During my 1st main phase I cast Walking Ballista for X=20 (cmc=40). Walking Ballista on the stack, no response. I get priority back. I announce that I'm holding priority and remove each of the 20 counters targeting my opponent. Will he have the gap to cast krosan grip and stop me?
No, he won't.
Detail in case you need this in an argument, using X=2 to shorten the example:
Your main phase begins.
You get priority and cast Walking Ballista. You choose X=2, and you pay the cost using 4 obtained in an unspecified way.
You get priority and pass.
Opponent gets priority. Opponent might like to cast Krosan Grip, but the Walking Ballista on the stack is not a valid target (yet). Opponent passes.
The top object on the stack (the spell cast in step 2) resolves. You put Walking Ballista on the battlefield with 2 +1/+1 counters on it (making it a 2/2 creature).
You get priority and activate the "Remove a +1/+1 counter from Walking Ballista: It deals 1 damage to target creature or player." ability of Walking Ballista. You choose opponent as the target and pay the cost by removing a +1/+1 counter (leaving it a 1/1 creature).
You get priority (relying on your announcement of holding priority to avoid a standard shortcut) and activate the "Remove a +1/+1 counter from Walking Ballista: It deals 1 damage to target creature or player." ability of Walking Ballista. You choose opponent as the target and pay the cost by removing a +1/+1 counter (leaving it a 0/0 creature).
You would get priority, but there is a state-based action to perform. Walking Ballista is a creature with a toughness of 0, so it is put in your graveyard.
You get priority and pass.
Opponent gets priority. Opponent might like to cast Krosan Grip, but the Walking Ballista in your graveyard is not a valid target (anymore). Opponent passes.
The top object on the stack (the ability activated in step 7) resolves. Walking Ballista (as it was in step 8) deals 1 damage to opponent.
You get priority and pass.
Opponent gets priority and passes.
The top object on the stack (the ability activated in step 6) resolves. Walking Ballista (as it was in step 8) deals 1 damage to opponent.
You get priority and .... (Unless this has been enough to reduce the opponent to 0 life.)
I'll happily accept that. Still, the wording seems like it could be clearer, somehow.
It's defined in the rulebook.
700.5. A player’s devotion to [color] is equal to the number of mana symbols of that color among the
mana costs of permanents that player controls. A player’s devotion to [color 1] and [color 2] is
equal to the number of mana symbols among the mana costs of permanents that player controls that
are [color 1], [color 2], or both colors.
you're supposed to read (and understand it as) "There is fire and (there is) water." Which is what I read the rules text as: "As long as your devotion to Green [is less than seven] and (your devotion to) White is less than seven, Karametra isn't a creature."
The rule text about phasing, "Treating it as though it doesn't exist," is rather confusing as to where the limit is.
Consider the effect of Blades of Velis Vel. If one of the targets then phases out, the effect will still end in its entirety during the cleanup step.
514. Cleanup Step
514.1. First, if the active player’s hand contains more cards than his or her maximum hand size
(normally seven), he or she discards enough cards to reduce his or her hand size to that number.
This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack.
514.2. Second, the following actions happen simultaneously: all damage marked on permanents
(including phased-out permanents) is removed and all “until end of turn” and “this turn” effects end.
This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack.
Rule 514.2 doesn't have any sort of "unless they affect objects that no longer exist" exception.
Okay, I was always on the assumption that played meant it had to resolve.
That was never right. This is what "play" as a verb meant before the M2010 Rules Changes:
land card
305. Lands
305.1. A player who has priority may play a land card from his or her hand during a main phase of his
or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a land is a special action; it doesn’t use the stack (see
rule 115). Rather, the player simply puts the land onto the battlefield. Since the land doesn’t go on
the stack, it is never a spell, and players can’t respond to it with instants or activated abilities.
I haven't checked whether the rule number was 305.1 before than. In any case, that didn't change.
non-land card
We now use "cast" for this, although "play" is a synonym in this case.
Also, note that "successfully cast" was never a synonym for "resolve". Instead, under the timing rules prior to the Classic Edition Letter, it meant that any counterspells or anything else that might target the spell are all done and resolved, and now normal (e.g., instant) responses can be played.
605.1b A triggered ability is a mana ability if it meets all of the following criteria: it doesn’t have a
target, it triggers from the resolution of an activated mana ability (see rule 106.11a), and it could
put mana into a player’s mana pool when it resolves.
"At the beginning of your next main phase" doesn't qualify.
Also, would one regeneration shield protect a creature, if during combat, a creature damaging the regenerated creature dealt lethal damage both with deathtouch AND equaling the damaged creature's toughness?
Yes.
704.3. Whenever a player would get priority (see rule 116, “Timing and Priority”), the game checks for
any of the listed conditions for state-based actions, then performs all applicable state-based actions
simultaneously as a single event. If any state-based actions are performed as a result of a check, the
check is repeated; otherwise all triggered abilities that are waiting to be put on the stack are put on
the stack, then the check is repeated. Once no more state-based actions have been performed as the
result of a check and no triggered abilities are waiting to be put on the stack, the appropriate player
gets priority. This process also occurs during the cleanup step (see rule 514), except that if no statebased
actions are performed as the result of the step’s first check and no triggered abilities are
waiting to be put on the stack, then no player gets priority and the step ends.
704.6. If multiple state-based actions would have the same result at the same time, a single replacement
effect will replace all of them.
Example: You control Lich’s Mirror, which says “If you would lose the game, instead
shuffle your hand, your graveyard, and all permanents you own into your library, then draw
seven cards and your life total becomes 20.” There’s one card in your library and your life
total is 1. A spell causes you to draw two cards and lose 2 life. The next time state-based
actions are checked, you’d lose the game due to rule 704.5a and rule 704.5b. Instead, Lich’s
Mirror replaces that game loss and you keep playing.
I am wondering if, when you and an opponent clash, does your opponent decide whether or not to top- or bottom-deck his/her card first,
That depends. Is it your opponent's turn? (Or in a multi-player game where neither of you is the active player, is your opponent sooner in the normal turn order after the active player?)
101.4. If multiple players would make choices and/or take actions at the same time, the active player
(the player whose turn it is) makes any choices required, then the next player in turn order (usually
the player seated to the active player’s left) makes any choices required, followed by the remaining
nonactive players in turn order. Then the actions happen simultaneously. This rule is often referred
to as the “Active Player, Nonactive Player (APNAP) order” rule.
Example: A card reads “Each player sacrifices a creature.” First, the active player chooses
a creature he or she controls. Then each of the nonactive players, in turn order, chooses a
creature he or she controls. Then all creatures chosen this way are sacrificed
simultaneously.
_Lorwyn_(TM) Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled by Mark L. Gottlieb, with contributions from Laurie Cheers, Jeff Jordan, and Lee Sharpe
Document last modified September 25, 2007
4) In turn order, each player involved in the clash chooses to put his or her revealed card on either the top or bottom of his or her library. (Note that the player whose turn it is does this first, not necessarily the controller of the clash spell or ability.) When the second player makes this decision, he or she will know what the first player chose. Then all cards are moved at the same time.
Thanks you the response! My only remaining question is after the Wall deals its 2 damage to the 2 creatures killing them, how many additional creatures is it allowed to block using the block multiple effect?
It's assigned as a blocker before combat damage is assigned and dealt. Blockers are declared in the declare blockers step. Combat damage is assigned and dealt in the combat damage step.
506.1. The combat phase has five steps, which proceed in order: beginning of combat, declare attackers,
declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat. The declare blockers and combat damage
steps are skipped if no creatures are declared as attackers or put onto the battlefield attacking (see
rule 508.5). There are two combat damage steps if any attacking or blocking creature has first strike
(see rule 702.7) or double strike (see rule 702.4).
And its "Wall of Glare can block any number of creatures." ability allows it to block all of them. Toughness and damage are irrelevant to this; it doesn't say "any number up to its toughness" or anything like that.
Or can the attacker order them in such a way that the 2/2 attacks first, THEN 4 1/1s, killing my dude, leaving a remaining 1/1 who gets through?
Blocked is blocked, and all combat damage is simultaneous (barring first strike/double strike).
510.1c A blocked creature assigns its combat damage to the creatures blocking it. If no creatures are
currently blocking it (if, for example, they were destroyed or removed from combat), it assigns
no combat damage. If exactly one creature is blocking it, it assigns all its combat damage to that
creature. If two or more creatures are blocking it, it assigns its combat damage to those creatures
according to the damage assignment order announced for it. This may allow the blocked
creature to divide its combat damage. However, it can’t assign combat damage to a creature
that’s blocking it unless, when combat damage assignments are complete, each creature that
precedes that blocking creature in its order is assigned lethal damage. When checking for
assigned lethal damage, take into account damage already marked on the creature and damage
from other creatures that’s being assigned during the same combat damage step, but not any
abilities or effects that might change the amount of damage that’s actually dealt. An amount of
damage that’s greater than a creature’s lethal damage may be assigned to it.
510.2. Second, all combat damage that’s been assigned is dealt simultaneously. This turn-based action
doesn’t use the stack. No player has the chance to cast spells or activate abilities between the time
combat damage is assigned and the time it’s dealt.
Hello! I have the card Mindslaver and I'm a bit confused. Do I get to control the player fully? As in, am I able to activate and select targets for abilities, cast spells, summon creatures, etc.?
Yes. If you are familiar with computer play of Magic, imagine them losing their seat in favor of you or your puppet (except that they still control the concede button and actions outside game play itself).
714.5. While controlling another player, a player makes all choices and decisions the controlled player
is allowed to make or is told to make by the rules or by any objects. This includes choices and
decisions about what to play, and choices and decisions called for by spells and abilities.
Example: The controller of another player decides which spells that player casts and what
those spells target, and makes any required decisions when those spells resolve.
Example: The controller of another player during his or her turn decides which of that
player’s creatures attack, which player or planeswalker each one attacks, what the damage
assignment order of the creatures that block them is (if any of the attacking creatures are
blocked by multiple creatures), and how those attacking creatures assign their combat
damage.
714.5a The controller of another player can use only that player’s resources (cards, mana, and so
on) to pay costs for that player.
Example: If the controller of a player decides that the controlled player will cast a spell
with an additional cost of discarding cards, the cards are discarded from the controlled
player’s hand.
714.5b The controller of another player can’t make choices or decisions for that player that aren’t
called for by the rules or by any objects. The controller also can’t make any choices or decisions
for the player that would be called for by the tournament rules.
Example: The player who’s being controlled still chooses whether he or she leaves to
visit the restroom, trades a card to someone else, agrees to an intentional draw, or calls
a judge about an error or infraction.
714.6. The controller of another player can’t make that player concede. A player may concede the game
at any time, even if he or she is controlled by another player. See rule 104.3a.
Never; player control doesn't change this. Similarly, just as a player can not simply proclaim "My life total is now ##.", you can't use this control to make such a proclamation.
810.7. The Two-Headed Giant variant uses different combat rules than other multiplayer variants.
810.7a Each team’s creatures attack the other team as a group. During the combat phase, the active
team is the attacking team and each player on the active team is an attacking player. Likewise,
the nonactive team is the defending team and each player on the nonactive team is a defending
player.
This came up in an EDH game the other night. Player A used Thada Adel, Acquisitor to exile and cast player B's Venser's Journal. Player B responded with Delay and an argument ensued about what happens. After stumbling through the comp rules, we ended up concluding that it would go back to the owner's control when cast from suspend. Is this correct? In either case, why? I want to understand exactly what's going on so I can explain it clearly in person if this comes up again.
That was correct, because B is the owner.
702.61. Suspend
702.61a Suspend is a keyword that represents three abilities. The first is a static ability that
functions while the card with suspend is in a player’s hand. The second and third are triggered
abilities that function in the exile zone. “Suspend N—[cost]” means “If you could begin to cast
this card by putting it onto the stack from your hand, you may pay [cost] and exile it with N
time counters on it. This action doesn’t use the stack,” and “At the beginning of your upkeep, if
this card is suspended, remove a time counter from it,” and “When the last time counter is
removed from this card, if it’s exiled, play it without paying its mana cost if able. If you can’t, it
remains exiled. If you cast a creature spell this way, it gains haste until you lose control of the
spell or the permanent it becomes.”
112.8. The controller of an activated ability on the stack is the player who activated it. The controller of
a triggered ability on the stack (other than a delayed triggered ability) is the player who controlled
the ability’s source when it triggered, or, if it had no controller, the player who owned the ability’s
source when it triggered. To determine the controller of a delayed triggered ability, see rules
603.7d–f.
B controls the suspend triggers from a suspended card that B owns. B follows the instructions when those triggered abilities resolve, especially the "play it" instruction.
A is the "target spell's controller", and the only player referenced by any of the text of that card.
The delayed triggered ability will trigger at the beginning of each of A's upkeeps, because A is "that player".
And A is the "he or she" in "he or she puts it onto the stack as a copy of the original spell".
If I copy a spell with an additional cost such as cull the weak [sic], it would copy the spell but add 0 additional black because I still need to sacrifice a creature to have the BBBB correct?
The spell effect "Add BBBB to your mana pool." is part of the copy and will happen when the copy resolves.
706.2. When copying an object, the copy acquires the copiable values of the original object’s
characteristics and, for an object on the stack, choices made when casting or activating it (mode,
targets, the value of X, whether it was kicked, how it will affect multiple targets, and so on). The
“copiable values” are the values derived from the text printed on the object (that text being name,
mana cost, color indicator, card type, subtype, supertype, rules text, power, toughness, and/or
loyalty), as modified by other copy effects, by its face-down status, and by “as . . . enters the
battlefield” and “as . . . is turned face up” abilities that set power and toughness (and may also set
additional characteristics). Other effects (including type-changing and text-changing effects), status,
and counters are not copied.
706.10. To copy a spell, activated ability, or triggered ability means to put a copy of it onto the stack; a
copy of a spell isn’t cast and a copy of an activated ability isn’t activated. A copy of a spell or
ability copies both the characteristics of the spell or ability and all decisions made for it, including
modes, targets, the value of X, and additional or alternative costs. (See rule 601, “Casting Spells.”)
Choices that are normally made on resolution are not copied. If an effect of the copy refers to
objects used to pay its costs, it uses the objects used to pay the costs of the original spell or ability.
A copy of a spell is owned by the player under whose control it was put on the stack. A copy of a
spell or ability is controlled by the player under whose control it was put on the stack. A copy of a
spell is itself a spell, even though it has no spell card associated with it. A copy of an ability is itself
an ability.
Example: Fling is an instant that reads, “As an additional cost to cast Fling, sacrifice a
creature” and “Fling deals damage equal to the sacrificed creature’s power to target
creature or player.” When determining how much damage a copy of Fling deals, it checks
the power of the creature sacrificed to pay for the original Fling.
It is my first main phase and I haven't played a land yet. I cycle Shefet Monitor and put the land in play. Then I draw from the cycling and I draw a land. Can I play that land for the turn
or does my land from the cycling count for the first land of the turn?
It does not.
305.4. Effects may also allow players to “put” lands onto the battlefield. This isn’t the same as “playing
a land” and doesn’t count as a land played during the current turn.
So...let's say on my opponents turn, he casts spell with a cmc greater than 4. In response, I chord in Gaddock Teeg. What happens to my opponent's spell?
Eventually, it resolves. You haven't described anything that would interfere with it. Neither Gaddock Teeg nor any other Magic card can alter the past (e.g., the casting of that spell), and Gaddock Teeg does nothing to keep the spell from resolving.
If I have a Grave Betrayal on the battlefield under my control and an opponent uses a board wipe such as Nevinyrral's Disk or Worldslayer, would Grave Betrayal still trigger for the destroyed creatures even though it's destroyed simultaneously?
Yes.
603.10a Some zone-change triggers look back in time. These are leaves-the-battlefield abilities,
abilities that trigger when a card leaves a graveyard, and abilities that trigger when an object
that all players can see is put into a hand or library.
Example: Two creatures are on the battlefield along with an artifact that has the ability
“Whenever a creature dies, you gain 1 life.” Someone plays a spell that destroys all
artifacts, creatures, and enchantments. The artifact’s ability triggers twice, even though
the artifact goes to its owner’s graveyard at the same time as the creatures.
No, he won't.
Detail in case you need this in an argument, using X=2 to shorten the example:
It's defined in the rulebook.
"There is" or "There are"?
If you control Karametra, God of Harvests, Griffin Dreamfinder, Karametra's Favor, and Swordwise Centaur, what would you think is "your devotion to green and white"?
Consider the effect of Blades of Velis Vel. If one of the targets then phases out, the effect will still end in its entirety during the cleanup step.
Rule 514.2 doesn't have any sort of "unless they affect objects that no longer exist" exception.
I haven't checked whether the rule number was 305.1 before than. In any case, that didn't change.
Also, note that "successfully cast" was never a synonym for "resolve". Instead, under the timing rules prior to the Classic Edition Letter, it meant that any counterspells or anything else that might target the spell are all done and resolved, and now normal (e.g., instant) responses can be played.
Yes.
No.
"At the beginning of your next main phase" doesn't qualify.
It's assigned as a blocker before combat damage is assigned and dealt. Blockers are declared in the declare blockers step. Combat damage is assigned and dealt in the combat damage step.
And its "Wall of Glare can block any number of creatures." ability allows it to block all of them. Toughness and damage are irrelevant to this; it doesn't say "any number up to its toughness" or anything like that.
He can block 6 because 6 is a number.
If you didn't block them during the declare blockers step, then you didn't block them, period.
Do you mean all 8 (counting the two 3/3 attacking creatures previously mentioned)? Then yes.
How is that blocker supposed to deal 5 combat damage? What is its power? (And what does "uses one toughness" mean?)
Blocked is blocked, and all combat damage is simultaneous (barring first strike/double strike).
Yes. If you are familiar with computer play of Magic, imagine them losing their seat in favor of you or your puppet (except that they still control the concede button and actions outside game play itself).
Never; player control doesn't change this. Similarly, just as a player can not simply proclaim "My life total is now ##.", you can't use this control to make such a proclamation.
B controls the suspend triggers from a suspended card that B owns. B follows the instructions when those triggered abilities resolve, especially the "play it" instruction.
A is the "target spell's controller", and the only player referenced by any of the text of that card.
The delayed triggered ability will trigger at the beginning of each of A's upkeeps, because A is "that player".
And A is the "he or she" in "he or she puts it onto the stack as a copy of the original spell".
The spell effect "Add BBBB to your mana pool." is part of the copy and will happen when the copy resolves.
Yes.
It does not.
Eventually, it resolves. You haven't described anything that would interfere with it. Neither Gaddock Teeg nor any other Magic card can alter the past (e.g., the casting of that spell), and Gaddock Teeg does nothing to keep the spell from resolving.
Yes.