Is it safe to sacrifice Abyssal Persecutor to an effect that gains me life if both my opponent and I are at zero?
Asked by Psychonautical 9 years ago
Should be self explanatory, but here's an example:
I've had Abyssal Persecutor out for most of the game against a burn deck. Late in the game, both my opponent and I are currently at 0.
If I cast Consuming Vapors and eat my own persecutor, will I gain life before SBAs check for the life total, or will the game result as a draw as soon as he dies, but before I gain 6?
SimicPower says... #2
If you are at 0 life, you lose the game even if Abyssal Persecutor is on the battlefield.
However, your question seems to assume that Abyssal Persecutor stops both players from losing the game, so I'll pretend that is true to answer this question. With Consuming Vapors, state-based actions are not checked until a player gains priority, which would be after the spell resolves and you have already gained the life.
Alternatively, with a card like Momentous Fall, this would not work, because the sacrifice is part of the cost of the spell, meaning the Persecutor is dead while Momentous Fall is on the stack. When state-based actions are checked while it is on the stack, you (and your opponent) lose the game, ending it in a draw.
So overall, if the effect sacrifices the creature and gains you life, you are safe, but if you have to sacrifice the creature as part of the spell's cost, you are not safe. If you have to sacrifice it as the cost to an activated ability like Blood Host, this will not work as well.
But in the end, it doesn't matter because Abyssal Persecutor does not save you from death in the first place.
December 28, 2014 8:46 p.m.
Psychonautical says... #3
I meant with another method of not losing the game, I just completely spaced while writing my question.
December 28, 2014 10:31 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
Please remember to select an answer to remove this question from the active queue.
GreatSword says... Accepted answer #1
I'm assuming there's a reason you wouldn't lose the game immediately for having 0 or less life, like Phyrexian Unlife.
Yes this works the way you want. State-based actions are checked right before a player would receive priority. No player has priority while an effect is resolving. With Consuming Vapors, the creature is sacrificed while the spell is resolving. Then you'll gain your life, putting you at 6 life. Now state-based actions are checked, and your opponent has 0 life while you have 6, and your opponent will lose the game.
December 28, 2014 8:04 p.m.