Carnival Hellsteed

four generic mana one black mana one red mana Creature — Nightmare HorsePower and toughness5/4

First strike, haste

Unleash (You may have this creature enter with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can't block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Its favorite treats are candied hands and sweet hearts.

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0.20 $

Foil 0.23 $

19 printings

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Carnival Hellsteed rulings

2013-04-15
You make the choice to have the creature with unleash enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter or not as it’s entering the battlefield. At that point, it’s too late for a player to respond to the creature spell by trying to counter it, for example.
2013-04-15
The unleash ability applies no matter where the creature is entering the battlefield from.
2013-04-15
A creature with unleash can’t block if it has any +1/+1 counter on it, not just one put on it by the unleash ability.
2013-04-15
Putting a +1/+1 counter on a creature with unleash that’s already blocking won’t remove it from combat. It will continue to block.

Carnival Hellsteed keyword rules

First strike Rule 702.7

First strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See rule , “Combat Damage Step.”)

If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike or double strike (see rule ) as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step.

Giving first strike to a creature without it after combat damage has already been dealt in the first combat damage step won’t preclude that creature from assigning combat damage in the second combat damage step. Removing first strike from a creature after it has already dealt combat damage in the first combat damage step won’t allow it to also assign combat damage in the second combat damage step (unless the creature has double strike).

Multiple instances of first strike on the same creature are redundant.

Haste Rule 702.10

Haste is a static ability.

If a creature has haste, it can attack even if it hasn’t been controlled by its controller continuously since their most recent turn began. (See rule .)

If a creature has haste, its controller can activate its activated abilities whose cost includes the tap symbol or the untap symbol even if that creature hasn’t been controlled by that player continuously since their most recent turn began. (See rule .)

Multiple instances of haste on the same creature are redundant.

Unleash Rule 702.98

Unleash is a keyword that represents two static abilities. “Unleash” means “You may have this permanent enter with an additional +1/+1 counter on it” and “This permanent can’t block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.”