How exactly does totem armor work?
Asked by Bloodthirsty 11 years ago
Hello,
I wasn't really sure what totem armor exactly does. Is it just "Sacrifice this aura: Regenerate enchanted creature" or is it more complicated?
"If enchanted permanent would be destroyed, instead remove all damage marked on it and destroy this Aura."
This is a replacement effect that occurs when the said creature would be destroy, forcing you to sacrifice the Aura attached to it. The way you phrased: Sacrifice this aura: Regenerate enchanted creature, would have the limitation of regeneration and would be an activated ability. The creature doesn't get tap or whatsoever, it has no particular link the the Regenerate mechanic.
October 30, 2013 10:36 a.m.
Bloodthirsty says... #3
Somebody told me that Totem Armor can't prevent from sacrificing. Is it true?
October 30, 2013 10:57 a.m.
It is true, the replacement effect only occur when enchanted permanent would be destroyed. Sacrificing isn't the same as getting destroyed.
October 30, 2013 11:15 a.m.
Also here is some extra ruling that will help deal with some pesky ruling about Totem Armor. This came up in an argument between me and someone very recently so:
If a permanent you control is enchanted with multiple Auras that have totem armor, and the enchanted permanent would be destroyed, one of those Auras is destroyed instead -- but only one of them. You choose which one because you control the enchanted permanent.
If a creature enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor would be destroyed by multiple state-based actions at the same time the totem armor's effect will replace all of them and save the creature.
If a spell or ability (such as Planar Cleansing) would destroy both an Aura with totem armor and the permanent it's enchanting at the same time, totem armor's effect will save the enchanted permanent from being destroyed. Instead, the spell or ability will destroy the Aura in two different ways at the same time, but the result is the same as destroying it once.
Totem armor's effect is not regeneration. Specifically, if totem armor's effect is applied, the enchanted permanent does not become tapped and is not removed from combat as a result. Effects that say the enchanted permanent can't be regenerated (as Vendetta does) won't prevent totem armor's effect from being applied.
Say you control a permanent enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor, and the enchanted permanent has gained a regeneration shield. The next time it would be destroyed, you choose whether to apply the regeneration effect or the totem armor effect. The other effect is unused and remains, in case the permanent would be destroyed again.
If a spell or ability says that it would "destroy" a permanent enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor, that spell or ability causes the Aura to be destroyed instead. (This matters for cards such as Karmic Justice.) Totem armor doesn't destroy the Aura; rather, it changes the effects of the spell or ability. On the other hand, if a spell or ability deals lethal damage to a creature enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor, the game rules regarding lethal damage cause the Aura to be destroyed, not that spell or ability.
RedKunoichi says... #1
Totem armour's reminder text says:
If enchanted permanent would be destroyed, instead remove all damage marked on it and destroy this Aura.
So that is how it would work. It is slightly different than regenerate because you don't tap the creature or remove it from combat.
October 30, 2013 10:35 a.m.