The Battlefield

Aetherflux Reservoir

$18.75

Bloodthirsty Conqueror

$33.58

AI DraftFeb 26, 2026

Aetherflux Reservoir + Bloodthirsty Conqueror

Overview

If you control both Aetherflux Reservoir and Bloodthirsty Conqueror and you activate Reservoir (paying 50 life as the activation cost) targeting an opponent: the 50 life you pay is paid as a cost and is you losing life, so Conqueror does not trigger for that payment . When the activated ability resolves and deals 50 damage to the opponent, that damage causes the opponent to lose 50 life ; that loss will cause Bloodthirsty Conqueror to trigger and, when its trigger resolves, you will gain 50 life (assuming the life loss actually happened and the Conqueror was able to observe the event) .

Step 1

You activate Aetherflux Reservoir’s ability. Paying 50 life is part of the activation cost and is paid at that time, which causes you to lose 50 life .

Step 2

Because the life lost as the cost was you losing life (not an opponent), Bloodthirsty Conqueror’s 'Whenever an opponent loses life' ability does not trigger from that payment.

Step 3

The activated ability goes on the stack and later resolves (assuming you are still in the game and nothing else stopped it). When it resolves, the artifact deals 50 damage to the chosen target.

Step 4

Damage dealt to a player by a source without infect causes that player to lose that much life . That life-loss event (the opponent losing 50 life) is what Bloodthirsty Conqueror watches for.

Step 5

Abilities that trigger when damage is dealt trigger at the time damage is dealt and wait to be put on the stack ; Bloodthirsty Conqueror’s triggered ability will be triggered by the opponent’s life loss and placed on the stack.

Step 6

When Bloodthirsty Conqueror’s triggered ability resolves, it causes you to gain life equal to the life the opponent lost (in this case, 50), provided the trigger was created and can resolve.

Resolution

Activating Aetherflux Reservoir requires you to pay 50 life as a cost, which is you losing life and does not trigger Bloodthirsty Conqueror (it triggers only when an opponent loses life) . When the Reservoir’s ability resolves and deals 50 damage to an opponent, that damage causes the opponent to lose 50 life , which will trigger Bloodthirsty Conqueror; when that trigger resolves you gain 50 life .

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