Hot answers tagged magic-the-gathering
21
It depends on the card in question. If it can't be determined use 0.
208.2a The card may have a characteristic-defining ability that sets its power and/or toughness according to some stated condition. (See
rule 604.3.) Such an ability is worded "[This creature's] [power or
toughness] is equal to . . ." or "[This creature's] power and
toughness are ...
16
You can "fail to find" a card, but only while explicitly searching someone's library or hand. In the case of Inquisition of Kozilek, you are not "searching" the zone, so you must choose a card if a valid choice is available.
Per the comp rules, "fail to find" is specific to searching a hidden zone:
701.15b If a player is searching a hidden zone for ...
10
If it's somewhere other than the on the stack or if it's fused, a split card has two CMCs. You'll lose the life equal to both of the cards CMCs.
708.5. An effect that asks for a particular characteristic of a split card while it’s in a zone other than the stack gets two answers (one for each of the split card’s two halves).
Example: Infernal Genesis ...
10
Yes, because extort is merely a keyword. The color symbol {hybrid white/black} is not part of the card, but only exists in reminder text, which is not officially part of the card.
Here's the official ruling on the matter:
EXTORT
With the release of Gatecrash, we'd like to clarify our stance on extort by confirming that, as always, reminder text has ...
10
Yes, the cost is still increased or decreased. For your example, X would be 6, because Entreat the Angels for x=6 only costs you 6.
117.9. Some spells have alternative costs. An alternative cost is a cost listed in a spell’s text, or applied to it from another effect, that its controller may pay rather than paying the spell’s mana cost. Alternative costs ...
10
Nope, when an ability on an object refers to itself by name it means "this object."
201.4b If an ability of an object refers to that object by name, and an object with a different name gains that ability, each instance of
the first name in the gained ability that refers to the first object
by name should be treated as the second name.
Example: ...
9
Yes, given that Bioshift is an instant.
The combat unrolls as follows:
...
Declare Blockers [CR 509]
Blockers are declared. [CR 509.1]
Damage Assignment order for attacking creatures is decided. [CR 509.2]
Damage Assignment order for blocking creatures is decided. [CR 509.3]
Players get priority. [CR 509.4-5]
Combat Damage Step (First Strike) [CR 510]
...
9
No. Only one spell is cast, so only {1} is deducted for a total cost of {2}{U}{R}.
Fuse is an alternative cost, as evidenced by "you have the additional option to cast both halves as a single spell by paying their combined cost". This refers to their mana cost (as will be stated explicitly in the rules). The combined mana cost of Turn and Burn is ...
9
No he can not do this.
Damage does not use the stack.
510.1. First, the active player announces how each attacking creature assigns its combat damage, then the defending player announces how
each blocking creature assigns its combat damage. This turn-based
action doesn't use the stack. A player assigns a creature's combat
damage according to the ...
8
In simplest terms possible: Your opponent can cast any instants in response to your sorcery, but he'll still have to discard 2 cards if he has any.
so, if you cast mind rot, your opponent can't choose 2 instants to discard and cast them instead. He can cast instants before he chooses.
If you cast duress, your opponent can't cast the instant that you ...
8
No, Counterbalance only counters the original Storm spell.
706.10. To copy a spell or activated ability means to put a copy of it onto the stack; a copy of a spell isn’t cast and a copy of an activated ability isn’t activated. [...]
Since the copies are not cast, Counterbalance never triggers for them.
8
You should activate them at some point before the declare attackers step on a turn after they enter the battlefield (unless they have haste).
Here's a breakdown of the declare attackers step:
508.1. First, the active player declares attackers.
508.2. Second, any abilities that triggered on attackers being declared go on the stack.
508.3. ...
8
It's not really fair to judge if he got a decent price or not based just on retail value. Just like trading in a car, you usually could have gotten more money selling it yourself, but the additional time requirements and overall hassle do not always make economic sense for your situation. I need a new car now, not after I eventually find a buyer for my old ...
7
No. Basilica Screecher will no longer be on the battlefield when the spell becomes cast, so its ability will not trigger.
Casting a spell:
Placing it on the stack. [CR 601.2a]
Make choices (e.g. modes, targets) that need to be made to cast the spell. [CR 601.2b-d]
Determine the total cost to cast the spell. [CR 601.2e]
Activate mana abilities. [CR ...
7
There is nothing in the CompRules about taking back legal actions, so when in doubt, ask the judge, unless you both want to risk a sanction in the worst case. He may nor may not allow it, and he may or may not require to be asked in the first place. In the end, a judge can give whatever ruling he wants, and the opposite of it on the next case. So there is no ...
6
Its front face (the one with the sun symbol in the top-left corner), so Huntmaster of the Fells.
It's a brand new object put onto the 'field, as if you had just cast it. It has summoning sickness; it's untapped; it doesn't have any counters, enchantments or equipment; and it's front face is up.
711.5. A double-faced card enters the battlefield with its ...
6
If the spell has converted mana cost 1 or 2, it will be countered.
This answer may seem different to the Dark Confidant question. While rule 708.5 adequately answers that question, there are further split card rules relevant to Counterbalance.
708.5. An effect that asks for a particular characteristic of a split card while it’s in a zone other than ...
6
Before examining the merits, let's keep in mind that it's a very natural out of order sequencing since he could end up doing draw-untap-draw otherwise.
The limit on out of order sequencing is:
An out-of-order sequence must not result in a player prematurely gaining information which could reasonably affect decisions made later in that sequence.
If he ...
6
You do not need to tap it before the creature dies, you will have an opportunity before the untap trigger resolves.
Goblin Sharpshooter does not contain an intervening "if" clause, but rather a normal triggered ability [CR 603.1]. This means that whenever the event occurs, "a creature dies," an untap trigger is placed on the stack [CR 603.1] . As with all ...
5
Yes, cost increases and cost reductions apply. (And so do additional costs.)
"X" is whatever you chose, so 6. It doesn't change after you choose it.
Yes, it will cost {U}.
The cost to cast a spell (as defined in [CR 601.2e]) is:
total cost
= mana cost or alternative cost + additional costs and cost increases - cost reductions
Keep in mind that
...
5
Commander/EDH is a community-moderated format. Its banned list is not managed by Wizards of the Coast or the DCI. Official announcements from the EDH Rules Committee an be found on mtgcommander.net.
In this case, the April 2013 banned list announcement explains (emphasis added):
Trade Secrets is much like Limited Resources in that has some issues in a ...
5
There have been many answers to this question, as there are many different ways to handle getting started in magic. Really, the best thing to do is to explore carefully and decide how you are going to play that's the only way to get a feel for how much your initial investment will be.
First and foremost, as others have suggested. Regardless of how you want ...
5
Question A
No.
First of all, one can only do something in response to a spell or ability being added to the stack, so one can't cast Bioshift in response to damage.
Now, let's look at the real question. Is there a time when Bioshift could be cast such that the Hydra will deal full damage without dying? No. Here's how the turn goes:
...
Declare Blockers ...
5
It does work like that. That's part of the point of Ripple... if your deck is built correctly, you can just keep on Rippling all the way through it.
This ruling on Thrumming Stone in Gatherer may be instructive:
If you cast a spell that already has ripple (such as Surging Flame,
which has ripple 4) while Thrumming Stone is on the battlefield, both
...
4
Short Answer: As long as they chose to cast the instant before you chose the cards to discard, then the Instant applies (resolves) first.
Magic the gathering uses a stack for casting spells. This means that literally all spells being cast go on the stack.
Each time a player casts a spell they get priority back after the spell is cast so they can continue ...
4
It's a little bit of a tangent, but I thought it might be worth adding an answer about what the controller of Primordial Hydra should do if he wants to bioshift his counters onto another creature.
He can't do it in response to damage, as has been expertly explained in other answers, so I wont repeat it here, this answer is mostly about improved strategy. He ...
4
Glaring Spotlight affects hexproof from all sources, regardless of their type or the timestamp order of their effects.
In many cases in Magic, when two continuous effects do opposite things, we must look at their "timestamps" to figure out the final result.
Glaring Spotlight, however, doesn't remove hexproof from anything; what it does do is change the ...
4
In the library, Life // Death has CMCs of 1 and 2. If the spell cast has a CMC of 1 or 2, it will be countered.
This is similar to how Protection from Red will protect from a source that's Red and White, or how a Human Soldier will get +1/+1 from Field Marshal.
708.6. Some effects perform comparisons involving characteristics of one or more split ...
4
No. The iron maiden's ability goes onto the stack before any player gets priority, and it will resolve regardless of whether it's source is still on the battlefield when it does.
112.7a Once activated or triggered, an ability exists on the stack independently of its source. Destruction or removal of the source
after that time won’t affect the ...
4
Yes, when Aetherling returns to the battlefield, it's considered a new permanent, so it enters the battlefield without remembering that it was tapped.
400.7. An object that moves from one zone to another becomes a new object with no memory of, or relation to, its previous existence.
There are seven exceptions to this rule:
(none of the exceptions ...
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