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Any effect like that won't stack because it doesn't say +, it just says the flat number. Making something Poisonous 1 twice is just redundant.

Consider Dragonsoul Knight for an example. His ability states: "Until end of turn, Dragonsoul Knight becomes a Dragon, gets +5/+3, and gains flying and trample."

Think about the difference between "gets +5/+3" and "becomes 5/3". The former stacks, the latter just resets it back to that again.

[QUOTE=Shadowex3]Any effect like that won't stack because it doesn't say +, it just says the flat number. Making something Poisonous 1 twice is just redundant. [/QUOTE]

Actually I'm fairly confident that you are mistaken, although I would agree that logically and literally the rule would SUGGEST that it would make it redundant however the rulings on "poisonous" are as follows

"702.67. Poisonous

702.67a Poisonous is a triggered ability. “Poisonous N” means “Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player gets N poison counters.” (For information about poison counters, see rule 104.3d.)

702.67b If a creature has multiple instances of poisonous, each triggers separately."

To me this would suggest that if 2 virulent sliver are in play that each one would give each sliver poisonous 1, therefore each slivers abilities would list it twice.

i.e.

poisonous 1(Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player gets 1 poison counters.),

poisonous 1(Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player gets 1 poison counters.)

THEREFORE the abilities would trigger separately and not be redundant

to explain the rules jargon (which I really like, btw) into english: It stacks. Trick with those rules is looking for 'each one triggers seperately' or 'redundant' in the rules.

So how about something like Swamp Mosquito, which reads, "If Swamp Mosquito attacks and is not blocked, defending player gets a poison counter." It is 0/1, so it can't inflict damage, so I guess this is a special variation of the poison rule for it? What if a creature were reduced to 0/1 or 0/something so it couldn't necessarily inflict damage, could it still deal poison counters?

[QUOTE=Zanmor]So how about something like Swamp Mosquito, which reads, "If Swamp Mosquito attacks and is not blocked, defending player gets a poison counter." It is 0/1, so it can't inflict damage, so I guess this is a special variation of the poison rule for it? What if a creature were reduced to 0/1 or 0/something so it couldn't necessarily inflict damage, could it still deal poison counters?[/QUOTE]

this is an important question, but the key to the answer is that swamp mosquito doesn't actually have the ability "poisonous N" it simply states an effect that triggers when the mosquito isn't blocked

the ruling for "poisonous N" however states that when the attacking creature "deals combat damage to a player, that player gets N poison counters"

therefore no a creature with poisonous would NOT inflict a poison if their power was reduced to zero, or if the damage was otherwise avoided

QUESTION - if combat damage is prevented or re-directed...does the poisonous ability trigger? as it was "dealt" THEN avoided by whatever means? or would it simply be useless as the damage never reached the player

Instead of using powers at the same time like "+" You can use it separately. That will effect more on the rivals and the enemy team. If you use everything at the same time it doesn't make any difference but only redundant result happens.

[QUOTE=chrish4161]Instead of using powers at the same time like "+" You can use it separately. That will effect more on the rivals and the enemy team. If you use everything at the same time it doesn't make any difference but only redundant result happens.[/QUOTE]

I have no idea what you're talking about.

(erased -- posted it twice by mistake)

[QUOTE=pelican]QUESTION - if combat damage is prevented or re-directed...does the poisonous ability trigger?[/QUOTE]

No, so long as the damage was prevented or reduced/redirected so that the player takes zero damage. In either case, the damage to the player did not happen, so the triggered ability never triggers.

Triggered abilities are not triggered by something that's going to happen, they're only triggered by something that just did happen. Prevention and redirection effects take effect before the damage is dealt -- this is why the new MTG oracle for cards like Healing Salve reads "prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt..." This "would" creates a replacement effect, rather than a trigger, and (in cases like these) replacement effects are processed before triggered events trigger.

[QUOTE=Zanmor]So how about something like Swamp Mosquito, which reads, "If Swamp Mosquito attacks and is not blocked, defending player gets a poison counter." It is 0/1, so it can't inflict damage, so I guess this is a special variation of the poison rule for it? What if a creature were reduced to 0/1 or 0/something so it couldn't necessarily inflict damage, could it still deal poison counters?[/QUOTE]
No, it couldn't (agreeing with pelican here). See Rule 614.7a: dealing 0 damage is treated the same as not dealing damage.

Also, poisonous does not add up: if a creature with poisonous 1 gains poisonous 1, it does not now have poisonous 2. However, the poisonous ability can be gained multiple times, separately.

A creature can have poisonous 1, poisonous 1, poisonous 1, poisonous 3. If that creature did combat damage to a player, four triggered abilities would trigger, for a total of six poison counters.

This technicality becomes important if someone wants to use a card like Stifle. In the above case, a single Stifle could prevent at most three poison counters (targeting the poisonous 3 ability). In this sense, it's actually better to have "poisonous 1, poisonous 1" than to have "poisonous 2" -- this makes having four Virulent Slivers in play very, very badass.

ALright so i'm pretty sure i know the answer to this, and it doesnt have anything to do with poison but its somewhat like it, if i cast sanguine bond twice does the damage happen twice?

yes as each enchantment would create a triggered ability(separately) and each would do the effect of a player losing life

i.e. I cast healing salve, gain three life and have 2 sanguine bond's on the board.

two identical abilities trigger which would cause 3 life lost EACH for a total of 6 life

Fun Fact: If a creature with Poisonous X attacks a player, then has its damage redirected (specifically redirected) to another player, that still counts for poisonous. However, if you give a pinger like Cunning Sparkmage Poisonous X, it doesn't work. Poisonous only works from combat damage.