Certain Death
Sorcery
Destroy target creature. Its controller loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
Some spirits cling to one person, feasting on the growing fear until a final moment of all-consuming terror.
Kev Walker
Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
• #386Rulings
The targeted creature will have already left the battlefield before its controller loses 2 life and you gain 2 life. If it has any abilities that care about gaining or losing life, they won’t apply.
(wotc • 2016-07-13)
If the creature becomes an illegal target for Certain Death, no player gains or loses life. If it’s a legal target but isn’t destroyed, most likely due to having indestructible, its controller still loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
(wotc • 2016-07-13)
Rulings
The targeted creature will have already left the battlefield before its controller loses 2 life and you gain 2 life. If it has any abilities that care about gaining or losing life, they won’t apply.
(wotc • 2016-07-13)
If the creature becomes an illegal target for Certain Death, no player gains or loses life. If it’s a legal target but isn’t destroyed, most likely due to having indestructible, its controller still loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
(wotc • 2016-07-13)