Magic: The Gathering Core Set 2019 Two-Headed Giant Release Notes Revealed

Image: Wizards of the Coast/ Illus. by Svetlin Velinov

Magic: The Gathering's Core Set 2019 is having its prerelease events this weekend, and some shops will have two-headed giant events but some mechanics and rules might confuse some players not familiar with the team format, so the official Magic Judge blog shared some release notes to help clarify them.

If you've seen the spoilers for the new set, you probably notice by now that there are certain cards that give you a bonus for gaining life. Cards like Nightmare's Thirst, Epicure of Blood, Regal Bloodlord, Ajani's Pridemage, and Resplendent Angel get more value if you gain more life, so it's important to remember that even though you share a life total with your teammate, gaining life still happens individually. "When your teammate gains life, your life total changes, but you aren't gaining the life," the notes explained.

If you've played two-headed giant before, you probably know by now that cards that say "each opponent" or "each player" do affect more players than usual.

So if you activate Vampire Neonate's ability, your opponents lose 2 life and you gain 1 life total.

The notes also remind us how specific cards work in two-headed giant format. Check out the explanations for Blanchwood Armor, Fraying Omnipotence, Infernal Scarring, and Magistrate's Scepter below:

"As the ability is on the Aura and not on the creature, if you put this on your teammate's creature it still counts your forests."

> Both players on a team lose half their team's life total simultaneously. That means that each team's life total would be 0 or -1 after this resolves.

> Normally there is no sideboarding in 2HG tournaments because you only play 1 game each match. But if you draw the game with this, you start a new game for which you can sideboard.

"On the other hand Infernal Scarring grants the ability to the creature. If you put this on your teammate's creature, they draw the card when the creature dies."

"In 2HG taking an extra turn means your team takes an extra turn."

Are you going to play two-headed giant this weekend?

Read more: Magic: The Gathering's SDCC 2018 Planeswalker Exclusives Revealed