Whenever a creature dies, if another creature is on the battlefield, return the first card to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next end step.The “intervening ‘if’ clause” rule (CR 603.4) says:
A triggered ability may read “When/Whenever/At (trigger event), if (condition), (effect).” When the trigger event occurs, the ability checks whether the stated condition is true. The ability triggers only if it is; otherwise it does nothing. If the ability triggers, it checks the stated condition again as it resolves. If the condition isn't true at that time, the ability is removed from the stack and does nothing. (…)Now CR 603.6d says:
(…) Leaves-the-battlefield abilities (…) will trigger based on their existence, and the appearance of objects, prior to the event rather than afterward. The game has to “look back in time” to determine if these abilities trigger.Does that mean that even with the current wording Lifeline's ability still triggers when all (i. e. two or more) creatures are destroyed, because when looking back in time, the ability sees all the creatures still on the battlefield? And it only can fail when it resolves and there are no creatures on the battlefield?