a very useful artifact. it's cheap, and has no activation cost but tapping it. on top of this, it can remove any counter, including disadvantageous ones like -1/-1 counters or time counters on cards with cultimative upkeep.
Altik_0
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Synergizes very nicely with Dark Depths
sprywolf
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
it cant remove time counters, suspended cards are removed from the game.
very, very useful with the persist mechanic, can remove the -1/-1 counters on 2 target creatures at once
Plantboy81
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
("it cant remove time counters, suspended cards are removed from the game.") Sprywolf, you are correct, but I think Mode meant age counters since he/she referenced cumulative upkeep. This card, though, almost begs to have a deck built around it.---------- (This automatic word filter needs some work!)
Alzhander
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(5 votes)
This card can remove almost any counter: charge, age, fade, +1/+1, -1/-1, and any other I can't remember at the moment I think this will work with suspended cards, as it just says "permanent you control" not permanent on the battlefield, and you do technically control the suspended cards and the exile zone is technically "in play" now. Play some cumulative upkeep cards and keep them on the field for low costs, or play it with cards with persist and keep them coming back from the graveyard :D
Dragek
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(6 votes)
It does not work with Suspend, they are not permanents till they hit the battlefield. And they are not in play, they're inside the game
aba1
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
I use this with persist so when my creatures come back with there negative counters i either take away the negative one and replace it with a positive one or put the positive on another creature to cancel out the negative it would have putting two creatures back where they began
Ava_Adore
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
Insane card, many uses, cheap and only requires tapping
5/5
FragNutMK1
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(11 votes)
One of the most utilitarian cards ever printed. Need more of smart cards like this instead of ridiculous power creep.
izzet_guild_mage
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
This card is so good. It's cheap to play, free to use, and infinitely useful. It has synergy with soooooooooo many things.
achilleselbow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
This is why I don't like the careless application of errata to old cards that Wizards seems to be so fond of. Cumulative upkeep cards never said to use counters, and they were never meant to interact with stuff like this or Vampire Hexmage. It's really not that hard to keep track of how many turns something's been in play without complicating things further by introducing another existing mechanic.
Ragamander
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(5 votes)
Functions well with Unstable Mutation, Quicksilver Fountain, anything with Persist, anything with a Cumulative Upkeep cost, and a large number of other things. One of my favorite cards from the Mirrodin block.
Vanez
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(7 votes)
My favourite combination; Power Conduit, Aether Vial, and Energy Chamber ... Oh Yes. Get out those monsters and power them up!
BlackAlbino
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
i guarantee you they will bring this back in scars as they printed several things that use 'charge counters' in zendikar block.
Fun with Devoted Druid to squeeze out an extra (G)(G) every turn.
Telltalereaper
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(3 votes)
@ BlackAlbino...lol, sorry, ur guarantee has failed :/ Not that I"m rubbing it in...I'm still holding out for it in Besieged... My Legacy deck is mostly shadomoor, but only Legacy because of Power Conduit and Aether Vial. I can do without the aether vials, but if they reprint this in besieged, i'm about to lay some crap down in Extended. lol. (P.S. The deck is only so-so legacy, but what do u expect with most of it being shadomoor)
evilcheeser
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
I've been enjoying messing around with this in a brew using Everflowing Chalice, Lost Auramancers, and Cenn's Tactician. Obviously the synergy is insane to begin with, but every time I come back to look at this card, I am more impressed. For example, did you realize that the 'remove a counter' clause does not target? In just this example, giving Lost Aurmancers shroud makes it pretty impossible to deal with, and a nice way to ramp out enchantments. (Turn 1 Tactician, Turn 2 Chalice, Turn 3 Auramancers, Turn 4 double Power Conduit, turn 5 Eldrazi Con***ion on an already 4/4 Tactitian? Ouch. And it keeps being effective later into the game as well.)
Also makes a pretty nasty defense against infect, and a good way to move counters around to get full value for proliferate. This card has too many uses to actually count.
God_Of_The_Smurfs
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I'm surprised no one has mentioned lux cannon...
tantallum99
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
so versatile. my favorite use is in a deck with persist creatures (or in any deck with cauldron of souls). nothing ever dies for good unless it is exiled. 5/5
MrMoonsin
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Great Vs Poison/ Infect / Wither users, block it with a fatty, use Power Conduit to remove the counter and convert it to +1/+1 or even to a charge counter for your Lux Cannon / Titan Forge.
Good stuff. Even more so now that Besieged is out and has increased to popularity of Infect. Would also work really with the new Phyrexian Hydra. Ok utility along side Aboroth (negates his upkeep) Works well with Biting Tether to Mind Control and negate the upkeep. Use along side Unstable Mutation to negate the side effect and get a +3/+3 for 1
scumbling1
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
"i guarantee you they will bring this back in scars as they printed several things that use 'charge counters' in zendikar block."
Your promise was not kept.
HuntedWumpusMustDie
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Couldn't ask for anything more fun! So flavourful too! It turns any battlefield using charge counters into variable circuit board of activity. Excellent card Wotc.
Max_Glycine
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Once upon a time, I had a casual deck that paired this with Celestial Convergence, and turned Omen Counters into +1/+1 counters for my Viridian Joiner to fuel more Dawnglow Infusions. Wasn't crazy good, but was really fun to play.
Octave
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pretty cool with persist creatures and sac engines, specifically Plaguemaw Beast and Woodfall Primus. I'm using a deck that's all about +1 and -! counters so this card just synergizes with everything in it. It can even get rid of those pesky Bribery Counters! 5/5
asskicker123456789
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
that's all fine and dandy if you have any counters to remove.
Homelands
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
One of the best, most versatile, and cheapest $ Johnny cards in existence. A must have for the kooky deckbuilder.
Atali
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sun Droplet is my favorite way to generate counters to be moved around, since it doubles as a place to put them for extra life.
raptorman333
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
By far one of the most useful cards WotC has made. It makes all the dumb spells with (cumulative) upkeep finally worth playing, even if that worth may be minuscule. E.g. Snowfall
Dr.Pingas
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Best card in the whole world ever. Yeah.
18scsc
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
WAIT HOLY CRAP THIS CARD IS AMMAZING!!! i can think of so many awesome abilitys... negating comunlitve upkeep... screwing over infect decks, making shield sphere op, THIS IS GREAT!!!!! :D :D :D i will use this to toatly screw over my freinds lockdown deck
This card is like a Giant Fan blowing counters around.... Wait....
Salient
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Cumulative upkeep say what? My Glacial Chasm's cost is quite manageable.
Continue
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Oh, if only suspended cards were permanents...
Zetan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card has so many entertaining interactions from a flavour perspective. "I'm going to take the water that you flooded my Plains with (using Aquitect's Will) and turn it into a head for my Apocalypse Hydra!" "I'll turn my creature back from a gold statue (after running into your Aurification which will cause Ashling the Pilgrim to do more damage when she explodes!"
And those are just a couple of quick ones I found when searching for cards that do things with counters... notice I only got through "A" in my search. :) I'm sure you can find much sillier interactions.
I had a casual deck a long time ago that used this with quicksilver fountain. I would sit there pumping up my creatures while my opponent slowly lost all their lands lol (well not really, but their colours disappeared).
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Removing a counter is part of the cost, so tapping to "heal" a persist cannot be responded to.
Kragash
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
At the beginning of my upkeep I sacrifice nothing and now I shall put a soot counter on this Smokestack. Your turn.
At the end of your turn, I remove a soot counter and put a +1/+1 counter on my this Inkmoth Nexus that I so happen to turn into a creature. I hope you're ok with that.
Ok, my turn again? I shall put a soot counter on Smokestack and attack with a 2/2 infect blinkmoth. Your turn.
At the end of your turn, I remove a soot counter and put a +1/+1 counter on my this Inkmoth Nexus that I so happen to turn into a creature. What? Why are you looking at me that way?
Ok, my turn again? I shall put a soot counter on Smokestack and attack with a 3/3 infect blinkmoth. Your turn.
FarisV
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Oh. My. God. I'm an idiot who apparently doesn't fully read cards. Had one of these in my proliferate since I first made it, and I only used it to move counters around to ensure that every creature I controlled could have a counter once the proliferation got crazy, so none got left out. It never, ever occurred to me that this would remove persist's -1/-1 or even infect/wither counters when my creatures get used against me. Wow. I... just... my mind. This is an uncommon?! All this time and I completely failed to use its full potential. Well, then.
Comments (49)
it's cheap, and has no activation cost but tapping it.
on top of this, it can remove any counter, including disadvantageous ones like -1/-1 counters or time counters on cards with cultimative upkeep.
Play some cumulative upkeep cards and keep them on the field for low costs, or play it with cards with persist and keep them coming back from the graveyard :D
5/5
Also makes a pretty nasty defense against infect, and a good way to move counters around to get full value for proliferate. This card has too many uses to actually count.
Good stuff. Even more so now that Besieged is out and has increased to popularity of Infect.
Would also work really with the new Phyrexian Hydra.
Ok utility along side Aboroth (negates his upkeep)
Works well with Biting Tether to Mind Control and negate the upkeep.
Use along side Unstable Mutation to negate the side effect and get a +3/+3 for 1
Your promise was not kept.
The idea of removing infect/wither counters and using them to pump my creatures... 5/5.
Also helps charge up a Lux Cannon or a Darksteel Reactor.
And those are just a couple of quick ones I found when searching for cards that do things with counters... notice I only got through "A" in my search. :) I'm sure you can find much sillier interactions.
At the end of your turn, I remove a soot counter and put a +1/+1 counter on my this Inkmoth Nexus that I so happen to turn into a creature. I hope you're ok with that.
Ok, my turn again? I shall put a soot counter on Smokestack and attack with a 2/2 infect blinkmoth. Your turn.
At the end of your turn, I remove a soot counter and put a +1/+1 counter on my this Inkmoth Nexus that I so happen to turn into a creature. What? Why are you looking at me that way?
Ok, my turn again? I shall put a soot counter on Smokestack and attack with a 3/3 infect blinkmoth. Your turn.
I'm an idiot who apparently doesn't fully read cards. Had one of these in my proliferate since I first made it, and I only used it to move counters around to ensure that every creature I controlled could have a counter once the proliferation got crazy, so none got left out. It never, ever occurred to me that this would remove persist's -1/-1 or even infect/wither counters when my creatures get used against me. Wow. I... just... my mind. This is an uncommon?! All this time and I completely failed to use its full potential. Well, then.