Unlocking Lifelink: Does It Trigger When Attacking a Planeswalker?

The short and sweet answer is a resounding yes! If a creature with lifelink deals damage to a planeswalker, its controller gains life equal to the amount of damage dealt. This is because lifelink triggers whenever the source with the ability deals damage, regardless of what receives that damage. This interaction is a fundamental aspect of Magic: The Gathering strategy and understanding it is key to mastering the game.

Delving Deeper into Lifelink and Planeswalkers

To truly grasp this concept, we need to break down the mechanics involved. Lifelink isn’t picky; it doesn’t care if the damage is directed at a creature, a player, or a planeswalker. All it cares about is that damage is dealt. When you attack a planeswalker with a creature that has lifelink, the damage inflicted removes that many loyalty counters from the planeswalker. Simultaneously, your life total increases by the same amount. This creates a powerful synergy, allowing you to chip away at your opponent’s planeswalker while bolstering your own defenses.

This interaction is also applicable outside of combat. If you use an ability that causes a creature with lifelink to deal damage to a planeswalker, like a “fight” spell, you still gain life. This versatility makes lifelink a valuable asset in any Magic: The Gathering deck.

FAQs: Clearing Up Lifelink Confusion

Here are some frequently asked questions to help you further understand how lifelink works, especially in relation to planeswalkers:

Does Lifelink only trigger on combat damage?

No! The ability causes life gain whenever a source with lifelink deals any damage, not just combat damage. Activated abilities, triggered abilities, and even spells can trigger lifelink as long as they result in a creature with lifelink dealing damage.

What happens if you attack a planeswalker with Deathtouch?

Deathtouch is a static ability that states any amount of damage a source with deathtouch deals to a creature is enough to destroy it. Since Planeswalkers are not creatures, deathtouch has no effect on them in the base rules. You’ll still remove loyalty counters equal to the damage dealt, but deathtouch won’t instantly destroy the planeswalker. You often require an ability like that of Vraska, Swarm’s Eminence to directly effect planeswalkers.

Does Deathtouch cancel Deathtouch?

No, multiple instances of deathtouch do not cancel each other out. If two creatures with deathtouch deal damage to each other, they will both be destroyed.

Does lifelink trigger before or after damage?

The lifegain from lifelink happens at the same time that the damage is dealt. It’s a simultaneous event, not a separate trigger.

What kills a planeswalker?

A planeswalker dies (is put into the graveyard) when it has zero loyalty counters. This can happen from taking damage, from abilities that remove counters, or as a state-based action. Also, effects that “destroy target permanent” can be used to directly remove planeswalkers.

Does attacking a planeswalker count as combat damage?

Yes! When you attack a planeswalker, the damage your creatures deal is considered combat damage. The only difference is that instead of reducing a player’s life total, it removes loyalty counters.

Does All Will Be One trigger with planeswalkers?

Yes, All Will Be One’s ability will trigger any time you put one or more counters on a permanent or player. So, when you add loyalty counters to a planeswalker, All Will Be One will trigger, dealing damage.

Can a planeswalker lose their spark?

According to Magic: The Gathering lore, planeswalkers can lose their spark. For instance, “The Great Pruning” was an event where many planeswalker sparks vanished.

Can an indestructible planeswalker lose loyalty?

Yes! Giving a planeswalker indestructible will stop it from being destroyed by damage. However, it will not stop it from being put into the graveyard when it has zero loyalty counters, nor will it stop it from losing loyalty counters from taking damage. Indestructible only protects against destruction, not the loss of loyalty.

What wins indestructible vs Deathtouch?

Indestructible wins. Normally, a creature is destroyed if it takes damage from a creature with deathtouch. But since indestructible creatures can’t be destroyed, they’re immune to deathtouch‘s destruction effect. However, this does not effect planeswalkers.

Does Hexproof cancel Deathtouch?

No, Hexproof doesn’t prevent Deathtouch. Hexproof only means the permanent can’t be targeted by spells or abilities your opponent controls. Deathtouch doesn’t target; it’s a static ability that modifies the results of damage.

Does indestructible work on planeswalkers?

Planeswalkers with indestructible will still have loyalty counters removed from them as they are dealt damage. If a planeswalker with indestructible has no loyalty counters, it will still be put into its owner’s graveyard, as the rule that does this doesn’t destroy the planeswalker.

Do counters work on planeswalkers?

Planeswalkers enter the battlefield with a specific number of loyalty counters. They lose these counters as damage is dealt to them, and they go to the graveyard when they have no loyalty counters as a state-based action.

Does Deathtouch work on flying?

Deathtouch is irrelevant to flying. Flying is an evasion ability that only determines which creatures can block which other creatures. Deathtouch simply states that any damage dealt to a creature by a source with deathtouch is lethal.

Does trample work when blocking?

Trample is a static ability that modifies the rules for assigning an attacking creature’s combat damage. The ability has no effect when a creature with trample is blocking or is dealing noncombat damage.

Can you get double Lifelink?

It really depends on the ability. There’s no such thing as “double Lifelink.” However, you can have effects that are similar.

Does first strike prevent Lifelink?

It won’t prevent lifelink but it can hinder the effects. Blocking with a creature with first strike or double strike may cause the creature with lifelink to die before it has a chance to deal damage. This will stop the triggered life gain, but will not negate the damage.

Mastering the Interaction

Understanding that lifelink triggers when attacking a planeswalker is crucial for strategic deck building and gameplay. It opens up opportunities to stabilize your life total while simultaneously pressuring your opponent’s key planeswalkers. Use this knowledge to your advantage and dominate the battlefield. For more insights into games and learning, visit the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.