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Question about Isareth the Awakener’s replacement effect Playing commander with Skullbriar, the Walking Grave at the helm. Can I reanimate Skullbriar with Isareth, but reroute him to the command zone (keeping his +1/+1 counters) the next time he dies?

Sure. Skullbriar says his counters stick around as it moves anywhere other than graveyard or library. That includes the command zone.

Simple question about The Gitrog Monster (that I'm ebarassed to ask...) Simply put: Is Gitrog herself a sac outlet, or do I need some other way to discard a land? Lets say I have 6 basic lands on the battlefield and Gitrog. No instants in hand that could sac a land. Am I allowed to just sac a land \to\ Gitrog, or will I have to sac The Frog. Alternately, if I have Sylvan Safekeeper on the battlefield and I sac a land to him on my upkeep step - does that satisfy Gitrog's requirement, or do I also need to sac \to\ him specifically? Seems like it should be obvious, but I always get either contradictory answers or ambiguous ones. Including MTG rulings chat.

Gitrog forces you to sacrafice a land or her during the beginning of your upkeep. Its a choice you make when her triggered ability is on the stack and you are resolving it. It only happens once, so you can not repeat until her ability triggers again. (During upkeep.) If another effect makes you sacrafice a land, it will NOT satisfy her triggered ability. So if you had another trigger or ability that makes you sac, it would not 'count' for Gitrog. However her ability that allows you to draw cards from a land going into your graveyard would trigger from ANY ability that puts a land into the graveyard. So you would draw for any such event. (For your example, you can sac one of the basic lands to Gitrog at the beginning of your upkeep, leaving you 5 lands, one Gitrog, and drawing a card.) Tldr: Gitrog makes you sac a land or her once at the beginning of your upkeep, and you can't 'trigger' it again that turn. Other effects don't count for her sacrafice requirement. You draw a card whenever a land goes into your graveyard from anywhere or any ability. Also, no part of your question should you be embarrassed about. Asking questions is how we learn.

Question abour Graft If more than the original amount of +1/+1 counters are placed on a card with graft, can they be moved to creatures entering the battlefield also? I just wanted to check before I ordered a card.

Considering graft let's you move counters from the creature to another creature that entered the battlefield under your control, it doesn't matter how many counters are on the creature with graft so long as another creature entered to move the counters to. If it has graft 1 and you put 6 +1/+1 counters on it, then have 6 creatures enter the battlefield you can move one counter to each of the 6

Soulflayer exiling Knight of Malice... Our conclusion is that [[Soulflayer]] will get normal 'Hexproof' rather than the 'Hexproof from White' variant when exiling [[knight of Malice]]. There is a precedence with [[Death-Mask Duplicant]] for copying landwalk and protection abilities that pretty clearly uses the specific type, since landwalk and protection depend on their qualifiers. Any thoughts?

Concerted Effort would give the specific forms of protection. If we considered Hexproof as functionally equivalent to Hexproof from everything, it seems reasonable that it would only get the limited form of Hexproof, just like Concerted Effort wouldn't grant Protection from Everything if a creature had Protection from red.

Question about shattering spree So I have a guttersnipe out, and I draw shattering spree. I use a seething song to add 5r, but there are only 2 artifacts out, i have one and my opponent has 1. Can I target only my opponent's artifact with shattering spree and again with 4 replicates of it? I'm aware only 1 will resolve, strictly for the casting of multiple spells and to not destroy my own stuff in the process.

Yeah, you can target the same artifact with them all. Note that those are copied not cast though, so the replicated copies don't trigger guttersnipe.

How would I determine the order of these cards affects. If I, for example, had 1 Winding Constrictor, 1 Corpsejack Menace and 1 Hardened Scales, and then I placed a +1/+1 counter on a creature, how would I determine the order in which first three cards resolve?

Short version: you choose. Those are all replacement effects, so the controller of the thing affected (or the person affected) orders things. There are 3 available replacements, so you choose one (since I assume you're doing it on a creature you control). Then you look around and see that there are 2 still left, so you pick one. Then you look around notice one left and do that one.

NINJUSTU HELP Hi ok here’s the exact situation. Ninja of the deep hours is out. Owner enters combat, declares attacks, then in response to declare attackers, activated rogue passage ability, then after no blocks declared, ninjutus during combat damage into Yuriko the tigers shadow. Can another player respond to combat damage and anguished unmaking before the damage. If not, when is the proper time to repond

Ok, "in response to declare attackers" is the wrong way to think about it. What's actually happening is that there are steps of combat, something special happens at the beginning of most of these steps, then both players (starting with the active player) get priority to cast instants and activate abilities, then if both players pass priority, the ability resolves. If both players pass priority with an empty stack, combat proceeds to the next step. Beginning of Combat step Active player passes priority Non-active player passes priority Declare Attackers step Special Action; active player declares attacks (assuming [[Ninja of the Deep Hours]]] Active player gets priority. Active player activates [[Rogue's Passage]], ability put on the stack. Non-active player passes priority Rogue's Passage ability resolves Active player passes priority Non-active player passes priority Declare Attackers step Special Action; non-active player declares blocks (none) Active player gets priority. Active player activates [[Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow]], ability put on the stack. ([[Ninja of the Deep Hours]] is now in its owner's hand.) Non-active player passes priority Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow ability resolves ([[Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow]] is now on the battlefield.) Active player passes priority Non-active player passes priority. (or casts [[Anguished Unmaking]]) Combat damage step Special action; all combat damage is dealt simultaneously. The rest of the turn continues, but it's now too late to use [[Anguished Unmaking]] to avoid the combat damage. TL;DR: Yes there is a point (marked it with a ) where the non-active player can use [[Anguished Unmaking]] knowing that the attacker is [[Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow]].

Rules Qs: Bronze Bombshell / Firesong stuff I help with two rules. 1. I have a Bronze Bombshell and cast Mirrorweave turning, say the opponent's goblin army into bombshells. Do they explode? Or do I have to donate my bombshell over there? Will that make all of them explode? Do I have to donate 3 creatures via Sky Swallower to pull off this one hit kill? 2. I have a Firesong and Sunspeaker out. I cast Lightning Helix. It deals 3 damage, and gains me 3 life. White life gaining cards do another 3 damage, giving me another 3 life, so its 6 dmg, 6 life right? What about with Boros Charm since the life gain is coming from lifelink from F&S? 4 dmg, 4 life or 7 dmg, 7 life? Just to add more, (I know this deck isn't going to work), say I have a Fire Servant out as well. Helix becomes 9/12, but Charm becomes 11/11? I think it's a question of timing and I don't know how to parse it. Thanks! Sorry I'm dumb!

I have a Bronze Bombshell and cast Mirrorweave turning, say the opponent's goblin army into bombshells. Do they explode? Nope, Mirrorweave doesn't change either a card's owner or its controller. Those creatures are still both owned and controlled by your opponent, so they don't explode. I have a Firesong and Sunspeaker out. I cast Lightning Helix. It deals 3 damage, and gains me 3 life. White life gaining cards do another 3 damage, giving me another 3 life, so its 6 dmg, 6 life right? First, the Lightning Helix with lifelink resolves, which causes 3 damage and gains you 6 life (3 from the spell and 3 from the lifelink). Then Firesong and Sunspeaker's ability triggers and deals 3 damage to something. What about with Boros Charm since the life gain is coming from lifelink from F&S? 4 dmg, 4 life or 7 dmg, 7 life? The Boros Charm with lifelink resolves, which deals 4 damage and gains you 4 life. Then Firesong and Sunspeaker's ability triggers and deals 3 damage to something. Just to add more, (I know this deck isn't going to work), say I have a Fire Servant out as well. Helix becomes 9/12, but Charm becomes 11/11? I think it's a question of timing and I don't know how to parse it. If you have a Fire Servant out, Helix deals 6 damage and gains you 9 life, then Firesong and Sunspeaker's abiity triggers and deals 3 damage to something. Boros Charm deals 8 damage and gains you 8 life, then Firesong and Sunspeaker's ability deals 3 damage to something.

Scarab God & Vizier of Many Faces Interaction...? Carnage Tyrant and Scarab God on board, and a Vizier of Many Faces in grave; the player chooses to bring back Vizier copying the Carnage Tyrant. Is the Vizier a 7/6 or a 4/4? and is the card Green or Black?

7/6. Green. The 4/4 part is the “ink” that gets overridden by the copy replacement effect.

Guardian of the gatless defending against trample So if I have a 6/6 trample creature and and 4 2/2 creatures attacking into guardian of the gatless would the trample damage go through. Because all damage happens at the same time. Ty

It's normally a 3/3, its trigger gives it +5/+5 so it's an 8/8. You get to choose the order that you want to assign damage so can choose the four 2/2's each assigning 2 for 8 total and lethal and then assign the 6/6 trampling through. You could start with the 6/6 and then have the 2/2's pile on if you prefer, but the first way is likely preferable. Whichever way you assign it, it's dealt as assigned.

Liquid metal coating and deretti's ult So if I were to ult off deretti scrap savant and then use liquid metal coating to make a non-artifact into an artifact for the turn, if that permenant were to get destroyed would deretti return it?

if that permenant were to get destroyed would deretti return it? Yes. LtB triggers look back at the game state before the event and see an artifact leave so trigger. - 603.10 Normally, objects that exist immediately after an event are checked to see if the event matched any trigger conditions, and continuous effects that exist at that time are used to determine what the trigger conditions are and what the objects involved in the event look like. However, some triggered abilities are exceptions to this rule; the game “looks back in time” to determine if those abilities trigger, using the existence of those abilities and the appearance of objects immediately prior to the event. The list of exceptions is as follows: - 603.10a Some zone-change triggers look back in time. These are leaves-the-battlefield abilities, abilities that trigger when a card leaves a graveyard, and abilities that trigger when an object that all players can see is put into a hand or library.

The scarab god and / creatures Simple question, but if you use [[ the scarab god]] or [[god pharaoh’s gift]] or [[hour of eternity]] to create a token copy of a creature with rules text that sets their power to a specific value, e.g. tarmigoyf or [[tishana, voice of thunder]], does the power set to a 4/4, or does the rules text still apply?

It’s power/toughness will be 4/4. 706.9d. When applying a copy effect that doesn't copy a certain characteristic, retains an original value for a certain characteristic, or modifies the final value of a certain characteristic, any characteristic-defining ability (see rule 604.3) of the object being copied that defines that characteristic is not copied. If that characteristic is color, any color indicator (see rule 204) of that object is also not copied.

Question about etb triggers If I have Mycosynth Lattice and Mirrorworks in play and I play an urza tower, can I pay 2 and have a token of urza tower enter the battlefield? Cuz that would be pretty freaking awesome

Sure. Lattice makes the lands artifacts as soon as they're on the battlefield, and ETB's check just after entry... so they're artifacts by that point.

Vaevictis and World Shaper Do Vaevictis and World Shaper have a cost or is sacrificing permanents and milling 3 cards part of the effect on resolution?

The cards themselves have a cost (top right corner). But the effects you're referring to are things that take place on resolution of the triggered ability.

Lazav and Helm of the Host Are the copies of lazav legendary or not?

No, it's not legendary. The token copies whatever Lazav currently is and then removes the legendary supertype if it's there.

Assigning more than lethal damage with trample The situation. I was playing a deaths shadow mirror my opponent had a Gurmag Angler and a Temur Battle Rage I had a 6/6 deaths shadow, Could he have assigned all the damage to my deaths shadow to trade? Ive been told both so im trying to get some clarification. Thanks

You are correct. Trample gives you the the option to assign damage to the defending player once every blocking creature has been assigned lethal damage. But its still just an option. You can assign more to the creatures blocking if you wish.

the gitrog monster, chains of mephistopheles and dakmor salvage Hello. I was wondering what would happen if I had the gitrog monster and chains of mephistopheles on the battlefield, and was about to draw a card (not the first of the turn). Say I discard dakmor salvage, and then, instead of drawing a card as instructed by chains, I dredge dakmor, putting 1 or 2 lands in my graveyard. My question is, how many times would the gitrog monster trigger ? Does it trigger once for dakmor hitting the graveyard and once for the 1 or 2 lands which hit the yard when I dredge dakmor, or does it trigger only once, because the game considers dakmor and the other lands to have been put into my graveyard at the same time, as they were put there as part of resolving "one draw effect" ?

how many times would the gitrog monster trigger? Twice. The original event is {draw a card} you apply Chains and it becomes two resulting sequential modified events {discard a card} {draw a card} as it's not possible to simultaneously draw and discard. Event #1 has you discard Salvage triggering TGM. You then apply the dredge replacement to Event #2 and mill lands triggering TGM a second time. Of course, you could repeat the process for the draws from the TGM triggers.

Brain in a Jar + cards with X in their mana cost. I already know the ruling because it is stated on Brain in a Jar's page: But this really disappoints me. When you play a card with X in the mana cost it would seem you are choosing it's cost first. and then paying the mana (that is logically what happens in your head). If I am playing Banefire, I am first deciding the cost to be 5C + 1R and then paying the cost. Therefore when you use Brain In a Jar it would be after I decided how much X is. I am not sure of any other examples off of the top of my head, but it seems like this could have other implications. Does anyone have any opinions either way on why this would not be allowed and if there are other examples that would make this broken?

But this really disappoints me. When you play a card with X in the mana cost it would seem you are choosing it's cost first. and then paying the mana (that is logically what happens in your head). If I am playing Banefire, I am first deciding the cost to be 5C + 1R and then paying the cost. Everything in this paragraph is correct, but it's not really relevant. Brain in a Jar cares about the converted mana cost of a card in your hand, and spells with X in their mana costs have X count as zero for all converted mana cost considerations when not on the stack. It's only on the stack when the chosen number for X matters. Essentially, you've misunderstood what Brain in a Jar does. The idea is that you choose a card according to its CMC, then cast it without paying its mana cost. For the purpose of choosing a card according to its CMC, all Xs are treated as zero. Then when casting a spell with X in its cost without paying its mana cost, X must always be zero.

Interaction between Treasure Nabber and Bazaar Trader. If I nabbed someone’s mana rocks, then use them on my turn, and then trade them to a third party, do they maintain possession until they use them in which case I get them back, or does control revert back to the player I nabbed them from until they use them in which case I get them back?

No, control stays with the third party, since there's no end condition on Bazaar Trader's ability. The fact that Treasure Nabber's ability has an end time doesn't matter when you don't control the artifact anymore.

Do-nothing four color combo What happens if I have [[Blood Moon]], [[Opalescense]], [[Life and Limb]], and [[Arcane Adaptation]] out at the same time? EDIT: played in order listed. Arcane Adaptation choosing Saproling.

What happens if I have Blood Moon, Opalescense, Life and Limb, and Arcane Adaptation out at the same time? In what order did they enter? What creature type was chosen for Arcane Adaptation? Are there creatures, forests or nonbasic lands on the field? Blood Moon applies in Layer 4. Opalescence applies in Layer 4 and Layer 7b. Life and Limb applies in Layer 4, Layer 5 and Layer 7b. Arcane Adaptation applies in Layer 4. Potential dependencies will occur in Layer 4. Here's the initial potential dependencies: - Blood Moon could be dependent on Life and Limb because it could potentially make nonbasic lands for Blood Moon to apply to. - Life and Limb could be dependent on Arcane Adaptation because it could potentially make saprolings for L&L to apply to. - Arcane Adaptation could be dependent on Life and Limb because it could potentially make creatures for AA to apply to. - Arcane Adaptation could be dependent on Opalescence because it could potentially make creatures for AA to apply to. Later potential dependencies to watch out for: - Arcane Adaptation could be dependent on Blood Moon because it could remove the ability and effect that AA generates. - Life and Limb could be dependent on Blood Moon because it could remove the ability and effect that L&L generates. Now these potential dependencies require actual objects to create the dependencies. For example if there are no Forests, Arcane Adaptation won't be dependent on Life and Limb. The process in applying them in Layer 4 is to find the set of independent effects (ie. ones that aren't actually dependent) and apply the one with the earliest time stamp, if the set of independent effects is empty, instead apply the dependent effect with the earliest time stamp. Once an effect has been applied, re-evaluate actual dependencies and repeat the process until all effects have been applied in that layer. Life and Limb will apply to the same set of objects as it applied to in Layer 4, in both Layers 5 and 7b. The same is true of Opalescence and the objects it affected in Layer 4 for Layer 7b. Layer 5 will only have Life and Limb applying. Layer 7b will have only Opalescence and Life and Limb applying and they'll apply in time stamp order for objects that both apply to. So assuming there are saprolings that Life and Limb would turn into non-basic lands and that there are Forests that Life and Limb would turn into creatures and that there are creatures that Arcane Adaptation would turn into saprolings.... Opalescence would be the only independent effect and would be applied first. It would animate the other three enchantments and other non-aura enchantments. We re-evaluate possible dependencies and continue on.

Question about Suspend Does the order in which you suspend the cards matter? When all counters are removed do you have to cast them in the order they were suspended? Or when all counters are removed can I then choose to cast them in the order i please?

You put the suspend triggers on the stack in the order of your choice during your upkeep so you can control the order they cast by stacking the triggers appropriately

Question about combo Does Ghoulcaller gisa + thornbite staff + pitiless plunderer make infinite zombies?

An arbitrarily large number of zombies, yes. You do need another creature to start it off though.

Question about power and toughness modifiers If a card adds +3/+3 until the end of turn added to a creature, and this creature gets 3 damage, will the 3 thoughness get subtracted after the turn ends, so the creature dies?

Both damage marked on a creature, and buffs that last until end of turn, are removed at exactly the same time in game, so a toughness boost until end of turn, can save a creature.

Wormfang Drake triggered abilities on the stack... I played Wormfang Drake, the spell resolved, I chose psychatog as the target creature to be removed from play. Before the trigger resolved, my opponent played terror, causing the Drake's second ability to trigger which brings psychatog back into play. Does that mean that the Drake's second trigger resolved before its first trigger, and thus the psychatog never comes back into play? Thanks much!

Important to note, [[Wormfang Drake]] does not target (I checked the Gatherer text as well just to make sure it wasn't errated). By declaring Psychatog before your opponent responds, you are proposing a shortcut, not targeting. Your opponent declines the shortcut by responding to the ability. The second ability then goes on the ability above the first, then we assume it is allowed to resolve and do nothing. Then look at the exact wording of the first ability "sacrifice it unless you exile a creature you control other than Wormfang Drake". It doesn't say you have to exile another creature, and your proposed shortcut of exiling Psychatog is not locked in. So it's your choice as it resolves: Exile the Psychatog forever. (EDIT: Or any other creature you control.) "Sacrifice" the Wormfang Drake (abilities just try to do as much as they can, but this would do nothing)

Reveillark rules question So today I was playing edh and I evoke [[Reveillark]] and I decide to bring back [[fiend hunter]] and [[Viscera Sear]]. I said “Evoking Reveillark targeting fiend hunter and viscera sear then with the hunters ability on the stack I’ll sac it to exile it forever”. My opponent says that his creature gets exiled first then brought back because I said that fiend hunter comes first and it’s ability resolved before the sear came in the battlefield to have the chance to sac it. I assumed that it brought both creatures in at the same time so I just said I’ll sac it in response to the Etb trigger but all he did was take it off the table and put it back. His reasoning for this was cause I said fiend hunter before viscera sear so fiend hunter hit the battlefield first. Does reveillark really work that way? Wouldn’t vicera sear have came in too even if fiend hunters etb trigger went on the stack? Who is right?

You are correct. Reveillark returns both creatures simultaneously. Fiend Hunter's enters ability triggers, then you can sacrifice the Fiend Hunter, causing its leaves ability to trigger before its enters ability does and, ultimately, permanently\ exiling the creature you targeted with the enters trigger. \ barring any Eldrazi Processors or the like.

Permanently exile a commander face down Hello, this post is not a question. I already discussed it on #mtgrules. The rationale for the post is, that - \- searching this question yields a lot of wrong and outdated answers. ​ Consider some player uses to put someone else's commander on top of their library. According to the , the commander's owner may replace this zone change by placing the commander in the command zone instead. Assume, the commander's owner does not do this for whatever reason. Next, some player uses and exiles the top card of that player's library face down. Then, even though everybody knows, the face down exiled card was a commander, the commander's owner can not replace this zone change and put the commander in their command zone. Instead, the commander stays in exile permanently. ​ The old and wrong answers one gets when searching this question all point to some old rule 903.10, which was abolished in the rules change mentioned above. Today, rule 903.10 is rule 903.11 from before 2016. ​ This makes it perfectly possible to permanently get rid of someone's commander by exiling it face-down from its owner's library. ​

So you're providing it as a PSA then?

Question about battle bond partner This is a stupid question ​ Say you have Regna the redeemer and play her. ​ She says "When this creature enters the battlefield, target player may put Krav into their hand from their library, then shuffle." Does this mean I can target someone and basically make them shuffle if they do not have Krav? Since it says they may put Krav does that mean they have to look through their deck and then shuffle? or can they say fail to search not look at their deck and not shuffle? ​

The wording on the card is reminder text, so it helps to look at the rules text on the Gatherer page to resolve nuances. When this permanent enters the battlefield, target player may search their library for a card named [name], reveal it, put it into their hand, then shuffle their library. It's more clear here that the whole thing is a "may" ability, and the target player can choose to do all of the actions, or none of them.

Question about EDH If I have a colorless commander, say Ulamog the ceaseless hunger, could I have cards with colored devotion that are devoid? I mean technically they have no color but have colored devotion. Idk please help

You can't. They have no color but they do have color identity, which is what's important in Commander. 903.4. The Commander variant uses color identity to determine what cards can be in a deck with a certain commander. The color identity of a card is the color or colors of any mana symbols in that card’s mana cost or rules text, plus any colors defined by its characteristic-defining abilities (see rule 604.3) or color indicator (see rule 204).

Question about ability and phasing If I trigger an enter the battlefield ability and use Teferi's Protection (Until your next turn, your life total can't change and you have protection from everything. All permanents you control phase out. (While they're phased out, they're treated as though they don't exist. They phase in before you untap during your untap step.) Exile Teferi's Protection. As an instant while the ability is on stack do I phase out and the ability still trigger?

do I phase out You don't, but your permanents do. You're still in the game and can be affected by things that protection doesn't interact with. the ability still triggers? Yes, it already triggered and it'll resolve normally.

Question about cycling triggers Hello, I am currently in the progress of building my \[\[Kydele\]\] // \[\[Ravos\]\] deck. And I have a question regarding Kydele's tap for mana ability. Let's say I have her, and either \[\[Drake Haven\]\] or \[\[Wharf Infiltrator\]\] on the field. Let's say I have multiple creatures in hand that I can cycle, like \[\[Angel of the God-Pharaoh\]\]. Is it possible to manipulate the stack in such a way that kydele can pay for the triggered abilities of Drake Haven / Wharf Infiltrator? If so, how? If not, what is the maximum potential I can get out of this situation?

You pay 2 to cycle Angel of the God-Pharoah, the "Draw a card" ability wants to go on the stack. Wharf Infiltrator sees this and wants to put its trigger on the stack. Drake Heaven also sees this and wants to put its trigger on the stack. Now that you're about to get priority, you've got 3 things going on the stack at once, so you choose the order. If you have the Draw effect from the Angel resolve first (by putting it on the stack last), you draw the card. When the next trigger goes to resolve, Kydele taps for how ever many cards you've drawn this turn so far (presumably at least 2 given the cycling, and your draw step)

Concerning conspire and Bonus round Building a wort the raidmother EDH. If I conspire bonus round and then conspire shock how many copies of shock do i cast

Your shock would be copied thrice, one for each bonus round, one from conspire. With the original, there will be 4 copies of shock on the stack.

Question about Indestructible What would happen if I had an indestructible 5/5 creature, use it to block a 4/4 and then my opponent gives it a -1/-1 counter?

Nothing. It'd become a 4/4 with 4 damage marked on it so a state-based action would attempt to destroy it and fail because it's indestructible.

Question Goreclaw Does goreclaw reduces the green mana required for Gigantosaurus and Steel Leaf?

No, he reduces the generic mana costs, like he says. It makes the appropriate creatures cost 2 generic mana less. If their mana costs don't include any generic mana costs to begin with, it won't do anything.

Question about [[Curious obsession]] and [[Jace, Cunning Castaway]] +1 ability So if I +1 [[Jace, Cunning Castaway]] and have my [[Slither blade]] attached with [[Curious obsession]] and it deals combat damage, so which will go first my curious obsession draw or the [[Jace, Cunning Castaway]] +1 ability to draw and discard?

You control both triggers so you choose their order of being put on the stack and therefore the order that they resolve in.

Chord of Calling and Creature ETB Triggers A question came up while playing a game. During my turn, I used Chord of Calling to put a Reclamation Sage onto the battlefield. Upon casting, my opponent did not respond to the Chord; however, once the Reclamation Sage came onto the battlefield he attempted to play Teferi's Protection, in response to the ETB trigger from the Sage. Is this a legal play? A friend watching said my opponent would have the respond to the Chord being played and could not respond to the Reclamation Sage entering the battlefield. Thoughts?

When Sage enters the battlefield, its ability triggers and goes on the stack. That can be responded to.

If I animate a [[mox amber]] with [[sydri, galvanic genius]] using the mana it creates can I recur it over and over again since it's both an artifact and a creature through use of [[salvaging station]] for infinite etbs?

Infinite EtB's of the Mox Amber, sure.

Chaos Wand hitting a spell with no valid targets (except itself) This is probably a very easy to answer question, but, I am not sure about the correct answer. The other day I was playing Booster Draft and used Chaos Wand, and the first Instant/Sorcery my opponent revealed was a Naturalize. The problem is, he had no artifacts or enchantments on his side of the board, and I only had the Chaos Wand. If I choose to cast the spell, would I be forced to destroy my own Chaos Wand? Follow-up question: What if the Instant/Sorcery discovered had no valid targets? Something like a Murder with no creatures on the Battlefield? Am I allowed to cast the spell, having it fizzle and sent to my opponent's graveyard (hence giving me card advantage and removing that card from their deck), or am I not even allowed to cast it?

If I choose to cast the spell, would I be forced to destroy my own Chaos Wand? Of course. You can't cast a spell without all it's targets being chosen. You probably want to choose not to cast the spell. What if the Instant/Sorcery discovered had no valid targets? Something like a Murder with no creatures on the Battlefield? Nothing, you can't cast it. Chaos Wand says you may choose to cast the card. The game rules don't allow casting a card without all targets being selected. Golden rule of magic "Can't wins over can"... so you can't cast it.

Rules question with choose For commander, can cards like Prahv, Spires of Order, with choose a card, choose a card in a command zone like Commanders? Thanks for any help you are able to give.

Yes, you can choose a card in the command zone for a card like Prahv that chooses a source of damage. You wouldn’t be able to choose a card in the command zone if it said something like “choose a permanent”. 119.7. The source of damage is the object that dealt it. If an effect requires a player to choose a source of damage, they may choose a permanent; a spell on the stack (including a permanent spell); any object referred to by an object on the stack, by a prevention or replacement effect that’s waiting to apply, or by a delayed triggered ability that’s waiting to trigger (even if that object is no longer in the zone it used to be in); or a face-up object in the command zone. A source doesn’t need to be capable of dealing damage to be a legal choice. See rule 609.7, “Sources of Damage.”

Starfield of Nyx odd case If I have previously played a [[Heliod, God of the Sun]] and 3 other enchantments (4 enchantments total on board) and I have 4 devotion to white, when [[Starfield of Nyx]] enters, will the heliod become a 5/6 creature due to starfield making my devotion to white 5, or will heliod become a 4/4 due to its cmc and starfield effect?

It's a 4/4 Creature. Timestamps matter here... paying attention when each effect came into the game. In layer 4, we have the "I'm not a creature" ability which isn't doing anything, so Heliod natively is a creature. Then Starfield redundantly says it's a creature. In layer 7, we have Heliod as a 5/6 natively (since it's a creature per above), then Starfield comes along and sets it to a 4/4.

Dredge + Skeleton Key 1. If I deal combat damage with a creature equipped with Skeleton Key I "..may draw a card. If you do, discard a card." 2. I want to use Golgari Grave Troll (Dredge 6) to replace the draw effect. Now I choose to draw a card, but I replaced the draw with the dredge - so I didn't really "draw" a card. At this point do I have to discard or not?

You still have to discard. I would explain it as the "if you do" doesn't refer to if you draw the card, but if you choose to use the ability. So you say "yes, I'll draw and discard", replace the draw with a dredge, and discard a card. (Which usually is a good thing in a deck that plays dredge cards)

Nexus of fate stalling question. Ok so a weird situation happened at my local game shop. Bant turbo fog vs mardu aggro. Game 2 got to the point of the turbo fog player only having 4 nexus of fate left in his deck. He spent the last 10 min of the round continually casting nexus with no other non-land permanents or cards in hand. Would this be considered stalling or is he well within his right to continually cast nexus until time runs out?

Would this be considered stalling? Possibly. If they're doing it intentionally to kill the clock and they aren't meaningfully advancing the game state and they know or suspect that doing so isn't kosher, yes. - MTR 5.5 Slow Play - Players must take their turns in a timely fashion regardless of the complexity of the play situation and adhere to time limits specified for the tournament. Players must maintain a pace to allow the match to be finished in the announced time limit. Stalling is not acceptable. Players may ask a judge to watch their game for slow play; such a request will be granted if feasible. - JAR - Serious Problems - Intentionally and knowingly breaking or letting an opponent break game or tournament rules, or lying, in order to gain an advantage. - IPG 4.7 Unsporting Conduct — Stalling - A player intentionally plays slowly in order to take advantage of the time limit. If it isn't intentional or they didn't know better, it'd be Slow Play instead which is less serious.

Rubinia Soulsinger and Vanishing interaction On XMage, I played an EDH match comprising my [[The Ur-Dragon]] deck, a [[Rubinia Soulsinger]] phasing deck, and an [[Atraxa, Praetors' Voice]] deck. The Rubinia player enchanted Rubinia with [[Vanishing]] and tapped Rubinia to gain control of The Ur-Dragon. On a later turn, the Atraxa player cast [[Corrupted Conscience]], targeting The Ur-Dragon. On a later turn, the Rubinia player tapped Rubinia to regain control of The Ur-Dragon. On a later turn, the Atraxa player cast a spot removal spell, targeting Rubinia. In response, the Rubinia player used Vanishing to phase out Rubinia. However, she maintained control of The Ur-Dragon. We all agreed that the Atraxa player should have regained control of The Ur-Dragon, under the notion that since we are to play as though Rubinia is not in play, Rubinia couldn't possibly be considered to be in play in a tapped state. Are we correct in this assessment?

From the Comp Rules: 702.25e Continuous effects that affect a phased-out permanent may expire while that permanent is phased out. If so, they will no longer affect that permanent once it’s phased in. In particular, effects with “for as long as” durations that track that permanent (see rule 611.2b) end when that permanent phases out because they can no longer see it. You are correct.

indomitable creativity Vs. Totem Armor I was wondering about the interaction between Indomitable Creativity and Totem Armor is. It states: "Destroy X target artifacts and/or creatures. For each permanent destroyed this way, its controller reveals cards from the top of their library until an artifact or creature card is revealed and exiles that card. Those players put the exiled cards onto the battlefield, then shuffle their libraries." 1) Can I target a creature with totem armor multiple times? lets say a creature has 3 instances of totem armor, can I target it 4 times to finally kill it? 2) If I destroy a totem armor permanent, do they get to search reveal cards for each enchantment? It says for each permanent destroyed this way, so would that include the non targeted totem armor enchantments?

1) Nope, the word target only appears once, so all the targets have to be different. 2) I can't find anything that provides a solid interpretation of this interaction (given the fuzziness of English), but I'd argue that it would not include the totem armor enchantments. My reasoning: The destroy event was replaced with a different destroy event, and "that way" would refer to the original destroy event. 614.6. If an event is replaced, it never happens. A modified event occurs instead, which may in turn trigger abilities. Note that the modified event may contain instructions that can’t be carried out, in which case the impossible instruction is simply ignored.

Question about kaalia of the vast trigger If I use kaalia to summon master of cruelties. How would the effects happen? Would their live go to 1 then kaalia do damage or would it just sit at 1?

They'd most likely lose. MoC would set their life to 1 in the declare blockers step and Kaalia would bring them below 0 in the combat damage step.

Tidal Warrior X Blood Moon So I have a Blood Moon in play and a Teramorphic Expanse on the battlefield because, hey, free mountain. My opponent tap Tidal Warrior and makes my TE (which is a mountain) an island until EOT. Am I right to assume that my land is an island because of timestamp order or is there something I'm not getting?

Depends on which was a permanent first. If you played blood moon and some time afterwards tidal warrior came into play, your terramorphic expanse is a mountain. And vice versa

is it possible to cast a spell for its bestow cost with sunbirds invocation?

One of Invocation's rulings is 29/09/2017 If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t pay any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, such as that of Costly Plunder, those must be paid to cast the card. A rule for bestow is 702.102a: Bestow represents two static abilities, one that functions while the card with bestow is on the stack and another that functions both while it's on the stack and while it's on the battlefield. "Bestow [cost]" means "You may cast this card by paying [cost] rather than its mana cost." and "If you chose to pay this spell's bestow cost, it becomes an Aura enchantment and gains enchant creature. These effects last until one of two things happens: this spell has an illegal target as it resolves or the permanent this spell becomes, becomes unattached." Paying a card's bestow cost follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f-h. All emphasis mine. So no, you can't, as Invocation doesn't let you play spells for alternate costs like bestow. The italicized part about additional costs means you can cast, for example, [[Blink of an Eye]] for free to bounce a nonland permanent, or you can pay 1U to kick it and draw a card as well, you just don't need to pay the cost in the top right hand corner.

Giving infect to damage on the stack Say I have a pinger, for the sake of this question lets say Prodigal Sorcerer. I tap him to put his 1 damage on the stack, and I then cast Tainted Strike on him to give him +1/+0 and Infect until end of turn. Does the 1 damage on the stack also give an infect counter? ​ Are there any similar situations that you can think of where this would result in a different ruling than the one for the question above?

Does the 1 damage on the stack also give an infect counter? If it hits a creature, the damage will be applied by putting a -1/-1 counter on it. If it hits a player, the damage will be applied by putting a poison counter on the player. If it hits a planeswalker, the damage will be applied by removing a loyalty counter from it. The source (and recipient) is checked as the damage is dealt to determine what the result of the damage will be. There won't be an additional counter and there's no such thing as an infect counter. - 119.3 Damage may have one or more of the following results, depending on whether the recipient of the damage is a player or permanent, the characteristics of the damage’s source, and the characteristics of the damage’s recipient (if it’s a permanent). - 119.3a Damage dealt to a player by a source without infect causes that player to lose that much life. - 119.3b Damage dealt to a player by a source with infect causes that source’s controller to give the player that many poison counters. - 119.3c Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from that planeswalker. - 119.3d Damage dealt to a creature by a source with wither and/or infect causes that source’s controller to put that many -1/-1 counters on that creature. - 119.3e Damage dealt to a creature by a source with neither wither nor infect causes that much damage to be marked on that creature. - 119.3f Damage dealt by a source with lifelink causes that source’s controller to gain that much life, in addition to the damage’s other results. If Timmy's ability resolved without infect, the damage would be applied as indicated in 119.3a/c/e and once it has infect, it changes to 119.3b/c/d. Are there any similar situations that you can think of where this would result in a different ruling than the one for the question above? I'm uncertain what you're asking here. Not giving it infect changes the damage result if it isn't hitting a planeswalker. Giving it lifelink would cause its controller to also gain life. Hitting a planeswalker creature would have ALL applicable results. ie. removing loyalty counters AND marking damage or putting -1/-1 counters on it AND gaining life if lifelink was present. I tap him to put his 1 damage on the stack Technically, the ability object is put(created) on the stack. When it resolves, it will have a one-shot effect that will have Timmy deal 1 damage to the target. - 602.2a The player announces that they are activating the ability. [..] That ability is created on the stack as an object that’s not a card. It becomes the topmost object on the stack. It has the text of the ability that created it, and no other characteristics. Its controller is the player who activated the ability. The ability remains on the stack until it’s countered, it resolves, or an effect moves it elsewhere. - 610.1 A one-shot effect does something just once and doesn’t have a duration. Examples include dealing damage, destroying a permanent, creating a token, and moving an object from one zone to another.

Colossal Whale + Polymorphist's Jest I was testing some EDH decks against each other and ran into a scenario that completely puzzled me. Jalira has [[Colossal Whale]] with Jhoira & Ezuri's commanders under it. Jhoira activates the [[Oblivion Stone]] she dropped the previous turn. In response to the activation Jalira casts [[Polymorphist's Jest]] targeting herself. This strips her creatures of all abilities until end of turn. How does this work? I think the commanders would stay exiled, but I'm not sure.

When the whale's trigger resolves, it creates a one-shot effect that exiles the creature until that object leaves the battlefield. Even though the whale is now a frog without the original ability, the ability that exiled the creatures remembers the duration it defined when it resolved. The creatures will come back when the colossal frog leaves play. 610.3. Some one-shot effects cause an object to change zones "until" a specified event occurs. A second one-shot effect is created immediately after the specified event. This second one-shot effect returns the object to its previous zone.

Xantcha and flickerform How does xantcha's effect work when she re-enters from exile from flicker form?

How does Xantcha's effect work when she re-enters from exile from flicker form? 1) Xantcha is about to return with her owner as the default controller and her replacement effect has her owner choose one of their opponents 2) Xantcha enters with its owner as the default controller and a layer 2 control effect simultaneously gives control of her to the chosen opponent 3) triggers for Xantcha entering trigger but wait 4) the exiled auras return under each owner's respective control attached to Xantcha unless they can't enchant Xantcha now, in which case they remain exiled. 5) State-Based Actions do their thing and any waiting triggers get put on the stack then the active player gets priority

Toothy/legend rule Hello. I am confusing myself on the interaction of [[toothy]] and multiple clones when kicked [[rite of replication]]. Say I have a toothy with two +1/+1 cointers, [[Pir]] is on field, I cast Rite of Replication targeting toothy. I know ETB would trigger. But I am confused in the leave the battle field. Would my last toothy have 64 p+1/+1 counters?

I know ETB would trigger. Neither of them have an EtB trigger. Would my last toothy have 64 +1/+1 counters? 2 or 4, depending on whether you keep the original or the copy.

Clockspinning and Thing in the Ice Hi, I've got a quick timing question about \[\[Thing in the Ice\]\] and \[\[Clockspinning\]\]. If I have a Thing in the Ice with 2 ice counters on it, then cast Clockspinning, here's what I think would happen: Casting Clockspinning, targeting Thing in the Ice, goes on the stack. Thing in the Ice's "whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell..." ability triggers, and goes on the stack on top of Clockspinning. Thing in the Ice's trigger resolves, removing 1 counter, and it doesn't transform. Clockspinning resolves, removing the last ice counter from Thing in the Ice, and it doesn't transform because it isn't checking whether it has no ice counters on it as part of its "whenever you cast an instant or sorcery" trigger. I'd need to cast another instant or sorcery to transform Thing in the Ice. ​ Is this the correct ordering, or am I able to order the stack differently to have Thing in the Ice transform in this scenario?

You understand correctly. No flip, no way to reorder.

Kaalia and Aurelia the war leader If I attack with kaalia and put Aurelia out, kaalia gets another swing right? So if I were to drop another Aurelia, sac the original and attack with the new one, so I get to attack with kaalia a third time in one turn?

[[Kaalia the Vast]], [[Aurelia, the Warleader]]. This combo does not work. If Kaala (or any other effect) puts a creature onto the battlefield "tapped and attacking," that creature's "When this creature attacks" ability does not get a chance to trigger that combat because it was never technically declared as an attacking creature, which is when such an ability normally triggers. Since it comes up quick a bit with Kaalia, note that this is handled differently from [[Master of Cruelties]] (whose ability does work the same combat he is put into play by Kaalia) because MoC's ability triggers "when it attacks a player and isn't blocked", which triggers during the Declare Blockers step and due to some rules technicalities doesn't actually care whether the creature "attacked" or was simply put onto the battlefield "attacking."

Zameck Guildmage ability and an Evolve creature on board. Does the “comes with an additional +1/+1 counter” help trigger evolve on your already played creatures? Note: Evolve wouldn’t have triggered if the creature wasn’t +1/+1.

Yes. The counter is put on it simultaneous with its entry so affects it's power and toughness for determining if a creature with evolve would trigger.

Can you draw cards in between draw triggers if you have flash? Say I am in the middle of drawing a bunch of cards and I draw Obstinate Familiar or Laboratory Maniac. Can I cast either of them in between drawing cards if I have Vedalken Orrery or Leyline of Anticipation?

It would depend. If the drawing was caused by a bunch of triggers with one draw per trigger, then yes, you could. On the other hand, if it was one resolving spell or ability having you draw multiple cards, then no.

Life and Limb land saprolings + Muraganda Petroglyphs If I play Life and Limb to turn my saprolings into forests and forests into saprolings, are these considered to have no abilities? Ie could they get +2 +2 from Muraganda Petroglyphs? I apologize if this is a stupid question. We are very casual players. Bonus question. Is a land creature such as Dryad Arbor considered to have no abilities?

When they become forests, they gain the inherent ability mana ability that comes with being a forest. Since they have an ability, they don't get the Petro-buff. Same for Dryad Arbor. It has an ability, so no glyphie-bonus.

Muldrotha and Bestow If I have Muldrotha in play and Baleful Eidolon in my graveyard, and I bestow the Eidolon onto Muldrotha, does that count as Muldrotha's creature or enchantment for the turn, or can I choose which one it counts as? ​ Muldrotha, the Gravetide {3}{B}{G}{U} Legendary Creature — Elemental Avatar During each of your turns, you may play up to one permanent card of each permanent type from your graveyard. (If a card has multiple permanent types, choose one as you play it.) ​ ​ Baleful Eidolon {1}{B} Enchantment Creature — Spirit Bestow {4}{B} (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it’s an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it’s not attached to a creature.) Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.) Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has deathtouch. ​

Your choice. You can choose it as your creature card or as your enchantment card, how you play or cast it is immaterial to the choice you make as long as the card is the chosen type in the yard. - Q: I control Muldrotha, the Gravetide and play a Zoetic Cavern face-down from my graveyard. Which Muldrotha permission does this use, land, creature, or my choice? - A: It uses the "land" permission from Muldrotha, even though you end up casting a creature spell. As we've seen earlier in this article, casting a spell is a multi-step process that begins with proposing the spell and establishing permission to begin the process. At that time, Zoetic Cavern is a land card in your graveyard, so you have to ask Muldrotha for permission to play a land card from your graveyard in order to begin the process.

Harmless offering and worldgorger dragon My opponent has Phyrexian Unlife among other permanents under their control. If I use Harmless offering to "gift" the worldgorger to them, does that means unlife leaves play until the Dragon leaves?

does that means unlife leaves play until the Dragon leaves? No. You put WGD on the field so you control it as its EtB triggers and as a result you will control the WGD trigger and have to exile all your stuff. Harmless Offering will just give them the one thing that you would have otherwise had. You'll get your stuff back when the WGD you gave them leaves the field at least. - 603.3a A triggered ability is controlled by the player who controlled its source at the time it triggered [..] - 109.5 The words “you” and “your” on an object refer to the object’s controller [..]

Emerald Medallion and Multikick Hello, ​ Me and a friend have been playing Magic for a while, but we still got confused about this rule when it came up recently in a game we played. During a commander game he was playing tribal elves, and had Emerald Medallion on the field, getting us confused how it affected the multikick of Joraga Warcaller. I looked online but couldn't find a direct answer to this. Does Emerald Medallion make it so you can only pay 1 for every multikick of Warcaller (aka. 1 = 1 kick), or does it only reduce the total amount of mana after all the multikicks by 1 (aka. 3 kicks = 3x2 -> 6-1 = 5). ​ Thank you for your help :)

Put succinctly. Emerald Medallion reduces the cost to cast the spell, not the cost to kick it. As a result, it will reduce the cost of the spell by (1), not (1) per kick.

Exploit the stack Hello everyone, I have a question based on the ability "Exploit" coming from Dragons of Tarkir and the best moment to respond to it. I know some similar question may have been asked in the past (don't know if it's best to create new post or dig an old one '-') In my case I plan to make a commander deck with \[\[the scorpion god\]\] as commander. In this decklist I plan to use \[\[sidisi, undead vizier\]\]. Question: May I respond to my own exploit trigger by activating the scarab god abilities and put a -1/-1 counter on Sidisi before I sacrifice it ? How I see the scenario: Me: Cast Sidisi. Opponents: no reaction \~Sidisi arrives on the battlefield.\~ Me: I put the trigger of Sidissi on stack and in response of this trigger I activate the ability of the scorpion to add -1/-1 on the stack targetting Sidissi. Opponents: \~no reaction\~ \~Resolve\~ Me: I put a counter -1/-1, then sacrifice Sidissi. Question 2: 1. Do I first fetch into my library then draw a card (after shuffle) ? 2. Do I first draw then fetch my library (+ shuffle) ? 3. Both, I can choose. Thanks for helping me with this. Have a nice day ! :) ​

You can do that. If you do, you’ll draw then search. There’s no way to order things where it’s search then draw.

Overburden rules The Oracle text of [[Overburden]] says "Whenever a player puts a nontoken creature onto the battlefield..." Is there a difference between what is above and simply "Whenever a non token creature enters the battlefield..."?

Nope! They do the exact same thing!

Can Etched Champion die from Devastating Dreams? Let's say I have 2 memnarch and 3 artifact lands in play along with Etched Champion Opponent casts Devastating Dreams and wipes out my Memnarchs and artifact lands. Etched Champion had metalcraft, then it lost it. Does my Etched Champion survive? ​ Thank you in advance

It does survive, yes. So, lands get sacrificed. Etched Champion still has metalcraft. Then Devastating Dreams goes to deal 5 damage to each creature (at the same time). Lethal damage is marked on the Memnarchs, and nothing happens to the Etched Champion because it still has protection, because it still has metalcraft. (it's checked continuously, it doesn't wait for State Based Actions, so it doesn't care that it's in the middle of resolving a spell) Now that the spell has resolved completely and someone is about to get priority, state based actions are performed, destroying the Memnarchs. Etched champion loses protection since you don't have metalcraft, but Etched Champion doesn't care, since all the damage was done already.

Torpor orb vs Inalla and the Command Zone Does Torpor Orb stop Eminence if Inalla is in the command zone?

It certainly does. Why wouldn't it? Inalla's ability triggers when a creature enters the battlefield. The Orb prevents creatures entering the battlefield from causing abilities to trigger.

Havengul lich question If I have havengul lich out on the field, ashnods alter, and at least ten creatures attacking, I activate lich for his effect, targeting ancient stone idol in my yard. So first question: does it still cost 0 based on the 10 attacking creatures? Second question: if I can cast it, then I sacrifice it, do I need to pay an additional mana to activate lich again to retarget the idol? Or is it still active on idol? Third question: is this a loop/infinite combo?

Yes, the cost reduction still applies. You're casting the Ancient Stone Idol, even though it's not in your hand. Yes, you need to activate Havengul Lich's ability again if you want to cast the Idol again. When cards change zones, they become new game objects, so the effect that gave you permission to cast the previous object doesn't apply to the new one. Yes, you can generate an arbitrarily large amount of mana and Construct tokens using that loop.

Urborg losing its abilities Hey, So I was reading the oracle comments on [[Urborg, tomb of Yawgmoth]] and I'm a bit confused on how this part works: If Urborg loses its abilities (for example, if it becomes a creature and then Turn to Frog targets it), all lands on the battlefield, including Urborg, will still be Swamps, but Urborg won’t have the ability “Each land is a Swamp in addition to its other land types.” Urborg also won’t be able to tap to produce , but other lands (including those that enter the battlefield later in the turn) will. The way continuous effects work, Urborg’s type-changing ability is applied before the effect that removes both the type-changing ability and its own mana ability. Can someone please detail why it works like that?

The mechanical answer is because of layers. Layers are a list of kinds of effects, and a priority order for how you apply them. To figure out what a card is on the battlefield, you start with the printed card, then apply all layer 1 effects (which is copy effects), then all layer 2 effects (control-changing effects), etc, until you've applied all the effects. Type-changing effects (like the one Urborg has) are applied in layer 4, but ability-removing effects (like the one Turn to Frog produces) apply in layer 6. So in layer 4, when Urborg goes to change everything's type, it still has its ability and it does its thing. Then when layer 6 comes along, Urborg loses its ability (as well as the mana ability caused by being a swamp), but everything else has already been type-changed in layer 4 and that doesn't get removed. The philosophical answer of why it was done that way is because it's better than the alternative. Suppose you swapped them, so that ability-adding and -removing effects are applied before type-changing effects. That would make Urborg work in a much more sensible way (it just does nothing under Turn to Frog), but it means that if you have a Goblin Warchief and an Arcane Adaptation naming goblin on the battlefield, your non-Goblin creatures won't have haste, because the type-changing effect applies after the ability-adding effect, so when Warchief effect gets applied they're not yet goblins. There are a lot more interactions of the latter type than the former, so it makes the game as a whole work better if type-changing effects are applied before ability-granting and -removing effects.

Medomai the Ageless and flicker If I flicker or phase out Medomai would I be able to attack with it on extra turns or would it still be restricted? Is there a way of getting around this?

If I flicker or phase out Medomai would I be able to attack with it on extra turns or would it still be restricted? Medomai can't attack on extra turns, as it says. Flickering it or whatever doesn't change that it can't attack on extra turns. The only thing that might not be obvious here is what an "extra turn" is, technically. An "extra turn" is a turn created by a spell or ability. Medomai's restriction isn't tied to turns created by itself. It just can't attack on extra turns.

How does Trostani Discordant interact with a permanent control effect like Control Magic? [[Trostani Discordant]] [[Control Magic]] So if I control Trostani and my opponent Control Magics one of my creatures, what happens in the end step? Do I regain control of my creature, SBAs are checked and my opponent gets it back? Does my opponent just keep control of it? Do I get it back and Control Magic just sits there? I know layers doesn't come into it because Trostani's ability is triggered and not continuous. If you could cite specific rules that would be great. Thanks!

what happens in the end step? Do I regain control of my creature? Yes. SBAs are checked and my opponent gets it back? No. Does my opponent just keep control of it? No. Do I get it back and Control Magic just sits there? Yep. I know layers doesn't come into it because Trostani's ability is triggered and not continuous. The resolution of her triggered ability puts a layer 2 continuous effect on the permanent with a later time stamp than the one from Control Magic, yes, layers do come into it. If you could cite specific rules that would be great. - 611.1 A continuous effect modifies characteristics of objects, modifies control of objects, or affects players or the rules of the game, for a fixed or indefinite period. - 611.2 A continuous effect may be generated by the resolution of a spell or ability (such as Trostani's trigger). - 611.2a A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability lasts as long as stated by the spell or ability creating it (such as “until end of turn”). If no duration is stated, it lasts until the end of the game. - 611.3 A continuous effect may be generated by the static ability of an object (such as the one on Control Magic). - 611.3a A continuous effect generated by a static ability isn’t “locked in”; it applies at any given moment to whatever its text indicates. - 611.3b The effect applies at all times that the permanent generating it is on the battlefield or the object generating it is in the appropriate zone. - 613.1 The values of an object’s characteristics are determined by starting with the actual object. For a card, that means the values of the characteristics printed on that card. For a token or a copy of a spell or card, that means the values of the characteristics defined by the effect that created it. Then all applicable continuous effects are applied in a series of layers in the following order: - 613.1b Layer 2: Control-changing effects are applied. - 613.2 Within layers 1–6, apply effects from characteristic-defining abilities first (see rule 604.3), then all other effects in timestamp order (see rule 613.6). Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are applied within a layer. (See rule 613.7.) - 613.6 Within a layer or sublayer, determining which order effects are applied in is usually done using a timestamp system. An effect with an earlier timestamp is applied before an effect with a later timestamp. - 613.6a A continuous effect generated by a static ability has the same timestamp as the object the static ability is on, or the timestamp of the effect that created the ability, whichever is later. (This applies to Control Magic) - 613.6b A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability receives a timestamp at the time it’s created.(This applies to the continuous effect applied by Trostani's trigger) - 613.6c An object receives a timestamp at the time it enters a zone. (From 613.6a above this tells us what the original time stamp of Control Magic's effect is, of course if it was moved and became attached to a different permanent, the next rule would give it a new time stamp) - 613.6d An Aura, Equipment, or Fortification receives a new timestamp at the time it becomes attached to an object or player.

Divine Visitation + Doubling Season If I have a Doubling Season (or other token doubling effect) and Divine Visitation in play and I cast Raise the Alarm, how many 4/4 Angels do I get? Does Doubling Season only double the tokens Raise the Alarm would make or does it also double the amount of Angels Divine Visitation would make? In other words, do I make 4 Angels, 8 Angels, or does it depend on timestamps?

Timestamps don't matter here. Since you control the effect that's creating the tokens, you get to choose the order in which the replacement effects apply (this doesn't really matter, since they don't really interact with each other). After applying both replacement effects, in some order, you end up creating four 4/4 Angel tokens instead of just two 1/1 Soldier tokens.

Hapatra, Archfiend of Ifnir, and discard effects So I had a question about Interactions between [[Hapatra]], [[Archfiend of Ifnir]], and discard effects, specifically wheel effects and end step cleanup. For simplicity sake, let's assume Hapatra and Archfiend are on the battlefield, as well as a total of 3 opponent's creatures. Hapatra player plays a wheel effect and discards 3 cards. How many snakes does Hapatra make? 2 scenarios: 1. You wheel 3 cards, Archfiend sees 3 cards hit the yard puts 3 counters on each of the 3 opponent's creatures, but since Hapatra reads "1 or more counters," she makes only 3 snakes. 2. You wheel 3 cards, Archfiend sees the first card got the yard, puts a single counter on the creatures, Hapatra makes 3 snakes. Archfiend sees the second card hit the yard, places a second counter on creatures, Hapatra makes 3 more snakes. This all happens again for the last card of the wheel effect, and Hapatra makes 3 more snakes, for a grand total of 9 snakes. Which of the above scenarios is correct? I assume probably #1 since I think Archfiend will place all 3 counters at the same time instead of individual instances of counter placement, but I'm not entirely sure. The same question applies to discarding down to 7 cards during the cleanup step. Any info would be awesome. Thanks in advance!

It's easier to see it walked through so we'll do that. The three cards are discarded simultaneously to Wheel. This triggers Archfiend three times per 603.2c. After Wheel has finished resolving, the three triggers are put on the stack. After a priority pass, one of the Archfiend triggers resolves and puts a -1/-1 counter on each of the opponent's creatures. This triggers Hapatra three times, once for each creature. Those 3 triggers resolve and create three snakes, then the next Archfiend trigger resolves and triggers Hapatra three times which in turn makes 3 more snakes and then the last Archfiend trigger resolves, triggering Hapatra again three times for three more snakes. This would arrive at up to 9 snakes in total. Note: this assumes that the opponent's creature all have at least 3 toughness, if any have less, they'd die without being around to receive the full three counters and therefore not produce the optimal number of snakes. How many snakes does Hapatra make? Anywhere from 3 to 9 snakes, depending on the toughness values of each of the opponent's creatures. Essentially, for each opponent's creature you'll make 3 (the number of cards discarded) or its toughness whichever is lower. The same question applies to discarding down to 7 cards during the cleanup step. The cards are likewise discarded simultaneously and trigger Archfiend separately so counters get placed one at a time, no different than with Wheel. - 603.2c An ability triggers only once each time its trigger event occurs. However, it can trigger repeatedly if one event contains multiple occurrences.

flash hulk question. well really just flash with the way flash is worded, do I choose upon resolution or do I have to name the target when I cast? im new to the flash hulk scene and want to put it in my simic deck

also I barely visit reddit unless I have a rules question so I apologize for not linking the cards properly. I cant remember how on here

Zacama Vs Control Magic If I have a zacama, and someone plays a control magic (or any other enchantment that lets you control a creature), once the enchantment enters the battlefield, can I use zacama’s green ability to destroy the enchantment, or will they get control of it as a state based action?

Unfortunately no. The enchantment would have to be on the battlefield to be a legal target for Zacama, and as soon as it hits the battlefield the control magic player would have control of the creature.

Angler Drake card text help - first game Hi all, playing a first game with a blue welcome pack. I've just cast Angler Drake and the text states "When angler drake enters the battlefield, you may return target creature to its owners hand" What does this mean exactly? Why would Angler Drake have a target creature if it is just being cast (and not in combat yet)?

What does this mean exactly? It's an ability the Drake has, specifically, it's a triggered ability because it triggers when the indicated event occurs (ie. the Drake entering the battlefield). It means that after you've cast your Drake spell and nobody counters it, that it enters the battlefield and trigger its ability, you then choose a target for that ability (any creature on the battlefield including the Drake itself). Players can respond to the ability if they want, say by countering your ability with Disallow or giving their creature Hexproof. If they don't, the ability resolves and sends the targeted creature back to its owner's hand. If the targeted creature was a token, it'd then just vanish from the player's hand. You might wonder what you would use this ability for. Here's a few reasons. - to bounce an opponent's creature back to their hand so that it won't be able to block this turn (possibly longer) and your other creatures can possibly hit your opponent. - to get rid of an opponent's token creature completely (once it gets to their hand it just vanishes). - to reuse one of your creatures on the battlefield that has a trigger on casting or entering the battlefield (eg. bouncing your own Mulldrifter back to your hand so that you can cast it again to have it enter the field and draw you another two cards). - to get back a creature that an opponent has taken control of, say with Mind Control. - in combination with another card like Leyline of Anticipation, to let you bounce opponent's creatures as a combat trick (or your own to save them). Why would Angler Drake have a target creature if it is just being cast (and not in combat yet)? Technically, Angler Drake doesn't have a target, rather it's its ability that targets and only after Drake has entered the field. I outlined some of the reasons why you would use the ability above. You may find the helpful, although the linked copy is slightly out of date and there have been a few small changes to the rules since then (mostly involving planeswalkers).

Misdirection targeting a kicked Blood Tribute The opponent, who is at 1 life, targets me with a kicked Blood Tribute. I respond by casting Misdirection, targeting Blood Tribute. Misdirection resolves, and I change the target of Blood Tribute to my opponent. 1. Because kicking a Blood Tribute also causes lifegain, who is receiving the lifegain after Misdirection, me or my opponent? I assume it's my opponent as it was they who cast the spell. 2. Before the lifegain, Blood Tribute would deal 1 damage to my opponent. Does my opponent lose before the lifegain would occur? Or are they happening simultaneously, such that my opponent remains at 1 life? How can I tell based on the rules text?

Misdirection resolves, and I change the target of Blood Tribute to my opponent. You can't, that's not legal. Your opponent controls the spell and you can only change it to a legal target (ie. another opponent of theirs). - 114.7a If an effect allows a player to “change the target(s)” of a spell or ability, each target can be changed only to another legal target. If a target can’t be changed to another legal target, the original target is unchanged, even if the original target is itself illegal by then. If all the targets aren’t changed to other legal targets, none of them are changed. - 102.2 In a two-player game, a player’s opponent is the other player. - 102.3 In a multiplayer game between teams, a player’s teammates are the other players on their team, and the player’s opponents are all players not their team. Effectively, you wasted your Misdirection unless you're playing multiplayer. Now, if the wording of Blood Tribute said target player... who is receiving the lifegain after Misdirection, me or my opponent? The controller of the spell - your opponent. Before the lifegain, Blood Tribute would deal 1 damage to my opponent No, it wasn't dealing them any damage, it was causing them to lose one life. Does my opponent lose before the lifegain would occur? No, state-based actions don't check until after it has completely resolved and left the stack. - 704.4 Unlike triggered abilities, state-based actions pay no attention to what happens during the resolution of a spell or ability. are they happening simultaneously? No, they are sequential. Your opponent loses 1 and then gains 1 life and then Blood Tribute goes to the yard and SBA's check and see them at 1 life. How can I tell based on the rules text? The rule of thumb is to follow the instructions in order. Each verb typically indicates a distinct action. - 608.2c The controller of the spell or ability follows its instructions in the order written. However, replacement effects may modify these actions. In some cases, later text on the card may modify the meaning of earlier text (for example, “Destroy target creature. It can’t be regenerated” or “Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, put it on top of its owner’s library instead of into its owner’s graveyard.”) Don’t just apply effects step by step without thinking in these cases—read the whole text and apply the rules of English to the text.

Question about 2 Blocking Creatures on the same Attacking Creature. I have a 3/4 and a 3/1 creature. My opponent has a 4/4 creature. He attacking me and I decide to use my both creatures blocking him. He choose to assign DMG to 3/4 first and follow by 3/1. What will happen? my creatures die both or only 3/4 that die and why? Thank you for answer and explanation.

Your blockers each assign 3 to the 4/4. The 4/4 assigns 4 to the 3/4. Damage is dealt as assigned so the 4/4 and 3/4 die.

Zirilan with hoarding dragon Does the exile count as dying, or will it just be gone with my artifact?

Does the exile count as dying? Nope. - 701.11a To exile an object, move it to the exile zone from wherever it is. - 700.4 The term dies means “is put into a graveyard from the battlefield.” will it just be gone with my artifact? Yep, unless you have a way to kill it before the trigger resolves in the end step.

Vraska Golgari Queen help Hey guys, So I went to my first prerelease event this weekend (new player of about a month, was really good fun!) and I pulled a foil Vraska , the Golgari Queen. The argument in question is regarding her +2 ability, I’m under the impression that since it says ‘you MAY sacrifice a permanent’ that once you use the +2 you then have the option to sac something and get added bonuses, he’s adamant however that if you don’t sacrifice a permanent you cannot use the ability full stop. Could someone settle this please?

It's a 'May', so you can +2 her, and then choose whether or not to sac a permanent. So, you are correct. There have been loads of Planeswalkers like this, where the +1 had a 'May' clause, so you can keep ticking them up even if there are no legal targets.

Mirage mirror interaction with Monstrous ability There was a point in an EDH game tonight where I think I spotted a very neat lethal for my opponent. Opponent had mirage mirror in play from turns ago and got a colossus of akros off of ugin's ultimate ability. I believe he could: Activate mirage mirror targeting Colossus twice having two activations on the stack. Let the first mirage mirror activation resolve, then use the monstrous ability from the mirage mirror copy in response to the second activation. Let the second activation of mirage mirror resolve, then use the monstrous ability on the mirage mirror copy again as the target copied was not monstrous. This would result in a colossus copy with 20 +1 counters. Some people said that the mirage mirror would still be monstrous, some said that the second activation wouldn't work as it had become a different permanent and therefore wasn't mirage mirror. TL;DR Can I stack mirage mirror activated ability in order to activate monstrous abilities multiple times given sufficient mana?

Being monstrous is tied to the permanent it is on, is not copiable, and does not care whether the permanent it is on changes characteristics. In your particular example, once the Mirror becomes monstrous, it remains monstrous even as its characteristics change to be a copy of different things. Only the first monstrous ability to resolve will place counters on the permanent. Mirage Mirror doesn’t become a new permanent when it copies something new—it is the same permanent with different characteristics (hence why it keeps any counters, etc. on it when it does so).

priority during the main phase So as a new player, priority and when you can cast instant speed spells is really confusing me :( ​ Limiting the discussion to the main phase for now, let's say the active player plays a land card, taps for mana and casts two permanents onto the battlefield. Does the opponent get priority to respond with an instant after the active player has finished playing all their spells or can they respond after only one has been cast? Say the first card the active player casts has a triggered ability when it enters the battlefield, can the opponent play an instant to counter that straight away? ​

can they respond after only one has been cast? Yes, you can do this. A spell or non-mana ability can't resolve without a priority pass. In practice, your opponent should give you an opportunity to respond after casting the first spell. If they don't, you can back them up. Effectively, your opponent proposed a shortcut of "I play a land, I activate these mana abilities of my lands, I cast Spell#1, pass priority, you pass, it resolves and enter the field, I get priority, I cast Spell#2, pass priority, you pass, it resolves." You are allowed to interrupt the shortcut at any point where you get priority in the shortcut or accept the shortcut as presented. So yeah you can totally interrupt the shortcut at the bolded point. can the opponent play an instant to counter that straight away? Yes, you could counter the spell and it'd never enter the field to trigger. Alternatively, you could use Disallow to counter the trigger. Note: if you interrupt the shortcut, the player isn't bound to any action presented beyond that point, meaning that if you counter the first spell, he can change his mind about casting the second spell.

Question about indestructible Scenario, I'm facing a Karametra, I've done 6 damage to it, and then I use a fungal infection to give it -1/-1, would that final -1 toughness case it o Diego to state based effects? Or would it stick around because it didn't take -7 to toughness?

Is this situation, Karametra is a 5/6 indestructible with 6 damage marked on it. Dosen't die. You would indeed need to reduce her toughtness to 0.

Illicit Auction Shenanigans So I found a card called “illicit auction” and thought it seemed super cool, so I thought I’d make an interesting combo but don’t know no the interactions would work. So I have a mirrorwing dragon on the field on the field and I then cast insurrection. All creatures are now under my control until end of turn. I cast illicit Auction on my mirrorwing dragon, which then copies it for each creature currently under my control. All the bidding happens the gavel drops etc. But who has control of the creatures? Is it the people who bid on said creatures or do they return back to their original owners as I gained control of them until end of turn yet they’re no longer under my control so i don’t know, hence why I’m asking! Thanks in advance!

The auction winner for that creature will retain control. Control is determined using the layer system for continuous effects. In most cases the default controller will control the permanent (ie. the player that put the permanent on the field). However, layer 2 control effects can be placed onto the permanent. Some of these have set durations (eg. Insurrection is until end of turn), some don't (eg. Illicit Auction is permanent) and some have implicit durations (eg. Mind Control lasts as long as it is attached). If there are one or more control effects on a permanent, they override the default controller. These effects are applied like paint and usually the one with the latest time stamp wins. Initially, Opponent A had a creature that Opponent A put on the field so opponent A is that creature's default controller. Next your Insurrection spell put a layer 2 control effect on it with a duration of until end of turn. That control effect has the most recent time stamp so you gain control of the creature. Next the Illicit Auction resolves for it and a layer 2 control effect with no duration is put on it giving control of it to the Bid Winner. Applying the effects, Auction's effect has a more recent time stamp so it wins and Bid Winner gains control of the creature. During the Cleanup step, the control effect from Insurrection ends, but it's underneath the effect of Auction which is still ongoing so Bid Winner still controls the creature.

Surveil and Sidisi, Brood Tyrant So I have a quick question about how surveil works with graveyard triggers, specifically with the "when one or more" phrasing is used and surveil is >1. For example, the interaction between Sidisi, Brood Tyrant and Doom Whisperer. Sidisi triggers and gives you a single zombie "when one or more" creature cards are put into your graveyard. Doom Whisperer has Surveil 2. So, if you activate surveil once with DW and there are 2 creature cards on the top of your library and you put them both into the yard through that single surveil activation, how many zombies do you get from Sidisi? Do the two creature cards cards hit the yard together and this cause Sidisi to trigger once for a single zombie? Or does Sidisi see 2 separate creature cards go to the yard and trigger twice, giving you 2 zombies? I think you probably only get a single zombie because both cards go to the yard as a result of a single action, but I'm not 100% sure. Any info would be awesome.

I'm inclined to say you're right. See Sidisi's second ruling on the Oracle: " Any instruction, including Sidisi’s first ability, that tells you to put multiple cards from a library into a graveyard moves all the cards at the same time. For example, if Sidisi enters the battlefield and you put three creature cards into your graveyard, Sidisi’s last ability will trigger once and you’ll put one Zombie token onto the battlefield." Any cards dumped with the same "Surveil X" ability should hit the yard at the same time, so Sidisi will check if "One or more" creatures were put into the graveyard, and go, "Oh, yes. One or more creatures \were\ put in the graveyard! One Zombie for you!"

Divine visitation ruling If you have 2 divine Visitation played, and you create a token, would you get 2 angels, or does 1 divine visitation supercede the other?

Nevermind, it just dawned on me that it doesn't create an angel, it replaces a token with an angel, so having 2 played is relatively useless.

Prevent all combat damage question If I have an empty board and my opponent has a 3/3 and swings at me. I play an instant that says "prevent all combat damage this turn". Does that apply to me? as in, do I not take damage? Reason I ask is because this situation came up at a lgs draft. I thought I could not take damage for a turn but was told that the card meant combat damage between creature's.

"Combat damage" is only: Damage dealt in the combat damage step of the combat phase. Attacking creatures can deal combat damage to the defending player or one of their planeswalkers (if that's what they've been declared to attack) or one or more blocking creatures. Blocking creatures can deal combat damage to an attacking creature they are blocking. That's it. Any damage from a spell or ability is never combat damage. When you cast [[Root Snare]], nothing takes damage in the combat damage step. If they cast [[Lightning Strike]] in your face, that will still deal damage.

Dismiss into dream If archetype of imagination and dismiss into dream are both on the board at the same time, does all opponents creatures get targeted and destroyed?

No. Archetype of Imagination doesn't target. - 114.10a Just because an object or player is being affected by a spell or ability doesn’t make that object or player a target of that spell or ability. Unless that object or player is identified by the word “target” in the text of that spell or ability, or the rule for that keyword ability, it’s not a target.

Possibility Storm Rulings with Overload For instance, if I have a [[Possibility Storm]] in play, then attempt to cast an instant, could I pseudo-cascade into a [[Cyclonic Rift]] and do the overload?

No. You can't use two different alternative costs. If you cast a spell without paying its mana cost, you can’t choose to cast it for any alternative costs, such as overload costs. You can pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.

Mox opal and improvise double mana. Hi all. Can a mox opal or other mana producing artifact tap to add mana by its own and also contribute towards improvise? I would of thought that in terms of mana producing artifats you have to choose one or the other it can't be used for 'double mana' Improvise says 702.125a Improvise is a static ability that functions while the spell with improvise is on the stack. “Improvise” means “For each generic mana in this spell’s total cost, you may tap an untapped artifact you control rather than pay that mana.” It refers to untapped artifacts so I would not think that you could do both. Had an opp who cast a Herald of anguish I think with 2 lands 2 mana rocks and another non mana artifact that was used for improvise.

You answered your own question. They can either tap the rock for mana or for improvise. Once it's tapped for mana it can't be used for improvise. You tap for improvise after mana abilities have been activated

Lifelink on Volcano Hellion I have on the battlefield. I cast . I can choose the Soulbond trigger to happen before the Volcano Hellion trigger, so if I choose to deal 5 million damage to myself and 5 million damage to a creature, do I gain 5 million life or do I just die?

Sure. Since they both trigger on entering the battlefield, and you control both triggers, you can order them how you like. Resolve the Pilgrim first, and they both have lifelink. Resolve the other and that damage hurts them and heals you since it all the damage happens at the same time.

Thoughtseize Returning magic player with stack questions If I cast a creature and the opponent responds with thoughtseize, can he remove the creature being cast from my hand? ​

No. When it is cast it is on the stack, not in your hand. He doesn't receive priority to cast Thoughtseize until you've passed priority after successfully putting something on the stack.

Mentor of the meek and midnight guard So I have cryptolith rite, mentor of the meek, And midnight guard out. I cast scatter the seeds, tapping midnight guard for one of the mana for the cost due to cryptolith rite. Seeds resolves and I get 3 1/1 saprolings. Mentor and guard have 3 triggers each. Can I untap guard, then tap him for mana to pay for mentor ability(drawing a card), and then repeat the loop 2 more times?(this drawing 3 cards) Basically can I resolve the triggers on the stack individually is what I think I’m asking?

It looks like you can do it. I looked up something similar for the answer. Sorry I don't have the exact rule number or anything.

Planeswalkers vs infect Do Planeswalkers lose loyalty when successfully attacked and "damaged" by creatures with infect?

Yes, for creatures with infect still do damage, just in a different form.

does casting = ETB? i have an \[\[etherium-horn sorcerer\]\] out, and i decide to flicker it with \[\[essence flux\]\] . Does the sorcerer returning to play trigger cascade? The rules text of cascade says "When you cast this card..." and i didn't know if returning something to the battlefield (ETB) counts as a cast ​ EDIT: in a similar vein, would creating a copy of the sorcerer (say, with an \[\[inalla\]\] eminence effect) trigger cascade as well? since it's entering the battlefield but i technically didn't cast it?

No - cascade only triggers when you cast the spell. Entering the Battlefield usually happens after casting but there are other ways to make that happen (like Essence Flux).

If I make a Goldmeddow Harrier token with Goldmeddow Lookout, does it have a casting of 1 or 0?

Tokens have a CMC of 0 unless they are token copies. Lookout doesn’t make token copies, so the CMC of those Harriers is 0.

Are hybrid & multicolor spells considered a spell color of both mana colors? Say I have a Runaway Steam-Kin on the battlefield, would playing a League Guildmage activate the Runaway Steam-Kin's ability? What about a Piston-fist Cyclops? I'm thinking (hoping!) they would...

Yep, both kinds of spells are both colors, so this works the way you think it does.

Instant "tap target creature" when can it take effect? Sorry, more beginner questions ahead - it seems like every game brings up new ones... On my turn, if I cast an instant at the beginning of combat step to tap one of my opponents creatures, I understand that means they cannot block with that creature. Now on my opponents turn, if I cast that instant at the beginning of combat step to tap one of their creatures, does that mean they cannot attack with that creature now? Can I cast that instant after attackers have been declared to prevent a creature attacking? Can I cast it after blockers have been declared to prevent a creature blocking?

Not after, but you can say things like before you attack, I tap your creature. Most of the people I play against will say something along the lines of "I'd like to move to attacks" so you have a chance to do something before they attack, or if it's your turn and you'd like to attack, you can cast it anytime before your combat step, and it will tap their creature. Hope this helps

Path of Mettle, When has a creature attacked? Specifically is a creature considered to have attacked after the declare attackers step, or at some other point during or after combat. This is for the sake of the white ability on the flip land, because if they are considered to have attacked before damage is declared you could use it to kill creatures preemptively.

NVM Found on gatherer, you can in fact activate the ability before blockers are declared and hit a random attacking creature.

Can spells/abilities with "before attackers/defenders are declared" be cast/activated say in the pre-combat main phase? Played a game a few weeks ago with \[\[Lady Sun\]\] and \[\[Concordant Crossroads\]\], with enough mana to cast Lady Sun a couple of times. People said I could only do it once because I didn't have flash, and an apparent assumption that text like "before attackers/defenders are declared" means during the combat phase or something (don't remember). I didn't fight it, as it was all casual EDH. ​ Perusing the official rules for other reasons, I was curious to the official rules were to the text in question. Rule 506.6 and sub rules simply state that it has to be before attackers/defenders are declared, and nothing about being able or not being able to cast/activate such abilities during the pre-combat main phase or earlier. Is this text located elsewhere in the rulings to support restrictions on when such spells/abilities be used, and if so where? I would like to know for future reference.

If it doesn't say "only during combat" it's not only during combat. Clear as day. Compare [[Cauldron Dance]] or [[Chaotic Strike]] or [[Gorilla War Cry]] and so on.

Mizzix's mastery and targets Say I have Mizzix's mastery in hand and lightning bolt and fork in the graveyard. If I overload mastery, can I target bolt with fork?

Yes. You create the copies of the cards in exile and then cast them from there. You do this in whatever order you like so you can cast the copy of Bolt and then the copy of Fork targeting the copy of Bolt. - 04/11/2015 If Mizzix’s Mastery exiled multiple cards, you may cast the copies in any order. The last copy you cast will be the first one to resolve.

Ninjutsu - first strike interaction Say I have an \[\[Archetype of Courage\]\] and \[\[Thief of Sanity\]\] on the battlefield, and a \[\[Ninja of the Deep Hours\]\] in my hand. If I attack with Thief of Sanity and let it deal damage during the first damage step, can I then use ninjutsu to replace it with Ninja of the Deep Hours and have the ninja deal damage during the second damage step? Or would the Ninja having first strike from the moment it enters the battlefield mean that it has to deal damage during the first damage step?

Huh, cool, I never thought of that. Yeah, it works. 510.4. If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see rule 702.7) or double strike (see rule 702.4) as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step. And your ninja came in attacking... sort of a pseudo doublestrike.

If a player 'casts' a spell is that spell still considered to be in that players hand until it resolves? Example: Player one: attempts to cast an annoying dragon Can player two then cast a card like Tsabo's Decree to force the player to discard the dragon before it gets cast?

Nope... the first things that happens when you start casting a spell is it moves from where it was to the stack. So it's not in your hand anymore. Then you make choices, choose targets, distribute things, check legality, determine costs, generate mana to pay those costs, then finally pay those costs. And now you're finally done casting the spell. But it's been on the stack the whole time.

Vraska Planeswalker has an ability that adds power to creatures a player controls (+2 loyalty). If the the player does not currently control any creatures, can they activate the ability?

Sure. You only need to have a creature if it says the word "target". You can't activate an ability or cast a spell with targets without having legal targets to target. (Like Ajani Vengeant) Note: There are some like Ajani Steadfast that say "up to 1 target", in which case you can choose 0, and don't need anything to target.

Emmara, Sould of the Accord - Using to Convoke / Crew? Alright, this seems like a stupid question but I cant figure it out on my own. Emmara, Sould of the Accord creates a token once she gets tapped. Now, if I tap her to crew a vehicle, I get a token, which I can use to continue crewing the same vehicle. This makese sence to me. But what about convoke? If I declare here to tap to cast a convoke spell, does the token-creation resolves before or after I cast the convoke spell? In other other words, can I also use the created token for my convoke spell or not?

if I tap her to crew a vehicle, I get a token, which I can use to continue crewing the same vehicle. No, actually you can't. does the token-creation resolves before or after I cast the convoke spell? After, just like it resolves after you complete the crewing activation. can I also use the created token for my convoke spell or not? Not, same as it doesn't work with crewing. - 603.2 Whenever a game event or game state matches a triggered ability’s trigger event, that ability automatically triggers. The ability doesn’t do anything at this point. - 603.3 Once an ability has triggered, its controller puts it on the stack as an object that’s not a card the next time a player would receive priority. [..] - 116.3c If a player has priority when they cast a spell, activate an ability, or take a special action, that player receives priority afterward. - 601.2a To propose the casting of a spell, a player first moves that card (or that copy of a card) from where it is to the stack. It becomes the topmost object on the stack. - 601.2h The player pays the total cost in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. Unpayable costs can’t be paid. - 601.2i Once the steps described in 601.2a–h are completed, effects that modify the characteristics of the spell as it’s cast are applied, then the spell becomes cast. Any abilities that trigger when a spell is cast or put onto the stack trigger at this time. If the spell’s controller had priority before casting it, they get priority. - 602.2b The remainder of the process for activating an ability is identical to the process for casting a spell listed in rules 601.2b–i. Those rules apply to activating an ability just as they apply to casting a spell. An activated ability’s analog to a spell’s mana cost (as referenced in rule 601.2f) is its activation cost.