Discussion Forum

first you give a creature regenarate, it can come from any source or from the creature itself in the form of an activated ability, whatever. This is called a regenaration shield.

A regenaration shield triggers when the creature is destroyed

this is the description of regenarate:

"The next time that creature would be destroyed this turn, it isn't. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat."

So instead of going to the graveyard it remains in play and becomes tapped.

Important to know is is that the creature never leaves play and all stuff like enchantments, equipment and counters remain on the creature. So if a creature is destroyed because of -1/-1 counters regeneration has no effect because the counters remain on the creature and even after regeneration the creatures thoughness remains zero or less and it dies again, and again....

There are cards that prevent regeneration like Wrath of God and Terror, these cards clearly state on the card itself "can't be regenerated"

A regeneration effect creates a sort of shield around the permanent. The next the the shielded permanent would be destroyed by damage or an effect that says "destroy" (like Doom Blade), it is not destroyed. Instead of being destroyed it is tapped, all damage is removed from it, and it is removed from combat (if it is in combat).

Here's the full story:

701.11. Regenerate

701.11a If the effect of a resolving spell or ability regenerates a permanent, it creates a replacement effect that protects the permanent the next time it would be destroyed this turn. In this case, “Regenerate [permanent]” means “The next time [permanent] would be destroyed this turn, instead remove all damage marked on it and tap it. If it’s an attacking or blocking creature, remove it from combat.”

701.11b If the effect of a static ability regenerates a permanent, it replaces destruction with an alternate effect each time that permanent would be destroyed. In this case, “Regenerate [permanent]” means “Instead remove all damage marked on [permanent] and tap it. If it’s an attacking or blocking creature, remove it from combat.”

701.11c Neither activating an ability that creates a regeneration shield nor casting a spell that creates a regeneration shield is the same as regenerating a permanent. Effects that say that a permanent can’t be regenerated don’t prevent such abilities from being activated or such spells from being cast; rather, they prevent regeneration shields from having any effect.

It is important to note that lethal damage "destroys" a creature:

704.5g 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.

As the rules says, regeneration can save a creature from damage. In fact, that is the point of the "remove all damage" part of regeneration's effect.

[QUOTE=Liquad]some say the creature gets tapped and is removed from the game for a split second...[/quote]

The creature does get tapped, but only when it would actually be destroyed. At the same time, it is removed from combat (if it is in combat), which means that if was an attacking or blocking creature, it is no longer considered an attacking or blocker creature.


For example, consider River Boa.

Scenario 1:

Let's say you're attacking with it and your opponent blocks it with a 2/2 creature.

Just after your opponent has declared blockers (during the Declare Blockers Step; at this point you know how your opponent is blocking all of your creatures), you activate the Boa's regeneration ability.

When that ability resolves, it sets up a replacement effect (a "shield"), such that the next time the River Boa would be destroyed, it is instead tapped, undamaged, and removed from combat.

That does not, immediately, do anything at all to the Boa. It just sets up an effect that kicks in when the Boa would be destroyed.

Then combat damage is dealt. Your River Boa deals 2 damage to the 2/2 blocking it, which destroys it, and the 2/2 deals 2 damage to your River Boa, which would destroy it, but because of the regeneration shield, the Boa is not destroyed, but rather the 2 damage is removed from it. Also, it becomes tapped (irrelevant because it is already tapped, since you attacked with it) and it is removed from combat (irrelevant because it already assigned its combat damage).

Scenario 2:

You attack with the Boa, and before blockers are declared your opponent Doom Blades it.

In response to the Doom Blade, you activate the Boa's regeneration ability.

Because it was activated after the Blade, it will resolve before the Blade, setting up the regeneration shield.

Then, when the Blade resolves, it would destroy your Boa, but instead of being destroyed, your Boa is tapped (irrelevant because it was already tapped), all damage is removed form it (irrelevant because it had no damage on it), and it is removed from combat.

That last is relevant in this scenario because it has not yet assigned its combat damage. And now that it is no longer an attacking creature, it won't assign any combat damage this turn.

Scenario 3:

Your opponent plays Day of Judgment.

In response, you activate your Boa's regeneration ability.

Because it was activated after the Judgment, it will resolve before the Judgment, setting up the regeneration shield.

Then, when the Judgment resolves, it would destroy your Boa. But, because of the regeneration shield, your Boa is not destroyed but instead becomes tapped (possibly relevant because now it can't block) and all damage is removed from it (probably irrelevant because it probably had no damage on it). The removal-from-combat probably doesn't happen because Day of Judgment is a sorcery and therefore can't be cast during combat (except under unusual circumstances, as may be enabled by cards such as Vedalken Orrery).

Scenario 4:

There is nothing special going on. You just have extra green mana and want to spend on River Boa for no apparent reason.

In this case, you activate the Boa's regeneration ability as many times as you are willing and able to.

Each time an activation resolves, it creates a separate regeneration shield. Each shield lasts until end of turn.

If the Boa would be destroyed that turn, exactly one of those shields is expended to save it.

So, if you activated the regeneration three times, there could be three separate effects that turn that would destroy the Boa (either from damage or something that says "destroy"), and it would still live.

This scenario is silly, though. You have no good reason to activate the Boa's regeneration ability unless there is something imminent that is about to destroy it.

What effect does it have on infect...or any other -1/-1 counters...

It does not help at all against 0 toughness.

704.5f If a creature has toughness 0 or less, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard. Regeneration can’t replace this event.

This makes sense if you think about it. Having 0 toughness would theoretically mean that that the creature would be destroyed even if it had 0 (that is, no) damage on it, so even if you could regenerate it, it would just immediately die again.

But the above rule goes further than that. Having 0 toughness doesn't even "destroy" the creature, the way lethal damage does, it just "puts" the creature into a graveyard.

This means that not even indestructibility helps against 0 toughness, even though it does help against lethal damage.


Also, some effects say "destroy" but also "can't be regenerated." So, regeneration does help against Day of Judgment and Doom Blade, but it does not help against Wrath of God and Terror.

(it also does not help against sacrifice effects like those of Footsteps of the Goryo or Living Death)

Thats perfect...Thanks guys

So if I have a 1/1 with regenerate and my opponent blocks with two 5/5 creatures, what happens then? Will only 1 regenerate be enough, or must he regenerate twice?

Or will that only be the case if one creature has first strike?

[QUOTE=Liquad]So if I have a 1/1 with regenerate and my opponent blocks with two 5/5 creatures, what happens then? Will only 1 regenerate be enough, or must he regenerate twice?[/quote]

You'll only need to regenerate once.

Then, when the 5/5s deals their combat damage, the 10 damage would destroy your 1/1, but instead, all (10) damage is removed from your 1/1 (and it is tapped and removed from combat, neither of which will be noticeable in this scenario).

[quote]Or will that only be the case if one creature has first strike?[/QUOTE]

Not much of a difference.

Say you regenerate your 1/1 once. When the first-striking 5/5 deals its combat damage, your 1/1 is not-destroyed-but-undamaged-and-removed-from-combat. Since it is no longer in combat, the other 5/5 won't be dealing any damage to it (and the 1/1 won't be dealing any damage, either, which might be relevant if you were saving a Flame Slash for some after-combat clean-up).

Perfect..Thank you