Lifelink

Lifelink is a static ability. If a source with lifelink—usually a creature—deals damage, combat or otherwise, its controller gains that much life at the same time. The reminder text puts it simply: damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life. It isn’t a separate trigger you can respond to, and multiple instances of lifelink don’t stack; one is enough.

In play, lifelink turns damage into a life buffer. Attacking or blocking with lifelink creatures makes races harder for opponents and can undo several turns of chip damage with one big hit. Even a small lifelink creature gains a little life each turn, helping you stabilize while still applying pressure.

• The catalog contains 379 unique cards with lifelink, totaling 1,170 printings across 244 sets.
• Creatures dominate the list: 374 Creatures, plus 25 Artifacts, 11 Enchantments, 1 Land, and 1 Sorcery.
• White and Black are the main colors of these cards.
• Rarities seen include common, uncommon, rare, mythic, and special.
• The oldest card in this catalog was printed in 2007 with Future Sight, and the newest set represented among its cards is Star Trek. Most-printed cards include Vampire Nighthawk, Wurmcoil Engine, Child of Night, Mangara, the Diplomat, Atraxa, Praetors' Voice, Danitha Capashen, Paragon, Griselbrand, Lyra Dawnbringer, Yarok, the Desecrated, Archon of Sun's Grace, Elenda, the Dusk Rose, and Lurrus of the Dream-Den.