Elspeth Resplendent
+1: Choose up to one target creature. Put a +1/+1 counter and a counter from among flying, first strike, lifelink, or vigilance on it.
−3: Look at the top seven cards of your library. You may put a permanent card with mana value 3 or less from among them onto the battlefield with a shield counter on it. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
−7: Create five 3/3 white Angel creature tokens with flying.
Illustrated by Anna Steinbauer
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Removing a shield counter in this way isn't the same as regenerating a creature.
If a permanent that would be dealt damage has more than one shield counter on it, that damage is prevented and only one shield counter is removed.
A creature with a shield counter on it may still be destroyed by state-based actions if it has damage marked on it equal to its toughness or has been dealt unpreventable damage by a source with deathtouch.
Shield counters don't prevent players from sacrificing creatures.
If a permanent with a shield counter is dealt unpreventable damage, that damage will be dealt and a shield counter will still be removed.
For Elspeth's first ability, its controller chooses flying, first strike, lifelink, or vigilance, then that counter and the +1/+1 counter are placed on the target creature at the same time.
“Shield” is not an ability that creatures have and shield counters are not keyword counters. If a creature with a shield counter loses its abilities, the shield counter will still protect it as normal.
