What Happens to Permanents When a Player Leaves the Game?
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When a player leaves a game of Magic: The Gathering, either through conceding or losing due to game conditions, a specific set of rules governs what happens to the permanents they controlled. The core principle is that all their controlled permanents immediately cease to be under their control and are dealt with according to the game’s established procedures. This is a crucial aspect of multiplayer games, as it directly impacts the battlefield state and strategy. The short answer is this: all permanents controlled by a player who leaves the game are removed from the battlefield and handled differently based on ownership.
The Immediate Impact of Leaving the Game
The moment a player leaves a Magic game, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, several things happen simultaneously. This is not a state-based action; it’s an immediate effect. The player’s permanents are the most obviously impacted, and there are specific rules that take precedence:
- Permanents Return to Owners: Any permanents the departing player controlled but did not own (for instance, if they had gained control of a creature using a spell like “Control Magic”) immediately return to their respective owners’ control. This ensures that no player is left with a permanent they did not originally have a claim to. This can drastically shift the board and can often make or break a player’s plan.
- Owned Permanents Leave the Battlefield: Any permanents that the departing player owned are removed from the battlefield. These permanents are not put into the graveyard. They simply cease to exist in play. This often surprises many players, as they often assume that all permanents go into the graveyard.
- Auras and the Graveyard: If an Aura controlled by the departing player is attached to a permanent that is no longer on the battlefield, that Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard. The Aura is an example of an enchantment, which are permanents. This is an important distinction: Auras do not simply vanish into thin air; they end up in the graveyard.
- Counters and the Battlefield: As the owned permanents are removed from the battlefield, any counters on them are removed as well (with the notable exception of Skullbriar, the Walking Grave). The counters do not follow the permanent.
- Exiled Cards Remain Exiled: Any cards the player had exiled remain in exile. They don’t return to the game or their owner’s hand or graveyard.
- Priority Pass: If the departing player held priority at the time of leaving, that priority passes to the next player in turn order who remains in the game. This ensures smooth game flow.
- Curses and Discarding: Any curses that were attached to the player when they left the game are discarded to the discard pile.
These combined effects can result in significant changes to the battlefield and are a crucial part of understanding the dynamics of multiplayer games.
Related FAQs on Permanents and Leaving the Game
1. Do Permanents Trigger “Leaves the Battlefield” Effects When a Player Leaves the Game?
Yes, when a player leaves the game, their owned permanents leave the battlefield, triggering any “leaves the battlefield” abilities. This is significant as it can have cascading effects throughout the game, influencing the other players’ strategies. However, permanents do not die as a result of a player leaving the game. So any effects that say “when a creature dies” or “when a permanent is put into a graveyard from play” will not be triggered when the player leaves the game.
2. Where Do Permanents Go When a Player Leaves the Game?
Permanents owned by the departing player do not go to the graveyard, with the notable exception of Auras. They are simply removed from the game as if they never existed. Permanents controlled but not owned by the departing player return to their respective owners.
3. What Happens to Enchantments When a Player Leaves?
Enchantments also follow the general rules for permanents when a player leaves. If they were owned by the departing player, they are removed from the game. If an enchantment is an Aura attached to a permanent owned by that player, the Aura is placed in its owner’s graveyard when the attached permanent leaves the battlefield.
4. What Happens to Tokens When a Player Leaves the Game?
Tokens, as permanents, follow the same rules. If the departing player owned and controlled them, they simply cease to exist when the player leaves the game. This is because tokens do not exist anywhere other than on the battlefield.
5. What About Control-Changing Effects on Permanents?
If the departing player had control of a permanent that they did not own, the control-changing effect ends immediately, and the permanent returns to its original owner.
6. What if a Permanent is Phased Out?
Phasing is a temporary removal of a permanent from the game. If a permanent is phased out and its controller leaves the game, it remains phased out until it would normally phase in. This could result in that permanent being lost completely in multiplayer games.
7. Does “Exile” Interact with Leaving the Game?
Cards exiled by the departing player stay in exile. They are not returned to the battlefield, the departing player’s graveyard, or any other zone.
8. Do Counters Remain on Permanents That Change Controllers?
When a permanent that is not owned by the departing player goes back to its original owner, it keeps any counters that were on it. If a permanent owned by the departing player goes away, any counters are removed with it.
9. What Happens to Lands Controlled by a Player Who Leaves the Game?
Lands, being permanents, are removed from the battlefield if owned by the departing player when that player leaves. If the player controls a land they do not own, the land returns to its owner.
10. What Happens to Curses When a Player Dies?
Curses on a player who has left the game are discarded. The curse itself is treated as if it were on the battlefield, so if it is attached to the player who leaves, it is removed. If it is attached to a permanent, it will remain on the permanent until that permanent is removed.
11. Do Planeswalkers Count as Permanents?
Yes, planeswalkers are permanents. If a departing player owned and controlled a planeswalker, it is removed from the battlefield. If the player did not own it, the planeswalker returns to its owner.
12. Can a Player Sacrifice Permanents They Don’t Control?
No, a player can only sacrifice permanents they control. When a player leaves, they have no permanents that they control, so they cannot sacrifice any.
13. Are Permanents Still Permanents in the Graveyard?
No. A card or token becomes a permanent when it enters the battlefield, and it is no longer considered a permanent when it is moved to any other zone, such as the graveyard.
14. What if Both Players Leave the Game Simultaneously?
If two or more players leave the game simultaneously, the effects of them leaving resolve in a predetermined order. The player that would have been next in turn order receives any priority changes first, then all their controlled permanents and objects are dealt with.
15. Can You Prevent Permanents From Being Removed When You Leave?
There’s no direct way to prevent permanents you own from being removed from the game when you leave, as that’s fundamental to the rules of Magic. However, through strategic play, you might be able to pass control of the permanent to another player or find a way for the permanent to be removed some other way that does not involve a player leaving the game.
Conclusion
Understanding what happens to permanents when a player leaves the game is critical for navigating the dynamics of Magic: The Gathering, especially in multiplayer formats. The immediate and absolute nature of these rules often leads to significant shifts in the board state and requires players to be strategic not only in how they play the game but also in how they anticipate the impact of other players leaving. By grasping these rules, players can approach their games with greater clarity and make informed decisions that can make or break their strategies.