Can I Respond to the Legendary Rule?

The short, decisive answer is no, you cannot respond to the legendary rule. This is because the legendary rule is what’s known as a state-based action. State-based actions are automated game mechanics that the game checks constantly, and they happen immediately, without any chance for player interaction. Unlike spells or activated abilities, which use the stack and allow for responses, state-based actions happen automatically as soon as the conditions are met. This crucial difference means that once you control multiple legendary permanents with the same name, the legendary rule takes effect immediately, and you can’t use any spells, abilities, or anything else to change it.

Understanding State-Based Actions

To understand why you can’t respond to the legendary rule, it’s important to grasp the concept of state-based actions. These are rules within the Magic: The Gathering game that are checked and enforced whenever a player would receive priority. This means that even if a state-based action seems to happen in the middle of a sequence of actions, it’s technically occurring between opportunities for player interaction.

Here’s why that’s important: When a spell or ability resolves, the game doesn’t just immediately move to the next action. Instead, the game pauses, checks for any state-based actions that need to be taken, and only then does it offer priority to players again. Since state-based actions, like the legendary rule, are checked before priority is passed, no one can react to them. They happen instantaneously, almost as if they’re part of the fabric of the game’s rules themselves.

The Mechanics of the Legendary Rule

The legendary rule states that if you control two or more legendary permanents with the same name, you must choose one to keep, and the rest are put into their owner’s graveyards. This rule applies to all legendary permanents – creatures, artifacts, enchantments, planeswalkers, and lands.

The key thing to remember is the “same name” part. Two different legendary permanents with different names can exist under your control simultaneously. For example, you could control “Jace, the Mind Sculptor” and “Jace Beleren” without any problem. However, if you somehow control two “Jace, the Mind Sculptor” the legendary rule would kick in and you’d have to sacrifice one. The timing of when two copies enter the battlefield doesn’t matter. As soon as the game checks for the state-based actions it will be applied.

Why No Response is Allowed

The inability to respond to the legendary rule is a deliberate design choice by the game’s creators. It’s in place to prevent overly convoluted situations and powerful combinations that would make the game unbalanced. Imagine being able to save a second legendary creature with a spell each time it comes into play, or use a card like “Stifle” to stop the legend rule from occurring. This would drastically change the game’s dynamics and create broken loops and unfair game states. The fact that it is a state-based action is to prevent exactly this kind of interaction.

The automated nature of state-based actions ensures that the legendary rule operates as a fundamental, consistent part of the game. Players cannot manipulate or bypass its immediate effect with spells or other abilities. This also prevents players from exploiting scenarios with double or triple legendary creatures on the field, and from having multiple planeswalkers of the same name at a single time which would be overpowered.

FAQs: The Legendary Rule Deep Dive

Here are some frequently asked questions about the legendary rule, to help clarify its intricacies:

What Happens if You Copy a Legendary Creature?

When a spell or ability copies a legendary creature, and you control a legendary permanent with the same name, the legendary rule applies. After the copy enters the battlefield, you will immediately have two legendary permanents with the same name under your control. You must choose one to keep, and the other is put into your graveyard as a state-based action. The process happens before you have the chance to take any other action.

Does the Legendary Rule Apply to Creature Tokens?

The legendary rule does apply to legendary creature tokens if they have the same name as other legendary creatures you control. However, certain cards like Cadric, Soul Kindler and The Master, Multiplied specifically bypass the legendary rule for tokens they create. It’s important to note that creature tokens are not exempt by default.

Can I Tap a Creature Before the Legendary Rule Takes Effect?

No, you cannot tap a creature or take any other actions before the legendary rule takes effect. Because it’s a state-based action, it’s checked and enforced before any player has a chance to take actions or activate abilities. When you try to tap two legendary copies, the rule will immediately kick in, and you’ll have to sacrifice one.

Does the Legendary Rule Trigger Death Triggers?

Yes, the legendary rule can trigger “when a creature dies” triggers. When a legendary permanent is put into the graveyard due to the legendary rule, it is considered to have “died” for the purposes of triggers and effects. Therefore, cards with death triggers or anything that triggers off a creature going to the graveyard will trigger because of the legendary rule.

Does the Legendary Rule Count as a Sacrifice?

No, the legendary rule is not considered a sacrifice. Although the end result of sending one of your legendaries to the graveyard is similar to a sacrifice, the rule itself is not categorized as one. This can be important when considering cards that are affected by sacrifices.

Does the Legendary Rule Apply to Planeswalkers?

Yes, the legendary rule applies to planeswalkers. All planeswalker cards are legendary, and if you control two or more planeswalkers with the same name, the rule applies and you must sacrifice all except one. However, you can control multiple planeswalkers that have the same subtype as long as they do not have the same name. For example, you can control one Jace and one Gideon at the same time.

What Cards Ignore the Legendary Rule?

There are a few cards that bypass the legendary rule. These are:

• Mirror Gallery: Removes the legendary rule completely.
• Mirror Box: Removes the legendary rule completely.
• Sakashima of a Thousand Faces: Ignores the legendary rule for itself.
• Cadric, Soul Kindler & The Master, Multiplied: Bypass the rule for tokens you control.
• Sliver Gravemother: Cancels the rule for Slivers you control.

Does the Legendary Rule Apply to Opponents?

The legendary rule only affects players who are trying to control multiple legendary permanents with the same name. The rule does not apply to your opponents, so you can have legendary copies in your graveyard while your opponents have their copies on the battlefield, because you are not controlling them.

Can You Have Multiple of the Same Legendary Creature in a Deck?

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

Does the Legendary Rule Apply Before ETB Triggers?

Yes, the legendary rule applies before “enter the battlefield” (ETB) triggers because it is a state-based action. When you play a second legendary creature with the same name, the legend rule will cause you to choose the one to keep before any ETB triggers go onto the stack. This can be particularly important if you are trying to double up on ETB abilities.

Is the Legendary Rule a State-Based Action?

Yes, the legendary rule is a state-based action. This means it is checked and enforced automatically by the game, without the possibility of player intervention. It’s a core part of the game’s rules infrastructure.

Can You Have Two Different Jaces Out at the Same Time?

Yes, you can have two different Jace planeswalkers on the field simultaneously as long as their names are different, for example “Jace Beleren” and “Jace, the Mind Sculptor”. The name is the identifier that triggers the rule, and the subtype is only important for planeswalkers, and they can have different names.

Does the Legendary Rule Apply to Artifacts?

Yes, the legendary rule applies to legendary artifacts as well as all other legendary permanents, such as legendary creatures, legendary enchantments, legendary planeswalkers, and legendary lands. Any permanent with the supertype “legendary” is subject to the rule.

Does the Legendary Rule Stop ETBs?

No, the legendary rule does not stop ETB effects, but it will be resolved first. The order is important: the legendary rule is applied, one of the cards is sent to the graveyard, and then the ETB triggers are put onto the stack. This happens before any player has a chance to respond.

Can Sakashima the Impostor Copy Legends?

Yes, Sakashima the Impostor can copy legendary creatures. When it enters the battlefield, it will copy everything but the name and become the copy. However it will not trigger the legendary rule due to not copying the name. It keeps its own name and can copy other legendary creatures to make multiple copies with the same name.

Understanding the legendary rule and its interaction with state-based actions is essential for any Magic: The Gathering player. Its no-response nature is a fundamental design choice that adds depth and complexity to the game. Knowing its nuances helps players better strategize and avoid common pitfalls.