Does Legend Rule Count as Dying?
The legend rule is a crucial aspect of Magic: The Gathering, governing how legendary creatures interact with the game state. One of the most common questions that arises is whether the legend rule counts as dying. In this article, we will delve into the nuances of the legend rule and provide a comprehensive answer to this question.
Direct Answer:
Yes, the legend rule counts as dying. When a legendary creature is sacrificed, its abilities are triggered, including any death triggers. This means that if a creature with a death trigger, such as Yosei the Morning Star, is sacrificed, the death trigger will be activated.
What is the Legend Rule?
The legend rule is a game state-based action that prevents multiple copies of a legendary permanent with the same name from existing under the same player’s control. This rule applies to all legendary permanents, including creatures, planeswalkers, and artifacts. Legendary is not a card type, but rather a supertype. This distinction is important when understanding how the legend rule interacts with other game elements.
How Does the Legend Rule Interact with Death Triggers?
When a legendary creature is sacrificed, it moves from the battlefield to the graveyard. This movement constitutes a "dying" effect, which triggers death abilities on the creature. In the case of a legendary creature with a death trigger, such as Yosei the Morning Star, the death trigger is activated as the creature dies.
Example: Yosei the Morning Star
Suppose you control a Yosei the Morning Star and sacrifice it as a sacrifice to Soulcage Fiend. The death trigger on Yosei the Morning Star is triggered, preventing any player from untapping.
Other Examples:
- If you sacrifice a legendary creature with a death trigger, such as Nefaria, Death Shawl, the death trigger is triggered, allowing you to create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token.
- If you sacrifice a legendary planeswalker with a death trigger, such as Garruk Wildspeaker, the death trigger is triggered, allowing you to draw a card and add a +1/+1 counter to Garruk.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the legend rule does count as dying, triggering death abilities and other effects on legendary creatures and planeswalkers. This is an important aspect of game strategy, as players must carefully consider the legend rule when constructing their decks and making plays.
Key Points:
- The legend rule counts as dying, triggering death abilities and other effects.
- Legendary is a supertype, not a card type.
- When a legendary creature is sacrificed, its abilities are triggered, including any death triggers.
- Death triggers on legendary creatures and planeswalkers are activated when the creature dies.
References:
- Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules (PDF)
- Magic: The Gathering Official FAQ
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