My opponent has 21 life points, I play a torgaar,famine incarnate which states : up to one target player's life becomes half their starting life, rounded down. Is this done first ? Because 21 rounded down is 20, half of 20=10 , 21-10=11 life points still remaining. Or is this 21/2=10,5
21-10,5=10,5 rounded down to 10 ? This offcourse advantages or disadvantages you the same way when rounding up happens first or last
In English, "half $thing, rounded down" means divide by two, then if the result is not a whole number, use the next-lowest whole number. Half of 21, rounded down is 10.
However, it should also be noted that Torgaar specifically is looking at the player's starting life total, not their current life total. Outside of Vanguard games (playing with cards like Eladamri), your starting life total is going to be 20 (most formats), 30 (Two-Headed Giant, Duel Commander), or 40 (Commander/EDH). So Torgaar is going to set the player to 10, 15, or 20.
Also, Torgaar sets a player's life total to a certain number. Even if you're playing a Vanguard game where your opponent's starting life total is an odd number, you don't find half that number (rounded down) and subtract from their life total (eg, 35 / 2 => 17, 35 - 17 = 18); you simply set their life total to the determined number (35 / 2 => 17). Cards that care about how much life a player loses (eg, Exquisite Blood) count the difference between the life they were at and the life they get set to. Note also that Torgaar could increase a player's life total, not just decrease it. If Torgaar targets someone at 1 life, they will actually gain life from his trigger (unless they started the game with less than 4 life somehow).
Well, you appear to not have understood Torgaar's ability.
Torgaar does not say the player loses half their life. Torgaar says the player's life total becomes half. There's no subtraction. The life total just becomes a new number.
And clearly, the only value that can be rounded down is the half, because it is the only one that can be a fraction.
107.1. The only numbers the Magic game uses are integers.
107.1a. You can't choose a fractional number, deal fractional damage, gain fractional life, and so on. If a spell or ability could generate a fractional number, the spell or ability will tell you whether to round up or down.
But, more importantly than any of that, Torgaar says starting life total, not "current" life total. A player's starting life total is how much life that player started the game with. In most formats, that number is 20, so Torgaar makes that player's life total become 10.
It doesn't matter if that player is currently at 21, 40, 13, or 2, Torgaar's ability makes that player life total become 10 in all cases, as the player started the game with 20 life and half of 20 is 10.
Allright thanks, two lessons learned with one card/situation.
Thanks a lot !
Double post merged. If your goal is to thank each person who answered you, replying separately isn't the best because we don't see a link to the post you've replied to. A single thank you post to thank everyone is best. -MadMage
21-10,5=10,5 rounded down to 10 ? This offcourse advantages or disadvantages you the same way when rounding up happens first or last
However, it should also be noted that Torgaar specifically is looking at the player's starting life total, not their current life total. Outside of Vanguard games (playing with cards like Eladamri), your starting life total is going to be 20 (most formats), 30 (Two-Headed Giant, Duel Commander), or 40 (Commander/EDH). So Torgaar is going to set the player to 10, 15, or 20.
Also, Torgaar sets a player's life total to a certain number. Even if you're playing a Vanguard game where your opponent's starting life total is an odd number, you don't find half that number (rounded down) and subtract from their life total (eg, 35 / 2 => 17, 35 - 17 = 18); you simply set their life total to the determined number (35 / 2 => 17). Cards that care about how much life a player loses (eg, Exquisite Blood) count the difference between the life they were at and the life they get set to. Note also that Torgaar could increase a player's life total, not just decrease it. If Torgaar targets someone at 1 life, they will actually gain life from his trigger (unless they started the game with less than 4 life somehow).
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
Torgaar does not say the player loses half their life. Torgaar says the player's life total becomes half. There's no subtraction. The life total just becomes a new number.
And clearly, the only value that can be rounded down is the half, because it is the only one that can be a fraction.
107.1. The only numbers the Magic game uses are integers.
107.1a. You can't choose a fractional number, deal fractional damage, gain fractional life, and so on. If a spell or ability could generate a fractional number, the spell or ability will tell you whether to round up or down.
But, more importantly than any of that, Torgaar says starting life total, not "current" life total. A player's starting life total is how much life that player started the game with. In most formats, that number is 20, so Torgaar makes that player's life total become 10.
It doesn't matter if that player is currently at 21, 40, 13, or 2, Torgaar's ability makes that player life total become 10 in all cases, as the player started the game with 20 life and half of 20 is 10.
Thanks a lot !
Double post merged. If your goal is to thank each person who answered you, replying separately isn't the best because we don't see a link to the post you've replied to. A single thank you post to thank everyone is best. -MadMage