RadiationHow it works & interactions with other cards

What it Does

Rad counters are a type of counter that a player can receive. Unlike poison or energy counters, rad counters have an inherent triggered ability that occurs at the beginning of the player's precombat main phase. As long as a player has one or more rad counters, they are required to mill cards equal to the number of counters they have, potentially losing life and clearing the radiation in the process.

Resolution Step by Step

1. At the start of your precombat main phase, the radiation ability triggers if you have any rad counters. 2. You mill a number of cards from your library equal to the total number of rad counters you currently have. 3. Look at the cards you just milled; for each nonland card among them, you lose 1 life and remove one rad counter from yourself. 4. If you mill land cards, they do not cause life loss, but they also do not remove any rad counters, meaning the radiation persists into your next turn.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is thinking you remove a rad counter for every card milled; remember, only nonland cards remove counters. Additionally, note that radiation triggers specifically at the start of the precombat main phase, which occurs after your draw step. You cannot skip this process even if you have zero cards in your library; you will still attempt to mill and potentially lose the game if you cannot.

When to Play It

Radiation is best utilized when you want to pressure an opponent's life total and library simultaneously. It is an excellent tool for 'mill' strategies and works well with cards that benefit from your opponents having cards in their graveyard. If you are the one being radiated, look for ways to gain life or manipulate the top of your library to ensure you mill land cards to keep your life total stable.

Interaction examples

The Weight of Radiation

Megaton's FateCommand TowerSol Ring

If you cast Megaton's Fate and choose the Detonate mode, you gain four rad counters. In your next precombat main phase, you mill four cards. If you mill two Command Tower cards and two Sol Ring cards, all four are land or artifact cards. Since Sol Ring is a nonland card, you will lose 1 life and remove 1 rad counter for each one. If you milled two lands and two Sol Rings, you lose 2 life and are left with two rad counters.

Mutant Synergy

Strong, the Brutish ThespianMirelurk Queen

With Strong, the Brutish Thespian on the battlefield, the radiation downside is inverted: you gain life instead of losing it for each nonland card milled. If you also control Mirelurk Queen, the radiation trigger will mill cards, and because nonland cards are being milled, Mirelurk Queen will trigger, allowing you to draw a card and put a +1/+1 counter on her, though this only happens once per turn.

Unblockable Threats

Nightkin AmbusherVexing Radgull

If Vexing Radgull deals combat damage to an opponent who has no rad counters, they receive two rad counters. Now that the player has rad counters, your Nightkin Ambusher becomes unblockable against them. During that opponent's next precombat main phase, they will mill two cards and potentially lose rad counters, but as long as they have at least one remaining, the Ambusher remains a constant threat.

Returning from the Grave

Infesting RadroachFeral Ghoul

When Feral Ghoul dies, it gives your opponent rad counters equal to its power. During the opponent's main phase, their radiation trigger forces them to mill. If they mill a nonland card, the ability of Infesting Radroach in your graveyard triggers, allowing you to return the Radroach to your hand, capitalizing on the radiation you inflicted.