Friends and I play commander. (At least, they got me into playing commander). I purchased myself a Black-Mana Rat deck. My commander mainly allows me to smack into play thousands of rats if able. However; while playing a few questions arise by some plays we do. We aren't new to MTG, but we are always learning new things and new rulings when something seems broken or whatever. So, for my own curiosity I'd like to know if some of these plays are correct or whatnot.
* I will try my best to explain, sorry in advance if i'm not that clear enough. ><
Questions:
Q: My commander has "Tap" Create X amount of rats in-play. When a opponent casts a instant or an ability that makes all creatures tapped, destroyed, etc. If I were to "Tap" before I tap or destroy my commander. Will the newly created rats also be tapped or destroyed?
Q: When my commander is forced to turn upside down. My understanding is that its still a commander and will do commander damage. However; are the abilities still in-use or are they now voided until my commander is somehow destroyed / or somehow flipped back over?
This one might be an obvious one. I know the answer too, but to clarify if its correct ill ask it.
Q: In this scenario, I have a creature in-play that has the ability "Pay X amount of mana and deal 1 damage to all creatures". I then play another creature that has "Deal X amount of damage for how many rats are destroyed" etc. If I place the second creature in-play, and casted its ability. But someone casted an instant to destroy. Would it fall down to the timing of the actions sense I already payed the mana to cast that ability? Would the ability go off at all if it was targeted by an instant for destruction?
Q: In this scenario, I have a card that has "Deal X amount of damage to each player for how many rats are destroyed". If someone casted an instant that makes all creatures go back into the players hand, or anywhere else other than in-play. & I have 10 rats. Would the damage still be activated by the creature or will it be voided?
Thanks, all I can really think of so far. xD. I think I had more but I forgot.
Q: My commander has "Tap" Create X amount of rats in-play. When a opponent casts a instant or an ability that makes all creatures tapped, destroyed, etc. If I were to "Tap" before I tap or destroy my commander. Will the newly created rats also be tapped or destroyed?
This is an issue of timing an priority. If your opponent cast a spell or activates an ability, you get a chance to respond before it does anything. You can respond by activating your commander's ability. But if you do, that ability will resolve first, so any new rats created with it will be on the battlefield when your opponent's spell/ability resolves. Any tokens created with your commander's ability are independent objects and will not be destroyed just becasue your commander is. However, if your opponent's effect taps or destroys all creatures, your newly created rats will be affected.
Q: When my commander is forced to turn upside down. My understanding is that its still a commander and will do commander damage. However; are the abilities still in-use or are they now voided until my commander is somehow destroyed / or somehow flipped back over?
You mean it is turned face down? It is still your commander and will do commander damage, since "commander-ness" is an attribute of the actual card, the card is your commander no matter where it is or what status it has. A face down creature has no abilities, though. To get those back, the permanent has to be turned face up again, or leave the battlefield.
This one might be an obvious one. I know the answer too, but to clarify if its correct ill ask it.
Q: In this scenario, I have a creature in-play that has the ability "Pay X amount of mana and deal 1 damage to all creatures". I then play another creature that has "Deal X amount of damage for how many rats are destroyed" etc. If I place the second creature in-play, and casted its ability. But someone casted an instant to destroy. Would it fall down to the timing of the actions sense I already payed the mana to cast that ability? Would the ability go off at all if it was targeted by an instant for destruction?
This is again a timing issue. Objects on the stack resolve last-in-first-out. If you activate an ability and your oponent responds to it, then that response happens first. Your ability will still resolve and do as much as it can, which may be nothing, but mere removal of the source does not stop it. What it will be able to do when it eventually resolves depends on the ability and the game state at that time.
Q: In this scenario, I have a card that has "Deal X amount of damage to each player for how many rats are destroyed". If someone casted an instant that makes all creatures go back into the players hand, or anywhere else other than in-play. & I have 10 rats. Would the damage still be activated by the creature or will it be voided?
If all creatures are removed from the battlefield before your spell/ability resolves, then there are no rats to destroy, and the spell/ability will deal zero damage.
I tried to answer as best as I could, but if it's not enough, please provide the actual card names so that we can look them up and give card specific answers. Those scenarios can play out differently depending on the specific cards involved! Also, catalogs of questions take a long time to answer and some questions may be overlooked entirely. It's best to make one thread for each question instead. That way, your first questions may be answered before you even finish posting your last one.
You should include the names of the cards in question for reference. Here are answers to the first two questions.
1. It depends on what the spell or ability does. If the spell or ability says "Tap all creatures", "Destroy all creatures", etc., it will check which creatures are on the battlefield when it resolves and tap them, destroy them, etc. If you created Rat tokens in response to that spell or ability, they will likewise be tapped, destroyed, etc., if they meet the spell's or ability's criteria.
2. Even if your commander is face down (not: upside down), it's still a commander. However, it will generally have no abilities while it's face down, unless noted otherwise by the spell or ability that turned it face down.
Thanks for all the responses. Pretty quick. Also, sorry for not naming the cards. I don't have the deck with me. However; by googling I think I found the cards in question.
In order for Zulaport Cutthroat to trigger, it has to be on the battlefield when the other creatures die, playing it later won't trigger its ability at all. So it will die along with all the other creatures (and trigger for itself, too). Removing the Cutthroat from the battlefield before the Vermin's ability resolves will prevent it from triggering. If the Cutthroat somehow survives the damage dealt by the Vermin, removing it then will not stop its triggers. Also, you get one trigger for each creature dying under your control to drain one life each. You do not get just one giant trigger draining life for all creatures that died.
* I will try my best to explain, sorry in advance if i'm not that clear enough. ><
Questions:
Q: My commander has "Tap" Create X amount of rats in-play. When a opponent casts a instant or an ability that makes all creatures tapped, destroyed, etc. If I were to "Tap" before I tap or destroy my commander. Will the newly created rats also be tapped or destroyed?
Q: When my commander is forced to turn upside down. My understanding is that its still a commander and will do commander damage. However; are the abilities still in-use or are they now voided until my commander is somehow destroyed / or somehow flipped back over?
This one might be an obvious one. I know the answer too, but to clarify if its correct ill ask it.
Q: In this scenario, I have a creature in-play that has the ability "Pay X amount of mana and deal 1 damage to all creatures". I then play another creature that has "Deal X amount of damage for how many rats are destroyed" etc. If I place the second creature in-play, and casted its ability. But someone casted an instant to destroy. Would it fall down to the timing of the actions sense I already payed the mana to cast that ability? Would the ability go off at all if it was targeted by an instant for destruction?
Q: In this scenario, I have a card that has "Deal X amount of damage to each player for how many rats are destroyed". If someone casted an instant that makes all creatures go back into the players hand, or anywhere else other than in-play. & I have 10 rats. Would the damage still be activated by the creature or will it be voided?
Thanks, all I can really think of so far. xD. I think I had more but I forgot.
This is an issue of timing an priority. If your opponent cast a spell or activates an ability, you get a chance to respond before it does anything. You can respond by activating your commander's ability. But if you do, that ability will resolve first, so any new rats created with it will be on the battlefield when your opponent's spell/ability resolves. Any tokens created with your commander's ability are independent objects and will not be destroyed just becasue your commander is. However, if your opponent's effect taps or destroys all creatures, your newly created rats will be affected.
You mean it is turned face down? It is still your commander and will do commander damage, since "commander-ness" is an attribute of the actual card, the card is your commander no matter where it is or what status it has. A face down creature has no abilities, though. To get those back, the permanent has to be turned face up again, or leave the battlefield.
This is again a timing issue. Objects on the stack resolve last-in-first-out. If you activate an ability and your oponent responds to it, then that response happens first. Your ability will still resolve and do as much as it can, which may be nothing, but mere removal of the source does not stop it. What it will be able to do when it eventually resolves depends on the ability and the game state at that time.
If all creatures are removed from the battlefield before your spell/ability resolves, then there are no rats to destroy, and the spell/ability will deal zero damage.
I tried to answer as best as I could, but if it's not enough, please provide the actual card names so that we can look them up and give card specific answers. Those scenarios can play out differently depending on the specific cards involved! Also, catalogs of questions take a long time to answer and some questions may be overlooked entirely. It's best to make one thread for each question instead. That way, your first questions may be answered before you even finish posting your last one.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)
1. It depends on what the spell or ability does. If the spell or ability says "Tap all creatures", "Destroy all creatures", etc., it will check which creatures are on the battlefield when it resolves and tap them, destroy them, etc. If you created Rat tokens in response to that spell or ability, they will likewise be tapped, destroyed, etc., if they meet the spell's or ability's criteria.
2. Even if your commander is face down (not: upside down), it's still a commander. However, it will generally have no abilities while it's face down, unless noted otherwise by the spell or ability that turned it face down.
Commander is: Marrow-Gnawer
Card 1: Zulaport Cutthroat
Card 2: Infected Vermin
In order for Zulaport Cutthroat to trigger, it has to be on the battlefield when the other creatures die, playing it later won't trigger its ability at all. So it will die along with all the other creatures (and trigger for itself, too). Removing the Cutthroat from the battlefield before the Vermin's ability resolves will prevent it from triggering. If the Cutthroat somehow survives the damage dealt by the Vermin, removing it then will not stop its triggers. Also, you get one trigger for each creature dying under your control to drain one life each. You do not get just one giant trigger draining life for all creatures that died.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)