Lifelink
| Lifelink | |
|---|---|
| Keyword Ability | |
| Type | Static |
| Introduced |
Mirrodin (mechanic) Future Sight (keyword) |
| Last used | Evergreen |
| Reminder Text | Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.) |
| Scryfall Search | |
| keyword:"Lifelink" | |
Lifelink is a keyword ability introduced in Future Sight. Damage dealt by a source with lifelink causes that source’s controller to gain that much life.
History
Before it was keyworded in Future Sight, R&D used to call this ability spirit link, after the card of the same name.[1]
Future Sight hinted at a lot of things from Magic's potential future on its futureshifted cards. For lifelink, that future was the very next set released, Tenth Edition. This ability can be traced back to the card El-Hajjâj in Arabian Nights.[2]
Before the rules changes in Magic 2010, lifelink was a triggered ability, and it used the stack along with combat damage. This meant that its life gain, if caused by combat, would arrive too late to prevent the player from losing the game due to combat damage from the same combat. It is now a static ability that causes life gain at the same time as the damage that causes it. The ablilty is primary in white and secondary in black. White and black have very different flavor rationales for the abilities, but both use it almost every set.[3]
Rules
Rulings
- The ability causes life gain whenever a permanent with lifelink deals any damage, not just combat damage.
- All older cards with the ability "Whenever this permanent deals damage, you gain that much life." that received errata to change that ability to "lifelink" have reverted to their original wording with the exception of Loxodon Warhammer, which has been printed with the word "lifelink" in Tenth Edition and two subsequent reprintings.
- Note that the card Spirit Link does not grant the creature it enchants lifelink. The lifelink ability has the creature's controller gain life. Spirit Link has Spirit Link's controller gain life. The same is true for Vampiric Link.
Examples
Example
Caravan Hurda 
Creature — Giant
1/5
Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
Enchantments that grant just Lifelink
One creature
Trivia
- The vigilance, lifelink, and fear keywords are the only keywords with a card of the exact name (Vigilance, Lifelink, and Fear, respectively). Flying comes close, with the card called Flight.
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 24, 2005). "A Few Words From R&D". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 8, 2015). "Evergreen Eggs & Ham". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 5, 2017). "Mechanical Color Pie 2017". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
External links
- A Planeswalker's Primer for Magic 2010: Lifelink (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.