Interaction with Lifeline and Night Incarnate

Asked by polydeuces17 4 years ago

Playing a game with my buddy tonight, he has Mikaeus, the Unhallowed on the field with a Night Incarnate the Mikaeus had 3 damage counters on it from combat, and the night incarnate had 2 damage counters. He then proceeds to cast a spell in his post combat main phase that, upon choosing a creature type, would give creatures of that type -3/-3 until end of turn (sorry i can't recall the name, but it's sort of irrelevant) He chooses Elementals as I am running an Elemental tribal, it kills his Night Incarnate, which forces it to leave the field, giving Mikaeus another -3/-3 killing that as well. I'm assuming Mikaeus triggers the Night Incarnate to come back with the undying effect, while all other creatures leave the battlefield just before the night incarnate comes back. My question is, would Lifeline bring back Mikaeus, and all of my creatures as well, or would it have only triggered on the Night Incarnate, leaving nothing to come back as Night Incarnate is already back on the field...?

In my head it goes like this, Night Incarnate leaves, tiggers it's effect, then mikaeus (assuming this is the order he chose for the effects to go on the stack) mikaeus resolves bringing night incarnate back, the incarnate resolves, killing everything else, there is a creatue on the field, so end step, everything comes back... but if he chose the other way for resolution, night incarnate kills everything, the field is empty for a second Mikaeus resolves bringing back Incarnate and that's how it stays at the end step... sorry if it's confusing.

Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #1

Your last paragraph is how things would resolve. Your opponent controls both triggers, so they get to choose the order they go on the stack. If the -3/-3 is out on top it will resolve first killing everything and leaving an empty field so no Lifeline triggers. If undying is allowed to resolve first Night Incarnate will be on the battlefield and the other creatures will be returned EOT.

Just as an FYI, damage is not counters and so doesn't interact with counter effects like proliferate; and Mikaeus's last ability is a static ability that grants the triggered ability "Undying" to all other non-human creatures.

November 10, 2019 7:48 a.m.

polydeuces17 says... #2

Yes sir, they sure aren't actual counters... Just how I remember it being referenced once when I was a kid, I really only play kitchen magic though so I'm a little sheltered lol. Usually pretty good with interactions, just hadn't seen Lifeline as a card before so I was thrown a little. Thank you for your answer.

November 10, 2019 11:39 a.m.

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