The rules update is skimpy, so just the FAQ this time.
_Magic 2012_ Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled by Matt Tabak, with contributions from Laurie Cheers, Lee Sharpe, Eli Shiffrin, and Thijs van Ommen
Document last modified May 25, 2011
An FAQ is a collection of clarifications and rulings involving the cards in a new _Magic: The Gathering_(R) set. It's intended to make playing with these new cards more fun by clearing up the common misconceptions and confusion inevitably caused by new mechanics and interactions. As future sets are released, updates to the _Magic_(TM) rules may cause some of this information to become outdated. If you can't find the answer you're looking for here, please contact us at <www.wizards.com/customerservice>.
This FAQ has two sections, each of which serves a different purpose.
The first section ("General Notes") explains the mechanics and concepts in the set.
The second section ("Card-Specific Notes") contains answers to the most important, most common, and most confusing questions players might ask about cards in the set. Items in the "Card-Specific Notes" section include full card text for your reference. Not all cards in the set are listed.
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GENERAL NOTES
***Release Information***
The _Magic 2012_ core set contains 249 cards (101 common, 60 uncommon, 53 rare, 15 mythic rare, and 20 basic land).
Prerelease events: July 9-10, 2011
Launch Parties: July 15-18, 2011
The _Magic 2012_ core set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play on its official release date: Friday, July 15, 2011.
-- At that time, the following card sets will be permitted in the Standard format: _Zendikar_(R), _Worldwake_(R), _Rise of the Eldrazi_(R), _Magic 2011_, _Scars of Mirrodin_(TM), _Mirrodin Besieged_(TM), _New Phyrexia_(TM), and _Magic 2012_.
Bloodthirst is an ability that originally appeared in the _Guildpact_(R) set. It allows creatures to enter the battlefield pumped-up if an opponent had been dealt damage earlier that turn.
The official rules for bloodthirst are as follows:
702.52. Bloodthirst
702.52a Bloodthirst is a static ability. "Bloodthirst N" means "If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this permanent enters the battlefield with N +1/+1 counters on it."
702.52b "Bloodthirst X" is a special form of bloodthirst. "Bloodthirst X" means "This permanent enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the total damage your opponents have been dealt this turn."
702.52c If an object has multiple instances of bloodthirst, each applies separately.
* Bloodthirst checks for any kind of damage, including combat damage.
* Life loss that isn't caused by damage (for example, the life loss caused by Blood Seeker's ability) doesn't cause a creature with bloodthirst to get counters, but damage from a source with infect (a mechanic from the _Scars of Mirrodin_ block) does, even though it doesn't cause loss of life.
* It doesn't matter who controlled the source of the damage dealt to your opponent. If an opponent was dealt damage by a source he or she controlled (such as Manabarbs, for example), creatures with bloodthirst that enter the battlefield under your control later that turn will get +1/+1 counters.
* The creature with bloodthirst enters the battlefield with the +1/+1 counters already on it. For example, a 1/1 creature that enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it will enter as a 3/3 creature, not as a 1/1 creature that then becomes 3/3.
* "Bloodthirst X" doesn't appear on any _Magic 2012_ cards.
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***New Keyword: Hexproof***
Hexproof is a new name for an existing ability. The rules for hexproof are as follows:
702.11. Hexproof
702.11a Hexproof is a static ability.
702.11b "Hexproof" on a permanent means "This permanent can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control."
702.11c "Hexproof" on a player means "You can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control."
702.11d Multiple instances of hexproof on the same permanent or player are redundant.
* A permanent with hexproof can still be the target or spells or abilities controlled by that permanent's controller or that player's teammates. The same is true for a player with hexproof.
* Aura spells target a permanent or player. You can't cast an Aura spell targeting an opponent's permanent with hexproof.
* Auras on the battlefield don't target anything. Granting hexproof to a permanent or player doesn't cause opponents' Auras to become unattached.
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***New Rules Term: Dies***
The _Magic 2012_ core set introduces the wording shortcut "dies." The word "dies" on a _Magic_ card simply means "is put into a graveyard from the battlefield." The two phrases are interchangeable. Similarly, the word "died" means "was put into a graveyard from the battlefield."
The term "dies" is used only if a creature is moving from the battlefield to a graveyard and only if the effect doesn't care which player's graveyard the creature is put into. (The complete phrase "is put into a graveyard from the battlefield" is used if the object is likely to have a different card type.)
Many older cards will be updated in the Oracle card reference to use this new term. This is not a functional change.
Archon of Justice
{3}{W}{W}
Creature -- Archon
4/4
Flying
When Archon of Justice dies, exile target permanent.
* A creature can die (be put into a graveyard from the battlefield) for many reasons. The most common reasons are because it was destroyed, because its toughness was 0 or less, because it was sacrificed, or because of the "legend rule."
* If a creature card is put into a graveyard from any zone except the battlefield, it doesn't "die." A creature also doesn't die if it moves from the battlefield to any zone except the graveyard.
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***Cycle: "Artifacts of Empires"***
The _Magic 2012_ core set has three artifacts with "of Empires" in their names. Each can be tapped for an upgraded effect if you control all three of them.
Scepter of Empires
{3}
Artifact
{T}: Scepter of Empires deals 1 damage to target player. It deals 3 damage to that player instead if you control artifacts named Crown of Empires and Throne of Empires.
* Whether or not you control the correct artifacts is determined when the ability resolves.
* The ability checks whether you control the two artifacts named in the ability. If the artifact whose ability you activated leaves the battlefield or changes controllers in response, but you still control the two named artifacts when that ability resolves, you'll get the upgraded effect.
* If any of the named cards stops being an artifact, it won't be considered by these abilities.
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***Cycle: "Tap Lands"***
The _Magic_ 2012 core set has a cycle of lands that produce two colors of mana and enter the battlefield tapped unless you control a certain land.
Dragonskull Summit
Land
Dragonskull Summit enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a Swamp or a Mountain.
{T}: Add {B} or {R} to your mana pool.
* These lands check for lands you control with either of the two listed land types, not either of the two listed names. The lands they check for don't have to be basic lands. For example, if you control Stomping Ground (a nonbasic land with the land types Mountain and Forest), Dragonskull Summit will enter the battlefield untapped.
* As these lands are entering the battlefield, they check for lands that are already on the battlefield. They won't see lands that are entering the battlefield at the same time (due to Primeval Titan's ability, for example).
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***Cycle: "Lucky Charms"***
The _Magic_ 2012 core set has a cycle of artifacts that let you gain life whenever a player casts a spell of the appropriate color.
Kraken's Eye
{2}
Artifact
Whenever a player casts a blue spell, you may gain 1 life.
* The ability triggers whenever any player, not just you, casts a spell of the appropriate color.
* If a player casts a spell of the appropriate color, the artifact's ability triggers and is put on the stack on top of that spell. The artifact's ability will resolve (causing you to gain 1 life) before the spell does.
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***Returning Card Type: Planeswalker***
A planeswalker is a powerful ally that fights by your side. The rules for the planeswalker card type haven't changed with this release.
Jace, Memory Adept
{3}{U}{U}
Planeswalker -- Jace
4
[+1]: Draw a card. Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
[0]: Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
[-7]: Any number of target players each draw twenty cards.
* Planeswalkers are permanents. You can cast one at the time you could cast a sorcery. When your planeswalker spell resolves, it enters the battlefield under your control.
* Planeswalkers are not creatures. Spells and abilities that affect creatures won't affect them.
* If two or more planeswalkers that share a subtype (such as "Jace") are on the battlefield, they're all put into their owners' graveyards as a state-based action.
* Planeswalkers have loyalty. A planeswalker enters the battlefield with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to the number printed in its lower right corner. Activating one of its abilities may cause it to gain or lose loyalty counters. Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from it. If it has no loyalty, it's put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based action.
* Planeswalkers each have a number of activated abilities called "loyalty abilities." You can activate a loyalty ability of a planeswalker you control only at the time you could cast a sorcery and only if you haven't activated one of that planeswalker's loyalty abilities yet that turn.
* The cost to activate a planeswalker's loyalty ability is represented by an arrow with a number inside. Up-arrows contain positive numbers, such as "+1"; this means "Put one loyalty counter on this planeswalker." Down-arrows contain negative numbers, such as "-7"; this means "Remove seven loyalty counters from this planeswalker." You can't activate a planeswalker's ability with a negative loyalty cost unless the planeswalker has at least that many loyalty counters on it.
* Planeswalkers can't attack (unless an effect such as the one from Gideon Jura's third ability turns the planeswalker into a creature). However, they can be attacked. Each of your attacking creatures can attack your opponent or a planeswalker that player controls. You say which as you declare attackers.
* If your planeswalkers are being attacked, you can block the attackers as normal.
* If a creature that's attacking a planeswalker isn't blocked, it'll deal its combat damage to that planeswalker. Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from it.
* If a source you control would deal noncombat damage to an opponent, you may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker that opponent controls instead. For example, although you can't target a planeswalker with Shock, you can target your opponent with Shock, and then as Shock resolves, choose to have Shock deal its 2 damage to one of your opponent's planeswalkers. (You can't split up that damage between different players and/or planeswalkers.) If you have Shock deal its damage to a planeswalker, two loyalty counters are removed from it.
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CARD-SPECIFIC NOTES
Act of Treason
{2}{R}
Sorcery
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. (It can attack and {T} this turn.)
* You may target any creature with Act of Treason, including one that is untapped or one that you already control.
* Gaining control of a creature doesn't cause you gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it.
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Adaptive Automaton
{3}
Artifact Creature -- Construct
2/2
As Adaptive Automaton enters the battlefield, choose a creature type.
Adaptive Automaton is the chosen type in addition to its other types.
Other creatures you control of the chosen type get +1/+1.
* The choice of creature type is made as Adaptive Automaton enters the battlefield. Players can't respond to this choice. The bonus starts applying immediately.
* You must choose an existing _Magic_ creature type.
* Even though Adaptive Automaton is a Construct, other Construct creatures you control won't get +1/+1 (unless you chose Construct as Adaptive Automaton entered the battlefield).
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Aegis Angel
{4}{W}{W}
Creature -- Angel
5/5
Flying
When Aegis Angel enters the battlefield, another target permanent is indestructible for as long as you control Aegis Angel. (Effects that say "destroy" don't destroy that permanent. An indestructible creature can't be destroyed by damage.)
* If Aegis Angel leaves the battlefield, you no longer control it.
* If another player gains control of Aegis Angel, the permanent will no longer be indestructible, even if you regain control of Aegis Angel.
* If Aegis Angel and the permanent would be destroyed simultaneously, only Aegis Angel will be destroyed.
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AEther Adept
{1}{U}{U}
Creature -- Human Wizard
2/2
When AEther Adept enters the battlefield, return target creature to its owner's hand.
* Aether Adept's ability is mandatory. If there are no other creatures on the battlefield, you must choose AEther Adept itself as the target of its own ability.
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Alabaster Mage
{1}{W}
Creature -- Human Wizard
2/1
{1}{W}: Target creature you control gains lifelink until end of turn. (Damage dealt by the creature also causes its controller to gain that much life.)
* Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature provide no additional benefit. The creature's controller gains life equal the damage dealt and no more.
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Alluring Siren
{1}{U}
Creature -- Siren
1/1
{T}: Target creature an opponent controls attacks you this turn if able.
* If there are multiple combat phases in a turn, the creature must attack only in the first one in which it's able to.
* The creature must attack you if able, not a planeswalker you control.
* If, during a player's declare attackers step, the creature is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or hasn't been under that player's control continuously since the turn began (and doesn't have haste), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having the creature attack, the player isn't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either.
* Activating the ability during your opponent's turn after attackers have been declared will have no effect. The same is true if you activate the ability during your own turn.
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Angelic Destiny
{2}{W}{W}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +4/+4, has flying and first strike, and is an Angel in addition to its other types.
When enchanted creature dies, return Angelic Destiny to its owner's hand.
* If the creature dies before the Angelic Destiny spell resolves, Angelic Destiny will go to its owner's graveyard. It won't return to its owner's hand.
* If Angelic Destiny is no longer in a graveyard when its triggered ability resolves, it won't be returned to its owner's hand.
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Arachnus Spinner
{5}{G}
Creature -- Spider
5/7
Reach (This creature can block creatures with flying.)
Tap an untapped Spider you control: Search your graveyard and/or library for a card named Arachnus Web and put it onto the battlefield attached to target creature. If you search your library this way, shuffle it.
* You can tap any untapped Spider you control, including one you haven't controlled continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn, to pay the cost of Arachnus Spinner's activated ability. You can even tap Arachnus Spinner itself to pay this cost.
* If you choose to search your library this way, you don't have to find a card named Arachnus Web, even if one is there. You'll still shuffle your library after searching it.
* If you choose to search your graveyard this way, you must find a card named Arachnus Web if one is there.
* You may search both your graveyard and your library, but you can find a maximum of one card named Arachnus Web.
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Arachnus Web
{2}{G}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block, and its activated abilities can't be activated.
At the beginning of the end step, if enchanted creature's power is 4 or greater, destroy Arachnus Web.
* The last ability checks at the beginning of each turn's end step, not just your turn's.
* If the enchanted creature's power isn't 4 or greater when the end step begins, the last ability won't trigger at all.
* If the ability triggers, but the enchanted creature's power is reduced to 3 or less before the ability resolves, the ability will have no effect. Arachnus Web won't be destroyed.
* If Arachnus Web enters the battlefield attached to an attacking or blocking creature (due to Arachnus Spinner's ability, for example), that creature will continue to attack or block.
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Arbalest Elite
{2}{W}{W}
Creature -- Human Archer
2/3
{2}{W}, {T}: Arbalest Elite deals 3 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. Arbalest Elite doesn't untap during your next untap step.
* If the creature is an illegal target when Arbalest Elite's ability tries to resolve, the ability will be countered and none of its effects will happen. Arbalest Elite will untap during its controller's next untap step.
* If another player controls Arbalest Elite during your next untap step, the part of the effect that keeps it from untapping does nothing. It won't try to apply during a future untap step.
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Autumn's Veil
{G}
Instant
Spells you control can't be countered by blue or black spells this turn, and creatures you control can't be the targets of blue or black spells this turn.
* Autumn's Veil itself may be countered by blue or black spells. Its effect doesn't apply until after it resolves.
* After Autumn's Veil resolves, any spell you control that turn can still be targeted by spells that try to counter it (such as Cancel), regardless of their color. If those spells are blue or black at the time they would resolve, they will resolve, but the part of their effect that would counter the spell you control simply won't do anything. Any other effects those spells have will work as normal.
* If a creature you control is being targeted by a spell when Autumn's Veil resolves, nothing happens right away. When that spell would resolve, its color is checked. If it's blue or black, that creature will be an illegal target for that spell, and will be unable to be affected by it. If all that spell's targets have become illegal by the time it would resolve, it's countered.
* After Autumn's Veil resolves, no new blue or black spell may be cast that turn targeting a creature you control.
* Keep in mind that an Aura spell targets the permanent it will enchant (but an Aura on the battlefield doesn't target the permanent it's attached to).
* Autumn's Veil affects any spells and creatures you happen to control at any point during the rest of the turn, not just spells and creatures you control as it resolves. That's because it doesn't grant an ability to those spells or creatures; rather, it affects the game rules and states something that's now true about those spells and creatures.
* Autumn's Veil has no effect on abilities. After it resolves, spells you control may be countered by abilities from blue or black sources, and creatures you control may be targeted by abilities from blue or black sources.
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Blood Seeker
{1}{B}
Creature -- Vampire Shaman
1/1
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, you may have that player lose 1 life.
* Life loss is not the same as damage. Blood Seeker's ability will not cause creatures with bloodthirst to enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters.
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Bloodlord of Vaasgoth
{3}{B}{B}
Creature -- Vampire Warrior
3/3
Bloodthirst 3 (If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this creature enters the battlefield with three +1/+1 counters on it.)
Flying
Whenever you cast a Vampire creature spell, it gains bloodthirst 3.
* Multiple instances of bloodthirst are cumulative. For example, if you control Bloodlord of Vaasgoth and cast a Vampire creature spell that already has bloodthirst 1, that Vampire will enter the battlefield with four +1/+1 counters on it if an opponent has been dealt damage that turn.
* A creature spell like Phantasmal Image that may enter the battlefield as a copy of a creature is not a Vampire creature spell, even if you intend on copying a Vampire creature when that creature enters the battlefield.
* Vampire creatures you put directly onto the battlefield without casting them and Vampire creature tokens you put onto the battlefield will not gain bloodthirst 3 from Bloodlord of Vaasgoth.
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Brink of Disaster
{2}{B}{B}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature or land
When enchanted permanent becomes tapped, destroy it.
* Brink of Disaster may target and may enchant a permanent that's already tapped. It won't do anything until the enchanted permanent changes from being untapped to being tapped.
* When the enchanted permanent becomes tapped, Brink of Disaster's ability triggers. That permanent will be destroyed when the ability resolves, even if Brink of Disaster has left the battlefield or is somehow enchanting a different permanent by then.
* If the enchanted permanent is tapped as a cost to activate a mana ability, the mana ability resolves immediately, then Brink of Disaster's ability goes on the stack.
* If the enchanted permanent is tapped as a cost to activate an ability that's not a mana ability, Brink of Disaster's ability will go on the stack on top of that activated ability. Brink of Disaster's ability resolves first (destroying that permanent), then the permanent's activated ability resolves.
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Call to the Grave
{4}{B}
Enchantment
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player sacrifices a non-Zombie creature.
At the beginning of the end step, if no creatures are on the battlefield, sacrifice Call to the Grave.
* If a player controls no creatures, or each creature he or she controls is a Zombie, that player does nothing when the first ability resolves.
* If there is at least one creature on the battlefield at the beginning of the end step, the last ability won't trigger. If it does trigger, but a creature enters the battlefield before it resolves, the ability won't do anything when it resolves. Call to the Grave's controller won't sacrifice it.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, Call to the Grave will trigger twice during each team's upkeep, once for each player. Each of the two players will sacrifice a non-Zombie creature when the ability referring to that player resolves.
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Cemetery Reaper
{1}{B}{B}
Creature -- Zombie
2/2
Other Zombie creatures you control get +1/+1.
{2}{B}, {T}: Exile target creature card from a graveyard. Put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token onto the battlefield.
* Cemetery Reaper grants +1/+1 to all other Zombie creatures you control, not just the ones its ability puts onto the battlefield.
* The creature card in a graveyard is exiled as part of the activated ability's effect, not as a cost. If that card has left the graveyard by the time the ability would resolve, the ability is countered and you don't get a Zombie token.
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Chandra, the Firebrand
{3}{R}
Planeswalker -- Chandra
3
[+1]: Chandra, the Firebrand deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
[-2]: When you cast your next instant or sorcery spell this turn, copy that spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
[-6]: Chandra, the Firebrand deals 6 damage to each of up to six target creatures and/or players.
* Chandra's second ability creates a delayed triggered ability that will copy the next instant or sorcery spell you cast that turn, regardless of whether that spell has targets.
* When the delayed trigger resolves, it creates a copy of a spell. You control the copy. That copy is created on the stack, so it's not "cast." Abilities that trigger when a player casts a spell won't trigger. The copy will then resolve like a normal spell, after players get a chance to cast spells and activate abilities.
* The copy will have the same targets as the spell it's copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
* If the spell Chandra copies is modal (that is, it says "Choose one --" or the like), the copy will have the same mode. You can't choose a different one.
* If the spell Chandra copies has an X whose value was determined as it was cast (like Consume Spirit does), the copy has the same value of X.
* You can't choose to pay any additional costs for the copy. However, effects based on any additional costs that were paid for the original spell are copied as though those same costs were paid for the copy too. For example, if you sacrifice a 3/3 creature to cast Fling after activating Chandra's second ability, the copy of Fling will also deal 3 damage.
* When you activate Chandra's last ability, you choose up to six target creatures and/or players. No damage is divided, and Chandra can't deal more than 6 damage to any one target. Chandra deals 6 damage to each target that is still legal when the ability resolves.
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Chandra's Outrage
{2}{R}{R}
Instant
Chandra's Outrage deals 4 damage to target creature and 2 damage to that creature's controller.
* The player who's dealt damage is the player who controls the targeted creature at the time Chandra's Outrage resolves.
* If the targeted creature is an illegal target by the time Chandra's Outrage resolves, the entire spell is countered. No player is dealt damage.
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Combust
{1}{R}
Instant
Combust can't be countered by spells or abilities.
Combust deals 5 damage to target white or blue creature. The damage can't be prevented.
* Combust can be targeted by spells and abilities that try to counter it (such as Cancel). Those spells and abilities will resolve, but the part of their effect that would counter Combust won't do anything. Any other effects those spells and abilities have will work as normal.
* If the targeted creature is an illegal target by the time Combust would resolve, Combust will be countered by the game rules.
* Spells that create prevention effects affecting the targeted creature can still be cast, and abilities that create prevention effects affecting the targeted creature can still be activated. However, damage prevention shields (including those created before Combust was cast) don't have any effect on the damage dealt by Combust. If such a prevention effect has an additional effect, the additional effect will still work (if possible).
* If a static ability would prevent damage from being dealt to the targeted creature, it fails to prevent the damage dealt by Combust. If that ability has an additional effect that doesn't depend on the amount of damage prevented, that additional effect will still work. It's applied just once as Combust resolves.
* Effects that replace or redirect damage without using the word "prevent" aren't affected by Combust; they'll work as normal.
* If a creature is dealt lethal damage by Combust, it can still regenerate. If it does, the damage marked on it will be removed from it.
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Consume Spirit
{X}{1}{B}
Sorcery
Spend only black mana on X.
Consume Spirit deals X damage to target creature or player and you gain X life.
* The amount of life you gain is equal to the number chosen for X, not the amount of damage Consume Spirit deals (in case some of it is prevented).
* If the targeted creature or player is an illegal target by the time Consume Spirit would resolve, the entire spell is countered. You won't gain any life.
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Crown of Empires
{2}
Artifact
{3}, {T}: Tap target creature. Gain control of that creature instead if you control artifacts named Scepter of Empires and Throne of Empires.
* If you control artifacts named Scepter of Empires and Throne of Empires, the targeted creature won't be tapped. You'll just gain control of it.
* See also "Artifacts of Empires" in the General Notes section above.
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Crumbling Colossus
{5}
Artifact Creature -- Golem
7/4
Trample (If this creature would assign enough damage to its blockers to destroy them, you may have it assign the rest of its damage to defending player or planeswalker.)
When Crumbling Colossus attacks, sacrifice it at end of combat.
* If another player controls Crumbling Colossus when its ability tries to resolve, you'll be unable to sacrifice it. It will simply remain on the battlefield.
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Cudgel Troll
{2}{G}{G}
Creature -- Troll
4/3
{G}: Regenerate Cudgel Troll. (The next time this creature would be destroyed this turn, it isn't. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat.)
* Activating Cudgel Troll's ability causes a "regeneration shield" to be created for it. The next time Cudgel Troll would be destroyed that turn, the regeneration shield is used up instead. This works only if Cudgel Troll is dealt lethal damage, dealt damage from a source with deathtouch, or affected by a spell or ability that says to "destroy" it. Other effects that cause Cudgel Troll to be put into the graveyard (such as reducing its toughness to 0 or sacrificing it) don't destroy it, so regeneration won't save it. If it hasn't been used, the regeneration shield goes away as the turn ends.
* To work, the regeneration shield must be created before Cudgel Troll is destroyed. This usually means activating its ability during the declare blockers step, or in response to a spell or ability that would destroy it.
* If Cudgel Troll is dealt lethal damage and is dealt damage by a source with deathtouch during the same combat damage step, a single regeneration shield will save it.
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Dark Favor
{1}{B}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
When Dark Favor enters the battlefield, you lose 1 life.
Enchanted creature gets +3/+1.
* If the creature targeted by Dark Favor is an illegal target when Dark Favor tries to resolve, Dark Favor will be countered. It won't enter the battlefield and its enters-the-battlefield ability won't trigger.
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Divine Favor
{1}{W}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
When Divine Favor enters the battlefield, you gain 3 life.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+3.
* If the creature targeted by Divine Favor is an illegal target when Divine Favor tries to resolve, Divine Favor will be countered. It won't enter the battlefield and its enters-the-battlefield ability won't trigger.
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Djinn of Wishes
{3}{U}{U}
Creature -- Djinn
4/4
Flying
Djinn of Wishes enters the battlefield with three wish counters on it.
{2}{U}{U}, Remove a wish counter from Djinn of Wishes: Reveal the top card of your library. You may play that card without paying its mana cost. If you don't, exile it.
* You play the revealed card as part of the resolution of Djinn of Wishes's ability. Timing restrictions based on the card's type (such as creature or sorcery) are ignored. Other play restrictions are not (such as "Cast [this card] only during combat").
* If the revealed card is a spell, you may cast it only if you can choose legal targets for it. If you cast it, it's put on the stack, then Djinn of Wishes's ability finishes resolving. The spell will then resolve as normal, after players get a chance to cast spells and activate abilities.
* If the revealed card is a land, you can play it only if it's your turn and you haven't yet played a land this turn.
* If you play a card "without paying its mana cost," you can't pay any alternative costs. You can pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the card has mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
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Doubling Chant
{5}{G}
Sorcery
For each creature you control, you may search your library for a creature card with the same name as that creature. Put those cards onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.
* The cards you find in your library must be creature cards. For example, you can't put a land card onto the battlefield even if it has the same name as a land you control that's also a creature (perhaps because of an ability of that land).
* If you control a creature whose name has been changed by an effect (for example, a Clone that's copying another creature), you'll search for a card with the new name, not one with the original name.
* If you control no creatures when Doubling Chant resolves, you may still search your library and you must shuffle your library.
-----
Druidic Satchel
{3}
Artifact
{2}, {T}: Reveal the top card of your library. If it's a creature card, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token onto the battlefield. If it's a land card, put that card onto the battlefield under your control. If it's a noncreature, nonland card, you gain 2 life.
* If the revealed card is both a creature and a land (such as Dryad Arbor), you'll put a Saproling creature token and that card onto the battlefield.
* If the card is not a land card, it will remain on top of your library.
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Dungrove Elder
{2}{G}
Creature -- Treefolk
*/*
Hexproof (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
Dungrove Elder's power and toughness are each equal to the number of Forests you control.
* Dungrove Elder's power and toughness are each equal to the number of lands you control with the land type Forest, not necessarily lands named Forest.
* Dungrove Elder's power and toughness will change as the number of Forests you control changes.
* Dungrove Elder's ability sets its power and toughness in all zones, not just the battlefield.
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Elixir of Immortality
{1}
Artifact
{2}, {T}: You gain 5 life. Shuffle Elixir of Immortality and your graveyard into their owner's library.
* Paying the activation cost of Elixir of Immortality's ability doesn't cause it to leave the battlefield. If you have a way to untap it, you can activate the ability multiple times in response to itself.
* As the ability resolves, you'll shuffle Elixir of Immortality into your library directly from the battlefield, if it's still there. If it's in your graveyard by that time, you'll still wind up shuffling it into your library because you shuffle your entire graveyard into your library. If it's anywhere else by that time, it remains where it is and you shuffle just your graveyard into your library. (You'll shuffle your library as a result even if there aren't any cards in your graveyard.)
* If you gain control of another player's Elixir of Immortality and activate it, the Elixir of Immortality will be shuffled into its owner's library and the cards in your graveyard will be shuffled into your library. You are considered to have shuffled each affected library (even if, as a shortcut, each player physically shuffles his or her own library).
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Elvish Archdruid
{1}{G}{G}
Creature -- Elf Druid
2/2
Other Elf creatures you control get +1/+1.
{T}: Add {G} to your mana pool for each Elf you control.
* Elvish Archdruid's first ability affects only other Elves you control. However, Elvish Archdruid's second ability counts all Elves you control -- including itself.
* Elvish Archdruid's activated ability is a mana ability. It doesn't use the stack and players can't respond to it.
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Fireball
{X}{R}
Sorcery
Fireball deals X damage divided evenly, rounded down, among any number of target creatures and/or players.
Fireball costs {1} more to cast for each target beyond the first.
* If, for example, X is 5 and you choose three target creatures, Fireball has a total cost of {7}{R} (even though its mana cost is just {5}{R}). If those creatures are all still legal targets as Fireball resolves, it deals 1 damage to each of them.
* Fireball's damage is divided as Fireball resolves, not as it's cast, because there are no choices involved. The division involves only targets that are still legal at that time.
* You can target more than X creatures and/or players. However, if the number of legal targets at the time Fireball resolves is greater than X, none of them will be dealt any damage.
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Flameblast Dragon
{4}{R}{R}
Creature -- Dragon
5/5
Flying
Whenever Flameblast Dragon attacks, you may pay {X}{R}. If you do, Flameblast Dragon deals X damage to target creature or player.
* You choose the target when the ability triggers. When the ability resolves, you choose a value for X and decide whether to pay {X}{R}. If you do decide to pay {X}{R}, it's too late for any player to respond since the ability is already in the midst of resolving.
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Fling
{1}{R}
Instant
As an additional cost to cast Fling, sacrifice a creature.
Fling deals damage equal to the sacrificed creature's power to target creature or player.
* Players can only respond once Fling has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try and destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting Fling.
* The sacrificed creature's last known existence on the battlefield is checked to determine its power.
* If you sacrifice an attacking or blocking creature during the declare blockers step, it won't deal combat damage. If you wait until the combat damage step, but that creature is dealt lethal damage, it'll be destroyed before you get a chance to sacrifice it.
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Frost Breath
{2}{U}
Instant
Tap up to two target creatures. Those creatures don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
* If a creature affected by Frost Breath changes controllers before its old controller's next untap step, Frost Breath will prevent it from becoming untapped during its new controller's next untap step.
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Frost Titan
{4}{U}{U}
Creature -- Giant
6/6
Whenever Frost Titan becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless its controller pays {2}.
Whenever Frost Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, tap target permanent. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
* Frost Titan's first ability affects each spell (including Aura spells), activated ability, and triggered ability that's controlled by an opponent and that Frost Titan becomes a target of.
* You may target any permanent with Frost Titan's second ability. It's okay if that permanent is already tapped.
* If the permanent affected by Frost Titan's second ability is untapped at the time that permanent's controller's next untap step begins, the last part of Frost Titan's second ability has no effect.
* If the permanent affected by Frost Titan's second ability changes controllers before its old controller's next untap step, Frost Titan's second ability will prevent it from being untapped during its new controller's next untap step.
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Garruk, Primal Hunter
{2}{G}{G}{G}
Planeswalker -- Garruk
3
[+1]: Put a 3/3 green Beast creature token onto the battlefield.
[-3]: Draw cards equal to the greatest power among creatures you control.
[-6]: Put a 6/6 green Wurm creature token onto the battlefield for each land you control.
* For Garruk's second ability, the greatest power among creatures you control is determined when that ability begins resolving.
* If the greatest power among creatures you control is 0 or less, you'll draw no cards. You won't discard any cards this way.
* For Garruk's third ability, the number of Wurm tokens you put onto the battlefield is determined when that ability begins resolving.
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Garruk's Horde
{5}{G}{G}
Creature -- Beast
7/7
Trample
Play with the top card of your library revealed.
You may cast the top card of your library if it's a creature card. (Do this only any time you could cast that creature card. You still pay the spell's costs.)
* Normally, Garruk's Horde allows you to cast the top card of your library if it's a creature card, it's your main phase, and the stack is empty. If that creature card has flash, you'll be able to cast it at the time you could cast an instant, even on an opponent's turn.
* You'll still pay all costs for that spell, including additional costs. You may also pay alternative costs.
* While playing with the top card of your library revealed, if you draw multiple cards, reveal each one before you draw it.
* The top card of your library is not in your hand. You can't discard it.
* If the top card of your library is Dryad Arbor (the only card that's both a creature and a land), you can't play it this way. Dryad Arbor can't be cast as a spell.
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"Sufficiently advanced experience is indistinguishable from clairvoyance." -Carsten
"Ah those eyes, those horrible creepy eyes!" -Chaosof99
DCI Level 3 Judge & TO "I do not consider myself a hero. I know only what the Vec teach:
justice must always be served and corruption must always be opposed."
Go read! I am one of the three authors of Cranial Insertion.
But seriously, if you can't remember "Woapalanne", just call me Eli.
Gideon Jura
{3}{W}{W}
Planeswalker -- Gideon
6
[+2]: During target opponent's next turn, creatures that player controls attack Gideon Jura if able.
[-2]: Destroy target tapped creature.
[0]: Until end of turn, Gideon Jura becomes a 6/6 Human Soldier creature that's still a planeswalker. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to him this turn.
* Gideon Jura's first ability doesn't lock in what it applies to. That's because the effect states a true thing about a set of creatures, but doesn't actually change the characteristics of those creatures. As a result, whatever creatures the targeted opponent controls during the declare attackers step of his or her next turn must attack Gideon Jura if able. This includes creatures that come under that player's control after the ability has resolved and creatures that have lost all abilities.
* Gideon Jura's first ability causes creatures to attack him if able. If, during the affected player's declare attackers step, a creature he or she controls is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or hasn't been under that player's control continuously since that turn began (and doesn't have haste), then that creature doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having a creature attack, the player isn't forced to pay that cost, so the creature doesn't have to attack in that case either.
* If a creature controlled by the affected player can't attack Gideon Jura (because he's no longer on the battlefield, for example), that player may have it attack you, another one of your planeswalkers, or nothing at all.
* Gideon Jura's first ability applies during each combat phase of the affected player's next turn (as opposed to applying during the affected player's next combat phase). The distinction is relevant if there are no combat phases during that turn (due to Sundial of the Infinite's effect, for example) or there are multiples (due to Relentless Assault, for example).
* If Gideon Jura becomes a creature due to his third ability, that doesn't count as having a creature enter the battlefield. Gideon Jura was already on the battlefield; he only changed his types. Abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield won't trigger.
* If Gideon Jura becomes a creature, he can't attack or use any of his {T} abilities (if he gains any) unless he began your most recent turn on the battlefield under your control. This rule cares about when Gideon Jura came under your control, not when he became a creature.
* Gideon Jura's third ability causes him to become a creature with the creature types Human Soldier. He remains a planeswalker with the planeswalker type Gideon. (He also retains any other card types or subtypes he may have had.) Each subtype is correlated to the proper card type: Gideon is just a planeswalker type (not a creature type), and Human and Soldier are just creature types (not planeswalker types).
* If you activate Gideon Jura's third ability and then unpreventable damage is dealt to him (due to Unstable Footing, for example), that damage has all applicable results: specifically, the damage is marked on Gideon Jura (since he's a creature) and that damage causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from him (since he's a planeswalker). If the total amount of damage marked on Gideon Jura is lethal damage, he's destroyed as a state-based action. If Gideon Jura has no loyalty counters on him, he's put into his owner's graveyard as a state-based action.
* If you activate Gideon Jura's third ability and then a creature enters the battlefield as a copy of him, that copy will be just a planeswalker, not a creature. (The effect of Gideon's third ability isn't copied, just as the effect of a Giant Growth, for example, wouldn't be copied.) Since both permanents will be planeswalkers with the planeswalker type Gideon, each one will be put into his owner's graveyard as a state-based action due to the "planeswalker uniqueness rule."
* If you activate Gideon Jura's third ability and then a permanent that's already on the battlefield becomes a copy of him, that copy will be just a planeswalker, not a creature. If the original Gideon Jura is still on the battlefield by the time the copy effect happens, each of those permanents will be put into his owner's graveyard as a state-based action due to the "planeswalker uniqueness rule." If the original Gideon Jura is gone by this time, the other permanent will be put into his owner's graveyard as a state-based action for having no loyalty counters on him (unless, for some odd reason, he already had loyalty counters on him).
* Say you activate Gideon Jura's third ability, then an opponent gains control of him before combat. You may have any of your creatures attack Gideon Jura (since he's still a planeswalker). Then Gideon Jura may block (since he's a creature). He may block any eligible attacking creature, including one that's attacking him! During combat, he behaves as an attacked planeswalker and/or a blocking creature, as appropriate. For example, he deals combat damage to any creatures he's blocking, but he doesn't deal combat damage to any unblocked creatures that are attacking him.
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Gideon's Avenger
{1}{W}{W}
Creature -- Human Soldier
2/2
Whenever a creature an opponent controls becomes tapped, put a +1/+1 counter on Gideon's Avenger.
* If an opponent's creature enters the battlefield tapped, Gideon's Avenger's ability doesn't trigger.
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Goblin Bangchuckers
{2}{R}{R}
Creature -- Goblin Warrior
2/2
{T}: Flip a coin. If you win the flip, Goblin Bangchuckers deals 2 damage to target creature or player. If you lose the flip, Goblin Bangchuckers deals 2 damage to itself.
* You choose the target creature or player when you activate the ability. You don't flip the coin until the ability resolves. Players may respond to the ability, but they won't know the results of the coin flip.
* If the creature or player is an illegal target when Goblin Bangchucker's ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't flip a coin and no damage will be dealt.
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Goblin Grenade
{R}
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast Goblin Grenade, sacrifice a Goblin.
Goblin Grenade deals 5 damage to target creature or player.
* Players can only respond once Goblin Grenade has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try and destroy the Goblin to prevent you from casting Goblin Grenade.
* The Goblin you sacrifice to cast Goblin Grenade doesn't have to be a creature. For example, you could sacrifice Boggart Shenanigans (a tribal enchantment with the subtype Goblin).
* You can't sacrifice more than one Goblin to get a greater effect.
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Goblin Tunneler
{1}{R}
Creature -- Goblin Rogue
1/1
{T}: Target creature with power 2 or less is unblockable this turn.
* The power of the targeted creature is checked both as you target it and as the ability resolves. After the ability resolves, the creature will remain unblockable even if its power becomes greater than 2.
* The ability doesn't grant an ability to the targeted creature. Rather, it affects the game rules and states something that's now true about that creature. After the ability resolves, the creature will remain unblockable for the rest of the turn even if it loses all abilities.
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Grand Abolisher
{W}{W}
Creature -- Human Cleric
2/2
During your turn, your opponents can't cast spells or activate abilities of artifacts, creatures, or enchantments.
* Grand Abolisher doesn't stop your opponents from activating abilities of artifact, creature, or enchantment cards in zones other than the battlefield (like cycling abilities, for example).
* Grand Abolisher doesn't affect triggered abilities or static abilities.
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Grim Lavamancer
{R}
Creature -- Human Wizard
1/1
{R}, {T}, Exile two cards from your graveyard: Grim Lavamancer deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
* The two cards are exiled as the cost of Grim Lavamancer's ability is paid. Players can't respond to the paying of costs by trying to move those cards to another zone.
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Guardians' Pledge
{1}{W}{W}
Instant
White creatures you control get +2/+2 until end of turn.
* Guardians' Pledge only gives a bonus to white creatures you control when it resolves. Creatures that enter the battlefield later in the turn and nonwhite creatures that become white later in the turn will not get the bonus.
* If a white creature that gets the bonus stops being white later in the turn, it will continue to get +2/+2 until end of turn.
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Harbor Serpent
{4}{U}{U}
Creature -- Serpent
5/5
Islandwalk (This creature is unblockable as long as defending player controls an Island.)
Harbor Serpent can't attack unless there are five or more Islands on the battlefield.
* Harbor Serpent's abilities care about lands with the land type Island, not necessarily lands named Island.
* The second ability checks how many Islands are on the battlefield (regardless of who controls them) only as attackers are declared. Once Harbor Serpent is declared as an attacker, it will continue to attack even if the number of Islands on the battlefield falls below five.
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Hideous Visage
{2}{B}
Sorcery
Creatures you control gain intimidate until end of turn. (Each of those creatures can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.)
* If an attacking creature has intimidate, what colors it is matters only as the defending player declares blockers. Once it's blocked, changing its colors won't change that.
* A multicolored creature with intimidate can be blocked by any creature that shares a color with it, in addition to artifact creatures. For example, a white-blue creature with intimidate can be blocked by white creatures and/or blue creatures, no matter what other colors they are.
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Ice Cage
{1}{U}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block, and its activated abilities can't be activated.
When enchanted creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, destroy Ice Cage.
* If the enchanted creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, Ice Cage's ability triggers and is put on the stack on top of that spell or ability. Ice Cage's ability will resolve (causing Ice Cage to be destroyed) first.
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Incinerate
{1}{R}
Instant
Incinerate deals 3 damage to target creature or player. A creature dealt damage this way can't be regenerated this turn.
* Spells or abilities that regenerate the creature can still be cast or activated; they just won't do anything. The creature can't be regenerated for any reason, even if a source other than Incinerate would deal lethal damage to it or otherwise destroy it.
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Inferno Titan
{4}{R}{R}
Creature -- Giant
6/6
{R}: Inferno Titan gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
Whenever Inferno Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, it deals 3 damage divided as you choose among one, two, or three target creatures and/or players.
* You divide the damage as you put Inferno Titan's triggered ability on the stack, not as it resolves. Each target must be assigned at least 1 damage. (In other words, as you put the ability on the stack, you choose whether to have it deal 3 damage to a single target, 2 damage to one target and 1 damage to another target, or 1 damage to each of three targets.)
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Jace, Memory Adept
{3}{U}{U}
Planeswalker -- Jace
4
[+1]: Draw a card. Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
[0]: Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
[-7]: Any number of target players each draw twenty cards.
* If you target yourself with Jace's first ability, you'll draw a card first, then put the top card of your library into your graveyard.
* If you activate Jace's first ability, and the player is an illegal target when the ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't draw a card.
* If Jace's third ability causes a player to draw more cards than are left in his or her library, that player loses the game as a state-based action. If this ability causes all players to do this, the game is a draw.
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Jace's Archivist
{1}{U}{U}
Creature -- Vedalken Wizard
2/2
{U}, {T}: Each player discards his or her hand, then draws cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
* If this ability causes a player to draw more cards than are left in his or her library, that player loses the game as a state-based action. If this ability causes all players to do this, the game is a draw.
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Lifelink
{W}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has lifelink. (Damage dealt by the creature also causes its controller to gain that much life.)
* The controller of the enchanted creature, not the controller of Lifelink, gains the life (in case they're different players).
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Manabarbs
{3}{R}
Enchantment
Whenever a player taps a land for mana, Manabarbs deals 1 damage to that player.
* This ability is not a mana ability. It goes on the stack and can be responded to.
* The ability will trigger each time a land is tapped for mana. Each ability is separate.
* If any lands are tapped for mana while a player is casting a spell or activating an ability, Manabarbs's ability will trigger that many times and wait. When the player finishes casting that spell or activating that ability, it's put on the stack, then Manabarbs's triggered abilities are put on the stack on top of it. The Manabarbs abilities will resolve first.
* On the other hand, a player can tap lands for mana, let the Manabarbs triggered abilities be put on the stack, and then respond to those abilities by casting an instant or activating an ability using that mana. In that case, the spell or ability will resolve first.
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Manic Vandal
{2}{R}
Creature -- Human Warrior
2/2
When Manic Vandal enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact.
* Manic Vandal's ability is mandatory. If you're the only player who controls an artifact, you must target one of them.
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Master Thief
{2}{U}{U}
Creature -- Human Rogue
2/2
When Master Thief enters the battlefield, gain control of target artifact for as long as you control Master Thief.
* If Master Thief leaves the battlefield, you no longer control it, and its control-change effect ends.
* If Master Thief ceases to be under your control before its ability resolves, you won't gain control of the targeted artifact at all.
* If another player gains control of Master Thief, its control-change effect ends. Regaining control of Master Thief won't cause you to regain control of the artifact.
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Mesa Enchantress
{1}{W}{W}
Creature -- Human Druid
0/2
Whenever you cast an enchantment spell, you may draw a card.
* If you cast an enchantment spell (including an Aura spell), Mesa Enchantress's ability triggers and is put on the stack on top of that spell. Mesa Enchantress's ability will resolve before the spell does.
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Mind Control
{3}{U}{U}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
You control enchanted creature.
* Gaining control of a creature doesn't cause you to gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it.
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Mind Unbound
{4}{U}{U}
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a lore counter on Mind Unbound, then draw a card for each lore counter on Mind Unbound.
* The ability is mandatory. You can't choose to draw fewer cards than the number of lore counters on Mind Unbound.
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Monomania
{3}{B}{B}
Sorcery
Target player chooses a card in his or her hand and discards the rest.
* If there are one or zero cards in the player's hand, he or she will discard no cards.
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Oblivion Ring
{2}{W}
Enchantment
When Oblivion Ring enters the battlefield, exile another target nonland permanent.
When Oblivion Ring leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner's control.
* If Oblivion Ring leaves the battlefield before its first ability has resolved, its second ability will trigger and do nothing. Then its first ability will resolve and exile the targeted nonland permanent indefinitely.
* If the exiled card is an Aura, that card's owner chooses what it will enchant as it enters the battlefield. An Aura entering the battlefield this way doesn't target anything, but the Aura's enchant ability restricts what it can be attached to. If the Aura can't legally be attached to anything, it remains exiled.
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Onyx Mage
{1}{B}
Creature -- Human Wizard
2/1
{1}{B}: Target creature you control gains deathtouch until end of turn. (Any amount of damage it deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
* Multiple instances of deathtouch on the same creature provide no additional benefit. A creature dealt damage by a creature with multiple instances of deathtouch is destroyed only once.
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Overrun
{2}{G}{G}{G}
Sorcery
Creatures you control get +3/+3 and gain trample until end of turn. (If a creature you control would assign enough damage to its blockers to destroy them, you may have it assign the rest of its damage to defending player or planeswalker.)
* Overrun affects only creatures you control at the time it resolves. It won't affect creatures that come under your control later in the turn or permanents that become creatures later in the turn.
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Pentavus
{7}
Artifact Creature -- Construct
0/0
Pentavus enters the battlefield with five +1/+1 counters on it.
{1}, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Pentavus: Put a 1/1 colorless Pentavite artifact creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
{1}, Sacrifice a Pentavite: Put a +1/+1 counter on Pentavus.
* You can remove any +1/+1 counter on Pentavus to activate its first activated ability, not just ones created by Pentavus's other abilities.
* You can sacrifice any Pentavite creature you control (such as an Adaptive Automaton with Pentavite as its chosen type) to activate Pentavus's second activated ability, not just ones created by Pentavus's other abilities.
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Phantasmal Image
{1}{U}
Creature -- Illusion
0/0
You may have Phantasmal Image enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it's an Illusion in addition to its other types and it gains "When this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it."
* Phantasmal Image's ability doesn't target the chosen creature.
* Phantasmal Image copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing more (unless that creature is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn't copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on.
* If the chosen creature has {X} in its mana cost (such as Primordial Hydra), X is considered to be zero.
* If the chosen creature is copying something else (for example, if the chosen creature is another Phantasmal Image), then Phantasmal Image enters the battlefield as whatever the chosen creature copied.
* If the chosen creature is a token, Phantasmal Image copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that put the token onto the battlefield. Phantasmal Image is not a token.
* Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when Phantasmal Image enters the battlefield. Any "as [this creature] enters the battlefield" or "[this creature] enters the battlefield with" abilities of the chosen creature will also work.
* If Phantasmal Image somehow enters the battlefield at the same time as another creature, Phantasmal Image can't become a copy of that creature. You may only choose a creature that's already on the battlefield.
* You can choose not to copy anything. In that case, Phantasmal Image enters the battlefield as a 0/0 Illusion creature, and is probably put into the graveyard immediately. It doesn't have the ability "When this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it."
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Ponder
{U}
Sorcery
Look at the top three cards of your library, then put them back in any order. You may shuffle your library.
Draw a card.
* If you choose to shuffle your library, that includes the three cards you just looked at and put back on top of it.
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Pride Guardian
{W}
Creature -- Cat Monk
0/3
Defender (This creature can't attack.)
Whenever Pride Guardian blocks, you gain 3 life.
* If Pride Guardian gains the ability to block additional creatures and does so, you'll still gain only 3 life.
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Primeval Titan
{4}{G}{G}
Creature -- Giant
6/6
Trample
Whenever Primeval Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, you may search your library for up to two land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
* You may find any land cards, not just basic land cards.
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Primordial Hydra
{X}{G}{G}
Creature -- Hydra
0/0
Primordial Hydra enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.
At the beginning of your upkeep, double the number of +1/+1 counters on Primordial Hydra.
Primordial Hydra has trample as long as it has ten or more +1/+1 counters on it.
* Consider only the number of +1/+1 counters on Primordial Hydra when determining if it has trample, not its power and toughness. For example, a Primordial Hydra with six +1/+1 counters on it that's been the target of Titanic Growth (giving it +4/+4) would not have trample.
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Quicksilver Amulet
{4}
Artifact
{4}, {T}: You may put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield.
* You don't pay any costs of that creature card, including additional costs.
* If the creature card has {X} in its mana cost (like Primordial Hydra does), X is zero.
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Redirect
{U}{U}
Instant
You may choose new targets for target spell.
* You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
* If the targeted spell is modal (that is, it says "Choose one --" or the like), you can't choose a different mode.
* If you cast Redirect targeting a spell that targets a spell on the stack (like Cancel does, for example), you can't change that spell's target to itself. You can, however, change that spell's target to Redirect. If you do, that spell will be countered when it tries to resolve because Redirect will have left the stack by then.
* Redirect can target any spell, not just an instant or sorcery spell. For example, you could use it to change the target of an Aura spell. However, if the targeted spell has no targets (for example, if it's an instant or sorcery spell that doesn't specifically use the word "target," or if it's a creature spell), Redirect won't have any effect on it.
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Reverberate
{R}{R}
Instant
Copy target instant or sorcery spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
* Reverberate can target (and copy) any instant or sorcery spell, not just one with targets. It doesn't matter who controls it.
* When Reverberate resolves, it creates a copy of a spell. You control the copy. That copy is created on the stack, so it's not "cast." Abilities that trigger when a player casts a spell won't trigger. The copy will then resolve like a normal spell, after players get a chance to cast spells and activate abilities.
* The copy will have the same targets as the spell it's copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
* If the spell Reverberate copies is modal (that is, it says "Choose one --" or the like), the copy will have the same mode. You can't choose a different one.
* If the spell Reverberate copies has an X whose value was determined as it was cast (like Consume Spirit does), the copy has the same value of X.
* You can't choose to pay any additional costs for the copy. However, effects based on any additional costs that were paid for the original spell are copied as though those same costs were paid for the copy too. For example, if a player sacrifices a 3/3 creature to cast Fling, and you copy it with Reverberate, the copy of Fling will also deal 3 damage to its target.
* If the copy says that it affects "you," it affects the controller of the copy, not the controller of the original spell. Similarly, if the copy says that it affects an "opponent," it affects an opponent of the copy's controller, not an opponent of the original spell's controller.
-----
Scrambleverse
{6}{R}{R}
Sorcery
For each nonland permanent, choose a player at random. Then each player gains control of each permanent for which he or she was chosen. Untap those permanents.
* Once Scrambleverse starts to resolve, no player may respond until it has finished resolving. For example, you can't wait to see who will control a creature before deciding whether or not to activate one of its abilities.
* For each nonland permanent, any player may be randomly chosen, including the permanent's current controller.
* All of the control-change effects happen at the same time.
* Each nonland permanent will untap, no matter which player was randomly chosen to gain control of it.
-----
Sengir Vampire
{3}{B}{B}
Creature -- Vampire
4/4
Flying
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Sengir Vampire this turn dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Sengir Vampire.
* Each time a creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, check whether Sengir Vampire had dealt any damage to it at any time during that turn. If so, Sengir Vampire's ability will trigger. It doesn't matter who controlled the creature or whose graveyard it was put into.
* If Sengir Vampire and a creature it dealt damage to are both put into a graveyard at the same time, Sengir Vampire's ability will trigger, but it will do nothing when it resolves.
-----
Skinshifter
{1}{G}
Creature -- Human Shaman
1/1
{G}: Choose one -- Until end of turn, Skinshifter becomes a 4/4 Rhino and gains trample; or until end of turn, Skinshifter becomes a 2/2 Bird and gains flying; or until end of turn, Skinshifter becomes a 0/8 Plant. Activate this ability only once each turn.
* You choose the ability's mode when you activate it.
* No matter which mode you choose, Skinshifter will cease to have any creature types it previously had. If you activate its ability choosing the first mode, it will become only a Rhino; it's no longer a Human or a Shaman.
* No matter which mode you choose, Skinshifter will retain any other card types it may have. For example, if an effect causes Skinshifter to be an artifact in addition to its other types and you activate its ability choosing the first mode, it will be both an artifact and a Rhino creature.
* Skinshifter's ability doesn't cause it to lose any other abilities it may have.
* Skinshifter's ability doesn't affect its copiable values. Creatures that enter the battlefield as a copy of Skinshifter will enter as 1/1 Human Shaman creatures.
* You can activate Skinshifter's ability during any player's turn, but only once on each turn.
-----
Smallpox
{B}{B}
Sorcery
Each player loses 1 life, discards a card, sacrifices a creature, then sacrifices a land.
* Each player loses 1 life. Then, starting with the active player and proceeding in turn order, each player chooses a card to discard (without seeing what other players have chosen) and all discards happen simultaneously. Then, starting with the active player and proceeding in turn order, each player chooses a creature to sacrifice (this time players can see what previous players have chosen) and all sacrifices happen simultaneously. Then the process that happened for creatures is repeated for lands.
-----
Sorin Markov
{3}{B}{B}{B}
Planeswalker -- Sorin
4
[+2]: Sorin Markov deals 2 damage to target creature or player and you gain 2 life.
[-3]: Target opponent's life total becomes 10.
[-7]: You control target player during that player's next turn.
* If the targeted creature or player is an illegal target by the time Sorin's first ability resolves, the entire ability is countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't gain life.
* For a player's life total to become 10, the player gains or loses the appropriate amount of life. For example, if the targeted opponent's life total is 4 when this ability resolves, it will cause that player to gain 6 life; alternately, if the targeted player's life total is 17 when this ability resolves, it will cause that player to lose 7 life. Other cards that interact with life gain or life loss will interact with this effect accordingly.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, Sorin's second ability causes the targeted opponent's life total to become 10. This results in the team's life total becoming 10.
* Sorin's third ability allows you to control another player during that player's next turn. The player is controlled during the entire turn; the effect doesn't end until the beginning of the next turn.
* While controlling another player, you can see all cards that player can see. This includes cards in that player's hand, face-down cards that player controls, and any cards in any zone that an effect lets him or her look at.
* The player being controlled is still the active player during that turn.
* While controlling another player, you also continue to make your own choices and decisions.
* While controlling another player, you make all choices and decisions that player is allowed to make or is told to make. For example:
-- You choose which land the other player plays.
-- You choose which spells the other player casts, and make all decisions as those spells are cast and as they resolve. For example, you choose the value of X for that player's Fireball, the target for that player's Incinerate, what mana that player spends to cast Day of Judgment, and what card that player gets with Diabolic Tutor.
-- You choose which activated abilities the other player activates, and make all decisions as those abilities are activated and as they resolve. For example, you can have your opponent sacrifice his or her creatures to his or her Devouring Swarm.
-- You make all decisions for the other player's triggered abilities, including what they target and any decisions made when they resolve.
-- You choose which creatures controlled by the other player attack, who or what they attack, and how they assign their combat damage.
-- You make any choices and decisions that player would make for any other reason. For example, you could cast Sphinx of Uthuun, choose that player to divide the revealed cards into piles, and thus divide those cards into piles yourself.
* You can't make the affected player concede. That player may choose to concede at any time, even while you're controlling him or her.
* You can't make any illegal decisions or illegal choices -- you can't do anything that player couldn't do. You can't make choices or decisions for that player that aren't called for by the game rules or by any cards, permanents, spells, abilities, and so on. If an effect causes another player to make decisions that the affected player would normally make (such as Master Warcraft does), that effect takes precedence. (In other words, if the affected player wouldn't make a decision, you wouldn't make that decision on his or her behalf.) You also can't make any choices or decisions for the player that would be called for by the tournament rules (such as whether to take an intentional draw or whether to call a judge).
* You can use only the affected player's resources (cards, mana, and so on) to pay costs for that player; you can't use your own. Similarly, you can use the affected player's resources only to pay that player's costs; you can't spend them on your costs.
* You don't control any of the other player's permanents, spells, or abilities.
* Controlling a player will let you look at that player's sideboard. [Note: This was incorrectly copied from Sorin's old rulings in the first edition of this FAQ and said that you could not look; the error has been noted. You can look at the player's sideboard.]
* If the player affected by Sorin's third ability skips his or her next turn, the ability will wait. You'll control the player during the next turn the affected player actually takes.
* Multiple player-controlling effects that affect the same player overwrite each other. The last one to be created is the one that works.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, Sorin's third ability causes you to control the affected player's team during that team's next turn.
* You could gain control of yourself during your next turn using Sorin's third ability, but unless you do so to overwrite someone else's player-controlling effect, this doesn't do anything.
-----
Sorin's Thirst
{B}{B}
Instant
Sorin's Thirst deals 2 damage to target creature and you gain 2 life.
* If the creature is an illegal target when Sorin's Thirst tries to resolve, Sorin's Thirst will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't gain life.
-----
Sorin's Vengeance
{4}{B}{B}{B}
Sorcery
Sorin's Vengeance deals 10 damage to target player and you gain 10 life.
* If the player is an illegal target when Sorin's Vengeance tries to resolve, Sorin's Vengeance will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't gain life.
-----
Sphinx of Uthuun
{5}{U}{U}
Creature -- Sphinx
5/6
Flying
When Sphinx of Uthuun enters the battlefield, reveal the top five cards of your library. An opponent separates those cards into two piles. Put one pile into your hand and the other into your graveyard.
* You (not your opponent) choose which pile to put into your hand and which to put into your graveyard.
* A pile can have no cards in it. In this case, you'll choose whether to put all the revealed cards into your hand or into your graveyard.
* If your library has fewer than five cards, you reveal all the cards in it, then your opponent separates them into two piles.
* In multiplayer games, you choose an opponent to separate the cards when the ability resolves. This doesn't target that opponent. Because the cards are revealed, all players may see the cards and offer opinions.
-----
Stave Off
{W}
Instant
Target creature gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn. (It can't be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by anything of that color.)
* You choose the target as part of casting the spell. You choose what color the target gains protection from when the spell resolves.
-----
Stingerfling Spider
{4}{G}
Creature -- Spider
2/5
Reach (This creature can block creatures with flying.)
When Stingerfling Spider enters the battlefield, you may destroy target creature with flying.
* You choose the target creature with flying when the ability goes on the stack. When it resolves, you choose whether or not to destroy the creature.
-----
Stonehorn Dignitary
{3}{W}
Creature -- Rhino Soldier
1/4
When Stonehorn Dignitary enters the battlefield, target opponent skips his or her next combat phase.
* If more than one Stonehorn Dignitary enters the battlefield during the same turn, and you target the same opponent with each ability, that opponent will skip that many combat phases (over multiple turns if necessary).
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, the targeted opponent's team skips its next combat phase.
-----
Sun Titan
{4}{W}{W}
Creature -- Giant
6/6
Vigilance
Whenever Sun Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, you may return target permanent card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.
* A permanent card is an artifact, creature, enchantment, land, or planeswalker card.
* The converted mana cost of a card in your graveyard is determined solely by the mana symbols printed in its upper right corner. The converted mana cost is the total amount of mana in that cost, regardless of color. For example, a card with mana cost {3}{U}{U} has converted mana cost 5.
* If the mana cost of a card in your graveyard includes {X}, X is considered to be 0.
* If a card in your graveyard has no mana symbols in its upper right corner (because it's a land card, for example), its converted mana cost is 0.
-----
Sundial of the Infinite
{2}
Artifact
{1}, {T}: End the turn. Activate this ability only during your turn. (Exile all spells and abilities on the stack. Discard down to your maximum hand size. Damage wears off, and "this turn" and "until end of turn" effects end.)
* Ending the turn this way means the following things happen in order:
1) All spells and abilities on the stack are exiled. This includes spells and abilities that can't be countered.
2) All attacking and blocking creatures are removed from combat.
3) State-based actions are checked. No player gets priority, and no triggered abilities are put onto the stack.
4) The current phase and/or step ends. The game skips straight to the cleanup step. The cleanup step happens in its entirety.
* If any triggered abilities do trigger during this process, they're put onto the stack during the cleanup step. If this happens, players will have a chance to cast spells and activate abilities, then there will be another cleanup step before the turn finally ends.
* Though spells and abilities that are exiled won't get a chance to resolve, they don't count as being "countered."
* If Sundial of the Infinite's ability is activated before the end step, any "at the beginning of the end step"-triggered abilities won't get the chance to trigger that turn because the end step is skipped. Those abilities will trigger at the beginning of the end step of the next turn. The same is true of abilities that trigger at the beginning of other phases or steps (except upkeep).
* The earliest that you can activate Sundial of the Infinite's ability is during your upkeep step, after abilities that trigger "at the beginning of your upkeep" have been put onto the stack but before they resolve.
-----
Sutured Ghoul
{4}{B}{B}{B}
Creature -- Zombie
*/*
Trample
As Sutured Ghoul enters the battlefield, exile any number of creature cards from your graveyard.
Sutured Ghoul's power is equal to the total power of the exiled cards and its toughness is equal to their total toughness.
* If any of the creature cards you exile has a characteristic-defining ability that defines its power and/or toughness, that ability will apply. For example, if Dungrove Elder is exiled this way, its power and toughness while it's in exile are equal to the number of Forests you control, and Sutured Ghoul's power and toughness will change as the number of Forests you control changes.
* In zones other than the battlefield, Sutured Ghoul's power and toughness are each 0.
* You can't have Sutured Ghoul exile itself, even if it's entering the battlefield from your graveyard.
-----
Swiftfoot Boots
{2}
Artifact -- Equipment
Equipped creature has hexproof and haste. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control, and it can attack and {T} as soon as it comes under your control.)
Equip {1} ({1}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
* If an opponent gains control of a creature equipped by your Swiftfoot Boots, that creature can't be the target of spells and abilities you control.
-----
Taste of Blood
{B}
Sorcery
Taste of Blood deals 1 damage to target player and you gain 1 life.
* If the player is an illegal target when Taste of Blood tries to resolve, Taste of Blood will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't gain life.
-----
Tectonic Rift
{3}{R}
Sorcery
Destroy target land. Creatures without flying can't block this turn.
* If the land is an illegal target when Tectonic Rift tries to resolve, Tectonic Rift will be countered and none of its effects will happen. Creatures without flying will be able to block as normal.
* The set of affected creatures isn't locked in when Tectonic Rift resolves. Creatures without flying that enter the battlefield later that turn or creatures that lose flying later that turn won't be able to block.
-----
Timely Reinforcements
{2}{W}
Sorcery
If you have less life than an opponent, you gain 6 life. If you control fewer creatures than an opponent, put three 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.
* You compare life totals with each of your opponents when Timely Reinforcements resolves. At that time, if you have less life than an opponent, you'll gain 6 life. Similarly, you compare the number of creatures you control with the number of creatures each opponent controls when Timely Reinforcements resolves.
* In a multiplayer game, you consider each opponent. If you have less life than one of your opponents and fewer creatures than one of your opponents (although this may be a different opponent), you'll get both bonuses.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, you'll compare your team's life total with the opposing team's life total. You'll then compare the number of creatures you control (ignoring creatures your teammate controls) to the number of creatures each opponent controls separately.
-----
Trollhide
{2}{G}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has "{1}{G}: Regenerate this creature." (The next time the creature would be destroyed this turn, it isn't. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat.)
* Activating the ability granted to the enchanted creature causes a "regeneration shield" to be created for it. The next time that creature would be destroyed that turn, the regeneration shield is used up instead. This works only if the creature is dealt lethal damage, dealt damage from a source with deathtouch, or affected by a spell or ability that says to "destroy" it. Other effects that cause the creature to be put into the graveyard (such as reducing its toughness to 0 or sacrificing it) don't destroy it, so regeneration won't save it. If it hasn't been used, the regeneration shield goes away as the turn ends.
* To work, the regeneration shield must be created before the enchanted creature is destroyed. This usually means activating its ability during the declare blockers step, or in response to a spell or ability that would destroy it.
* If the enchanted creature is dealt lethal damage and is dealt damage by a source with deathtouch during the same combat damage step, a single regeneration shield will save it.
-----
Turn to Frog
{1}{U}
Instant
Target creature loses all abilities and becomes a 1/1 blue Frog until end of turn.
* The creature will lose all other colors and creature types, but it will retain any other card types (such as artifact) it may have.
* Turn to Frog overwrites all previous effects that set the targeted creature's power and toughness to specific values. Other effects that set its power or toughness to specific values that start to apply after Turn to Frog resolves will overwrite this effect.
* Effects that modify the targeted creature's power or toughness, such as the effects of Titanic Growth or Honor of the Pure, will apply to it no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for counters that change the creature's power or toughness (such as +1/+1 counters) and effects that switch its power and toughness.
* Turn to Frog doesn't counter abilities that have already triggered or been activated. In particular, there is no way to cast this to stop a creature's "At the beginning of your upkeep" or "When this creature enters the battlefield" abilities from triggering.
* If the affected creature gains an ability after Turn to Frog resolves, it will keep that ability.
-----
Vengeful Pharaoh
{2}{B}{B}{B}
Creature -- Zombie
5/4
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
Whenever combat damage is dealt to you or a planeswalker you control, if Vengeful Pharaoh is in your graveyard, destroy target attacking creature, then put Vengeful Pharaoh on top of your library.
* Vengeful Pharaoh must be in your graveyard when combat damage is dealt to you or a planeswalker you control in order for its ability to trigger. That is, it can't die and trigger from your graveyard during the same combat damage step.
* If Vengeful Pharaoh is no longer in your graveyard when the triggered ability would resolve, the triggered ability won't do anything.
* If the attacking creature is an illegal target when the triggered ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. Vengeful Pharaoh will remain in your graveyard.
* If multiple creatures deal combat damage to you simultaneously, Vengeful Pharaoh will only trigger once.
* If multiple creatures deal combat damage to you and to a planeswalker you control simultaneously, Vengeful Pharaoh will trigger twice. The first trigger will cause Vengeful Pharaoh to be put on top of your library. The second trigger will then do nothing, as Vengeful Pharaoh is no longer in your graveyard when it tries to resolve. Note that the second trigger will do nothing even if Vengeful Pharaoh is put back into your graveyard before it tries to resolve, as it's a different Vengeful Pharaoh than the one that was there before.
* If your own attacking creatures deal combat damage to you or a planeswalker you control (perhaps because combat damage was redirected), Vengeful Pharaoh will still trigger. You must target and destroy one of your own attacking creatures.
-----
Visions of Beyond
{U}
Instant
Draw a card. If a graveyard has twenty or more cards in it, draw three cards instead.
* The number of cards in each player's graveyard is counted when Visions of Beyond resolves. Visions of Beyond won't count itself as it will still be on the stack at this time.
-----
Warstorm Surge
{5}{R}
Enchantment
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, it deals damage equal to its power to target creature or player.
* The creature that entered the battlefield deals damage equal to its current power to the targeted creature or player. If it's no longer on the battlefield, its last known existence on the battlefield is checked to determine its power.
* Warstorm Surge is the source of the ability, but the creature is the source of the damage. The ability couldn't target a creature with protection from red, for example. It could target a creature with protection from creatures, but all the damage would be prevented. Since damage is dealt by the creature, abilities like lifelink, deathtouch and infect are taken into account, even if the creature has left the battlefield by the time it deals damage.
-----
Worldslayer
{5}
Artifact -- Equipment
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, destroy all permanents other than Worldslayer.
Equip {5} ({5}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
* The equipped creature is also destroyed.
-----
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"Sufficiently advanced experience is indistinguishable from clairvoyance." -Carsten
"Ah those eyes, those horrible creepy eyes!" -Chaosof99
DCI Level 3 Judge & TO "I do not consider myself a hero. I know only what the Vec teach:
justice must always be served and corruption must always be opposed."
Go read! I am one of the three authors of Cranial Insertion.
But seriously, if you can't remember "Woapalanne", just call me Eli.
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_Magic 2012_ Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled by Matt Tabak, with contributions from Laurie Cheers, Lee Sharpe, Eli Shiffrin, and Thijs van Ommen
Document last modified May 25, 2011
An FAQ is a collection of clarifications and rulings involving the cards in a new _Magic: The Gathering_(R) set. It's intended to make playing with these new cards more fun by clearing up the common misconceptions and confusion inevitably caused by new mechanics and interactions. As future sets are released, updates to the _Magic_(TM) rules may cause some of this information to become outdated. If you can't find the answer you're looking for here, please contact us at <www.wizards.com/customerservice>.
This FAQ has two sections, each of which serves a different purpose.
The first section ("General Notes") explains the mechanics and concepts in the set.
The second section ("Card-Specific Notes") contains answers to the most important, most common, and most confusing questions players might ask about cards in the set. Items in the "Card-Specific Notes" section include full card text for your reference. Not all cards in the set are listed.
-----
GENERAL NOTES
***Release Information***
The _Magic 2012_ core set contains 249 cards (101 common, 60 uncommon, 53 rare, 15 mythic rare, and 20 basic land).
Prerelease events: July 9-10, 2011
Launch Parties: July 15-18, 2011
The _Magic 2012_ core set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play on its official release date: Friday, July 15, 2011.
-- At that time, the following card sets will be permitted in the Standard format: _Zendikar_(R), _Worldwake_(R), _Rise of the Eldrazi_(R), _Magic 2011_, _Scars of Mirrodin_(TM), _Mirrodin Besieged_(TM), _New Phyrexia_(TM), and _Magic 2012_.
Go to <www.wizards.com/locator> to find an event or store near you.
Go to <www.wizards.com/MagicFormats> for a complete list of formats and permitted card sets.
-----
***Returning Keyword: Bloodthirst***
Bloodthirst is an ability that originally appeared in the _Guildpact_(R) set. It allows creatures to enter the battlefield pumped-up if an opponent had been dealt damage earlier that turn.
The official rules for bloodthirst are as follows:
702.52. Bloodthirst
702.52a Bloodthirst is a static ability. "Bloodthirst N" means "If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this permanent enters the battlefield with N +1/+1 counters on it."
702.52b "Bloodthirst X" is a special form of bloodthirst. "Bloodthirst X" means "This permanent enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the total damage your opponents have been dealt this turn."
702.52c If an object has multiple instances of bloodthirst, each applies separately.
* Bloodthirst checks for any kind of damage, including combat damage.
* Life loss that isn't caused by damage (for example, the life loss caused by Blood Seeker's ability) doesn't cause a creature with bloodthirst to get counters, but damage from a source with infect (a mechanic from the _Scars of Mirrodin_ block) does, even though it doesn't cause loss of life.
* It doesn't matter who controlled the source of the damage dealt to your opponent. If an opponent was dealt damage by a source he or she controlled (such as Manabarbs, for example), creatures with bloodthirst that enter the battlefield under your control later that turn will get +1/+1 counters.
* The creature with bloodthirst enters the battlefield with the +1/+1 counters already on it. For example, a 1/1 creature that enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it will enter as a 3/3 creature, not as a 1/1 creature that then becomes 3/3.
* "Bloodthirst X" doesn't appear on any _Magic 2012_ cards.
-----
***New Keyword: Hexproof***
Hexproof is a new name for an existing ability. The rules for hexproof are as follows:
702.11. Hexproof
702.11a Hexproof is a static ability.
702.11b "Hexproof" on a permanent means "This permanent can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control."
702.11c "Hexproof" on a player means "You can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control."
702.11d Multiple instances of hexproof on the same permanent or player are redundant.
* A permanent with hexproof can still be the target or spells or abilities controlled by that permanent's controller or that player's teammates. The same is true for a player with hexproof.
* Aura spells target a permanent or player. You can't cast an Aura spell targeting an opponent's permanent with hexproof.
* Auras on the battlefield don't target anything. Granting hexproof to a permanent or player doesn't cause opponents' Auras to become unattached.
-----
***New Rules Term: Dies***
The _Magic 2012_ core set introduces the wording shortcut "dies." The word "dies" on a _Magic_ card simply means "is put into a graveyard from the battlefield." The two phrases are interchangeable. Similarly, the word "died" means "was put into a graveyard from the battlefield."
The term "dies" is used only if a creature is moving from the battlefield to a graveyard and only if the effect doesn't care which player's graveyard the creature is put into. (The complete phrase "is put into a graveyard from the battlefield" is used if the object is likely to have a different card type.)
Many older cards will be updated in the Oracle card reference to use this new term. This is not a functional change.
Archon of Justice
{3}{W}{W}
Creature -- Archon
4/4
Flying
When Archon of Justice dies, exile target permanent.
* A creature can die (be put into a graveyard from the battlefield) for many reasons. The most common reasons are because it was destroyed, because its toughness was 0 or less, because it was sacrificed, or because of the "legend rule."
* If a creature card is put into a graveyard from any zone except the battlefield, it doesn't "die." A creature also doesn't die if it moves from the battlefield to any zone except the graveyard.
-----
***Cycle: "Artifacts of Empires"***
The _Magic 2012_ core set has three artifacts with "of Empires" in their names. Each can be tapped for an upgraded effect if you control all three of them.
Scepter of Empires
{3}
Artifact
{T}: Scepter of Empires deals 1 damage to target player. It deals 3 damage to that player instead if you control artifacts named Crown of Empires and Throne of Empires.
* Whether or not you control the correct artifacts is determined when the ability resolves.
* The ability checks whether you control the two artifacts named in the ability. If the artifact whose ability you activated leaves the battlefield or changes controllers in response, but you still control the two named artifacts when that ability resolves, you'll get the upgraded effect.
* If any of the named cards stops being an artifact, it won't be considered by these abilities.
-----
***Cycle: "Tap Lands"***
The _Magic_ 2012 core set has a cycle of lands that produce two colors of mana and enter the battlefield tapped unless you control a certain land.
Dragonskull Summit
Land
Dragonskull Summit enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a Swamp or a Mountain.
{T}: Add {B} or {R} to your mana pool.
* These lands check for lands you control with either of the two listed land types, not either of the two listed names. The lands they check for don't have to be basic lands. For example, if you control Stomping Ground (a nonbasic land with the land types Mountain and Forest), Dragonskull Summit will enter the battlefield untapped.
* As these lands are entering the battlefield, they check for lands that are already on the battlefield. They won't see lands that are entering the battlefield at the same time (due to Primeval Titan's ability, for example).
-----
***Cycle: "Lucky Charms"***
The _Magic_ 2012 core set has a cycle of artifacts that let you gain life whenever a player casts a spell of the appropriate color.
Kraken's Eye
{2}
Artifact
Whenever a player casts a blue spell, you may gain 1 life.
* The ability triggers whenever any player, not just you, casts a spell of the appropriate color.
* If a player casts a spell of the appropriate color, the artifact's ability triggers and is put on the stack on top of that spell. The artifact's ability will resolve (causing you to gain 1 life) before the spell does.
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***Returning Card Type: Planeswalker***
A planeswalker is a powerful ally that fights by your side. The rules for the planeswalker card type haven't changed with this release.
Jace, Memory Adept
{3}{U}{U}
Planeswalker -- Jace
4
[+1]: Draw a card. Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
[0]: Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
[-7]: Any number of target players each draw twenty cards.
* Planeswalkers are permanents. You can cast one at the time you could cast a sorcery. When your planeswalker spell resolves, it enters the battlefield under your control.
* Planeswalkers are not creatures. Spells and abilities that affect creatures won't affect them.
* If two or more planeswalkers that share a subtype (such as "Jace") are on the battlefield, they're all put into their owners' graveyards as a state-based action.
* Planeswalkers have loyalty. A planeswalker enters the battlefield with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to the number printed in its lower right corner. Activating one of its abilities may cause it to gain or lose loyalty counters. Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from it. If it has no loyalty, it's put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based action.
* Planeswalkers each have a number of activated abilities called "loyalty abilities." You can activate a loyalty ability of a planeswalker you control only at the time you could cast a sorcery and only if you haven't activated one of that planeswalker's loyalty abilities yet that turn.
* The cost to activate a planeswalker's loyalty ability is represented by an arrow with a number inside. Up-arrows contain positive numbers, such as "+1"; this means "Put one loyalty counter on this planeswalker." Down-arrows contain negative numbers, such as "-7"; this means "Remove seven loyalty counters from this planeswalker." You can't activate a planeswalker's ability with a negative loyalty cost unless the planeswalker has at least that many loyalty counters on it.
* Planeswalkers can't attack (unless an effect such as the one from Gideon Jura's third ability turns the planeswalker into a creature). However, they can be attacked. Each of your attacking creatures can attack your opponent or a planeswalker that player controls. You say which as you declare attackers.
* If your planeswalkers are being attacked, you can block the attackers as normal.
* If a creature that's attacking a planeswalker isn't blocked, it'll deal its combat damage to that planeswalker. Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from it.
* If a source you control would deal noncombat damage to an opponent, you may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker that opponent controls instead. For example, although you can't target a planeswalker with Shock, you can target your opponent with Shock, and then as Shock resolves, choose to have Shock deal its 2 damage to one of your opponent's planeswalkers. (You can't split up that damage between different players and/or planeswalkers.) If you have Shock deal its damage to a planeswalker, two loyalty counters are removed from it.
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CARD-SPECIFIC NOTES
Act of Treason
{2}{R}
Sorcery
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. (It can attack and {T} this turn.)
* You may target any creature with Act of Treason, including one that is untapped or one that you already control.
* Gaining control of a creature doesn't cause you gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it.
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Adaptive Automaton
{3}
Artifact Creature -- Construct
2/2
As Adaptive Automaton enters the battlefield, choose a creature type.
Adaptive Automaton is the chosen type in addition to its other types.
Other creatures you control of the chosen type get +1/+1.
* The choice of creature type is made as Adaptive Automaton enters the battlefield. Players can't respond to this choice. The bonus starts applying immediately.
* You must choose an existing _Magic_ creature type.
* Even though Adaptive Automaton is a Construct, other Construct creatures you control won't get +1/+1 (unless you chose Construct as Adaptive Automaton entered the battlefield).
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Aegis Angel
{4}{W}{W}
Creature -- Angel
5/5
Flying
When Aegis Angel enters the battlefield, another target permanent is indestructible for as long as you control Aegis Angel. (Effects that say "destroy" don't destroy that permanent. An indestructible creature can't be destroyed by damage.)
* If Aegis Angel leaves the battlefield, you no longer control it.
* If another player gains control of Aegis Angel, the permanent will no longer be indestructible, even if you regain control of Aegis Angel.
* If Aegis Angel and the permanent would be destroyed simultaneously, only Aegis Angel will be destroyed.
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AEther Adept
{1}{U}{U}
Creature -- Human Wizard
2/2
When AEther Adept enters the battlefield, return target creature to its owner's hand.
* Aether Adept's ability is mandatory. If there are no other creatures on the battlefield, you must choose AEther Adept itself as the target of its own ability.
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Alabaster Mage
{1}{W}
Creature -- Human Wizard
2/1
{1}{W}: Target creature you control gains lifelink until end of turn. (Damage dealt by the creature also causes its controller to gain that much life.)
* Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature provide no additional benefit. The creature's controller gains life equal the damage dealt and no more.
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Alluring Siren
{1}{U}
Creature -- Siren
1/1
{T}: Target creature an opponent controls attacks you this turn if able.
* If there are multiple combat phases in a turn, the creature must attack only in the first one in which it's able to.
* The creature must attack you if able, not a planeswalker you control.
* If, during a player's declare attackers step, the creature is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or hasn't been under that player's control continuously since the turn began (and doesn't have haste), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having the creature attack, the player isn't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either.
* Activating the ability during your opponent's turn after attackers have been declared will have no effect. The same is true if you activate the ability during your own turn.
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Angelic Destiny
{2}{W}{W}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +4/+4, has flying and first strike, and is an Angel in addition to its other types.
When enchanted creature dies, return Angelic Destiny to its owner's hand.
* If the creature dies before the Angelic Destiny spell resolves, Angelic Destiny will go to its owner's graveyard. It won't return to its owner's hand.
* If Angelic Destiny is no longer in a graveyard when its triggered ability resolves, it won't be returned to its owner's hand.
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Arachnus Spinner
{5}{G}
Creature -- Spider
5/7
Reach (This creature can block creatures with flying.)
Tap an untapped Spider you control: Search your graveyard and/or library for a card named Arachnus Web and put it onto the battlefield attached to target creature. If you search your library this way, shuffle it.
* You can tap any untapped Spider you control, including one you haven't controlled continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn, to pay the cost of Arachnus Spinner's activated ability. You can even tap Arachnus Spinner itself to pay this cost.
* If you choose to search your library this way, you don't have to find a card named Arachnus Web, even if one is there. You'll still shuffle your library after searching it.
* If you choose to search your graveyard this way, you must find a card named Arachnus Web if one is there.
* You may search both your graveyard and your library, but you can find a maximum of one card named Arachnus Web.
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Arachnus Web
{2}{G}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block, and its activated abilities can't be activated.
At the beginning of the end step, if enchanted creature's power is 4 or greater, destroy Arachnus Web.
* The last ability checks at the beginning of each turn's end step, not just your turn's.
* If the enchanted creature's power isn't 4 or greater when the end step begins, the last ability won't trigger at all.
* If the ability triggers, but the enchanted creature's power is reduced to 3 or less before the ability resolves, the ability will have no effect. Arachnus Web won't be destroyed.
* If Arachnus Web enters the battlefield attached to an attacking or blocking creature (due to Arachnus Spinner's ability, for example), that creature will continue to attack or block.
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Arbalest Elite
{2}{W}{W}
Creature -- Human Archer
2/3
{2}{W}, {T}: Arbalest Elite deals 3 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. Arbalest Elite doesn't untap during your next untap step.
* If the creature is an illegal target when Arbalest Elite's ability tries to resolve, the ability will be countered and none of its effects will happen. Arbalest Elite will untap during its controller's next untap step.
* If another player controls Arbalest Elite during your next untap step, the part of the effect that keeps it from untapping does nothing. It won't try to apply during a future untap step.
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Autumn's Veil
{G}
Instant
Spells you control can't be countered by blue or black spells this turn, and creatures you control can't be the targets of blue or black spells this turn.
* Autumn's Veil itself may be countered by blue or black spells. Its effect doesn't apply until after it resolves.
* After Autumn's Veil resolves, any spell you control that turn can still be targeted by spells that try to counter it (such as Cancel), regardless of their color. If those spells are blue or black at the time they would resolve, they will resolve, but the part of their effect that would counter the spell you control simply won't do anything. Any other effects those spells have will work as normal.
* If a creature you control is being targeted by a spell when Autumn's Veil resolves, nothing happens right away. When that spell would resolve, its color is checked. If it's blue or black, that creature will be an illegal target for that spell, and will be unable to be affected by it. If all that spell's targets have become illegal by the time it would resolve, it's countered.
* After Autumn's Veil resolves, no new blue or black spell may be cast that turn targeting a creature you control.
* Keep in mind that an Aura spell targets the permanent it will enchant (but an Aura on the battlefield doesn't target the permanent it's attached to).
* Autumn's Veil affects any spells and creatures you happen to control at any point during the rest of the turn, not just spells and creatures you control as it resolves. That's because it doesn't grant an ability to those spells or creatures; rather, it affects the game rules and states something that's now true about those spells and creatures.
* Autumn's Veil has no effect on abilities. After it resolves, spells you control may be countered by abilities from blue or black sources, and creatures you control may be targeted by abilities from blue or black sources.
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Blood Seeker
{1}{B}
Creature -- Vampire Shaman
1/1
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, you may have that player lose 1 life.
* Life loss is not the same as damage. Blood Seeker's ability will not cause creatures with bloodthirst to enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters.
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Bloodlord of Vaasgoth
{3}{B}{B}
Creature -- Vampire Warrior
3/3
Bloodthirst 3 (If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this creature enters the battlefield with three +1/+1 counters on it.)
Flying
Whenever you cast a Vampire creature spell, it gains bloodthirst 3.
* Multiple instances of bloodthirst are cumulative. For example, if you control Bloodlord of Vaasgoth and cast a Vampire creature spell that already has bloodthirst 1, that Vampire will enter the battlefield with four +1/+1 counters on it if an opponent has been dealt damage that turn.
* A creature spell like Phantasmal Image that may enter the battlefield as a copy of a creature is not a Vampire creature spell, even if you intend on copying a Vampire creature when that creature enters the battlefield.
* Vampire creatures you put directly onto the battlefield without casting them and Vampire creature tokens you put onto the battlefield will not gain bloodthirst 3 from Bloodlord of Vaasgoth.
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Brink of Disaster
{2}{B}{B}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature or land
When enchanted permanent becomes tapped, destroy it.
* Brink of Disaster may target and may enchant a permanent that's already tapped. It won't do anything until the enchanted permanent changes from being untapped to being tapped.
* When the enchanted permanent becomes tapped, Brink of Disaster's ability triggers. That permanent will be destroyed when the ability resolves, even if Brink of Disaster has left the battlefield or is somehow enchanting a different permanent by then.
* If the enchanted permanent is tapped as a cost to activate a mana ability, the mana ability resolves immediately, then Brink of Disaster's ability goes on the stack.
* If the enchanted permanent is tapped as a cost to activate an ability that's not a mana ability, Brink of Disaster's ability will go on the stack on top of that activated ability. Brink of Disaster's ability resolves first (destroying that permanent), then the permanent's activated ability resolves.
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Call to the Grave
{4}{B}
Enchantment
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player sacrifices a non-Zombie creature.
At the beginning of the end step, if no creatures are on the battlefield, sacrifice Call to the Grave.
* If a player controls no creatures, or each creature he or she controls is a Zombie, that player does nothing when the first ability resolves.
* If there is at least one creature on the battlefield at the beginning of the end step, the last ability won't trigger. If it does trigger, but a creature enters the battlefield before it resolves, the ability won't do anything when it resolves. Call to the Grave's controller won't sacrifice it.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, Call to the Grave will trigger twice during each team's upkeep, once for each player. Each of the two players will sacrifice a non-Zombie creature when the ability referring to that player resolves.
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Cemetery Reaper
{1}{B}{B}
Creature -- Zombie
2/2
Other Zombie creatures you control get +1/+1.
{2}{B}, {T}: Exile target creature card from a graveyard. Put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token onto the battlefield.
* Cemetery Reaper grants +1/+1 to all other Zombie creatures you control, not just the ones its ability puts onto the battlefield.
* The creature card in a graveyard is exiled as part of the activated ability's effect, not as a cost. If that card has left the graveyard by the time the ability would resolve, the ability is countered and you don't get a Zombie token.
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Chandra, the Firebrand
{3}{R}
Planeswalker -- Chandra
3
[+1]: Chandra, the Firebrand deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
[-2]: When you cast your next instant or sorcery spell this turn, copy that spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
[-6]: Chandra, the Firebrand deals 6 damage to each of up to six target creatures and/or players.
* Chandra's second ability creates a delayed triggered ability that will copy the next instant or sorcery spell you cast that turn, regardless of whether that spell has targets.
* When the delayed trigger resolves, it creates a copy of a spell. You control the copy. That copy is created on the stack, so it's not "cast." Abilities that trigger when a player casts a spell won't trigger. The copy will then resolve like a normal spell, after players get a chance to cast spells and activate abilities.
* The copy will have the same targets as the spell it's copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
* If the spell Chandra copies is modal (that is, it says "Choose one --" or the like), the copy will have the same mode. You can't choose a different one.
* If the spell Chandra copies has an X whose value was determined as it was cast (like Consume Spirit does), the copy has the same value of X.
* You can't choose to pay any additional costs for the copy. However, effects based on any additional costs that were paid for the original spell are copied as though those same costs were paid for the copy too. For example, if you sacrifice a 3/3 creature to cast Fling after activating Chandra's second ability, the copy of Fling will also deal 3 damage.
* When you activate Chandra's last ability, you choose up to six target creatures and/or players. No damage is divided, and Chandra can't deal more than 6 damage to any one target. Chandra deals 6 damage to each target that is still legal when the ability resolves.
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Chandra's Outrage
{2}{R}{R}
Instant
Chandra's Outrage deals 4 damage to target creature and 2 damage to that creature's controller.
* The player who's dealt damage is the player who controls the targeted creature at the time Chandra's Outrage resolves.
* If the targeted creature is an illegal target by the time Chandra's Outrage resolves, the entire spell is countered. No player is dealt damage.
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Combust
{1}{R}
Instant
Combust can't be countered by spells or abilities.
Combust deals 5 damage to target white or blue creature. The damage can't be prevented.
* Combust can be targeted by spells and abilities that try to counter it (such as Cancel). Those spells and abilities will resolve, but the part of their effect that would counter Combust won't do anything. Any other effects those spells and abilities have will work as normal.
* If the targeted creature is an illegal target by the time Combust would resolve, Combust will be countered by the game rules.
* Spells that create prevention effects affecting the targeted creature can still be cast, and abilities that create prevention effects affecting the targeted creature can still be activated. However, damage prevention shields (including those created before Combust was cast) don't have any effect on the damage dealt by Combust. If such a prevention effect has an additional effect, the additional effect will still work (if possible).
* If a static ability would prevent damage from being dealt to the targeted creature, it fails to prevent the damage dealt by Combust. If that ability has an additional effect that doesn't depend on the amount of damage prevented, that additional effect will still work. It's applied just once as Combust resolves.
* Effects that replace or redirect damage without using the word "prevent" aren't affected by Combust; they'll work as normal.
* If a creature is dealt lethal damage by Combust, it can still regenerate. If it does, the damage marked on it will be removed from it.
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Consume Spirit
{X}{1}{B}
Sorcery
Spend only black mana on X.
Consume Spirit deals X damage to target creature or player and you gain X life.
* The amount of life you gain is equal to the number chosen for X, not the amount of damage Consume Spirit deals (in case some of it is prevented).
* If the targeted creature or player is an illegal target by the time Consume Spirit would resolve, the entire spell is countered. You won't gain any life.
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Crown of Empires
{2}
Artifact
{3}, {T}: Tap target creature. Gain control of that creature instead if you control artifacts named Scepter of Empires and Throne of Empires.
* If you control artifacts named Scepter of Empires and Throne of Empires, the targeted creature won't be tapped. You'll just gain control of it.
* See also "Artifacts of Empires" in the General Notes section above.
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Crumbling Colossus
{5}
Artifact Creature -- Golem
7/4
Trample (If this creature would assign enough damage to its blockers to destroy them, you may have it assign the rest of its damage to defending player or planeswalker.)
When Crumbling Colossus attacks, sacrifice it at end of combat.
* If another player controls Crumbling Colossus when its ability tries to resolve, you'll be unable to sacrifice it. It will simply remain on the battlefield.
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Cudgel Troll
{2}{G}{G}
Creature -- Troll
4/3
{G}: Regenerate Cudgel Troll. (The next time this creature would be destroyed this turn, it isn't. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat.)
* Activating Cudgel Troll's ability causes a "regeneration shield" to be created for it. The next time Cudgel Troll would be destroyed that turn, the regeneration shield is used up instead. This works only if Cudgel Troll is dealt lethal damage, dealt damage from a source with deathtouch, or affected by a spell or ability that says to "destroy" it. Other effects that cause Cudgel Troll to be put into the graveyard (such as reducing its toughness to 0 or sacrificing it) don't destroy it, so regeneration won't save it. If it hasn't been used, the regeneration shield goes away as the turn ends.
* To work, the regeneration shield must be created before Cudgel Troll is destroyed. This usually means activating its ability during the declare blockers step, or in response to a spell or ability that would destroy it.
* If Cudgel Troll is dealt lethal damage and is dealt damage by a source with deathtouch during the same combat damage step, a single regeneration shield will save it.
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Dark Favor
{1}{B}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
When Dark Favor enters the battlefield, you lose 1 life.
Enchanted creature gets +3/+1.
* If the creature targeted by Dark Favor is an illegal target when Dark Favor tries to resolve, Dark Favor will be countered. It won't enter the battlefield and its enters-the-battlefield ability won't trigger.
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Divine Favor
{1}{W}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
When Divine Favor enters the battlefield, you gain 3 life.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+3.
* If the creature targeted by Divine Favor is an illegal target when Divine Favor tries to resolve, Divine Favor will be countered. It won't enter the battlefield and its enters-the-battlefield ability won't trigger.
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Djinn of Wishes
{3}{U}{U}
Creature -- Djinn
4/4
Flying
Djinn of Wishes enters the battlefield with three wish counters on it.
{2}{U}{U}, Remove a wish counter from Djinn of Wishes: Reveal the top card of your library. You may play that card without paying its mana cost. If you don't, exile it.
* You play the revealed card as part of the resolution of Djinn of Wishes's ability. Timing restrictions based on the card's type (such as creature or sorcery) are ignored. Other play restrictions are not (such as "Cast [this card] only during combat").
* If the revealed card is a spell, you may cast it only if you can choose legal targets for it. If you cast it, it's put on the stack, then Djinn of Wishes's ability finishes resolving. The spell will then resolve as normal, after players get a chance to cast spells and activate abilities.
* If the revealed card is a land, you can play it only if it's your turn and you haven't yet played a land this turn.
* If you play a card "without paying its mana cost," you can't pay any alternative costs. You can pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the card has mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
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Doubling Chant
{5}{G}
Sorcery
For each creature you control, you may search your library for a creature card with the same name as that creature. Put those cards onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.
* The cards you find in your library must be creature cards. For example, you can't put a land card onto the battlefield even if it has the same name as a land you control that's also a creature (perhaps because of an ability of that land).
* If you control a creature whose name has been changed by an effect (for example, a Clone that's copying another creature), you'll search for a card with the new name, not one with the original name.
* If you control no creatures when Doubling Chant resolves, you may still search your library and you must shuffle your library.
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Druidic Satchel
{3}
Artifact
{2}, {T}: Reveal the top card of your library. If it's a creature card, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token onto the battlefield. If it's a land card, put that card onto the battlefield under your control. If it's a noncreature, nonland card, you gain 2 life.
* If the revealed card is both a creature and a land (such as Dryad Arbor), you'll put a Saproling creature token and that card onto the battlefield.
* If the card is not a land card, it will remain on top of your library.
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Dungrove Elder
{2}{G}
Creature -- Treefolk
*/*
Hexproof (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
Dungrove Elder's power and toughness are each equal to the number of Forests you control.
* Dungrove Elder's power and toughness are each equal to the number of lands you control with the land type Forest, not necessarily lands named Forest.
* Dungrove Elder's power and toughness will change as the number of Forests you control changes.
* Dungrove Elder's ability sets its power and toughness in all zones, not just the battlefield.
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Elixir of Immortality
{1}
Artifact
{2}, {T}: You gain 5 life. Shuffle Elixir of Immortality and your graveyard into their owner's library.
* Paying the activation cost of Elixir of Immortality's ability doesn't cause it to leave the battlefield. If you have a way to untap it, you can activate the ability multiple times in response to itself.
* As the ability resolves, you'll shuffle Elixir of Immortality into your library directly from the battlefield, if it's still there. If it's in your graveyard by that time, you'll still wind up shuffling it into your library because you shuffle your entire graveyard into your library. If it's anywhere else by that time, it remains where it is and you shuffle just your graveyard into your library. (You'll shuffle your library as a result even if there aren't any cards in your graveyard.)
* If you gain control of another player's Elixir of Immortality and activate it, the Elixir of Immortality will be shuffled into its owner's library and the cards in your graveyard will be shuffled into your library. You are considered to have shuffled each affected library (even if, as a shortcut, each player physically shuffles his or her own library).
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Elvish Archdruid
{1}{G}{G}
Creature -- Elf Druid
2/2
Other Elf creatures you control get +1/+1.
{T}: Add {G} to your mana pool for each Elf you control.
* Elvish Archdruid's first ability affects only other Elves you control. However, Elvish Archdruid's second ability counts all Elves you control -- including itself.
* Elvish Archdruid's activated ability is a mana ability. It doesn't use the stack and players can't respond to it.
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Fireball
{X}{R}
Sorcery
Fireball deals X damage divided evenly, rounded down, among any number of target creatures and/or players.
Fireball costs {1} more to cast for each target beyond the first.
* If, for example, X is 5 and you choose three target creatures, Fireball has a total cost of {7}{R} (even though its mana cost is just {5}{R}). If those creatures are all still legal targets as Fireball resolves, it deals 1 damage to each of them.
* Fireball's damage is divided as Fireball resolves, not as it's cast, because there are no choices involved. The division involves only targets that are still legal at that time.
* You can target more than X creatures and/or players. However, if the number of legal targets at the time Fireball resolves is greater than X, none of them will be dealt any damage.
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Flameblast Dragon
{4}{R}{R}
Creature -- Dragon
5/5
Flying
Whenever Flameblast Dragon attacks, you may pay {X}{R}. If you do, Flameblast Dragon deals X damage to target creature or player.
* You choose the target when the ability triggers. When the ability resolves, you choose a value for X and decide whether to pay {X}{R}. If you do decide to pay {X}{R}, it's too late for any player to respond since the ability is already in the midst of resolving.
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Fling
{1}{R}
Instant
As an additional cost to cast Fling, sacrifice a creature.
Fling deals damage equal to the sacrificed creature's power to target creature or player.
* Players can only respond once Fling has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try and destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting Fling.
* The sacrificed creature's last known existence on the battlefield is checked to determine its power.
* If you sacrifice an attacking or blocking creature during the declare blockers step, it won't deal combat damage. If you wait until the combat damage step, but that creature is dealt lethal damage, it'll be destroyed before you get a chance to sacrifice it.
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Frost Breath
{2}{U}
Instant
Tap up to two target creatures. Those creatures don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
* If a creature affected by Frost Breath changes controllers before its old controller's next untap step, Frost Breath will prevent it from becoming untapped during its new controller's next untap step.
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Frost Titan
{4}{U}{U}
Creature -- Giant
6/6
Whenever Frost Titan becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless its controller pays {2}.
Whenever Frost Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, tap target permanent. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
* Frost Titan's first ability affects each spell (including Aura spells), activated ability, and triggered ability that's controlled by an opponent and that Frost Titan becomes a target of.
* You may target any permanent with Frost Titan's second ability. It's okay if that permanent is already tapped.
* If the permanent affected by Frost Titan's second ability is untapped at the time that permanent's controller's next untap step begins, the last part of Frost Titan's second ability has no effect.
* If the permanent affected by Frost Titan's second ability changes controllers before its old controller's next untap step, Frost Titan's second ability will prevent it from being untapped during its new controller's next untap step.
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Garruk, Primal Hunter
{2}{G}{G}{G}
Planeswalker -- Garruk
3
[+1]: Put a 3/3 green Beast creature token onto the battlefield.
[-3]: Draw cards equal to the greatest power among creatures you control.
[-6]: Put a 6/6 green Wurm creature token onto the battlefield for each land you control.
* For Garruk's second ability, the greatest power among creatures you control is determined when that ability begins resolving.
* If the greatest power among creatures you control is 0 or less, you'll draw no cards. You won't discard any cards this way.
* For Garruk's third ability, the number of Wurm tokens you put onto the battlefield is determined when that ability begins resolving.
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Garruk's Horde
{5}{G}{G}
Creature -- Beast
7/7
Trample
Play with the top card of your library revealed.
You may cast the top card of your library if it's a creature card. (Do this only any time you could cast that creature card. You still pay the spell's costs.)
* Normally, Garruk's Horde allows you to cast the top card of your library if it's a creature card, it's your main phase, and the stack is empty. If that creature card has flash, you'll be able to cast it at the time you could cast an instant, even on an opponent's turn.
* You'll still pay all costs for that spell, including additional costs. You may also pay alternative costs.
* While playing with the top card of your library revealed, if you draw multiple cards, reveal each one before you draw it.
* The top card of your library is not in your hand. You can't discard it.
* If the top card of your library is Dryad Arbor (the only card that's both a creature and a land), you can't play it this way. Dryad Arbor can't be cast as a spell.
-----
"Sufficiently advanced experience is indistinguishable from clairvoyance." -Carsten
"Ah those eyes, those horrible creepy eyes!" -Chaosof99
DCI Level 3 Judge & TO
"I do not consider myself a hero. I know only what the Vec teach:
justice must always be served and corruption must always be opposed."
Go read! I am one of the three authors of Cranial Insertion.
But seriously, if you can't remember "Woapalanne", just call me Eli.
{3}{W}{W}
Planeswalker -- Gideon
6
[+2]: During target opponent's next turn, creatures that player controls attack Gideon Jura if able.
[-2]: Destroy target tapped creature.
[0]: Until end of turn, Gideon Jura becomes a 6/6 Human Soldier creature that's still a planeswalker. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to him this turn.
* Gideon Jura's first ability doesn't lock in what it applies to. That's because the effect states a true thing about a set of creatures, but doesn't actually change the characteristics of those creatures. As a result, whatever creatures the targeted opponent controls during the declare attackers step of his or her next turn must attack Gideon Jura if able. This includes creatures that come under that player's control after the ability has resolved and creatures that have lost all abilities.
* Gideon Jura's first ability causes creatures to attack him if able. If, during the affected player's declare attackers step, a creature he or she controls is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or hasn't been under that player's control continuously since that turn began (and doesn't have haste), then that creature doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having a creature attack, the player isn't forced to pay that cost, so the creature doesn't have to attack in that case either.
* If a creature controlled by the affected player can't attack Gideon Jura (because he's no longer on the battlefield, for example), that player may have it attack you, another one of your planeswalkers, or nothing at all.
* Gideon Jura's first ability applies during each combat phase of the affected player's next turn (as opposed to applying during the affected player's next combat phase). The distinction is relevant if there are no combat phases during that turn (due to Sundial of the Infinite's effect, for example) or there are multiples (due to Relentless Assault, for example).
* If Gideon Jura becomes a creature due to his third ability, that doesn't count as having a creature enter the battlefield. Gideon Jura was already on the battlefield; he only changed his types. Abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield won't trigger.
* If Gideon Jura becomes a creature, he can't attack or use any of his {T} abilities (if he gains any) unless he began your most recent turn on the battlefield under your control. This rule cares about when Gideon Jura came under your control, not when he became a creature.
* Gideon Jura's third ability causes him to become a creature with the creature types Human Soldier. He remains a planeswalker with the planeswalker type Gideon. (He also retains any other card types or subtypes he may have had.) Each subtype is correlated to the proper card type: Gideon is just a planeswalker type (not a creature type), and Human and Soldier are just creature types (not planeswalker types).
* If you activate Gideon Jura's third ability and then unpreventable damage is dealt to him (due to Unstable Footing, for example), that damage has all applicable results: specifically, the damage is marked on Gideon Jura (since he's a creature) and that damage causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from him (since he's a planeswalker). If the total amount of damage marked on Gideon Jura is lethal damage, he's destroyed as a state-based action. If Gideon Jura has no loyalty counters on him, he's put into his owner's graveyard as a state-based action.
* If you activate Gideon Jura's third ability and then a creature enters the battlefield as a copy of him, that copy will be just a planeswalker, not a creature. (The effect of Gideon's third ability isn't copied, just as the effect of a Giant Growth, for example, wouldn't be copied.) Since both permanents will be planeswalkers with the planeswalker type Gideon, each one will be put into his owner's graveyard as a state-based action due to the "planeswalker uniqueness rule."
* If you activate Gideon Jura's third ability and then a permanent that's already on the battlefield becomes a copy of him, that copy will be just a planeswalker, not a creature. If the original Gideon Jura is still on the battlefield by the time the copy effect happens, each of those permanents will be put into his owner's graveyard as a state-based action due to the "planeswalker uniqueness rule." If the original Gideon Jura is gone by this time, the other permanent will be put into his owner's graveyard as a state-based action for having no loyalty counters on him (unless, for some odd reason, he already had loyalty counters on him).
* Say you activate Gideon Jura's third ability, then an opponent gains control of him before combat. You may have any of your creatures attack Gideon Jura (since he's still a planeswalker). Then Gideon Jura may block (since he's a creature). He may block any eligible attacking creature, including one that's attacking him! During combat, he behaves as an attacked planeswalker and/or a blocking creature, as appropriate. For example, he deals combat damage to any creatures he's blocking, but he doesn't deal combat damage to any unblocked creatures that are attacking him.
-----
Gideon's Avenger
{1}{W}{W}
Creature -- Human Soldier
2/2
Whenever a creature an opponent controls becomes tapped, put a +1/+1 counter on Gideon's Avenger.
* If an opponent's creature enters the battlefield tapped, Gideon's Avenger's ability doesn't trigger.
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Goblin Bangchuckers
{2}{R}{R}
Creature -- Goblin Warrior
2/2
{T}: Flip a coin. If you win the flip, Goblin Bangchuckers deals 2 damage to target creature or player. If you lose the flip, Goblin Bangchuckers deals 2 damage to itself.
* You choose the target creature or player when you activate the ability. You don't flip the coin until the ability resolves. Players may respond to the ability, but they won't know the results of the coin flip.
* If the creature or player is an illegal target when Goblin Bangchucker's ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't flip a coin and no damage will be dealt.
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Goblin Grenade
{R}
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast Goblin Grenade, sacrifice a Goblin.
Goblin Grenade deals 5 damage to target creature or player.
* Players can only respond once Goblin Grenade has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try and destroy the Goblin to prevent you from casting Goblin Grenade.
* The Goblin you sacrifice to cast Goblin Grenade doesn't have to be a creature. For example, you could sacrifice Boggart Shenanigans (a tribal enchantment with the subtype Goblin).
* You can't sacrifice more than one Goblin to get a greater effect.
-----
Goblin Tunneler
{1}{R}
Creature -- Goblin Rogue
1/1
{T}: Target creature with power 2 or less is unblockable this turn.
* The power of the targeted creature is checked both as you target it and as the ability resolves. After the ability resolves, the creature will remain unblockable even if its power becomes greater than 2.
* The ability doesn't grant an ability to the targeted creature. Rather, it affects the game rules and states something that's now true about that creature. After the ability resolves, the creature will remain unblockable for the rest of the turn even if it loses all abilities.
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Grand Abolisher
{W}{W}
Creature -- Human Cleric
2/2
During your turn, your opponents can't cast spells or activate abilities of artifacts, creatures, or enchantments.
* Grand Abolisher doesn't stop your opponents from activating abilities of artifact, creature, or enchantment cards in zones other than the battlefield (like cycling abilities, for example).
* Grand Abolisher doesn't affect triggered abilities or static abilities.
-----
Grim Lavamancer
{R}
Creature -- Human Wizard
1/1
{R}, {T}, Exile two cards from your graveyard: Grim Lavamancer deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
* The two cards are exiled as the cost of Grim Lavamancer's ability is paid. Players can't respond to the paying of costs by trying to move those cards to another zone.
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Guardians' Pledge
{1}{W}{W}
Instant
White creatures you control get +2/+2 until end of turn.
* Guardians' Pledge only gives a bonus to white creatures you control when it resolves. Creatures that enter the battlefield later in the turn and nonwhite creatures that become white later in the turn will not get the bonus.
* If a white creature that gets the bonus stops being white later in the turn, it will continue to get +2/+2 until end of turn.
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Harbor Serpent
{4}{U}{U}
Creature -- Serpent
5/5
Islandwalk (This creature is unblockable as long as defending player controls an Island.)
Harbor Serpent can't attack unless there are five or more Islands on the battlefield.
* Harbor Serpent's abilities care about lands with the land type Island, not necessarily lands named Island.
* The second ability checks how many Islands are on the battlefield (regardless of who controls them) only as attackers are declared. Once Harbor Serpent is declared as an attacker, it will continue to attack even if the number of Islands on the battlefield falls below five.
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Hideous Visage
{2}{B}
Sorcery
Creatures you control gain intimidate until end of turn. (Each of those creatures can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.)
* If an attacking creature has intimidate, what colors it is matters only as the defending player declares blockers. Once it's blocked, changing its colors won't change that.
* A multicolored creature with intimidate can be blocked by any creature that shares a color with it, in addition to artifact creatures. For example, a white-blue creature with intimidate can be blocked by white creatures and/or blue creatures, no matter what other colors they are.
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Ice Cage
{1}{U}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block, and its activated abilities can't be activated.
When enchanted creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, destroy Ice Cage.
* If the enchanted creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, Ice Cage's ability triggers and is put on the stack on top of that spell or ability. Ice Cage's ability will resolve (causing Ice Cage to be destroyed) first.
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Incinerate
{1}{R}
Instant
Incinerate deals 3 damage to target creature or player. A creature dealt damage this way can't be regenerated this turn.
* Spells or abilities that regenerate the creature can still be cast or activated; they just won't do anything. The creature can't be regenerated for any reason, even if a source other than Incinerate would deal lethal damage to it or otherwise destroy it.
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Inferno Titan
{4}{R}{R}
Creature -- Giant
6/6
{R}: Inferno Titan gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
Whenever Inferno Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, it deals 3 damage divided as you choose among one, two, or three target creatures and/or players.
* You divide the damage as you put Inferno Titan's triggered ability on the stack, not as it resolves. Each target must be assigned at least 1 damage. (In other words, as you put the ability on the stack, you choose whether to have it deal 3 damage to a single target, 2 damage to one target and 1 damage to another target, or 1 damage to each of three targets.)
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Jace, Memory Adept
{3}{U}{U}
Planeswalker -- Jace
4
[+1]: Draw a card. Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
[0]: Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
[-7]: Any number of target players each draw twenty cards.
* If you target yourself with Jace's first ability, you'll draw a card first, then put the top card of your library into your graveyard.
* If you activate Jace's first ability, and the player is an illegal target when the ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't draw a card.
* If Jace's third ability causes a player to draw more cards than are left in his or her library, that player loses the game as a state-based action. If this ability causes all players to do this, the game is a draw.
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Jace's Archivist
{1}{U}{U}
Creature -- Vedalken Wizard
2/2
{U}, {T}: Each player discards his or her hand, then draws cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
* If this ability causes a player to draw more cards than are left in his or her library, that player loses the game as a state-based action. If this ability causes all players to do this, the game is a draw.
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Lifelink
{W}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has lifelink. (Damage dealt by the creature also causes its controller to gain that much life.)
* The controller of the enchanted creature, not the controller of Lifelink, gains the life (in case they're different players).
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Manabarbs
{3}{R}
Enchantment
Whenever a player taps a land for mana, Manabarbs deals 1 damage to that player.
* This ability is not a mana ability. It goes on the stack and can be responded to.
* The ability will trigger each time a land is tapped for mana. Each ability is separate.
* If any lands are tapped for mana while a player is casting a spell or activating an ability, Manabarbs's ability will trigger that many times and wait. When the player finishes casting that spell or activating that ability, it's put on the stack, then Manabarbs's triggered abilities are put on the stack on top of it. The Manabarbs abilities will resolve first.
* On the other hand, a player can tap lands for mana, let the Manabarbs triggered abilities be put on the stack, and then respond to those abilities by casting an instant or activating an ability using that mana. In that case, the spell or ability will resolve first.
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Manic Vandal
{2}{R}
Creature -- Human Warrior
2/2
When Manic Vandal enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact.
* Manic Vandal's ability is mandatory. If you're the only player who controls an artifact, you must target one of them.
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Master Thief
{2}{U}{U}
Creature -- Human Rogue
2/2
When Master Thief enters the battlefield, gain control of target artifact for as long as you control Master Thief.
* If Master Thief leaves the battlefield, you no longer control it, and its control-change effect ends.
* If Master Thief ceases to be under your control before its ability resolves, you won't gain control of the targeted artifact at all.
* If another player gains control of Master Thief, its control-change effect ends. Regaining control of Master Thief won't cause you to regain control of the artifact.
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Mesa Enchantress
{1}{W}{W}
Creature -- Human Druid
0/2
Whenever you cast an enchantment spell, you may draw a card.
* If you cast an enchantment spell (including an Aura spell), Mesa Enchantress's ability triggers and is put on the stack on top of that spell. Mesa Enchantress's ability will resolve before the spell does.
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Mind Control
{3}{U}{U}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
You control enchanted creature.
* Gaining control of a creature doesn't cause you to gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it.
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Mind Unbound
{4}{U}{U}
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a lore counter on Mind Unbound, then draw a card for each lore counter on Mind Unbound.
* The ability is mandatory. You can't choose to draw fewer cards than the number of lore counters on Mind Unbound.
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Monomania
{3}{B}{B}
Sorcery
Target player chooses a card in his or her hand and discards the rest.
* If there are one or zero cards in the player's hand, he or she will discard no cards.
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Oblivion Ring
{2}{W}
Enchantment
When Oblivion Ring enters the battlefield, exile another target nonland permanent.
When Oblivion Ring leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner's control.
* If Oblivion Ring leaves the battlefield before its first ability has resolved, its second ability will trigger and do nothing. Then its first ability will resolve and exile the targeted nonland permanent indefinitely.
* If the exiled card is an Aura, that card's owner chooses what it will enchant as it enters the battlefield. An Aura entering the battlefield this way doesn't target anything, but the Aura's enchant ability restricts what it can be attached to. If the Aura can't legally be attached to anything, it remains exiled.
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Onyx Mage
{1}{B}
Creature -- Human Wizard
2/1
{1}{B}: Target creature you control gains deathtouch until end of turn. (Any amount of damage it deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
* Multiple instances of deathtouch on the same creature provide no additional benefit. A creature dealt damage by a creature with multiple instances of deathtouch is destroyed only once.
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Overrun
{2}{G}{G}{G}
Sorcery
Creatures you control get +3/+3 and gain trample until end of turn. (If a creature you control would assign enough damage to its blockers to destroy them, you may have it assign the rest of its damage to defending player or planeswalker.)
* Overrun affects only creatures you control at the time it resolves. It won't affect creatures that come under your control later in the turn or permanents that become creatures later in the turn.
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Pentavus
{7}
Artifact Creature -- Construct
0/0
Pentavus enters the battlefield with five +1/+1 counters on it.
{1}, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Pentavus: Put a 1/1 colorless Pentavite artifact creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
{1}, Sacrifice a Pentavite: Put a +1/+1 counter on Pentavus.
* You can remove any +1/+1 counter on Pentavus to activate its first activated ability, not just ones created by Pentavus's other abilities.
* You can sacrifice any Pentavite creature you control (such as an Adaptive Automaton with Pentavite as its chosen type) to activate Pentavus's second activated ability, not just ones created by Pentavus's other abilities.
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Phantasmal Image
{1}{U}
Creature -- Illusion
0/0
You may have Phantasmal Image enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it's an Illusion in addition to its other types and it gains "When this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it."
* Phantasmal Image's ability doesn't target the chosen creature.
* Phantasmal Image copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing more (unless that creature is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn't copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on.
* If the chosen creature has {X} in its mana cost (such as Primordial Hydra), X is considered to be zero.
* If the chosen creature is copying something else (for example, if the chosen creature is another Phantasmal Image), then Phantasmal Image enters the battlefield as whatever the chosen creature copied.
* If the chosen creature is a token, Phantasmal Image copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that put the token onto the battlefield. Phantasmal Image is not a token.
* Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when Phantasmal Image enters the battlefield. Any "as [this creature] enters the battlefield" or "[this creature] enters the battlefield with" abilities of the chosen creature will also work.
* If Phantasmal Image somehow enters the battlefield at the same time as another creature, Phantasmal Image can't become a copy of that creature. You may only choose a creature that's already on the battlefield.
* You can choose not to copy anything. In that case, Phantasmal Image enters the battlefield as a 0/0 Illusion creature, and is probably put into the graveyard immediately. It doesn't have the ability "When this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it."
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Ponder
{U}
Sorcery
Look at the top three cards of your library, then put them back in any order. You may shuffle your library.
Draw a card.
* If you choose to shuffle your library, that includes the three cards you just looked at and put back on top of it.
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Pride Guardian
{W}
Creature -- Cat Monk
0/3
Defender (This creature can't attack.)
Whenever Pride Guardian blocks, you gain 3 life.
* If Pride Guardian gains the ability to block additional creatures and does so, you'll still gain only 3 life.
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Primeval Titan
{4}{G}{G}
Creature -- Giant
6/6
Trample
Whenever Primeval Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, you may search your library for up to two land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
* You may find any land cards, not just basic land cards.
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Primordial Hydra
{X}{G}{G}
Creature -- Hydra
0/0
Primordial Hydra enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.
At the beginning of your upkeep, double the number of +1/+1 counters on Primordial Hydra.
Primordial Hydra has trample as long as it has ten or more +1/+1 counters on it.
* Consider only the number of +1/+1 counters on Primordial Hydra when determining if it has trample, not its power and toughness. For example, a Primordial Hydra with six +1/+1 counters on it that's been the target of Titanic Growth (giving it +4/+4) would not have trample.
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Quicksilver Amulet
{4}
Artifact
{4}, {T}: You may put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield.
* You don't pay any costs of that creature card, including additional costs.
* If the creature card has {X} in its mana cost (like Primordial Hydra does), X is zero.
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Redirect
{U}{U}
Instant
You may choose new targets for target spell.
* You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
* If the targeted spell is modal (that is, it says "Choose one --" or the like), you can't choose a different mode.
* If you cast Redirect targeting a spell that targets a spell on the stack (like Cancel does, for example), you can't change that spell's target to itself. You can, however, change that spell's target to Redirect. If you do, that spell will be countered when it tries to resolve because Redirect will have left the stack by then.
* Redirect can target any spell, not just an instant or sorcery spell. For example, you could use it to change the target of an Aura spell. However, if the targeted spell has no targets (for example, if it's an instant or sorcery spell that doesn't specifically use the word "target," or if it's a creature spell), Redirect won't have any effect on it.
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Reverberate
{R}{R}
Instant
Copy target instant or sorcery spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
* Reverberate can target (and copy) any instant or sorcery spell, not just one with targets. It doesn't matter who controls it.
* When Reverberate resolves, it creates a copy of a spell. You control the copy. That copy is created on the stack, so it's not "cast." Abilities that trigger when a player casts a spell won't trigger. The copy will then resolve like a normal spell, after players get a chance to cast spells and activate abilities.
* The copy will have the same targets as the spell it's copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
* If the spell Reverberate copies is modal (that is, it says "Choose one --" or the like), the copy will have the same mode. You can't choose a different one.
* If the spell Reverberate copies has an X whose value was determined as it was cast (like Consume Spirit does), the copy has the same value of X.
* You can't choose to pay any additional costs for the copy. However, effects based on any additional costs that were paid for the original spell are copied as though those same costs were paid for the copy too. For example, if a player sacrifices a 3/3 creature to cast Fling, and you copy it with Reverberate, the copy of Fling will also deal 3 damage to its target.
* If the copy says that it affects "you," it affects the controller of the copy, not the controller of the original spell. Similarly, if the copy says that it affects an "opponent," it affects an opponent of the copy's controller, not an opponent of the original spell's controller.
-----
Scrambleverse
{6}{R}{R}
Sorcery
For each nonland permanent, choose a player at random. Then each player gains control of each permanent for which he or she was chosen. Untap those permanents.
* Once Scrambleverse starts to resolve, no player may respond until it has finished resolving. For example, you can't wait to see who will control a creature before deciding whether or not to activate one of its abilities.
* For each nonland permanent, any player may be randomly chosen, including the permanent's current controller.
* All of the control-change effects happen at the same time.
* Each nonland permanent will untap, no matter which player was randomly chosen to gain control of it.
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Sengir Vampire
{3}{B}{B}
Creature -- Vampire
4/4
Flying
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Sengir Vampire this turn dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Sengir Vampire.
* Each time a creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, check whether Sengir Vampire had dealt any damage to it at any time during that turn. If so, Sengir Vampire's ability will trigger. It doesn't matter who controlled the creature or whose graveyard it was put into.
* If Sengir Vampire and a creature it dealt damage to are both put into a graveyard at the same time, Sengir Vampire's ability will trigger, but it will do nothing when it resolves.
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Skinshifter
{1}{G}
Creature -- Human Shaman
1/1
{G}: Choose one -- Until end of turn, Skinshifter becomes a 4/4 Rhino and gains trample; or until end of turn, Skinshifter becomes a 2/2 Bird and gains flying; or until end of turn, Skinshifter becomes a 0/8 Plant. Activate this ability only once each turn.
* You choose the ability's mode when you activate it.
* No matter which mode you choose, Skinshifter will cease to have any creature types it previously had. If you activate its ability choosing the first mode, it will become only a Rhino; it's no longer a Human or a Shaman.
* No matter which mode you choose, Skinshifter will retain any other card types it may have. For example, if an effect causes Skinshifter to be an artifact in addition to its other types and you activate its ability choosing the first mode, it will be both an artifact and a Rhino creature.
* Skinshifter's ability doesn't cause it to lose any other abilities it may have.
* Skinshifter's ability doesn't affect its copiable values. Creatures that enter the battlefield as a copy of Skinshifter will enter as 1/1 Human Shaman creatures.
* You can activate Skinshifter's ability during any player's turn, but only once on each turn.
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Smallpox
{B}{B}
Sorcery
Each player loses 1 life, discards a card, sacrifices a creature, then sacrifices a land.
* Each player loses 1 life. Then, starting with the active player and proceeding in turn order, each player chooses a card to discard (without seeing what other players have chosen) and all discards happen simultaneously. Then, starting with the active player and proceeding in turn order, each player chooses a creature to sacrifice (this time players can see what previous players have chosen) and all sacrifices happen simultaneously. Then the process that happened for creatures is repeated for lands.
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Sorin Markov
{3}{B}{B}{B}
Planeswalker -- Sorin
4
[+2]: Sorin Markov deals 2 damage to target creature or player and you gain 2 life.
[-3]: Target opponent's life total becomes 10.
[-7]: You control target player during that player's next turn.
* If the targeted creature or player is an illegal target by the time Sorin's first ability resolves, the entire ability is countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't gain life.
* For a player's life total to become 10, the player gains or loses the appropriate amount of life. For example, if the targeted opponent's life total is 4 when this ability resolves, it will cause that player to gain 6 life; alternately, if the targeted player's life total is 17 when this ability resolves, it will cause that player to lose 7 life. Other cards that interact with life gain or life loss will interact with this effect accordingly.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, Sorin's second ability causes the targeted opponent's life total to become 10. This results in the team's life total becoming 10.
* Sorin's third ability allows you to control another player during that player's next turn. The player is controlled during the entire turn; the effect doesn't end until the beginning of the next turn.
* While controlling another player, you can see all cards that player can see. This includes cards in that player's hand, face-down cards that player controls, and any cards in any zone that an effect lets him or her look at.
* The player being controlled is still the active player during that turn.
* While controlling another player, you also continue to make your own choices and decisions.
* While controlling another player, you make all choices and decisions that player is allowed to make or is told to make. For example:
-- You choose which land the other player plays.
-- You choose which spells the other player casts, and make all decisions as those spells are cast and as they resolve. For example, you choose the value of X for that player's Fireball, the target for that player's Incinerate, what mana that player spends to cast Day of Judgment, and what card that player gets with Diabolic Tutor.
-- You choose which activated abilities the other player activates, and make all decisions as those abilities are activated and as they resolve. For example, you can have your opponent sacrifice his or her creatures to his or her Devouring Swarm.
-- You make all decisions for the other player's triggered abilities, including what they target and any decisions made when they resolve.
-- You choose which creatures controlled by the other player attack, who or what they attack, and how they assign their combat damage.
-- You make any choices and decisions that player would make for any other reason. For example, you could cast Sphinx of Uthuun, choose that player to divide the revealed cards into piles, and thus divide those cards into piles yourself.
* You can't make the affected player concede. That player may choose to concede at any time, even while you're controlling him or her.
* You can't make any illegal decisions or illegal choices -- you can't do anything that player couldn't do. You can't make choices or decisions for that player that aren't called for by the game rules or by any cards, permanents, spells, abilities, and so on. If an effect causes another player to make decisions that the affected player would normally make (such as Master Warcraft does), that effect takes precedence. (In other words, if the affected player wouldn't make a decision, you wouldn't make that decision on his or her behalf.) You also can't make any choices or decisions for the player that would be called for by the tournament rules (such as whether to take an intentional draw or whether to call a judge).
* You can use only the affected player's resources (cards, mana, and so on) to pay costs for that player; you can't use your own. Similarly, you can use the affected player's resources only to pay that player's costs; you can't spend them on your costs.
* You don't control any of the other player's permanents, spells, or abilities.
* Controlling a player will let you look at that player's sideboard. [Note: This was incorrectly copied from Sorin's old rulings in the first edition of this FAQ and said that you could not look; the error has been noted. You can look at the player's sideboard.]
* If the player affected by Sorin's third ability skips his or her next turn, the ability will wait. You'll control the player during the next turn the affected player actually takes.
* Multiple player-controlling effects that affect the same player overwrite each other. The last one to be created is the one that works.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, Sorin's third ability causes you to control the affected player's team during that team's next turn.
* You could gain control of yourself during your next turn using Sorin's third ability, but unless you do so to overwrite someone else's player-controlling effect, this doesn't do anything.
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Sorin's Thirst
{B}{B}
Instant
Sorin's Thirst deals 2 damage to target creature and you gain 2 life.
* If the creature is an illegal target when Sorin's Thirst tries to resolve, Sorin's Thirst will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't gain life.
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Sorin's Vengeance
{4}{B}{B}{B}
Sorcery
Sorin's Vengeance deals 10 damage to target player and you gain 10 life.
* If the player is an illegal target when Sorin's Vengeance tries to resolve, Sorin's Vengeance will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't gain life.
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Sphinx of Uthuun
{5}{U}{U}
Creature -- Sphinx
5/6
Flying
When Sphinx of Uthuun enters the battlefield, reveal the top five cards of your library. An opponent separates those cards into two piles. Put one pile into your hand and the other into your graveyard.
* You (not your opponent) choose which pile to put into your hand and which to put into your graveyard.
* A pile can have no cards in it. In this case, you'll choose whether to put all the revealed cards into your hand or into your graveyard.
* If your library has fewer than five cards, you reveal all the cards in it, then your opponent separates them into two piles.
* In multiplayer games, you choose an opponent to separate the cards when the ability resolves. This doesn't target that opponent. Because the cards are revealed, all players may see the cards and offer opinions.
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Stave Off
{W}
Instant
Target creature gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn. (It can't be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by anything of that color.)
* You choose the target as part of casting the spell. You choose what color the target gains protection from when the spell resolves.
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Stingerfling Spider
{4}{G}
Creature -- Spider
2/5
Reach (This creature can block creatures with flying.)
When Stingerfling Spider enters the battlefield, you may destroy target creature with flying.
* You choose the target creature with flying when the ability goes on the stack. When it resolves, you choose whether or not to destroy the creature.
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Stonehorn Dignitary
{3}{W}
Creature -- Rhino Soldier
1/4
When Stonehorn Dignitary enters the battlefield, target opponent skips his or her next combat phase.
* If more than one Stonehorn Dignitary enters the battlefield during the same turn, and you target the same opponent with each ability, that opponent will skip that many combat phases (over multiple turns if necessary).
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, the targeted opponent's team skips its next combat phase.
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Sun Titan
{4}{W}{W}
Creature -- Giant
6/6
Vigilance
Whenever Sun Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, you may return target permanent card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.
* A permanent card is an artifact, creature, enchantment, land, or planeswalker card.
* The converted mana cost of a card in your graveyard is determined solely by the mana symbols printed in its upper right corner. The converted mana cost is the total amount of mana in that cost, regardless of color. For example, a card with mana cost {3}{U}{U} has converted mana cost 5.
* If the mana cost of a card in your graveyard includes {X}, X is considered to be 0.
* If a card in your graveyard has no mana symbols in its upper right corner (because it's a land card, for example), its converted mana cost is 0.
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Sundial of the Infinite
{2}
Artifact
{1}, {T}: End the turn. Activate this ability only during your turn. (Exile all spells and abilities on the stack. Discard down to your maximum hand size. Damage wears off, and "this turn" and "until end of turn" effects end.)
* Ending the turn this way means the following things happen in order:
1) All spells and abilities on the stack are exiled. This includes spells and abilities that can't be countered.
2) All attacking and blocking creatures are removed from combat.
3) State-based actions are checked. No player gets priority, and no triggered abilities are put onto the stack.
4) The current phase and/or step ends. The game skips straight to the cleanup step. The cleanup step happens in its entirety.
* If any triggered abilities do trigger during this process, they're put onto the stack during the cleanup step. If this happens, players will have a chance to cast spells and activate abilities, then there will be another cleanup step before the turn finally ends.
* Though spells and abilities that are exiled won't get a chance to resolve, they don't count as being "countered."
* If Sundial of the Infinite's ability is activated before the end step, any "at the beginning of the end step"-triggered abilities won't get the chance to trigger that turn because the end step is skipped. Those abilities will trigger at the beginning of the end step of the next turn. The same is true of abilities that trigger at the beginning of other phases or steps (except upkeep).
* The earliest that you can activate Sundial of the Infinite's ability is during your upkeep step, after abilities that trigger "at the beginning of your upkeep" have been put onto the stack but before they resolve.
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Sutured Ghoul
{4}{B}{B}{B}
Creature -- Zombie
*/*
Trample
As Sutured Ghoul enters the battlefield, exile any number of creature cards from your graveyard.
Sutured Ghoul's power is equal to the total power of the exiled cards and its toughness is equal to their total toughness.
* If any of the creature cards you exile has a characteristic-defining ability that defines its power and/or toughness, that ability will apply. For example, if Dungrove Elder is exiled this way, its power and toughness while it's in exile are equal to the number of Forests you control, and Sutured Ghoul's power and toughness will change as the number of Forests you control changes.
* In zones other than the battlefield, Sutured Ghoul's power and toughness are each 0.
* You can't have Sutured Ghoul exile itself, even if it's entering the battlefield from your graveyard.
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Swiftfoot Boots
{2}
Artifact -- Equipment
Equipped creature has hexproof and haste. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control, and it can attack and {T} as soon as it comes under your control.)
Equip {1} ({1}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
* If an opponent gains control of a creature equipped by your Swiftfoot Boots, that creature can't be the target of spells and abilities you control.
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Taste of Blood
{B}
Sorcery
Taste of Blood deals 1 damage to target player and you gain 1 life.
* If the player is an illegal target when Taste of Blood tries to resolve, Taste of Blood will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won't gain life.
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Tectonic Rift
{3}{R}
Sorcery
Destroy target land. Creatures without flying can't block this turn.
* If the land is an illegal target when Tectonic Rift tries to resolve, Tectonic Rift will be countered and none of its effects will happen. Creatures without flying will be able to block as normal.
* The set of affected creatures isn't locked in when Tectonic Rift resolves. Creatures without flying that enter the battlefield later that turn or creatures that lose flying later that turn won't be able to block.
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Timely Reinforcements
{2}{W}
Sorcery
If you have less life than an opponent, you gain 6 life. If you control fewer creatures than an opponent, put three 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.
* You compare life totals with each of your opponents when Timely Reinforcements resolves. At that time, if you have less life than an opponent, you'll gain 6 life. Similarly, you compare the number of creatures you control with the number of creatures each opponent controls when Timely Reinforcements resolves.
* In a multiplayer game, you consider each opponent. If you have less life than one of your opponents and fewer creatures than one of your opponents (although this may be a different opponent), you'll get both bonuses.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, you'll compare your team's life total with the opposing team's life total. You'll then compare the number of creatures you control (ignoring creatures your teammate controls) to the number of creatures each opponent controls separately.
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Trollhide
{2}{G}
Enchantment -- Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has "{1}{G}: Regenerate this creature." (The next time the creature would be destroyed this turn, it isn't. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat.)
* Activating the ability granted to the enchanted creature causes a "regeneration shield" to be created for it. The next time that creature would be destroyed that turn, the regeneration shield is used up instead. This works only if the creature is dealt lethal damage, dealt damage from a source with deathtouch, or affected by a spell or ability that says to "destroy" it. Other effects that cause the creature to be put into the graveyard (such as reducing its toughness to 0 or sacrificing it) don't destroy it, so regeneration won't save it. If it hasn't been used, the regeneration shield goes away as the turn ends.
* To work, the regeneration shield must be created before the enchanted creature is destroyed. This usually means activating its ability during the declare blockers step, or in response to a spell or ability that would destroy it.
* If the enchanted creature is dealt lethal damage and is dealt damage by a source with deathtouch during the same combat damage step, a single regeneration shield will save it.
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Turn to Frog
{1}{U}
Instant
Target creature loses all abilities and becomes a 1/1 blue Frog until end of turn.
* The creature will lose all other colors and creature types, but it will retain any other card types (such as artifact) it may have.
* Turn to Frog overwrites all previous effects that set the targeted creature's power and toughness to specific values. Other effects that set its power or toughness to specific values that start to apply after Turn to Frog resolves will overwrite this effect.
* Effects that modify the targeted creature's power or toughness, such as the effects of Titanic Growth or Honor of the Pure, will apply to it no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for counters that change the creature's power or toughness (such as +1/+1 counters) and effects that switch its power and toughness.
* Turn to Frog doesn't counter abilities that have already triggered or been activated. In particular, there is no way to cast this to stop a creature's "At the beginning of your upkeep" or "When this creature enters the battlefield" abilities from triggering.
* If the affected creature gains an ability after Turn to Frog resolves, it will keep that ability.
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Vengeful Pharaoh
{2}{B}{B}{B}
Creature -- Zombie
5/4
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
Whenever combat damage is dealt to you or a planeswalker you control, if Vengeful Pharaoh is in your graveyard, destroy target attacking creature, then put Vengeful Pharaoh on top of your library.
* Vengeful Pharaoh must be in your graveyard when combat damage is dealt to you or a planeswalker you control in order for its ability to trigger. That is, it can't die and trigger from your graveyard during the same combat damage step.
* If Vengeful Pharaoh is no longer in your graveyard when the triggered ability would resolve, the triggered ability won't do anything.
* If the attacking creature is an illegal target when the triggered ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. Vengeful Pharaoh will remain in your graveyard.
* If multiple creatures deal combat damage to you simultaneously, Vengeful Pharaoh will only trigger once.
* If multiple creatures deal combat damage to you and to a planeswalker you control simultaneously, Vengeful Pharaoh will trigger twice. The first trigger will cause Vengeful Pharaoh to be put on top of your library. The second trigger will then do nothing, as Vengeful Pharaoh is no longer in your graveyard when it tries to resolve. Note that the second trigger will do nothing even if Vengeful Pharaoh is put back into your graveyard before it tries to resolve, as it's a different Vengeful Pharaoh than the one that was there before.
* If your own attacking creatures deal combat damage to you or a planeswalker you control (perhaps because combat damage was redirected), Vengeful Pharaoh will still trigger. You must target and destroy one of your own attacking creatures.
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Visions of Beyond
{U}
Instant
Draw a card. If a graveyard has twenty or more cards in it, draw three cards instead.
* The number of cards in each player's graveyard is counted when Visions of Beyond resolves. Visions of Beyond won't count itself as it will still be on the stack at this time.
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Warstorm Surge
{5}{R}
Enchantment
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, it deals damage equal to its power to target creature or player.
* The creature that entered the battlefield deals damage equal to its current power to the targeted creature or player. If it's no longer on the battlefield, its last known existence on the battlefield is checked to determine its power.
* Warstorm Surge is the source of the ability, but the creature is the source of the damage. The ability couldn't target a creature with protection from red, for example. It could target a creature with protection from creatures, but all the damage would be prevented. Since damage is dealt by the creature, abilities like lifelink, deathtouch and infect are taken into account, even if the creature has left the battlefield by the time it deals damage.
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Worldslayer
{5}
Artifact -- Equipment
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, destroy all permanents other than Worldslayer.
Equip {5} ({5}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
* The equipped creature is also destroyed.
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"Ah those eyes, those horrible creepy eyes!" -Chaosof99
DCI Level 3 Judge & TO
"I do not consider myself a hero. I know only what the Vec teach:
justice must always be served and corruption must always be opposed."
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