Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker + Vampire Hexmage

[HdH_Cthulhu]

So if I activate Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker +1 he becomes a 4/4 creature. What happens if I activate Vampire Hexmage on him? The reminder text says he doesnt loose loyalty.

[H]

I think that reminder text is rather misleading in this case. I'm pretty sure it is implying that Sarkhan doesn't lose Loyalty from things like combat damage.

I think using the Hexmage would remove all the Loyalty counters, so Sarkhan would die at the end of turn when the animation effect wears off.

[Kathal]

FAQ to Sarkhan is your friend:

9/20/2014: Any loyalty counters on Sarkhan when his first ability resolves will remain on him while he’s a creature. Because he’s not a planeswalker at this time, damage dealt to him won’t cause those counters to be removed.

So, you sac Hexmage, when Sarkhan is in Dragonform, he will lose the counters, when he transform back into a Planeswalker, he will die, cause he has no Loyalty counters on him.

Greetings,
Kathal

[Tylert]

I think that it's the same kind of difference that between life loss and damage.
Loosing loyalty counters can happen from three things: using an minus ability, combat damage and direct damage redirected to a planeswalker.
The ability of the vampire hexmage doesn't do any of these 3 things, so it's ability works perfectly: it removes all loyalty counters and sarkhan dies at the end of the turn when it becomes a planeswalker again.

[cdr]

Yes, reminder text is not rules text. Any "rulings" on Gatherer are rules tips, not rules. When Sarkhan becomes a creature he won't lose loyalty counters to the normal ways Planeswalkers would, but you can still remove counters from him with other effects.