Does loss of life count as "damage"
Asked by Legendinc 13 years ago
For example, say i am playing in a draft format and I use card:Sorin's Thirst and my opponent loses two life and i kill off a creature.
If i were to cast Lurking Crocodile would the creature i cast have its bloodthirst?
Rhadamanthus says... #2
Damage usually causes loss of life, but they're not the same thing. A great example of this is Infect, where damage to a player doesn't cause loss of life, but causes poison counters instead. Bloodthirst only takes effect if an opponent was dealt damage (which means it will also be "on" if a player took Infect damage, for example).
card:Sorin's Thirst can't be used to turn on Bloodthirst anyway, since it can only target creatures.
August 23, 2011 5:18 p.m.
oh poop i used the wrong card
i thought card:Sorin's Thirst was that card that said "opponent loses 2 life and you gain two life"
but thanks guys
August 23, 2011 11:24 p.m.
xxxxxxCronoxxxxxx says... #4
damage cause loss of life,
but loss of life is "not" damage
August 26, 2011 2:50 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #5
119.3a Damage dealt to a player by a source without infect causes that player to lose that much life.
118.2. Damage dealt to a player normally causes that player to lose that much life. See rule 119.3.
Costs and effects that read "lose life" or "pay life" don't deal damage, and that loss of life can't be prevented or otherwise altered by effects that prevent or replace damage.
From the above rules quotes, it's clear that while damage normally causes loss of life, loss of life is not synonymous with damage.
In another example, Blood Tithe would not cause damage, but Taste of Blood would. The difference is in the wording, which clarifies if the card is dealing damage or simply causing a player to lose life.
Bloodthirst will only trigger for damage; a player losing life will not count as them being dealt damage and therefore will not trigger bloodthirst.
Elmarias says... #1
(From the comprehensive rules glossary for damage)Damage can be dealt to creatures, planeswalkers, and players.Damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life.Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that planeswalker to lose that much loyalty.Damage dealt to a creature stays on the permanent until the cleanup step, even if it stops being a creature. A creature with damage greater than or equal to its toughness has been dealt lethal damage and is destroyed. (See rule 420, State-Based Effects.) Damage doesnt alter a creatures toughness. During the cleanup step, all damage is removed from permanents.Costs and effects that read lose life or pay life dont deal damage, and that loss of life cant be prevented or otherwise altered by effects that prevent or replace damage.
So, no. bloodthirst would not trigger if it was just "this players loses x life" abilities. has to be "deals damage" or combat damage.
August 23, 2011 5:14 p.m.