Can You Sacrifice a Legendary Creature? A Comprehensive Guide to Legendary Permanents in Magic: The Gathering

Yes, you absolutely can sacrifice a legendary creature. The legendary supertype does not prevent you from sacrificing a creature. You can sacrifice it for a cost, in response to a spell or ability, or because of the Legend Rule. Understanding how legendary permanents interact with the rules of Magic: The Gathering is crucial for strategic gameplay.

The Legend Rule: What It Is and How It Works

The Legend Rule is a state-based action in Magic: The Gathering that governs legendary permanents. Its primary purpose is to prevent players from having multiple legendary permanents with the same name on the battlefield simultaneously under their control.

How the Legend Rule Works in Practice

Here’s a breakdown of how the Legend Rule functions:

1. Duplicate Names: If a player controls two or more legendary permanents with the exact same name, the Legend Rule triggers.

2. Choice and Sacrifice: The player must then choose one of those legendary permanents to keep.

3. Graveyard Bound: All other legendary permanents with the same name are immediately put into their owners’ graveyards. This doesn’t count as being destroyed, or as a sacrifice, but as dying.

Key Considerations Regarding the Legend Rule

• State-Based Action: The Legend Rule is a state-based action, meaning it’s automatically checked and enforced by the game rules at specific times. This process is constantly occurring and if two of the same legendary permanents are out, it is automatically checked. Players cannot respond to state-based actions.

• Ownership Matters: The Legend Rule only applies when a single player controls multiple legendary permanents with the same name. If you control a legendary creature and your opponent controls another with the same name, the rule does not apply.

• Exact Name Matching: The Legend Rule is triggered by the exact name of the legendary permanent. Therefore, two differently named cards, even if they are related characters, can exist simultaneously.

• Not a Sacrifice: Crucially, when a legendary permanent is put into the graveyard due to the Legend Rule, this is considered its dying, but it is not a sacrifice. However, it does trigger abilities that trigger when a creature dies.

Sacrificing Legendary Creatures for Fun and Profit

While the Legend Rule might seem like a restriction, legendary creatures can also be strategically sacrificed for various effects.

Why Sacrifice a Legendary Creature?

• Combos and Synergies: Sacrificing a legendary creature can activate powerful abilities that trigger upon a creature’s death. Certain cards and strategies revolve around sacrificing creatures for value.

• Dodging Removal: Sacrificing a legendary creature in response to an opponent’s removal spell can prevent them from exiling it or gaining other benefits from its destruction.

• Political Maneuvering (in Multiplayer): In games of Commander, sacrificing a legendary creature to another player’s benefit can be a strategic move to form alliances or disrupt opponents.

Examples of Sacrifice Synergies

• Grave Pact: This enchantment causes opponents to sacrifice a creature whenever you sacrifice one of your own, including your legendary creatures.

• Blood Artist: This creature deals damage to your opponents and gains you life whenever a creature dies, regardless of who controlled it. Sacrificing your legendary creature triggers this ability.

• Yawgmoth, Thran Physician: This card allows you to sacrifice creatures to put -1/-1 counters on other creatures and draw cards.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Legendary Creatures and Sacrifice

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about legendary creatures and sacrifice in Magic: The Gathering to help you understand the nuances of these rules.

1. Does the Legend Rule count as sacrificing?

No, the Legend Rule does not count as sacrificing. It simply is dying/being put into the graveyard. This is a very key differentiation in the game.

2. Can I sacrifice a legendary token?

Yes, you can sacrifice a legendary token just like any other permanent you control, as long as the conditions for sacrifice are met (e.g., paying a cost).

3. What happens if I clone a legendary creature?

If you copy your own legendary creature, the Legend Rule will trigger as soon as the copy enters the battlefield. You’ll have to choose one to keep, and the other will be sent to the graveyard. If you copy your opponent’s legendary creature, everything is fine, as you are not both controlling a legendary creature with the same name.

4. Can I sacrifice a legendary creature in response to the Legend Rule?

No, you cannot. The Legend Rule is a state-based action, and players cannot respond to state-based actions. The choice and discarding of the legendary is automatic when checked by the game.

5. Can I have multiple copies of a legendary creature in my deck?

Yes, you can have up to four copies of a legendary creature in your deck in most constructed formats (Standard, Modern, Legacy, Vintage). The restriction only applies to the battlefield, not your deck.

6. If I sacrifice my legendary creature, does it still trigger “dies” abilities?

Yes, sacrificing a legendary creature will trigger any abilities that trigger when a creature dies.

7. Does the Legend Rule trigger death triggers?

Yes, because the legendary permanents are put into the graveyard by the Legend Rule, abilities that trigger when a creature dies will still trigger.

8. Can Spark Double copy a legendary creature?

Spark Double can copy a legendary creature. However, Spark Double will normally not be legendary in this case, and this exception is copiable.

9. What happens if my opponent takes control of my legendary creature, and then I play another one with the same name?

The Legend Rule applies to the player who controls both legendary creatures. The opponent will have to choose which one to keep, and one will be sacrificed.

10. Are all planeswalkers legendary?

Yes, all planeswalkers have the legendary supertype, and are subject to the Legend Rule.

11. Can I sacrifice before the Legend Rule?

No, you cannot take any other action before the Legend Rule takes effect. This is because it is a state-based action. As you play, the game is constantly checking for state-based action and it is always the priority.

12. What happens if I have two planeswalkers with the same name but different subtypes?

The Legend Rule applies to planeswalkers with the exact same name, but does not differentiate between the subtypes of the planeswalker.

13. Can I play two planeswalkers with the same name?

Yes, you are only prohibited from having two planeswalkers with the exact same name. You can have a Garruk, Unleashed, and a Garruk, Cursed Huntsman out at the same time.

14. Can any legendary creature have a background?

“Choose a Background” only appears on monocolored legendary creatures. By choosing a Background, they can be customized to be your Commander.

15. What happens if I copy Spark Double?

After the change, copying the Vanilla Spark Double a second time will erase all previous counters. If another copy effect is applied to that object after applying the copy effect with that exception, the exception’s effect doesn’t happen.

Mastering Legendary Creatures

Understanding the Legend Rule and how it interacts with sacrifice is a vital aspect of strategic play in Magic: The Gathering. By knowing when and how to use your legendary permanents, you can gain a significant advantage over your opponents. Whether you’re sacrificing them for value, building powerful combos, or navigating the complexities of multiplayer politics, mastering legendary creatures will undoubtedly enhance your Magic experience.

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