When a unit equipped with Skyfall conquers a battlefield, does it trigger the battlefield's 'When I hold' effect?

Question

Accepted Answer

No — a Conquer does not by itself trigger a battlefield’s “When I hold” (Hold) ability. Conquered events only put Conquer effects on the chain; Hold effects trigger from a Hold during a Beginning phase (or from an effect that specifically causes a Hold). If Skyfall’s card text itself causes a Hold or otherwise scores the battlefield as Held, then the Hold ability could trigger, but you must check Skyfall’s exact text to know for sure.

A unit equipped with Skyfall conquering a battlefield will trigger Conquer abilities, not the battlefield’s “When I hold” ability. Only a Hold (or an effect that explicitly causes a Hold/held scoring) will put Hold effects on the chain [383.4.c.2.a] [383.4.d.2.a] [466.2]. If Skyfall explicitly causes a Hold/held scoring, then the Hold ability would trigger; otherwise it will not.

A unit conquering a battlefield causes a Conquer event: the player gains control and (normally) gains 1 Victory Point; Conquer abilities are put on the chain after that occurs [383.4.c.2.a]. A battlefield’s “When I hold…” ability is a Hold Effect and only triggers when a player Holds during the Beginning phase and gains 1 Victory Point from Holding; those Hold abilities are put on the chain at that time [383.4.d.2.a] [383.4.d.1]. Rule separation: Conquer abilities and Hold abilities are different categories and trigger from different scoring events; Conquer triggers do not by themselves cause Hold triggers [466.2]. Therefore, a Conquer (including one done by a unit with Skyfall) will not put a battlefield’s Hold ability on the chain unless some effect explicitly creates or substitutes a Hold event (or makes the scoring be a Hold) as part of resolving Skyfall’s text [466.2] [FAQ:unleashed#23]. Even if the point gained is negated or replaced, Conquer and Hold effects will still trigger when their respective scoring events are treated as having occurred [383.4.c.2.c] [383.4.d.2.c].

If Skyfall’s text explicitly says “Hold” or “You hold this battlefield” or otherwise causes the battlefield to be scored as Held, then the Hold ability would trigger — you must read Skyfall’s wording to determine that. This ruling cannot determine that without Skyfall’s card text [383.4.d.2.a]. If an effect ‘activates’ a Conquer-like check (as in Reckoner's Arena’s activation), that simulated Conquer only counts for the specified Conquer checks and still must satisfy the other conditions of any conquer triggers (see [FAQ:unleashed#23]). Control of who adds the battlefield ability to the chain and makes choices can matter; see battlefield control rules if the battlefield is uncontrolled at the time an ability would trigger [187.6]. If the scoring event is replaced or its point gain is negated, the corresponding Conquer or Hold effect still triggers for that event category [383.4.c.2.c] [383.4.d.2.c].

Conquer and Hold are distinct scoring events with distinct triggers. Conquered events cause Conquer abilities to be put on the chain after the unit(s) that correspond to them are present when a player gains control and gains 1 Victory Point from Conquering [383.4.c.2.a] [383.4.c.1]. Hold abilities (worded “When I hold…”) are triggered when a player Holds during the Beginning phase and gains 1 Victory Point from Holding; those Hold abilities are put on the chain at that time [383.4.d.2.a] [383.4.d.1]. Rule [466.2] explicitly separates these: Conquer abilities trigger at a Battlefield that was Conquered, and Hold abilities trigger at a Battlefield that was Held [466.2]. Therefore, a unit conquering a battlefield (including a unit with Skyfall) will not, by that Conquer action alone, trigger the battlefield’s “When I hold” effect. The only way a Hold effect will be triggered is if the game performs a Hold/held scoring event (for example during the Beginning phase) or if some card or effect explicitly causes the battlefield to be treated as Held. The Reckoner's Arena example in the clarifications shows how an activated Conquer-like check is only treated for the specific Conquer checks and still requires other conditions to be met for additional triggers [FAQ:unleashed#23]. Because I do not have the text of Skyfall, I cannot rule whether Skyfall itself creates or substitutes a Hold event; if it does, the Hold ability could trigger. Absent such specific text on Skyfall, a plain Conquer does not cause a battlefield’s “When I hold” effect to trigger [383.4.c.2.a] [383.4.d.2.a] [466.2].