Counter strike and upkeep

[Alec]

Question 1) does a creature with counter strike get to make his attack if reverse attack is played?
Ex. Timberwolf attacks darkfenne hydra. Hydra is enchanted with reverse attack. What are the proper steps to execute this sequence?

Question 2) does a creature with upkeep still need to be paid for if it is banished?
Ex. Redclaw has been removed from the game by the incantation Banish. Redclaw is also enchanted with Essence Drain. Does Redclaws owner still have to pay the upkeep when he is out of play?

Thanks so much for your help, this staff is really top notch.

[Klaxas]

dont have the rules in front of me but i believe the attack dice actually have to be rolled for the counterstrike to take place.  

as for your second question yes the upkeep still take effect as the card banish says the creatures own traits still effect it, and upkeep (even though granted by an enchantment) is a trait.  it is also worth noting that upkeep is not mandatory.  you can choose not to pay it and lose the creature instead. (I believe that is the case anyway)

[thuzl]

Question 1 is under discussion. We will have an answer shortly. Sorry for the delay.

Question 2. Yes. All traits (even those granted by an Enchantment) remain in effect while the creature is "banished." The "banished" creature is considered in play, but not in the arena.

[Shad0w]

Here is how counter strike works.

After a creature is melee attacked, it may use any of its quick melee attacks that have the Counterstrike trait to make a free melee attack against the attacker. This attack occurs during the Counterstrike Step of the attack. The defender may counterstrike, even if the attacker’s attack was not “successful” (did not roll
dice because it missed or was avoided). A creature may make one counterstrike against
each creature that attacks it with a melee attack (even if the attacker attacks it with more than one strike during the attack). Multiple Counterstrike traits on the same creature do not allow it to make additional
counterstrikes. Counterstrike is always voluntary. You are not forced to make the attack if you
don’t want to (and in some cases it may be a disadvantage to attack!). The Counterstrike can only be a single quick action melee attack. You may not make a full action melee attack or a
ranged attack with Counterstrike.

Because I am at work I would guess that yes counterstrike does work. This is the reason why "The defender may counterstrike, even if the attacker’s attack was not “successful” (did not roll
dice because it missed or was avoided)" but I will wait to see what the final answer is from the rules team.

[isel]

Hello, a question about counterstrike, im search this topic, but today a friend of mine said that for used counterstrike your creature (Hydra) must guarding, because in page 29 of rules put that, but the trait in page 28 don´t say anything about put you creature on guard.


Told me who have reason , o knowledgemen!!!

[BoomFrog]

Your question is different than the original question but I will help out anyways. Guarding gives a creature counterstrike for but some rare creatures like the hydra have counterstrike all the time. A hydra can counterstrike every time it is attacked in melee. It doesn't need to guard. But it may choose to guard to get the other benefit of protecting an ally.

[Zuberi]

Exactly. Counterstrike does not require a creature to guard in order to function. Putting a creature on guard is simply a method in which you can give the creature the Counterstrike trait (for their quick action melee attacks).