Is there a technical difference between dies and "is put into a graveyard"?

Asked by K34 7 years ago

For example, Blood Artist vs Deathgreeter. I would take them to mean the same thing. Is one phrasing obsolete? Do they have a slight difference?

Neotrup says... Accepted answer #1

Deathgreeter's oracle text (from Gatherer):

"Whenever another creature dies, you may gain 1 life."

From the comprehensive rules:

700.4. The term dies means "is put into a graveyard from the battlefield."

However, there is a slight nuance difference, the word dies will only refer to creatures, this is not a rule, but it is the policy Wizards uses when printing cards like Aetherworks Marvel that care about noncreatures going to the grave.

December 19, 2016 3:31 p.m.

K34 says... #2

Thanks

December 19, 2016 4:16 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... #3

There is one important difference.

"Dies" only ever refers to a move from the battlefield to the graveyard.

"Is put into a graveyard" usually comes with a qualifier, such as "is put into a graveyard from anywhere," in which case the object moving to the graveyard may not necessarily have been on the battlefield originally.

December 19, 2016 5:01 p.m.