Can You Have Two Legendary Creatures? Unveiling the Legend Rule in Magic: The Gathering
The short answer is: no, you generally cannot control two legendary creatures with the same name simultaneously on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering (MTG). This core rule, known as the legend rule, has been a staple of the game for a long time and plays a crucial role in how legendary cards function. While the game might have exceptions to the rule, and some clever workarounds, the core rule remains firmly in place in most scenarios. Let’s delve deeper into this concept, exploring the nuances and exceptions surrounding the interaction with legendary creatures.
The Core of the Legend Rule
The legend rule is a state-based action. This means that it is automatically checked every time the game attempts to move to a step, phase, or when a player would get priority. When the game sees that a player controls two or more legendary permanents (which includes creatures, artifacts, enchantments, planeswalkers, and lands) with the exact same name, that player must choose one of those permanents and put the rest into their owner’s graveyards. This process occurs immediately and does not use the stack. This has very significant impacts to how triggers can resolve.
Why the Legend Rule Exists
The legend rule exists primarily to limit the dominance of certain powerful legendary cards. If players could have multiple copies of the same powerful legendary creature, it would lead to incredibly unbalanced gameplay scenarios. It promotes a single, unique identity for each legendary character, emphasizing their individual power and contribution to the game, and requires players to consider other strategic options.
How the Legend Rule Works in Practice
Imagine you have a “Gisela, Blade of Goldnight” on the battlefield. If you manage to get a second “Gisela, Blade of Goldnight” onto the battlefield (perhaps through a copy effect), the game immediately sees the violation of the legend rule. Before any ability can trigger from the second Gisela entering, the game will require you to sacrifice one of them. You get to choose which Gisela you want to keep, with the other going to your graveyard. The key thing to remember is this happens before any “enters the battlefield” abilities (ETB) can resolve.
Interaction with ETB Triggers
Because the legend rule is a state-based action and not a triggered effect, it resolves before any ETB abilities. In the Gisela example, even though the second Gisela would normally trigger its ability when it enters the battlefield, the legend rule will remove her from the field first. This means the ability will not activate.
This sequence is important to keep in mind:
- The second legendary permanent enters the battlefield.
- The state-based actions are checked. The legend rule requires you to sacrifice one.
- The ETB trigger of the second permanent is put on the stack and resolves.
- You choose one, and the other is put into their owner’s Graveyard.
Dies Triggers
Although the legend rule prevents ETB triggers of the second legendary from resolving, it will also trigger “dies” triggers. If a creature has a dies trigger, and a second copy of that creature enters the battlefield, the game will force you to sacrifice one. The one you sacrifice will trigger their “dies” trigger.
Exceptions to the Legend Rule
While the legend rule is a strict guideline, some cards allow players to circumvent it, at least partially.
Cards That Ignore the Legend Rule
Certain cards explicitly state that they ignore the legend rule. Some of these include:
- Mirror Gallery: This enchantment allows you to have multiple legendary permanents with the same name.
- Mirror Box: Similar to Mirror Gallery, this artifact also ignores the legend rule.
- Sakashima of a Thousand Faces: This legendary creature can enter as a copy of another creature, but specifically cancels out the legend rule for itself and tokens of the same name.
- Cadric, Soul Kindler and The Master, Multiplied: These allow you to ignore the legend rule for tokens you control.
- Sliver Gravemother cancels the rule for Slivers you control.
Copy Effects and Name Changes
Some cards can copy other legendary creatures and alter their names. For example:
- Sakashima the Impostor, Lazav, Dimir Mastermind, and Lazav, the Multifarious are legendary creatures that can copy another creature, but they retain their own name. This means they can exist alongside the original creature they have copied.
- Olag, Ludevic’s Hubris and Sarkhan, Soul Aflame can copy another legendary creature, but they keep their names, meaning a player can have two legendary creatures with the same functionality.
These examples can lead to interesting and complex game states where you have multiple creatures effectively sharing the same abilities, while not technically being affected by the legend rule.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 FAQs related to the Legend Rule and legendary creatures to further clarify some common queries:
1. Can I have multiple copies of a legendary creature in my deck?
Yes, you can have up to four copies of any legendary creature in your deck (with the exception of Commander/EDH format, where you can only have one). This limit only applies to deckbuilding, not the battlefield.
2. Does the legend rule apply to tokens?
Yes, the legend rule applies to legendary creature tokens, just as it does to regular legendary creature cards. If you have two legendary tokens with the same name, you’ll have to sacrifice one.
3. Does the legend rule apply before “enters the battlefield” triggers?
Yes, the legend rule is a state-based action that is checked before any triggered abilities, including ETB triggers, can resolve. This is why you cannot get the ETB trigger when two legends of the same name are on the battlefield.
4. Can I have two planeswalkers with the same name?
No, you cannot control two planeswalkers with the exact same name on the battlefield simultaneously. However, you can have planeswalkers with the same subtype (e.g., two different versions of Garruk) if their names are different.
5. Are all planeswalkers legendary?
Yes, all planeswalkers have the supertype “legendary” and are subject to the legend rule.
6. Can I populate a legendary creature?
Yes, you can populate a legendary creature token. However, the legend rule will still apply to the original and the copy. Thus you would sacrifice one of them.
7. Can I mutate a legendary creature?
Yes, you can mutate a creature onto a legendary creature. The creature will have the name and abilities of the original mutated creature, not the legendary it is mutated under. This means that if you mutate on top of a legendary creature, you can cast it again (if you have another copy in your hand) without it being affected by the legend rule.
8. What happens if I control multiple artifacts with the same name?
Under normal circumstances, you can have multiple artifacts with the same name, but it can lead to some interesting and unique situations. For instance, there are some cards like [[The Master, Multiplied]] that may allow you to win the game based on the number of creatures you have with the same name as each other.
9. Do artifacts have summoning sickness?
No, artifacts do not have summoning sickness unless they are also creatures. Summoning sickness only affects creatures.
10. What is the Commander (EDH) rule on legendary creatures?
In Commander, you can only have one copy of any card, except basic lands. You may still run multiple legendary creatures in your deck, but can only have one on the battlefield at a time.
11. Can a legendary planeswalker be my commander?
Yes, some planeswalkers have the specific text “[CARDNAME] can be your commander,” allowing them to serve as your commander.
12. How many planeswalkers can I have in a deck?
You can have up to four copies of each unique planeswalker card in your deck. There is no limit on how many types of planeswalker you can have.
13. What happens if I have more than 7 cards in my hand at the end of my turn?
You must discard cards down to seven during the cleanup step of your turn.
14. How does the legend rule work with Mirror Box?
Mirror Box, like Mirror Gallery, removes the legend rule. This means you can have as many legendary permanents with the same name as you can get on the battlefield at any one time.
15. Does the legend rule apply in two-headed giant?
Yes, the legend rule applies in the Two-Headed Giant format. However, because the format is played as a team, you can have a teammate control a legendary with the same name as one of yours.
Conclusion
Understanding the legend rule is fundamental to playing Magic: The Gathering effectively. While at first it may seem complex, remembering the core rule that you cannot control multiple legendary permanents with the same name, and what causes the sacrifice to occur, is very important for planning any strategy. Whether you’re building a new deck or figuring out how to respond to your opponent, the legend rule will often influence your decisions, and its understanding is crucial to victory. By taking these nuances into account you will be able to craft more efficient game strategies and avoid unnecessary mistakes.