So, custom set I'm working with deals with charge counters a lot, the rare black card I have is based off Sengir Vampire, and gets charge counters whenever a creature is killed with it's help this turn. But it also has an ability of draining(-X/-X until EOT) creatures by taking charge couters off of itself, and I want it to get charge counters by doing that as well.
Here's what I have so far, does it work/can it be worded better:
"Whenever a creature dealt damage by CARDNAME or targeted by this creature's ability dies this turn, put a charge counter on CARDNAME."
The current wording you provide makes it so that the Vampire will get its charge counter regardless of whether the dying creature actually gets -X/-X. For example, let's say you target Elite Vanguard with the -X/-X activated ability, but before it resolves, Elite Vanguard is destroyed via Doom Blade. Your Vampire would still get the counter.
Assuming that is your intended functionality, your provided wording is perfect. However, it seems that you intend for the Vampire to only get a charge counter if the creature that died actually got -X/-X.
To my knowledge, there is no card in existence that cares about creatures that have already previously received negative toughness modifications, so there is no precedent wording that you can use to achieve your desired effect. Having said that, I would go for something like the following:
"Whenever a creature dies, if it was dealt damage by ~ this turn or ~ caused its toughness to decrease this turn, put a charge counter on ~."
The blue part is what you would want to change. Note that the rearrangement of clauses within the sentence makes it easier for players to know that there are two possible conditions where the ability could trigger.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How to use card tags (please use them for everybody's sanity)
[c]Lightning Bolt[/c] -> Lightning Bolt
[c=Lightning Bolt]Apple Pie[/c] -> Apple Pie
Vowels-Only Format Minimum deck size: 60 Maximum number of identical cards: 4 Ban list: Cards whose English names begin with a consonant, Unglued and Unhinged cards, cards involving ante, Ancestral Recall
The current wording you provide makes it so that the Vampire will get its charge counter regardless of whether the dying creature actually gets -X/-X. For example, let's say you target Elite Vanguard with the -X/-X activated ability, but before it resolves, Elite Vanguard is destroyed via Doom Blade. Your Vampire would still get the counter.
Didn't think of that, I don't like your suggestion because there's no precedent, however, there is some precedent about caring if an ability resolves with Ashlin the Pilgrim. New wordier ability: "Whenever a creature dealt damage by CARDNAME or had an ability from CARDNAME resolve targeting that creature dies this turn, put a charge counter on CARDNAME."
Write a delayed triggered ability into the activated ability.
The problem with that is possible double dipping. Say my creature(a 3/4) attacks into a 2/6, then gives it -3/-3 until end of turn. The damaged ability would go off, then the delayed trigger attached to the activated ability goes off. Two counters from one dead creature.
Is that so bad? In my practical experience the ability on Sengir Vampire and friends almost never triggers anyway. Getting the first charge counter onto this creature is going to be hard enough without help from another card, so why not give it a way to grab a small bonus in those special situations? Since your example situation strongly suggests there's no T in the cost, you probably do want to add "X can't be 0" if you end up taking my suggestion.
Or you could forget all the Sengir Vampire stuff and model it more after Deathbringer Thoctar, where it simply gets a charge counter whenever a creature dies, period.
Here's what I have so far, does it work/can it be worded better:
"Whenever a creature dealt damage by CARDNAME or targeted by this creature's ability dies this turn, put a charge counter on CARDNAME."
Assuming that is your intended functionality, your provided wording is perfect. However, it seems that you intend for the Vampire to only get a charge counter if the creature that died actually got -X/-X.
To my knowledge, there is no card in existence that cares about creatures that have already previously received negative toughness modifications, so there is no precedent wording that you can use to achieve your desired effect. Having said that, I would go for something like the following:
"Whenever a creature dies, if it was dealt damage by ~ this turn or ~ caused its toughness to decrease this turn, put a charge counter on ~."
The blue part is what you would want to change. Note that the rearrangement of clauses within the sentence makes it easier for players to know that there are two possible conditions where the ability could trigger.
[c]Lightning Bolt[/c] -> Lightning Bolt
[c=Lightning Bolt]Apple Pie[/c] -> Apple Pie
Vowels-Only Format
Minimum deck size: 60
Maximum number of identical cards: 4
Ban list: Cards whose English names begin with a consonant, Unglued and Unhinged cards, cards involving ante, Ancestral Recall
"COST : Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn. When that creature dies this turn, put a charge counter on CARDNAME."
If you don't want X to be 0, add "X can't be 0" after the first sentence of the effect.
I'm Mike, from The Mana Pool.
Check out my Tapped Out profile and comment on my decks!
Didn't think of that, I don't like your suggestion because there's no precedent, however, there is some precedent about caring if an ability resolves with Ashlin the Pilgrim. New wordier ability: "Whenever a creature dealt damage by CARDNAME or had an ability from CARDNAME resolve targeting that creature dies this turn, put a charge counter on CARDNAME."
The problem with that is possible double dipping. Say my creature(a 3/4) attacks into a 2/6, then gives it -3/-3 until end of turn. The damaged ability would go off, then the delayed trigger attached to the activated ability goes off. Two counters from one dead creature.
Or you could forget all the Sengir Vampire stuff and model it more after Deathbringer Thoctar, where it simply gets a charge counter whenever a creature dies, period.
I'm Mike, from The Mana Pool.
Check out my Tapped Out profile and comment on my decks!