<h2>Yes, creatures can trigger their own ETBs</h2>

<blockquote>
  <p>603.6a Enters-the-battlefield abilities trigger when a permanent enters the battlefield. These are written, “When [this object] enters the battlefield, . . . “ or “Whenever a [type] enters the battlefield, . . .” <strong>Each time an event puts one or more permanents onto the battlefield, all permanents on the battlefield <em>(including the newcomers)</em> are checked for any enters-the-battlefield triggers that match the event.</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Emphasis mine.</p>

<p>That said, the standard template for such abilities is <a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=473037" rel="noreferrer">"Whenever {cardname} or another [type] enters the battlefield"</a>, largely to remove exactly this sort of ambiguity.  This sort of question should only be relevant to players if some sort of type modification is going on (for example, playing <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSetessan%20Champion%5d">Setessan Champion</a> while <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bEnchanted%20Evening%5d">Enchanted Evening</a> is on the battlefield).</p>

<p>This template also has the minor side effect that if for whatever reason the card in question is <em>not</em> of the specified type, it will still trigger its own ability.  (For example, playing <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bAyara%2c%20First%20of%20Locthwain%5d">Ayara, First of Locthwain</a> with a <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bMycosynth%20Lattice%5d">Mycosynth Lattice</a> in play)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-26T14:49:17.750Z
as an additional note, they also use this templating on "leaves the Battlefield" abilities. See [Anax, Hardened in the Forge](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=anax%2C%20hardened%20in%20the%20forge), this causes some weirdness as token copies of Anax that die will create saytr tokens from their own ability.
Malco
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-26T01:48:03.027Z
2020-02-26T10:15:52.603Z
2020-02-26T10:15:52.603Z
Arcanist Lupus
<p>I work heavily on custom magic cards, and in one of my groups there is some discussion around ETB effects.</p>

<p>Take a card like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSoul%20Warden%5d">Soul Warden</a>, it explicitly says 'another creature' in its ETB. If we removed 'another' from the triggered ability would soul Warden gain life on ETB from itself?</p>

<magic-the-gathering>
Does a creature trigger its own ETB ability even if not explicitly stated?
Kyle Chamberlin
# Does a creature trigger its own ETB ability even if not explicitly stated?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-02-26)

I work heavily on custom magic cards, and in one of my groups there is some discussion around ETB effects.

Take a card like [Soul Warden](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSoul%20Warden%5d), it explicitly says 'another creature' in its ETB. If we removed 'another' from the triggered ability would soul Warden gain life on ETB from itself?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-02-26. Score: 15 | Accepted answer

## Yes, creatures can trigger their own ETBs

> 603.6a Enters-the-battlefield abilities trigger when a permanent enters the battlefield. These are written, “When [this object] enters the battlefield, . . . “ or “Whenever a [type] enters the battlefield, . . .” **Each time an event puts one or more permanents onto the battlefield, all permanents on the battlefield *(including the newcomers)* are checked for any enters-the-battlefield triggers that match the event.**

Emphasis mine.

That said, the standard template for such abilities is ["Whenever {cardname} or another [type] enters the battlefield"](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=473037), largely to remove exactly this sort of ambiguity. This sort of question should only be relevant to players if some sort of type modification is going on (for example, playing [Setessan Champion](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSetessan%20Champion%5d) while [Enchanted Evening](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bEnchanted%20Evening%5d) is on the battlefield).

This template also has the minor side effect that if for whatever reason the card in question is *not* of the specified type, it will still trigger its own ability. (For example, playing [Ayara, First of Locthwain](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bAyara%2c%20First%20of%20Locthwain%5d) with a [Mycosynth Lattice](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bMycosynth%20Lattice%5d) in play)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: as an additional note, they also use this templating on "leaves the Battlefield" abilities. See [Anax, Hardened in the Forge](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=anax%2C%20hardened%20in%20the%20forge), this causes some weirdness as token copies of Anax that die will create saytr tokens from their own ability.  

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