The Delphi Test #2 Answer Key version 040426 Do you Guru? Michael Kastberg, Delphi Test Project Manager Certified Level III Judge, Denmark Michael@sutterne.dk Copyright (c) 2000-2003 Michael Kastberg. All rights reserved. This test may be freely distributed but is for personal use only. Any public use of this test requires the express written consent of the author. This test may not be sold or included in any compilation (book, magazine, disk, CD-ROM, or otherwise) that is for sale without the express written consent of the author. It may also not be a part of any official test without the express written consent of the author. This is not a copy of any judge exam. Any resemblance with Wizards of the Coast's or any other company's materials is purely coincidental. Wizards of the Coast(r) and Magic: The Gathering(r) are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All card text is taken from the most current edition of the Oracle Card Reference at the time of publication and is copyrighted by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved. Items listed in brackets [ ] are references to the Comprehensive Rules. Visit http://www.wizards.com/dci/judge/ for more information on Magic: the Gathering rules and tournament procedures. Cards quoted in the test with Oracle text are listed as a reminder. It is recommended that you have a copy of the test and the Comprehensive Rules with you while going over this answer key. The Comprehensive Rules version used in creating this key is dated March 15th, 2003. 1. Belbe's Percher / Treetop Bracers b) No *Treetop Bracers grants a blocking limitation, not the flying ability. 2. Okk / Tahngarth's Rage / Wild Jhovall b) No *When the check for attack legality is made, the Wild Jhovall is not yet considered attacking, so it is still 1/2, and Okk's condition is not fulfilled. After passing the legality check the Tahngarth's Rage bonus is applied. [308.5.] A creature becomes an attacking creature when declared as part of a legal attack and all attack costs have been paid. It remains an attacking creature until it's removed from combat or the combat phase ends. 3. Howling Mine / The Rack b) No *Due to changes in the mechanics of the Draw step and the wording of The Rack, this answer has changed multiple times. The current wording on the card puts the triggered ability during the Upkeep eliminating any odd Draw step interaction. See also May 2000 Rules Team Rulings http://www.wizards.com/dci/judge/main.asp?x=judge/MTG_RnE_May_2001 General Rules 7) The normal once-per-turn draw each player gets during his or her draw step has been changed. Rule 304.1 of the Comprehensive Rules stated that it's a triggered ability controlled by the player whose turn it is. This is no longer true. The draw-step action isn't written on a card, so no player controls it. The game simply puts it on the stack, on top of any other abilities that trigger at the beginning of that draw step. The main effect of this change is to make cards such as Teferi's Puzzle Box work the same way for all players in a game. 4. Nether Spirit / Phyrexian War Beast / Umbilicus b) No *The Umbilicus' triggered ability implicitly uses 'may'. Previously this would mean Russell controlled the ability. As of Comprehensive Rules 2.0, this is not the case. Michelle controls the ability, and as non-active player, her ability stacks last and resolves first even though Russell will be the one making the choices for the ability. [Unless] Some cards use the phrase "[Do something] unless you [do something else]." This means the same thing as "You may [do something else]. If you don't, [do something.]" [410.2.] Whenever a game event or game state matches a triggered ability's trigger event, that ability triggers... The ability (and the pseudospell) is controlled by the player who controlled its source at the time it triggered. If the ability says a player "may" do something, that player makes all choices for that instruction... 5. Fervor / Waylay a) Yes *Russell can play the Waylay during the beginning of combat step, which is part of the combat phase (fulfilling Waylay's restriction). The haste ability granted by the Fervor allows the tokens to be declared as attackers during the 'declare attackers' step [308.1.]. [306.1.] The combat phase has five steps: beginning of combat, declare attackers, declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat. [307.] Beginning of Combat Step [307.1.] After triggered abilities (if any) are added to the stack, the active player receives priority to play spells and abilities when the step begins. 6. Giant Tortoise / Panic / Shock a) Yes ~Reversal~ *When Russell declares a null attack (attacking with nothing), the game would previously automatically proceed to the end of combat step. This confusing interaction was eliminated when 8th Edition came out. [308.4.] If no creatures are declared as attackers, finish the declare attackers step, but skip the declare blockers and combat damage steps. 7. Fatal Blow / Longbow Archers / Wild Jhovall a) Yes *The first strike combat damage step doesn't automatically end once first strike combat damage has been dealt. The active player gets priority and may play a Fatal Blow targeting the Wild Jhovall and destroying the creature on resolution. Since the Wild Jhovall is then not in play when the remaining creatures' combat damage goes on the stack, it will not deal any damage and the Longbow Archer survives. [502.2b] During the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike, creatures without first strike don't assign combat damage. Instead of proceeding to end of combat, the phase gets a second combat damage step to handle the remaining creatures. [300.2.] A phase or step ends when the stack is empty and both players pass in succession. No game events can occur between turns, phases, or steps. (Simply having the stack become empty doesn't cause the phase or step to end; both players have to pass with the stack empty. Because of this, each player always gets a chance to add new things to the stack before the current step or phase ends.) 8. Abundance / Island Sanctuary b) No *Michelle must choose which of the two applicable replacement abilities she wants to apply. No matter which she chooses, the replaced event no longer contains a draw, so the other replacement effect is no longer applicable. [419.8a] If two or more replacement or prevention effects are attempting to modify the way an event affects a permanent or player, the affected permanent's controller or the affected player chooses one to apply to that permanent or player. Then the other applies if it is still appropriate. If one or more of the applicable replacement effects is a "self-replacement effect" (see rule 419.6d), that effect is applied before any other replacement effects. Example: Two cards are in play. One is an enchantment that reads "If a card would be put into a graveyard, instead remove it from the game," and the other is a creature that reads "If [this card] would be put into a graveyard, instead shuffle it into its owner's library." The controller of the creature that would be destroyed decides which replacement to apply first; the other does nothing. [419.5.] If an event is prevented or replaced, it never happens. Instead of a replaced event, a modified event occurs, which may in turn trigger abilities. Note that the modified event may contain instructions that can't be carried out, in which case the player simply ignores the impossible instruction. A prevented event is simply ignored-no abilities trigger. 9. Eradicate / Natural Affinity b) No *The cleanup step is immediately after the end of turn step. The animation effect of Natural Affinity ends during the cleanup step of Michelle's turn. On Russell's turn the lands are no longer creatures and hence are illegal targets for Eradicate. [314.1.] The cleanup step proceeds in the following order. [314.1b] Then, simultaneously, all damage is removed from permanents and all "until end of turn" and "this turn" effects end. This action doesn't go on the stack. 10. Blood Frenzy / Soul Sculptor a) Yes [406.2c] A delayed ability that refers to a particular permanent still affects it even if the permanent changes characteristics. Example: An ability reading, "At end of turn, destroy that creature" will destroy the permanent even if it's no longer a creature during the end of turn step. 11. Duress / Misdirection a) Yes *Michelle needs only to choose Misdirection's target [409.1c] (just the Duress) and pay its cost [409.1f] during announcement. Any decisions about a spell or ability that are not included in 409.1 wait until the spell or ability's resolution. She does *not* decide what Duress's new target will be until the Misdirection resolves. During the resolution of the Misdirection, Michelle cannot choose a new legal target for the Duress (because Duress targets Russell's opponent and his only opponent is already targeted). The Misdirection will do nothing and finish resolving. Then the Duress will resolve still targeting Michelle. [409.1c] If the spell or ability requires any targets, the player first announces how many targets he or she will choose (if the spell or ability has a variable number of targets), then announces the targets themselves... [409.1f] The player determines the total cost of the spell or ability... Partial payments are not allowed... 12. Shower of Sparks / Worship b) No *While it is legal to play the spell targeting both Russell and the creature, they would be dealt damage at the same time. The Worship replaces the change in Russell's life total because the creature is still in play, and the creature takes one damage. Then state-based effects check and find Russell at one life and a lethally damaged creature (that is put into the graveyard immediately). Russell survives. [420.3.] Whenever a player has priority to play a spell or ability (see rule 408, "Timing of Spells and Abilities"), the game checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based effects. All applicable effects resolve as a single event, then the check is repeated. This check is also made during the cleanup step (see rule 314); if any of the listed conditions apply, the active player receives priority. 13. Ashnod's Transmogrant / Fresh Volunteers / CoP: White a) Yes *The fact that the Fresh Volunteers becomes an artifact creature does *not* change its color. It is a white artifact creature. "Artifact-ness" and color are completely different concepts. Becoming an artifact does not remove color. [Color] The only colors in Magic are white, blue, black, red, and green. A permanent can be one or more of those colors or it can be colorless. "Colorless" isn't a color; neither are "artifact," "land," "brown," etc. 14. Ashnod's Altar / Cathodion / Diabolic Edict / Vine Dryad a) No. Ashnod's Altar has a mana ability and cannot be responded to, but the Cathodion's ability is a triggered ability that uses the stack. Michelle has responded to the Cathodion's ability, so Russell doesn't yet have the last point of mana required to play his Vine Dryad. *Ashnod's Altar has an activated ability, and since it produces mana, it is a mana ability. Cathodion's ability is triggered, but the trigger condition is not a mana ability (it is a leaves play trigger), so the Cathodion's ability is *not* a mana ability. [406.1a] A mana ability is an activated ability that puts mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves or a triggered ability that triggers from an activated mana ability and produces additional mana. It can generate other effects at the same time it produces mana. 15. Opalescence / Soul Sculptor d) As the Soul Sculptor turned the Wild Jhovall into an enchantment, it would have been removed from combat had it not been for the Opalescence. The Wild Jhovall is still attacking and will deal four damage. *Once the Soul Sculptor ability has resolved, Opalescence sees that it applies to the Wild Jhovall. For anything that looks at the game, the Wild Jhovall turns directly from a 3/3 creature to a 4/4 enchantment creature. Since the Opalescence effect depends on the Soul Sculptor effect, it doesn't matter that the Opalescence has an earlier timestamp than the Soul Sculptor effect. [418.4a] A continuous effect generated by a static ability of a permanent isn't "locked in"; it applies at any given moment to whatever its text indicates. [418.5b] An effect is said to "depend on" another if applying the other would change the text or the existence of the first effect, what it applies to, or what it does to any of the things it applies to. Otherwise, the effect is considered to be independent of the first effect. [418.5c] Whenever one effect depends on another, the independent one is applied first. If several dependent effects form a loop, or if none depends on another, they're applied in "timestamp order." A permanent's timestamp is the time it came into play, with two exceptions: (1) If two or more permanents enter play simultaneously, the active player determines their timestamp order at the time they come into play, but a local enchantment must be timestamped after what it enchants; (2) Whenever a local enchantment becomes attached to a permanent, the enchantment receives a new timestamp. Continuous effects generated by static abilities have the same timestamp as the permanent that generated them. Continuous effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability receive a timestamp when the spell or ability creating them resolves. 16. Debt of Loyalty / Hurr Jackal / River Boa / Shock a) The River Boa can't regenerate. It is put into the graveyard during the check for state based effects. *Since the Hurr Jackal's effect says that the River Boa can't regenerate this turn, both regeneration shields are useless. The River Boa will be destroyed, and Debt of Loyalty cannot meet its condition for changing creature control. [103.2.] When one effect says something can happen and another says it can't, the "can't" effect wins. For example, if one effect reads "You may play an additional land this turn" and another reads "You can't play land cards this turn," the effect that keeps you from playing lands wins out. Note that adding abilities to cards and removing abilities from cards don't fall under this rule. See rule 407, "Adding and Removing Abilities." 17. Disenchant / Distorting Lens / Predator, Flagship / Voice of Truth e) The Predator, Flagship was white when it left play, so its last known color was white, and the destroy ability is countered because of the protection from white. *The last known color of the Predator, Flagship is white. Due to the current definition of Protection, the ability when resolving will note that its source is white and thus the Voice of Truth is an illegal target. The correct answer prior to the June 2000 Rules Team announcement concerning Protection was b). [502.7b] A permanent with protection can't be targeted by spells or abilities from a source with the stated quality, and can't be enchanted by enchantments that have the stated quality. In addition, any damage that would be dealt to it from sources having that quality is prevented. If it attacks, it can't be blocked by creatures having that quality. See also June 2000 Rules Team Rulings http://www.wizards.com/dci/judge/MTG_Rulings_and_Errata.asp General Rules 1) Rule 502.7b of the *Magic* Comprehensive Rules currently states, "A permanent with protection can't be targeted by spells or abilities that have the stated quality." It should read, "A permanent with protection can't be targeted by spells or abilities from a source with the stated quality." EXAMPLE: Yavimaya Scion has protection from artifacts, so it can't be the target of abilities with an artifact source. I target the Scion with a green creature's ability, but the green creature becomes an artifact while the ability is on the stack. What happens when the ability resolves? The ability rechecks its target and finds it to be illegal, so the ability is countered. 18. Abundance / Field of Dreams / Stroke of Genius d) Russell may decide before each draw if he wants to replace it with Abundance, and he does get to see the top card of his library before deciding. *Russell sees the top card because he must apply the Field of Dreams' continuous effect. When he would draw each card, he decides if he wishes to continue with the draw or replace it with the Abundance effect. [418.4a] A continuous effect generated by a static ability of a permanent isn't "locked in"; it applies at any given moment to whatever its text indicates. [413.2b] 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. Put it on top of its owner's library instead of into its owner's graveyard.") Don't just execute the instructions step by step without thinking in these cases-read the whole card and apply the rules of English to the text. See Also: What BethMo said, Dec 99 - Jan 00 (http://www.phys.utk.edu/~dbd/NFd/new.rulings/2.17.00c) 8) Replacement effects that replace the drawing of a card can be applied before each separate card draw in a group of cards being drawn at the same time; you don't have to 'pick which ones to replace before you draw any of the three cards' for Ancestral Recall, for instance. (REVERSAL of an old-time way to look at it.) As a side-effect of this, Field of Dreams will show -each- card you draw in a group face-up just before you draw it, not just the first one and the one after you draw the last one; it's got a continuous effect, and doesn't "wait until you're done drawing them all". 19. Desert Twister / Disenchant / Opalescence / Reverent Mantra b) The Desert Twister targets an enchantment that has protection from green. The Desert Twister will be countered on resolution. *Protection is a static ability of a permanent, not just creatures. If a permanent has protection, changing the permanent type will not automatically remove protection. [502.7b] A permanent with protection can't be targeted by spells or abilities from a source with the stated quality, and can't be enchanted by enchantments that have the stated quality. In addition, any damage that would be dealt to it from sources having that quality is prevented. If it attacks, it can't be blocked by creatures having that quality. 20. Plow Under e) Michelle must put both lands on top of Russell's Library, and he chooses the order. [217.2d] If an effect puts two or more cards on the top or bottom of a library at the same time, the owner of those cards may arrange them in any order. That library's owner doesn't reveal the order in which the cards go into his or her library. See Also: February 2000 Rules Team Rulings (http://www.wizards.com/DCI/judge/MTG_RnE_Feb_2000.asp) General Rules 2) If an effect causes a player to put two or more cards on the top or bottom of his or her library, the owner of the cards chooses their order. Furthermore, the owner doesn't need to reveal the chosen order to any other player. This applies to cards such as Abundance, Harmonic Convergence, and Plow Under. 21. Angelic Chorus / Castle / Kyren Negotiations / Terror b) The Fresh Volunteers' toughness was two when it left play. Michelle gains two life. *Since the Fresh Volunteers was tapped when Terror destroyed it, the Castle effect did not apply at that time. The Fresh Volunteers' toughness was 2 when it left play. When the Angelic Chorus ability resolves, it checks for toughness and must use the last known information. [413.2f] If an instruction requires information from the game (such as the number of creatures in play), the answer is determined when the player carries out that instruction. The instruction uses the current information of a specific permanent, if that permanent is still in play, or of a specific card in the stated zone; otherwise, the instruction uses the last known information the card or permanent had before leaving that zone. If the ability text states that a permanent does something, it's the permanent as it exists (or most recently existed) that does it, not the ability. 22. Cannibalize / Power Sink a) Yes. Russell can choose to not pay zero. The Cannibalize will be countered and Russell must tap all his lands. *Power Sink does not require that a player pay. Russell can choose to not pay. Of course, he then must suffer the consequence listed on Power Sink and tap all his lands with mana abilities. See Also: February 2000 Rules Team Rulings (http://www.wizards.com/DCI/judge/MTG_RnE_Feb_2000.asp) Specific Card Rulings 1) Some players have asked if it's ever mandatory to pay a cost, such as when the cost is 0. The answer is no. 23. Abduction / Enchantment Alteration e) Michelle controls the Wild Jhovall because moving the enchantment reset the timestamp of her Abduction to later than the timestamp of Russell's Abduction. *Michelle's Abduction gets the timestamp for when it moves to the Wild Jhovall. Michelle's Abduction has a later timestamp than Russell's Abduction, and since neither effect depends on the other, Michelle controls the Wild Jhovall. [Move] A spell or ability may instruct a player to "move" a local enchantment or a counter from one permanent to another... A moved enchantment stops enchanting the previous permanent and starts enchanting the new one, and it receives a new timestamp. [418.5d] A continuous effect can override another. Example: Two enchantments are played on the same creature: "Enchanted creature gains flying" and "Enchanted creature loses flying." Neither of these depends on the other, since nothing changes what they affect or what they're doing to it. Applying them in timestamp order means the one that was generated last "wins." It's irrelevant whether an effect is temporary (such as "Target creature loses flying until end of turn") or global (such as "All creatures lose flying"). 24. Spined Fluke / Unearth d) The Unearth is the second card in her graveyard, and the Spined Fluke is the top card. *When Unearth resolves, it puts the Spined Fluke into play, triggering Spined Fluke's ability. The Unearth goes to the graveyard, and then the triggered ability goes on the stack. When the triggered ability resolves, Michelle will have to sacrifice the Spined Fluke because it is her only creature. It doesn't matter if she has activated the regeneration ability or not because regeneration can't replace a sacrifice. [413.2h] A spell card is put into play under the control of the spell's controller (for permanents) or is put into its owner's graveyard (for instants and sorceries) as the final step of resolution. [404.2.] Triggered abilities aren't played. Instead, they automatically "trigger" each time their trigger event occurs. Once an ability has triggered, it goes on the stack the next time a player receives priority. 25. Catastrophe / Rescue c) No. The choice of creatures or lands is made during the resolution of the Catastrophe. *Rule [409.1a - f] describes what exactly happens when a spell or ability is announced. Only modes [409.1b], targets [409.1c], how targets are affected [409.1d], divisions of effect (damage or counters) [409.1e], and how costs are paid [409.1f] are decided upon at announcement. Since the choice to destroy creatures or lands is not a choice described there, it happens at resolution. [409.1.] Playing a spell or activated ability follows the steps listed below, in order. (If partially through the step a player determines that he or she is unable to comply with the steps listed below , see rule 422, "Handling Illegal Actions.") No announcements or payments can be altered after they've been made. Playing a spell or ability that alters costs won't do anything to spells and abilities that are already on the stack. 26. Magnify / Pyrotechnics b) Yes. Michelle is required to announce the division of damage while announcing the spell. *Division of damage is done during the announcement of the Pyrotechnics. [409.1e] If the spell or ability requires the player to divide an effect (such as damage or counters) among a variable number of targets, the player announces the division as he or she plays the spell. Each of these targets must receive at least one of whatever is being divided. This doesn't apply when the player isn't given a choice. 27. Pyromancy a) No. The targeting choice happens during the announcement of the Pyromancy ability before the card is discarded, so Michelle can't be sure. *The targeting choice is made before the cost payment. Both happen during the announcement of the ability. [409.1.] Playing a spell or activated ability follows the steps listed below, in order... [409.1c] If the spell or ability requires any targets, the player first announces how many targets he or she will choose (if the spell or ability has a variable number of targets), then announces the targets themselves... [409.1f] The player determines the total cost of the spell or ability... Partial payments are not allowed... 28. Corpse Dance / Nevinyrral's Disk a) Michelle orders all the cards going to her graveyard first, as she is the active player. After she is done, Russell does the same for the cards that go to his graveyard. *Since both players must decide how their graveyard is ordered, Michelle (as active player) must decide first. After she is done, Russell does the same. [217.4c] If an effect puts two or more cards into the same graveyard at the same time, the owner of those cards may arrange them in any order. [413.2d] If an instruction requires both players to make choices or take actions, the active player makes and announces his or hers first, then his or her opponent does (knowing the first player's choices). This is called the "active player rule." Then, the actions are processed simultaneously. 29. Distorting Lens / Ghitu Slinger / Shock / Voice of Truth a) The Ghitu Slinger was red when the ability went on the stack and white is its last known color when the ability resolves. The ability is countered. *The last known color of the Ghitu Slinger is white. Due to the current definition of Protection, the ability when resolving will note that its source is white and thus the Voice of Truth is an illegal target. The correct answer prior to the June 2000 Rules Team announcement concerning Protection was c). [502.7b] A permanent with protection can't be targeted by spells or abilities from a source with the stated quality, and can't be enchanted by enchantments that have the stated quality. In addition, any damage that would be dealt to it from sources having that quality is prevented. If it attacks, it can't be blocked by creatures having that quality. See also June 2000 Rules Team Rulings http://www.wizards.com/dci/judge/MTG_Rulings_and_Errata.asp General Rules 1) Rule 502.7b of the *Magic* Comprehensive Rules currently states, "A permanent with protection can't be targeted by spells or abilities that have the stated quality." It should read, "A permanent with protection can't be targeted by spells or abilities from a source with the stated quality." EXAMPLE: Yavimaya Scion has protection from artifacts, so it can't be the target of abilities with an artifact source. I target the Scion with a green creature's ability, but the green creature becomes an artifact while the ability is on the stack. What happens when the ability resolves? The ability rechecks its target and finds it to be illegal, so the ability is countered. 30. Game of Chaos / Opal Avenger c) The Opal Avenger triggers once. Russell survives. *Triggered abilities can only go onto the stack after the Game of Chaos is done resolving, and the Opal Avenger has a state-triggered ability, so it triggers only once. Russell survives, because the check for less than 1 life is a state-based effect that is not checked during the resolution of spells or abilities. [404.2.] Triggered abilities aren't played. Instead, they automatically "trigger" each time their trigger event occurs. Once an ability has triggered, it goes on the stack the next time a player receives priority. [410.11] Some triggered abilities watch for a game state, such as a player's life total or the number of cards in play, rather than an event. These abilities trigger as soon as the game state matches the condition (even if it's not otherwise legal to play a spell or ability at that time). These are called "state triggers." (Note that state triggers aren't the same as state-based effects.) A state-triggered ability doesn't trigger again until the pseudospell it created has resolved or been countered. Then, if the permanent with the ability is still in play and the game state still matches its trigger condition, the ability will trigger again. [420.4.] Unlike triggered abilities, state-based effects pay no attention to what happens during the resolution of a spell or ability. 31. Conspiracy e) Both Gray Ogres were in play when the Conspiracy resolved. Only Michelle's Gray Ogre is affected by the legend rule, and she will not have to put her Gray Ogre in the graveyard. *Since Conspiracy only affects Michelle, only her Gray Ogre has creature type "Legend". Russell's Gray Ogre has still its original type "Ogre". The Legend rule will not kick in, because there are not 2 Legends or legendary permanents with the same name in play. [420.5e] If two or more Legends or legendary permanents with the same name are in play, all except the one that has been a Legend or legendary permanent with that name the longest are put into their owners' graveyards. This is called 'the Legend rule.' In the event of a tie, each Legend or legendary permanent with the same name is put into its owner's graveyard. (If two permanents have the same name but only one is a Legend or is legendary, this rule doesn't apply.) See Also: April 2000 Rules Team Rulings (http://www.wizards.com/DCI/judge/MTG_RnE_April_2000.asp) General Rules 2) Rule 420.5e of the *Magic* Comprehensive Rules should read... If two permanents have the same name but only one is a Legend or is legendary, this rule doesn't apply. 32. Air Elemental / Giant Spider / Lure / Venomous Dragonfly b) No. The Giant Spider may block as though it had flying, so Russell must block the Venomous Dragonfly if he blocks at all. *Russell has two options. He can decide to treat the Giant Spider as though it had flying for blocking purposes. If he does, the Lure requires him to block the Venomous Dragonfly. If he decides not to block as though flying, the Giant Spider can't block any attackers because all the attackers fly and the Giant Spider does not. ["As though"] Text that states a player or card may do something "as though" some condition were true applies only to the stated action. For purposes of that action, treat the game exactly as if the stated condition is true. For all other purposes, treat the game normally. Example: "Giant Spider may block as though it had flying." You may treat the Spider as a creature with flying, but only for the purpose of declaring blockers. This allows Giant Spider to block a creature with flying (and creatures that "can't be blocked except by creatures with flying"), assuming no other blocking restrictions apply. For example, Giant Spider can't normally block a creature with both flying and shadow. Example: "You may play that card as though it were in your hand." The card may be played by the usual rules. If it's a spell, it's placed on the stack as the first step of playing it (see rule 409, "Playing Spells and Activated Abilities"); if it's a land, it's put directly into play. Because the card isn't actually in your hand, it can't be discarded, removed from the game to pay a cost, cycled, or counted toward the number of cards in your hand. Example: "Walls may attack as though they weren't Walls." As long as this effect is active, Walls are treated exactly like creatures that don't have the Wall creature type. They're still subject to all other rules and effects that determine whether an attack is legal. 33. Tangle Wire e) 4 *At the beginning of Russell's upkeep, 4 abilities trigger: for each Tangle Wire a fading and a tap permanents ability triggers. Russell controls them all, so he can put them on the stack in any order he wants. Putting the tap permanents ability on the stack to take advantage of the last in first out rule, Russell puts the triggered abilities on the stack in this order: tap ability Tangle Wire #1, tap ability Tangle Wire #2, fading ability Tangle Wire #1, and then fading ability Tangle Wire #2. (Other orders can be used so long as the fade ability resolves before the tap ability for each Tangle Wire.) The Tangle Wire that started the turn with one fade counter will cause Russell to tap zero untapped permanents, and the Tangle Wire that started the turn with three fade counters will cause Russell to tap two untapped artifacts, creatures or lands. If he chooses to tap the two Tangle Wires, he can keep all his 4 lands untapped. [410.2.] Whenever a game event matches the trigger event of an ability, that ability "triggers." When a phase or step begins, all abilities that trigger "at the beginning of" that phase or step trigger... [410.3.] If multiple abilities have triggered since the last time a player received priority, pseudospells controlled by the active player go on the stack first, in any order he or she chooses, then those controlled by the opponent go on the stack in any order that opponent chooses. Then players once again check for and resolve state-based effects until none are generated, then abilities that triggered during this process go on the stack. This process repeats until no new state-based effects are generated and no abilities trigger. Then the appropriate player gets priority. [LIFO] An acronym for "Last In, First Out," LIFO is the order in which spells and abilities resolve after going on the stack. The last played is resolved first. See rule 413, "Resolving Spells and Abilities." 34. Terror / Wild Mammoth b) This can't happen as described. The Wild Mammoth triggered ability doesn't go on the stack at all. *The Wild Mammoth's ability would check the creature count at the beginning of the upkeep, see that the creature count is the same, and then not trigger. [410.8.] Triggered abilities with a condition directly following the trigger event (for example, "When/Whenever/At [trigger], if [condition], [effect]"), check for the condition to be true as part of the trigger event; if it isn't, the ability doesn't trigger. The ability checks the condition again on resolution. If it's not satisfied, the ability does nothing. Note that this mirrors the check for legal targets. Note that this rule doesn't apply to any triggered ability with a condition elsewhere within its text. 35. Bloated Toad / Replenish / Tran Lens / Treachery d) The Treachery can't be put on the Bloated Toad, and will keep its place in the graveyard. Replenish resolves, and goes to the graveyard. *Because you must find a legal location for the local enchantment before it enters play, the enchantment is not affected by the Thran Lens. The Treachery has no other creature to go on and remains in the graveyard. [214.8d] As part of playing a local-enchantment spell, the player announces the spell's target. The local enchantment comes into play attached to that target permanent. If a local enchantment is coming into play by any other means, the player putting it into play chooses a permanent for it to enchant as it comes into play. In this case, the enchantment doesn't target the permanent, but the player still must choose a permanent that the enchantment can enchant. If no legal permanent is available, the enchantment remains in the zone from which it attempted to move instead of coming into play. The same rule applies to moving a local enchantment from one permanent to another. The permanent to which the enchantment is to be moved must be able to be enchanted by it. If it isn't legal, the enchantment doesn't move. 36. Celestial Dawn / Contamination e) All his lands are Plains that produce only W when tapped for mana. *With Celestial Dawn in play, all Russell's lands are Plains. Celestial Dawn and Contamination both generate replacement effects. Celestial Dawn only applies if a color other than white is produced. So when Russell taps a plains for W, the Contamination effect makes the W turn B. Then the Celestial Dawn effect applies and makes the B turn W. [419.8b] A replacement effect can become applicable to an event as the result of another replacement effect that modifies the event. Example: One effect reads, "For each 1 life you would gain, instead draw a card," and another reads, "Instead of drawing a card, return target card from your graveyard to your hand." Both effects combine (regardless of the order they came into play): Instead of gaining 1 life, the player puts a card from his or her graveyard into his or her hand. 37. Coastal Piracy / Waterfront Bouncer d) The ability will trigger and go on the stack, and Russell decides on his resolution if he wants to draw a card. If he decides to draw the card, he draws it immediately. *Since the ability is on the Coastal Piracy (which is still in play) and the last known permanent type of the Scathe Zombies is 'creature', the ability triggers. The choice to draw or not to draw is not covered in the steps described in rule [409.1], so it happens during the resolution of the triggered ability. See Also: February 2000 Rules Team Rulings (http://www.wizards.com/DCI/judge/MTG_RnE_Feb_2000.asp) General Rules 1) Rule 410.5 stated that if an optional triggered ability had a simple enough effect (you may do what this ability states or do nothing), its controller could choose not to put it on the stack. This led some players to think a triggered ability is "played" by its controller, which caused confusion over exactly when an optional triggered ability had to go on the stack. This rule has been eliminated. Now, when a triggered ability's trigger event occurs, the ability simply goes on the stack (unless it has an "if" clause that isn't true at the time--see the _Comprehensive Rules_ glossary entry for "if"). Its controller makes all choices for the ability when it resolves. 38. Bad Moon / Darkest Hour / Fervor / Natural Affinity d) 15 *Russell needs 9 mana to play all of the spells. Since he played his land this turn as the last of the described actions, only 5 of the 14 lands originally in play are still untapped. Also because he played his land this turn after Natural Affinity resolved, that land is not animated. However, Darkest Hour and Bad Moon do apply to the animated lands, which are 3/3. The 5 attacking 3/3 land creatures can deal 15 damage at most. [418.3b] Continuous effects from spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities that modify the characteristics of one or more cards and/or permanents don't affect cards and/or permanents that weren't affected when the continuous effect began. Note that these work differently than continuous effects from static abilities. Continuous effects that don't modify characteristics of cards and/or permanents modify the rules of the game, so they can affect cards and/or permanents that weren't affected when the continuous effect began. Example: An effect that reads "All white creatures get +1/+1 until end of turn" gives the bonus to all permanents that are white creatures when the spell or ability resolves-even if they change color later-and doesn't affect those that come into play or turn white afterward. Example: An effect that reads "Prevent all damage creatures would deal this turn" doesn't modify any card's or permanent's characteristics, so it's modifying the rules of the game. That means the effect will apply even to creatures that weren't in play when the continuous effect began. It also affects permanents that become creatures later in the turn. [418.4a] A continuous effect generated by a static ability of a permanent isn't "locked in"; it applies at any given moment to whatever its text indicates. 39. Aether Flash / Death Pit Offering / Humility / Oraxid d) The Oraxid comes into play as a 1/1 with no abilities. The Aether Flash trigger goes on the stack. The Aether Flash destroys the Oraxid. *The Oraxid comes into play with all continuous effects applied to it. The timestamp order decides the order Deathpit Offering and Humility are applied, so Humility is applied last and the Oraxid is a 1/1 creature with no abilities. The damage from the Aether Flash destroys the Oraxid, which no longer has protection from red (due to Humility). [418.2.] Continuous effects that modify characteristics of permanents do so as the permanents come into play. They don't wait for the permanent to enter play and then change it. [418.5d] A continuous effect can override another. Example: Two enchantments are played on the same creature: "Enchanted creature gains flying" and "Enchanted creature loses flying." Neither of these depends on the other, since nothing changes what they affect or what they're doing to it. Applying them in timestamp order means the one that was generated last "wins." It's irrelevant whether an effect is temporary (such as "Target creature loses flying until end of turn") or global (such as "All creatures lose flying"). 40. Faerie Conclave / Jinx e) The card is an attacking creature that is blue, flying, and taps to produce G named Faerie Conclave. *The Jinx changed the Faerie Conclave into a basic land. Its abilities were lost and replaced by those of a Forest. The card is still a creature and attacking. The color was not explicitly changed, so it is still blue. Since flying is an ability granted by an effect, it is not removed along with the Faerie Conclave's normal activated abilities. As of 8th Edition, changing a land’s type does not change its name. ~Fixed 040426~ [212.6e] If an effect changes a land’s type to one of the basic land types, the land no longer has its old land type. It loses any rules text it had in its text box, other than the rules text for the snow-covered ability, and it gains the rules text for the appropriate mana ability for that basic land type. Note that this doesn’t remove any abilities that were granted to the land by other effects. 41. Misdirection / Soul Feast d) When Russell announces the Misdirection, he chooses its target (Soul Feast). When Misdirection resolves, he chooses Michelle as the Soul Feast's new target. Michelle is still at 1 life after the Soul Feast resolves. Michelle survives. *The choice of Misdirection's target's new target is not a choice described in [409.1] (which describes the announcement of a spell/ability). All choices not made during announcement are made during Misdirection's resolution (see also question 11). The check for less than 1 life is a state-based effect that is not checked during a spell's resolution, so Michelle (who was at -3 for a short time) survives. [420.4.] Unlike triggered abilities, state-based effects pay no attention to what happens during the resolution of a spell or ability. Example: A player controls a creature with the ability "This creature has power and toughness each equal to the number of cards in your hand" and plays a spell whose effect is "Discard your hand, then draw seven cards." The creature will temporarily have toughness 0 in the middle of the spell's resolution but will be back up to toughness 7 when the spell finishes resolving. Thus the creature will survive when state-based effects are checked. In contrast, an ability that triggers when there are no cards in the hand goes on the stack after the spell resolves, because its trigger event happened during resolution. [420.5a] A player with 0 life or less loses the game. 42. Contamination / Mana Flare / Wild Growth c) He gets BBG. *When the Mountain is tapped for mana, both the Wild Growth and the Mana Flare trigger. The Mountain makes black mana due to Contamination's replacement effect. Then the Mana Flare ability and the Wild Growth ability resolve. Mana Flare copies the type of mana produced by the land it triggered off, so again black mana is produced. Wild Growth makes green mana. Both the mana produced during Mana Flare's ability and during Wild Growth's ability are *not* affected by Contamination, because neither ability matches the 'Whenever a land is tapped for mana' condition on Contamination. [411.3.] Triggered mana abilities trigger when activated mana abilities are played and add additional mana to a player's mana pool. These abilities resolve immediately after the mana ability that triggered them, without waiting for priority. If an activated or triggered ability produces both mana and another effect, both the mana and the other effect resolve immediately. Example: An enchantment reads, "Whenever a player taps a land for mana, that land produces one additional mana of the same color." If a player taps lands for mana while playing a spell, the additional mana is added to the player's mana pool immediately and can be used to pay for the spell. 43. Pariah / Pestilence / Skeleton Scavengers a) 2 times and 2 mana *Whenever each of the three Pestilence activations resolves, the Skeleton Scavengers is dealt two damage instead of one due to Pariah. Russell can keep the Skeleton Scavengers by playing their regeneration ability twice in response to the last activation of the Pestilence (paying 1 each time for a total of 2 mana because there is only one +1/+1 counter on it when he announces the ability and adding counters will not remove the shields). When then the last activated Pestilence ability resolves (this is the first one that resolves), the Skeleton Scavengers is 1/1 and takes two damage. When state-based effects are checked, one of the Skeleton Scavengers' regeneration shields replaces the destruction of the creature, taps it, removes all damage on it, removes it from combat, and puts a +1/+1 counter on the creature (as per the creature's ability). When the next Pestilence ability resolves, the Skeleton Scavengers is 2/2 and takes two damage, and the creature regenerates as before. It is now a 3/3 with no damage on it. When the final Pestilence resolves, the Skeleton Scavengers is 3/3 and takes two damage. This is not lethal damage, so it survives. [419.1.] Replacement and prevention effects are similar to continuous effects. They watch for a type of event and replace it with a different one, modify it in some way, or prevent it from happening. These effects act like "shields" around whatever they're affecting. Replacement effects use the word "instead," while prevention effects use "prevent." [420.5.] The state-based effects are as follows: [420.5c] A creature with lethal damage is destroyed. Lethal damage is an amount of damage greater than 0 and greater than or equal to a creature's toughness. Regeneration does replace this event. 44. Flesh Reaver / Unsummon e) Although the Flesh Reaver is no longer in play when combat damage resolves, the Wild Jhovall takes four damage, but Michelle doesn't take any damage from the triggered ability. *The Wild Jhovall takes the four damage from the Flesh Reaver. However, the Flesh Reaver is not in play at that time, therefore its triggered ability cannot trigger, and it deals no damage to its controller. [310.4.] When the combat damage resolves, it's dealt as originally assigned. This happens even if the creature dealing damage is no longer in play or has its power changed or if the creature receiving damage has left combat... [402.8.] Abilities function only while the permanent with the ability is in play unless the ability states otherwise. Example: Black spells and abilities can target a card with protection from black when it's in a library or graveyard. 45. Elvish Archers / Flaming Sword / Wall of Glare d) The Wall of Glare takes two first strike damage. The damage from the Wall of Glare and the Elvish Ranger is put on the stack at the same time and then resolved at the same time destroying both creatures. * The division of which creatures deal damage in the first combat damage step and which deal damage in the second combat damage step is made when the first combat damage step starts, based on the creatures having or not having first strike at that time. Giving the Wall of Glare first strike after first strike combat damage is on the stack has no influence over when it deals its combat damage. The Wall of Glare will be included with the "remaining creatures" when the second combat damage step occurs. [502.2b] During the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike, creatures without first strike don't assign combat damage. Instead of proceeding to end of combat, the phase gets a second combat damage step to handle the remaining creatures. [502.2c] Adding or removing first strike after the first combat damage step won't prevent a creature from dealing combat damage or allow it to deal combat damage twice. 46. Hermetic Study / Horseshoe Crab e) 4 *Unlike pre-Sixth Edition rules, if a spell/ability resolves that doesn't automatically mean that the remainder of the spells/abilities on the stack also resolves. It is possible for Russell to tap the Horseshoe Crab for 1 damage in response to the Terror, let that resolve, then announce the untap ability of the Horseshoe Crab, let that resolve, tap the Horseshoe Crab for 1 damage, et cetera (there other variations as well). He is limited only by the fact that he must pay U each time for the untap ability, so he can deal 1 damage 'directly' (starting with the untapped Horseshoe Crab) and 3 additional damage using the untap ability. [408.1c] ... If both players pass in succession, the top spell or ability on the stack resolves and the active player receives priority. If the stack is empty when both players pass in succession, the phase or step ends. 47. Keldon Vandals / Urza's Incubator b) RR2 *When Michelle plays the Keldon Vandals, she pays only R. The Echo cost is still R2, because that is the Keldon Vandals' mana cost. Urza's Incubator reduces only what one pays when *playing* a creature spell, but does not apply to other times when the mana cost (or converted mana cost) is important. Note that what was named 'total casting cost' under 5E rules is now called 'converted mana cost' (the amount of mana in a mana cost regardless of color) and is not what the question is asking. [Mana Cost] The mana cost of a nonland card is indicated by the mana symbols printed on its upper right corner. The mana cost of a land card or a token is 0. See rule 203, "Mana Cost." [Total Casting Cost (Obsolete)] This is the old term for converted mana cost. 48. City of Brass / Monkey Cage / Kill Switch / Rancor d) Being damaged when the City of Brass is tapped for mana. *The activated ability of City of Brass is a mana ability, so it doesn't use the stack. However, the damage from City of Brass, unlike Ice Age and Apocalypse "pain lands", is a triggered ability triggering of the untapped to tapped change. *The Monkey Cage doesn't use the 'Do A to do B' template, it says '...sacrifice Monkey Cage *and* put...' so the creation of the token is part of the resolution of the triggered ability and doesn't go on the stack. *Putting a Rancor that enchants an illegal enchantee into the graveyard is a state-based effect and thus doesn't use the stack. *Untapping a Kill Switch is done during the untap step and does not use the stack. [408.2.] Actions That Don't Use the Stack [408.2e] Mana abilities resolve immediately. If a mana ability produces both mana and another effect, both the mana and the other effect resolve immediately. (See rule 406.1, "Mana Abilities.") [408.2c] State-based effects (see rule 420) resolve whenever a player receives priority as long as the required game condition is true. [408.2g] Game actions-untapping during the untap step, cleanup, and mana burn-don't use the stack. See Also: March 1999 Rules Team Rulings: (http://www.wizards.com/DCI/judge/resources/rulesteam0399.asp) Errata 1) Booby Trap, Brink of Madness, Defense of the Heart, Hesitation, Impending Disaster, Mogg Bombers, Planar Collapse, and Second Chance each have a triggered ability that reads, "sacrifice and ." All these cards should read, "sacrifice _to_ ." This change means when the triggered ability resolves, it creates a mandatory ability for which sacrificing the permanent is a cost. Under _Classic_ rules, the ability will go on the stack only after the permanent is sacrificed, and can then be responded to. In either case, if you are unable to sacrifice the permanent (if it has already left play, for example), the rest of the effect won't occur. 49. Brainstorm / Emperor Crocodile / Maro / Veiled Crocodile b) 1 *As soon as the Brainstorm leaves Michelle's hand during its announcement, Veiled Crocodile's state-triggered ability triggers. Once the announcement is over, state-based effects are checked and reveal a 0/0 Maro. Maro is put into Michelle's graveyard. This triggers Emperor Crocodile's state-triggered ability. The new check for state-based effects reveals nothing, and triggered abilities are added to the stack. Michelle can decide the order (since she controls both), but no matter what order she chooses the Emperor Crocodile will be sacrificed and the Veiled Crocodile will become a creature. After the Brainstorm has resolved, Michelle's only creature is the Veiled Crocodile. [410.11] Some triggered abilities watch for a game state, such as a player's life total or the number of cards in play, rather than an event. These abilities trigger as soon as the game state matches the condition (even if it's not otherwise legal to play a spell or ability at that time). These are called "state triggers." (Note that state triggers aren't the same as state-based effects.) A state-triggered ability doesn't trigger again until the pseudospell it created has resolved or been countered. Then, if the permanent with the ability is still in play and the game state still matches its trigger condition, the ability will trigger again. Example: A permanent's ability reads, "When your hand is empty, draw a card." If its controller plays the last card from his or her hand, the ability will trigger once. If its controller plays a spell that reads, "Discard your hand, then draw the same number of cards," the ability will trigger during the spell's resolution because the player's hand was momentarily empty. [420.5.] The state-based effects are as follows: [420.5b] A creature with toughness 0 (or less) is put into its owner's graveyard. Regeneration can't replace this event. Questions 50. - 55. Frantic Search / Tangle Wire *Playing the Frantic Search is the only way Russell can get the third card of his library. Russell's only chance to have the mana after the Tangle Wire ability has resolved is to tap lands for mana before the ability resolves. Russell can allow the Tangle Wire ability to resolve then play the Frantic Search and untap three lands. (There is some variation as to how Russell can or should handle this based on the third card.) 50. Lightning Blast a) Yes *Russell taps all four lands for mana prior to the Tangle Wire ability's resolution. Before he leaves his draw step, Russell plays the Frantic Search, keeps the Lightning Blast, and untaps a Mountain and two Islands (or three Islands if he did not use the red mana for the Frantic Search). Russell taps those lands to pay for the Lightning Blast before leaving his draw step. [300.4.] When a phase ends (but not a step), any unused mana left in a player's mana pool is lost. That player loses 1 life for each one mana lost this way. This is called mana burn. 51. Viashino Heretic a) Yes *Russell taps three lands for mana prior to the Tangle Wire ability's resolution. Before he leaves his draw step, Russell plays the Frantic Search, keeps the Viashino Heretic, and untaps a Mountain and two Islands. During his Main Phase, Russell taps those lands to pay for the Viashino Heretic. 52. Blind Fury a) Yes *Russell taps all four lands for mana prior to the Tangle Wire ability's resolution. Before he leaves his draw step, Russell plays the Frantic Search without using the one red mana he has, keeps the Blind Fury, and untaps a Mountain and two Islands. Russell taps those lands to pay for the Blind Fury before leaving his draw step. 53. Shatterstorm b) No *While Russell could produce the mana required for the spell (as in #52), he cannot play sorceries until his main phase. [408.1d] A player may play a spell or activated ability only when he or she has priority. Spells other than instants can be played only during a player's main phase, when that player has priority, and only when the stack is empty. 54. Recall b) No *While it is possible to generate the mana necessary for an X=1 Recall, Russell has no other cards in his hand, so he cannot discard a card at Recall's resolution. Without the discard, Recall does nothing and then removes itself from the game. 55. Sonic Burst b) No *The random discard is an additional cost to play Sonic Burst. There is no way Russell can have the Sonic Burst and another card in his hand while he has priority. It is *not* possible to play Sonic Burst during Frantic Search's resolution. [408.1b] Spells and activated abilities are played by players (if they choose) using a system of priority, while other types of abilities and effects are automatically generated by the game rule. Each time a player receives priority, all applicable state-based effects resolve... Then the player may play a spell, ability, or land as governed by the rules for that phase. [409.1f] The player determines the total cost of the spell or ability... Partial payments are not allowed... Questions 56. - 58. Battle Squadron / Enfeeblement / Keldon Warlord / Lhurgoyf / Weakness *In this scenario the Keldon Warlord is 1/2, the Battle Squadron is 1/1, and the Lhurgoyf is 0/1. 56. Dry Spell d) The Keldon Warlord is on top. The Battle Squadron and the Lhurgoyf are below it, in any order. *All creatures and players take one damage, and the Dry Spell goes to Russell's graveyard. The state-based effect for lethal damage destroys the Battle Squadron and the Lhurgoyf at the same time, Michelle chooses the order they end up in her graveyard. The next check for state based effects reveals a 0-toughness creature (Keldon Warlord: -1/0) and a local enchantment without a permanent to enchant (the Enfeeblement). Both go to their respective graveyards at the same time. Finally, the Weakness that was on the Keldon Warlord is put into Russell's graveyard and then there are no more state-based effects at the moment. [420.3.] Whenever a player has priority to play a spell or ability (see rule 408, "Timing of Spells and Abilities"), the game checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based effects. All applicable effects resolve as a single event, then the check is repeated. This check is also made during the cleanup step (see rule 314); if any of the listed conditions apply, the active player receives priority. [420.5.] The state-based effects are as follows: [420.5b] A creature with toughness 0 (or less) is put into its owner's graveyard. Regeneration can't replace this event. [420.5c] A creature with lethal damage is destroyed. Lethal damage is an amount of damage greater than 0 and greater than or equal to a creature's toughness. Regeneration does replace this event. [420.5d] A local enchantment that enchants an illegal or nonexistent permanent is put into its owner's graveyard. 57. Tremor (Michelle's graveyard) b) The Lhurgoyf is at the bottom of the graveyard. The Keldon Warlord and Battle Squadron are on the top in any order. *Tremor deals one damage to the Keldon Warlord and the Lhurgoyf; the Battle Squadron (flying) is undamaged. Tremor goes to Russell's graveyard. The check for state-based effects reveals a lethally damaged creature: Lhurgoyf. It is destroyed and put into Michelle's graveyard. The next check for state-based effects reveals a lethally damaged Keldon Warlord (0/1 with 1 damage) and a creature with 0 toughness (the 0/0 Battle Squadron). Both go to Michelle's graveyard at the same time, she decides about the order. The next check for state-based effect reveals both the Enfeeblement and the Weakness without permanents to enchant, so they are both put into Russell's graveyard at the same time, he decides about the order. Then there are no more state-based effects. [420.3.] Whenever a player has priority to play a spell or ability (see rule 408, "Timing of Spells and Abilities"), the game checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based effects. All applicable effects resolve as a single event, then the check is repeated. This check is also made during the cleanup step (see rule 314); if any of the listed conditions apply, the active player receives priority. [420.5.] The state-based effects are as follows: [420.5b] A creature with toughness 0 (or less) is put into its owner's graveyard. Regeneration can't replace this event. [420.5c] A creature with lethal damage is destroyed. Lethal damage is an amount of damage greater than 0 and greater than or equal to a creature's toughness. Regeneration does replace this event. [420.5d] A local enchantment that enchants an illegal or nonexistent permanent is put into its owner's graveyard. [413.2h] A spell card is put into play under the control of the spell's controller (for permanents) or is put into its owner's graveyard (for instants and sorceries) as the final step of resolution. 58. Tremor (Russell's graveyard) d) The Enfeeblement and the Weakness are on top on any order. The Tremor is underneath them. *See the explanation to question 57. Questions 59. - 62. Karplusan Forest 59. Skyshroud Cutter a) 0 *A Karplusan Forest is *not* a Forest, so the alternative cost of the Skyshroud Cutter cannot be used. Michelle does not have the mana to play any of the creatures normally. [212.2c] Land subtypes are also called "land types" and are always the same as the name of the land card; they aren't listed on the type line. A card named "Island" has land type "island"; a card named "Karplusan Forest" has land type "Karplusan Forest" (Remember that it isn't a forest or a basic land). Only lands with a basic land type get abilities just for being a given land type. (See rule 214.9e.) "Basic land" and "nonbasic land" aren't types or subtypes; they're categories of lands. 60. Vine Dryad c) 2 *Michelle does not have the mana to play any of the Vine Dryads normally. However, she may use the alternative cost to play the Vine Dryad. For each played Vine Dryad, one must be removed from the game to pay the alternative cost, so only two Vine Dryads can be played. 61. Land Grant (maximum play) e) 4 *Each Land Grant may be played by showing Russell her hand. If Michelle decides not to find a Forest card during resolution, Michelle may play the next Land Grant. (Other variations exist, but at one point Michelle must choose to not find a Forest to play the maximum number of Land Grants.) [Search] If you're required to search a zone not revealed to all players for cards matching some criteria, you aren't required to find those cards even if they're present. Even if you don't find any cards, you are still considered to have searched the zone. If you're simply searching for "any card," however, you must find a card (if possible). If you're required to search for a specific number of cards, you must choose that many cards (or as many as possible.) For example, if an effect causes you to search a player's library for all duplicates of a particular card and remove them from the game, you may choose to leave some of them alone, but if an effect causes you to search your library for three cards and it contains at least three, you can't choose less than three. 62. Land Grant (lands in hand) c) 2 *Michelle plays the first Land Grant by revealing her hand. She searches for a Forest card and plays it. She then plays the second Land Grant by revealing her hand and finds another Forest card. She plays the third Land Grant paying mana from the Karplusan Forest and Forest in play and finds another Forest card. At this point Michelle does not have the mana to pay for the final Land Grant, and she cannot meet the alternate cost requirement, so she is left with two Forests (and a Land Grant) in hand. Questions 63. - 66. Angelic Chorus / Crusade / Disenchant / Opalescence / Replenish *Opalescence causes the Angelic Chorus and Crusade to come into play as creatures, both triggering Angelic Chorus. [410.10b] Continuous effects that modify characteristics of a permanent do so the moment the permanent is in play (and not before then). The permanent is never in play with its unmodified characteristics. Continuous effects don't apply before the permanent is in play, however (see rule 410.10e). Example: If an effect reads "All lands are creatures" and a land card is played, the effect makes the land card into a creature the moment it enters play, so it would trigger abilities that trigger when a creature comes into play. Conversely, if an effect reads "All creatures lose all abilities" and a creature card with a comes-into-play triggered ability enters play, that effect will cause it to lose its abilities the moment it enters play, so the comes-into-play ability won't trigger. See also: [418.2.] [410.10a] Comes-into-play abilities trigger when a permanent enters the in-play zone. These are written, "When [this card] comes into play, . . . " or "Whenever a [permanent type] comes into play, . . ." Each time an event puts one or more permanents into play, all permanents in play (including the newcomers) are checked for any comes-into-play triggers that match the event. 63. Life gained d) 9 *The Angelic Chorus is 6/6 and the Crusade is 3/3 (both are affected by Crusade), so Michelle gains 9 life. 64. Disenchanting Angelic Chorus d) 9 *The Crusade is 3/3 when the triggered ability concerning it resolves. The Angelic Chorus is no longer in play when the triggered ability concerning it resolves, but its last known toughness is 6, so Michelle gains 9 life. [413.2f] If an effect requires information from the game (such as the number of creatures in play), the answer is determined when the effect is applied. The effect uses the current information of a specific permanent if that permanent is still in play, or of a specific card in the stated zone; otherwise, the effect uses the last known information the card or permanent had before leaving that zone. The exception is that static abilities can't use last known information; see rule 412.5. If the ability text states that a permanent does something, it's the permanent as it exists (or most recently existed) that does it, not the ability. 65. Disenchanting Crusade c) 8 *The Crusade is no longer in play when the triggered ability concerning it resolves, but its last know toughness is 3 (it affected itself until it left play). However, the Angelic Chorus is 5/5 when the triggered ability concerning it resolves (no Crusade bonus any longer). Michelle gains 8 life. [418.4b] The effect applies at all times that the permanent generating it is in play. 66. Disenchanting Opalescence a) 0 *Both the Angelic Chorus and the Crusade are still in play when the respective triggered abilities resolve. Since they are no longer creatures, their power and toughness are undefined and thus considered 0 for effects that require a power or toughness value. Michelle gains no life in this case. Delphi 2 has been brought to you by: The Delphi Group Paul Barclay, Russell Bulmer, John Carter, Laurie Cheers, Michael Kastberg, and Ingo Warnke Delphi Group editor: John Carter sagency@yahoo.com Delphi Group founder: Michael Kastberg Michael@sutterne.dk Delphi Test-- Do you Guru?