Does the Legend Rule Count as Dying?
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The short and direct answer is: Yes, the Legend Rule does count as a creature dying. While the Legend Rule doesn’t involve a card being sacrificed, it still results in a permanent moving from the battlefield to the graveyard, which is the definition of a card “dying” in Magic: The Gathering. This distinction is crucial because it triggers abilities that activate upon a creature’s death, such as “dies” triggers or abilities that refer to a creature going to the graveyard. Understanding this interaction is vital for competitive play and strategic deck building.
Understanding the Legend Rule
What is the Legend Rule?
The Legend Rule is a fundamental state-based action in Magic: The Gathering. It specifically deals with legendary permanents, which include creatures, artifacts, enchantments, planeswalkers, and lands. The rule states that if a player controls two or more legendary permanents with the same name, that player must choose one to keep, and the rest are put into their owner’s graveyard. It’s important to note that the rule applies to permanents with the same exact name, not just the same creature type or subtype.
How Does the Legend Rule Work?
The process happens immediately as a state-based action, without using the stack. This means players can’t respond to the Legend Rule being applied. It is checked and resolved before other triggers go onto the stack. For example, if you play a second copy of a legendary creature, the Legend Rule is applied instantly. One copy will remain on the battlefield, and the rest are placed into their owners’ graveyards.
Why is it Important to Know it Counts as Dying?
The distinction between being sacrificed and dying is essential for interactions with various card abilities. Since the Legend Rule counts as dying, this will trigger effects that activate when a creature dies. For instance, a creature with a “when this creature dies” ability will trigger when a legendary creature is removed this way. This opens up a variety of strategic options and deck-building synergies, often leading to powerful combos.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does the Legend Rule Apply to Planeswalkers?
Yes, absolutely. All planeswalkers have the “legendary” supertype and are subject to the Legend Rule. However, with planeswalkers, there is an additional restriction. You cannot have two planeswalkers with the same exact name under your control on the battlefield. So, while you can control two different cards with the type “Jace”, you can’t control two with the exact name “Jace, the Mind Sculptor.” This distinction is crucial.
2. Does the Legend Rule Use the Stack?
No, the Legend Rule does not use the stack. It’s a state-based action, which means it’s a rule checked by the game itself, and it happens automatically without giving any player a chance to respond. This is why you cannot counter a removal caused by the Legend Rule.
3. Can I Respond to the Legend Rule?
No, you cannot respond to the Legend Rule. State-based actions are applied immediately as soon as they are true. This means the second your legendary permanent enters the battlefield, the rule is checked and the excess copies are immediately put in the graveyard.
4. Does the Legend Rule Apply Before ETB (Enters the Battlefield) Triggers?
Yes, the Legend Rule is checked and applied before any ETB triggers (enters the battlefield) go onto the stack. This means if a second copy of a legendary creature triggers an ETB effect, the creature will likely die before that effect resolves if the copy is not the one you chose to keep.
5. What Happens if I Copy a Legendary Creature?
If you copy a legendary creature with a spell or ability, like a clone, you will briefly control two or more legendary permanents with the same name. The Legend Rule will immediately apply. You’ll choose which copy to keep, and the other copies will be placed into their owner’s graveyard. This action triggers all death-related triggers.
6. Can I Have Two Different Planeswalkers with the Same Subtype?
Yes, the planeswalker subtype does not limit you the way the legendary supertype does. You can have planeswalkers with the same subtype (like two different “Garruk” planeswalkers) as long as they have different names. This rule makes planeswalker-heavy decks possible, provided they use a variety of different names.
7. Does the Legend Rule Count as Sacrificing?
No, the Legend Rule is not a sacrifice. While both result in a permanent leaving the battlefield and entering the graveyard, sacrifice is a cost or effect that is done by a player, while the Legend Rule is an action automatically taken by the game. The distinction matters because some cards will trigger when a permanent is sacrificed, and won’t trigger from the Legend Rule.
8. Does a Creature with Myriad trigger death triggers when removed by the Legend Rule?
Yes, if a creature with Myriad is copied and the Legend Rule applies to those token copies, they will trigger any death effects from going to the graveyard. Despite them being tokens and being exiled at the end of combat, if the Legend Rule is applied they will still trigger any death triggers.
9. Does Sakashima the Imposter Ignore the Legend Rule?
Yes, Sakashima the Imposter specifically keeps its own name, so it ignores the legend rule and can copy other creatures. However, the planeswalker rule still looks at the subtype of the planeswalker when applying the rule.
10. What Card Removes the Legend Rule?
Mirror Gallery is a card that removes the Legend Rule while it’s on the battlefield. If the Mirror Gallery leaves, the Legend Rule will apply the next time state-based actions are checked, immediately applying the rule.
11. Are Tokens Made from Legendary Creatures Legendary?
Yes, when copying a legendary creature through a token creating effect the tokens will retain the legendary supertype. This means these token copies are also subject to the Legend Rule.
12. Does Molten Echoes Work with Legendary Creatures?
No, Molten Echoes requires you to choose a creature type such as “Human” or “Warrior”. The supertype “Legendary” is not a creature type and cannot be chosen.
13. Does “Dies” Count as a Sacrifice?
No, “dies” is different from a sacrifice. “Dies” is shorthand for a permanent going from the battlefield to the graveyard for any reason. This includes being destroyed by damage, by an effect, or as a result of the Legend Rule. Sacrificing is a specific type of action a player takes to place the card in the graveyard.
14. Can I have multiple copies of the same Legendary Creature in my deck?
Yes, you can include up to four copies of the same legendary creature in your deck in formats where this rule applies. However, you can’t have more than one on the battlefield at a time unless a card states otherwise, such as Mirror Gallery.
15. What is the legendary planeswalker rule?
The term legendary planeswalker rule is actually referring to the regular legend rule that applies to all legendary permanents, including planeswalkers. As long as planeswalkers do not share the same name, you can control any number of them with different names, irrespective of their subtype.
Conclusion
The Legend Rule is a core part of Magic: The Gathering’s gameplay and understanding its interactions is crucial for strategic advantage. The fact that it counts as dying is vital because it triggers many abilities that rely on creatures going to the graveyard. By understanding how it interacts with death triggers, state-based actions, and other game mechanics, you can elevate your gameplay and build more powerful and synergistic decks. Always keep these rules in mind and keep on playing!