The Eternal Dance: Persist and Undying in Magic: The Gathering
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
So, you’ve stumbled upon one of Magic: The Gathering’s most intriguing (and sometimes head-scratching) interactions: Persist and Undying. What happens when a creature embodies both of these resurrection-flavored abilities? The short answer is: it can get pretty wild!
In most scenarios, a creature wielding both Persist and Undying will effectively keep returning from the graveyard indefinitely, or at least until something disrupts the loop. This seemingly paradoxical recursion arises from the player’s ability to control the order in which the triggered abilities resolve on the stack. Each time the creature dies, you choose whether Persist (returning the creature with a -1/-1 counter) or Undying (returning it with a +1/+1 counter) triggers first. With skillful stacking, you can alternate these abilities, effectively negating their counter-based restrictions and creating a resilient, repeating threat.
Understanding Persist and Undying Individually
Before diving deeper into their interaction, let’s briefly revisit each ability separately.
Persist: The Tenacious Comeback
Persist is a triggered ability that states: “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a -1/-1 counter on it.” Simply put, if a creature with Persist dies without a -1/-1 counter, it comes back with one.
Undying: The Wrathful Resurrection
Undying is a triggered ability that states: “When this creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a +1/+1 counter on it.” Therefore, a creature with Undying returns from the grave with a +1/+1 counter, only if it died without one.
The Dance of the Counters: Persist Meets Undying
Here’s the crux of the interaction. Imagine you control a creature with both Persist and Undying and it dies. Both abilities trigger and go onto the stack. As the controller of both triggers, you choose the order in which they resolve.
- First Death: You order Undying to resolve first. The creature returns with a +1/+1 counter.
- Second Death: When it dies again, this time, you let Persist resolve first. Since the creature did have a +1/+1 counter on it when it died, Undying won’t trigger at all. The Persist ability sees that there aren’t -1/-1 counters on it and puts the creature back on the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter.
- Third Death: When it dies for a third time, Undying triggers, and you order it to resolve first, returning the creature with a +1/+1 counter. And so on, and so on.
This creates a loop where the creature essentially becomes extremely difficult to permanently remove because it keeps coming back with alternating counter types. This is why understanding the stack and triggered ability ordering is crucial in Magic: The Gathering. To learn more about the intricacies of MTG, check out resources like those offered by the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Breaking the Loop
While this combination is powerful, it isn’t invincible. Here are ways to disrupt the Persist and Undying loop:
- Exile: Exiling the creature from the graveyard before either ability resolves will prevent its return. Cards like Rest in Peace or instant-speed exile effects such as Swords to Plowshares are effective.
- Counter Manipulation: Continuously adding +1/+1 counters or -1/-1 counters can stop either ability. Two -1/-1 counters or two +1/+1 counters prevent both triggers from working.
- Graveyard Hate: Effects that exile all cards from graveyards, such as Leyline of the Void, prevent either ability from triggering in the first place.
- Ability Removal: Cards that remove abilities from creatures, like Turn to Frog, will shut down both Persist and Undying.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you respond to a Persist or Undying trigger?
Yes! Both Persist and Undying are triggered abilities. This means they go onto the stack, giving players a chance to respond before they resolve. You can use this opportunity to exile the creature from the graveyard, remove its abilities, or otherwise disrupt the recursion.
2. What happens if a creature has multiple instances of Persist or Undying?
Multiple instances of Undying are essentially redundant after the first trigger. It will only return once. The same goes for Persist.
3. Does The Ozolith interact with Persist and Undying?
Yes, The Ozolith interacts with Persist and Undying but differently. If a creature with Persist dies with a -1/-1 counter (perhaps from a previous Persist trigger and another effect adding counters), The Ozolith sees the counter and triggers, putting the counter on itself. If a creature with Undying dies with a +1/+1 counter, then Undying won’t trigger because there was a +1/+1 counter already on the creature.
4. Does Persist count as regeneration?
No. Persist is a completely separate mechanic from regeneration. Regeneration creates a replacement effect that prevents a creature from being destroyed; Persist triggers after the creature has already died.
5. Does Persist work on tokens in MTG?
Tokens can gain Persist, and the ability will trigger when they die. However, tokens cease to exist when they hit the graveyard as a state-based action before the ability would resolve. This means they won’t return to the battlefield.
6. Do creatures with Persist or Undying go to the graveyard?
Yes, creatures with Persist and Undying do go to the graveyard. The Persist or Undying ability triggers precisely because the creature has moved from the battlefield to the graveyard.
7. If a creature has both Persist and Undying and it dies, who chooses the order of the triggers on the stack?
The controller of the creature chooses the order. In most scenarios, this will be the creature’s owner. Ordering these triggers is the key to making the loop function.
8. Can you sacrifice a creature with Undying?
Yes! Undying works perfectly fine with sacrificing creatures. The ability simply checks if the creature died and lacked +1/+1 counters. The reason for its death is irrelevant.
9. How does Persist work?
Persist means “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a -1/-1 counter on it.”
10. Can you respond to evoke triggers?
Yes, you can respond to evoke! Evoke’s sacrifice trigger goes on the stack, allowing you to respond by blinking or sacrificing in response to evoke.
11. Can you evoke from the graveyard with Muldrotha?
Yes, when casting creatures from your graveyard with Muldrotha, you can evoke creatures with alternate costs.
12. Does Undying only work once?
Each instance of undying triggers only once. So, having more than one copy of Undying doesn’t make the creature return more than once per death, though multiple instances aren’t meaningless when there are counters.
13. Does Undying work with sacrificing creatures?
Yes, undying works with sacrificing creatures. The ability doesn’t care how the creature died, just that it’s dead and doesn’t have any +1/+1 counters on it.
14. What happens if a creature with Persist gets a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter simultaneously?
If a creature gets both a +1/+1 and a -1/-1 counter simultaneously, they cancel each other out as a state-based action. The creature would then die and both persist and undying would trigger, however, it becomes increasingly more complex and difficult to determine what would happen if the creature were also able to sacrifice itself.
15. How does Undying work with Yawgmoth, Thran Physician?
With Yawgmoth, you can sacrifice a creature with Undying repeatedly to draw cards and put -1/-1 counters on other creatures. The creature keeps returning with a +1/+1 counter, allowing you to sacrifice it again and again (provided you have life to pay for Yawgmoth’s ability).
Conclusion
The interaction between Persist and Undying showcases the depth and complexity of Magic: The Gathering. Understanding how triggered abilities and the stack work is crucial to mastering these intricate card interactions. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting, exploring these interactions will undoubtedly enhance your understanding and appreciation of the game. Remember that there are many ways to enjoy this game, and many communities to help learn more about this complex and fun game, such as the Games Learning Society.