Setting your life total to a higher number counts as gaining life. So if you're unable to gain life, there's no way for your life total to increase.
Category: Effects
Make it Count(ers): Why Not All +1/+1 Effects Are Counters
As we’ve probably learned over the years, cards generally do exactly what their Gatherer texts say. But some people still get confused. A major thing that I’ve seen trip people up is confusion about counters. Some people think that a static +1/+1 bonus (like from , or ) also counts as a counter. But that’s […]
Kruphix and Mana Restrictions
is a very powerful card. As a result, many people are using him as their commander in the Commander format. One thing that can be confusing is how he interacts with special lands. Sometimes, permanents can create mana with restrictions. They could be as simple as “This mana can only be spent on a cost […]
Characteristics, Continuous Effects, Multiplayer, Resolving spells and abilities, State-Based Actions, Triggered Abilities
Warp World and Humility (Confusion level: Expert!)
Warp World is weird, and so is Humility. Put them together, and weird things happen with triggers. If you're less confused after reading this blog entry, I'll be impressed!
Bestowing Hypnotic Siren on a creature with a Constellation trigger.
The interaction of Hypnotic Siren and Constellation abilities can be perhaps a bit unintuitive. You get the trigger if you gain control of a creature with a Constellation ability by bestowing Hypnotic Siren! Here's an explanation of why.
Athreos and Mutavault (or any animated non-creature).
If Mutavault is a creature when it dies, it will trigger Athreos and will be returned to your hand unless the opponent pays 3 life.
Drown in Sorrow vs. Mutavault.
Drown in Sorrow only affects things that are creatures at the moment it resolves. Any creatures that appear later in the turn won't be affected!
Acolyte’s Reward and changing Devotion.
Acolyte's Reward only checks your devotion to white as it resolves (not before, not after). So the amount of damage that will be prevented/dealt is locked in at that moment.
Courser of Kruphix and Sphinx’s Revelation.
When drawing multiple cards at once while playing with the top card of your library revealed, each draw is interrupted by revealing the next top card before drawing it.