If Phyrexian Devourer and Triskelion are in a graveyard and the Ooze is in play, can you activate the the Devourer's ability as many times as you want and then activate Triskelion's ability to deal an arbitrary amount of damage to your opponent? My friends say yes but I say no, because of the second sentence in the Devourer's activated ability, which would cause you to sacrifice the Ooze immediately upon resolution of the ability (if it increases the power to 7 or greater).
the devourer's activated ability checks the creature's power during the resolution. So in this case, if the ooze ends up with 3 or more +1/+1 counters (or otherwise ends up with 7+ power), it will be sacrificed before the ability even finishes resolving.
edit: for clarification, be sure to consult the Oracle text of any older card (and some newer cards) when determining how an ability works. The Oracle text of Phyrexian Devourer's activated ability is as follows:
Exile the top card of your library: Put X +1/+1 counters on Phyrexian Devourer, where X is the exiled card's converted mana cost. If Phyrexian Devourer's power is 7 or greater, sacrifice it.
...the second sentence in the Devourer's activated ability, which would cause you to sacrifice the Ooze immediately upon resolution of the ability (if it increases the power to 7 or greater).
Correct. It's all part of the ability's effect, so you don't gain priority between the placement of the counters and the sacrifice.
What your friend CAN do is activate the ability, see if the card will kill his ooze, and if so, activate again with the ability on the stack. he can repeat this until he hits a card that won't kill the ooze, then use the triskelion ability, then proceed with all these activations on the stack.
He gets to see the card as soon as he activates the ability, so this is fine.
Letting each ability resolve each time it won't work. But if you manipulate the stack properly, it's perfectly fine.
What your friend CAN do is activate the ability, see if the card will kill his ooze, and if so, activate again with the ability on the stack. he can repeat this until he hits a card that won't kill the ooze, then use the triskelion ability, then proceed with all these activations on the stack.
He gets to see the card as soon as he activates the ability, so this is fine.
Letting each ability resolve each time it won't work. But if you manipulate the stack properly, it's perfectly fine.
Yeah that was what he explained later. I misunderstood how the combo worked.
Yeah that was what he explained later. I misunderstood how the combo worked.
You didn't actually misunderstand. If you take the text in the card, it would work (the sacrifice part is not part of the activated ability, is static, so it would not be copied by the Ooze).
Oracle pulled your leg (and destroyed your combo)
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Alea iacta est
I'm a Spike Vorthos - I love lore and flavor, but only if the cards are competition worthy.
Um, the devourer only has one ACTIVATED ability which is to exile a card from library: grow bigger, this is all that necrotic ooze would gain. The ooze would not be sacificed once it got over seven power since it doesn't gain that ability. (its not an activated ability)
Um, the devourer only has one ACTIVATED ability which is to exile a card from library: grow bigger, this is all that necrotic ooze would gain. The ooze would not be sacificed once it got over seven power since it doesn't gain that ability. (its not an activated ability)
The Oracle text of Phyrexian Devourer is equal to its wording in MTGO Master Edition II.
Beware: As of the writing of this post the Oracle text is apparently not updated on magiccards.info (or changed back while I wasn't looking).
For reference - the full text box should be:
When Phyrexian Devourer's power is 7 or greater, sacrifice it.
Exile the top card of your library: Put X +1/+1 counters on Phyrexian Devourer, where X is the exiled card's converted mana cost. If Phyrexian Devourer's power is 7 or greater, sacrifice it.
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Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
Why would the Oracle text not be updated in the gatherer then? Isn't the gatherer the source of current Oracle text?
Edit: in fact, everywhere I look that updates their website with Oracle rulings still has it the same way. I don't think I'll be trusting an online magic card scan as Oracle wording. Unless someone can explain to me why I should.
Oh, yeah, I remembered dozing through that change (I knew they changed the Werewolf type, but never cought up with the actual update; seems I get to do that now).
So they changed it back then. Makes sense.
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Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
Some of you may think that you have made great mistakes in your lives, and perhaps you have. But let me ask you this.... did you ever play strip poker with two fat chicks and win?
Phyrexian Devourer
Triskelion
If Phyrexian Devourer and Triskelion are in a graveyard and the Ooze is in play, can you activate the the Devourer's ability as many times as you want and then activate Triskelion's ability to deal an arbitrary amount of damage to your opponent? My friends say yes but I say no, because of the second sentence in the Devourer's activated ability, which would cause you to sacrifice the Ooze immediately upon resolution of the ability (if it increases the power to 7 or greater).
edit: for clarification, be sure to consult the Oracle text of any older card (and some newer cards) when determining how an ability works. The Oracle text of Phyrexian Devourer's activated ability is as follows:
Correct. It's all part of the ability's effect, so you don't gain priority between the placement of the counters and the sacrifice.
He gets to see the card as soon as he activates the ability, so this is fine.
Letting each ability resolve each time it won't work. But if you manipulate the stack properly, it's perfectly fine.
Legacy
WW Death and Taxes WW
Modern
WBMartyr-Proc BW
Yeah that was what he explained later. I misunderstood how the combo worked.
It's all part of the same ability.
You didn't actually misunderstand. If you take the text in the card, it would work (the sacrifice part is not part of the activated ability, is static, so it would not be copied by the Ooze).
Oracle pulled your leg (and destroyed your combo)
I'm a Spike Vorthos - I love lore and flavor, but only if the cards are competition worthy.
The Oracle text of Phyrexian Devourer is equal to its wording in MTGO Master Edition II.
See the "scan" here.
Beware: As of the writing of this post the Oracle text is apparently not updated on magiccards.info (or changed back while I wasn't looking).
For reference - the full text box should be:
Exile the top card of your library: Put X +1/+1 counters on Phyrexian Devourer, where X is the exiled card's converted mana cost. If Phyrexian Devourer's power is 7 or greater, sacrifice it.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
Edit: in fact, everywhere I look that updates their website with Oracle rulings still has it the same way. I don't think I'll be trusting an online magic card scan as Oracle wording. Unless someone can explain to me why I should.
Oh, yeah, I remembered dozing through that change (I knew they changed the Werewolf type, but never cought up with the actual update; seems I get to do that now).
So they changed it back then. Makes sense.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
Currently playing
WE DEMAND A SACRIFICE
Night Shift
Karrthus, Tyrant of Dragons
Some of you may think that you have made great mistakes in your lives, and perhaps you have. But let me ask you this.... did you ever play strip poker with two fat chicks and win?
Cockatrice name: Ninja Nate
Yep