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Kasmina, Enigma Sage has recently been spoiled. Her static ability reads:

Each other planeswalker you control has the loyalty abilities of Kasmina, Enigma Sage.

I assume the intention is to give your other Planeswalkers additional abilities, but the way it's worded it sounds like the abilities are replaced instead. Usually cards specify when abilities are gained in addition, for example on Lazav, the Multifarious. Or does that wording only apply to clone-effects?

Question: Does Kasmina, Enigma Sage's static ability add or replace Planeswalker abilites?

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    The text on Lazav's ability just says "and it has this ability". I don't see anything that specifies that the abilities are "gained in addition". So, what exactly were you referring to there?
    – murgatroid99
    Mar 23, 2021 at 19:29
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    It only applies to clone-type effects which overwrite.
    – Andrew
    Mar 23, 2021 at 21:29
  • But it doesn't apply to copy effects. It doesn't apply to any effects. I can't find a single card that "specifies when abilities are gained in addition" to other abilites.
    – murgatroid99
    Mar 24, 2021 at 0:33
  • @murgatroid99 I think he's referring to cards that clone with a caveat like Vesuvan Doppelganger which clones a creature and "in addition" to that creature's characteristics, also has the ability to clone a different creature during your upkeep
    – chiliNUT
    Mar 25, 2021 at 1:14
  • Vesuvan Doppelganger's text just says that it copies except that it "has [ability text]". It doesn't say "in addition".
    – murgatroid99
    Mar 25, 2021 at 3:06

2 Answers 2

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It adds to the existing abilities. The wording on the ability is actually phrased the same as much simpler abilities such as that on Lifelink or Archetype of Endurance

Enchanted creature has lifelink.

Creatures you control have hexproof.

These abilities are all simply granting abilities to other objects; they don't interact with any abilities those other objects may already have. The only difference with Kasima is that it is granting multiple abilities at once; rather than a specific, single ability.

113.1a An ability can be a characteristic an object has that lets it affect the game. An object’s abilities are defined by its rules text or by the effect that created it. Abilities can also be granted to objects by rules or effects. (Effects that grant abilities usually use the words “has,” “have,” “gains,” or “gain.”) Abilities generate effects. (See rule 609, “Effects.”)

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I would think that all other planeswalkers gain those abilities and do not lose their own abilities.

Consider the case of Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God

Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God has all loyalty abilities of all other planeswalkers on the battlefield.

Nicol Bolas, Dragon God has a static ability similar to Kasmina, Enigma Sage's ability except it gives itself other planeswalker's abilities. If it removed its own abilities, then the very act of printing abilities on it would be pointless.

Furthermore, Kasmina does not have the text "and loses all other abilities" that is present on other cards like, say for example Imprisoned in the Moon.

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