Undying and Last Known Information
Judge Level 2Three -1/-1 counters on the 2/2 Wolf — and undying is left staring.
Cards involved
The pre-loaded Wolf
Your Young Wolf (1/1, undying) has already died once and returned with a +1/+1 counter — currently 2/2. Undying: "When this creature dies, if it had NO +1/+1 counters on it, return it with one."
702.93aUndying is a triggered ability. “Undying” means “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a +1/+1 counter on it.”
Skinrender arrives
Your opponent casts Skinrender: "When it enters, put three -1/-1 counters on target creature." Target: your Wolf.
What happens?
The trigger is about to resolve.
Three -1/-1 counters onto the 2/2 Wolf. Does undying bring it back?
Pick an answer to continue.
After resolution the Wolf sits at 1+1−3 → toughness ≤ 0. In the same SBA check, pair annihilation (704.5q) AND the death check (704.5f) both apply — all applicable SBAs are performed simultaneously as a single event (704.3). The Wolf's last known information includes the +1/+1 counter → no undying trigger.
704.3Whenever a player would get priority (see rule 117, “Timing and Priority”), the game checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based actions, then performs all applicable state-based actions simultaneously as a single event. If any state-based actions are performed as a result of a check, the check is repeated; otherwise all triggered abilities that are waiting to be put on the stack are put on the stack, then the check is repeated. Once no more state-based actions have been performed as the result of a check and no triggered abilities are waiting to be put on the stack, the appropriate player gets priority. This process also occurs during the cleanup step (see rule 514), except that if no state-based actions are performed as the result of the step’s first check and no triggered abilities are waiting to be put on the stack, then no player gets priority and the step ends.
702.93aUndying is a triggered ability. “Undying” means “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a +1/+1 counter on it.”
The Wolf stays down
Died with a counter — undying stays silent. Exactly this timing quirk makes -1/-1 counters the cleanest answer to undying creatures.
704.3Whenever a player would get priority (see rule 117, “Timing and Priority”), the game checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based actions, then performs all applicable state-based actions simultaneously as a single event. If any state-based actions are performed as a result of a check, the check is repeated; otherwise all triggered abilities that are waiting to be put on the stack are put on the stack, then the check is repeated. Once no more state-based actions have been performed as the result of a check and no triggered abilities are waiting to be put on the stack, the appropriate player gets priority. This process also occurs during the cleanup step (see rule 514), except that if no state-based actions are performed as the result of the step’s first check and no triggered abilities are waiting to be put on the stack, then no player gets priority and the step ends.
704.5qIf a permanent has both a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter on it, N +1/+1 and N -1/-1 counters are removed from it, where N is the smaller of the number of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters on it.
704.5fIf a creature has toughness 0 or less, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard. Regeneration can’t replace this event.
The contrast
A SINGLE -1/-1 counter doesn't kill the 2/2 Wolf: the pair cancels and it lives on as a bare 1/1. If it dies LATER, no counter is on it — undying fires again.
702.93aUndying is a triggered ability. “Undying” means “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a +1/+1 counter on it.”
Stack
Young Wolf
Your Wolf — 1/1, undying, with a +1/+1 counter (2/2)
Skinrender
Enters: put three -1/-1 counters on a creature
Triggered ability: Skinrender
Skinrender trigger — target: the Wolf
The stack is empty.
Battlefield
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