The Battlefield

Enduring Tenacity

$6.05

Exquisite Blood

$15.48

AI DraftFeb 26, 2026

Enduring Tenacity + Exquisite Blood

Overview

When you gain life, Enduring Tenacity’s triggered ability causes a chosen opponent to lose that much life; that loss will trigger Exquisite Blood to cause you to gain that much life, which can retrigger Enduring Tenacity — producing a repeating trigger loop. However, if the life loss from Enduring Tenacity reduces the opponent to 0 or less life, state-based actions cause that player to lose the game before Exquisite Blood’s triggered ability is put on the stack .

Step 1

A source causes you to gain N life. That life gain is a life-gain event that can trigger Enduring Tenacity’s ability .

Step 2

Enduring Tenacity’s triggered ability is put onto the waiting-to-be-stacked list; when it resolves it will cause target opponent to lose N life.

Step 3

When Enduring Tenacity’s ability resolves, the targeted opponent loses N life (life loss event) .

Step 4

As soon as that life loss happens, Exquisite Blood’s triggered ability triggers (it sees an opponent lose life) and becomes waiting to be put on the stack.

Step 5

Before any waiting-to-be-put-on-the-stack triggered abilities are actually put on the stack, the game checks state-based actions; if the opponent’s life total is 0 or less, they lose the game immediately due to state-based actions , and Exquisite Blood’s trigger is not put on the stack.

Step 6

If the opponent’s life total is still above 0, no state-based action causes them to lose, so waiting triggers (including Exquisite Blood) are put on the stack and players receive priority.

Step 7

If Exquisite Blood’s trigger resolves, you gain N life, creating another life-gain event that will cause Enduring Tenacity to trigger again and repeat the cycle .

Resolution

The two cards do form a loop of triggered abilities: gain life → Enduring Tenacity triggers and targets an opponent to lose that much life → that opponent’s life loss triggers Exquisite Blood → you gain that much life → Enduring Tenacity triggers again, etc. If any instance of Enduring Tenacity’s life loss would put the targeted opponent at 0 or less life, that opponent loses the game due to state-based actions before Exquisite Blood’s trigger is even placed on the stack, so the loop does not rescue them . Also note you choose a target opponent for Enduring Tenacity’s trigger each time it triggers (you may choose different opponents for different triggers) as clarified in Ruling [2024-09-20].

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