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Rules AnswersLayers & Continuous Effects

Does a creature that loses all abilities still keep its power and toughness?

Short answer
Yes. Losing all abilities does not affect a creature's power and toughness, which are characteristics defined separately from abilities.

Power and toughness are distinct characteristics of a creature, separate from its abilities. According to CR 207.1, power and toughness are defined by the number printed in the lower-right corner of the card (or set by copy effects, characteristic-defining abilities, or counters). They are not considered "abilities" under the rules.

When an effect causes a creature to lose all abilities (for example, via an effect like Sudden Spoiling or Turn), it removes keyword abilities, activated abilities, triggered abilities, and static abilities — but it does not alter the creature's power or toughness values, because those are not abilities (CR 113.1).

There is one important exception: if a creature has a characteristic-defining ability (CDA) that sets its power and/or toughness — such as Tarmogoyf's "* /* +1" ability — losing all abilities will also cause that CDA to be lost. In that case, the creature's power/toughness would typically fall back to the printed value, or become 0 if there is no printed value (CR 604.3).

Example: Your opponent's 5/5 Gigantosaurus is targeted by Turn, which makes it lose all abilities until end of turn. Gigantosaurus has no abilities to begin with, so nothing changes functionally — it remains a 5/5 creature. Its power and toughness are completely unaffected because they are not abilities.

HIGH confidence CR 107.1b CR 113.1 CR 207.1 CR 604.3
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