Last updated: 02 August 2017
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- What are state-based actions?
They are game actions that happen automatically whenever certain conditions are met, without going through stack.
- When state-based actions are checked? In what order? In what phases or steps are not checked?
Whenever a player would get priority, the game checks for any state-based action, so they have no particular order.
The only step in which they are not checked is in the untap step, since no player receives priority during that step.
- Almudena has an Ethereal Armor enchanting Grizzly Bears. Narcissus plays Shot targeting the Grizzly Bears. What will happen, step by step? And if it were an Aura played by its Bestow cost instead of the Ethereal Armor?
We check the state-based actions and determine that the Grizzly Bears must be put in the graveyard as a result of having lethal damage marked on them. Then they are checked again and now we have an aura not attached to any creature that must be put in the graveyard.
If it is a creature with Bestow, the moment it is detached due to the first check of state-based actions, it will become an enchantment creature and stays on the the battlefield.
- Ana has a 1/1 creature with 3 +1/+1 counters on it, and it gets 3 -1/-1 counters from a Black Sun’s Zenith. What will happen next? What if the Black Sun’s Zenith puts 4 -1/-1 counters instead?
In the first case, during the checking of state-based actions, the six counters will be canceled between them as a based-stated action.
In the second case, during this check, in addition to canceling 3 +1/+1 counters with 3 -1/-1 counters, it will be determined that the creature must be put in the graveyard because it has toughness 0 or below due to the fourth -1/-1 counter.
- If I have a creature enchanted with a Rancor, and it gains protection from green, what happens next?
That the aura will be put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based action, after which its ability will be triggered, and then the active player will get priority.
- Arthur has a creature with a +1/+0 counter and an effect gives him a -1/-1 counter. What will happen with the counters?
Nothing. They stay as they are, since no state-based action says they remove each other.
- Amanda controls a Jace, the Mind Sculptor and plays another. What will happen next? What if is a Jace, Memory Adept? What if the second Jace is played by the opponent?
If Amanda puts a second planeswalker on the battlefield with the same subtype as one she already controls, even if they have different names, she must put one of them in the graveyard as a state-based action.
However this will only apply to the count of planeswalkers that she controls, so nothing will happen if her opponent plays another Jace.
- Agapito has a Kinsbaile Borderguard with 2 +1/+1 counters, and gets 3 -1/-1 counters from a Black Sun’s Zenith. What happens?
When checking for state-based actions, 2 of the counters of each type will cancel each other and also it will be determined that the creature must be put in the graveyard by having toughness 0.
Once put into the graveyard his ability will trigger and it will put 5 tokens on the battlefield, given that it is the number of counters it had the last time it was on the battlefield.
- I have a Mox Opal, an island and a Memnite on the battlefield. In my hand I have another Mox Opal and a Thoughtcast. Is there any way I can cast the Thoughtcast?
When we play the second Mox Opal, before having the opportunity to activate it (since for that we need the priority) we will check for the state-based actions, which makes us put one of the two Mox Opal in the graveyard. So at no time will we have an opportunity to generate mana with both Mox Opals, since there are no three artifacts on the table at any point in which we can use their ability.
- I have a Strangleroot Geist on the battlefielde with a +1/+1 counter on top, and I attack. This is blocked by a Rot Wolf. Will the Geist return to the battlefield thanks to his Undying ability?
No. When we check the state-based actions we find two acting: a creature with toughness 0 and the cancel of the +1/+1 counter with one of the two -1/-1 counters. The two SBAs are applied at the same time, so when the Geist dies, he still had a +1/+1 counter on top (plus two -1/-1), so the Undying condition will not be met, and will not return to the battlefield.
- Andrew is at -2 lives and has a Platinum Angel and two Grizzly Bears on the battlefield. Novak is 3 lives and has a 4/4 creature with flying. Andrew attacks with everything and Novak blocks the Platinum Angel with his 4/4 flying creature. What will happen?
After a first check of state-based actions, the Angel will die from lethal damage, and Novak will lose the game for having 0 or less lives. Once a player loses the game, it ends so state-based actions will not be checked again.
If they were checked again, Andrew would also lose by having 0 or less lives, but at the time of making the first check the Platinum Angel was still on the battlefield, which is why he cannot lose at that time.
- Armando has some Drudge Skeletons and his Regenerate ability has been resolved. Norma plays a Puncture Bolt targeting the Skeletons. What will happen?
Two state-based actions will be found: the destruction of the creature by having lethal damage, which will be replaced by the Regenerate ability previously used, and the action to be put in the graveyard by having toughness 0, which can’t be avoided.
- I have a creature with a +2/+2 counter and I give him two -1/-1 counters. How the creature will be after the state-based actions had been checked?
It will keep the +2/+2 counter and the two -1/-1 counters, since state-based actions do not contemplate doing anything in this case.
- Quote three state-based actions that involve a player losing the game. Quote three state-based actions that involve a permanent (other than a creature) going to a graveyard
Regarding the first case:
– If a player has 0 or less life, he or she loses the game.
– If a player attempted to draw a card from a library with no cards in it since the last time state-based actions were checked, he or she loses the game.
– If a player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game.
– If a player that’s been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same commander over the course of the game, loses the game.
And regarding to a non-creature permanent going to a graveyard:
– If a planeswalker has loyalty 0 or less, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard.
– If a player controls two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type, that player chooses one of them, and the rest are put into their owners’ graveyards.
– If a player controls two or more legendary permanents with the same name, that player chooses one of them, and the rest are put into their owners’ graveyards.
– If two or more permanents have the supertype world, all except the one that has had the world supertype for the shortest amount of time are put into their owners’ graveyards. In the event of a tie for the shortest amount of time, all are put into their owners’ graveyards.
– If an Aura is attached to an illegal object or player, or is not attached to an object or player, that Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard.
- Quote 2 state-based actions that involve a permanent being detached.
– If an Equipment or Fortification is attached to an illegal permanent, it becomes unattached from that permanent. It remains on the battlefield.
– If a creature is attached to an object or player, it becomes unattached and remains on the battlefield.
– If a permanent that’s neither an Aura, an Equipment, nor a Fortification is attached to an object or player, it becomes unattached and remains on the battlefield.
- Quote 2 state-based actions that involve counters on a permanent.
– If a permanent has both a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter on it, N +1/+1 and N -1/-1 counters are removed from it, where N is the smaller of the number of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters on it.
– If a permanent with an ability that says it can’t have more than N counters of a certain kind on it has more than N counters of that kind on it, all but N of those counters are removed from it.
- Quote 2 state-based actions involving a creature being placed in a graveyard.
– If a creature has toughness 0 or less, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard. Regeneration can’t replace this event.
– If a creature has toughness greater than 0, and the total damage marked on it is greater than or equal to its toughness, that creature has been dealt lethal damage and is destroyed. Regeneration can replace this event.
– If a creature has toughness greater than 0, and it’s been dealt damage by a source with deathtouch since the last time state-based actions were checked, that creature is destroyed. Regeneration can replace this event.
- Amy controls a Gideon Jura and activates his third ability. Amy plays a Sakashima the Impostor, choosing to copy Gideon. What will happen when Sakashima resolves?
That Sakashima or Gideon, at the choice of their controller, will be put into the graveyard as a state-based action, due to sharing the same type of planeswalker, given that in this situation what matters is the type, not the name of the permanent. .
- Adelaide controls a Grizzly Bears, equipped with a Paradise Mantle and a Bonesplitter. Nikki casts a March of the Machines. What will happen when the March of the Machines resolves?
When March of the Machines resolves, each artifact will become a creature equipping the Grizzly Bears. When state-based actions are checked, both will be detached from the bears. At the same time, the Mantle of Paradise will be a creature with toughness 0, so it will be placed in its owner’s graveyard.
- Arthur and Nancy both control an Abyssal Persecutor and are at 7 life. Arthur casts a Hurricane with x=7. What happens when it resolves?
The Hurricane will resolve, marking 7 damage on both Persecutors and both players will have 0 life. The ability of the Persecutors will prevent any of the players from winning or losing the game at the moment. State-based actions will then be checked, and both creatures will be placed in their owner’s graveyards for lethal damage marked on them.
When checking for state-based actions again, both players will lose simultaneously for having 0 lives and the game will ends in a draw.