Hi!

Note, this is a hypothetical question as there has not been printed such a card (as far as I know).

"Bestowless Nighthowler"
CMC: 3
Types: Enchantment Creature — Horror
Card Text: Bestowless Nighthowler gets +X/+X, where X is the number of creature cards in all graveyards.
P/T: 0/0

I would like to know, is this static ability considered as a characteristic-defining one? Or is Bestowless Nighthowler's P/T equal to 0/0 when it dwells in an other zone than battlefield.

The CR reads:

604.3. Some static abilities are characteristic-defining abilities. A characteristic-defining ability conveys information about an object’s characteristics that would normally be found elsewhere on that object (such as in its mana cost, type line, or power/toughness box). Characteristic-defining abilities function in all zones. They also function outside the game.

604.3a A static ability is a characteristic-defining ability if it meets the following criteria: (1) It defines an object’s colors, subtypes, power, or toughness; (2) it is printed on the card it affects, it was granted to the token it affects by the effect that created the token, or it was acquired by the object it affects as the result of a copy effect or text-changing effect; (3) it does not directly affect the characteristics of any other objects; (4) it is not an ability that an object grants to itself; and (5) it does not set the values of such characteristics only if certain conditions are met.

My understanding of 604.3 tells me that, eventhough the Bestowless Nighthowler would pass the point (3) , it does not pass (1).

Or what is the true meaning of the term “to define power or toughness”? Does it mean just “to set P/T to a particular value” or does it also mean “tp modify the P/T value printed on the card”?

I hope that you get the meaning :-)

Thanks,

Milan Majercik