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What is this creature's power? (self.mtg)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by Worx to c/[email protected]

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I have a custom creature card in my cube. It's a 0/4 with the text: "Rubblebelt Rioters gets +X/+0, where X is the greatest power among creatures."

If it's the only creature in play, it's a 0/4. If it's in play with a 1/1, then it's a 1/4. Easy so far.

What happens if it's the only creature in play and it has a +1/+1 counter on it? Is it a 1/5? Does it see that the greatest power is 1, so it gives itself +1/+0, then +2/+0, +4/+0 ad infinitum?

I don't know of any real card with a similar static ability to check the rulings for.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Ok, as always with layers, I might misunderstand something, but I believe the creature would stay a 1/5 with a +1/+1 counter (not even a 2/5)

From what I understand:

7c is the layer where the power-changing continuous effects take place
7d is the layer where counter-based power changing occurs

So your ability applies at 7c, and probably can't ever see counters

Why ever? Well, again if I understand correctly, layers check resets everything each "loop". This is why blood moon still applies when you remove its rule text, because each layer check, it applies the type change before the ability removing, rendering the abiliy removing effectively useless

This doesn't apply when this kind of effect are resolved (trigger, activation and cast), because every layers where already checked before, as the effect is not using the layers itself.