16

Fairgrounds Trumpeter:

At the beginning of each end step, if a +1/+1 counter was placed on a permanent under your control this turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Fairgrounds Trumpeter.

Walking Ballista:

Walking Ballista enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.

If I bring in a new Walking Ballista - then it enters the game with the +1/+1 counters already on it. Technically you could interpret that as meaning that the +1/+1 counters were not placed on it that turn - they were already there as it entered the battlefield.

So does the trumpeter trumpet louder and the crowd cheer more when they see the ballista walk onto the field?

(Obviously if a new counter is added after the Ballista is on the field then it would, this is specifically about the replacement ability on entering the battlefield).

Improve this question
7
  • 12
    "Does the elephant get bigger when I bring in the ballista?" - this title would look nice at r/nocontext
    – tsuma534
    Jan 27, 2017 at 14:27
  • 3
    I have an amusing image in my head of somebody holding their card horizontally in the air, balancing a die on it and then carefully lowering it to the table, so as to ensure that it literally enters the battlefield with counters. Future "Un-" expansion material, maybe.
    – Air
    Jan 27, 2017 at 17:14
  • @tsuma534 My alternative working title was "Does the elephant grow when the ballista walks in?"
    – Tim B
    Jan 28, 2017 at 12:26
  • Does Panharmonicon also triggers on undying or when Walking Ballista come into play?
    – sinsedrix
    Feb 9, 2017 at 17:28
  • 1
    @sinsedrix Panharmonicon looks for triggered abilities, which Ballista does not have. Fairgrounds Trumpeter looks for counters being placed, which Ballista does have.
    – monoRed
    Feb 13, 2017 at 14:54

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
19

Yes, you get the counter on Trumpeter.

When an ability is looking out for counters being placed on an object, the game also counts cards that enter the battlefield with counters as having had those "placed" on it: it will trigger abilities like Trumpeter's, Hardened Scales would give the Ballista another +1/+1 counter, etc.

121.6. Some spells and abilities refer to counters being “placed” on an object. This refers to putting counters on that object while it’s on the battlefield and also to an object that’s given counters as it enters the battlefield.

Improve this answer
1
  • Would Winding Constrictor work and would it cumulate with Hardened Scales effect?
    – sinsedrix
    Feb 13, 2017 at 10:13

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .