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Sustaining Spirit

White

1 printing listed in our catalog, from newest to oldest.

Sustaining Spirit, Alliances printing
Alliances ALL · No. 18 1996-06-10

Card text

{1}{W}
Creature — Angel Spirit
Cumulative upkeep {1}{W} (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.) Damage that would reduce your life total to less than 1 reduces it to 1 instead.
0 / 3
Keywords: Cumulative upkeep
"Faith is our greatest protector." —Halvor Arensson, Kjeldoran Priest
EDHREC rank #24951 Rare Reserved List
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Standard ∅ Not legal
Pioneer ∅ Not legal
Modern ∅ Not legal
Legacy ✓ Legal
Vintage ✓ Legal
Pauper ∅ Not legal
Commander ✓ Legal
Oathbreaker ✓ Legal
Brawl ∅ Not legal
Historic ∅ Not legal
Timeless ∅ Not legal
Alchemy ∅ Not legal
Explorer ∅ Not legal
Gladiator ∅ Not legal
Penny ✓ Legal
Duel ✓ Legal

Official rulings

7 rulings · in English, source Scryfall

Does not affect damage if you are already at zero or negative life. You still take it all.

2004-10-04 · Wizards of the Coast

If an effect asks you to pay life, you can’t pay more life than you have.

2008-10-01 · Wizards of the Coast

Paying cumulative upkeep is always optional. If it’s not paid, the permanent with cumulative upkeep is sacrificed. Partial payments of the total cumulative upkeep cost can’t be made. For example, if a permanent with “cumulative upkeep {1}” has three age counters on it when its cumulative upkeep ability triggers, it gets another age counter and then its controller chooses to either pay {4} or sacrifice the permanent.

2008-10-01 · Wizards of the Coast

The ability doesn’t change how much damage is dealt; it just changes how much life that damage makes you lose. An effect such as Spirit Link will see the full amount of damage being dealt.

2008-10-01 · Wizards of the Coast

Sustaining Spirit won’t prevent you from losing the game if your life total is 0 or less or some other effect causes you to lose the game.

2008-10-01 · Wizards of the Coast

The second ability is not a prevention effect. It stops unpreventable damage from reducing your life total below 1.

2008-10-01 · Wizards of the Coast

The second ability applies only if your life total is being reduced by damage. Other effects or costs (such as “lose 1 life” or “pay 1 life”) can reduce your life total below 1 as normal.

2008-10-01 · Wizards of the Coast

All printings