Hope Estheim — ruling 1

The value of X is calculated only once, as Hope's last ability resolves.

Hope Estheim : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Hope Estheim 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

Lifelink At the beginning of your end step, each opponent mills X cards, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn.

Complete guide

Hope Estheim is a legendary Wizard that turns your healing potential into a potent library-shredding machine. By tracking the total life you've gained throughout your turn, this commander transforms every point of health into cards discarded by your opponents.

Understanding the Milling Engine

Hope Estheim features two distinct abilities that work in tandem. First, Lifelink allows the creature to contribute to your life gain total directly through combat. Second, its triggered ability checks the total amount of life you gained during the current turn, regardless of whether you later lost life. Even if your life total stayed the same because you gained 5 and lost 5, Hope still remembers the 5 life you gained.

Resolving the End Step Trigger

The ability triggers at the beginning of your end step. As the ability resolves, the game looks back at the entire turn to calculate the value of X. If you gained 3 life from a spell and 2 life from Lifelink, X will be 5. Each opponent must then move that many cards from the top of their library to their graveyard simultaneously.

Timing and Calculations

A common mistake is assuming X is locked in when the ability triggers. The value of X is actually calculated only once, specifically as the ability resolves. If an effect causes you to gain life in response to the end step trigger, that life will be included in the final count for X.

Strategy and Synergies

Hope Estheim excels in decks that focus on incremental life gain or massive lifegain bursts. Since it only costs two mana, it can be deployed early to start chipping away at opponent libraries. Protecting Hope is vital, as the trigger only occurs if Hope is on the battlefield when the end step begins.

Interaction examples

Early Game Pressure

Ornithopter of Paradise

You tap Ornithopter of Paradise to produce Blue mana, helping you cast Hope Estheim on turn two. If you have no other way to gain life this turn, Hope's end step ability triggers, but since X is 0, no cards are milled. This sets up your board for future Lifelink attacks.

Lifelink Combat

Esper Sentinel

Hope Estheim attacks and deals 2 damage. Because it has Lifelink, you gain 2 life. In your end step, Hope's ability triggers. It checks the turn history, sees you gained 2 life, and forces each opponent to mill 2 cards. Meanwhile, Esper Sentinel stands ready to tax your opponents' spells on their following turns.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.