Skyline Despot

Aug 23, 2016

Abilities that trigger whenever you "become the monarch" trigger only if you aren't already the monarch. For example, if you are already the monarch as Custodi Lich enters the battlefield, its last ability won't trigger.

Aug 23, 2016

Being the monarch carries two inherent triggered abilities. "At the beginning of the monarch's end step, that player draws a card" and "Whenever a creature deals combat damage to the monarch, its controller becomes the monarch."

Aug 23, 2016

If the triggered ability that causes the monarch to draw a card goes on the stack, and a different player becomes the monarch before that ability resolves, the first player will still draw the card.

Aug 23, 2016

The game starts with no monarch. Once an effect makes one player the monarch, the game will have exactly one monarch from that point forward.

Aug 23, 2016

The last ability of Skyline Despot checks to see if you're the monarch as your upkeep begins. If you're not, the ability won't trigger at all. You won't be able to do anything that would make you the monarch during your upkeep in time to have that ability trigger. The ability will also check to see if you're the monarch as it tries to resolve. If you're not the monarch at that time, the ability will have no effect.