Free MTG Life Counter
This is a free MTG life counter for Magic: The Gathering. Set it for 2, 3, or 4 players, pick your starting life, and track everyone's life total from one screen — plus commander damage and poison, the other two ways to lose a game. There is nothing to install and no account to create; your game is saved in your browser, so a reload will not wipe the scores.
The panels rotate to face each side of the table, so you can lay a phone or tablet in the middle of the playgroup and every player can read their own total the right way up.
How to Use the MTG Life Counter
1. Pick Players and Starting Life
Choose 2, 3, or 4 players at the top. Then pick the starting life for your format: 20 for Standard and other 1v1 constructed games, 40 for Commander (EDH), or 30 for Two-Headed Giant. The counter sets everyone's life for you.
2. Change Life Totals
Tap the top half of a player's panel to add life, and the bottom half to subtract. Turn on the ±5 toggle to change by five at a time for big swings, or tap the life number itself to type an exact value. Tap a player's name to rename them.
3. Track Commander Damage
Open the ⚔ commander-damage tray on a panel to record how much combat damage that player has taken from each opponent's commander. If a single commander deals 21 or more, that player loses — the counter marks them as defeated automatically.
4. Track Poison
Open the ☠ poison tray to add or remove poison counters. A player with 10 or more poison counters loses the game, and the counter flags them at ten.
5. Roll for First Player and Reset
Press 🎲 First to randomly pick who takes the first turn. When the game ends, press ⟳ Reset to set everyone back to the starting life and clear all damage and poison.
MTG Starting Life Totals by Format
| Format | Players | Starting life |
|---|---|---|
| Standard / Modern / 1v1 constructed | 2 | 20 |
| Commander (EDH) | 3–4 (pod) | 40 |
| Two-Headed Giant | 2 v 2 | 30 per team |
| Brawl (1v1 / multiplayer) | 2 / 3+ | 25 / 30 |
The Three Ways to Lose in Magic
A good life counter tracks more than life, because Magic has three common ways a player can be knocked out, and this tool watches all of them:
- Life reaches 0. The most common loss — run out of life and you are out.
- 21 commander damage. In Commander, taking 21 or more combat damage from a single opposing commander loses you the game, even if your life total is still high. That is why commander damage is tracked per opponent.
- 10 poison counters. Infect and toxic decks win by poison; ten counters and you lose, no matter your life.
Why Use an Online MTG Life Counter?
Spinning-down dice fall off the table, get bumped, and only go one way. An online life counter keeps a clean record for the whole pod, counts up and down, and adds the trackers paper and dice cannot:
- Nothing to install. It runs in the browser you already have.
- Made for the table. Panels face each player, so nobody has to read upside down.
- Tracks the win conditions. Life, commander damage, and poison in one place.
- Free and private. No sign-up, and your game is saved on your device.
MTG Life Counter vs. Other Counters
This tool is tuned for Magic. For a simpler two-side tally, the score counter works for any game with two teams. To just count clicks or taps, use the click counter, and to keep several independent counts of anything, the main online counter lets you create and name as many as you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
What life total should I start with in MTG?
Standard and other 1v1 constructed games start at 20 life. Commander (EDH) starts at 40. Two-Headed Giant starts at 30 per team. Pick the matching preset and the counter sets everyone's life for you.
How does the counter track commander damage?
Open the commander-damage tray on a player's panel and record the combat damage taken from each opponent's commander. At 21 or more from a single commander, that player is marked defeated.
How many poison counters lose the game?
Ten. A player with 10 or more poison counters loses. Use the poison tray on each panel to add or remove poison; the counter flags the player at ten.
Can I use it for 2, 3, or 4 players?
Yes. Choose 2, 3, or 4 players at the top and the panels rearrange to face each side of the table.
How do I change a life total?
Tap the top half of a panel to add life and the bottom half to subtract. Turn on the ±5 toggle to change by five, or tap the number to type an exact value.
Is the MTG life counter free?
Yes — completely free, with no sign-up, no download, and no ads. Your game is saved in your browser.