Planeswalker Loyalty

[rockout]

Does the removing or adding of loyalty counters have to resolve for the effect to take place? For example, if I add a counter to Elspeth to put a 1/1 soldier token into play and Elspeth is removed with the ability still on the stack, do I still get the 1/1?

[cdr]

Removing loyalty counters is part of the cost of playing the ability; you can tell because it's before the colon ("+1: Put a 1/1 white Soldier creature token into play."). Costs don't "resolve".

And the same rules apply to Planeswalkers as anything else - removing the source of an ability doesn't remove the ability from the stack.

[rockout]

Thank you.

[rockout]

I didn't want to make a new thread for this question.

A person stifles the +1 ability of Elspeth. I know I don't get the token. Do I still get the counter? I tried looking up paying costs in the comprehensive rules and couldn't quite find it. It's similar to paying 2 life to putrid leech, you still lose the 2 life he just doesn't get the +2/+2 if it's stifled. Just making sure it's not different with planeswalkers. Thanks in advance.

[KrzyMoose]

It's no different.

Adding (or removing) a counter from a Planeswalker is a cost. You pay the cost, then the ability goes on the stack.

[rockout]

That's what I thought. Thanks.

[GGoober]

Here's a question regarding Doubling Season and Planeswalker Loyalty

I know that Planeswalker CiP with tokens, so Doubling Season triggers and you get double the tokens.

Now, using a +1 ability involves putting +1 Loyalty counter, but this is placed as a COST, so I'm not sure if the effect or cost (Someone specify if +1 Loyalty is also an effect in addition to a cost) will trigger Doubling Season to double the +1 Loyalty counter.

E.g. Doubling Season + Garruk = Garruk comes into play with 6 +1 Loyalty Counters

-1 Loyalty: Put two 3/3 Beasts into play
+2 Loyalty: Untap 2 lands.

Is this correct?

[KrzyMoose]

Not quite.

From the Planeswalker FAQ:

Q: What happens if I have Doubling Season and I play a Planeswalker? Does he have double loyalty counters? Does he get (or lose) double counters for his abilities?

A: Doubling Season will double the number of loyalty counters originally placed on the Planeswalker, but will not affect the abilities. This is because the addition/reduction of counters is a cost, not an effect.