How many poison counters before you lose?

When a player has ten or more poison counters, that player loses the game, making the accumulation of these counters a critical aspect of gameplay, particularly in formats like Commander where Infect damage is a significant strategy. Understanding how poison counters work, how they are accumulated, and the conditions under which they lead to a loss is crucial for developing effective game strategies and countermeasures.

Understanding Poison Counters

What are Poison Counters?

Poison counters are a type of counter in Magic: The Gathering (MTG) that are placed on players rather than on objects or permanents. Unlike other counters that might provide benefits, poison counters accumulate to potentially end the game for a player.

FAQs

1. How many poison counters to lose? A player loses the game if they have ten or more poison counters. This rule applies broadly, with specific exceptions in certain formats or due to specific card effects.
2. How many poison counters do you need to win Commander? Winning Commander through Infect requires accumulating ten poison counters on an opponent, which can be a challenging but viable strategy.
3. How many poison counters infect? Creatures with infect deal damage to players in the form of poison counters. The number of poison counters added by infect depends on the damage dealt by the creature.
4. Does poison counters stack? Toxic and poisonous are mechanics that give players poison counters, and multiple instances of toxic are cumulative.
5. How do you lose poison counters in MTG? Poison counters can be removed through specific cards like Price of Betrayal, Suncleanser, or by restarting the game with Karn Liberated’s ultimate ability.
6. Can poison counters be proliferated? Yes, poison counters on a player can be proliferated since proliferate does not require a target or a permanent.
7. Do poison counters count as infect? While poison and infect give the same type of counter, they are distinct abilities.
8. How does poison counters work in Pokémon? In Pokémon, poison is a condition where a Pokémon receives a damage counter at the start of each turn, which remains until the Pokémon is healed, evolves, or retreats.
9. Does Deathtouch cancel Deathtouch? When two instances of Deathtouch interact, they cancel each other out, preventing the destruction of creatures.
10. Does Deathtouch cause poison counters? Deathtouch itself does not directly give poison counters, but creatures with infect and Deathtouch can deal lethal damage and add poison counters.
11. How do you double poison counters? Effects like Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider or Strionic Resonator can double the poison counters given to a player.
12. How does the Golden Throne work with poison counters? The Golden Throne can save a player from losing to poison counters once, but if the player still has ten or more poison counters after the save, they will lose.
13. Does Double Strike give 2 poison counters? A creature with Double Strike and infect can give 2 poison counters if it deals damage twice.
14. Is a poison counter a permanent? No, poison counters are not permanents and do not reside in any zone.
15. Are poison counters the same as toxic counters? While both toxic and poisonous mechanics give poison counters, toxic is a static ability, and poisonous is a triggered ability, making them slightly different in function.

Strategies and Countermeasures

Understanding how poison counters work and how they can lead to a loss is crucial for devising strategies, especially in formats where Infect is a viable win condition. Players can use cards that remove poison counters, protect against infect damage, or employ fog effects to prevent combat damage. Additionally, effects that proliferate poison counters or double their application can significantly enhance an Infect strategy. Cards like Solemnity, Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider, and Melira, Sylvok Outcast can be pivotal in either executing or defending against an Infect strategy. Ultimately, managing poison counters effectively requires a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics and the ability to adapt strategies based on the cards available.