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Moxonomy

Hercules, Olympian Hero

Legendary Creature — Demigod Warrior Hero3 generic manaWhite manaWhite mana

Two counter engines pointed at the same body, and both of them turn incoming damage into a reason to keep swinging. Attacking hands him a counter every combat plus indestructibility for the turn, so blocking with anything short of exile or bounce just feeds him. The second trigger rewards a specific kind of recklessness: because he only banks the counters if he survives, and because the swing has already made him indestructible, the intended loop is to attack, shrug off a hit that would otherwise be lethal, and pocket that damage as permanent size. The counters scale to the damage dealt, so it is the big blocker or the burn spell aimed at his face that pays out, not the one-power chump: soak a five-damage swing while indestructible and he keeps all five. That inversion (damage as growth rather than depletion) is the design's whole personality: most creatures shrink under pressure, and this one is built to be shot at. Worth noting is the "first time each turn" clause, which caps the payout to a single damage event and keeps one mass-combat from spiraling out of control. What that leaves is a threat that punishes the two most instinctive answers to a growing attacker (block it, burn it) and forces the opponent to find a third. A demigod who gets stronger the harder you hit him is exactly the flavor the mechanics are chasing.

Hercules, Olympian Hero (msc)
MSC · #308rare
Pricing
Normal: $2.48
Foil:
Oracle Text

Rules text

Whenever Hercules attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on him. He gains indestructible until end of turn. Whenever Hercules is dealt damage for the first time each turn, put that many +1/+1 counters on him. (He must survive the damage to get the counters.)
Legalities

Format Status

Standard
N/A
Pioneer
N/A
Modern
N/A
Legacy
Legal
Vintage
Legal
Commander
Legal
Pauper
N/A
Brawl
N/A
Historic
N/A
Alchemy
N/A
Timeless
N/A
Standard Brawl
N/A
More formats
Old School
N/A
Premodern
N/A
PreDH
N/A
Pauper Commander
N/A
Oathbreaker
Legal
Gladiator
N/A
Penny Dreadful
N/A
Duel Commander
Legal
Future Standard
N/A
COMPETITIVEBRAWL
N/A
TLR
N/A
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