Alex attacks with a 4 powered Knight of the Ebon Legion and a Vorstclaw. Naomi blocks Vorstclaw with a Daybreak Chaplain.

Damage happens.

Does Knight of the Ebon Legion gain a +1/+1 counter in the end step?

I've heard various interpretations where people that grab onto the ‘damage results in loss of life’ text see 4 damage was dealt and 1 life is gained. But damage results in loss of life, thus 4 life was lost. People that take more stock in the ‘all damage is dealt simultaneously’ text in the CR argue that the 4 damage and 1 lifelink damage result in one life total change of 3 points, thus a loss of 3 life. Which interpretation is correct?

Edited Quinten van de Vrie (July 8, 2019 04:04:23 AM)

Hi,

Thanks for your question. This is addressed in the Gatherer rulings for the Knight:

It doesn’t matter whether a player has 4 or less life than they started the turn with. If a player lost 4 life but also gained 6 life, that player still lost 4 life.

They have lost four life this turn. They've also gained 1 life, but the Knight doesn't care about life gained, just life lost. While they will lose 4 life and gain 1 life at the same time (for a net change of 3 life), the game still counts it as them having lost 4 life, so the Knight's ability will trigger.

Thanks,
Nathan Long
Magic Rules NetRep