Zendikar is supposed to gain +1/+1 “whenever you match 3 or more Red or Green gems.” However, if you make two matches at the same time, it only counts one. Here’s an example:
Swipe the middle two and he only gains +1/+1 instead of +2/+2.
WAI.
Though it’s two separate colors, you are still only matching 3 or more gems. However, if you have something like this…
…and match
first, allowing the 2
to drop, you’d have two separate matches.
This is the same for Zendikar’s Roil paired with a Animist’s Awakening super-cascade; I get multiple match-4
but it only produces the effect once unless the first multi-matches results in the gems sifting down into a secondary match-4
.
Yea this is how it works for all of those cards that have similar effects.
Simultaneous matches count as one.
otherwise they’d both be completely broken with Nissa’s top ability and animist awakening.
No idea that would work that way for other cards as well. Not sure how it’s broken but I guess as long as it’s consistent? I’ll just file this under “opposite of intuitive, normal game interactions” then.