Alien InvasionHow it works & interactions with other cards

Out of This World Growth

Alien Invasion triggers at the start of your combat phase. It first creates a 1/1 red Alien creature token with haste and a mandatory attack clause. After the token enters, you check how many invasion counters are currently on Alien Invasion and place that many +1/+1 counters on the new token. Finally, the enchantment gains another invasion counter, ensuring the next token will be even larger.

Step-by-Step Resolution

When your beginning of combat step starts, the ability goes on the stack. Upon resolution: 1. A 1/1 Alien token is created. 2. The game checks the number of invasion counters on the enchantment (starting at zero). 3. The corresponding number of +1/+1 counters are placed on the token. 4. One invasion counter is added to the enchantment. This means your first token is a 1/1, your second is a 2/2, and so on.

Forced Aggression

A common point of confusion is the 'attacks each combat if able' clause. Because the tokens have haste, they must attack the turn they are created. If there are multiple combat phases in a turn, or if an opponent forces a combat on their turn and the token is somehow untapped and able, it must attack. You cannot hold these Aliens back for defense unless they are tapped or affected by a spell that prevents them from attacking.

Strategic Deployment

Since the counter placement happens after the token is created, effects that trigger on creatures entering the battlefield will 'see' the token's power at specific stages. If the enchantment has 3 counters, the token enters as a 1/1 and immediately becomes a 4/4. This is crucial for synergies that care about high-power creatures entering the fray.

Interaction examples

The First Arrival

Alien Invasion

On the turn you play Alien Invasion, nothing happens until your next combat. At the start of that combat, it creates a 1/1 Alien. Since there are 0 invasion counters on the enchantment, the token gets 0 counters. Then, Alien Invasion gets its first invasion counter. You now have a 1/1 attacker ready to go.

Doubling the Threat

Alien InvasionDoubling Season

With Doubling Season out, the trigger creates two Alien tokens instead of one. When the effect places +1/+1 counters, it puts twice as many on each token. Finally, when Alien Invasion would get one invasion counter, it gets two. This causes the power of your army to skyrocket significantly faster than normal.

Drawing from the Invasion

Alien InvasionGarruk's Uprising

If Alien Invasion has 3 invasion counters, the next token created starts as a 1/1 but receives three +1/+1 counters as part of the same resolution. Because it is a 4/4 by the time the game checks for state-based actions and triggers, Garruk's Uprising will trigger, allowing you to draw a card for your new 4/4 Alien.