Do multiple Spirit Link stack?

Asked by mykei93 8 years ago

I know that lifelink doesn't stack e.g 2 Lifelinks But does the ability from Spirit Link cause double life gain? e.g. attack with Eager Cadet enchanted with 2 Spirit Links

Seraphicate says... Accepted answer #1

Yes, Spirit Link's ability triggers whenever the creature it's enchanting deals damage. Having 2 Spirit Links on a creature will have both abilities trigger.

This is also a reason why some bogle decks run Spirit Link; it allows life gain in conjunction with lifelink, whereas multiple instances of lifelink are redundant.

June 6, 2015 9:15 a.m.

PremiumCola says... #2

Yep, since its a triggered ability they'll stack. You can have as many as the same triggered abilities as you want, they'll all trigger.
Lifelink is pretty much the same thing, the only reason lifelink doesn't stack is because a creature can't have two lifelink abilities, it would be like having 2 First Strike's or 2 Unblockable's, they simply don't stack. If you try to give a creature with lifelink, more lifelink it just doesn't happen.

June 6, 2015 10:38 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... #3

@PremiumCola: Although your answer is ultimately correct, your explanation for lifelink is misleading. A creature can have multiple instances of lifelink. However, the rules state that multiple instances of lifelink are redundant (i.e., they don't stack). Therefore, the effects are not additive.

June 6, 2015 10:51 p.m.

PremiumCola says... #4

So technically a creature can have "Lifelink, lifelink", but the trigger wont stack.

June 6, 2015 10:56 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... #5

Lifelink is not a triggered ability, which is why it doesn't stack. It's a static ability. Multiple instances of lifelink are possible, but they don't produce any added advantage compared to a single instance of lifelink.

June 6, 2015 10:57 p.m.

PremiumCola says... #6

That's a little weird, is it just like an extra rule thrown into the mix that says "more than one is redundant"?

I know lifelink doesn't stack, but usually static abilities still stack. If you were to break it down a creature having two abilities saying "damage dealt by this creature causes its controller to gain that much life", they'd still stack right ? Like if there were two Honor of the Pure out, white creatures would get +2/+2.

June 6, 2015 11:16 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... #7

Static abilities don't always stack.

Lifelink's reminder text is "Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life." Having multiple instances of this ability doesn't change how the card functions compared to having a single instance of this ability. Additional instances are just restating a truth about the way that creature's damage functions.

Conversely, effects that say "get" or "have" may confer cumulative bonuses. Multiple Lifelinks confer multiple instances of Lifelink, even if lifelink itself is redundant, per the rules.

It's not the easiest distinction to try to articulate. The rules are really what matter here.

June 6, 2015 11:31 p.m.