Sorin of House Markov // Sorin, Ravenous Neonate

A transforming double-faced card enters the battlefield with its front face up by default, unless a spell or ability instructs you to put it onto the battlefield transformed or allows you to cast it transformed, in which case it enters with its back face up.

Each face of a transforming double-faced card has its own set of characteristics: name, types, subtypes, abilities, and so on. While a transforming double-faced permanent is on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of the face that's currently up. The other set of characteristics is ignored.

Each transforming double-faced card in this set is cast with its front face up. In every zone other than the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of its front face. If it is on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of the face that's up; the other face's characteristics are ignored.

If you are instructed to put a card that isn't a double-faced card onto the battlefield transformed, it will not enter the battlefield at all. In that case, it stays in the zone it was previously in. For example, if a single-faced card is a copy of Ral, Monsoon Mage, choosing to exile that permanent during the resolution of its triggered ability will cause it to remain in exile.

In some rare cases, a spell or ability may cause Sorin of House Markov to transform while he's a creature (front face up) on the battlefield. If this happens, Sorin, Ravenous Neonate won't have any loyalty counters on him and will subsequently be put into his owner's graveyard.

In the Commander variant, a double-faced card's color identity is determined by the mana costs and mana symbols in the rules text of both faces combined. If either face has a color indicator or basic land type, those are also considered. For example, Ral, Monsoon Mage's color identity is blue and red, since its front face is red and its back face has a blue and red color indicator.

Sorin of House Markov doesn't need to have been on the battlefield when you gained the life. For example, if you gained 3 or more life during your upkeep and you cast Sorin of House Markov during your first main phase, its last ability will trigger at the beginning of your postcombat main phase.

Sorin of House Markov's last ability will trigger only once during your postcombat main phase, no matter how much life you gained this turn. However, if you haven't gained life so far this turn as your postcombat main phase begins, the ability won't trigger at all. It's not possible to gain life during your postcombat main phase in time for the ability to trigger.

Sorin, Ravenous Neonate's second loyalty ability counts the total amount of life you gained without taking into account any life you lost during that turn. For example, if you gained 3 life and lost 3 life earlier in the turn, Sorin, Ravenous Neonate will deal 3 damage to the target.

The amount of life you gain from extort 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 Platinum Emperion), you won't gain any life.

The back face of a transforming double-faced card usually has a color indicator that defines its color. Colorless back faces, such as lands, do not.

The control effect created by Sorin, Ravenous Neonate's last ability lasts indefinitely. It doesn't wear off during the cleanup step or if Sorin, Ravenous Neonate leaves the battlefield.

The extort ability doesn't target any player.

The mana value of a transforming double-faced card is the mana value of its front face, no matter which face is up.

You can activate one of Sorin, Ravenous Neonate's loyalty abilities the turn he enters the battlefield. However, you may do so only during one of your main phases when the stack is empty. For example, if you control another permanent with an ability that triggers at the beginning of your postcombat main phase and that ability is on the stack below Sorin of House Markov's last ability, there will be an opportunity for your opponent to remove Sorin, Ravenous Neonate before you can activate one of his abilities.

You may pay a maximum of one time for each extort triggered ability. You decide whether to pay when the ability resolves.

Food is an artifact type. Even though it appears on some creatures, it's never a creature type.

Whatever you do, don't eat the delicious cards.

You can't sacrifice a Food to pay multiple costs. For example, you can't sacrifice a Food token to activate its own ability and also to activate Maraleaf Rider's ability.