The Legendary Showdown: Can You Control Duplicate Legendary Creatures in Magic?
The short answer is: no, not in the traditional sense. The Legend Rule in Magic: The Gathering prevents you from controlling two or more legendary permanents with the exact same name on the battlefield simultaneously. But like most things in Magic, there are nuances and exceptions that make the game endlessly fascinating.
Understanding the Legend Rule
The Legend Rule is a state-based action. This means it’s a rule that the game constantly checks and enforces. The moment you control two legendary permanents with the same name, the game forces you to choose one to keep. The rest are immediately put into their owner’s graveyards. This happens before anyone can respond with spells or abilities. It doesn’t use the stack, meaning it can’t be countered or otherwise interacted with.
This rule is a core part of Magic’s design, intended to balance powerful legendary permanents. Imagine a world where you could have four copies of a game-breaking legendary creature! Chaos would ensue. It’s a vital component of the strategy and resource management that makes Magic so compelling.
What Triggers the Legend Rule?
The Legend Rule only cares about the card’s name. If you control two cards with the same name and the legendary supertype, the rule kicks in. It does not consider:
- Subtypes: For example, two different legendary Elves are perfectly fine.
- Color: Color identity is irrelevant for the Legend Rule.
- Set: It doesn’t matter which set the card is from; only the name matters.
This means that Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger and Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre can coexist on the battlefield under your control, despite both being “Ulamog” in the lore. This is because they have different card names.
Circumventing the Legend Rule: Bending the Rules
While the Legend Rule is strict, Magic is a game of exceptions. There are ways to bend or bypass the rule, usually involving clever card combinations or specific abilities.
1. Copies with Different Names
Some cards create copies of creatures but change the copy’s name. A classic example is Lazav, Dimir Mastermind. Lazav becomes a copy of a creature in an opponent’s graveyard. If that creature is legendary, Lazav copies it, but since Lazav’s name is still Lazav, the Legend Rule isn’t triggered, even if the original legendary creature is on the battlefield under your control.
2. Removing the Legendary Supertype
Some cards can temporarily or permanently remove the legendary supertype from a permanent. If a card loses its legendary status, the Legend Rule no longer applies. Cards like Helm of the Host can create non-legendary token copies of your legendary creatures, effectively circumventing the rule.
3. Cards that Ignore the Legend Rule
Certain cards explicitly state that the Legend Rule doesn’t apply to them or to permanents under your control. These cards are rare but powerful, allowing you to create multiples of otherwise unique legendary permanents. As the card says that the Legend Rule does not apply, the rule is no longer a state based action.
4. Mutate Shenanigans
The Mutate mechanic, introduced in Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, offers an interesting interaction. If you mutate a non-legendary creature onto a legendary creature, the resulting creature keeps the name and types of the top creature. If you mutate a creature onto a legendary creature, you can cast another copy, but it is not a good idea.
5. Clone Effects
When you cast a card like Clone targeting a Legendary creature, the Clone enters the battlefield as a copy of it. If you already control the original, the Legend Rule immediately triggers. You must choose one to keep, and the other goes to the graveyard. This is often used to trigger “dies” effects or to remove an opponent’s legendary creature.
Strategic Implications of the Legend Rule
The Legend Rule impacts deckbuilding and gameplay strategy. It forces players to consider:
- Opportunity Cost: Is running multiple copies of a legendary card worth the risk of having them stranded in your hand or being forced to sacrifice one to the Legend Rule?
- Synergy: Are there ways to mitigate the downsides of the Legend Rule, such as using the sacrifice to trigger other effects or creating copies with different names?
- Board State Awareness: Constantly monitoring the battlefield for potential Legend Rule conflicts is crucial to avoid self-sabotage.
The nuances of the Legend Rule add depth and complexity to Magic, demanding both careful planning and quick thinking.
FAQs: Diving Deeper into the Legendary
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the Legend Rule and its intricacies:
1. Does the Legend Rule use the stack?
No, the Legend Rule is a state-based action and doesn’t use the stack. It’s checked and resolved before anyone can respond with instants or abilities.
2. What happens if I and an opponent control the same legendary creature?
The Legend Rule only applies if you control multiple legendary permanents with the same name. If you and an opponent each control a separate legendary creature with the same name, nothing happens. Each player controls their own copy without triggering the rule.
3. Can I respond when my opponent plays a legendary creature that shares a name with one I control?
No. The Legend Rule is checked as a state-based action the moment the second legendary permanent enters the battlefield. There is no window to respond before the Legend Rule is applied.
4. If I have two identical legendary creatures, can I sacrifice one to trigger an ability before choosing which to keep with the Legend Rule?
Yes. State-based actions are checked and resolved before players receive priority. Sacrificing one to pay a cost is valid.
5. Does the Legend Rule apply to tokens?
Yes, the Legend Rule applies to legendary tokens just as it does to any other legendary permanent.
6. Can I have two different versions of the same planeswalker card in play?
No, this is the planeswalker uniqueness rule, which is similar to the Legend Rule but specific to planeswalkers. You cannot control two planeswalkers with the same subtype (e.g., two different Jaces).
7. What happens if a legendary creature with Myriad attacks?
The myriad ability creates token copies that enter the battlefield attacking. Because the tokens are copies of a Legendary creature, they are exiled at the end of combat.
8. If I control a creature that says the Legend Rule doesn’t apply to creatures I control, can I have multiple legendary creatures with the same name?
Yes. If a card explicitly states that the Legend Rule doesn’t apply, you can ignore it for those permanents.
9. What if I clone a legendary creature that is also a planeswalker? Do both the Legend Rule and planeswalker uniqueness rule apply?
Yes. Both rules apply. You’d have to get rid of one of the legendary creatures.
10. Can my commander trigger the legend rule?
Yes. If you cast your commander and already control another legendary permanent with the same name, the Legend Rule applies.
11. Does the legend rule apply to legendary lands?
Yes. The Legend Rule applies to any permanent with the legendary supertype, including lands. Controlling two copies of a legendary land will force you to sacrifice one.
12. If a card turns into a copy of a legendary creature, does it trigger the Legend Rule?
Yes, if the card turning into a copy becomes a legendary permanent with the same name as one you already control, it triggers the Legend Rule.
13. Can I blink a legendary creature to avoid the Legend Rule?
No. The Legend Rule is a state-based action. It gets checked and resolved before any ETB triggers.
14. Does the Legend Rule apply to creatures that gain the legendary supertype?
Yes. If a non-legendary creature gains the legendary supertype and shares a name with another legendary permanent you control, the Legend Rule applies.
15. Where can I learn more about Magic: The Gathering rules and strategy?
There are many resources available online, including the official Magic: The Gathering website and various community forums and websites. You can also learn about the educational value of games like Magic through organizations like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org, which explores the intersection of games and learning.
The Legend Rule, while seemingly straightforward, is a crucial element of Magic: The Gathering. Mastering its nuances can give you a significant edge in gameplay and deckbuilding. Understanding the rule and how to work with it can help you master the game.