<p><strong>You can activate the scavenge ability, but on resolution it will not put any counters on the creature.</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Numbers_and_symbols" rel="noreferrer">Rule 107.1b</a> says</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Most of the time, the Magic game uses only positive numbers and zero. You can’t choose a negative number, deal negative damage, gain negative life, and so on. However, it’s possible for a game value, such as a creature’s power, to be less than zero. If a calculation or comparison needs to use a negative value, it does so. <strong>If a calculation that would determine the result of an effect yields a negative number, zero is used instead, unless that effect doubles or sets to a specific value a player’s life total or the power and/or toughness of a creature or creature card.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>In this case, the &quot;calculation&quot; is just plugging in the creature card's power, and the result is the number of +1/+1 counters to put on the target creature. If the power is negative, zero is used instead of the result, and no counters are added.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-13T03:53:10.243Z
2023-06-13T03:53:10.243Z
murgatroid99
<p><a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Varolz%2C%20the%20Scar-Striped" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Varolz, the Scar-Striped</a> gives all creatures in your graveyard <a href="https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Scavenge" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Scavenge</a> equal to its mana cost.</p>
<p><a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=491760" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Scourge of the Skyclaves's</a> power and toughness are equal to 20 - the highest life total among players.</p>
<p>Creatures like Scourge of the Skyclaves have their power and toughness apply in all zones, including the graveyard.</p>
<p>My question is, if I Scavenge Scourge of the Skyclaves when the highest life total is &gt;20, would I put -1/-1 counters on target creature instead of +1/+1 counters?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-13T03:54:31.643Z
By the way, you don't need to involve characteristic-defining abilities to get a creature card with negative power. [Char-Rumbler](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=509523) and [Spinal Parasite](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=73928) just have negative printed power.
murgatroid99
<magic-the-gathering>
Can You Scavenge Creatures with Negative Power?
Leviathon672015
# Can You Scavenge Creatures with Negative Power?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-06-13)

[Varolz, the Scar-Striped](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Varolz%2C%20the%20Scar-Striped) gives all creatures in your graveyard [Scavenge](https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Scavenge) equal to its mana cost.

[Scourge of the Skyclaves's](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=491760) power and toughness are equal to 20 - the highest life total among players.

Creatures like Scourge of the Skyclaves have their power and toughness apply in all zones, including the graveyard.

My question is, if I Scavenge Scourge of the Skyclaves when the highest life total is >20, would I put -1/-1 counters on target creature instead of +1/+1 counters?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: By the way, you don't need to involve characteristic-defining abilities to get a creature card with negative power. [Char-Rumbler](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=509523) and [Spinal Parasite](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=73928) just have negative printed power.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-06-13. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

**You can activate the scavenge ability, but on resolution it will not put any counters on the creature.**

[Rule 107.1b](https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Numbers_and_symbols) says

> Most of the time, the Magic game uses only positive numbers and zero. You can’t choose a negative number, deal negative damage, gain negative life, and so on. However, it’s possible for a game value, such as a creature’s power, to be less than zero. If a calculation or comparison needs to use a negative value, it does so. **If a calculation that would determine the result of an effect yields a negative number, zero is used instead, unless that effect doubles or sets to a specific value a player’s life total or the power and/or toughness of a creature or creature card.**

In this case, the "calculation" is just plugging in the creature card's power, and the result is the number of +1/+1 counters to put on the target creature. If the power is negative, zero is used instead of the result, and no counters are added.


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