<p><strong>You can only sacrifice a creature you control.</strong></p>

<p>A few sources...</p>

<p>From the <a href="http://media.wizards.com/2014/docs/EN_M15_QckStrtBklt_LR_Crop.pdf" rel="noreferrer">quick start guide</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>sacrifice</strong></p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Sometimes a card tells you to
    sacrifice a creature or some other permanent.
    To sacrifice a permanent, you move it from
    the battlefield to your graveyard. You can’t
    regenerate it or save it in any way. <strong>You can
    sacrifice only your own permanents.</strong></p>
  </blockquote>
</blockquote>

<p>From the glossary in the <a href="https://www.wizards.com/magic/rules/en_mtgm11_rulebook_lr_web.pdf" rel="noreferrer">basic rules</a>, page 31:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Sacrifice</strong></p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>To choose one of your permanents on the battlefield
    and put it into its owner’s graveyard. <strong>You can sacrifice
    only permanents you control.</strong> Sacrificing a permanent
    is different from destroying it, so the permanent can’t be
    regenerated. You can sacrifice a permanent only if a spell
    or ability tells you to, or if it’s part of a cost.</p>
  </blockquote>
</blockquote>

<p>And the comprehensive rule where that comes from:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>701.15a To sacrifice a permanent, its controller moves it from the battlefield directly to its owner’s graveyard. <strong>A player can’t sacrifice something that isn’t a permanent, or something that’s a permanent he or she doesn’t control.</strong> Sacrificing a permanent doesn’t destroy it, so regeneration or other effects that replace destruction can’t affect this action.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-08T17:53:23.417Z
Ah I did not see that specific wording, thank you that’s what I was looking for! I think the wording I had seen was something along the lines of “player removes target permanent from the battlefield”. But this clears it up once and for all. I guess this means you have to use abilities other than sacrifice to get rid of an opponents creatures.
Darth Scitus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-09T01:17:52.113Z
@Cameron Belt, Any definition of sacrifice that uses the word "target" is wrong.
ikegami
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-08T17:21:24.283Z
2018-04-08T17:21:24.283Z
GendoIkari
<p>My question came up after I had a disagreement over what it means when a card states “sacrifice a creature” as it’s ability. The disagreement is in whether or not this text allows a player to sacrifice ANOTHER players creature. The rules for sacrifice didn’t clear up the issue for me, the ruling is still vague enough that I could conceivably sacrifice my opponents creature in a game and think it’s perfectly legitimate. Anyway I wanted to get some feedback on this. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-08T17:24:13.950Z
Can you let us know what rules / ruling you were reading that is vague?
GendoIkari
<magic-the-gathering>
Sacrificing a creature - Magic the gathering
Darth Scitus
# Sacrificing a creature - Magic the gathering

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-08)

My question came up after I had a disagreement over what it means when a card states “sacrifice a creature” as it’s ability. The disagreement is in whether or not this text allows a player to sacrifice ANOTHER players creature. The rules for sacrifice didn’t clear up the issue for me, the ruling is still vague enough that I could conceivably sacrifice my opponents creature in a game and think it’s perfectly legitimate. Anyway I wanted to get some feedback on this.

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you let us know what rules / ruling you were reading that is vague?  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-04-08. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

**You can only sacrifice a creature you control.**

A few sources...

From the [quick start guide](http://media.wizards.com/2014/docs/EN_M15_QckStrtBklt_LR_Crop.pdf):

> **sacrifice**
>
> > Sometimes a card tells you to
> > sacrifice a creature or some other permanent.
> > To sacrifice a permanent, you move it from
> > the battlefield to your graveyard. You can’t
> > regenerate it or save it in any way. **You can
> > sacrifice only your own permanents.**

From the glossary in the [basic rules](https://www.wizards.com/magic/rules/en_mtgm11_rulebook_lr_web.pdf), page 31:

> **Sacrifice**
>
> > To choose one of your permanents on the battlefield
> > and put it into its owner’s graveyard. **You can sacrifice
> > only permanents you control.** Sacrificing a permanent
> > is different from destroying it, so the permanent can’t be
> > regenerated. You can sacrifice a permanent only if a spell
> > or ability tells you to, or if it’s part of a cost.

And the comprehensive rule where that comes from:

> 701.15a To sacrifice a permanent, its controller moves it from the battlefield directly to its owner’s graveyard. **A player can’t sacrifice something that isn’t a permanent, or something that’s a permanent he or she doesn’t control.** Sacrificing a permanent doesn’t destroy it, so regeneration or other effects that replace destruction can’t affect this action.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Ah I did not see that specific wording, thank you that’s what I was looking for! I think the wording I had seen was something along the lines of “player removes target permanent from the battlefield”. But this clears it up once and for all. I guess this means you have to use abilities other than sacrifice to get rid of an opponents creatures.  
> **username_2**: @Cameron Belt, Any definition of sacrifice that uses the word "target" is wrong.  

---

