Oil Counters in MTG: Rules, History, and Best Cards

Pedro Furtado (djorso) December 15, 2024 MTG Cards, MTG Rules

Last updated on December 15, 2024

Mindsplice Apparatus | Illustration by Ovidio Cartagena

Phyrexia: All Will Be One created an even more distorted version of Scars of Mirrodin/New Phyrexia. Phyrexians took the plane of Mirrodin after all.

Oil counters were used as a way to further represent the Phyrexian takeover of the plane. They’re like charge counters with a little Phyrexian touch. Let’s take that inspiration when we dissect the matter and rip the subject wide open.

Is this a slick mechanic, or does it ask you to put in some elbow grease? What do oil counters do, and what are they good for? All questions will be answered!

Table of Contents show

How Do Oil Counters Work?

Archfiend of the Dross | Illustration by Lie Setiawan

Oil counters are counters that are put on permanents, most notably artifacts and Phyrexian creatures. Some cards get oil counters naturally as the turns continue, while others require you to cast instants or sorceries. The more oil counters they have on them, the better.

Some cards require you to take off some counters to reap the benefits, like Norn's Wellspring or Migloz, Maze Crusher. Other cards, like Urabrask's Forge, get a stronger effect the more oil counters they have (similar to Shrine of Burning Rage). Others still use the counters like the fading mechanic so the card comes with counters but you need to take one off every turn, like Evolved Spinoderm.

This mechanic is very similar to how charge counters were used in the Scars of Mirrodin block, where you could have diverse implementations in cards like Shrine of Burning Rage, Tangle Wire, and Lux Cannon. Some cards are natural buildaround cards, which are only good if you build your deck to maximize some aspect (sacrifice creatures, combat damage, spellslinger). Others are those bomb-like cards that you just put in every deck.

It's very important to note that this set also has the proliferate mechanic, and oil counters can be proliferated to turbo-off your engines.

The History of Oil Counters in MTG

Oil counters were introduced in 2023’s Phyrexia: All Will Be One. It’s one of the main mechanics of the set and is used to glue different themes (instants and sorceries matter, add counters, proliferate, and more) together.

These counters also showed up sparingly in Alchemy: Phyrexia, an Arena-only tie-in to the main set. Since the release of ONE, the only card to use oil counters is Argent Dais from Modern Horizons 3.

How Do You Get Oil Counters?

Some cards get oil counters naturally, turn after turn. Others require you to do something, like casting instants or sorceries. Some cards, like Archfiend of the Dross, use oil counters as a doom clock (when it’s over, you lose) by losing a counter each turn. You can add oil counters using proliferate or The Monumental Facade, which transfers oil counters from itself to any creature or artifact.

Can You Proliferate Oil Counters?

Sure! Proliferate works with all kinds of counters on permanents (including poison counters on players). When you proliferate, every permanent that has at least one oil counter can have another added to it (including your opponents' cards, but you probably won't do that).

What Do Oil Counters Represent in Lore?

Phyrexians spread across the land and different planes using the Glistening Oil, also known as Phyrexian oil. They use it to spread their corruption, turn machines into living beings, and turn living beings into Phyrexian-like creatures (this is known as “compleation“).

Adding oil counters to a permanent means that it’s “more Phyrexian,” so to speak.

Are Oil Counters Good?

Oil counters are the kind of mechanic that'll appeal to Johnny players who like to move counters around. Some cards look particularly interesting and powerful, like Urabrask's Forge and Norn's Wellspring.

I for one love these puzzle-y mechanics where you sometimes feel like you’ve built a nice engine, and sometimes it looks iffy.

Gallery and List of Oil Counter Cards

Cards That Interact With Oil Counters

Alchemy: Phyrexia Cards

Best Oil Counter Cards

#6. Mindsplice Apparatus

Mindsplice Apparatus is your typical draw-go card that you’ll flash at the end of a turn. Suddenly all your counterspells and removal cost 1 less to cast. Next turn it’s 2 less, and so on.

X spells are going to be extra powerful if you keep it going long enough.

#5. Mercurial Spelldancer

Mercurial Spelldancer took off in Eternal formats shortly after release, but people have cooled on it since. It's hard to justify it in any format with 1-toughness punishers like Orcish Bowmasters or Wrenn and Six, but it's a powerful spell copier if it goes uncontested.

#4. Evolved Spinoderm

Evolved Spinoderm is an interesting take on a Blastoderm. It’s a 5/5 with hexproof that trades hexproof for trample later in the game. It’s possible to keep the beats longer if you can proliferate regularly.

#3. Migloz, Maze Crusher

Migloz, Maze Crusher certainly has a presence in Gruul () decks. A 4/4 for 3 mana is already good, and it’s all upside from there.

You can easily transform it into a 6/6, even 8/8, by spending the oil counters.

#2. Archfiend of the Dross

Archfiend of the Dross is the type of card where you want to maximize the upside, like Demonic Pact. You want to have a big 6/6 flier on turn 4, and not lose to it. There's always a demand for demons in EDH decks. It’s a very aggressive creature that also puts pressure on your opponents’ chump blocks.

Archfiend has proven itself worthwhile in Pioneer, where it creates a funny combo with Metamorphic Alteration, as well as in Standard, where it helps enable Unholy Annex//Ritual Chamber.

#1. Urabrask’s Forge

Urabrask's Forge too a while to show up, but it's been a force in Standard. You get a 1/1 token on the first turn, then 2/1, then 3/1, and so on, all with trample. Looks like a nice card to ramp into turn 2 or proliferate onto.

Wrap Up

Norn's Wellspring | Illustration by Jonas De Ro

As a big Phyrexian and Scars of Mirrodin/New Phyrexia fan, I gladly welcomed the release of ONE. The mechanics were fun and well-rounded. The mix of poison counters, damage, and proliferate suddenly ending a game is nice, and I've enjoyed building decks with an oil counter engine and proliferate. Oil counters are also an interesting, if undersupported tool for people that play counter-based EDH.

What oil counter cards have you engaged with the most? Let me know it in the comments below or in the Draftsim Discord.

Stay safe folks, and thanks for reading!

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Pedro Furtado (djorso)

Pedro started playing Magic way back when in Fourth Edition. After a long hiatus, he now plays mostly MTG Arena Standard and Limited. His biggest MTG regret is trading a bunch of Force of Wills for Serra Angels.