Demerit

Demerit is a term given to the abilities that are detrimental to you.

Details

It is the opposite of merit.

However, there are cases where they are not disadvantageous to you, or can be changed to be an advantage.

Creatures with these demerits are often creatures that have blocker, but have a higher cost to power ratio than other cards.

Some cards can be difficult to classify as having a demerit ability, as some can be used in a positive way instead.

This card has a Come Into Play ability that is a demerit of returning a card from your mana zone to your hand. However, it can be treated as an advantage by returning cards that have been put into your mana zone by Mana Acceleration, or high cost cards put in the earlier turns before they could be played.

Cards that discard cards from your own hand can work well with cards that return cards from your graveyard, or others that can reanimate them. Cards that destroy your own creatures work with cards that have a Put Into Graveyard ability. The term of Demerit only refers to mandatory effects.

Even the evolution ability can be seen as a demerit, requiring another creature in the battle zone to be played. However, it provides its unique merit by allowing the creature to attack immediately.

As some cards have optional abilities that don't have to be used, they aren't often classified as a demerit.

Examples of Demerit abilities

• "This creature can't attack."
• "This creature can't block ____."
• "This creature attacks if able."
• "This creature blocks if able."
• Self Removal (such as "When you put this creature into the battle zone, destroy one of your creatures".)
• Reverse Slayer (When this creature loses a battle, destroy the other creature.)
• Exile Creatures that prevent other creatures with the same name from being played.
• Forbidden cards that seal themselves.
• Alternate Loss Condition

Abilities that can be Demerits and Merits

• Shield Recovery
• Mana Recovery
• Graveyard Fertilizer