<p>Festering Mummy's triggered ability will trigger.</p>

<p>"To die" is synonymous with "to move from the battlefield to the graveyard" (for any reason). This includes when State-Based Actions move a creature to the graveyard for having negative toughness. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-10T14:52:13.307Z
2017-09-10T14:52:13.307Z
ikegami
<p><strong>Creatures that have 0 or less toughness will "<em>Die</em>" according to state-based actions.</strong></p>

<p>This is covered by the following two rules:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>704.5f</strong>: If a creature has toughness 0 or less, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard. Regeneration can’t replace this event.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>and</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>700.4:</strong> The term dies means “is put into a graveyard from the battlefield.”</p>
</blockquote>

<p><hr>
So for your specific example what will happen is:</p>

<ol>
<li>You cast <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=426811" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Splendid Agony</a> targeting your opponent's <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=426793" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Festering Mummy</a>.</li>
<li>It resolves placing one -1/-1 counter on Festering Mummy.</li>
<li>State-based actions see that Festering Mummy has 0 toughness, and moves it to the graveyard (i.e. Festering Mummy <em>dies</em>). </li>
<li>Festering Mummy's death ability triggers and goes on the stack.</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-11T13:27:32.130Z
2017-09-11T14:18:52.813Z
2017-09-11T14:18:52.813Z
Malco
<p>Ok so let's say my opponent has a <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bFestering%20Mummy%5d">Festering Mummy</a> (It's a 1/1 and when it dies put a -1/-1/ counter on target creature) and I cast <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=426811" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Splendid Agony</a> (Distribute two -1/-1 counters among one or two target creatures) and I put a -1/-1 on the Festering Mummy, is it considered to have died and does its death effect still occur?</p>

<magic-the-gathering>
Is a creature considered to have died if it has negative toughness?
user21818
# Is a creature considered to have died if it has negative toughness?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-09-10)

Ok so let's say my opponent has a [Festering Mummy](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bFestering%20Mummy%5d) (It's a 1/1 and when it dies put a -1/-1/ counter on target creature) and I cast [Splendid Agony](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=426811) (Distribute two -1/-1 counters among one or two target creatures) and I put a -1/-1 on the Festering Mummy, is it considered to have died and does its death effect still occur?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-09-10. Score: 11

Festering Mummy's triggered ability will trigger.

"To die" is synonymous with "to move from the battlefield to the graveyard" (for any reason). This includes when State-Based Actions move a creature to the graveyard for having negative toughness.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2017-09-11. Score: 5

**Creatures that have 0 or less toughness will "*Die*" according to state-based actions.**

This is covered by the following two rules:

> **704.5f**: If a creature has toughness 0 or less, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard. Regeneration can’t replace this event.

and

> **700.4:** The term dies means “is put into a graveyard from the battlefield.”

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So for your specific example what will happen is:

1. You cast [Splendid Agony](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=426811) targeting your opponent's [Festering Mummy](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=426793).
2. It resolves placing one -1/-1 counter on Festering Mummy.
3. State-based actions see that Festering Mummy has 0 toughness, and moves it to the graveyard (i.e. Festering Mummy *dies*).
4. Festering Mummy's death ability triggers and goes on the stack.


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