Start your engines! gives you speed 1; it rises by one at most once per turn when an opponent loses life during your turn, up to 4.
The rule
Speed is a number every player can have, but it is not a counter: it is a trait of the player (CR 702.179b). A player gets speed 1 the moment they control a permanent with Start your engines! and have no speed yet (CR 702.179a, CR 704.5z).
Once during each of your turns, when an opponent loses life, your speed goes up by one, as long as it is below 4 (CR 702.179d). Any life loss counts, not only combat damage.
4 is the maximum (CR 702.179e). Abilities marked max speed work once you are at 4 (CR 702.178). Speed never goes down by itself.
In Life Counter
Speed is a coin from 0 to 4. It only counts up; at 4 it stops, and the board refuses to lower it. If you tapped by mistake, undo fixes it.
Keep track at the table
Life Counter counts all of this for you. Free, no ads, no account.
