I’m a bit confused in the wording of Sidewinder Sliver’s Flanking ability. I’ve checked in The Gatherer, and the description is consistent with what is on the card : All Sliver creatures have flanking. (Whenever a creature without flanking blocks a Sliver, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.)
The way it’s worded, since all Slivers have Flanking, it seems like each Slivers’ Flanking ability will trigger whenever a creature blocks a Sliver, and not just the Flanking ability of the Sliver that is being blocked. For example, let’s say I attack with a single 1/1 Sidewinder Sliver, and a 1/2 vanilla creature blocks it (no other blocker available, and opponent is tapped out). I have, however, played a Gemhide Sliver prior to combat, and control no other Sliver. So I have two instances of Flanking on the battlefield. If I apply literally what is written on the card or The Gatherer, each instances of Flanking will trigger (and not just the one on the blocked Sidewinder), because a creature blocked a Sliver. Thus the blocker will get two times -1/-1 (for total of -2/-2).
This, however, seems inconsistent with the rules of Flanking : 702.24a Flanking is a triggered ability that triggers during the declare blockers step. (See rule 509, “Declare Blockers Step.”) “Flanking” means “Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a creature without flanking, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.” According to these rules, then The Gatherer should be reworded like this : All Sliver creatures have flanking. (Whenever a creature without flanking blocks a Sliver with Flanking, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each of Flanking ability this Sliver has.)
Flanking triggers when *that* creature is blocked by a creature without flanking, and only that creature's flanking ability will trigger, not every creature you control with flanking. In your example, the Sidewinder Sliver is blocked, but not the Gemhide Sliver, so Gemhide Sliver's flanking ability cannot trigger - only the Sidewinder Sliver's ability will trigger.
Remember, reminder text is *not* rules text. It's just a reminder of how the ability works. It doesn't matter what's printed on the card or what the reminder text says, you go by what the official rules say it does.
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The way it’s worded, since all Slivers have Flanking, it seems like each Slivers’ Flanking ability will trigger whenever a creature blocks a Sliver, and not just the Flanking ability of the Sliver that is being blocked. For example, let’s say I attack with a single 1/1 Sidewinder Sliver, and a 1/2 vanilla creature blocks it (no other blocker available, and opponent is tapped out). I have, however, played a Gemhide Sliver prior to combat, and control no other Sliver. So I have two instances of Flanking on the battlefield. If I apply literally what is written on the card or The Gatherer, each instances of Flanking will trigger (and not just the one on the blocked Sidewinder), because a creature blocked a Sliver. Thus the blocker will get two times -1/-1 (for total of -2/-2).
This, however, seems inconsistent with the rules of Flanking : 702.24a Flanking is a triggered ability that triggers during the declare blockers step. (See rule 509, “Declare Blockers Step.”) “Flanking” means “Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a creature without flanking, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.” According to these rules, then The Gatherer should be reworded like this : All Sliver creatures have flanking. (Whenever a creature without flanking blocks a Sliver with Flanking, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each of Flanking ability this Sliver has.)
Please, help me understand this card better...
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Remember, reminder text is *not* rules text. It's just a reminder of how the ability works. It doesn't matter what's printed on the card or what the reminder text says, you go by what the official rules say it does.
Scientists have calculated that the chance of anything so patently absurd actually existing are millions to one. But magicians have calculated that million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten.