Consume Spirit
Sorcery
Spend only black mana on X.
Consume Spirit deals X damage to any target and you gain X life.
Justin Sweet
Planechase (HOP)
• #21Rulings
The amount of life you gain is equal to the number chosen for X, not the amount of damage Consume Spirit deals (in case some of it is prevented).
(wotc • 2009-10-01)
If the targeted permanent or player is an illegal target by the time Consume Spirit would resolve, the entire spell doesn’t resolve. You won’t gain any life.
(wotc • 2009-10-01)
Rulings
The amount of life you gain is equal to the number chosen for X, not the amount of damage Consume Spirit deals (in case some of it is prevented).
(wotc • 2009-10-01)
If the targeted permanent or player is an illegal target by the time Consume Spirit would resolve, the entire spell doesn’t resolve. You won’t gain any life.
(wotc • 2009-10-01)