@billpasdmf
According to the comprehensive rules:
"The source of a triggered ability (other than a delayed triggered ability) on the stack, or one that has triggered and is waiting to be put on the stack, is the object whose ability triggered." (112.7)
"A permanent or player with protection can't be targeted by spells with the stated quality and can't be targeted by abilities from a source with the stated quality." (702.14b)
So, the source of the triggered abilities is Deathbringer Liege, and creature with pro-black/pro-white cannot be targeted by those abilities because the Liege fits the stated quality (black/white).
I am guessing the confusion stems from Journey's Interaction with Emrakul, which has protection from colored spells- Journey's only works because it is a triggered ability, not a spell. The ability would still have a white source.
Posted By:
gelleetin
(9/29/2010 3:28:06 PM)
... This thing's name, creature type and picture seem pure, unadulterated black to me. Feels lazy. Though I suppose, given that he does a much better job in pure black than in pure white, that sorta makes sense.
Posted By:
Aburaishi
(1/3/2011 7:21:57 PM)
Insane. Just about every black/white creature you play will have a free Assassinate on it and it'll have a +2/+2 bonus.
Posted By:
SavageBrain89
(7/5/2009 5:30:00 PM)
I run 3 of these bad boys in my {(W/B)} deck where most of my spells are {(W/B)}.
Creature destroyer and gives +1/+1 or +2/+2 to the rest of my creatures!
Posted By:
AXER
(1/27/2010 2:34:47 AM)
How about playing it with Ghost Council of Orzhova? You'd need a creature to sacrifice, but depending on what it is, it's worth sucking 1 life from your opponent, destroying one of their creatures, AND having the Ghost Council gain +2/+2.
Posted By:
hunted_front
(4/23/2010 2:07:53 AM)
I got into a bit of a debate w/ some friends over this card.
One side contending that the tap/destroy abilities were triggered effects and can be used to tap/destroy creatures that have protection from black/white.(similar to the ruling on Journey to Nowhere) The wording on the card reading "you" may tap/destroy target creature, as opposed to the Liege directly targeting it by itself.
The other side of course insisting that the Liege is the one doing the targeting and that, of course it couldn't destroy anything w/ protection from either of it's colors. i.e. Black Knight or White Knight
Any thoughts?
Posted By:
billpasdmf
(6/7/2010 7:20:20 PM)
Dear God, WHAT were they thinking when they printed this?
Creature advantage is often key in Magic, and this guy just gives it to you WAY too easily. Aside from the obvious that he gives you free removal for even the smallest of 
spells and that every kill spell grants you an extra kill spell, he also buffs your creatures at the same time, making all your s#!t with lifelink even harder for you opponent to deal with as you gain life to the point where they couldn't possibly kill you.
Why does it have to be "destroy target tapped creature?" Why couldn't it be something like "When you play a black spell, you may have target tapped creature not untap during its controllers unstap step" or "When you play a black spell, you may have target opponent lose 1 life for each tapped creature he or she controls." Yeah, the first suggestion is more up blues' alley than blacks', but the second would still be powerful without being game-breaking, and with his 'white spell... (see all)
Posted By:
DaMaster012
(12/17/2011 10:43:46 AM)
do his effects work with debtors' knell as you're not actually playing the creatures?
overall I think it's the second best liege after balefire liege
Posted By:
Gezus82
(11/29/2009 9:48:20 PM)
To answer your question Gezus82.
Debtors knell's ability is on the stack, not the creature your trying to resurect. According to the following from the MTG comprensive rule book, a spell is defined as:
111.1. A spell is a card on the stack. As the first step of being cast (see rule 601, “Casting Spells”), the card becomes a spell and is moved to the top of the stack from the zone it was in, which is usually its owner’s hand. (See rule 405, “Stack.”) A spell remains on the stack as a spell until it resolves (see rule 608, “Resolving Spells and Abilities”), is countered (see rule 701.5), or otherwise leaves the stack. For more information, see section 6, “Spells, Abilities, and Effects.”
Ergo, debtors knell won't help you use Deathbringer Liege's "whenever you play a spell" abilitys. Which really sucks for me since I use White black reserection. I recomend bouncing your cheap creatures in play or graveyard to get the effect your after. Good luck.
Posted By:
medomai
(1/1/2010 2:00:37 AM)
Use Deathbringer Liege in your hybrid white/black deck to obtain the most efficient synergy this awesome card has to offer.
Posted By:
CopySix
(11/13/2008 5:44:11 AM)