Does Discarding a Card Count as Dying in Magic: The Gathering?
The short answer is a resounding no. Discarding a card and a creature dying are distinct actions within the rules of Magic: The Gathering (MTG). While both actions involve a card ending up in the graveyard, they are triggered by different events and have different implications for card abilities and game mechanics. Let’s delve into why discarding and dying are not interchangeable concepts in MTG.
Understanding Discarding in MTG
What is Discarding?
In MTG, discarding is a specific action defined as moving a card from a player’s hand to that player’s graveyard. This action usually happens due to a card effect, such as a spell or ability that requires you to discard a card, or during the cleanup step of your turn if you have more cards in hand than your maximum hand size (typically seven). It is a deliberate act under the rules of the game, and specifically concerns movement from the hand to the graveyard.
Discarding Mechanics
The concept of discarding is often seen in MTG as a cost, or as a method to enable other card effects, and is therefore not considered a natural effect of normal game play. It’s crucial to note that the card never has been on the battlefield when discarded. Therefore, most abilities that trigger upon a card dying, do not activate. The key takeaway is that the card moves directly from your hand into your graveyard.
Understanding Dying in MTG
What Does “Dying” Mean?
In MTG, a creature or planeswalker “dies” if it is put into a graveyard from the battlefield. This is a crucial distinction from discarding. It’s not just about a card ending up in the graveyard; it’s about the transition from the battlefield. This specific transition triggers effects that use the phrasing “when a creature dies” or similar effects.
Dying Mechanics
When a creature on the battlefield takes lethal damage, is destroyed, or is sacrificed, it “dies”. The card goes to the graveyard, activating any “dies” effects. The action of dying is significant, setting off a chain of reactions and triggers based on card abilities. Cards that go from the battlefield to the graveyard always are considered to have “died”.
Key Differences Between Discarding and Dying
The primary difference between discarding and dying is the source from which the card moves to the graveyard. A card that is discarded comes directly from the hand, whereas a card that dies goes from the battlefield. This distinction has a profound impact on how the game functions and how card abilities resolve.
- Source Location: Discarding comes from the hand; dying comes from the battlefield.
- Triggering Abilities: “Dies” abilities trigger when a card goes from the battlefield to the graveyard. Discarding does not trigger these abilities. Discarding, however, can trigger card abilities with that specific wording.
- Game Context: Discarding is often a cost or effect of a card; dying is the result of combat, removal spells, or sacrifice.
15 Frequently Asked Questions About Discarding and Dying in MTG
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the difference between discarding and dying in Magic: The Gathering, and to help you understand these important mechanics better:
1. What exactly counts as a creature dying in MTG?
A creature “dies” when it is put into the graveyard from the battlefield. This can occur through lethal damage, being destroyed by spells or abilities, or through sacrifice effects.
2. Does sacrificing a creature count as it dying?
Yes, sacrificing a creature is a form of putting it into the graveyard from the battlefield. Therefore, a sacrificed creature does die and triggers “dies” abilities.
3. Does milling count as discarding?
No, milling does not count as discarding. Milling refers to moving cards from a player’s library directly to their graveyard. Discarding specifically refers to the action of moving cards from the hand to the graveyard.
4. Can I discard a card at any time?
No, you cannot discard a card whenever you want. You can only discard when a card effect or game rule requires it, such as during the cleanup step or due to a card’s ability.
5. What happens if I have more than seven cards in my hand?
At the cleanup step of your turn, if you have more than seven cards in your hand, you must discard down to seven. This rule ensures that no player keeps an unnecessarily large hand.
6. Does deathtouch kill indestructible creatures?
No, deathtouch doesn’t defeat indestructible. While deathtouch causes damage to be considered “lethal” to a non-indestructible creature, it does not destroy or kill creatures with indestructible, as indestructible prevents destruction.
7. Does deathtouch cancel deathtouch?
No, two instances of deathtouch do not cancel each other out. If a creature with deathtouch blocks another creature with deathtouch, the damage from both will still be lethal to both.
8. Does hexproof stop deathtouch?
Hexproof does not stop deathtouch. Hexproof prevents a creature from being the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. Deathtouch is a static ability applied during damage calculations and does not “target” creatures, so hexproof provides no protection against it.
9. Do tokens die when they go to the graveyard?
Yes, tokens do go to the graveyard when they leave the battlefield, and thus, for the briefest time they do die and activate any “dies” triggered abilities. They are removed from the game as a passive effect once in the graveyard, but for a brief moment, they still meet the requirements of a card dying.
10. Does discarding mean deleting?
No, discarding doesn’t mean deleting. Discarding specifically moves a card to your graveyard, while deleting is more of a conceptual term and is not used in MTG. Cards in the graveyard are still part of the game and can be interacted with.
11. Is discarding the same as sacrifice?
No, discarding and sacrificing are not the same. Discarding is moving a card from your hand to your graveyard, while sacrificing is moving a permanent from the battlefield to your graveyard.
12. If a card says “When this card dies” does it still work if it was discarded?
No, a card that says “When this card dies” will not trigger if it was discarded, because discarding moves a card from your hand to your graveyard. The “dies” ability only applies when a card moves from the battlefield to the graveyard.
13. Can a MTG game end in a draw?
Yes, a MTG game can end in a draw. If neither player wins within the allocated turns in a tournament setting or agree to a draw, the match is considered a draw.
14. What is the difference between removing and discarding in MTG?
In MTG, removing a card usually means it is taken out of the game in some way such as exiling, or shuffling back into a library. Discarding refers to a specific action of moving from the hand to the graveyard.
15. What does discard snap mean?
“Discard snap” is a term used in some other card games, where cards are discarded permanently from the game. In MTG, discarding does not permanently remove cards, rather it moves them to the graveyard, where they may still be interacted with.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while both discarding and dying involve cards ending up in the graveyard, they are distinct actions with different triggering mechanisms and effects. Understanding this key difference is crucial for navigating the complexities of MTG and maximizing the potential of your deck. Discarding is a specific action from hand to graveyard, while dying refers to the passage from battlefield to graveyard, triggering distinct effects. Therefore, discarding a card does not count as dying in the context of Magic: The Gathering.