The Ozolith and Modular: A Symbiotic Counter Symphony in Magic: The Gathering

The Ozolith and creatures with the Modular ability create a powerful synergy in Magic: The Gathering, essentially turning your dying artifact creatures into concentrated counter batteries. When a creature with Modular dies, The Ozolith collects all of its +1/+1 counters. These counters can then be transferred to other creatures, creating explosive growth and overwhelming your opponents.

Understanding the Mechanics

Let’s break down the core components of this interaction:

• The Ozolith: As the article states, Whenever a creature you control leaves the battlefield, if it had counters on it, put those counters on The Ozolith. This artifact acts as a reservoir for counters, accumulating them whenever a creature with counters dies. It doesn’t specify what kind of counter, making +1/+1 counters from Modular a perfect target.
• Modular: As the article also states, Modular is a keyword ability that causes a permanent to enter the battlefield with a number of +1/+1 counters. When that permanent dies, its controller may put a +1/+1 counter onto an artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter the permanent had on it when it died. This ability makes creatures enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters and allows you to move those counters to another artifact creature when the original creature dies.

The interaction happens smoothly: A creature with Modular enters the battlefield with a certain number of +1/+1 counters. If that creature dies, its ability triggers, letting you move its counters to a target artifact creature. Simultaneously, since it left the battlefield with counters, The Ozolith also triggers, absorbing all those counters. Then, at the beginning of your next main phase, you can move all the counters on The Ozolith onto a creature you control. If that creature is also an artifact creature, it can receive counters from both the modular trigger and The Ozolith’s ability. This double counter application can lead to quick, unexpected boosts to your creature’s power.

Hardened Scales: Amplifying the Synergy

The interaction becomes even more potent when combined with cards like Hardened Scales. This enchantment increases the number of +1/+1 counters you put on your creatures. For example, if an Arcbound Ravager with two counters dies, you’d move those two counters to an artifact creature target, while The Ozolith also collects two counters. If you have Hardened Scales in play, each of those instances of counter placement gets an additional +1/+1 counter. This can snowball very quickly, creating massive threats.

Deckbuilding Considerations

When building a deck around The Ozolith and Modular, focus on redundancy and resilience. Here are some key elements to consider:

• Multiple Modular Creatures: You want a consistent flow of creatures entering and leaving the battlefield with counters.
• Artifact Synergy: Cards that benefit from having many artifacts on the battlefield are ideal.
• Counter Manipulation: Beyond Hardened Scales, consider cards that further multiply or move counters.
• Protection: Protect your key pieces, like The Ozolith, from removal spells.
• Sacrifice Outlets: Being able to sacrifice your own creatures at instant speed gives you more control over when the counters are moved.

Example Scenario

Let’s illustrate with an example:

1. You control The Ozolith, Hardened Scales, and an Arcbound Worker (Modular 1).
2. You sacrifice Arcbound Worker.
3. Arcbound Worker’s Modular ability triggers. You target another artifact creature. Because of Hardened Scales, you put two +1/+1 counters on that creature instead of one.
4. The Ozolith’s ability triggers as the Worker dies with a counter on it. Because of Hardened Scales, The Ozolith gets two counters instead of one.
5. At the beginning of your next main phase, you put the two +1/+1 counters from The Ozolith onto a creature, which also enters with an additional +1/+1 counter because of Hardened Scales.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the interaction between The Ozolith and Modular.

1. Does The Ozolith work with modular?

Yes, absolutely! The Ozolith triggers whenever a creature you control leaves the battlefield with counters on it, regardless of how those counters got there. Modular creatures entering the battlefield with +1/+1 counters and then dying will trigger The Ozolith.

2. Can I move the counters from The Ozolith onto a non-creature artifact?

No. The Ozolith’s ability states that you put the counters on a creature you control. If The Ozolith itself becomes a creature, you can move counters onto it, but it must be a creature at the time the counters are moved.

3. Does Hardened Scales double counters on The Ozolith?

Hardened Scales doesn’t double counters. Instead, it adds counters. Any time one or more +1/+1 counters would be placed on a creature you control, you add +1 to the number for each Hardened Scales you control. This also applies to The Ozolith.

4. What happens if The Ozolith is destroyed before I can move the counters?

If The Ozolith is destroyed before you move the counters, the counters are lost. The ability to move the counters only triggers at the beginning of your precombat main phase.

5. Can I respond to The Ozolith’s trigger to move the counters?

No. The ability that moves the counters triggers at the beginning of your precombat main phase and puts the counters onto a creature during that trigger’s resolution. Opponents are not able to respond until after the trigger has resolved and you will have already moved the counters onto the creature.

6. If a creature with Modular has other counters besides +1/+1 counters, does The Ozolith get those too?

Yes! The Ozolith doesn’t care what kind of counters are on the creature. If the creature leaves the battlefield with any kind of counters, The Ozolith will get those counters.

7. What happens if a creature with Modular dies at the same time as The Ozolith?

If a creature with Modular dies at the same time as The Ozolith, The Ozolith will trigger, and you can move counters to the creature. Then, The Ozolith trigger will go on the stack.

8. Can I use The Ozolith to move counters onto a creature with shroud or hexproof?

No. Shroud and hexproof prevent you from targeting the creature, and The Ozolith’s ability requires you to choose a target creature.

9. If I have multiple Hardened Scales, how do they interact with Modular and The Ozolith?

Each Hardened Scales adds an additional +1/+1 counter. So, if you have two Hardened Scales, you’d add two counters each time counters are placed on a creature you control.

10. Can I move counters from The Ozolith onto a planeswalker?

No. The Ozolith specifically moves +1/+1 counters onto a creature. Planeswalkers use loyalty counters, which are different.

11. Does The Ozolith work with persist or undying?

The Ozolith can work with persist or undying if the creature has counters on it when it leaves the battlefield. However, persist and undying will not trigger at the same time as The Ozolith, they will not see the +1/+1 counter when they enter the battlefield.

12. How does The Ozolith interact with creatures that enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters, but don’t have Modular?

The Ozolith works with any creature that enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters. If that creature dies with counters on it, The Ozolith will collect those counters.

13. Can I move keyword counters from The Ozolith?

No. You can only move +1/+1 counters from The Ozolith. Keyword counters remain on The Ozolith and grant it the associated keywords if it becomes a creature.

14. If a creature with Modular is exiled instead of going to the graveyard, does The Ozolith still trigger?

Yes. The Ozolith triggers when a creature you control leaves the battlefield. It doesn’t matter where it goes, just that it leaves.

15. Are there any cards that specifically shut down The Ozolith/Modular synergy?

Yes. Cards that prevent creatures from being put in the graveyard or cards that remove counters can disrupt the strategy. Also, cards that prevent you from placing counters on permanents you control will stop this synergy in its tracks.

Conclusion: Unleashing the Counter Potential

The synergy between The Ozolith and Modular is a powerful engine for creating explosive threats in Magic: The Gathering. By understanding the mechanics and deckbuilding considerations, you can build a deck that leverages this synergy to overwhelm your opponents with a relentless barrage of ever-growing creatures. Remember to consider Games Learning Society for further insights into game strategies and mechanics. Now, go forth and unleash the counter potential! To learn more about game design and educational resources, visit GamesLearningSociety.org.