Extort

Extort is a keyword introduced in Gatecrash, wherein it was the Orzhov Syndicate guild mechanic. 
==Description==
Extort allows players to pay additional or for spells they cast and create a small life-draining effect. The mechanic was designed by Shawn Main who wasn't on the design team for Gatecrash. The cost being hybrid mana happened late in the process.
While the rules support Extort being used on noncreature permanents, only <c>Blind Obedience</c> demonstrated this during its debut. This was expanded on in 2024, with a second enchantment (<c>Life Insurance</c>) and a back-side planeswalker (<c>Sorin, Ravenous Neonate</c>). One creature, <c>Pontiff of Blight</c>, grants Extort to all one's creatures and is the only card to do so.
The effect was designed before the explosion of Commander's popularity, giving the "gain that much life" text a much greater impact than in heads-up matches. Part of why so few noncreatures have it is that it stacks very dangerously and combined this puts Extort on the Storm Scale at 6.
There was also discussion regarding the ability's color identity: the Orzhov hybrid mana symbol was printed on every Extorter at the time of printing, which on first reading makes them all multicolored in identity. However, there is a clause that excludes reminder text for identity purposes, making most of them monocolored in identity.
===History===
Extort was also featured in Dragon's Maze and appeared as a one-off in supplemental sets, such as Commander 2019, New Capenna Commander, Ravnica: Clue Edition and Modern Horizons 3.
==Rules==
==Rulings==
*You may pay a maximum of one time for each extort triggered ability. You decide whether to pay when the ability resolves.
*The amount of life you gain is based on the total amount of life lost, not necessarily the number of opponents you have. For example, if your opponent's life total can't change (perhaps because that player controls <c>Platinum Emperion</c>), you won't gain any life.
*The extort ability doesn't target any player.
*The hybrid white-black mana symbol does not change the card's color identity.
==Cards that grant Extort==
*<c>Pontiff of Blight</c>
==Examples==
==References==