Ending the game
Typically, the game ends when one player wins and the others lose.
Regular play
The most common way to lose the game is to have one's life points reduced to zero, causing the other player to win. However, there are several other options how one might lose or win.
Alternate-win or -loss cards may introduce new ways of ending the game.
Rules
From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 104. Ending the Game
- 104.1. A game ends immediately when a player wins, when the game is a draw, or when the game is restarted.
- 104.2. There are several ways to win the game.
- 104.2a A player still in the game wins the game if that player’s opponents have all left the game. This happens immediately and overrides all effects that would preclude that player from winning the game.
- 104.2b An effect may state that a player wins the game.
- 104.2c In a multiplayer game between teams, a team with at least one player still in the game wins the game if all other teams have left the game. Each player on the winning team wins the game, even if one or more of those players had previously lost that game.
- 104.2d In an Emperor game, a team wins the game if its emperor wins the game. (See rule 809.5.)
- 104.3. There are several ways to lose the game.
- 104.3a A player can concede the game at any time. A player who concedes leaves the game immediately. That player loses the game.
- 104.3b If a player’s life total is 0 or less, that player loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)
- 104.3c If a player is required to draw more cards than are left in their library, they draw the remaining cards and then lose the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)
- 104.3d If a player has ten or more poison counters, that player loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)
- 104.3e An effect may state that a player loses the game.
- 104.3f If a player would both win and lose the game simultaneously, that player loses the game.
- 104.3g In a multiplayer game between teams, a team loses the game if all players on that team have lost the game.
- 104.3h In a multiplayer game using the limited range of influence option (see rule 801), an effect that states that a player wins the game instead causes all of that player’s opponents within the player’s range of influence to lose the game. This may not cause the game to end.
- 104.3i In an Emperor game, a team loses the game if its emperor loses the game. (See rule 809.5.)
- 104.3j In a Commander game, a player who’s been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same commander over the course of the game loses the game. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704. See also rule 903.10.)
- 104.3k In a tournament, a player may lose the game as a result of a penalty given by a judge. See rule 100.6.
- 104.4. There are several ways for the game to be a draw.
- 104.4a If all the players remaining in a game lose simultaneously, the game is a draw.
- 104.4b If a game that’s not using the limited range of influence option (including a two-player game) somehow enters a “loop” of mandatory actions, repeating a sequence of events with no way to stop, the game is a draw. Loops that contain an optional action don’t result in a draw.
- 104.4c An effect may state that the game is a draw.
- 104.4d In a multiplayer game between teams, the game is a draw if all remaining teams lose simultaneously.
- 104.4e In a multiplayer game using the limited range of influence option, the effect of a spell or ability that states that the game is a draw causes the game to be a draw for that spell or ability’s controller and all players within their range of influence. Only those players leave the game; the game continues for all other players.
- 104.4f In a multiplayer game using the limited range of influence option, if the game somehow enters a “loop” of mandatory actions, repeating a sequence of events with no way to stop, the game is a draw for each player who controls an object that’s involved in that loop, as well as for each player within the range of influence of any of those players. Only those players leave the game; the game continues for all other players.
- 104.4g In a multiplayer game between teams, the game is a draw for a team if the game is a draw for all remaining players on that team.
- 104.4h In the Emperor variant, the game is a draw for a team if the game is a draw for its emperor. (See rule 809.5.)
- 104.4i In a tournament, all players in the game may agree to an intentional draw. See rule 100.6.
- 104.5. If a player loses the game, that player leaves the game. If the game is a draw for a player, that player leaves the game. The multiplayer rules handle what happens when a player leaves the game; see rule 800.4.
- 104.6. One card (Karn Liberated) restarts the game. All players still in the game when it restarts then immediately begin a new game. See rule 724, “Restarting the Game.”
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Lose the Game
- There are several ways to lose the game. See rule 104, “Ending the Game,” rule 810.8 (for additional rules for Two-Headed Giant games), rule 809.5 (for additional rules for Emperor games), and rule 903.10 (for an additional rule for Commander games).
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Win the Game
- There are several ways to win the game. See rule 104, “Ending the Game,” and rules 810.8 (for additional rules for Two-Headed Giant games) and rule 809.5 (for additional rules for Emperor games).
Drawn game
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Draw
- 1. To put the top card of a player’s library into their hand as a turn-based action or as the result of an effect that uses the word “draw.” See rule 121, “Drawing a Card.”
- 2. The result of a game in which neither player wins or loses. See rule 104.4.
A game might also end with a draw. A drawn game is a game where the game ends and there is no winner. R&D avoids making draw effects.[1]
See also: alternate-draw card
Conceding
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Concede
- To quit the game. Conceding a game immediately causes that player to leave that game and lose that game. See rule 104, “Ending the Game.”
Conceding is, of course, always an option.[2] To concede a game is forfeiting a game of Magic: The Gathering, often due to the belief that one will soon or ultimately lose. In competitive tournament play, players may do this during the first or second game of their match so that they can save time and not run out of time to play the rest of the games in their match. Conceding a game immediately causes that player to leave that game and lose that game.
Conceding or Intentionally Drawing Games or Matches
From the Tournament Rules (May 13, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)
- 2.5 Conceding or Intentionally Drawing Games or Matches
Until the result of a match has been recorded, players may concede or mutually agree to a draw in that game or match. If the conceding player won a game in the match, the match must be reported as 2-1. Intentional draws where no games were played are always reported as 0-0-3 in EventLink.
Players may not agree to a concession or draw in exchange for any reward or incentive. Doing so will be considered Bribery (see section 5.2).
If a player refuses to play, it is assumed that they have conceded the match.
Prevention of ending the game
Certain cards prevent ending the game.
Can't win the game and opponent can’t lose
This ability is used as a drawback in black.[3]
Can't lose the game and opponent can’t win
This is a defensive ability, and thus shows up in white.[3] It also shows up in colorless.
You don't lose with zero life
Certain permanents prevent you from losing the game for having 0 or less life, usually with an alternate means to lose.[3] This started with Lich in Alpha and has continued to be used in black on rare occasion. More recently, white has also started using this ability, often with the flavor of protecting the player.
Saving effects
Some cards prevent you from losing the game if you otherwise would. Effects like this also typically show up in white and black.
- Enduring Angel
- Exquisite Archangel
- Immortal Coil
- Lich's Mirror
- Nefarious Lich
- Nine Lives
- Stunning Reversal
- The Golden Throne
Triggers upon losing the game
Three creatures and one enchantment have abilities that trigger when a player loses the game, all the creatures are black and the enchantment is red:
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 22, 2019). "What if it was 'deal 20 damage to each player"?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Gavin Verhey (October 20, 2016). "I Concede". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c Mark Rosewater (June 5, 2017). "Mechanical Color Pie 2017". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.