Can a Creature Get Lifelink Twice?
Magic: The Gathering’s Lifelink ability is a staple of many creatures, allowing players to gain life when those creatures deal damage. But have you ever wondered what happens if a creature has multiple instances of Lifelink? Can it gain life twice? In this article, we’ll delve into the rules of Lifelink and explore the answers to this question.
Multiple Instances of Lifelink
According to the official Magic: The Gathering rules, Multiple instances of Lifelink on the same object are redundant. This means that if a creature has Lifelink on its own and also has Lifelink on a token or other object, the effect will only trigger once.
| Example | Result |
|---|---|
| Gruul Ragebeast (Lifelink) + Gruul Ragebeast Token (Lifelink) | The creature only gains life once when it deals damage. |
As you can see, even though the creature has multiple instances of Lifelink, the effect only triggers once. This is because the rules state that multiple instances of Lifelink are redundant.
Do Triggers Count as Lifelink?
Some abilities may trigger when a creature deals damage, such as a triggered ability that says "Whenever a creature you control deals damage, gain 2 life." In this case, does this ability count as Lifelink?
According to the rules, Lifelink is a static ability, not a triggered ability. This means that the triggered ability described above does not count as Lifelink and will trigger separately from the creature’s Lifelink ability.
| Example | Result |
|---|---|
| Vito, Thorn of Dusk (Lifelink) + Armadillo Cloak (Whenever a creature you control deals damage, gain 2 life) | Vito gains life once when it deals damage, and then the Armadillo Cloak ability triggers and gains 2 life separately. |
As you can see, the triggered ability does not replace the Lifelink ability, and the creature gains life twice: once from Lifelink and once from the triggered ability.
Can Lifelink Trigger on Combat Damage?
Combat damage is a special type of damage that occurs during the combat phase. Some creatures may have abilities that trigger when they deal combat damage, such as "Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage, gain 2 life." Does Lifelink trigger on combat damage?
According to the rules, Lifelink only triggers on damage dealt, not combat damage. This means that if a creature deals combat damage, Lifelink will not trigger unless the creature also deals damage in the sense of the rules.
| Example | Result |
|---|---|
| Gruul Ragebeast (Lifelink) vs. opponent’s creature | Gruul Ragebeast deals combat damage, but Lifelink does not trigger because the creature did not deal damage in the sense of the rules. |
As you can see, even though the creature dealt combat damage, Lifelink did not trigger because the damage was not "dealt" in the sense of the rules.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a creature can have multiple instances of Lifelink, but they will only trigger once. Triggered abilities that gain life will trigger separately from the creature’s Lifelink ability. Lifelink will only trigger on damage dealt, not combat damage. Understanding these rules will help you make the most of your creatures’ Lifelink abilities and gain an advantage over your opponents.
I hope this article has helped you understand the rules of Lifelink in Magic: The Gathering. Do you have any questions or concerns about Lifelink or other Magic: The Gathering rules? Let us know in the comments below!