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Magic: The Gatheringis a game that is fundamentally about resource management. Every deck uses mana as a resource, as well as the library and hand, while some tap into other resources such as the graveyard and even your own health. One of the lesser-used resources, thanks to how rarely it’s been supported, is energy counters.
Unlike most of these other resources, energy counters are something you’ll need to actively generate, and your options for doing so are limited. Only a handful of cards produce energy counters, and the same cards frequently use those same counters. But what are they, exactly, and how can you use them to maximum effect?
What Are Energy Counters?
Energy counters are a type of counterintroduced in Kaladesh, which have found little support outside of that and the following set, Aether Revolt. Although decks built around energy counter mechanics wereconsidered among the strongest Standard decksof all time, they have found little success in eternal formats such as Modern and Commander.
Energy counters areplaced on playersrather than on permanents, similar to poison counters. However, there areno built-in effectson energy counters, allowing you to accumulate any number of them to spend later. This makes them easy to work with and difficult for your opponents to counter.
Gaining Energy Counters
Most permanents that have an ability that costs energy counters also have an ability to generate them, usually in the form of an enter-the-battlefield effect. Typically, the energy generated by the spell isintended to pay for that spell’s other ability. Longtusk Cub, for example, generates two energy counters when it enters the battlefield, and you can pay two energy to put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Other cardsgenerate energy counters based on triggers. Dynavolt Tower, for example, generates two energy counters every time you play an instant or sorcery spell and can tap and use five energy to deal three damage to a creature or player.
If you already have at least one energy counter,you can gain additional energy counters through proliferate effects. Use this to stock up on energy counters at the same time as you’re buffing up your creatures or powering up your planeswalkers.
Using Energy Counters
Despite the limited number of cards referencing energy counters, their uses are remarkably versatile. Cards like Aetherworks Marvel and Dr. Madison Li can pull expensive creatures and artifacts out of your library and graveyard, while cards like Longtusk Cub can act as energy sinks and grow into enormous threats.
A few cards alsorequire energy counters to untap or attack, such as Liberty Prime, Recharged. Make sure you’ve got enough resources to use these cards effectively!
Don’t worry about trying to spend all of your energy counters every turn: Unlike mana, energy counters are not lost between turns or phases, so you’re able to safely stockpile them to use when you need them.
Dealing With Energy Counters
There are few ways to interact with counters on players, so you’ll be hard-pressed to stop your opponent from stockpiling a lot of energy counters. Only two cards affect them directly, both of which are white.
Solemnity is an enchantment that prevents players, creatures, artifacts, enchantments, and lands from getting counters. It doesn’t remove counters already in place, butit can single-handedly stall out an energy, poison, or +1/+1 counter deck. Your other option is Suncleanser, a 1/4 Human Cleric that removes all counters from a creature or player when it comes into play and prevents that creature or player from receiving new counters as long as it remains in play.
