Ley LineHow it works & interactions with other cards

What it Does

Ley Line features a symmetrical triggered ability that activates at the start of every player's upkeep. This means during your turn, you get the opportunity to buff one of your creatures, and during your opponent's turn, they receive the same benefit. The ability is optional, as indicated by the word 'may,' allowing a player to decline if there are no suitable targets or if they wish to avoid certain triggers.

How it Resolves Step by Step

First, the upkeep step begins, and the Ley Line trigger is placed on the stack. The active player (the player whose turn it is) must choose a target creature for the ability at this time. Note that while the player chooses the target, they must be able to target it; for example, they cannot choose a creature with Shroud. Once the target is chosen, players have a chance to respond. If the ability resolves, that player decides whether or not to actually put the +1/+1 counter on the targeted creature.

Common Mistakes

A frequent error is forgetting that this effect is symmetrical; you are giving your opponents a free resource every turn. Additionally, players often forget that the target must be chosen when the ability is put on the stack, not when it resolves. If the targeted creature leaves the battlefield in response to the trigger, the entire ability fails to resolve and no counter is placed. Also, remember that since the player 'chooses' the target, they can target any creature on the board that they could normally target with spells or abilities, not just their own.

When to Play It

Ley Line shines best in decks that can take better advantage of counters than the opponent. It is particularly effective in strategies that utilize 'counter-doubling' effects or decks that have many creatures with Trample that benefit from even small increases in power. Because it benefits everyone, it is most powerful when your board state is wider or more synergistic than your rivals'.

Interaction examples

Exponential Growth

Doubling Season

If you control both Ley Line and Doubling Season, the replacement effect of Doubling Season will modify the resolution of the Ley Line trigger. When you choose to put a +1/+1 counter on your creature during your upkeep, Doubling Season ensures that two +1/+1 counters are placed instead of one.

Crossing the Power Threshold

Garruk's Uprising

If you have a creature with 3 power and Garruk's Uprising on the battlefield, the creature does not yet have enough power to trigger the draw effect of the Uprising. During your upkeep, you can use Ley Line to put a +1/+1 counter on that creature. As its power becomes 4, it now benefits from the Trample granted by Garruk's Uprising, though it won't trigger the 'enters' draw effect since it was already on the battlefield.

Targeting Restrictions

During an opponent's upkeep, they choose to target their own creature with Ley Line. You may respond by casting a spell to remove that creature. When the Ley Line ability attempts to resolve, its only target is gone, so the ability is removed from the stack and no counter is placed.