Auntie Ool, Cursewretch is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Ward—Blight 2. (To blight 2, a player puts two -1/-1 counters on a creature they control.) Whenever one or more -1/-1 counters are put on a creature, draw a card if you control that creature. If you don't control it, its controller loses 1 life.
Complete guide
Meet Auntie Ool, Cursewretch, the legendary Goblin Warlock who turns every -1/-1 counter into either pure card advantage or a slow, painful drain for your opponents. This Jund commander introduces the Blight keyword, forcing opponents to weaken their own forces just to target her. By combining counter placement with consistent triggers, she ensures that every curse brings a reward.
Understanding Ward—Blight
Auntie Ool features a unique defensive keyword: Ward—Blight 2. When an opponent targets her with a spell or ability, they must pay the ward cost or their effect is countered. To 'Blight 2', that player must choose a single creature they control and put two -1/-1 counters on it. If they don't control any creatures, they cannot pay the cost, and their spell will automatically be countered by the Ward ability.
Card Draw and Life Loss
The second ability triggers whenever one or more -1/-1 counters are placed on any creature. If the creature is under your control, you draw a card. If the creature belongs to an opponent, that opponent loses 1 life. Note that this is a single trigger regardless of how many counters are placed at once; putting three counters on a creature at the same time still only draws you one card or makes the opponent lose 1 life.
State-Based Actions and Counters
When -1/-1 counters are placed on a creature that already has +1/+1 counters, state-based actions will remove an equal number of both until only one type remains. However, Auntie Ool's ability triggers the moment the counters are placed, before they are removed by these rules. Similarly, if a creature dies from having 0 toughness due to the counters, the game still recognizes that the counters were put on it, ensuring you get your trigger.
When to Play Auntie Ool
Auntie Ool thrives in decks that utilize persist, infect, or proliferate mechanics. She is best played when you have 'fodder' creatures that can survive a few counters or when you have ways to repeatedly place counters on your opponents' boards. Because her Ward cost requires a creature, she is particularly oppressive against decks that rely on a few high-value targets rather than a wide board.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumAn opponent casts a removal spell on Auntie Ool while they control a Solemn Simulacrum. To prevent their spell from being countered, they must put two -1/-1 counters on the Simulacrum. Because an opponent now controls a creature that received -1/-1 counters, Auntie Ool's ability triggers, and that opponent loses 1 life. The Simulacrum becomes a 0/0 and dies, allowing the opponent to draw a card from its own death trigger.
Eternal WitnessYou control Auntie Ool and an Eternal Witness. An opponent targets Auntie Ool with an ability. They choose to blight their own creature to pay the cost. Because the counters were put on a creature you do not control, the opponent loses 1 life. If you were the one placing counters on your own Eternal Witness through a different effect, you would instead draw a card because you control the creature receiving the counters.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Auntie Ool, Cursewretch
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature that has +1/+1 counters on it receives enough -1/-1 counters to cause it to be destroyed by lethal damage or put into its owner's graveyard for having 0 or less toughness, effects that refer to the counters on that creature when it died will see all of those +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If you can't place -1/-1 counters on any creatures you control (probably because you control no creatures), you can't choose to blight.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
All of the -1/-1 counters must be put on a single creature. You can't choose to split them up between multiple creatures.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
The creature you choose to put -1/-1 counters on doesn't have to have enough toughness to survive the process. For example, if you blight 2, you can choose to put the counters on a 1/1 creature you control.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Once you've announced that you're casting a spell or activating an ability, players can't take actions until you've finished doing so. Notably, opponents can't try to destroy or otherwise remove your creatures to stop you from blighting as part of paying the cost of that spell or ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature has +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters on it, state-based actions remove the same number of each so that it has only one kind of those counters on it. For example, if a creature has three +1/+1 counters on it and two -1/-1 counters are put on it, state-based actions will remove two of each of those kinds of counters, leaving the creature with just one +1/+1 counter.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Auntie Ool, Cursewretch + Morselhoarder + Words of War + Everlasting Torment
- 1Activate Words of War by paying
. - 2Attempt to draw a card. The draw will be replaced by Words of War targeting Morselhoarder. The 2 damage will instead place two -1/-1 counters on Morselhoarder due to Everlasting Torment.
- 3Auntie Ool triggers. Holding priority, activate Morselhoarder twice by removing two -1/-1 counters from it, adding two mana of any color.
- 4Activate Words of War by paying .
- 5Resolve the Auntie Ool trigger, attempting to draw a card. The draw will be replaced by Words of War targeting Morselhoarder. The 2 damage will instead place two -1/-1 counters on Morselhoarder due to Everlasting Torment.
- 6Repeat from step 3.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Auntie Ool, Cursewretch
