Captive Audience — ruling 1

Once Captive Audience is controlled by your opponent, its ability triggers during that player’s upkeep and that player makes all choices for it. That player is affected by its first two modes, and that player’s opponents create the tokens for its last mode.

Captive Audience — ruling 2

For a player’s life total to become 4, that player gains or loses the appropriate amount of life. For example, if a player’s life total is 20, Captive Audience will cause that player to lose 16 life; alternatively, if their life total is 1, it will cause them to gain 3 life. Other cards that interact with life gain or life loss will interact with this effect accordingly.

Captive Audience — ruling 3

You may choose Captive Audience’s first mode even if your life total is already 4. Similarly, you may choose its second mode even if you have no cards in hand.

Captive Audience — ruling 4

If all three modes have been chosen, Captive Audience’s triggered ability is removed from the stack with no effect, but Captive Audience remains on the battlefield.

Captive Audience — ruling 5

In a Two-Headed Giant game, Captive Audience’s first mode causes its controller to gain or lose life so that their team’s life total becomes 4.

Captive Audience — ruling 6

In a multiplayer game, if Captive Audience’s owner leaves the game, Captive Audience leaves the game with them. If Captive Audience’s controller leaves the game, Captive Audience is exiled (assuming that player wasn’t also Captive Audience’s owner).

Captive Audience : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Captive Audience is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

This enchantment enters under the control of an opponent of your choice. At the beginning of your upkeep, choose one that hasn't been chosen — • Your life total becomes 4. • Discard your hand. • Each opponent creates five 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens.

How it works : Captive Audience

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1January 25, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
Once Captive Audience is controlled by your opponent, its ability triggers during that player’s upkeep and that player makes all choices for it. That player is affected by its first two modes, and that player’s opponents create the tokens for its last mode.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2January 25, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
For a player’s life total to become 4, that player gains or loses the appropriate amount of life. For example, if a player’s life total is 20, Captive Audience will cause that player to lose 16 life; alternatively, if their life total is 1, it will cause them to gain 3 life. Other cards that interact with life gain or life loss will interact with this effect accordingly.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3January 25, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
You may choose Captive Audience’s first mode even if your life total is already 4. Similarly, you may choose its second mode even if you have no cards in hand.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4January 25, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If all three modes have been chosen, Captive Audience’s triggered ability is removed from the stack with no effect, but Captive Audience remains on the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5January 25, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
In a Two-Headed Giant game, Captive Audience’s first mode causes its controller to gain or lose life so that their team’s life total becomes 4.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6January 25, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
In a multiplayer game, if Captive Audience’s owner leaves the game, Captive Audience leaves the game with them. If Captive Audience’s controller leaves the game, Captive Audience is exiled (assuming that player wasn’t also Captive Audience’s owner).
No other card is named in this ruling.