Undercover Operative
You may have this creature enter as a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it enters with a shield counter on it if you control that creature. (If it would be dealt damage or destroyed, remove a shield counter from it instead.)
Illustrated by Tyler Walpole
This printing
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Shield counters don't prevent players from sacrificing creatures.
Removing a shield counter in this way isn't the same as regenerating a creature.
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” 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.
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.
If a permanent with a shield counter is dealt unpreventable damage, that damage will be dealt and a shield counter will still be removed.
