"Gain Control" Rulings

Asked by Randomsome1 3 years ago

I heard a few months ago that cards like Gilded Drake work differently than cards like Control Magic when the owner of the cards that are taken dies/leaves the game. Does one of these effects actually let you keep the card after it's owner is out of the game, or am I just completely misunderstanding?

Tylord2894 says... Accepted answer #1

In a multiplayer setting when a player leaves the game, everything that player owns leaves the game. Then, any effects that grant control of a creature end. Lastly, any object that player controlled but did not own is exiled.

So, if we exchange my Gilded Drake with your creature, and I leave the game, I leave the game taking my Drake card with me, and your creature returns under your control. Similarly, if I take your creature with Control Magic or a similar effect, Control Magic leaves with me, and your creature is returned to you.

There's the rules for this are below.

800.4a When a player leaves the game, all objects (see rule 109) owned by that player leave the game and any effects which give that player control of any objects or players end. Then, if that player controlled any objects on the stack not represented by cards, those objects cease to exist. Then, if there are any objects still controlled by that player, those objects are exiled. This is not a state-based action. It happens as soon as the player leaves the game. If the player who left the game had priority at the time they left, priority passes to the next player in turn order who’s still in the game.

Hope this helps!!

April 29, 2020 12:51 p.m.

Rhadamanthus says... #2

Technically Gilded Drake and Control Magic do work differently but the end result of a player leaving the game isn't going to be much different between the two.

Let's say you've taken control of something with Control Magic, exchanged control of something with your Gilded Drake, taken something with Bribery, and you have to leave the game.

  • Everything you own (cards you brought into the game) goes away. That means Control Magic and Gilded Drake are taken out of the game. The creature enchanted by Control Magic immediately goes back to its previous controller
  • Any effects giving you control of objects you don't own end. The creature you exchanged for Gilded Drake goes back to its previous controller
  • If you have anything on the stack not represented by a card (either an activated/triggered ability or a copy of a spell), those go away too
  • Finally, if you still control anything owned by another player then those things get exiled. The creature you took with Bribery will be exiled
April 29, 2020 12:57 p.m.

Randomsome1 says... #3

Super helpful, I think I know where I got confused. But, I do have 1 follow up. Rhadamanthus Tylord2894 If I Leave the game wouldn't the creature I took with Gilded Drake go to exile with the creature taken with Bribery? The drakes effect doesn't stop when it leaves play, like Control Magic does.

April 29, 2020 6:14 p.m.

Tylord2894 says... #4

While Gilded Drake's effect doesn't end when the Drake leaves the battlefield, that effect is notably different from that of Bribery.

The effect from the Drake creates a continuous effect that gives you control of the target creature and gives your opponent control of the Drake.

On the otherhand, Bribery puts a card from an opponent's library onto the battlefield under your control. At no point is control of that creature changed. This is similar to how Thief of Sanity would work in this case. Since there are no control effects to dispell, the creature that you gained is exiled.

That make sense?

April 29, 2020 6:29 p.m.

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