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Martyr for the Cause

White

1 printing listed in our catalog, from newest to oldest.

Martyr for the Cause, War of the Spark printing
War of the Spark WAR · No. 23 2019-05-03

Card text

{1}{W}
Creature — Human Soldier
When this creature dies, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.)
2 / 2
Keywords: Proliferate
"If I am to die in service, there is no more worthy fight than this."
EDHREC rank #14659 Common Not on the Reserved List
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Standard ∅ Not legal
Pioneer ✓ Legal
Modern ✓ Legal
Legacy ✓ Legal
Vintage ✓ Legal
Pauper ✓ Legal
Commander ✓ Legal
Oathbreaker ✓ Legal
Brawl ✓ Legal
Historic ✓ Legal
Timeless ✓ Legal
Alchemy ∅ Not legal
Explorer ∅ Not legal
Gladiator ✓ Legal
Penny ✓ Legal
Duel ✓ Legal

Official rulings

7 rulings · in English, source Scryfall

If another creature with a +1/+1 counter on it is dealt lethal damage at the same time as Martyr for the Cause, the triggered ability can't proliferate a +1/+1 counter on the other creature in time to save it.

2019-05-03 · Wizards of the Coast

If a permanent ever has both +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters on it at the same time, they're removed in pairs as a state-based action so that the permanent has only one of those kinds of counters on it.

2023-02-04 · Wizards of the Coast

Players can respond to a spell or ability whose effect includes proliferating. Once that spell or ability starts to resolve, however, and its controller chooses which permanents and players will get new counters, it's too late for anyone to respond.

2023-02-04 · Wizards of the Coast

You don't have to choose every permanent or player that has a counter, only the ones you want to add another counter to. Since "any number" includes zero, you don't have to choose any permanents at all, and you don't have to choose any players at all.

2023-02-04 · Wizards of the Coast

If a player or permanent has more than one kind of counter on it, and you choose for it to get additional counters, it must get one of each kind of counter it already has. You can't have it get just one kind of counter it already has and not the others.

2023-02-04 · Wizards of the Coast

To proliferate, you can choose any permanent that has a counter, including ones controlled by opponents. You can choose any player who has a counter, including opponents. You can't choose cards in any zone other than the battlefield, even if they have counters on them.

2023-02-04 · Wizards of the Coast

An ability that triggers "Whenever you proliferate" triggers even if you chose no permanents or players while doing so.

2023-02-04 · Wizards of the Coast

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