K.10 - Creature Power and Toughness


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K.10.1- The initial power/toughness of a creature is specified in the lower right hand corner of a creature card. Power is the number to the left of the slash and toughness is the number to the right. For example, "2/3" indicates a power of 2 and toughness of 3. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 208.1]

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K.10.2- Counters on a creature are applied before applying any external effects. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

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K.10.3- A creature with negative power or toughness is considered to have zero power/toughness for all reasons other than for changing the power/toughness. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] For example, a creature with power of -2 deals zero damage in combat (which is to say, it does not deal damage at all).

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K.10.4- A creature is considered to have "lethal damage" if it has at least as many points of damage on it as its toughness. A creature with "lethal damage" is destroyed as a state-based effect (see Rule T.11). [CompRules 1999/04/23]

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K.10.5- All asterisks (*) in the power/toughness of creature are considered to be zero when the card is not in play. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 208.2]

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K.10.6- A creature with a toughness of zero or less is put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based effect. [CompRules 1999/04/23] This cannot be regenerated from. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

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K.10.7- The text on a card that defines the values for an asterisk ('*') in the power and/or toughness is not an ability. It is simply text that sets the characteristic. This text applies while the card is in play and the card acts as if the calculated values were printed on the card. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 208.2] The value is continuously calculated and so it may change at any time. [D'Angelo 2001/08/15]

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K.10.Ruling.1- Because of Rule K.10.2, the current power/toughness of a creature is calculated like this: a) start with the initial value, b) apply any plusses and minuses from counters, c) apply plusses and minuses from other effects (or any effects that simply set the power toughness) in the order in which those effects entered play (unless the ordering rules for continuous effect change this ordering). [CompRules 1999/04/23] [D'Angelo 2002/04/20]

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K.10.Ruling.2- Because of Rule K.10.2, an effect which sets the value of power/toughness will always override counters, even if the counters were put on the creature afterwards. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

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K.10.Ruling.3- Enchantments and other effects on a creature which change the power of the creature do not change the color of damage the creature does. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] For example, a Mesa Pegasus with Firebreathing on it and Giant Growth cast on it still deals white damage.

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K.10.Ruling.4- Damage is not subtracted from toughness. A 5 toughness creature with 4 damage on it still has a toughness of 5 for all reasons. [bethmo 1994/03/01]

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K.10.Ruling.5- There was a rule at one time that effects which doubled or halved power and toughness were converted to +X/+Y or -X/-Y on resolution. This rule was removed. [Rules Team 2001/05/01] Note that most cards that used to say that they doubled or halved values now have textual errata so they work as +X/+Y or -X/-Y now anyway.

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Note- Animated creatures (see Rule K.5) will specify the initial power and toughness in the effect that animates them. See Rule K.5.4.

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Note- Damage on a creature accumulates during the turn and is removed in the cleanup step (see Rule P.13). See Rule G.10.2.

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