+1/+1 counter payoffs
Cards that care how many counters you have, double them, move them around, or turn them into cards. The backbone of every counters deck.
Run this search live → or edit it: the site reads plain English, so "payoffs for putting +1/+1 counters on creatures under 3 mana" works too.
| Card | Cost | Type | What it does | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hardened Scales | {G} | Enchantment | If one or more +1/+1 counters would be put on a creature you control, that many plus one +1/+1 counters are put on it instead. | $3.59 |
| 2 | Doubling Season | {4}{G} | Enchantment | If an effect would create one or more tokens under your control, it creates twice that many of those tokens instead. If an effect would put one or more counters on a permanent you control, it puts twice that many of those counters on tha… | $36.45 |
| 3 | Inspiring Call | {2}{G} | Instant | Draw a card for each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it. Those creatures gain indestructible until end of turn. (Damage and effects that say "destroy" don't destroy them.) | $0.36 |
| 4 | Kami of Whispered Hopes | {2}{G} | Creature — Spirit | If one or more +1/+1 counters would be put on a permanent you control, that many plus one +1/+1 counters are put on that permanent instead. {T}: Add X mana of any one color, where X is this creature's power. | $4.72 |
| 5 | Walking Ballista | {X}{X} | Artifact Creature — Construct | This creature enters with X +1/+1 counters on it. {4}: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. Remove a +1/+1 counter from this creature: It deals 1 damage to any target. | $10.63 |
| 6 | Felidar Retreat | {3}{W} | Enchantment | Landfall — Whenever a land you control enters, choose one — • Create a 2/2 white Cat Beast creature token. • Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. Those creatures gain vigilance until end of turn. | $1.05 |
| 7 | Cathars' Crusade | {3}{W}{W} | Enchantment | Whenever a creature you control enters, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. | $10.64 |
| 8 | Ozolith, the Shattered Spire | {1}{G} | Legendary Artifact | If one or more +1/+1 counters would be put on an artifact or creature you control, that many plus one +1/+1 counters are put on it instead. {1}{G}, {T}: Put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact or creature you control. Activate only as a s… | $7.14 |
| 9 | Tireless Tracker | {2}{G} | Creature — Human Scout | Landfall — Whenever a land you control enters, investigate. (Create a Clue token. It's an artifact with "{2}, Sacrifice this token: Draw a card.") Whenever you sacrifice a Clue, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. | $0.30 |
| 10 | Innkeeper's Talent | {1}{G} | Enchantment — Class | (Gain the next level as a sorcery to add its ability.) At the beginning of combat on your turn, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. {G}: Level 2 Permanents you control with counters on them have ward {1}. {3}{G}: Level 3 … | $10.45 |
| 11 | Chasm Skulker | {2}{U} | Creature — Squid Horror | Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. When this creature dies, create X 1/1 blue Squid creature tokens with islandwalk, where X is the number of +1/+1 counters on this creature. (They can't be blocked as long as… | $0.83 |
| 12 | Terrasymbiosis | {2}{G} | Enchantment | Whenever you put one or more +1/+1 counters on a creature you control, you may draw that many cards. Do this only once each turn. | $10.56 |
| 13 | Gyre Sage | {1}{G} | Creature — Elf Druid | Evolve (Whenever a creature you control enters, if that creature has greater power or toughness than this creature, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.) {T}: Add {G} for each +1/+1 counter on this creature. | $2.99 |
| 14 | Rishkar, Peema Renegade | {2}{G} | Legendary Creature — Elf Druid | When Rishkar enters, put a +1/+1 counter on each of up to two target creatures. Each creature you control with a counter on it has "{T}: Add {G}." | $0.24 |
| 15 | Bristly Bill, Spine Sower | {1}{G} | Legendary Creature — Plant Druid | Landfall — Whenever a land you control enters, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. {3}{G}{G}: Double the number of +1/+1 counters on each creature you control. | $37.76 |
| 16 | Evolution Witness | {2}{G} | Creature — Elf Shaman Mutant | {1}{G}: Adapt 2. (If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put two +1/+1 counters on it.) Whenever one or more +1/+1 counters are put on this creature, return target permanent card from your graveyard to your hand. | $0.26 |
| 17 | Herald of Secret Streams | {3}{U} | Creature — Merfolk Warrior | Creatures you control with +1/+1 counters on them can't be blocked. | $7.02 |
| 18 | K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth | {4}{B/P}{B/P}{B/P} | Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Horror Minion | ({B/P} can be paid with either {B} or 2 life.) Lifelink For each {B} in a cost, you may pay 2 life rather than pay that mana. Whenever you cast a black spell, put a +1/+1 counter on K'rrik. | $0.99 |
| 19 | Tarrian's Soulcleaver | {1} | Legendary Artifact — Equipment | Equipped creature has vigilance. Whenever another artifact or creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on equipped creature. Equip {2} | $4.27 |
| 20 | Marwyn, the Nurturer | {2}{G} | Legendary Creature — Elf Druid | Whenever another Elf you control enters, put a +1/+1 counter on Marwyn. {T}: Add an amount of {G} equal to Marwyn's power. | $5.69 |
| 21 | Elenda, the Dusk Rose | {2}{W}{B} | Legendary Creature — Vampire Knight | Lifelink Whenever another creature dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Elenda. When Elenda dies, create X 1/1 white Vampire creature tokens with lifelink, where X is Elenda's power. | $5.71 |
| 22 | Sphere Grid | {1}{G} | Enchantment | Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature. Unlock Ability — Creatures you control with +1/+1 counters on them have reach and trample. | $7.00 |
| 23 | Simic Ascendancy | {G}{U} | Enchantment | {1}{G}{U}: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. Whenever one or more +1/+1 counters are put on a creature you control, put that many growth counters on this enchantment. At the beginning of your upkeep, if this enchantment… | $0.47 |
| 24 | Laelia, the Blade Reforged | {2}{R} | Legendary Creature — Spirit Warrior | Haste Whenever Laelia attacks, exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. Whenever one or more cards are put into exile from your library and/or your graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Laelia. | $0.32 |
| 25 | Agatha's Soul Cauldron | {2} | Legendary Artifact | You may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to activate abilities of creatures you control. Creatures you control with +1/+1 counters on them have all activated abilities of all creature cards exiled with Agatha's Soul Cauldro… | $38.68 |
| 26 | All Will Be One | {3}{R}{R} | Enchantment | Whenever you put one or more counters on a permanent or player, this enchantment deals that much damage to target opponent, creature an opponent controls, or planeswalker an opponent controls. | $16.22 |
| 27 | Duskshell Crawler | {1}{G} | Creature — Insect | When this creature enters, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. Each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it has trample. (It can deal excess combat damage to the player or planeswalker it's attacking.) | $0.33 |
| 28 | Abzan Falconer | {2}{W} | Creature — Human Soldier | Outlast {W} ({W}, {T}: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. Outlast only as a sorcery.) Each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it has flying. | $0.82 |
| 29 | Insidious Roots | {B}{G} | Enchantment | Creature tokens you control have "{T}: Add one mana of any color." Whenever one or more creature cards leave your graveyard, create a 0/1 green Plant creature token, then put a +1/+1 counter on each Plant you control. | $1.62 |
| 30 | Guide of Souls | {W} | Creature — Human Cleric | Whenever another creature you control enters, you gain 1 life and get {E} (an energy counter). Whenever you attack, you may pay {E}{E}{E}. When you do, put two +1/+1 counters and a flying counter on target attacking creature. It becomes … | $2.53 |
30 of 5273 cards the search scored for "payoffs for putting +1/+1 counters on creatures". Ordered by how much each card is played, among the cards that matched. Prices and legality come from Scryfall; the list was last refreshed on 2026-09-23.
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