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Magic: The Gathering’sMarch of the Machine comes with a whole new selection of cards and mechanics to learn and understand. It has a focus on planes, but also on the people fighting back against the Phyrexians. Shaky alliances needed to be formed, giving birth to the backup mechanic.
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Backup is a keyword ability that will allow you to put a set amount of +1/+1 counters on a targeted creature whilst gaining added abilities. Here’s everything you need to know about backup, and how to use it.
What is Backup?
When a card with the backup ability enters the battlefield, you will be able toput a set amount of +1/+1 counters on a target creature depending on the backup number.
Then, if there are any abilities listed on the card after backup, thetargeted creature will also gain those abilities until the end of the turn.
For example, the Voldaren Thrillseeker has backup 2. When it enters the battlefield,it can puttwo +1/+1 counters on a specific creature. It also has the ability to pay one and sacrifice itself to deal damage equal to its power, and this ability is shared with whatever creature it gives its counters to until the end of the turn.
Sometimes, there are cards, like Conclave Sledge-Captain, that havemultiple instances of backup.This means that you are able to target different creatures to spread the counters around, or put it all onto one creature to make it especially big.
Rulings With Backup
As this is an enter-the-battlefield effect,you are able to target the creature you have just cast that has Backup, to give them the +1/+1 counter. This means that there is still value in playing a card with backup, even if there are no other creatures on the battlefield.
Keep in mind that, if you do this,the creature will not get the other abilities,as they already have them. To share abilities, the counters must be placed onanother creature.
You do not have to put a +1/+1 counter on a creature you control, something that can be useful in formats such as Two-Headed Giant, or as a political play in Commander.
Keep in mind it is only abilities writtenafter the backup keyword that are shared. This means that, for instance,Cragsmasher Yeti’s mountaincycling will not be shared.
In this case, it doesn’t matter much as the creature you are targeting has already been played, but it is something that you should pay attention to regardless.
If a backup creature has entered the battlefield and one of its abilities is then taken away, then the targeted creature with +1/+1 counters that gained that ability until the end of the turnwill still keep that ability, as the backup effect has already happened.
Likewise, if a creature with backup is given additional abilities, such as by an Aura or Enchantment,they won’t be shared with the creature it backs up.It is only the abilities physically printed on the card that are shared.
What Colour Is Backup?
In total, there are25 different cards with backup, and one card that names the keyword without actually having it.
Right nowred has the most backup cards with a total of seven, and there have already been some notable ones mentioned, likeVoldaren ThrillseekerandCragsmasher Yeti.
Green and white are the second most common colours, with six each (which makesred and white the backup archetype of March of the Machine’s limited environment). Black follows with four, and blue has just one, Saiba Cryptomancer.
In multicolour, there isonly one card with backup, the red, green, and white Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener. However, there is also Mirror-Shield Hoplite, a red and white card that doubles your backup triggers.
Next:Magic: The Gathering - The Best Legendary Team-Ups In March Of The Machine
