Lunar ConvocationHow it works & interactions with other cards

Understanding the End Step Triggers

Lunar Convocation has two separate triggered abilities that check for specific conditions at the beginning of your end step. The first ability checks if you gained any life at all during the turn; if you did, every opponent loses 1 life. The second ability is more specific, checking if you both gained and lost life during the turn. If both conditions are met, you create a 1/1 black Bat creature token with flying. Note that these are 'intervening if' clauses, meaning the conditions must be true at the exact moment the end step begins for the abilities to even go on the stack.

Step-by-Step Resolution

When your end step begins, the game checks your life total history for the turn. 1. If you gained life, the first trigger is put on the stack. 2. If you both gained and lost life, the second trigger is put on the stack. 3. As the active player, you choose the order in which these triggers resolve. 4. Each trigger checks its condition again upon resolution. If you haven't gained life by the start of the end step, you cannot gain life 'in response' to the trigger to make it happen, as it would never have triggered in the first place.

Common Mistakes

A common misconception is that the net change in life total matters. Even if you lost more life than you gained, you still count as having 'gained life' for these abilities. Another mistake is forgetting that the activation of Lunar Convocation's own draw ability satisfies the 'lost life' requirement for the second trigger. Remember that the triggers only look at what happened before the end step started; gaining life during the end step itself is too late to trigger the Bat production for that specific turn.

When to Play It

Lunar Convocation is best utilized in decks that can consistently trigger life gain through small increments, such as lifelink or 'soul sister' effects. Because it provides its own way to lose life and draw cards, it is an excellent mana sink for the late game. It shines in multiplayer formats like Commander where the 'each opponent' drain effect scales with the number of players.

Interaction examples

Self-Sufficient Bat Generation

Lunar Convocation

During your turn, you activate the ability of Lunar Convocation by paying {1}{B} and 2 life to draw a card. Later, you gain 1 life from an unrelated source. When your end step begins, both conditions are met: you gained life and you lost life. You will drain your opponents for 1 life and create a 1/1 black Bat creature token.

Maintaining Momentum with Phyrexian Arena

Lunar ConvocationPhyrexian Arena

During your upkeep, Phyrexian Arena causes you to draw a card and lose 1 life. During your main phase, you play a land that gains you 1 life. At the beginning of your end step, because you lost life (from the Arena) and gained life (from the land), both Lunar Convocation triggers will fire, draining opponents and generating a Bat.

Rapid Resource Growth

Lunar ConvocationBlack Market Connections

At the start of your main phase, Black Market Connections allows you to lose life to create a Treasure, draw a card, or create a Shapeshifter. If you choose any of these, you have satisfied the 'lost life' condition. If you then gain any life during your turn, Lunar Convocation will trigger in the end step. Additionally, you can use the Treasure produced by the Connections to pay for Lunar Convocation's card draw ability.