<p>Yes to both. The FAQ for <em>Scars of Mirrodin</em> states that creatures with infect deal damage to players in the form of poison counters; that's still dealing damage, so lifelink and other abilities that trigger on combat damage take place as normal.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-27T19:25:41.413Z
2010-10-27T19:25:41.413Z
Jadasc
<p>Creatures with Infect still deal damage, so all abilities that trigger* (such as Lifelink) still function.</p>

<p>This is a natural consequence of rule <strong>119.3b</strong> and <strong>119.3d</strong> (and others, like 702.87x, omitted here)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Damage dealt to a player by a source
  with infect causes that player to get
  that many poison counters.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>and</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Damage dealt to a creature by a source with wither and/or infect causes that many -1/-1 counters to be put on that creature.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://www.wizards.com/magic/comprules/MagicCompRules_20101001.txt" rel="nofollow noreferrer">(Source)</a></p>

<p>Note that both Infect and Lifelink occur as a consequence of damage being dealt, thus it follows that <em>any other damage triggered* ability</em> would also occur.</p>

<p><sub>*As <a href="https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/users/234/alexc">AlexC</a> points out, the actually phrase "trigger" can be tricky.  Think "caused to happen, through any of MTG's myriad rules."</sub></p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-27T20:21:16.463Z
Best to avoid saying "abilities that trigger on dealt damage", because lifelink is no longer a triggered ability. Lifelink is now simply something that modifies how the damage is dealt.
AlexC
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-19T15:21:27.883Z
Similar to what AlexC said, *Infect* is a static ability, not a triggered one. It changes the properties of how the creature deals damage, rather than replacing damage when damage happens.
Samthere
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-27T19:40:41.523Z
2010-10-28T03:40:52.747Z
2017-04-13T12:38:49.990Z
Kevin Montrose
<p>Yes, the creature's controller will gain life.</p>

<p>Infect and Lifelink are both abilities that modify how damage is dealt. They're not exclusive in any way; they just mean that the damage dealt has some effects different to what damage normally does. They can happily coexist.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>119.3b Damage dealt to a player by a source with <strong>infect</strong> causes that player to get that many poison counters.<br>
  ...<br>
  119.3f Damage dealt by a source with <strong>lifelink</strong> causes that source's controller to gain that much life, <em>in addition to the damage's other results.</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>The damage is still damage in every way. So it'll still trigger an <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=ophidian+eye">Ophidian Eye</a>, get doubled by <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=205268">Furnace of Rath</a>, get prevented by <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=132101">Samite Healer</a> and so on.</p>

<p>The <em>Scars of Mirrodin</em> <a href="http://www.wizards.com/dci/downloads/EN_MTGSOM_FAQ_20100922.rtf">FAQ document</a> says:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Damage from a source with infect is damage in all respects. <strong>If the source with infect also has lifelink, damage dealt by that source also causes its controller to gain that much life.</strong> Damage from a source with infect can be prevented or redirected. Abilities that trigger on damage being dealt will trigger if a source with infect deals damage, if appropriate.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-27T20:28:07.977Z
2010-10-27T20:28:07.977Z
AlexC
<p>When a creature with Infect and Lifelink puts poison counters on a player, does the controlling player gain life? Do all abilities that trigger on combat damage still occur?</p>

<p>A link to an official ruling would be helpful.</p>

<magic-the-gathering>
How does Infect interact with Lifelink?
pian0
# How does Infect interact with Lifelink?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2010-10-27)

When a creature with Infect and Lifelink puts poison counters on a player, does the controlling player gain life? Do all abilities that trigger on combat damage still occur?

A link to an official ruling would be helpful.

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2010-10-27. Score: 20 | Accepted answer

Yes, the creature's controller will gain life.

Infect and Lifelink are both abilities that modify how damage is dealt. They're not exclusive in any way; they just mean that the damage dealt has some effects different to what damage normally does. They can happily coexist.

> 119.3b Damage dealt to a player by a source with **infect** causes that player to get that many poison counters.  
> ...  
> 119.3f Damage dealt by a source with **lifelink** causes that source's controller to gain that much life, *in addition to the damage's other results.*

The damage is still damage in every way. So it'll still trigger an [Ophidian Eye](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=ophidian+eye), get doubled by [Furnace of Rath](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=205268), get prevented by [Samite Healer](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=132101) and so on.

The *Scars of Mirrodin* [FAQ document](http://www.wizards.com/dci/downloads/EN_MTGSOM_FAQ_20100922.rtf) says:

> Damage from a source with infect is damage in all respects. **If the source with infect also has lifelink, damage dealt by that source also causes its controller to gain that much life.** Damage from a source with infect can be prevented or redirected. Abilities that trigger on damage being dealt will trigger if a source with infect deals damage, if appropriate.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2010-10-27. Score: 6

Creatures with Infect still deal damage, so all abilities that trigger\* (such as Lifelink) still function.

This is a natural consequence of rule **119.3b** and **119.3d** (and others, like 702.87x, omitted here)

> Damage dealt to a player by a source
> with infect causes that player to get
> that many poison counters.

and

> Damage dealt to a creature by a source with wither and/or infect causes that many -1/-1 counters to be put on that creature.

[(Source)](http://www.wizards.com/magic/comprules/MagicCompRules_20101001.txt)

Note that both Infect and Lifelink occur as a consequence of damage being dealt, thus it follows that *any other damage triggered\* ability* would also occur.

\*As [username_3](https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/users/234/alexc) points out, the actually phrase "trigger" can be tricky. Think "caused to happen, through any of MTG's myriad rules."

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Best to avoid saying "abilities that trigger on dealt damage", because lifelink is no longer a triggered ability. Lifelink is now simply something that modifies how the damage is dealt.  
> **username_4**: Similar to what username_3 said, *Infect* is a static ability, not a triggered one. It changes the properties of how the creature deals damage, rather than replacing damage when damage happens.  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2010-10-27. Score: 5

Yes to both. The FAQ for *Scars of Mirrodin* states that creatures with infect deal damage to players in the form of poison counters; that's still dealing damage, so lifelink and other abilities that trigger on combat damage take place as normal.


---

