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Let's say Alice took control over Bob's Leyline of Abundance using Agent of Treachery, and then Alice leaves a multiplayer game. What happens with Leyline of Abundance? According to rule 800.4a

800.4a. When a player leaves the game, all objects (see rule 109) owned by that player leave the game, any effects which give that player control of any objects or players end, and all spells and abilities controlled by that player on the stack cease to exist. Then, if there are any objects still controlled by that player, those objects are exiled. This is not a state-based action. It happens as soon as the player leaves the game. If the player who left the game had priority at the time he or she left, priority passes to the next player in turn order who’s still in the game.

I thought the permanent would be exiled, but there is a ruling on Agent of Treachery that states

Agent of Treachery’s effect lasts indefinitely. It doesn’t wear off during the cleanup step, and it doesn’t expire if Agent of Treachery leaves the battlefield. In a multiplayer game, it does expire if you leave the game.

Which I assume means that the controlled permanent goes back to Bob. However, looking at a similar card Beguiler of Wills, which also takes control of a permanent (creature), there are no special rules that state "In a multiplayer game, it does expire if you leave the game.". Which means that the controlled creature will be exiled when Alice leaves the game (according to ruling 800.4a if I am not mistaken).

Here are some similar questions:

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When a player leaves the game, all objects (see rule 109) owned by that player leave the game, any effects which give that player control of any objects or players end, and all spells and abilities controlled by that player on the stack cease to exist.

(emphasis mine)

So Alice's control of the Leyline ends, and Bob controls it again. The Leyline won't be affected by

Then, if there are any objects still controlled by that player, those objects are exiled.

This sentence rarely matters, but as @Hackworth notes in the comments, Command the Dreadhorde is one of those situations. The Rulings under that card mention it as well:

In a multiplayer game, if a player leaves the game, all cards that player owns leave as well. If you leave the game, the creatures and planeswalkers you control from Command the Dreadhorde’s effect are exiled.


Regarding Beguiler of Wills, you can think of the Rulings in Gatherer as a sort of FAQ about the card. All Rulings can be traced back to the Comprehensive Rules; apparently Wizards didn't feel the need to add it. The situation is the same as with Agent of Treachery; the 'stolen' creature won't be exiled but will once again be controlled by its owner.

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  • I thought maybe any effects which give that player control of any objects or players end did not apply to Agent of Treachery, because the effect of the Agent is a triggered ability to gain control over the permanent, and not a long lasting effect. If the Agent leaves the battlefield, Alice still controls the permanent gained control of. Unlike Mind Control, which is a lasting effect (while enchanted to a creature).
    – John
    Commented Jul 22, 2019 at 9:46
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    Nope, it's a continuous effect (rule 611). Control-changing effects may be rather tricky, cf. boardgames.stackexchange.com/a/44689/12315
    – Glorfindel
    Commented Jul 22, 2019 at 9:48
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    Then, if there are any objects still controlled by that player, those objects are exiled. This applies to objects that entered the battlefield under that player's control but are not owned by that player, for example from Command the Dreadhorde. Those objects do not have a control-changing effect on them, they are just naturally controlled by that player, even if that player doesn't own them.
    – Hackworth
    Commented Jul 22, 2019 at 9:49
  • @Hackworth I believe Bribery is the canonical example of this (it's mentioned in the CR 800.4a, example 3). But CtD works the same way.
    – Arthur
    Commented Jul 22, 2019 at 13:46
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    Re "because the effect of the Agent is a triggered ability to gain control over the permanent, and not a long lasting effect", 1) Effects aren't abilities; abilities (of all kinds) have/create effects. 2) Change of control effects are always continuous ("lasting") effects. Note that "put", also known as "return", has a one-shot effect, so "put [a permanent] under [player's] control" doesn't create a change of control effect.
    – ikegami
    Commented Jul 22, 2019 at 17:56

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