The designers wouldn't want you to be able to prevent the loss of life caused by his ability by casting a simple damage reduction spell, like Reflect Damage, so loss of life is kept as a separate concept. They are intentionally kept separate for cards like Griselbrand. This distinction between damage and loss of life is important. Think of life as the currency of players, which damage can impact in a negative way. Additionally, if a creature takes damage, it takes that much damage creatures do not lose life. If a player takes damage, they lose that much life if a player loses life, they lose that much life. There are two ways to cause damage (quoted above as combat damage and damage from spells), and when these objects would inflict damage on a player, that player loses that much life. Instead, they go around damage and just cause the loss of life. Spells that cause loss of life do not cause damage. Damage is caused as "a result of combat" (119.2a) or "as an effect of a spell or ability" (119.2b). Spells that specifically say "lose life" cannot be reduced by spells that redirect damage. (See below for more on "normally.") This is emphasized in rule 119.1a:ĭamage can't be dealt to an object that's neither a creature nor a planeswalker. When a player is "dealt damage," they lose that much life. Damage to a player is loss of life, not the other way around. Am I right in saying that because the damage was direct damage (not dealt during combat) then the triggered ability of preventing the combat phase of the damaged player is not triggered?ĭamage dealt to a player normally causes that player to lose that much life.
My second related question: You put Arcane teachings on a Blinding Angel and tap her to deal one damage to your opponent. The spell or ability will specify which object deals that damage.Īnd that is direct damage from an object.ĭoes loss of life as outlined by rule 118.3 (at top) count as being dealt damage? Do triggered abilities that redirect or reduce damage effect loss of life? So damage from creatures during combat is combat damage.ġ19.2b Damage may be dealt as an effect of a spell or ability. Each attacking and blocking creature deals combat damage equal to its power during the combat damage step. You simply lose the life.ġ19.2a Damage may be dealt as a result of combat. From reading the rules it would appear there are two kinds of damage and then straight loss of life:ġ18.3 If an effect causes a player to gain or lose life, that player's life total is adjusted accordingly.įrom reading that I would guess that effects like Extort are not sources of damage.