The Battlefield

Blowfly Infestation

$0.30

Flourishing Defenses

$1.20

AI DraftFeb 26, 2026

Blowfly Infestation + Flourishing Defenses

Overview

When a creature that had a -1/-1 counter on it dies, Blowfly Infestation’s triggered ability will trigger and (when it resolves) put a -1/-1 counter on a target creature; when that -1/-1 counter is put on that creature, Flourishing Defenses’ triggered ability will trigger and may create a 1/1 Elf token. Determinations about whether the dead creature “had a -1/-1 counter on it” use last known information from before it left the battlefield , and triggered abilities are put on the stack after state-based actions are checked . The mutual cancellation of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters is handled by the counter-removal state-based action .

Step 1

A creature that had a -1/-1 counter on it dies (is put into a graveyard) as a result of damage, counters, or another event; state-based actions handle the death first and if necessary last known information is used for that creature from before it left the battlefield to determine what it had on it when it died .

Step 2

Because it died and it had a -1/-1 counter on it (as determined by last known information if needed), Blowfly Infestation’s triggered ability triggers and will be waiting to be put on the stack after state-based actions are finished .

Step 3

When that triggered ability is put on the stack its controller chooses a target creature (the ability is mandatory in its targeting; see Ruling [2008-05-01]).

Step 4

When Blowfly Infestation’s triggered ability resolves it puts a -1/-1 counter on the chosen target creature; the act of putting that -1/-1 counter on the creature is an event.

Step 5

Flourishing Defenses sees that a -1/-1 counter was put on a creature and its triggered ability triggers (Flourishing triggers whenever a -1/-1 counter is put on a creature) and will be placed on the stack after state-based actions are checked and you may create a 1/1 Elf when that Flourishing trigger resolves (Ruling [2008-05-01]).

Step 6

If the -1/-1 counter placed on the target creature and any +1/+1 counters are simultaneously present, the counter-cancellation state-based action removes equal numbers of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters , which can change the final counters on that creature.

Resolution

If a creature with a -1/-1 counter dies, Blowfly Infestation will trigger (the "if it had a -1/-1 counter on it" uses last known information if needed) and, when that triggered ability resolves, it will put a -1/-1 counter on the target creature; that event of a -1/-1 counter being put on a creature will cause Flourishing Defenses to trigger and you may create a 1/1 Elf token. See for last known information, for when triggers are put on the stack, Ruling [2008-05-01] for Flourishing Defenses' triggering on counters being put, and for any simultaneous +1/+1 and -1/-1 counter cancellations.

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