Cursed Wombat 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
: Adapt 2. (If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put two +1/+1 counters on it.) Permanents you control have "Whenever one or more +1/+1 counters are put on this permanent, put an additional +1/+1 counter on it. This ability triggers only once each turn."
Complete guide
Cursed Wombat is a terrifyingly efficient Nightmare Wombat that turns every +1/+1 counter growth into something even bigger. By granting a unique triggered ability to all your permanents, it ensures that your board scales faster than your opponents can handle. This guide will walk you through the nuances of its 'once each turn' limit and how it interacts with the Adapt keyword.
A Gift for the Whole Board
Cursed Wombat does two things: it can grow itself using its Adapt 2 ability, and it grants a powerful static effect to all permanents you control. This effect gives every permanent you control a triggered ability: 'Whenever one or more +1/+1 counters are put on this permanent, put an additional +1/+1 counter on it.' Importantly, this ability belongs to the permanents themselves, not just the Wombat. Even non-creature permanents get this text, though it usually only matters if they can receive +1/+1 counters.
Timing and Triggers
The granted ability triggers exactly once each turn per permanent. When counters are placed on a permanent, the ability goes on the stack and, upon resolution, adds one more +1/+1 counter. If a creature enters the battlefield with counters already on it, the ability will still trigger. If you control multiple Cursed Wombats, each one grants a separate instance of this ability to your permanents, meaning they could each trigger once per turn to add multiple bonus counters.
Understanding Adapt
Adapt is a keyword that checks for existing counters. You can activate the Adapt 2 ability of Cursed Wombat for {2}{B}{G} at any time. However, when the ability resolves, it checks if the Wombat has any +1/+1 counters on it. If it does, you put zero counters on it. If it has no counters, you put two counters on it, which then triggers the Wombat's own granted ability to add one more, resulting in three total counters.
Strategic Tips
Because the ability triggers 'only once each turn,' it is often beneficial to find ways to put counters on your creatures during your opponent's turn. If Cursed Wombat leaves the battlefield, the ability it granted disappears immediately. Any triggers already on the stack will still resolve, but no new ones can be created until a Wombat returns to the field.
Interaction examples
You have Cursed Wombat on the battlefield with no counters. You activate its Adapt 2 ability. As it resolves, the game sees the Wombat has no +1/+1 counters, so it puts two counters on it. This causes the Wombat's granted ability to trigger. When that trigger resolves, you put one additional +1/+1 counter on it, leaving you with a 5/6 creature.
Llanowar ElvesWith Cursed Wombat in play, your Llanowar Elves now has the triggered ability to gain extra counters. If you use a spell or effect to put a +1/+1 counter on Llanowar Elves, the Wombat's granted ability triggers. The Elves will end up with two +1/+1 counters instead of one. This can only happen once for the Elves this turn.
Birds of ParadiseIf you control two copies of Cursed Wombat, your Birds of Paradise is granted two separate triggered abilities. If you put a +1/+1 counter on the Birds, both abilities trigger. After both resolve, the Birds of Paradise will have three +1/+1 counters total (one original plus two bonuses). Each Wombat-granted ability is now 'used up' for the Birds until the next turn.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Cursed Wombat
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Cursed Wombat's last ability grants a triggered ability to itself as well as other permanents you control, even if those permanents don't have power and toughness.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If another permanent would enter the battlefield under your control with one or more +1/+1 counters on it, the ability granted to that permanent by Cursed Wombat will trigger when that permanent enters the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If Cursed Wombat leaves the battlefield while a spell or ability that would put one or more +1/+1 counters on one or more permanents you control is still on the stack, those permanents won't have the additional ability granted by Cursed Wombat when those counters would be put on those permanents, so that additional ability won't trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If Cursed Wombat leaves the battlefield while one or more triggered abilities generated by the ability it grants are still on the stack, those abilities will still resolve as normal and put additional +1/+1 counters on the appropriate permanents.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If you control multiple Cursed Wombats, each permanent you control will have that many instances of the granted ability. These abilities are not redundant. For example, if you control two Cursed Wombats, each with no +1/+1 counters on them, and you activate the adapt ability of one of those Cursed Wombats, you'll put two +1/+1 counters on that Cursed Wombat, and then each of its granted triggered abilities will trigger. When those abilities resolve, each one will put an additional +1/+1 counter on that Cursed Wombat. Since those abilities trigger only once each turn, those additional counters won't cause those abilities to trigger any more that turn. (Curses!)
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If Cursed Wombat leaves the battlefield and returns to the battlefield in the same turn, or if one Cursed Wombat leaves and another Cursed Wombat appears, the ability granted by the old one is different than the ability granted by the new one. This means that a permanent that already got an additional +1/+1 counter from the previous granted triggered ability could get another additional +1/+1 counter from the new granted triggered ability if more +1/+1 counters are put on it during that turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
You can always activate an ability that will cause a creature to adapt. As that ability resolves, if the creature has a +1/+1 counter on it for any reason, you simply won't put any +1/+1 counters on it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature somehow loses all of its +1/+1 counters, it can adapt again and get more +1/+1 counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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