MTG Salvation

I'm pretty sure the forum software won't allow that, at least not just for one subforum, but it could be pretty useful, I agree!

I'm not going to speak for Carsten or parinoid, but actual posts to thank users seems more meaningful to me, and easier to immediately see "oh, yes, the OP got his answer." Unlike most subforums, the entire purpose of the Rulings forum is to provide help, which changes the nature of "thank you" posts somewhat.

I'd also really rather not add another rule. -_- I'd rather look at the forum-wide rule against "thank you" posts as something that might not be in the best interest of user interaction.

What about "thank you" posts bugs you, Auja? I can see Kahdron's point of "I click all the threads with new posts," but is that what you dislike, too? Hard to look at exactly why it bothers you without knowing that reason.

Cascade is such an example.

Requests for "higher level judge" are inappropriate and insulting to the many extremely intelligent posters here who are not judges - please do not do that again. :/

Thread locked.

The Rulings forum isn't the place for "hey let's discuss what the answer should be."

Quote from MaRo »

R&D Secret Lair contradicts itself as it asks you to play “all cards as written” and “ignore all errata”. Ashnod’s coupons errata is written on the card.

This means I can basically rule either way so I have opted to rule in favor against dumb shenanigans. (Note I’m all for regular shenanigans when playing with Un-cards.) Owner of the Ashnod’s Coupon pays for the drink.

Criticism and harassment are two different things. Certain "criticism" is pretty obviously thinly-veiled harassment, but most of it isn't, and that criticism still isn't allowed on a LOT of web communities. We have it good here - just about everyone posting in CI would get banned in other places just for disagreeing with the mods.

Quote from Shazbot

However, one thing that is quite different, and I hinted at it in this post, is that you don't get to criticize moderator action at mmo-champion. Go try to make a thread about moderator abuse at MMO-champ and see what happens. Try to contest a banning. etc.

That's fairly standard for every site - MTGS is *extraordinarily* lenient in allowing people to criticize, and very arguable far too lenient in allowing users to attack, harass, and insult staff. Things people take for granted here!

Goblin Electromancer
{U}{R}
Creature — Goblin Wizard
2/2
Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.

* Two Goblin Electromancers will make instant and sorcery spells you cast cost {2} less to cast, and so on.

* Goblin Electromancer can’t reduce the colored mana requirement of an instant or sorcery spell.

* If there are additional costs to cast a spell, such as a kicker cost or a cost imposed by another effect (such as the one imposed by Thalia, Guardian of Thraben’s ability), apply those increases before applying cost reductions.

* Goblin Electromancer can reduce alternative costs such as overload costs.
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Grave Betrayal
{5}{B}{B}
Enchantment
Whenever a creature you don’t control dies, return it to the battlefield under your control with an additional +1/+1 counter on it at the beginning of the next end step. That creature is a black Zombie in addition to its other colors and types.

* Grave Betrayal doesn’t overwrite any previous colors or types. Rather, it adds another color and another creature type.

* If the creature is normally colorless, it will simply be black. It won’t be both black and colorless.

* If a creature you don’t control dies during the end step, that creature won’t return to the battlefield until the beginning of the next end step.

* Each creature you don’t control that dies causes a delayed triggered ability to trigger at the beginning of the next end step. If there are multiple such abilities, you can put them on the stack in any order. The creatures will return to the battlefield one at a time as each ability resolves. The last ability you put on the stack will be the first one to resolve.

* If the creature card leaves the graveyard before the delayed triggered ability resolves, it won’t return to the battlefield. This is also true if the card leaves the graveyard and returns to the graveyard before that ability resolves.

* The phrase “with an additional +1/+1 counter on it” means that the creature enters the battlefield with one more +1/+1 counter than it would normally enter the battlefield with. It doesn’t keep any counters it had on it when it died.

* In a multiplayer game, if more than one player controls a Grave Betrayal and a creature controlled by none of those players dies, each Grave Betrayal will create a delayed triggered ability at the beginning of the next end step. The first such ability to resolve will return the creature. Usually, this will be one controlled by the player furthest from the active player in turn order.
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Grove of the Guardian
Land
{T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.
{3}{G}{W}, {T}, Tap two untapped creatures you control, Sacrifice Grove of the Guardian: Put an 8/8 green and white Elemental creature token with vigilance onto the battlefield.

* To activate Grove of the Guardian’s second ability you can tap any two untapped creatures you control, including ones you haven’t controlled continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn.

* You can’t tap Grove of the Guardian to activate both abilities at the same time.
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Guild Feud
{5}{R}
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, target opponent reveals the top three cards of his or her library, may put a creature card from among them onto the battlefield, then puts the rest into his or her graveyard. You do the same with the top three cards of your library. If two creatures are put onto the battlefield this way, those creatures fight each other.

* Guild Feud has one target: the opponent. You’ll see what creature that player puts onto the battlefield before revealing the top three cards of your library and deciding whether to put a creature onto the battlefield yourself.

* If no creatures or only one creature is put onto the battlefield this way, no fight happens.

* Players can’t cast spells or activate abilities between the creatures being put onto the battlefield and them fighting each other. Notably, you can’t respond with a spell like Giant Growth.

* Any abilities that trigger when the two creatures enter the battlefield will be put on the stack after the fight, even if one or both creatures die.
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Guttersnipe
{2}{R}
Creature — Goblin Shaman
2/2
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, Guttersnipe deals 2 damage to each opponent.

* Guttersnipe’s ability resolves and Guttersnipe deals damage before the instant or sorcery spell resolves.
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Havoc Festival
{4}{B}{R}
Enchantment
Players can’t gain life.
At the beginning of each player’s upkeep, that player loses half his or her life, rounded up.

* Spells and abilities that would cause a player to gain life still resolve, but the life-gain part has no effect.

* Effects that would replace gaining life with another effect won’t apply because it’s impossible for players to gain life.

* If an effect says to set a player’s life total to a certain number and that number is higher than the player’s current life total, that part of the effect won’t do anything. (If the number is lower than the player’s current life total, the effect will work as normal.)

* The amount of life lost is calculated when the triggered ability resolves. For example, if a player has 20 life and there are two Havoc Festivals on the battlefield, the first ability will cause that player to lose 10 life and then the second ability will cause that player to lose 5 life.

* In a Two-Headed Giant game, the last ability triggers for each player. Any life loss is applied to the team’s life total. For example, if the team has 30 life, the first ability will cause the player (and thus the team) to lose 15 life and then the second ability will cause the other player (and thus the team) to lose 8 life. The team will end up having 7 life.
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Hellhole Flailer
{1}{B}{R}
Creature — Ogre Warrior
3/2
Unleash (You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can’t block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.)
{2}{B}{R}, Sacrifice Hellhole Flailer: Hellhole Flailer deals damage equal to its power to target player.

* The damage dealt by the last ability is equal to Hellhole Flailer’s power when it was last on the battlefield. For example, if it had a +1/+1 counter on it, it will deal 4 damage.
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Hypersonic Dragon
{3}{U}{R}
Creature — Dragon
4/4
Flying, haste
You may cast sorcery spells as though they had flash. (You may cast them any time you could cast an instant.)

* The last ability applies to sorcery cards in any zone, provided something is allowing you to cast them. For example, you could cast a sorcery with flashback as though it had flash.

* The last ability has no effect on abilities that you can activate “any time you could cast a sorcery.”
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Isperia, Supreme Judge
{2}{W}{W}{U}{U}
Legendary Creature — Sphinx
6/4
Flying
Whenever a creature attacks you or a planeswalker you control, you may draw a card.

* In a Two-Headed Giant game, Isperia’s ability will trigger whenever a creature attacks your team or a planeswalker you control. It won’t trigger when a creature attacks a planeswalker controlled by your teammate.
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Izzet Keyrune
{3}
Artifact
{T}: Add {U} or {R} to your mana pool.
{U}{R}: Until end of turn, Izzet Keyrune becomes a 2/1 blue and red Elemental artifact creature.
Whenever Izzet Keyrune deals combat damage to a player, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.

* If Izzet Keyrune becomes a creature in a way other than its own activated ability, its last ability will still work.
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Izzet Staticaster
{1}{U}{R}
Creature — Human Wizard
0/3
Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.)
Haste
{T}: Izzet Staticaster deals 1 damage to target creature and each other creature with the same name as that creature.

* Izzet Staticaster’s activated ability has only one target. Other creatures with that name are not targeted. For example, a creature with hexproof will be dealt damage if it has the same name as the target creature.

* The name of a creature token is the same as its creature types unless the token is a copy of another creature or the effect that created the token specifically gives it a different name. For example, a 3/3 Centaur creature token is named “Centaur.”
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Jace, Architect of Thought
{2}{U}{U}
Planeswalker — Jace
4
[+1]: Until your next turn, whenever a creature an opponent controls attacks, it gets -1/-0 until end of turn.
[-2]: Reveal the top three cards of your library. An opponent separates those cards into two piles. Put one pile into your hand and the other on the bottom of your library in any order.
[-8]: For each player, search that player’s library for a nonland card and exile it, then that player shuffles his or her library. You may cast those cards without paying their mana costs.

* Jace’s first ability creates a delayed triggered ability that triggers whenever a creature an opponent controls attacks. It doesn’t matter which player or planeswalker that creature is attacking.

* You pick one of your opponents when Jace’s second ability resolves. The ability doesn’t target that opponent. All players may see the revealed cards and offer opinions. You (not your opponent) choose which pile is put into your hand and which pile is put on the bottom of your library.

* Piles can be empty. If one of the piles is empty, you choose to put all the revealed cards in your hand or on the bottom of your library.

* When resolving Jace’s third ability, you search each player’s library (including yours) and exile the nonland cards before casting any of them.

* For each library, the search is complete only when you explicitly say it is. For example, you can look through one player’s library, set that library down, look at another player’s library, choose a nonland card in the first library, then choose a nonland card in the second library. Don’t reveal any cards from those libraries to any other player until you exile them.

* You cast the cards by putting them on the stack one at a time, choosing modes, targets, and so on. The last card you cast will be the first one to resolve.

* When casting a card this way, ignore timing restrictions based on the card’s type. Other timing restrictions, such as “Cast [this card] only during combat,” must be followed.

* If you can’t cast a card, perhaps because there are no legal targets available, or if you choose not to cast one, it will remain exiled. Jace’s ability won’t allow you to cast it later.

* If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t pay alternative costs such as overload costs. You can pay additional costs such as kicker costs. If the card has mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.

* If a card has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value.
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Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
{B}{B}{G}{G}
Legendary Creature — Zombie Elf
2/2
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord gets +1/+1 for each creature card in your graveyard.
{1}{B}{G}, Sacrifice another creature: Each opponent loses life equal to the sacrificed creature’s power.
Sacrifice a Swamp and a Forest: Return Jarad from your graveyard to your hand.

* Jarad’s first ability applies only when Jarad is on the battlefield.

* The life loss is based on the power of the sacrificed creature as it last existed on the battlefield.

* To activate Jarad’s last ability, you must sacrifice two lands. It doesn’t matter what other land types the two lands have, as long as one is a Swamp and one is a Forest. Even if one of the lands you sacrifice is both a Swamp and a Forest, you have to sacrifice another land that is a Swamp or a Forest.

* You can sacrifice any land with the land type Swamp or Forest, not just ones named Swamp or Forest. For example, you could sacrifice two Overgrown Tombs.
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Jarad’s Orders
{2}{B}{G}
Sorcery
Search your library for up to two creature cards and reveal them. Put one into your hand and the other into your graveyard. Then shuffle your library.

* You can choose to find just one creature card. If you do, you’ll put that card into your hand.
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Knightly Valor
{4}{W}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
When Knightly Valor enters the battlefield, put a 2/2 white Knight creature token with vigilance onto the battlefield.
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has vigilance.

* You must target a creature to cast Knightly Valor. If that creature is an illegal target when Knightly Valor tries to resolve, it will be countered and won’t enter the battlefield. You won’t get the Knight token.
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Korozda Guildmage
{B}{G}
Creature — Elf Shaman
2/2
{1}{B}{G}: Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains intimidate until end of turn.
{2}{B}{G}, Sacrifice a nontoken creature: Put X 1/1 green Saproling creature tokens onto the battlefield, where X is the sacrificed creature’s toughness.

* Use the sacrificed creature’s toughness when it was last on the battlefield to determine the value of X.
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Launch Party
{3}{B}
Instant
As an additional cost to cast Launch Party, sacrifice a creature.
Destroy target creature. Its controller loses 2 life.

* Players can only respond once Launch Party has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting Launch Party.

* 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.

* If the target creature is an illegal target when Launch Party tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. No player will lose 2 life.
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Lobber Crew
{2}{R}
Creature — Goblin Warrior
0/4
Defender
{T}: Lobber Crew deals 1 damage to each opponent.
Whenever you cast a multicolored spell, untap Lobber Crew.

* The hybrid spells in the Return to Ravnica set are multicolored, even if you cast them with one color of mana.

* You’ll untap Lobber Crew before that spell resolves.
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Loxodon Smiter
{1}{G}{W}
Creature — Elephant Soldier
4/4
Loxodon Smiter can’t be countered.
If a spell or ability an opponent controls causes you to discard Loxodon Smiter, put it onto the battlefield instead of putting it into your graveyard.

* If you discard Loxodon Smiter and put it onto the battlefield, you’ve still discarded a card. Abilities that trigger when you discard a card (such as the one from Liliana’s Caress) will still trigger.
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Mana Bloom
{X}{G}
Enchantment
Mana Bloom enters the battlefield with X charge counters on it.
Remove a charge counter from Mana Bloom: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Activate this ability only once each turn.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Mana Bloom has no charge counters on it, return it to its owner’s hand.

* Mana Bloom’s last ability will trigger only if it has no charge counters on it at the beginning of your upkeep. If it has one charge counter on it as your turn begins, you won’t have priority to remove the counter until after this check.
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Mercurial Chemister
{3}{U}{R}
Creature — Human Wizard
2/3
{U}, {T}: Draw two cards.
{R}, {T}, Discard a card: Mercurial Chemister deals damage to target creature equal to the discarded card’s converted mana cost.

* If the discarded card has {X} in its mana cost, X is 0.

* If the discarded card 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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Necropolis Regent
{3}{B}{B}{B}
Creature — Vampire
6/5
Flying
Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, put that many +1/+1 counters on it.

* If that creature deals combat damage to a player at the same time it’s dealt lethal damage (perhaps because it has trample and was blocked), it will die before the triggered ability resolves and puts +1/+1 counters on it.
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Nivix Guildmage
{U}{R}
Creature — Human Wizard
2/2
{1}{U}{R}: Draw a card, then discard a card.
{2}{U}{R}: Copy target instant or sorcery spell you control. You may choose new targets for the copy.

* Nivix Guildmage’s second ability can target (and copy) any instant or sorcery spell you control, not just one with targets.

* When the second ability resolves, it creates a copy of a spell. 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 copied spell 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 copied spell has an X whose value was determined as it was cast (like Sphinx’s Revelation 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 or alternative 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 copy a spell that you cast by paying its overload cost, the copy will resolve as though its overload cost had been paid as well.
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Nivmagus Elemental
{U/R}
Creature — Elemental
1/2
Exile an instant or sorcery spell you control: Put two +1/+1 counters on Nivmagus Elemental. (That spell won’t resolve.)

* You exile an instant or sorcery spell you control from the stack, not an instant or sorcery card in any other zone.

* Exiling a spell is not the same as countering it, although the spell won’t resolve in both cases. You may exile a spell that can’t be countered.

* You can exile a copy of an instant or sorcery spell to activate Nivmagus Elemental’s ability if you control the copy.
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Ogre Jailbreaker
{3}{B}
Creature — Ogre Rogue
4/4
Defender
Ogre Jailbreaker can attack as though it didn’t have defender as long as you control a Gate.

* Defender only matters when Ogre Jailbreaker could be declared as an attacking creature. If Ogre Jailbreaker is already attacking, losing control of your only Gate won’t cause Ogre Jailbreaker to leave combat.
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Pack Rat
{1}{B}
Creature — Rat
*/*
Pack Rat’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of Rats you control.
{2}{B}, Discard a card: Put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of Pack Rat.

* Pack Rat’s first ability counts any creature you control with the creature type Rat, not just Pack Rats.

* The token will copy Pack Rat’s two abilities. Its power and toughness will be equal to the number of Rats you control (not the number of Rats you controlled when the token entered the battlefield). It will also be able to create copies of itself.

* The token won’t copy counters on Pack Rat, nor will it copy other effects that have changed Pack Rat’s power, toughness, types, color, or so on. Normally, this means the token will simply be a Pack Rat. But if any copy effects have affected that Pack Rat, they’re taken into account.

* If Pack Rat leaves the battlefield before its activated ability resolves, the token will still enter the battlefield as a copy of Pack Rat, using Pack Rat’s copiable values from when it was last on the battlefield.
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Palisade Giant
{4}{W}{W}
Creature — Giant Soldier
2/7
All damage that would be dealt to you or another permanent you control is dealt to Palisade Giant instead.

* Applying this redirection effect doesn’t change whether the damage is combat damage.

* If noncombat damage would be dealt to a planeswalker you control, the planeswalker redirection effect and Palisade Giant’s redirection effect apply in whichever order you choose. No matter which order you choose to apply them in, that damage will be dealt to Palisade Giant instead.

* If you control more than one Palisade Giant, you choose which redirection effect to apply. You can’t divide damage dealt by one source. For example, if an attacking creature would deal 8 damage to you and you control two Palisade Giants, you may have that damage dealt to either of the Palisade Giants. You can’t have 4 damage dealt to each Giant or choose to have the 8 damage dealt to you.
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Paralyzing Grasp
{2}{U}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.

* Paralyzing Grasp may target, and may enchant, an untapped creature. If it does, it will have no effect unless that creature becomes tapped somehow.

* The enchanted creature can still be untapped by a spell or ability at other times.
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Phantom General
{3}{W}
Creature — Spirit Soldier
2/3
Creature tokens you control get +1/+1.

* A creature token that’s a copy of a nontoken creature is still a token. It will get +1/+1, but the original nontoken creature will not.
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Pithing Needle
{1}
Artifact
As Pithing Needle enters the battlefield, name a card.
Activated abilities of sources with the chosen name can’t be activated unless they’re mana abilities.

* Pithing Needle affects permanents as well as cards not on the battlefield. For example, you can’t activate Firewing Phoenix’s ability if Firewing Phoenix is in your graveyard and Pithing Needle naming Firewing Phoenix is on the battlefield.

* You can name any card, even if that card doesn’t normally have an activated ability. You can’t name a token unless that token has the same name as a card.

* If you name a card that has both a mana ability and another activated ability, the mana ability can be activated but the other ability can’t be activated.

* Activated abilities include a colon and are written in the form “[cost]: [effect].” Triggered abilities and static abilities of the named card work normally.
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Psychic Spiral
{4}{U}
Instant
Shuffle all cards from your graveyard into your library. Target player puts that many cards from the top of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

* Psychic Spiral won’t be shuffled into your library, and it won’t be counted when determining how many cards the target player puts into his or her graveyard. It will be put into your graveyard after you follow its instructions.

* If you cast Psychic Spiral when there are no cards in your graveyard, you’ll still shuffle your library.
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Pursuit of Flight
{1}{R}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has “{U}: This creature gains flying until end of turn.”

* Only the controller of the enchanted creature can activate the ability that gives it flying.
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Pyroconvergence
{4}{R}
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a multicolored spell, Pyroconvergence deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

* The hybrid spells in the Return to Ravnica set are multicolored, even if you cast them with one color of mana.

* The triggered ability will resolve and Pyroconvergence will deal damage before that spell resolves.
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Rakdos, Lord of Riots
{B}{B}{R}{R}
Legendary Creature — Demon
6/6
You can’t cast Rakdos, Lord of Riots unless an opponent lost life this turn.
Flying, trample
Creature spells you cast cost {1} less to cast for each 1 life your opponents have lost this turn.

* Remember, damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life (unless the source has infect).

* Rakdos can be put onto the battlefield by another spell or ability even if no opponent has lost life that turn.

* Rakdos’s last ability cares about the total life lost, not necessarily what an opponent’s life total is compared to what it was at the beginning of the turn. For example, if an opponent loses 5 life and then gains 10 life in a turn, creature spells you cast will cost {5} less to cast.

* Rakdos’s last ability can’t reduce the colored mana requirement of a creature spell you cast.

* If there are additional costs to cast a creature spell, such as a kicker cost or a cost imposed by the rules of a Commander game, apply those increases before applying cost reductions.

* Rakdos’s last ability won’t reduce the cost to cast Rakdos itself. It applies only to creature spells you cast once Rakdos is on the battlefield.
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Rakdos’s Return
{X}{B}{R}
Sorcery
Rakdos’s Return deals X damage to target opponent. That player discards X cards.

* The target opponent will discard X cards even if some or all of the damage dealt by Rakdos’s Return is prevented or redirected.
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Rest in Peace
{1}{W}
Enchantment
When Rest in Peace enters the battlefield, exile all cards from all graveyards.
If a card or token would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead.

* While Rest in Peace is on the battlefield, abilities that trigger whenever a creature dies won’t trigger because cards and tokens never reach a player’s graveyard.

* If Rest in Peace is destroyed by a spell, Rest in Peace will be exiled and then the spell will be put into its owner’s graveyard.

* If a card is discarded while Rest in Peace is on the battlefield, abilities that function when a card is discarded (such as madness) still work, even though that card never reaches a graveyard. In addition, spells or abilities that check the characteristics of a discarded card (such as Chandra Ablaze’s first ability) can find that card in exile.
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Rix Maadi Guildmage
{B}{R}
Creature — Human Shaman
2/2
{B}{R}: Target blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
{B}{R}: Target player who lost life this turn loses 1 life.

* A blocking creature is one that has been declared as a blocker this combat, or one that was put onto the battlefield blocking this combat. Unless that creature leaves combat, it continues to be a blocking creature through the end of combat step, even if the creature or creatures it was blocking are no longer on the battlefield or have otherwise left combat.
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Rogue’s Passage
Land
{T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.
{4}, {T}: Target creature is unblockable this turn.

* Activating the second ability of Rogue’s Passage after a creature has become blocked won’t cause it to become unblocked.
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Rootborn Defenses
{2}{W}
Instant
Populate. Creatures you control are indestructible this turn. (To populate, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of a creature token you control. Damage and effects that say “destroy” don’t destroy indestructible creatures.)

* You can cast Rootborn Defenses even if you control no creature tokens.

* The creature token you put onto the battlefield as well as creatures that come under your control later in the turn will also be indestructible.
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Search the City
{4}{U}
Enchantment
When Search the City enters the battlefield, exile the top five cards of your library.
Whenever you play a card with the same name as one of the exiled cards, you may put one of those cards with that name into its owner’s hand. Then if there are no cards exiled with Search the City, sacrifice it. If you do, take an extra turn after this one.

* To “play a card” is to play that card as a land or cast that card as a spell, whichever is appropriate.

* You can put only one card into its owner’s hand for each card you play.

* If you don’t sacrifice Search the City, perhaps because it was destroyed in response to its ability triggering, you won’t take an extra turn.
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Security Blockade
{2}{W}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant land
When Security Blockade enters the battlefield, put a 2/2 white Knight creature token with vigilance onto the battlefield.
Enchanted land has “{T}: Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to you this turn.”

* You must target a land to cast Security Blockade. If that land is an illegal target when Security Blockade tries to resolve, it will be countered and won’t enter the battlefield. You won’t get the Knight token.
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Shrieking Affliction
{B}
Enchantment
At the beginning of each opponent’s upkeep, if that player has one or fewer cards in hand, he or she loses 3 life.

* Shrieking Affliction’s ability will trigger only if an opponent begins his or her upkeep with one or fewer cards in hand. The ability will check the number of cards in that player’s hand again when it tries to resolve. If that player has two or more cards in hand at that time, that player won’t lose life.
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Skull Rend
{3}{B}{R}
Sorcery
Skull Rend deals 2 damage to each opponent. Those players each discard two cards at random.

* Skull Rend doesn’t require any targets.

* Each of your opponents will discard cards, even if some or all of the damage is prevented or redirected.
-----

Slaughter Games
{2}{B}{R}
Sorcery
Slaughter Games can’t be countered by spells or abilities.
Name a nonland card. Search target opponent’s graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with that name and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

* You can leave any cards with that name in the zone they are in. You don’t have to exile them.
-----

Slum Reaper
{3}{B}
Creature — Horror
4/2
When Slum Reaper enters the battlefield, each player sacrifices a creature.

* When the ability resolves, you may sacrifice Slum Reaper itself. If you control no other creatures, you’ll have to sacrifice Slum Reaper.
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Soul Tithe
{1}{W}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant nonland permanent
At the beginning of the upkeep of enchanted permanent’s controller, that player sacrifices it unless he or she pays {X}, where X is its converted mana cost.

* The converted mana cost of a creature token is 0, unless that token is a copy of another creature, in which case it copies that creature’s mana cost.

* If the permanent has {X} in its mana cost, X is 0.
-----

Sphere of Safety
{4}{W}
Enchantment
Creatures can’t attack you or a planeswalker you control unless their controller pays {X} for each of those creatures, where X is the number of enchantments you control.

* If you control Sphere of Safety, your opponents can choose not to attack with a creature with an ability that says it attacks if able.

* In a Two-Headed Giant game, if one player controls Sphere of Safety, creatures can’t attack that player’s team or a planeswalker that player controls unless their controller pays {X} for each of those creatures he or she controls. Creatures can attack planeswalkers controlled by that player’s teammate without having to pay this cost.
-----

Sphinx’s Revelation
{X}{W}{U}{U}
Instant
You gain X life and draw X cards.

* If the value chosen for X is larger than the number of cards left in your library, you’ll lose the game the next time state-based actions are performed.
-----

Stonefare Crocodile
{2}{G}
Creature — Crocodile
3/2
{2}{B}: Stonefare Crocodile gains lifelink until end of turn. (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)

* Multiple instances of lifelink are redundant. Activating Stonefare Crocodile’s ability more than once during a single turn won’t cause you to gain more life.
-----

Street Sweeper
{6}
Artifact Creature — Construct
4/6
Whenever Street Sweeper attacks, destroy all Auras attached to target land.

* Street Sweeper’s ability is mandatory, but you can choose a land with no Auras attached to it as the target.
-----

Sundering Growth
{G/W}{G/W}
Instant
Destroy target artifact or enchantment, then populate. (Put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of a creature token you control.)

* You must target an artifact or enchantment to cast Sundering Growth. If that artifact or creature is an illegal target when Sundering Growth tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t populate.
-----

Survey the Wreckage
{4}{R}
Sorcery
Destroy target land. Put a 1/1 red Goblin creature token onto the battlefield.

* If the target land is an illegal target when Survey the Wreckage tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t get the creature token.
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Tablet of the Guilds
{2}
Artifact
As Tablet of the Guilds enters the battlefield, choose two colors.
Whenever you cast a spell, if it’s at least one of the chosen colors, you gain 1 life for each of the chosen colors it is.

* You must choose two different colors. Colorless is not a color.
-----

Tavern Swindler
{1}{B}
Creature — Human Rogue
2/2
{T}, Pay 3 life: Flip a coin. If you win the flip, you gain 6 life.

* You can’t activate the ability if your life total is less than 3.

* You can activate the ability if your life total is 3, but it’s probably a bad idea. You’ll lose the game before the ability resolves.
-----

Traitorous Instinct
{3}{R}
Sorcery
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. Until end of turn, it gets +2/+0 and gains haste.

* You may target a creature that you already control or one that’s already untapped.
-----

Trostani, Selesnya’s Voice
{G}{G}{W}{W}
Legendary Creature — Dryad
2/5
Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, you gain life equal to that creature’s toughness.
{1}{G}{W}, {T}: Populate. (Put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of a creature token you control.)

* Trostani’s first ability checks the creature’s toughness as it resolves. If that creature has left the battlefield, use its toughness from when it was last on the battlefield. You can’t lose life this way if that creature’s toughness was less than 0.
-----

Trostani’s Judgment
{5}{W}
Instant
Exile target creature, then populate. (Put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of a creature token you control.)

* You must target a creature to cast Trostani’s Judgment. If that creature is an illegal target when Trostani’s Judgment tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t populate.

* If you choose a creature token you control as the target, it will be exiled before you populate and you won’t be able to choose that creature to copy.
-----

Ultimate Price
{1}{B}
Instant
Destroy target monocolored creature.

* A monocolored creature has exactly one color. Creatures with no color (such as most artifact creatures) or with more than one color (such as most hybrid creatures) can’t be chosen as the target.
-----

Urban Burgeoning
{G}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant land
Enchanted land has “Untap this land during each other player’s untap step.”

* The enchanted land untaps at the same time as the active player’s permanents. You can’t choose to not untap it at that time.

* Effects that state that the enchanted land doesn’t untap during your untap step won’t apply during another player’s untap step.
-----

Voidwielder
{4}{U}
Creature — Human Wizard
1/4
When Voidwielder enters the battlefield, you may return target creature to its owner’s hand.

* If Voidwielder is the only creature on the battlefield, you’ll have to choose it as the target of its ability, although you may choose to not return it to its owner’s hand.
-----

Volatile Rig
{4}
Artifact Creature — Construct
4/4
Trample
Volatile Rig attacks each turn if able.
Whenever Volatile Rig is dealt damage, flip a coin. If you lose the flip, sacrifice Volatile Rig.
When Volatile Rig dies, flip a coin. If you lose the flip, it deals 4 damage to each creature and each player.

* If Volatile Rig is dealt damage by multiple sources at the same time (for example, multiple blocking creatures), its first triggered ability will trigger only once.
-----

Vraska the Unseen
{3}{B}{G}
Planeswalker — Vraska
5
[+1]: Until your next turn, whenever a creature deals combat damage to Vraska the Unseen, destroy that creature.
[-3]: Destroy target nonland permanent.
[-7]: Put three 1/1 black Assassin creature tokens onto the battlefield with “Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game.”

* If an effect creates a copy of one of the Assassin creature tokens, the copy will also have the triggered ability.

* Each Assassin token’s triggered ability will trigger whenever it deals combat damage to any player, including you.
-----

Wayfaring Temple
{1}{G}{W}
Creature — Elemental
*/*
Wayfaring Temple’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control.
Whenever Wayfaring Temple deals combat damage to a player, populate. (Put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of a creature token you control.)

* The ability that defines Wayfaring Temple’s power and toughness works in all zones, not just the battlefield.

* As long as Wayfaring Temple is on the battlefield, its first ability will count itself.
-----

Wild Beastmaster
{2}{G}
Creature — Human Shaman
1/1
Whenever Wild Beastmaster attacks, each other creature you control gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is Wild Beastmaster’s power.

* The value of X is determined when the triggered ability resolves. If Wild Beastmaster is no longer on the battlefield at that time, use its last known power to determine the value of X. This could be bad for you if Wild Beastmaster’s power was negative. For example, if Wild Beastmaster’s power is -4, each other creature you control will get -4/-4 until end of turn.
-----

Worldspine Wurm
{8}{G}{G}{G}
Creature — Wurm
15/15
Trample
When Worldspine Wurm dies, put three 5/5 green Wurm creature tokens with trample onto the battlefield.
When Worldspine Wurm is put into a graveyard from anywhere, shuffle it into its owner’s library.

* Worldspine Wurm’s last ability is a triggered ability, not a replacement ability. Players can respond to this ability, for example, by trying to exile Worldspine Wurm from the graveyard before it’s shuffled into a library.
-----

Magic: The Gathering, Magic, Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored, Return to Ravnica, and Gatecrash are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. ©2012 Wizards.

Hey everybody, it's a FAQ!

http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/faq/rtr

Return to Ravnica Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled by Matt Tabak, with contributions from Laurie Cheers, Eli Shiffrin, and Thijs van Ommen
Document last modified August 23, 2012

An FAQ is a collection of clarifications and rulings involving the cards in a new Magic: The Gathering 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 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 Return to Ravnica set contains 274 cards (101 common, 80 uncommon, 53 rare, 15 mythic rare, and 25 basic land).

Prerelease events: September 29–30, 2012
Launch Weekend: October 5–7, 2012
Game Day: October 27–28, 2012

Pro Tour Return to Ravnica will take place in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A., on October 19–21, 2012. Go to www.wizards.com/ProTourCoverage for live streaming coverage of Magic events.

The Return to Ravnica set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play on its official release date: Friday, October 5, 2012.

At that time, the following card sets will be permitted in the Standard format: Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored, Magic 2013, and Return to Ravnica.

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.
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Returning Themes: Guilds and Guildmarks

The original Ravnica block introduced the plane of Ravnica, a world dominated by cityscape and controlled by ten guilds, each centered around two colors. Five of these ten guilds (Azorius, Golgari, Izzet, Rakdos, and Selesnya) are featured in the Return to Ravnica set. The remaining five (Orzhov, Dimir, Gruul, Boros, and Simic) will be featured in the February 2013 set: Gatecrash.

If a card in the Return to Ravnica set is associated with a guild, it features the appropriate guildmark in the background of its text box. These guildmarks have no effect on game play.
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Returning Mechanic: Hybrid Cards

Hybrid mana symbols represent a cost that can be paid with either of two colors. For example, {B/G} can be paid with either {B} or {G}. It’s both a black and a green mana symbol. A card with the mana cost {B/G} is both black and green, and its converted mana cost is 1. Visually, the {B/G} symbol is a circle divided in half: the upper left looks like a black mana symbol and the lower right looks like a green mana symbol.

Golgari Longlegs
{3}{B/G}{B/G}
Creature — Insect
5/4

* Hybrid mana symbols appear only in costs, such as the mana cost in the upper right corner of a card or the cost to activate an activated ability.

* A card with hybrid mana symbols in its mana cost is each color that appears in its mana cost, regardless of what mana was spent to cast it. For example, the Golgari Longlegs above is black and green, even if you cast it with only green mana.

* As you cast a spell or activate an activated ability with hybrid mana symbols in its cost, you choose which color of mana you will spend for each hybrid mana symbol. You do this at the same time you would choose modes or choose a value for an X in a mana cost. For example, you choose whether you’ll cast Golgari Longlegs by paying {3}{B}{B}, {3}{B}{G}, or {3}{G}{G}.
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Returning Cycle: Ravnica “Dual Lands”

There are five nonbasic lands in the Return to Ravnica set that each have two basic land types. These lands were originally printed in the Ravnica block.

Hallowed Fountain
Land — Plains Island
({T}: Add {W} or {U} to your mana pool.)
As Hallowed Fountain enters the battlefield, you may pay 2 life. If you don’t, Hallowed Fountain enters the battlefield tapped.

* Although these cards have basic land types, they are not basic lands. For example, you couldn’t find one of these cards if an effect told you to search your library for a “basic land card.”

* Effects that care about a basic land type are looking for lands that have that land type, not just lands with that name. For example, islandwalk cares if the defending player controls a land with the land type Island (such as Hallowed Fountain), not just lands named Island.

* If another effect instructs you to put one of these lands onto the battlefield tapped, it will enter the battlefield tapped whether you pay 2 life or not.

* If more than one of these lands are entering the battlefield at the same time, you’ll decide whether to pay 2 life for each one individually, then put them all onto the battlefield. For example, if you have 3 life and two Hallowed Fountains are entering the battlefield at the same time, you could pay 2 life for only one of them, not both.
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Azorius Keyword Action: Detain

The white-blue guild is the Azorius Senate. The Azorius are Ravnica’s lawmakers and bureaucrats. Detain is a new ability that can render permanents ineffective for a short time.

Inaction Injunction
{1}{U}
Sorcery
Detain target creature an opponent controls. (Until your next turn, that creature can’t attack or block and its activated abilities can’t be activated.)
Draw a card.

The official rules for detain are as follows:

701.26. Detain

701.26a Certain spells and abilities can detain a permanent. Until the next turn of the controller of that spell or ability, that permanent can’t attack or block and its activated abilities can’t be activated.

* Activated abilities include a colon and are written in the form “[cost]: [effect].” No one can activate any activated abilities, including mana abilities, of a detained permanent.

* The static abilities of a detained permanent still apply. The triggered abilities of a detained permanent can still trigger.

* If a creature is already attacking or blocking when it’s detained, it won’t be removed from combat. It will continue to attack or block.

* If a permanent’s activated ability is on the stack when that permanent is detained, the ability will be unaffected.

* If a noncreature permanent is detained and later turns into a creature, it won’t be able to attack or block.

* When a player leaves a multiplayer game, any continuous effects with durations that last until that player's next turn or until a specific point in that turn will last until that turn would have begun. They neither expire immediately nor last indefinitely.
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Izzet Keyword: Overload

The blue-red guild is the Izzet League. The Izzet are impulsive and reckless, the inventor-mages of Ravnica. Overload is a new ability found on some instants or sorceries that broadens their scope.

Blustersquall
{U}
Instant
Tap target creature you don’t control.
Overload {3}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of “target” with “each.”)

The official rules for overload are as follows:

702.94. Overload

702.94a Overload is a keyword that represents two static abilities: one that functions from any zone in which the spell with overload can be cast and another that functions while the card is on the stack. Overload [cost] means “You may choose to pay [cost] rather than pay this spell’s mana cost” and “If you chose to pay this spell’s overload cost, change its text by replacing all instances of the word ‘target’ with the word ‘each.’” Using the overload ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2e–g.

702.94b If a player chooses to pay the overload cost of a spell, that spell won’t require any targets. It may affect objects that couldn’t be chosen as legal targets if the spell were cast without its overload cost being paid.

702.94c Overload’s second ability creates a text-changing effect. See rule 612, “Text-Changing Effects.”

* If you don’t pay the overload cost of a spell, that spell will have a single target. If you pay the overload cost, the spell won’t have any targets.

* Because a spell with overload doesn’t target when its overload cost is paid, it may affect permanents with hexproof or with protection from the appropriate color. For example, if you cast Blustersquall and pay its overload cost, creatures you don’t control with protection from blue will be tapped.

* Note that if the spell with overload is dealing damage, protection from that spell’s color will still prevent that damage.

* Overload doesn’t change when you can cast the spell.

* Casting a spell with overload doesn’t change that spell’s mana cost. You just pay the overload cost instead.

* Effects that cause you to pay more or less for a spell will cause you to pay that much more or less while casting it for its overload cost, too.

* If you are instructed to cast a spell with overload “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t choose to pay its overload cost instead.
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Rakdos Keyword: Unleash

The black-red guild is the Cult of Rakdos. Led by a demonic guildmaster, the Rakdos spread depravity and mayhem wherever they riot. Unleash is a new ability found on creatures that can make them fiercer and relentlessly aggressive.

Spawn of Rix Maadi
{3}{B}{R}
Creature — Horror
5/3
Unleash (You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can’t block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.)

The official rules for unleash are as follows:

702.96. Unleash

702.96a Unleash is a keyword that represents two static abilities. “Unleash” means “You may have this permanent enter the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it” and “This permanent can’t block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.”

* You make the choice to have the creature with unleash enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter or not as it’s entering the battlefield. At that point, it’s too late for a player to respond to the creature spell by trying to counter it, for example.

* The unleash ability applies no matter where the creature is entering the battlefield from.

* A creature with unleash can’t block if it has any +1/+1 counter on it, not just one put on it by the unleash ability.

* Putting a +1/+1 counter on a creature with unleash that’s already blocking won’t remove it from combat. It will continue to block.
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Golgari Keyword: Scavenge

The black-green guild is the Golgari Swarm. The Golgari revere the natural cycles of life and death. Scavenge is a new ability found on creature cards that allows the living to eat the dead and become stronger.

Zanikev Locust
{5}{B}
Creature — Insect
3/3
Flying
Scavenge {2}{B}{B} ({2}{B}{B}, Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card’s power on target creature. Scavenge only as a sorcery.)

The official rules for scavenge are as follows:

702.95. Scavenge

702.95a Scavenge is an activated ability that functions only while the card with scavenge is in a graveyard. “Scavenge [cost]” means “[Cost], Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card’s power on target creature. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.”

* Exiling the creature card with scavenge is part of the cost of activating the scavenge ability. Once the ability is activated and the cost is paid, it’s too late to stop the ability from being activated by trying to remove the creature card from the graveyard.
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Selesnya Keyword Action: Populate

The green-white guild is the Selesnya Conclave. A vast interconnected commune, the Selesnya constantly strives to recruit new members. Populate is a new ability that lets you do just that by copying creature tokens you control.

Coursers’ Accord
{4}{G}{W}
Sorcery
Put a 3/3 green Centaur creature token onto the battlefield, then populate. (Put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of a creature token you control.)

The official rules for populate are as follows:

701.27. Populate

701.27a To populate means to choose a creature token you control and put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of that creature token.

701.27b If you control no creature tokens when instructed to populate, you won’t put a token onto the battlefield.

* You can choose any creature token you control. If a spell or ability puts a token onto the battlefield under your control and then instructs you to populate (as Coursers’ Accord does), you may choose to copy the token you just created, or you may choose to copy another creature token you control.

* If you choose to copy a creature token that’s a copy of another creature, the new creature token will copy the characteristics of whatever the original token is copying.

* The new creature token copies the characteristics of the original token as stated by the effect that put the original token onto the battlefield.

* The new token doesn’t copy whether the original token is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any noncopy effects that have changed its power, toughness, color, and so on.

* Any “as [this creature] enters the battlefield” or “[this creature] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the new token will work.

* If you control no creature tokens when you populate, nothing will happen.
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Cycle: Guildgates

The Return to Ravnica set introduces a new land subtype: Gate. Each guild has a Gate card with Guildgate in its name that taps for mana of either of that guild’s colors.

Azorius Guildgate
Land — Gate
Azorius Guildgate enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Add {W} or {U} to your mana pool.

* The subtype Gate has no special rules significance, but other spells and abilities may refer to it.

* Gate is not a basic land type.
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Cycle: Keyrunes

Each guild has a Keyrune, an artifact that taps for mana of either of that guild’s colors and can become a creature.

Golgari Keyrune
{3}
Artifact
{T}: Add {B} or {G} to your mana pool.
{B}{G}: Golgari Keyrune becomes a 2/2 black and green Insect artifact creature with deathtouch until end of turn.

* Until the ability that turns the Keyrune into a creature resolves, the Keyrune is colorless.

* Activating the ability that turns the Keyrune into a creature while it’s already a creature will override any effects that set its power and/or toughness to another number, but effects that modify power and/or toughness without directly setting them will still apply. For example, say you activate the last ability of Golgari Keyrune. After it resolves, you cast Giant Growth targeting it. It’s now 5/5. Then Diminish (“Target creature becomes 1/1 until end of turn”) is cast targeting it. Once Diminish resolves, Golgari Keyrune would be 4/4. Activating Golgari Keyrune’s last ability a second time would make it 5/5 again until end of turn.
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Cycle: Cards that “Can’t Be Countered”

The Return to Ravnica set includes a cycle of cards that can’t be countered.

Supreme Verdict
{1}{W}{W}{U}
Sorcery
Supreme Verdict can’t be countered.
Destroy all creatures.

* The standard wording for spells that “can’t be countered” varies depending on whether the spell is targeted. Targeted spells have the additional text “by spells or abilities” because the spell can still be countered by the game rules if all of its targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve.

* A spell that can’t be countered by spells or abilities can be targeted by spells and abilities that try to counter it. Those spells and abilities will resolve, but the part of their effect that would counter the spell won’t do anything. Any other effects those spells and abilities have will work as normal.
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CARD-SPECIFIC NOTES

Abrupt Decay
{B}{G}
Instant
Abrupt Decay can’t be countered by spells or abilities.
Destroy target nonland permanent with converted mana cost 3 or less.

* The converted mana cost of a creature token is 0, unless that token is a copy of another creature, in which case it copies that creature’s mana cost.

* If the permanent has {X} in its mana cost, X is 0.
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Aerial Predation
{2}{G}
Instant
Destroy target creature with flying. You gain 2 life.

* You must be able to target a creature with flying to cast Aerial Predation.

* If the creature with flying is an illegal target when Aerial Predation tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t gain 2 life.
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Angel of Serenity
{4}{W}{W}{W}
Creature — Angel
5/6
Flying
When Angel of Serenity enters the battlefield, you may exile up to three other target creatures from the battlefield and/or creature cards from graveyards.
When Angel of Serenity leaves the battlefield, return the exiled cards to their owners’ hands.

* If Angel of Serenity leaves the battlefield before its enters-the-battlefield ability has resolved, its leaves-the-battlefield ability will trigger and do nothing. Then the enters-the-battlefield ability will resolve and exile the targeted creatures and/or creature cards indefinitely.
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Annihilating Fire
{1}{R}{R}
Instant
Annihilating Fire deals 3 damage to target creature or player. If a creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.

* The creature can still regenerate.

* A creature dealt damage by Annihilating Fire that dies this turn will be exiled even if it wasn’t the target of Annihilating Fire (say, because the damage was redirected somehow).

* A creature dealt damage by Annihilating Fire will be exiled no matter why the creature would die. It could be destroyed by another spell or ability.
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Archon of the Triumvirate
{5}{W}{U}
Creature — Archon
4/5
Flying
Whenever Archon of the Triumvirate attacks, detain up to two target nonland permanents your opponents control. (Until your next turn, those permanents can’t attack or block and their activated abilities can’t be activated.)

* The two nonland permanents can be controlled by the same opponent or by different opponents.

* The nonland permanents will be detained before blockers are chosen. Notably, a creature detained this way can’t block before it is detained.
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Armory Guard
{3}{W}
Creature — Giant Soldier
2/5
Armory Guard has vigilance as long as you control a Gate.

* Vigilance only matters when Armory Guard is being declared as an attacking creature. If Armory Guard is already attacking, losing control of your only Gate won’t cause Armory Guard to become tapped or to leave combat.
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Ash Zealot
{R}{R}
Creature — Human Warrior
2/2
First strike, haste
Whenever a player casts a spell from a graveyard, Ash Zealot deals 3 damage to that player.

* Ash Zealot’s ability doesn’t allow any player to cast cards from a graveyard. Such cards need another way to be cast, such as the flashback ability.

* Ash Zealot’s triggered ability will resolve before that spell resolves.

* Ash Zealot’s ability doesn’t trigger if you put a card onto the battlefield from a graveyard (using Grave Betrayal’s ability, for example).
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Assassin’s Strike
{4}{B}{B}
Sorcery
Destroy target creature. Its controller discards a card.

* You must be able to target a creature to cast Assassin’s Strike.

* If the creature is an illegal target when Assassin’s Strike tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. Its controller won’t discard a card.

* If Assassin’s Strike resolves but the creature isn’t destroyed (perhaps because it regenerated or is indestructible), its controller will discard a card.
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Avenging Arrow
{2}{W}
Instant
Destroy target creature that dealt damage this turn.

* It doesn’t matter what the creature dealt damage to. If the creature dealt damage to another creature or a planeswalker, it doesn’t matter whether that creature or planeswalker is still on the battlefield.

* Avenging Arrow doesn’t affect the damage the creature dealt. It isn’t retroactively prevented.
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Axebane Guardian
{2}{G}
Creature — Human Druid
0/3
Defender
{T}: Add X mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool, where X is the number of creatures with defender you control.

* Axebane Guardian’s activated ability is a mana ability. It doesn’t use the stack and can’t be responded to. The number of creatures with defender you control is counted, and the color(s) of mana produced chosen, immediately after the ability is activated when the ability resolves.
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Azor’s Elocutors
{3}{W/U}{W/U}
Creature — Human Advisor
3/5
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a filibuster counter on Azor’s Elocutors. Then if Azor’s Elocutors has five or more filibuster counters on it, you win the game.
Whenever a source deals damage to you, remove a filibuster counter from Azor’s Elocutors.

* You’ll only win the game if Azor’s Elocutors has five or more filibuster counters on it when the first ability resolves. For example, if Azor’s Elocutors has four filibuster counters on it and you somehow add another during your main phase, you won’t win the game immediately.

* The second ability of Azor’s Elocutors removes one filibuster counter per source, no matter how much damage that source dealt. For example, if two attacking creatures deal damage to you at the same time, two filibuster counters will be removed.
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Azorius Charm
{W}{U}
Instant
Choose one — Creatures you control gain lifelink until end of turn; or draw a card; or put target attacking or blocking creature on top of its owner’s library.

* Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
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Azorius Justiciar
{2}{W}{W}
Creature — Human Wizard
2/2
When Azorius Justiciar enters the battlefield, detain up to two target creatures your opponents control. (Until your next turn, those creatures can’t attack or block and their activated abilities can’t be activated.)

* The two creatures can be controlled by the same opponent or by different opponents.
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Bazaar Krovod
{4}{W}
Creature — Beast
2/5
Whenever Bazaar Krovod attacks, another target attacking creature gets +0/+2 until end of turn. Untap that creature.

* Bazaar Krovod’s ability can target an attacking creature that’s untapped (such as one with vigilance).

* Untapping an attacking creature doesn’t cause it to stop attacking or remove it from combat.
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Blistercoil Weird
{U/R}
Creature — Weird
1/1
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, Blistercoil Weird gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Untap it.

* Blistercoil Weird will get +1/+1 and untap before that instant or sorcery spell resolves.

* Blistercoil Weird will get +1/+1 even if the instant or sorcery spell is countered or if Blistercoil Weird is untapped when its ability resolves.

* If you copy an instant or sorcery spell on the stack (using Nivix Guildmage’s second ability, for example), the copy isn’t cast. Blistercoil Weird’s ability won’t trigger.
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Centaur’s Herald
{G}
Creature — Elf Scout
0/1
{2}{G}, Sacrifice Centaur’s Herald: Put a 3/3 green Centaur creature token onto the battlefield.

* Once you activate the ability of Centaur’s Herald, it’s too late for a player to respond by trying to destroy it or otherwise stop you from sacrificing it.

* You can only sacrifice Centaur’s Herald once, so it’s not possible to activate its ability more than once.
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Chaos Imps
{4}{R}{R}
Creature — Imp
6/5
Flying
Unleash (You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can’t block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Chaos Imps has trample as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.

* Chaos Imps will have trample if it has any +1/+1 counter on it, not just the one put on it by the unleash ability.
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Chemister’s Trick
{U}{R}
Instant
Target creature you don’t control gets -2/-0 until end of turn and attacks this turn if able.
Overload {3}{U}{R} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of “target” with “each.”)

* If you cast Chemister’s Trick with overload, only creatures you don’t control that are on the battlefield when Chemister’s Trick resolves are affected. Creatures that come under another player’s control later in the turn are not.

* The controller of a creature that attacks if able still chooses which player or planeswalker it attacks.

* If, during a player’s declare attacker’s step, a 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 a creature attack, the player isn’t forced to pay that cost, so it doesn’t have to attack in that case either.
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Chorus of Might
{3}{G}
Instant
Until end of turn, target creature gets +1/+1 for each creature you control and gains trample.

* The number of creatures you control is counted only when Chorus of Might resolves.
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Chromatic Lantern
{3}
Artifact
Lands you control have “{T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.”
{T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

* Lands you control won’t lose any other abilities they had. They also won’t gain or lose any land types.
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Chronic Flooding
{1}{U}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant land
Whenever enchanted land becomes tapped, its controller puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

* Chronic Flooding’s ability will trigger whenever the enchanted land becomes tapped for any reason, not just because its controller taps it for mana.

* Chronic Flooding becoming attached to a tapped land won’t cause its ability to immediately trigger. That land must go from untapped to tapped.
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Civic Saber
{1}
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 for each of its colors.
Equip {1}

* Civic Saber’s bonus can range from +0/+0 (for a colorless creature) to +5/+0 (for a creature that’s all five colors).

* If the equipped creature becomes a different number of colors, the bonus will change accordingly.
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Codex Shredder
{1}
Artifact
{T}: Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
{5}, {T}, Sacrifice Codex Shredder: Return target card from your graveyard to your hand.

* You choose the target of Codex Shredder’s last ability before paying its costs, so you can’t return Codex Shredder to your hand this way.
-----

Common Bond
{1}{G}{W}
Instant
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.

* You may choose the same creature for both targets. You may also choose two different creatures. This is because the word “target” is used more than once.
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Conjured Currency
{5}{U}
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may exchange control of Conjured Currency and target permanent you neither own nor control.

* The only legal target for Conjured Currency’s ability is a permanent both owned and controlled by another player, although it doesn’t have to be the same player. For example, a permanent owned by an opponent but controlled by your teammate (or another opponent) could be chosen as the target.

* The exchange occurs only if Conjured Currency and the target permanent are both on the battlefield and controlled by different players when the ability resolves. In addition, the target permanent must be one you neither own nor control. If any of these things aren’t true when the ability tries to resolve, the exchange won’t happen and neither permanent will change controllers.

* You don’t necessarily have to control Conjured Currency when its ability resolves in order for the exchange to happen. If another player has gained control of Conjured Currency while the ability is on the stack, and a third player controls the target (and you don’t own it), you may choose to have those two players exchange control of the relevant permanents.
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Corpsejack Menace
{2}{B}{G}
Creature — Fungus
4/4
If one or more +1/+1 counters would be placed on a creature you control, twice that many +1/+1 counters are placed on it instead.

* If a creature you control would enter the battlefield with a number of +1/+1 counters on it, it enters with twice that many instead.

* If you control two Corpsejack Menaces, the number of +1/+1 counters placed is four times the original number. Three Corpsejack Menaces multiplies the original number by eight, and so on.
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Cremate
{B}
Instant
Exile target card from a graveyard.
Draw a card.

* You must be able to target a card in a graveyard to cast Cremate.

* If the target card is no longer in the graveyard when Cremate tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t draw a card.
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Cryptborn Horror
{1}{B/R}{B/R}
Creature — Horror
0/0
Trample
Cryptborn Horror enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the total life lost by your opponents this turn.

* Remember, damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life (unless the source has infect).

* If no opponent has lost life on the turn Cryptborn Horror enters the battlefield, it will enter with no +1/+1 counters on it and be put into its owner’s graveyard (unless something else is raising its toughness).

* Cryptborn Horror cares about the total life lost, not necessarily what an opponent’s life total is compared to what it was at the beginning of the turn. For example, if an opponent loses 5 life and then gains 10 life on the turn Cryptborn Horror enters the battlefield, it will enter with five +1/+1 counters on it.

* In multiplayer games, life lost the turn Cryptborn Horror enters the battlefield by opponents who left the game later that turn will count toward the value of X.
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Dark Revenant
{3}{B}
Creature — Spirit
2/2
Flying
When Dark Revenant dies, put it on top of its owner’s library.

* Dark Revenant’s ability isn’t optional. However, if Dark Revenant leaves the graveyard before its ability resolves, it won’t be put on top of its owner’s library.
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Death’s Presence
{5}{G}
Enchantment
Whenever a creature you control dies, put X +1/+1 counters on target creature you control, where X is the power of the creature that died.

* X is the power of that creature as it last existed on the battlefield.
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Deathrite Shaman
{B/G}
Creature — Elf Shaman
1/2
{T}: Exile target land card from a graveyard. Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
{B}, {T}: Exile target instant or sorcery card from a graveyard. Each opponent loses 2 life.
{G}, {T}: Exile target creature card from a graveyard. You gain 2 life.

* Because the first ability requires a target, it is not a mana ability. It uses the stack and can be responded to.

* If the target of any of Deathrite Shaman’s three abilities is an illegal target when that ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t add mana to your mana pool, no opponent will lose life, or you won’t gain life, as appropriate.
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Desecration Demon
{2}{B}{B}
Creature — Demon
6/6
Flying
At the beginning of each combat, any opponent may sacrifice a creature. If a player does, tap Desecration Demon and put a +1/+1 counter on it.

* Players won’t know which player or planeswalker Desecration Demon will attack, if any, when deciding whether to sacrifice a creature.

* Each opponent in turn order may choose to sacrifice a creature, even if an opponent already chose to sacrifice a creature that combat. Desecration Demon will have a maximum of one +1/+1 counter put on it each combat, no matter how many creatures were sacrificed.
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Destroy the Evidence
{4}{B}
Sorcery
Destroy target land. Its controller reveals cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a land card, then puts those cards into his or her graveyard.

* If the controller of the target land has no land cards in his or her library, all cards from that library will be revealed and put into his or her graveyard.
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Detention Sphere
{1}{W}{U}
Enchantment
When Detention Sphere enters the battlefield, you may exile target nonland permanent not named Detention Sphere and all other permanents with the same name as that permanent.
When Detention Sphere leaves the battlefield, return the exiled cards to the battlefield under their owner’s control.

* Although the target of the enters-the-battlefield ability must not be a land, lands with the same name as that permanent will be exiled.

* The enters-the-battlefield ability has only one target. The other permanents with that name aren’t targeted. For example, a permanent with protection from white will be exiled if it has the same name as the target nonland permanent.

* If the target nonland permanent is an illegal target when the enters-the-battlefield ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. No permanents will be exiled, including those with the same name as the target.

* If Detention Sphere leaves the battlefield before its enters-the-battlefield ability has resolved, its leaves-the-battlefield ability will trigger and do nothing. Then the enters-the-battlefield ability will resolve and exile the targeted nonland permanent and other permanents with that name indefinitely.
-----

Deviant Glee
{B}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+1 and has “{R}: This creature gains trample until end of turn.”

* Only the controller of the enchanted creature can activate the ability that gives it trample.
-----

Doorkeeper
{1}{U}
Creature — Homunculus
0/4
Defender
{2}{U}, {T}: Target player puts the top X cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard, where X is the number of creatures with defender you control.

* The number of creatures with defender you control is counted when the ability resolves.
-----

Drainpipe Vermin
{B}
Creature — Rat
1/1
When Drainpipe Vermin dies, you may pay {B}. If you do, target player discards a card.

* You may pay {B} only once. The target player will discard a maximum of one card because of Drainpipe Vermin’s ability.
-----

Dramatic Rescue
{W}{U}
Instant
Return target creature to its owner’s hand. You gain 2 life.

* You must be able to target a creature to cast Dramatic Rescue.

* If the target creature is an illegal target when Dramatic Rescue tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t gain 2 life.
-----

Druid’s Deliverance
{1}{G}
Instant
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to you this turn. Populate. (Put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of a creature token you control.)

* You can cast Druid’s Deliverance even if you don’t control any creature tokens.

* Combat damage dealt to creatures or planeswalkers you control and combat damage dealt to your teammates is not prevented.
-----

Dryad Militant
{G/W}
Creature — Dryad Soldier
2/1
If an instant or sorcery card would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead.

* If an instant or sorcery spell destroys Dryad Militant directly (like Murder does), that instant or sorcery card will be put into its owner’s graveyard. However, if an instant or sorcery card deals lethal damage to Dryad Militant, Dryad Militant will remain on the battlefield until the next time state-based actions are checked, which is after the instant or sorcery finishes resolving. The instant or sorcery will be exiled.

* If an instant or sorcery card is discarded while Dryad Militant is on the battlefield, abilities that function when a card is discarded (such as madness) still work, even though that card never reaches a graveyard. In addition, spells or abilities that check the characteristics of a discarded card (such as Chandra Ablaze’s first ability) can find that card in exile.
-----

Epic Experiment
{X}{U}{R}
Sorcery
Exile the top X cards of your library. For each instant and sorcery card with converted mana cost X or less among them, you may cast that card without paying its mana cost. Then put all cards exiled this way that weren’t cast into your graveyard.

* You cast the cards one at a time, choosing modes, targets, and so on. The last card you cast will be the first one to resolve.

* When casting an instant or sorcery card this way, ignore timing restrictions based on the card’s type. Other timing restrictions, such as “Cast [this card] only during combat,” must be followed.

* If you can’t cast an instant or sorcery card, perhaps because there are no legal targets available, or if you choose not to cast one, it will be put into your graveyard.

* If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t pay alternative costs such as overload costs. You can pay additional costs such as kicker costs. If the card has mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.

* If a card has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value.
-----

Essence Backlash
{2}{U}{R}
Instant
Counter target creature spell. Essence Backlash deals damage equal to that spell’s power to its controller.

* Essence Backlash can target a creature spell that can’t be countered. If Essence Backlash resolves, it won’t counter the spell but it will still deal damage.

* If the creature’s power is * and it has an ability defining its power, use that ability to determine its power.

* Abilities that change the power of a creature (such as the one of Collective Blessing) affect only creatures on the battlefield. They won’t change a creature spell’s power on the stack.
-----

Ethereal Armor
{W}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 for each enchantment you control and has first strike.

* Ethereal Armor counts each enchantment you control, including itself and any Auras you control attached to an opponent or to permanents controlled by an opponent.
-----

Faerie Impostor
{U}
Creature — Faerie Rogue
2/1
Flying
When Faerie Impostor enters the battlefield, sacrifice it unless you return another creature you control to its owner’s hand.

* Returning another creature you control to its owner’s hand is optional. You may choose to sacrifice Faerie Impostor, even if you could return a creature.
-----

Fall of the Gavel
{3}{W}{U}
Instant
Counter target spell. You gain 5 life.

* You must be able to target a spell to cast Fall of the Gavel.

* If the target spell is an illegal target when Fall of the Gavel tries to resolve (perhaps because it’s been countered by another spell), Fall of the Gavel will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t gain 5 life.
-----

Firemind’s Foresight
{5}{U}{R}
Instant
Search your library for an instant card with converted mana cost 3, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then repeat this process for instant cards with converted mana costs 2 and 1. Then shuffle your library.

* You don’t have to find any instant cards in your library, even if they are there.

* If a card in your library has {X} in its mana cost, X is 0. For example, a card with mana cost {X}{R} has a converted mana cost of 1, and so on.

Spam warnings for the random strategy advice. Thread locked. :/

Quote from Warp

I was answering the original post of this thread, which talked about productive discussion between the site staff and the users. I commented that productive discussion needs for both parties to be willing to have such a thing. It's a two-way street. I wrote about that particular case not to complain about it, but to demonstrate what I feel is not the kind of productive behavior that admins/moderators should have.

There is no two-way street here: You were nitpicking, you were told that is unacceptable, and you said that you weren't nitpicking. The Rulings moderators, the Rulings members, and the facts of reality disagree with you.

A two-way street would be discussing whether we need a "nitpicking = spam" rule; it is not "I was not nitpicking, you are wrong, you know you're wrong and refuse to admit you're wrong and I MAGICALLY KNOW IT, you are out to get me, etc etc."

When discussing user-moderation two-way streets, it's important for users to remember that "two-way street" doesn't mean "I complain and I automatically get my way." I'm in favor of discussion and will happily explain the hell out of the rules, as will most of the mods here, but when it's met with blatant animosity and irrationality, that road's closed for us and we must fall back on "We are the mods, you are not."

Just about 100% of Unsporting Conduct situations - except the big whammies - fall squarely under "you had to be there." On the other hand, UnsCon and the IPG entirely doesn't apply to Regular REL, so that's moot.

Your organizer and/or Head Judge should use their judgment on what needs to be done here. There are no penalties to be assessed at an FNM.

The discussion about offering a handshake is pretty interesting and I want to see more, but it's better suited to Magic General - I strongly encourage you to re-open that topic there!

Tatterkite is not Melira. The cards are worded differently and work differently. Merlira comes back with a counter.

This is not a replacement effect. It simply says that something can't happen. Don't treat it as one.

I like jokes. Having to give a card sucks, believe it or not, so a bit of humor to make it not quite as headachey isn't bad. As long as you're not being mean-spirited about it.

Here's a fun question: Can the admins tell what percentage of users browse with sigs disabled? Asking all mods to note their forums in their sigs wouldn't be a huge burden (with expanding mod sigs to compensate if the software will allow it), but if a significant portion of the userbase disables sigs, it wouldn't be as useful.

Promotional printings are legal on the date that they are legitimately distributed.

Prerelease foils are Eternal legal, but not Standard legal, a week before the rest of the set.

This thread is getting fairly heated, so it's lock-down-cool-down time.