infect and Poisonous are abilities that cause a player to receive poison counters, but poison counters themselves are just counters a player has.

10. Does Aether Snap remove poison counters?

No. Aether Snap only removes counters from permanents. Poison counters are on players, not permanents.

11. What loses poison counters?

Generally, nothing. The only way to “lose” poison counters is through specific cards that remove them, or when a player loses the game after accumulating ten or more.

12. Does proliferate affect poison?

Yes. Proliferate is one of the main ways to accelerate a poison-based strategy. It efficiently increases the number of poison counters on your opponents.

13. Can atraxa proliferate suspend counters?

Yes, Atraxa, Praetors’ Voice is a popular card specifically for this reason. Proliferating suspend counters allows you to cast powerful spells sooner.

14. Can you build a tolerance to poison in Magic: The Gathering?

No. There is no mechanic in Magic: The Gathering that allows a player to build a tolerance to poison counters. Once you accumulate ten poison counters, you lose the game.

15. How do you counter poison in MTG?

There are several ways to counter poison strategies:

• Kill them first: Agressive strategies can sometimes outpace poison.
• Run lots of interaction: Counterspells, removal, and discard spells can disrupt your opponent’s plans.
• Use cards like Solemnity: Cards that prevent counters from being placed can completely shut down poison strategies.
• Use cards like Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider: Reduce the number of poison counters your opponents place.
• Use cards like Leeches or Melira, Sylvok Outcast: Specifically designed to counter poison, these cards can remove or prevent poison counters.

Conclusion

Proliferate and poison counters are a potent combination in Magic: The Gathering. By understanding the mechanics and building a cohesive strategy, you can unleash a deadly wave of toxins that will leave your opponents reeling. Now go forth and experiment with different poison and proliferate strategies! Learn more about the strategic elements of trading card games at the GamesLearningSociety.org website. Games Learning Society