I've been playing with it a few times and I'm almost positive that there are some things I'm doing wrong. So I'm going to ask if someone could please clear some things up.
1.) The most important thing I want to know is the benefits of Dread Returning the Balustrade Spy. I know he mills your deck instantly but doesn't that mean I only have the rest of my turn and my opponents turn to win before I lose because my library is empty? What creatures would I need to optimally use that trick/combo?
2.) What is the optimal starting hand? I have a hard time understanding which cards are the most important to have early game, all I know is I DON'T want the Narcomoeba in my opening hand.
3.) If I win the opportunity to go first can I choose to go second?
4.) The wording on Nether Shadow and Ichorid kind of confuse me because one says at the beginning of my upkeep and the other says at the end of my upkeep. Does that mean if I dredge a Nether Shadow (with 3 creatures above) with my initial draw step that I can then put him onto the battlefield? I KNOW I can't with Ichorid but since the wording was different I thought the timing restrictions may also be different.
5.) Another timing restriction question was bothering me as well. When something states to do something at my end step, does that mean after everything that is done "automatically" at my end step is finished resolving, does that mean my turn is immediately over? Or can I continue doing things in response to effects caused by things activating at the end step?
I may have more questions but these will do for now, PLEASE help!
1) Not a rules question.
2) Not a rules question.
3) Yes. You actually win the right to choose who goes first, not the right to go first.
4) Pay no attention to the printed words on the cards. Always look up the current wording, also known as Oracle text, in Gatherer. Both Ichorid and Nether Shadow have triggers that trigger at the beginning of your upkeep. Both those triggers will happen before your draw step.
5) The fact that you're not mentioning any card names makes this hard to answer. Again, you should look at the Oracle text to determine how the card works. In all likelihood it is an "at the beginning of the end step" trigger. If it is, you can respond to it and do things after it has resolved.
In Commander format if i steal your commander and it dies, i assume the owner would choose what zone it goes to, the graveyard or back to the command zone, but i just want to double check because i could be real annoying if the controller got to pick.
Yes, the owner makes that choice.
903.11. If a commander would be put into its owner's graveyard from anywhere, that player may put it into the command zone instead.
903.12. If a commander would be put into the exile zone from anywhere, its owner may put it into the command zone instead.
This question is more aimed towards Level 2 or 3 Judges.
You can't control who posts in this thread, and you can't verify whether the people who answer in this thread are actually level 2 or 3 judges, so this request is as pointless as it is rude. If you need an answer from a judge with a particular level, you'll have to ask one in person.
Alright, just a quick question about hexproof cards. On the description for hexproof it says that it cant be the target of opponents' spells or abilities. So say I control Lone Revenant and another creature and my opponent casts an overloaded Mizzium Mortars on their turn. Since it no longer "targets" Lone Revenant, will it bypass the hexproof ability?
if i pay for resonator with the mana from haven...nevermind, i dont think it works. too tired for this haha
There is another reason why it doesn't work. Strionic Resonator can only copy a triggered ability that uses the stack. Verdant Haven's ability is a triggered mana ability, and as such it doesn't use the stack.
Let's say I declare that I am blocking my opponent's Craw Wurm with my Tempting Licid, then I activate the Licid's ability and change it into a creature enchantment. Does the Licid live?
Yes, it'll live. It stops being a creature, so it's removed from combat and it won't deal nor receive combat damage.
506.4. A permanent is removed from combat if it leaves the battlefield, if its controller changes, if it phases out, if an effect specifically removes it from combat, if it's a planeswalker that's being attacked and stops being a planeswalker, or if it's an attacking or blocking creature that regenerates (see rule 701.12) or stops being a creature. A creature that's removed from combat stops being an attacking, blocking, blocked, and/or unblocked creature. A planeswalker that's removed from combat stops being attacked.
How does the interaction between a Lightning Bolt and a Circle of Protection: Red work if a planeswalker is involved?
It is my understanding that the spell is targeted at the player and upon resolution it is decided to be directed at the planeswalker. Is there a way for a CoP to prevent it? Please cite the rule if you can.
Thanks.
First off, let's use player names to make it clear who makes which decision. Player A controls the CoP and the planeswalker; player B is casting the Lightning Bolt. Your understanding is correct that player B would choose to redirect the damage on resolution of Lightning Bolt. The rule for that is this one:
306.7. If noncombat damage would be dealt to a player by a source controlled by an opponent, that opponent may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker the first player controls instead. This is a redirection effect (see rule 614.9) and is subject to the normal rules for ordering replacement effects (see rule 616). The opponent chooses whether to redirect the damage as the redirection effect is applied.
Now, assuming that player A has activated the CoP's ability in response to Lightning Bolt and named Lightning Bolt as the source, there are now two replacement effects that want to change how the Lightning Bolt affects player A. Since player A is the player that would be affected, player A chooses one to apply:
616.1. If two or more replacement and/or prevention effects are attempting to modify the way an event affects an object or player, the affected object's controller (or its owner if it has no controller) or the affected player chooses one to apply, following the steps listed below. If two or more players have to make these choices at the same time, choices are made in APNAP order (see rule 101.4).
616.1e Once the chosen effect has been applied, this process is repeated (taking into account only replacement or prevention effects that would now be applicable) until there are no more left to apply.
If player A chooses to apply CoP's effect first, the damage is prevented, so no damage is being dealt, so the planeswalker redirection effect is no longer applicable.
Marauding Maulhorn
{2}{R}{R}
Creature — Beast
5/3
Marauding Maulhorn attacks each combat if able unless you control a creature named Advocate of the Beast.
* Marauding Maulhorn can attack if you control a creature named Advocate of the Beast. It just isn’t forced to.
* Marauding Maulhorn checks whether you control a creature named Advocate of the Beast as attacking creatures are declared. At that time, if you don’t, Marauding Maulhorn attacks if able.
* If, during your declare attackers step, Marauding Maulhorn is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can’t attack, or hasn’t been under your control continuously since the turn began (and doesn’t have haste), then it doesn’t attack. If there’s a cost associated with having Marauding Maulhorn attack, you aren’t forced to pay that cost, so it doesn’t have to attack in that case either.
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Master of Diversion
{2}{W}
Creature — Human Scout
2/2
Whenever Master of Diversion attacks, tap target creature defending player controls.
* The ability will resolve and the creature will become tapped before blocking creatures are declared.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, any creature controlled by a member of the defending team can be chosen as the target.
* In other multiplayer formats, including Commander, only a creature controlled by the defending player Master of Diversion is attacking can be chosen as the target, even if your other attacking creatures are attacking different players.
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Merfolk Spy
{U}
Creature — Merfolk Rogue
1/1
Islandwalk (This creature can’t be blocked as long as defending player controls an Island.)
Whenever Merfolk Spy deals combat damage to a player, that player reveals a card at random from his or her hand.
* Islandwalk cares about lands with the subtype Island, not just ones named Island.
* The second ability triggers just once each time Merfolk Spy deals combat damage to a player, regardless of how much damage it deals.
* After the second ability resolves, the revealed card stops being revealed in its owner’s hand.
* The next time Merfolk Spy deals combat damage to the same player, the card that’s revealed at random may be the same card or may be a different card.
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Mindsparker
{1}{R}{R}
Creature — Elemental
3/2
First strike (This creature deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.)
Whenever an opponent casts a white or blue instant or sorcery spell, Mindsparker deals 2 damage to that player.
* Mindsparker’s ability will trigger whenever an opponent casts an instant or sorcery spell that’s white, blue, or both. If the spell is both white and blue, Mindsparker’s ability will trigger only once.
* If an opponent casts a copy of a white or blue instant or sorcery card (as opposed to putting a copy of such a spell directly on the stack), the ability will trigger.
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Molten Birth
{1}{R}{R}
Sorcery
Put two 1/1 red Elemental creature tokens onto the battlefield. Then flip a coin. If you win the flip, return Molten Birth to its owner’s hand.
* If you win the flip, Molten Birth goes directly from the stack to its owner’s hand. It never goes to a graveyard.
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Mutavault
Land
{T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.
{1}: Mutavault becomes a 2/2 creature with all creature types until end of turn. It’s still a land.
* If Mutavault becomes a creature but hasn’t been under its controller’s control continuously since the beginning of that player’s most recent turn, it can’t attack or be tapped to activate its first ability.
* Examples of creature types include Sliver, Goblin, and Soldier. Creature types appear after the dash on the type line of creatures.
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Nightmare
{5}{B}
Creature — Nightmare Horse
*/*
Flying
Nightmare’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of Swamps you control.
* The ability that defines Nightmare’s power and toughness works everywhere, not just on the battlefield.
* Nightmare’s ability counts all lands you control with the subtype Swamp, not just ones named Swamp.
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Oath of the Ancient Wood
{2}{G}
Enchantment
Whenever Oath of the Ancient Wood or another enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
* If the enchantment that enters the battlefield is somehow also a creature, you may choose it as the target of Oath of the Ancient Wood’s ability.
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Path of Bravery
{2}{W}
Enchantment
As long as your life total is greater than or equal to your starting life total, creatures you control get +1/+1.
Whenever one or more creatures you control attack, you gain life equal to the number of attacking creatures.
* Your starting life total is the life total you began the game with, keeping in mind the format you’re playing and, in some rare cases, anything that affects your starting life total (for example, a vanguard with a life modifier).
* In most games, your starting life total is 20. In a Commander game, your starting life total is 40 instead. In a Two-Headed Giant game, Path of Bravery compares your team’s life total to your team’s starting life total, which is 30.
* Path of Bravery’s triggered ability triggers only once, after attacking creatures are declared. For example, if you attack with five creatures, you’ll gain 5 life as a single life-gain event.
* If a creature enters the battlefield attacking after attacking creatures have been declared, the ability won’t trigger again because you didn’t declare that creature as an attacking creature. However, if it enters the battlefield before the ability resolves, it will be counted when determining how much life is gained.
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Pay No Heed
{W}
Instant
Prevent all damage a source of your choice would deal this turn.
* Pay No Heed doesn’t target anything. You can choose a source with hexproof, for example. You choose the damage source as Pay No Heed resolves.
* If the chosen source is a permanent spell, damage dealt later in the turn by the permanent it becomes will also be prevented.
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Primeval Bounty
{5}{G}
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a creature spell, put a 3/3 green Beast creature token onto the battlefield.
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put three +1/+1 counters on target creature you control.
Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 3 life.
* The last ability triggers whenever you play a land and also whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control for some other reason, such as the ability of Into the Wilds.
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Pyromancer’s Gauntlet
{5}
Artifact
If a red instant or sorcery spell you control or a red planeswalker you control would deal damage to a permanent or player, it deals that much damage plus 2 to that permanent or player instead.
* Pyromancer’s Gauntlet doesn’t change the source or recipient of the damage.
* If all damage from a source is prevented (because of Pay No Heed, for example) or if a source would deal 0 damage, the effect of Pyromancer’s Gauntlet will not apply as that source is no longer dealing damage.
* If damage is being dealt to multiple players and/or permanents at the same time, the damage being dealt to each one is increased by 2.
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Quag Sickness
{2}{B}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets -1/-1 for each Swamp you control.
* Quag Sickness counts all lands you control with the subtype Swamp, not just ones named Swamp.
* The ability counts the number of Swamps controlled by Quag Sickness’s controller, not the enchanted creature’s controller (in case they’re different players).
* The effect isn’t fixed; it changes as the number of Swamps you control changes.
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Quicken
{U}
Instant
The next sorcery card you cast this turn can be cast as though it had flash. (It can be cast any time you could cast an instant.)
Draw a card.
* You don’t choose a sorcery card when Quicken resolves. Rather, it applies to the next sorcery card you cast that turn, even if you cast it at a time when you normally could cast a sorcery and even if you cast it from a zone other than your hand.
* If you cast two Quickens in succession, they’ll both apply to the next sorcery card you cast.
* Casting a copy of a sorcery card won’t “use up” Quicken’s effect because the copy isn’t a card.
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Ratchet Bomb
{2}
Artifact
{T}: Put a charge counter on Ratchet Bomb.
{T}, Sacrifice Ratchet Bomb: Destroy each nonland permanent with converted mana cost equal to the number of charge counters on Ratchet Bomb.
* The converted mana cost of a permanent is determined by the mana symbols printed in its mana cost (upper right corner). The converted mana cost is the total amount of mana in that cost, regardless of color. For example, a card with mana cost {3}{U}{U} has converted mana cost 5.
* If the mana cost of a permanent includes {X}, X is considered to be 0.
* If a nonland permanent has no mana symbols in its upper right corner (because it’s a token that's not copying something else, for example), its converted mana cost is 0.
* A token that’s copying another permanent has the converted mana cost of that permanent.
* The number of charge counters on Ratchet Bomb when it was sacrificed is used to determine which nonland permanents will be destroyed.
* Ratchet Bomb’s second ability destroys only nonland permanents with converted mana cost exactly equal to the number of charge counters on Ratchet Bomb. It doesn’t matter who controls them.
* Activating Ratchet Bomb’s second ability while it has no charge counters on it will destroy each nonland permanent with converted mana cost 0.
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Rootwalla
{2}{G}
Creature — Lizard
2/2
{1}{G}: Rootwalla gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
* If Rootwalla’s ability is activated by one player, then another player gains control of it during the same turn, the second player can’t activate its ability that turn.
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Savage Summoning
{G}
Instant
Savage Summoning can’t be countered.
The next creature card you cast this turn can be cast as though it had flash. That spell can’t be countered. That creature enters the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it.
* You don’t choose a creature card when Savage Summoning resolves. Rather, it applies to the next creature card you cast that turn, even if you cast it at a time when you normally could cast a creature and even if you cast it from a zone other than your hand.
* If you cast multiple Savage Summonings in succession, they’ll apply to the next creature spell you cast. That creature will enter the battlefield with that many additional +1/+1 counters on it.
* Spells that would counter Savage Summoning or the relevant creature spell can still be cast. They won’t counter the spell, but any additional effects they have will happen.
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Scavenging Ooze
{1}{G}
Creature — Ooze
2/2
{G}: Exile target card from a graveyard. If it was a creature card, put a +1/+1 counter on Scavenging Ooze and you gain 1 life.
* If the target card is an illegal target when the ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. No counter will be put on Scavenging Ooze and you won’t gain life.
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Scourge of Valkas
{2}{R}{R}{R}
Creature — Dragon
4/4
Flying
Whenever Scourge of Valkas or another Dragon enters the battlefield under your control, it deals X damage to target creature or player, where X is the number of Dragons you control.
{R}: Scourge of Valkas gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
* The amount of damage dealt by the Dragon that entered the battlefield is based on the number of Dragons you control when the ability resolves.
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Scroll Thief
{2}{U}
Creature — Merfolk Rogue
1/3
Whenever Scroll Thief deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
* The ability triggers just once each time Scroll Thief deals combat damage to a player, regardless of how much damage it deals.
* The ability is mandatory. You must draw a card when it resolves.
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Seismic Stomp
{1}{R}
Sorcery
Creatures without flying can’t block this turn.
* No creature without flying will be able to block that turn, including creatures that lose flying after Seismic Stomp resolves and creatures without flying that enter the battlefield after Seismic Stomp resolves.
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Sengir Vampire
{3}{B}{B}
Creature — Vampire
4/4
Flying
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Sengir Vampire this turn dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Sengir Vampire.
* Each time a creature dies, check whether Sengir Vampire had dealt any damage to it at any time during that turn. If so, Sengir Vampire’s ability will trigger. It doesn’t matter who controlled the creature or whose graveyard it was put into.
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Seraph of the Sword
{3}{W}
Creature — Angel
3/3
Flying
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to Seraph of the Sword.
* If Seraph of the Sword blocks a creature with trample, that creature’s controller must assign 3 damage to Seraph of the Sword (assuming it’s blocking no other creatures, there was no damage marked on it, and nothing has changed its toughness). The remainder can be assigned to the defending player or planeswalker.
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Shadowborn Apostle
{B}
Creature — Human Cleric
1/1
A deck can have any number of cards named Shadowborn Apostle.
{B}, Sacrifice six creatures named Shadowborn Apostle: Search your library for a Demon creature card and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
* Shadowborn Apostle’s first ability lets you ignore only the “four-of” rule. It doesn’t let you ignore format legality.
* In Commander and other singleton formats, Shadowborn Apostle’s first ability lets you ignore the “one-of” rule.
* You sacrifice the six creatures when you activate the ability. You can’t respond to that ability by activating the ability of one of the other Shadowborn Apostles you just sacrificed.
* You don’t have to sacrifice the Shadowborn Apostle whose ability you activated. It can be six other Shadowborn Apostles.
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Shadowborn Demon
{3}{B}{B}
Creature — Demon
5/6
Flying
When Shadowborn Demon enters the battlefield, destroy target non-Demon creature.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are fewer than six creature cards in your graveyard, sacrifice a creature.
* Shadowborn Demon’s enters-the-battlefield ability is mandatory. If you control the only non-Demon creature, you must choose it as the target.
* The last ability checks whether you have fewer than six creature cards in your graveyard when it would trigger. If you have six or more, it won’t trigger at all. The ability will check again when it tries to resolve. If at that time you have six or more, the ability won’t do anything.
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Shiv’s Embrace
{2}{R}{R}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has flying.
{R}: Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
* Only the controller of Shiv’s Embrace may activate the last ability. This may be a different player than the one who controls the enchanted creature.
* When the activated ability resolves, the creature Shiv’s Embrace is enchanting at that time will get +1/+0. This may be a different creature than the one Shiv’s Embrace was enchanting when the ability was activated.
* When the activated ability resolves, if Shiv’s Embrace isn’t on the battlefield, the creature it was enchanting when it left the battlefield gets the bonus.
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Shrivel
{1}{B}
Sorcery
All creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn.
* Only creatures on the battlefield as Shrivel resolves are affected.
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Silence
{W}
Instant
Your opponents can’t cast spells this turn. (Spells cast before this resolves are unaffected.)
* Silence won’t affect spells that your opponents cast before you cast Silence. (In other words, it can’t be used as a retroactive Cancel.) Silence also won’t stop your opponents from casting spells after you cast Silence but before Silence resolves.
* The only thing Silence does is prevent your opponents from casting spells. They can still activate abilities, including abilities of cards in their hands (like cycling). Their triggered abilities work as normal, they can still play lands, and so on.
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Solemn Offering
{2}{W}
Sorcery
Destroy target artifact or enchantment. You gain 4 life.
* If the targeted permanent is an illegal target when Solemn Offering tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t gain any life.
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Spell Blast
{X}{U}
Instant
Counter target spell with converted mana cost X. (For example, if that spell’s mana cost is {3}{U}{U}, X is 5.)
* Alternative costs, additional costs, cost increases, and cost reductions don’t affect a spell’s converted mana cost.
* If the target spell has {X} in its converted mana cost, include the value chosen for that X when determining the value of the {X} in Spell Blast’s mana cost. For example, if you wish to counter Volcanic Geyser (a spell with mana cost {X}{R}{R}) whose X is 7, you’ll need to choose 9 for Spell Blast’s X and pay {9}{U}.
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Sporemound
{3}{G}{G}
Creature — Fungus
3/3
Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token onto the battlefield.
* Sporemound’s ability triggers whenever you play a land and also whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control for some other reason, such as the ability of Into the Wilds.
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Stonehorn Chanter
{5}{W}
Creature — Rhino Cleric
4/4
{5}{W}: Stonehorn Chanter gains vigilance and lifelink until end of turn. (Attacking doesn’t cause it to tap. Damage dealt by it also causes you to gain that much life.)
* Multiple instances of vigilance and lifelink are redundant. There’s usually no reason to activate Stonehorn Chanter’s ability more than once in a single turn.
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Striking Sliver
{R}
Creature — Sliver
1/1
Sliver creatures you control have first strike. (They deal combat damage before creatures without first strike.)
* If Striking Sliver leaves the battlefield after Sliver creatures you control have dealt first-strike damage but before regular combat damage, those Slivers won’t deal regular combat damage (unless they have double strike for some reason).
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Strionic Resonator
{2}
Artifact
{2}, {T}: Copy target triggered ability you control. You may choose new targets for the copy. (A triggered ability uses the words “when,” “whenever,” or “at.”)
* Strionic Resonator targets a triggered ability that has triggered and is on the stack.
* The source of the copy is the same as the source of the original ability.
* If the triggered ability is modal (that is, if it says “Choose one —” or similar), the mode is copied and can’t be changed.
* If the triggered ability divides damage or distributes counters among a number of targets (for example, the ability of Bogardan Hellkite), the division and number of targets can’t be changed. If you choose new targets, you must choose the same number of targets.
* Any choices made when the triggered ability resolves won’t have been made yet when it’s copied. Any such choices will be made separately when the copy resolves. If the triggered ability asks you to pay a cost (for example, as the extort ability from the Return to Ravnica block does), you pay that cost for the copy.
* If a triggered ability is linked to a second ability, copies of that triggered ability are also linked to that second ability. If the second ability refers to “the exiled card,” it refers to all cards exiled by the triggered ability and the copy. For example, if Exclusion Ritual’s enters-the-battlefield ability is copied and two nonland permanents are exiled, players can’t cast spells with the same name as either exiled card.
* In some cases involving linked abilities, an ability requires information about “the exiled card.” When this happens, the ability gets multiple answers. If these answers are being used to determine the value of a variable, the sum is used. For example, if Elite Arcanist’s enters-the-battlefield ability is copied, two cards are exiled. The value of X in the activation cost of Elite Arcanist’s other ability is the sum of the two cards’ converted mana costs. As the ability resolves, you create copies of both cards and can cast none, one, or both of the copies in any order.
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Tenacious Dead
{B}
Creature — Skeleton Warrior
1/1
When Tenacious Dead dies, you may pay {1}{B}. If you do, return it to the battlefield tapped under its owner’s control.
* You decide whether to pay {1}{B} when the ability resolves. If you choose not to, you won’t get another chance later.
* If you control a Tenacious Dead owned by another player when it dies, you’ll control the triggered ability. However, if you choose to pay {1}{B}, it will be put onto the battlefield under its owner’s control.
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Thorncaster Sliver
{4}{R}
Creature — Sliver
2/2
Sliver creatures you control have “Whenever this creature attacks, it deals 1 damage to target creature or player.”
* If you control multiple Thorncaster Slivers and a Sliver you control attacks, each ability will trigger separately.
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Thunder Strike
{1}{R}
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn. (It deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.)
* Thunder Strike can target any creature, even one that already has first strike or double strike. (If it affects such a creature, it will, in effect, just give it +2/+0.)
* If a creature doesn’t have first strike, granting it first strike after combat damage has been dealt in the first-strike combat damage step won’t prevent it from dealing combat damage. It will still assign and deal its combat damage in the second combat damage step.
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Tidebinder Mage
{U}{U}
Creature — Merfolk Wizard
2/2
When Tidebinder Mage enters the battlefield, tap target red or green creature an opponent controls. That creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step for as long as you control Tidebinder Mage.
* If you lose control of Tidebinder Mage between when it entered the battlefield and when the ability resolves, the target creature will become tapped. However, it won’t be affected by the other effect and will untap as normal during its controller’s untap step.
* If another player gains control of Tidebinder Mage, the creature will no longer be affected by the ability preventing it from untapping, even if you later regain control of Tidebinder Mage.
* If you gain control of the creature that’s being prevented from untapping, that creature won’t untap during your untap step for as long as you control Tidebinder Mage.
* The ability can target a tapped creature. If the targeted creature is already tapped when it resolves, that creature just remains tapped and doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
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Tome Scour
{U}
Sorcery
Target player puts the top five cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
* If there are fewer than five cards in the targeted player’s library, that player puts all the cards from his or her library into his or her graveyard.
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Trollhide
{2}{G}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has “{1}{G}: Regenerate this creature.” (The next time the creature would be destroyed this turn, it isn’t. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat.)
* Activating the ability granted to the enchanted creature causes a “regeneration shield” to be created for it. The next time that creature would be destroyed that turn, the regeneration shield is used up instead. This works only if the creature is dealt lethal damage, dealt damage from a source with deathtouch, or affected by a spell or ability that says to “destroy” it. Other effects that cause the creature to be put into the graveyard (such as reducing its toughness to 0 or sacrificing it) don’t destroy it, so regeneration won’t save it. If the regeneration shield isn’t used, it goes away as the turn ends.
* To work, the regeneration shield must be created before the enchanted creature is destroyed. This usually means activating its ability during the declare blockers step, or in response to a spell or ability that would destroy it.
* If the enchanted creature is dealt lethal damage and is dealt damage by a source with deathtouch during the same combat damage step, a single regeneration shield will save it.
* Trollhide needs to be attached to the creature as the ability that creates the regeneration shield is activated, but after that, the regeneration shield will be created and remain in effect even if Trollhide is no longer attached to the creature.
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Vampire Warlord
{4}{B}
Creature — Vampire Warrior
4/2
Sacrifice another creature: Regenerate Vampire Warlord. (The next time this creature would be destroyed this turn, it isn’t. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat.)
* Activating Vampire Warlord’s ability causes a “regeneration shield” to be created for it. The next time Vampire Warlord would be destroyed that turn, the regeneration shield is used up instead. This works only if the creature is dealt lethal damage, dealt damage from a source with deathtouch, or affected by a spell or ability that says to “destroy” it. Other effects that cause the creature to be put into the graveyard (such as reducing its toughness to 0 or sacrificing it) don’t destroy it, so regeneration won’t save it. If the regeneration shield isn’t used, it goes away as the turn ends.
* To work, the regeneration shield must be created before Vampire Warlord is destroyed. This usually means activating its ability during the declare blockers step, or in response to a spell or ability that would destroy it.
* If Vampire Warlord is dealt lethal damage and is dealt damage by a source with deathtouch during the same combat damage step, a single regeneration shield will save it.
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Vastwood Hydra
{X}{G}{G}
Creature — Hydra
0/0
Vastwood Hydra enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.
When Vastwood Hydra dies, you may distribute a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on Vastwood Hydra among any number of creatures you control.
* The ability that triggers when Vastwood Hydra dies doesn’t target any of the creatures. You can choose to put counters on a creature with protection from green, for example.
* You choose how the counters will be distributed when the ability resolves.
* In some unusual cases, Vastwood Hydra will have enough -1/-1 counters put on it to make its toughness 0 or less. If this happens, the ability will still distribute a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on Vastwood Hydra before the -1/-1 counters were put on it. For example, if Vastwood Hydra has two +1/+1 counters on it and three -1/-1 counters are put on it, two +1/+1 counters will be distributed.
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Verdant Haven
{2}{G}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant land
When Verdant Haven enters the battlefield, you gain 2 life.
Whenever enchanted land is tapped for mana, its controller adds one mana of any color to his or her mana pool (in addition to the mana the land produces).
* If the land targeted by Verdant Haven is illegal as Verdant Haven tries to resolve, it will be countered and won’t enter the battlefield. Its ability that causes you to gain 2 life won’t trigger.
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Vile Rebirth
{B}
Instant
Exile target creature card from a graveyard. Put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token onto the battlefield.
* If the creature card is an illegal target when Vile Rebirth tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t put a Zombie token onto the battlefield.
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Voracious Wurm
{1}{G}
Creature — Wurm
2/2
Voracious Wurm enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the amount of life you’ve gained this turn.
* Voracious Wurm’s ability checks how much life you’ve gained during the turn, not what your life total is compared to what it was when the turn began. For example, if you start the turn at 10 life, gain 6 life during the turn, then lose 6 life later that turn, Voracious Wurm will enter the battlefield with six +1/+1 counters.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate isn’t considered, even though it causes your team’s life total to increase.
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Wall of Frost
{1}{U}{U}
Creature — Wall
0/7
Defender (This creature can’t attack.)
Whenever Wall of Frost blocks a creature, that creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
* Wall of Frost’s triggered ability tracks the creature, but not its controller. If the creature changes controllers before its first controller’s next untap step has come around, then it won’t untap during its new controller’s next untap step.
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Warden of Evos Isle
{2}{U}
Creature — Bird Wizard
2/2
Flying
Creature spells with flying you cast cost {1} less to cast.
* A creature spell that doesn’t have flying won’t cost less even if the creature it will become would have flying once on the battlefield. For example, if you control Galerider Sliver, other Sliver spells won’t cost {1} less even though those Slivers will have flying once they’re on the battlefield.
* The ability can’t reduce the colored mana requirement of a creature spell with flying.
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Water Servant
{2}{U}{U}
Creature — Elemental
3/4
{U}: Water Servant gets +1/-1 until end of turn.
{U}: Water Servant gets -1/+1 until end of turn.
* You can activate Water Servant’s second ability even if doing so would cause Water Servant’s power to be less than 0. If Water Servant’s power is less than 0, treat it as 0 for all purposes except for further modifying it, or causing the power of another creature (such as Riptide Mangler) to become equal to it.
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Wild Guess
{R}{R}
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast Wild Guess, discard a card.
Draw two cards.
* Because discarding a card is an additional cost, you can’t cast Wild Guess if you have no other cards in hand.
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Wild Ricochet
{2}{R}{R}
Instant
You may choose new targets for target instant or sorcery spell. Then copy that spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
* Wild Ricochet can target (and copy) any instant or sorcery spell, not just one with targets. It doesn’t matter who controls it.
* When Wild Ricochet resolves, it creates a copy of a spell. You control the copy. The controller of the original spell retains control of that spell. The 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 resolves before the original spell.
* The copy will have the same targets as the spell it’s copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can’t choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
* If the spell Wild Ricochet copies is modal (that is, it says “Choose one —” or the like), the copy will have the same mode. You can’t choose a different one.
* If the spell Wild Ricochet copies has an X whose value was determined as it was cast (like Volcanic Geyser does), the copy has the same value of X.
* You can’t choose to pay any additional costs for the copy. However, effects based on any additional costs that were paid for the original spell are copied as though those same costs were paid for the copy too. For example, if a player sacrifices a 3/3 creature to cast Fling, and you copy it with Wild Ricochet, the copy of Fling will also deal 3 damage to its target.
* If the copy says that it affects “you,” it affects the controller of the copy, not the controller of the original spell. Similarly, if the copy says that it affects an “opponent,” it affects an opponent of the copy’s controller, not an opponent of the original spell’s controller.
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Windreader Sphinx
{5}{U}{U}
Creature — Sphinx
3/7
Flying
Whenever a creature with flying attacks, you may draw a card.
* It doesn’t matter who controls the creature with flying or what player or planeswalker that creature is attacking.
* Windreader Sphinx’s ability will trigger when it itself attacks.
* The creature must have flying when declared as an attacking creature in order for Windreader Sphinx’s ability to trigger. For example, attacking with Trained Condor (a creature with flying and “Whenever Trained Condor attacks, another target creature you control gains flying until end of turn.”) and a creature without flying will cause the ability to trigger only once.
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Witchstalker
{1}{G}{G}
Creature — Wolf
3/3
Hexproof (This creature can’t be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
Whenever an opponent casts a blue or black spell during your turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Witchstalker.
* The counter will be put on Witchstalker before the spell cast by an opponent resolves.
* If an opponent casts a copy of a card that’s blue or black during your turn (as opposed to putting a copy of such a spell directly on the stack), the ability will also trigger. Check for the word “cast” in the effect that creates the copy.
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Xathrid Necromancer
{2}{B}
Creature — Human Wizard
2/2
Whenever Xathrid Necromancer or another Human creature you control dies, put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token onto the battlefield tapped.
* If Xathrid Necromancer dies at the same time as another Human creature you control, its ability will trigger twice.
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Young Pyromancer
{1}{R}
Creature — Human Shaman
2/1
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, put a 1/1 red Elemental creature token onto the battlefield.
* You’ll put the Elemental token onto the battlefield before the instant or sorcery spell you cast resolves but after any targets of that spell are chosen.
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Magic 2014 Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled by Matt Tabak, with contributions from Laurie Cheers, Carsten Haese, Eli Shiffrin, Zoe Stephenson, and Thijs van Ommen
Document last modified June 5, 2013
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 Wizards.com/CustomerService.
This FAQ has two sections, each of which serves a different purpose.
The first section (“General Notes”) explains the mechanics and concepts in the set.
The second section (“Card-Specific Notes”) contains answers to the most important, most common, and most confusing questions players might ask about cards in the set. Items in the “Card-Specific Notes” section include full card text for your reference. Not all cards in the set are listed.
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GENERAL NOTES
Release Information
The Magic 2014 core set contains 249 cards (101 common, 60 uncommon, 53 rare, 15 mythic rare, and 20 basic land).
Prerelease events: July 13–14, 2013
Launch Weekend: July 19–21, 2013
Game Day: August 10–11, 2013
The Magic 2014 core set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play on its official release date: Friday, July 19, 2013. At that time, the following card sets will be permitted in the Standard format: Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored, Magic 2013, Return to Ravnica, Gatecrash, Dragon’s Maze, and Magic 2014.
Go to Wizards.com/MagicFormats for a complete list of formats and permitted card sets.
Go to Wizards.com/Locator to find an event or store near you.
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Returning Theme: Slivers
Magic 2014 features the return of creatures with the creature type Sliver. These popular creatures share abilities or power and toughness bonuses with other Slivers you control.
Galerider Sliver
{U}
Creature — Sliver
1/1
Sliver creatures you control have flying.
* Unlike Slivers from previous sets, Slivers in this set affect only Sliver creatures you control. They don’t grant bonuses to your opponents’ Slivers. (Note that previous Sliver cards have not changed.)
* If you change the creature type of a Sliver you control so it’s no longer a Sliver, it will no longer be affected by its own ability. Its ability will continue to affect other Sliver creatures you control.
* Abilities that Slivers grant, as well as power/toughness boosts, are cumulative. However, for some abilities, like flying, having more than one instance of the ability doesn’t provide any additional benefit.
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Cycle: Magus Staffs
This set also includes a cycle of artifacts, each aligned to a color, that allow you to gain life for casting spells of that color or having basic lands of the type associated with that color enter the battlefield.
Staff of the Sun Magus
{3}
Artifact
Whenever you cast a white spell or a Plains enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 1 life.
* Each of these artifacts cares about any land with the appropriate basic land type. For example, Staff of the Sun Magus’s ability triggers when any land with the subtype Plains enters the battlefield under your control, not just lands named Plains.
* Many nonbasic lands don’t have basic land types, even if they produce colored mana. For example, Azorius Guildgate is neither a Plains nor an Island. Having one enter the battlefield under your control won’t cause Staff of the Sun Magus’s ability to trigger.
* If you cast a copy of a card that’s a certain color, the appropriate Staff’s ability will trigger. However, if you copy a spell on the stack without casting that copy, it will not.
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Returning Card Type: Planeswalkers
A planeswalker is a powerful ally that fights by your side. With the exception of the “planeswalker uniqueness rule” (see the separate section below), the rules for planeswalkers have not changed with this release.
Jace, Memory Adept
{3}{U}{U}
Planeswalker — Jace
4
+1: Draw a card. Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
0: Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
-7: Any number of target players each draw twenty cards.
* Planeswalkers are permanents. You can cast one at the time you could cast a sorcery. When your planeswalker spell resolves, it enters the battlefield under your control.
* Planeswalkers are not creatures. Spells and abilities that affect creatures won’t affect them.
* Planeswalkers have loyalty. A planeswalker enters the battlefield with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to the number printed in its lower right corner. Activating one of its abilities may cause it to gain or lose loyalty counters. Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from it. If it has no loyalty counters on it, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based action.
* Planeswalkers each have a number of activated abilities called “loyalty abilities.” You can activate a loyalty ability of a planeswalker you control only at the time you could cast a sorcery and only if you haven’t activated one of that planeswalker’s loyalty abilities yet that turn.
* The cost to activate a planeswalker’s loyalty ability is represented by a symbol with a number inside. Up-arrows contain positive numbers, such as “+1”; this means “Put one loyalty counter on this planeswalker.” Down-arrows contain negative numbers, such as “-7”; this means “Remove seven loyalty counters from this planeswalker.” A symbol with a “0” means “Put zero loyalty counters on this planeswalker.”
* Activating a loyalty ability with a cost of 0 will leave the number of loyalty counters on that planeswalker unchanged.
* You can’t activate a planeswalker’s ability with a negative loyalty cost unless the planeswalker has at least that many loyalty counters on it.
* Planeswalkers can’t attack (unless an effect turns the planeswalker into a creature). However, they can be attacked. Each of your attacking creatures can attack your opponent or a planeswalker that player controls. You say which as you declare attackers.
* If your planeswalkers are being attacked, you can block the attackers as normal.
* If a creature that’s attacking a planeswalker isn’t blocked, it’ll deal its combat damage to that planeswalker. Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from it.
* If a source you control would deal noncombat damage to an opponent, you may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker that opponent controls instead. For example, although you can’t target a planeswalker with Shock, you can target your opponent with Shock, and then as Shock resolves, choose to have Shock deal its 2 damage to one of your opponent’s planeswalkers. (You can’t split up that damage between different players and/or planeswalkers.) If you have Shock deal its damage to a planeswalker, two loyalty counters are removed from it.
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Rule Change: The “Planeswalker Uniqueness Rule”
Previously, if there were two or more planeswalkers that share a subtype (such as “Jace”) on the battlefield, they would all be put into their owners’ graveyards as a state-based action. This rule is changing. The new rule is as follows:
704.5j If a player controls two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type, that player chooses one of them and the rest are put into their owners’ graveyards. This is called the “planeswalker uniqueness rule.”
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Rule Change: The “Legend Rule”
Although there are no legendary permanents in the Magic 2014 core set, the “legend rule” is changing along with this set. Under the previous rule, whenever two or more legendary permanents with the same name were on the battlefield, they were all put into their owners’ graveyards as a state-based action. This rule is changing to the following:
704.5k If a player controls two or more legendary permanents with the same name, that player chooses one of them and the rest are put into their owners’ graveyards. This is called the “legend rule.”
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New Keyword: Indestructible
Indestructible is a new keyword for an existing ability.
Darksteel Ingot
{3}
Artifact
Indestructible (Effects that say “destroy” don’t destroy this artifact.)
{T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
* In most cases, indestructible becoming a keyword doesn’t represent a functional change. There are two exceptions:
* Previously, if a permanent was made indestructible by a resolving spell or ability (such as Withstand Death), and then that permanent lost its abilities, it would still be indestructible. This was because indestructible wasn’t an ability; it was just something true about the permanent. Now, the permanent will gain the ability indestructible, and it will lose this ability along with its other abilities.
* Previously, if a group of permanents were made indestructible by a resolving spell or ability (such as creatures you control being affected by Rootborn Defenses), permanents that joined that group or entered the battlefield after that spell or ability resolved would also be indestructible. This was because the effect making the permanents indestructible wasn’t changing any of those permanents’ characteristics. Now, a permanent that enters the battlefield or comes under your control after the spell or ability resolves won’t have indestructible as it wasn’t under your control at the appropriate time to gain it.
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CARD-SPECIFIC NOTES
Academy Raider
{2}{R}
Creature — Human Warrior
1/1
Intimidate (This creature can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.)
Whenever Academy Raider deals combat damage to a player, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
* The triggered ability triggers just once each time Academy Raider deals combat damage to a player, regardless of how much damage it deals.
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Act of Treason
{2}{R}
Sorcery
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. (It can attack and {T} this turn.)
* Act of Treason can target any creature, including one that’s untapped or one you already control.
* Gaining control of a creature doesn’t cause you to gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it.
* If you control a legendary creature and gain control of another legendary creature with the same name, you’ll choose one to remain on the battlefield and put the other into its owner’s graveyard.
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Advocate of the Beast
{2}{G}
Creature — Elf Shaman
2/3
At the beginning of your end step, put a +1/+1 counter on target Beast creature you control.
* If you don’t control any Beast creatures as your end step begins, the ability will be removed from the stack and will have no effect.
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Ajani, Caller of the Pride
{1}{W}{W}
Planeswalker — Ajani
4
+1: Put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature.
-3: Target creature gains flying and double strike until end of turn.
-8: Put X 2/2 white Cat creature tokens onto the battlefield, where X is your life total.
* You can activate the first ability without a target. You’ll still put one loyalty counter on Ajani when you activate the ability.
* The number of Cat tokens you put onto the battlefield is equal to your life total when the third ability resolves.
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Ajani’s Chosen
{2}{W}{W}
Creature — Cat Soldier
3/3
Whenever an enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, put a 2/2 white Cat creature token onto the battlefield. If that enchantment is an Aura, you may attach it to the token.
* The ability doesn’t trigger until the enchantment enters the battlefield. This means that, for example, you can’t cast an Aura with enchant creature if there are no legal targets available, hoping to enchant the Cat token. Ajani’s Chosen itself, however, may be a legal target for the Aura.
* If you cast an Aura targeting an opponent or a permanent controlled by an opponent, you control that Aura when it enters the battlefield. The ability of Ajani’s Chosen will trigger.
* You may attach the Aura to the token only if it can legally enchant that token. For example, if the enchantment that entered the battlefield is an Aura with “enchant land,” it won’t move.
* You may attach the Aura to the Cat token only if the Aura and the token are both on the battlefield when the triggered ability resolves. If the Aura leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, it won’t become attached to the token. If the token leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, the Aura won’t move.
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Altar’s Reap
{1}{B}
Instant
As an additional cost to cast Altar’s Reap, sacrifice a creature.
Draw two cards.
* You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell. You can’t cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you can’t sacrifice more than one creature.
* Players can respond to this spell only after it’s been cast and all its costs paid. This means that no one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to stop you from casting this spell.
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Angelic Accord
{3}{W}
Enchantment
At the beginning of each end step, if you gained 4 or more life this turn, put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
* Angelic Accord’s ability checks how much life you’ve gained during the turn, not what your life total is compared to what it was when the turn began. For example, if you start the turn at 10 life, gain 6 life during the turn, then lose 6 life later that turn, the ability will trigger.
* If you haven’t gained 4 or more life during the turn when the end step begins, the ability won’t trigger at all. Gaining life during the end step won’t cause the ability to trigger.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate isn’t considered, even though it causes your team’s life total to increase.
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Archaeomancer
{2}{U}{U}
Creature — Human Wizard
1/2
When Archaeomancer enters the battlefield, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
* If an instant or sorcery spell puts Archaeomancer onto the battlefield, you can choose that card as the target and return it to your hand.
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Archangel of Thune
{3}{W}{W}
Creature — Angel
3/4
Flying
Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
* The ability triggers just once from each life-gaining event, whether it’s 1 life from Soulmender or 5 life from Elixir of Immortality.
* A creature with lifelink dealing combat damage is a single life-gaining event. For example, if two creatures you control with lifelink deal combat damage at the same time, Archangel of Thune’s ability will trigger twice. However, if a single creature with lifelink deals combat damage to multiple creatures, players, and/or planeswalkers at the same time (perhaps because it has trample or was blocked by more than one creature), the ability will trigger only once.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate won’t cause the ability to trigger, even though it causes your team’s life total to increase.
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Artificer’s Hex
{B}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant Equipment
At the beginning of your upkeep, if enchanted Equipment is attached to a creature, destroy that creature.
* The ability checks to see if the enchanted Equipment is attached to a creature as your upkeep begins. If it’s not, the ability won’t trigger at all. If it is, the ability will check again as it tries to resolve. If the enchanted Equipment isn’t attached to a creature at that time, the ability won’t do anything.
* This ability triggers at the beginning of the upkeep of the controller of Artificer’s Hex, not the upkeep of the controller of the enchanted Equipment or the creature that Equipment is attached to.
* Players can’t pay an Equipment’s equip cost to unattach that Equipment to stop Artificer’s Hex from destroying a creature.
* In some rare cases, the creature the enchanted Equipment is attached to as the ability resolves isn’t the same one as the one it was attached to when it triggered. In such a case, the creature the Equipment is attached to when the ability resolves is destroyed.
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Awaken the Ancient
{1}{R}{R}{R}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant Mountain
Enchanted Mountain is a 7/7 red Giant creature with haste. It’s still a land.
* Awaken the Ancient can enchant any land with the subtype Mountain, not just one named Mountain.
* The enchanted Mountain retains any other types or subtypes it may have. You can still tap it to add {R} to your mana pool. It can be affected by anything that affects either a land or a creature.
* This doesn’t count as a creature entering the battlefield. The Mountain was already on the battlefield; it only changed types.
* If the enchanted Mountain stops being a Mountain for any reason, Awaken the Ancient will be put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based action.
* Copies of the enchanted Mountain won’t be 7/7 red Giant creatures with haste. For example, if Awaken the Ancient is enchanting a basic Mountain, a copy of that creature would just be a basic Mountain.
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Banisher Priest
{1}{W}{W}
Creature — Human Cleric
2/2
When Banisher Priest enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls until Banisher Priest leaves the battlefield. (That creature returns under its owner’s control.)
* Banisher Priest’s ability causes a zone change with a duration, a new style of ability that’s somewhat reminiscent of older cards like Oblivion Ring. However, unlike Oblivion Ring, cards like Banisher Priest have a single ability that creates two one-shot effects: one that exiles the creature when the ability resolves, and another that returns the exiled card to the battlefield immediately after Banisher Priest leaves the battlefield.
* If Banisher Priest leaves the battlefield before its enters-the-battlefield ability resolves, the target creature won’t be exiled.
* Auras attached to the exiled creature will be put into their owners’ graveyards. Equipment attached to the exiled creature will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled creature will cease to exist.
* If a creature token is exiled, it ceases to exist. It won’t be returned to the battlefield.
* The exiled card returns to the battlefield immediately after Banisher Priest leaves the battlefield. Nothing happens between the two events, including state-based actions. The two creatures aren’t on the battlefield at the same time. For example, if the returning creature is a Clone, it can’t enter the battlefield as a copy of Banisher Priest.
* In a multiplayer game, if Banisher Priest’s owner leaves the game, the exiled card will return to the battlefield. Because the one-shot effect that returns the card isn’t an ability that goes on the stack, it won’t cease to exist along with the leaving player’s spells and abilities on the stack.
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Barrage of Expendables
{R}
Enchantment
{R}, Sacrifice a creature: Barrage of Expendables deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
* Barrage of Expendables deals the damage, not the sacrificed creature. Notably, that creature having deathtouch or lifelink provides no additional benefit.
* Because targets are chosen before costs are paid, it is possible to choose a creature as the target of the ability and then sacrifice that creature. The ability will be countered when it tries to resolve and no damage will be dealt.
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Blightcaster
{3}{B}
Creature — Human Wizard
2/3
Whenever you cast an enchantment spell, you may have target creature get -2/-2 until end of turn.
* Blightcaster’s ability will resolve before the enchantment spell that caused it to trigger.
* If you are the only player who controls a creature when Blightcaster’s ability triggers, you must choose one as the target, although you can choose not to give it -2/-2.
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Blur Sliver
{2}{R}
Creature — Sliver
2/2
Sliver creatures you control have haste. (They can attack and {T} as soon as they come under your control.)
* If Blur Sliver leaves the battlefield during combat, any attacking Sliver creatures that came under your control this turn will continue to attack, even though they will no longer have haste.
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Bogbrew Witch
{3}{B}
Creature — Human Wizard
1/3
{2}, {T}: Search your library for a card named Festering Newt or Bubbling Cauldron, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
* You don’t have to declare which card you’re searching for when you activate the ability.
* You put only one card onto the battlefield as the activated ability resolves.
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Bonescythe Sliver
{3}{W}
Creature — Sliver
2/2
Sliver creatures you control have double strike. (They deal both first-strike and regular combat damage.)
* If Bonescythe Sliver leaves the battlefield after other Sliver creatures you control have dealt first-strike damage but before regular combat damage, those Slivers won’t deal regular combat damage (unless they still have double strike for some other reason).
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Brave the Elements
{W}
Instant
Choose a color. White creatures you control gain protection from the chosen color until end of turn. (They can’t be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by anything of that color.)
* You choose the color as Brave the Elements resolves. Once the color is chosen, it’s too late for players to respond.
* Only white creatures you control as Brave the Elements resolves will gain the protection ability. White creatures that come under your control afterward will not.
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Brindle Boar
{2}{G}
Creature — Boar
2/2
Sacrifice Brindle Boar: You gain 4 life.
* If you sacrifice an attacking or blocking Brindle Boar during the declare blockers step, it won’t deal combat damage. If you wait until the combat damage step, but Brindle Boar is dealt lethal damage, it’ll be destroyed before you get a chance to sacrifice it.
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Burning Earth
{3}{R}
Enchantment
Whenever a player taps a nonbasic land for mana, Burning Earth deals 1 damage to that player.
* To tap a land for mana is to activate one of that land’s mana abilities that has {T} in its activation cost.
* The ability will trigger each time a nonbasic land is tapped for mana. Each of these abilities goes on the stack and resolves separately.
* If any nonbasic lands are tapped for mana while a player is casting a spell or activating an ability, Burning Earth’s ability will trigger that many times and wait. When the player finishes casting that spell or activating that ability, Burning Earth’s triggered abilities are put on the stack on top of it. Burning Earth’s abilities will resolve first.
* On the other hand, a player can tap nonbasic lands for mana, put the Burning Earth triggered abilities on the stack, and then respond to those abilities by casting an instant spell or activating an ability using that mana. In that case, the instant spell or activated ability will resolve first.
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Celestial Flare
{W}{W}
Instant
Target player sacrifices an attacking or blocking creature.
* Celestial Flare targets only a player, not any creature. A creature with hexproof or protection from white can be sacrificed this way.
* If the player sacrifices a blocking creature, any attacking creature it was blocking remains blocked. Unless that attacking creature has trample or is being blocked by another creature, it won’t assign or deal combat damage.
* Creatures continue to be attacking or blocking creatures through the end of combat step. It is possible to cast Celestial Flare within combat but after combat damage is dealt (specifically, during the combat damage step or the end of combat step). Only attacking and blocking creatures that survived combat damage can be sacrificed at this time.
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Chandra, Pyromaster
{2}{R}{R}
Planeswalker — Chandra
4
+1: Chandra, Pyromaster deals 1 damage to target player and 1 damage to up to one target creature that player controls. That creature can’t block this turn.
0: Exile the top card of your library. You may play it this turn.
-7: Exile the top ten cards of your library. Choose an instant or sorcery card exiled this way and copy it three times. You may cast the copies without paying their mana costs.
* To activate the first ability, you must target a player but you can choose to not target any creatures.
* If a creature is targeted by the first ability, it won’t be able to block even if the damage is prevented.
* The card exiled by the second ability is exiled face up. Playing it follows the normal rules for playing that card. You must pay its costs, and you must follow all applicable timing rules. For example, if it’s a creature card, you can cast it only during your main phase while the stack is empty.
* If you exile a land card using the second ability, you may play that land only if you have any available land plays. Normally, this means you can play the land only if you haven’t played a land yet that turn.
* In the third ability, “exiled this way” means the cards you just exiled because of that ability resolving. Cards exiled with the second ability or with previous activations of the third ability don’t count.
* While resolving the third ability, you create the copies of the card in exile and cast them from exile. You can cast zero, one, two, or all three copies. The card itself isn’t cast. It remains exiled.
* While casting the copies for the third ability, timing restrictions based on the card’s type (such as sorcery) are ignored. Other restrictions, such as “Cast [this spell] only during combat,” are not.
* Because you’re playing the copies “without paying their mana costs,” you can’t pay any alternative costs for the copies. You can pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the copies have any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
* If the copied card has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value when casting the copies.
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Chandra’s Outrage
{2}{R}{R}
Instant
Chandra’s Outrage deals 4 damage to target creature and 2 damage to that creature’s controller.
* Chandra’s Outrage targets only the creature. The player dealt damage is the player who controls the target creature at the time Chandra’s Outrage resolves.
* If the creature is an illegal target as Chandra’s Outrage tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. No damage will be dealt.
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Claustrophobia
{1}{U}{U}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
When Claustrophobia enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
* The enchanted creature can still be untapped in other ways, such as Act of Treason.
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Clone
{3}{U}
Creature — Shapeshifter
0/0
You may have Clone enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield.
* Clone’s ability doesn’t target the chosen creature.
* Clone copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing more (unless that creature is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on.
* If the chosen creature has {X} in its mana cost (such as Vastwood Hydra), X is 0.
* If the chosen creature is copying something else (for example, if the chosen creature is another Clone), then Clone enters the battlefield as whatever the chosen creature is copying.
* If the chosen creature is a token, Clone copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that put the token onto the battlefield. Clone is not a token, even when copying one.
* Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when Clone enters the battlefield. Any “as [this creature] enters the battlefield” or “[this creature] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the chosen creature will also work.
* If Clone somehow enters the battlefield at the same time as another creature, Clone can’t become a copy of that creature. You may only choose a creature that’s already on the battlefield.
* You can choose not to copy anything. In that case, Clone enters the battlefield as a 0/0 Shapeshifter creature, and is probably put into the graveyard immediately.
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Colossal Whale
{5}{U}{U}
Creature — Whale
5/5
Islandwalk (This creature can’t be blocked as long as defending player controls an Island.)
Whenever Colossal Whale attacks, you may exile target creature defending player controls until Colossal Whale leaves the battlefield. (That creature returns under its owner’s control.)
* Colossal Whale’s triggered ability triggers and resolves during the declare attackers step, before blocking creatures are declared.
* Colossal Whale’s ability causes a zone change with a duration, a new style of ability that’s somewhat reminiscent of older cards like Oblivion Ring. However, unlike Oblivion Ring, cards like Colossal Whale have a single ability that creates two one-shot effects: one that exiles the creature when the ability resolves, and another that returns the exiled card to the battlefield immediately after Colossal Whale leaves the battlefield.
* If Colossal Whale leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, the target creature won’t be exiled.
* Auras attached to the exiled creature will be put into their owners’ graveyards. Equipment attached to the exiled creature will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled creature will cease to exist.
* If a creature token is exiled, it ceases to exist. It won’t be returned to the battlefield.
* The exiled card returns to the battlefield immediately after Colossal Whale leaves the battlefield. Nothing happens between the two events, including state-based actions. The two creatures aren’t on the battlefield at the same time. For example, if the returning creature is a Clone, it can’t enter the battlefield as a copy of Colossal Whale.
* In a multiplayer game, if Colossal Whale’s owner leaves the game, the exiled card will return to the battlefield. Because the one-shot effect that returns the card isn’t an ability that goes on the stack, it won’t cease to exist along with the leaving player’s spells and abilities on the stack.
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Congregate
{3}{W}
Instant
Target player gains 2 life for each creature on the battlefield.
* Count the number of creatures on the battlefield as Congregate resolves to determine how much life the player will gain.
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Corrupt
{5}{B}
Sorcery
Corrupt deals damage equal to the number of Swamps you control to target creature or player. You gain life equal to the damage dealt this way.
* Count the number of Swamps you control as Corrupt resolves to determine how much damage is dealt.
* Corrupt counts any land you control with the subtype Swamp, not just ones named Swamp.
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Cyclops Tyrant
{5}{R}
Creature — Cyclops
3/4
Intimidate (This creature can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.)
Cyclops Tyrant can’t block creatures with power 2 or less.
* If Cyclops Tyrant blocks a creature with power 3 or greater, and then that creature’s power becomes 2 or less, Cyclops Tyrant continues to block that creature.
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Dark Favor
{1}{B}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
When Dark Favor enters the battlefield, you lose 1 life.
Enchanted creature gets +3/+1.
* If the creature targeted by Dark Favor is illegal as Dark Favor tries to resolve, it will be countered and won’t enter the battlefield. Its ability that causes you to lose 1 life won’t trigger.
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Devout Invocation
{6}{W}
Sorcery
Tap any number of untapped creatures you control. Put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying onto the battlefield for each creature tapped this way.
* You choose the creatures to tap as Devout Invocation resolves. Once it starts resolving, no player can respond to you tapping the creatures.
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Divine Favor
{1}{W}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
When Divine Favor enters the battlefield, you gain 3 life.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+3.
* If the creature targeted by Divine Favor is illegal as Divine Favor tries to resolve, it will be countered and won’t enter the battlefield. Its ability that causes you to gain 3 life won’t trigger.
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Domestication
{2}{U}{U}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
You control enchanted creature.
At the beginning of your end step, if enchanted creature’s power is 4 or greater, sacrifice Domestication.
* Domestication’s triggered ability checks whether the enchanted creature’s power is 4 or greater as your end step begins. If it’s not, the ability won’t trigger at all. The ability will check again as it tries to resolve. If the creature’s power isn’t 4 or greater at this time, the ability won’t do anything and Domestication won’t be sacrificed.
* Domestication can target, and can enchant, a creature with power 4 or greater. The enchanted creature’s power is checked only when the triggered ability triggers and resolves.
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Door of Destinies
{4}
Artifact
As Door of Destinies enters the battlefield, choose a creature type.
Whenever you cast a spell of the chosen type, put a charge counter on Door of Destinies.
Creatures you control of the chosen type get +1/+1 for each charge counter on Door of Destinies.
* Creature types, such as Human or Sliver, appear after the dash on the type line of creatures. Notably, artifact is not a creature type. A creature may have more than one creature type, such as Goblin Warrior. Such a creature would benefit from Door of Destinies if the chosen creature type was Goblin or Warrior.
* If you cast a creature spell of the chosen type, Door of Destinies will get a charge counter before the creature enters the battlefield. The creature will enter the battlefield with the additional boost to its power and toughness.
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Elite Arcanist
{3}{U}
Creature — Human Wizard
1/1
When Elite Arcanist enters the battlefield, you may exile an instant card from your hand.
{X}, {T}: Copy the exiled card. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost. X is the converted mana cost of the exiled card.
* You don’t choose the value of {X} in the activation cost of Elite Arcanist’s ability. It’s defined by the converted mana cost of the exiled instant card.
* The copy is created in and cast from exile. You must still follow any timing restrictions, such as “Cast [this spell] only during combat.”
* You can’t pay any alternative costs such as overload costs. You can pay additional costs such as kicker costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
* If the copied card has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value when casting the copy. Don’t confuse that {X} with the {X} in the activation cost of Elite Arcanist’s ability.
* If the exiled card is a split card, then {X} is the sum of the converted mana costs of each half. However, when you cast the copy, you choose only one half to cast. You may cast a different half each time you create and cast a copy.
* If Elite Arcanist leaves the battlefield, you will no longer be able to copy the exiled card. If it returns to the battlefield, you’ll be able to exile another instant card from your hand, but Elite Arcanist will be a different permanent with no connection to the first exiled card.
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Elixir of Immortality
{1}
Artifact
{2}, {T}: You gain 5 life. Shuffle Elixir of Immortality and your graveyard into their owner’s library.
* Paying the activation cost of Elixir of Immortality’s ability doesn’t cause it to leave the battlefield. If you have a way to untap it, you can activate the ability multiple times in response to itself.
* As the ability resolves, you’ll shuffle Elixir of Immortality into its owner’s library directly from the battlefield, if it’s still there.
* If you gain control of another player’s Elixir of Immortality and activate it, the Elixir of Immortality will be shuffled into its owner’s library and the cards in your graveyard will be shuffled into your library. You are considered to have shuffled each affected library (even if, as a shortcut, each player physically shuffles his or her own library).
* If Elixir of Immortality is in your graveyard at the time the ability resolves, you’ll still wind up shuffling it into your library because you shuffle your entire graveyard into your library. If it’s anywhere else by that time, including in another player’s graveyard (because that player owns it but you controlled it), it remains where it is and you shuffle just your graveyard into your library.
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Enlarge
{3}{G}{G}
Sorcery
Target creature gets +7/+7 and gains trample until end of turn. It must be blocked this turn if able. (If a creature with trample would assign enough damage to its blockers to destroy them, you may have it assign the rest of its damage to defending player or planeswalker.)
* If the creature attacks, the defending player must assign at least one blocker to it during the declare blockers step if that player controls any creatures that could block it.
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Festering Newt
{B}
Creature — Salamander
1/1
When Festering Newt dies, target creature an opponent controls gets -1/-1 until end of turn. That creature gets -4/-4 instead if you control a creature named Bogbrew Witch.
* Whether you control a creature named Bogbrew Witch is checked only as the triggered ability resolves.
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Fiendslayer Paladin
{1}{W}{W}
Creature — Human Knight
2/2
First strike (This creature deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.)
Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
Fiendslayer Paladin can’t be the target of black or red spells your opponents control.
* Fiendslayer Paladin can be affected by black or red spells that don’t target it. For example, a red spell that “deals 3 damage to each creature” would deal damage to Fiendslayer Paladin.
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Flames of the Firebrand
{2}{R}
Sorcery
Flames of the Firebrand deals 3 damage divided as you choose among one, two, or three target creatures and/or players.
* You divide the damage as you cast Flames of the Firebrand, not as it resolves. Each target must be assigned at least 1 damage. (In other words, as you put the spell on the stack, you choose whether to have it deal 3 damage to a single target, 2 damage to one target and 1 damage to another target, or 1 damage to each of three targets.)
* You can’t deal damage to both a player and a planeswalker controlled by that player with Flames of the Firebrand.
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Fleshpulper Giant
{5}{R}{R}
Creature — Giant
4/4
When Fleshpulper Giant enters the battlefield, you may destroy target creature with toughness 2 or less.
* If there are no legal targets available, the ability is simply removed from the stack. If you control the only creature with toughness 2 or less, you must choose it as the target, though you can choose to not destroy it.
* If the target creature’s toughness is greater than 2 when the ability tries to resolve, the ability will be countered and the creature won’t be destroyed.
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Fortify
{2}{W}
Instant
Choose one — Creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn; or creatures you control get +0/+2 until end of turn.
* You choose the mode as you cast Fortify, not as it resolves.
* Creatures that come under your control after Fortify resolves won’t get the chosen bonus.
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Frost Breath
{2}{U}
Instant
Tap up to two target creatures. Those creatures don’t untap during their controller’s next untap step.
* If a creature affected by Frost Breath changes controllers before its old controller’s next untap step, it won’t untap during its new controller’s next untap step.
* Frost Breath can target tapped creatures. If a target creature is tapped when Frost Breath resolves, that creature stays tapped and won’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
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Garruk, Caller of Beasts
{4}{G}{G}
Planeswalker — Garruk
4
+1: Reveal the top five cards of your library. Put all creature cards revealed this way into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
-3: You may put a green creature card from your hand onto the battlefield.
-7: You get an emblem with “Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may search your library for a creature card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.”
* You choose what green creature card to put onto the battlefield, if any, when the second ability resolves.
* If you have Garruk’s emblem, the creature card you search for will be put onto the battlefield before the creature spell you cast resolves. The creature card you put onto the battlefield isn’t cast, so the ability of the emblem won’t retrigger.
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Garruk’s Horde
{5}{G}{G}
Creature — Beast
7/7
Trample
Play with the top card of your library revealed.
You may cast the top card of your library if it’s a creature card. (Do this only any time you could cast that creature card. You still pay the spell’s costs.)
* Normally, Garruk’s Horde allows you to cast the top card of your library if it’s a creature card, it’s your main phase, and the stack is empty. If that creature card has flash, you’ll be able to cast it at the time you could cast an instant, even on an opponent’s turn.
* You’ll still pay all costs for that spell, including additional costs. You may also pay alternative costs.
* While playing with the top card of your library revealed, if you draw multiple cards, reveal each one before you draw it.
* The top card of your library isn’t in your hand, so you can’t suspend it, cycle it, discard it, or activate any of its activated abilities.
* If the top card of your library changes while you’re casting a spell or activating an ability, the new top card won’t be revealed until you finish casting that spell or activating that ability.
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Goblin Diplomats
{1}{R}
Creature — Goblin
2/1
{T}: Each creature attacks this turn if able.
* The controller of each creature still decides which player or planeswalker that creature attacks.
* Creatures that enter the battlefield (or noncreature permanents that become creatures) after the ability resolves are affected by the ability and must attack if able.
* If, during a player’s declare attackers 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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Grim Return
{2}{B}
Instant
Choose target creature card in a graveyard that was put there from the battlefield this turn. Put that card onto the battlefield under your control.
* You can choose a creature card in any player’s graveyard as long as that card was put there from the battlefield during the turn. A creature card that was put into a graveyard from anywhere else, such as a card that was discarded, can’t be chosen as the target.
* Creature spells that are countered never entered the battlefield, so those cards can’t be chosen as the target of Grim Return.
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Guardian of the Ages
{7}
Artifact Creature — Golem
7/7
Defender (This creature can’t attack.)
When a creature attacks you or a planeswalker you control, if Guardian of the Ages has defender, it loses defender and gains trample.
* The effect of Guardian of the Ages’s triggered ability doesn’t wear off as the turn ends. Losing defender and gaining trample last indefinitely.
* Once Guardian of the Ages has lost defender, its triggered ability will no longer trigger when a creature attacks you or a planeswalker you control (unless it has somehow gained defender again).
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Haunted Plate Mail
{4}
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +4/+4.
{0}: Until end of turn, Haunted Plate Mail becomes a 4/4 Spirit artifact creature that’s no longer an Equipment. Activate this ability only if you control no creatures.
Equip {4} ({4}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
* Although you must control no creatures to activate the “animation” ability, having a creature somehow come under your control in response to that ability won’t stop it from resolving.
* It’s possible to activate the first activated ability of Haunted Plate Mail in response to activating the first ability of another Haunted Plate Mail and have them both become creatures until end of turn.
* You can activate the equip ability of Haunted Plate Mail while it isn’t an Equipment, but the ability will have no effect. Haunted Plate Mail won’t become attached to any creature.
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Howl of the Night Pack
{6}{G}
Sorcery
Put a 2/2 green Wolf creature token onto the battlefield for each Forest you control.
* The number of Wolves you put onto the battlefield is based on the number of Forests you control when Howl of the Night Pack resolves.
* Howl of the Night Pack counts any land you control with the subtype Forest, not just ones named Forest.
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Hunt the Weak
{3}{G}
Sorcery
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. Then that creature fights target creature you don’t control. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
* You can’t cast Hunt the Weak unless you choose both a creature you control and a creature you don’t control as targets.
* If either target is an illegal target when Hunt the Weak tries to resolve, neither creature will deal or be dealt damage.
* If the creature you control is an illegal target when Hunt the Weak tries to resolve, you won’t put a +1/+1 counter on it. If that creature is a legal target but the creature you don’t control isn’t, you’ll still put the counter on the creature you control.
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Illusionary Armor
{4}{U}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +4/+4.
When enchanted creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice Illusionary Armor.
* Only Illusionary Armor is sacrificed because of its triggered ability; the enchanted creature is not.
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Indestructibility
{3}{W}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant permanent
Enchanted permanent has indestructible. (Effects that say “destroy” don’t destroy that permanent. A creature with indestructible can’t be destroyed by damage.)
* If the enchanted creature is dealt lethal damage, the creature isn’t destroyed, but the damage remains marked on the creature. If Indestructibility stops enchanting that creature later in the turn, the creature will no longer have indestructible and it will be destroyed.
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Into the Wilds
{3}{G}
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, look at the top card of your library. If it’s a land card, you may put it onto the battlefield.
* Putting a land onto the battlefield this way doesn’t count as playing a land. You’ll still be able to play a land during one of your main phases.
* If the card is not a land card, or you choose not to put it onto the battlefield, it will stay on top of your library. In most cases, you’ll then draw it during your draw step.
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Jace, Memory Adept
{3}{U}{U}
Planeswalker — Jace
4
+1: Draw a card. Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
0: Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
-7: Any number of target players each draw twenty cards.
* If you target yourself with Jace’s first ability, you’ll draw a card first, then put the top card of your library into your graveyard.
* If you activate Jace’s first ability and the player is an illegal target when the ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t draw a card.
* If Jace’s third ability causes a player to draw more cards than are left in his or her library, that player loses the game as a state-based action. If this ability causes all players to do this, the game is a draw.
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Jace’s Mindseeker
{4}{U}{U}
Creature — Fish Illusion
4/4
Flying
When Jace’s Mindseeker enters the battlefield, target opponent puts the top five cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. You may cast an instant or sorcery card from among them without paying its mana cost.
* If you cast an instant or sorcery card this way, you do so while the ability of Jace’s Mindseeker is resolving. If you choose not to (or can’t), you won’t get a chance to cast one later.
* “From among them” means the five cards put into the graveyard, not all cards in that graveyard.
* 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 spell] only during combat,” must be followed.
* 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.
* If the five cards are put into a public zone such as exile instead of a graveyard (perhaps due to the ability of Rest in Peace), you can cast one of those instant or sorcery cards from that zone.
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Kalonian Hydra
{3}{G}{G}
Creature — Hydra
0/0
Trample
Kalonian Hydra enters the battlefield with four +1/+1 counters on it.
Whenever Kalonian Hydra attacks, double the number of +1/+1 counters on each creature you control.
* To double the number of +1/+1 counters on a creature, determine how many +1/+1 counters are on the creature and put that many more on it. Effects that interact with counters (such as the one created by Corpsejack Menace’s ability) may change the number of counters ultimately put on the creature.
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Liliana of the Dark Realms
{2}{B}{B}
Planeswalker — Liliana
3
+1: Search your library for a Swamp card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
-3: Target creature gets +X/+X or -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of Swamps you control.
-6: You get an emblem with “Swamps you control have ‘{T}: Add {B}{B}{B}{B} to your mana pool.’”
* Each of Liliana’s abilities refers to lands (or land cards) with the subtype Swamp, not just ones named Swamp.
* You can activate Liliana’s first ability even if your library contains no Swamp cards (or you don’t want to find one). You’ll still search your library and shuffle it.
* When you activate Liliana’s second ability, you choose only the target creature. You choose whether that creature gets +X/+X or -X/-X when the ability resolves. The value of X is determined by the number of Swamps you control when the ability resolves.
* Liliana’s emblem doesn’t remove any other abilities of Swamps you control.
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Liliana’s Reaver
{2}{B}{B}
Creature — Zombie
4/3
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
Whenever Liliana’s Reaver deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card and you put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token onto the battlefield tapped.
* If the player’s hand is empty when the triggered ability resolves, you’ll still put a Zombie token onto the battlefield.
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Liturgy of Blood
{3}{B}{B}
Sorcery
Destroy target creature. Add {B}{B}{B} to your mana pool.
* Liturgy of Blood isn’t a mana ability and uses the stack. Players can respond to it by casting spells and activating abilities.
* If the target creature is an illegal target when Liturgy of Blood tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t add mana to your mana pool.
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What happens when say a mutavault attacks as a 2/2 and an opponent flashes in a 2/3 to block and kill the mutavault. Say I had some way to turn the mutavault into a basic land. Now we have a basic land which as been declared an attacker being blocked by a creature. What is the result of this?
Turning Mutavault into a basic land, or giving it a basic land type, won't remove the existing effect that makes it into a creature. Mutavault is still a creature, and it will still deal and receive combat damage.
Not officially, no. Before I posted, I checked my ruling with a member of the rules team. Neither I nor that member of the rules team remembered the existing official ruling, so we went with an interpretation of the rule that makes sense.
The bolded section seems to say that the characteristics will be undefined in spite of the effects of Melek or Telepathy
Yes, that's what the official ruling says. If you are ever the Head Judge of a tournament where this question comes up, feel free to use the official ruling instead of the sensible ruling. Both rulings are consistent with the wording of the rule despite being opposites of each other.
I'm sure the rule will be clarified as soon as a Library of Leng/Chandra Ablaze/Melek deck starts tearing up the Legacy metagame
Well, here's the exact rule:
701.7c If a card is discarded, but an effect causes it to be put into a hidden zone instead of into its owner's graveyard without being revealed, all values of that card's characteristics are considered to be undefined. If a card is discarded this way to pay a cost that specifies a characteristic about the discarded card, that cost payment is illegal; the game returns to the moment before the cost was paid (see rule 717, "Handling Illegal Actions").
EDIT: RTFC. Because Telepathy/Melek/etc. causes the card to become revealed during the discard event, I believe it would be sufficient for the game to be able to determine the card's characteristics.
This answer is correct. Since the card ends up being revealed, the rule that states that its characteristics are undefined doesn't apply. Therefore, its characteristics are known.
400.2 Hidden zones are zones in which not all players can be expected to see the cards' faces. Library and hand are hidden zones, even if all the cards in one such zone happen to be revealed.
So even with telepathy and Melek, the cards are still hidden
The cards reside in a hidden zone, true enough, but they are revealed. Note that the rule that Jenesis quoted talks about cards in hidden zones that are not revealed.
If I read the rules correctly, if I control a player (say with Mindslaver), it's still their responsibility to catch triggered abilities. So, it would be legal for me to attempt to chump-attack their Knight of Glory into my Hill Giant, unless they bring the exalted trigger to my attention. Is this correct?
Well, it's legal for you to force your opponent to attack with their Knight of Glory. You can hope that they forget about the exalted trigger and block it with your Hill Giant, but if they remember the exalted trigger, your Giant is toast.
1) Not a rules question.
2) Not a rules question.
3) Yes. You actually win the right to choose who goes first, not the right to go first.
4) Pay no attention to the printed words on the cards. Always look up the current wording, also known as Oracle text, in Gatherer. Both Ichorid and Nether Shadow have triggers that trigger at the beginning of your upkeep. Both those triggers will happen before your draw step.
5) The fact that you're not mentioning any card names makes this hard to answer. Again, you should look at the Oracle text to determine how the card works. In all likelihood it is an "at the beginning of the end step" trigger. If it is, you can respond to it and do things after it has resolved.
Yes, the owner makes that choice.
903.11. If a commander would be put into its owner's graveyard from anywhere, that player may put it into the command zone instead.
903.12. If a commander would be put into the exile zone from anywhere, its owner may put it into the command zone instead.
You can't control who posts in this thread, and you can't verify whether the people who answer in this thread are actually level 2 or 3 judges, so this request is as pointless as it is rude. If you need an answer from a judge with a particular level, you'll have to ask one in person.
Thread locked.
Yes, for exactly that reason.
There is another reason why it doesn't work. Strionic Resonator can only copy a triggered ability that uses the stack. Verdant Haven's ability is a triggered mana ability, and as such it doesn't use the stack.
Yes, it'll live. It stops being a creature, so it's removed from combat and it won't deal nor receive combat damage.
First off, let's use player names to make it clear who makes which decision. Player A controls the CoP and the planeswalker; player B is casting the Lightning Bolt. Your understanding is correct that player B would choose to redirect the damage on resolution of Lightning Bolt. The rule for that is this one:
Now, assuming that player A has activated the CoP's ability in response to Lightning Bolt and named Lightning Bolt as the source, there are now two replacement effects that want to change how the Lightning Bolt affects player A. Since player A is the player that would be affected, player A chooses one to apply:
If player A chooses to apply CoP's effect first, the damage is prevented, so no damage is being dealt, so the planeswalker redirection effect is no longer applicable.
{2}{R}{R}
Creature — Beast
5/3
Marauding Maulhorn attacks each combat if able unless you control a creature named Advocate of the Beast.
* Marauding Maulhorn can attack if you control a creature named Advocate of the Beast. It just isn’t forced to.
* Marauding Maulhorn checks whether you control a creature named Advocate of the Beast as attacking creatures are declared. At that time, if you don’t, Marauding Maulhorn attacks if able.
* If, during your declare attackers step, Marauding Maulhorn is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can’t attack, or hasn’t been under your control continuously since the turn began (and doesn’t have haste), then it doesn’t attack. If there’s a cost associated with having Marauding Maulhorn attack, you aren’t forced to pay that cost, so it doesn’t have to attack in that case either.
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Master of Diversion
{2}{W}
Creature — Human Scout
2/2
Whenever Master of Diversion attacks, tap target creature defending player controls.
* The ability will resolve and the creature will become tapped before blocking creatures are declared.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, any creature controlled by a member of the defending team can be chosen as the target.
* In other multiplayer formats, including Commander, only a creature controlled by the defending player Master of Diversion is attacking can be chosen as the target, even if your other attacking creatures are attacking different players.
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Merfolk Spy
{U}
Creature — Merfolk Rogue
1/1
Islandwalk (This creature can’t be blocked as long as defending player controls an Island.)
Whenever Merfolk Spy deals combat damage to a player, that player reveals a card at random from his or her hand.
* Islandwalk cares about lands with the subtype Island, not just ones named Island.
* The second ability triggers just once each time Merfolk Spy deals combat damage to a player, regardless of how much damage it deals.
* After the second ability resolves, the revealed card stops being revealed in its owner’s hand.
* The next time Merfolk Spy deals combat damage to the same player, the card that’s revealed at random may be the same card or may be a different card.
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Mindsparker
{1}{R}{R}
Creature — Elemental
3/2
First strike (This creature deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.)
Whenever an opponent casts a white or blue instant or sorcery spell, Mindsparker deals 2 damage to that player.
* Mindsparker’s ability will trigger whenever an opponent casts an instant or sorcery spell that’s white, blue, or both. If the spell is both white and blue, Mindsparker’s ability will trigger only once.
* If an opponent casts a copy of a white or blue instant or sorcery card (as opposed to putting a copy of such a spell directly on the stack), the ability will trigger.
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Molten Birth
{1}{R}{R}
Sorcery
Put two 1/1 red Elemental creature tokens onto the battlefield. Then flip a coin. If you win the flip, return Molten Birth to its owner’s hand.
* If you win the flip, Molten Birth goes directly from the stack to its owner’s hand. It never goes to a graveyard.
-----
Mutavault
Land
{T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.
{1}: Mutavault becomes a 2/2 creature with all creature types until end of turn. It’s still a land.
* If Mutavault becomes a creature but hasn’t been under its controller’s control continuously since the beginning of that player’s most recent turn, it can’t attack or be tapped to activate its first ability.
* Examples of creature types include Sliver, Goblin, and Soldier. Creature types appear after the dash on the type line of creatures.
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Nightmare
{5}{B}
Creature — Nightmare Horse
*/*
Flying
Nightmare’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of Swamps you control.
* The ability that defines Nightmare’s power and toughness works everywhere, not just on the battlefield.
* Nightmare’s ability counts all lands you control with the subtype Swamp, not just ones named Swamp.
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Oath of the Ancient Wood
{2}{G}
Enchantment
Whenever Oath of the Ancient Wood or another enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
* If the enchantment that enters the battlefield is somehow also a creature, you may choose it as the target of Oath of the Ancient Wood’s ability.
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Path of Bravery
{2}{W}
Enchantment
As long as your life total is greater than or equal to your starting life total, creatures you control get +1/+1.
Whenever one or more creatures you control attack, you gain life equal to the number of attacking creatures.
* Your starting life total is the life total you began the game with, keeping in mind the format you’re playing and, in some rare cases, anything that affects your starting life total (for example, a vanguard with a life modifier).
* In most games, your starting life total is 20. In a Commander game, your starting life total is 40 instead. In a Two-Headed Giant game, Path of Bravery compares your team’s life total to your team’s starting life total, which is 30.
* Path of Bravery’s triggered ability triggers only once, after attacking creatures are declared. For example, if you attack with five creatures, you’ll gain 5 life as a single life-gain event.
* If a creature enters the battlefield attacking after attacking creatures have been declared, the ability won’t trigger again because you didn’t declare that creature as an attacking creature. However, if it enters the battlefield before the ability resolves, it will be counted when determining how much life is gained.
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Pay No Heed
{W}
Instant
Prevent all damage a source of your choice would deal this turn.
* Pay No Heed doesn’t target anything. You can choose a source with hexproof, for example. You choose the damage source as Pay No Heed resolves.
* If the chosen source is a permanent spell, damage dealt later in the turn by the permanent it becomes will also be prevented.
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Primeval Bounty
{5}{G}
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a creature spell, put a 3/3 green Beast creature token onto the battlefield.
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put three +1/+1 counters on target creature you control.
Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 3 life.
* The last ability triggers whenever you play a land and also whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control for some other reason, such as the ability of Into the Wilds.
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Pyromancer’s Gauntlet
{5}
Artifact
If a red instant or sorcery spell you control or a red planeswalker you control would deal damage to a permanent or player, it deals that much damage plus 2 to that permanent or player instead.
* Pyromancer’s Gauntlet doesn’t change the source or recipient of the damage.
* If all damage from a source is prevented (because of Pay No Heed, for example) or if a source would deal 0 damage, the effect of Pyromancer’s Gauntlet will not apply as that source is no longer dealing damage.
* If damage is being dealt to multiple players and/or permanents at the same time, the damage being dealt to each one is increased by 2.
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Quag Sickness
{2}{B}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets -1/-1 for each Swamp you control.
* Quag Sickness counts all lands you control with the subtype Swamp, not just ones named Swamp.
* The ability counts the number of Swamps controlled by Quag Sickness’s controller, not the enchanted creature’s controller (in case they’re different players).
* The effect isn’t fixed; it changes as the number of Swamps you control changes.
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Quicken
{U}
Instant
The next sorcery card you cast this turn can be cast as though it had flash. (It can be cast any time you could cast an instant.)
Draw a card.
* You don’t choose a sorcery card when Quicken resolves. Rather, it applies to the next sorcery card you cast that turn, even if you cast it at a time when you normally could cast a sorcery and even if you cast it from a zone other than your hand.
* If you cast two Quickens in succession, they’ll both apply to the next sorcery card you cast.
* Casting a copy of a sorcery card won’t “use up” Quicken’s effect because the copy isn’t a card.
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Ratchet Bomb
{2}
Artifact
{T}: Put a charge counter on Ratchet Bomb.
{T}, Sacrifice Ratchet Bomb: Destroy each nonland permanent with converted mana cost equal to the number of charge counters on Ratchet Bomb.
* The converted mana cost of a permanent is determined by the mana symbols printed in its mana cost (upper right corner). The converted mana cost is the total amount of mana in that cost, regardless of color. For example, a card with mana cost {3}{U}{U} has converted mana cost 5.
* If the mana cost of a permanent includes {X}, X is considered to be 0.
* If a nonland permanent has no mana symbols in its upper right corner (because it’s a token that's not copying something else, for example), its converted mana cost is 0.
* A token that’s copying another permanent has the converted mana cost of that permanent.
* The number of charge counters on Ratchet Bomb when it was sacrificed is used to determine which nonland permanents will be destroyed.
* Ratchet Bomb’s second ability destroys only nonland permanents with converted mana cost exactly equal to the number of charge counters on Ratchet Bomb. It doesn’t matter who controls them.
* Activating Ratchet Bomb’s second ability while it has no charge counters on it will destroy each nonland permanent with converted mana cost 0.
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Rootwalla
{2}{G}
Creature — Lizard
2/2
{1}{G}: Rootwalla gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
* If Rootwalla’s ability is activated by one player, then another player gains control of it during the same turn, the second player can’t activate its ability that turn.
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Savage Summoning
{G}
Instant
Savage Summoning can’t be countered.
The next creature card you cast this turn can be cast as though it had flash. That spell can’t be countered. That creature enters the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it.
* You don’t choose a creature card when Savage Summoning resolves. Rather, it applies to the next creature card you cast that turn, even if you cast it at a time when you normally could cast a creature and even if you cast it from a zone other than your hand.
* If you cast multiple Savage Summonings in succession, they’ll apply to the next creature spell you cast. That creature will enter the battlefield with that many additional +1/+1 counters on it.
* Spells that would counter Savage Summoning or the relevant creature spell can still be cast. They won’t counter the spell, but any additional effects they have will happen.
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Scavenging Ooze
{1}{G}
Creature — Ooze
2/2
{G}: Exile target card from a graveyard. If it was a creature card, put a +1/+1 counter on Scavenging Ooze and you gain 1 life.
* If the target card is an illegal target when the ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. No counter will be put on Scavenging Ooze and you won’t gain life.
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Scourge of Valkas
{2}{R}{R}{R}
Creature — Dragon
4/4
Flying
Whenever Scourge of Valkas or another Dragon enters the battlefield under your control, it deals X damage to target creature or player, where X is the number of Dragons you control.
{R}: Scourge of Valkas gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
* The amount of damage dealt by the Dragon that entered the battlefield is based on the number of Dragons you control when the ability resolves.
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Scroll Thief
{2}{U}
Creature — Merfolk Rogue
1/3
Whenever Scroll Thief deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
* The ability triggers just once each time Scroll Thief deals combat damage to a player, regardless of how much damage it deals.
* The ability is mandatory. You must draw a card when it resolves.
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Seismic Stomp
{1}{R}
Sorcery
Creatures without flying can’t block this turn.
* No creature without flying will be able to block that turn, including creatures that lose flying after Seismic Stomp resolves and creatures without flying that enter the battlefield after Seismic Stomp resolves.
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Sengir Vampire
{3}{B}{B}
Creature — Vampire
4/4
Flying
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Sengir Vampire this turn dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Sengir Vampire.
* Each time a creature dies, check whether Sengir Vampire had dealt any damage to it at any time during that turn. If so, Sengir Vampire’s ability will trigger. It doesn’t matter who controlled the creature or whose graveyard it was put into.
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Seraph of the Sword
{3}{W}
Creature — Angel
3/3
Flying
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to Seraph of the Sword.
* If Seraph of the Sword blocks a creature with trample, that creature’s controller must assign 3 damage to Seraph of the Sword (assuming it’s blocking no other creatures, there was no damage marked on it, and nothing has changed its toughness). The remainder can be assigned to the defending player or planeswalker.
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Shadowborn Apostle
{B}
Creature — Human Cleric
1/1
A deck can have any number of cards named Shadowborn Apostle.
{B}, Sacrifice six creatures named Shadowborn Apostle: Search your library for a Demon creature card and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
* Shadowborn Apostle’s first ability lets you ignore only the “four-of” rule. It doesn’t let you ignore format legality.
* In Commander and other singleton formats, Shadowborn Apostle’s first ability lets you ignore the “one-of” rule.
* You sacrifice the six creatures when you activate the ability. You can’t respond to that ability by activating the ability of one of the other Shadowborn Apostles you just sacrificed.
* You don’t have to sacrifice the Shadowborn Apostle whose ability you activated. It can be six other Shadowborn Apostles.
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Shadowborn Demon
{3}{B}{B}
Creature — Demon
5/6
Flying
When Shadowborn Demon enters the battlefield, destroy target non-Demon creature.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are fewer than six creature cards in your graveyard, sacrifice a creature.
* Shadowborn Demon’s enters-the-battlefield ability is mandatory. If you control the only non-Demon creature, you must choose it as the target.
* The last ability checks whether you have fewer than six creature cards in your graveyard when it would trigger. If you have six or more, it won’t trigger at all. The ability will check again when it tries to resolve. If at that time you have six or more, the ability won’t do anything.
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Shiv’s Embrace
{2}{R}{R}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has flying.
{R}: Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
* Only the controller of Shiv’s Embrace may activate the last ability. This may be a different player than the one who controls the enchanted creature.
* When the activated ability resolves, the creature Shiv’s Embrace is enchanting at that time will get +1/+0. This may be a different creature than the one Shiv’s Embrace was enchanting when the ability was activated.
* When the activated ability resolves, if Shiv’s Embrace isn’t on the battlefield, the creature it was enchanting when it left the battlefield gets the bonus.
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Shrivel
{1}{B}
Sorcery
All creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn.
* Only creatures on the battlefield as Shrivel resolves are affected.
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Silence
{W}
Instant
Your opponents can’t cast spells this turn. (Spells cast before this resolves are unaffected.)
* Silence won’t affect spells that your opponents cast before you cast Silence. (In other words, it can’t be used as a retroactive Cancel.) Silence also won’t stop your opponents from casting spells after you cast Silence but before Silence resolves.
* The only thing Silence does is prevent your opponents from casting spells. They can still activate abilities, including abilities of cards in their hands (like cycling). Their triggered abilities work as normal, they can still play lands, and so on.
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Solemn Offering
{2}{W}
Sorcery
Destroy target artifact or enchantment. You gain 4 life.
* If the targeted permanent is an illegal target when Solemn Offering tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t gain any life.
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Spell Blast
{X}{U}
Instant
Counter target spell with converted mana cost X. (For example, if that spell’s mana cost is {3}{U}{U}, X is 5.)
* Alternative costs, additional costs, cost increases, and cost reductions don’t affect a spell’s converted mana cost.
* If the target spell has {X} in its converted mana cost, include the value chosen for that X when determining the value of the {X} in Spell Blast’s mana cost. For example, if you wish to counter Volcanic Geyser (a spell with mana cost {X}{R}{R}) whose X is 7, you’ll need to choose 9 for Spell Blast’s X and pay {9}{U}.
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Sporemound
{3}{G}{G}
Creature — Fungus
3/3
Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token onto the battlefield.
* Sporemound’s ability triggers whenever you play a land and also whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control for some other reason, such as the ability of Into the Wilds.
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Stonehorn Chanter
{5}{W}
Creature — Rhino Cleric
4/4
{5}{W}: Stonehorn Chanter gains vigilance and lifelink until end of turn. (Attacking doesn’t cause it to tap. Damage dealt by it also causes you to gain that much life.)
* Multiple instances of vigilance and lifelink are redundant. There’s usually no reason to activate Stonehorn Chanter’s ability more than once in a single turn.
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Striking Sliver
{R}
Creature — Sliver
1/1
Sliver creatures you control have first strike. (They deal combat damage before creatures without first strike.)
* If Striking Sliver leaves the battlefield after Sliver creatures you control have dealt first-strike damage but before regular combat damage, those Slivers won’t deal regular combat damage (unless they have double strike for some reason).
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Strionic Resonator
{2}
Artifact
{2}, {T}: Copy target triggered ability you control. You may choose new targets for the copy. (A triggered ability uses the words “when,” “whenever,” or “at.”)
* Strionic Resonator targets a triggered ability that has triggered and is on the stack.
* The source of the copy is the same as the source of the original ability.
* If the triggered ability is modal (that is, if it says “Choose one —” or similar), the mode is copied and can’t be changed.
* If the triggered ability divides damage or distributes counters among a number of targets (for example, the ability of Bogardan Hellkite), the division and number of targets can’t be changed. If you choose new targets, you must choose the same number of targets.
* Any choices made when the triggered ability resolves won’t have been made yet when it’s copied. Any such choices will be made separately when the copy resolves. If the triggered ability asks you to pay a cost (for example, as the extort ability from the Return to Ravnica block does), you pay that cost for the copy.
* If a triggered ability is linked to a second ability, copies of that triggered ability are also linked to that second ability. If the second ability refers to “the exiled card,” it refers to all cards exiled by the triggered ability and the copy. For example, if Exclusion Ritual’s enters-the-battlefield ability is copied and two nonland permanents are exiled, players can’t cast spells with the same name as either exiled card.
* In some cases involving linked abilities, an ability requires information about “the exiled card.” When this happens, the ability gets multiple answers. If these answers are being used to determine the value of a variable, the sum is used. For example, if Elite Arcanist’s enters-the-battlefield ability is copied, two cards are exiled. The value of X in the activation cost of Elite Arcanist’s other ability is the sum of the two cards’ converted mana costs. As the ability resolves, you create copies of both cards and can cast none, one, or both of the copies in any order.
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Tenacious Dead
{B}
Creature — Skeleton Warrior
1/1
When Tenacious Dead dies, you may pay {1}{B}. If you do, return it to the battlefield tapped under its owner’s control.
* You decide whether to pay {1}{B} when the ability resolves. If you choose not to, you won’t get another chance later.
* If you control a Tenacious Dead owned by another player when it dies, you’ll control the triggered ability. However, if you choose to pay {1}{B}, it will be put onto the battlefield under its owner’s control.
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Thorncaster Sliver
{4}{R}
Creature — Sliver
2/2
Sliver creatures you control have “Whenever this creature attacks, it deals 1 damage to target creature or player.”
* If you control multiple Thorncaster Slivers and a Sliver you control attacks, each ability will trigger separately.
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Thunder Strike
{1}{R}
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn. (It deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.)
* Thunder Strike can target any creature, even one that already has first strike or double strike. (If it affects such a creature, it will, in effect, just give it +2/+0.)
* If a creature doesn’t have first strike, granting it first strike after combat damage has been dealt in the first-strike combat damage step won’t prevent it from dealing combat damage. It will still assign and deal its combat damage in the second combat damage step.
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Tidebinder Mage
{U}{U}
Creature — Merfolk Wizard
2/2
When Tidebinder Mage enters the battlefield, tap target red or green creature an opponent controls. That creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step for as long as you control Tidebinder Mage.
* If you lose control of Tidebinder Mage between when it entered the battlefield and when the ability resolves, the target creature will become tapped. However, it won’t be affected by the other effect and will untap as normal during its controller’s untap step.
* If another player gains control of Tidebinder Mage, the creature will no longer be affected by the ability preventing it from untapping, even if you later regain control of Tidebinder Mage.
* If you gain control of the creature that’s being prevented from untapping, that creature won’t untap during your untap step for as long as you control Tidebinder Mage.
* The ability can target a tapped creature. If the targeted creature is already tapped when it resolves, that creature just remains tapped and doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
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Tome Scour
{U}
Sorcery
Target player puts the top five cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
* If there are fewer than five cards in the targeted player’s library, that player puts all the cards from his or her library into his or her graveyard.
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Trollhide
{2}{G}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has “{1}{G}: Regenerate this creature.” (The next time the creature would be destroyed this turn, it isn’t. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat.)
* Activating the ability granted to the enchanted creature causes a “regeneration shield” to be created for it. The next time that creature would be destroyed that turn, the regeneration shield is used up instead. This works only if the creature is dealt lethal damage, dealt damage from a source with deathtouch, or affected by a spell or ability that says to “destroy” it. Other effects that cause the creature to be put into the graveyard (such as reducing its toughness to 0 or sacrificing it) don’t destroy it, so regeneration won’t save it. If the regeneration shield isn’t used, it goes away as the turn ends.
* To work, the regeneration shield must be created before the enchanted creature is destroyed. This usually means activating its ability during the declare blockers step, or in response to a spell or ability that would destroy it.
* If the enchanted creature is dealt lethal damage and is dealt damage by a source with deathtouch during the same combat damage step, a single regeneration shield will save it.
* Trollhide needs to be attached to the creature as the ability that creates the regeneration shield is activated, but after that, the regeneration shield will be created and remain in effect even if Trollhide is no longer attached to the creature.
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Vampire Warlord
{4}{B}
Creature — Vampire Warrior
4/2
Sacrifice another creature: Regenerate Vampire Warlord. (The next time this creature would be destroyed this turn, it isn’t. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat.)
* Activating Vampire Warlord’s ability causes a “regeneration shield” to be created for it. The next time Vampire Warlord would be destroyed that turn, the regeneration shield is used up instead. This works only if the creature is dealt lethal damage, dealt damage from a source with deathtouch, or affected by a spell or ability that says to “destroy” it. Other effects that cause the creature to be put into the graveyard (such as reducing its toughness to 0 or sacrificing it) don’t destroy it, so regeneration won’t save it. If the regeneration shield isn’t used, it goes away as the turn ends.
* To work, the regeneration shield must be created before Vampire Warlord is destroyed. This usually means activating its ability during the declare blockers step, or in response to a spell or ability that would destroy it.
* If Vampire Warlord is dealt lethal damage and is dealt damage by a source with deathtouch during the same combat damage step, a single regeneration shield will save it.
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Vastwood Hydra
{X}{G}{G}
Creature — Hydra
0/0
Vastwood Hydra enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.
When Vastwood Hydra dies, you may distribute a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on Vastwood Hydra among any number of creatures you control.
* The ability that triggers when Vastwood Hydra dies doesn’t target any of the creatures. You can choose to put counters on a creature with protection from green, for example.
* You choose how the counters will be distributed when the ability resolves.
* In some unusual cases, Vastwood Hydra will have enough -1/-1 counters put on it to make its toughness 0 or less. If this happens, the ability will still distribute a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on Vastwood Hydra before the -1/-1 counters were put on it. For example, if Vastwood Hydra has two +1/+1 counters on it and three -1/-1 counters are put on it, two +1/+1 counters will be distributed.
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Verdant Haven
{2}{G}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant land
When Verdant Haven enters the battlefield, you gain 2 life.
Whenever enchanted land is tapped for mana, its controller adds one mana of any color to his or her mana pool (in addition to the mana the land produces).
* If the land targeted by Verdant Haven is illegal as Verdant Haven tries to resolve, it will be countered and won’t enter the battlefield. Its ability that causes you to gain 2 life won’t trigger.
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Vile Rebirth
{B}
Instant
Exile target creature card from a graveyard. Put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token onto the battlefield.
* If the creature card is an illegal target when Vile Rebirth tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t put a Zombie token onto the battlefield.
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Voracious Wurm
{1}{G}
Creature — Wurm
2/2
Voracious Wurm enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the amount of life you’ve gained this turn.
* Voracious Wurm’s ability checks how much life you’ve gained during the turn, not what your life total is compared to what it was when the turn began. For example, if you start the turn at 10 life, gain 6 life during the turn, then lose 6 life later that turn, Voracious Wurm will enter the battlefield with six +1/+1 counters.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate isn’t considered, even though it causes your team’s life total to increase.
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Wall of Frost
{1}{U}{U}
Creature — Wall
0/7
Defender (This creature can’t attack.)
Whenever Wall of Frost blocks a creature, that creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
* Wall of Frost’s triggered ability tracks the creature, but not its controller. If the creature changes controllers before its first controller’s next untap step has come around, then it won’t untap during its new controller’s next untap step.
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Warden of Evos Isle
{2}{U}
Creature — Bird Wizard
2/2
Flying
Creature spells with flying you cast cost {1} less to cast.
* A creature spell that doesn’t have flying won’t cost less even if the creature it will become would have flying once on the battlefield. For example, if you control Galerider Sliver, other Sliver spells won’t cost {1} less even though those Slivers will have flying once they’re on the battlefield.
* The ability can’t reduce the colored mana requirement of a creature spell with flying.
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Water Servant
{2}{U}{U}
Creature — Elemental
3/4
{U}: Water Servant gets +1/-1 until end of turn.
{U}: Water Servant gets -1/+1 until end of turn.
* You can activate Water Servant’s second ability even if doing so would cause Water Servant’s power to be less than 0. If Water Servant’s power is less than 0, treat it as 0 for all purposes except for further modifying it, or causing the power of another creature (such as Riptide Mangler) to become equal to it.
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Wild Guess
{R}{R}
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast Wild Guess, discard a card.
Draw two cards.
* Because discarding a card is an additional cost, you can’t cast Wild Guess if you have no other cards in hand.
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Wild Ricochet
{2}{R}{R}
Instant
You may choose new targets for target instant or sorcery spell. Then copy that spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
* Wild Ricochet can target (and copy) any instant or sorcery spell, not just one with targets. It doesn’t matter who controls it.
* When Wild Ricochet resolves, it creates a copy of a spell. You control the copy. The controller of the original spell retains control of that spell. The 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 resolves before the original spell.
* The copy will have the same targets as the spell it’s copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can’t choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
* If the spell Wild Ricochet copies is modal (that is, it says “Choose one —” or the like), the copy will have the same mode. You can’t choose a different one.
* If the spell Wild Ricochet copies has an X whose value was determined as it was cast (like Volcanic Geyser does), the copy has the same value of X.
* You can’t choose to pay any additional costs for the copy. However, effects based on any additional costs that were paid for the original spell are copied as though those same costs were paid for the copy too. For example, if a player sacrifices a 3/3 creature to cast Fling, and you copy it with Wild Ricochet, the copy of Fling will also deal 3 damage to its target.
* If the copy says that it affects “you,” it affects the controller of the copy, not the controller of the original spell. Similarly, if the copy says that it affects an “opponent,” it affects an opponent of the copy’s controller, not an opponent of the original spell’s controller.
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Windreader Sphinx
{5}{U}{U}
Creature — Sphinx
3/7
Flying
Whenever a creature with flying attacks, you may draw a card.
* It doesn’t matter who controls the creature with flying or what player or planeswalker that creature is attacking.
* Windreader Sphinx’s ability will trigger when it itself attacks.
* The creature must have flying when declared as an attacking creature in order for Windreader Sphinx’s ability to trigger. For example, attacking with Trained Condor (a creature with flying and “Whenever Trained Condor attacks, another target creature you control gains flying until end of turn.”) and a creature without flying will cause the ability to trigger only once.
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Witchstalker
{1}{G}{G}
Creature — Wolf
3/3
Hexproof (This creature can’t be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
Whenever an opponent casts a blue or black spell during your turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Witchstalker.
* The counter will be put on Witchstalker before the spell cast by an opponent resolves.
* If an opponent casts a copy of a card that’s blue or black during your turn (as opposed to putting a copy of such a spell directly on the stack), the ability will also trigger. Check for the word “cast” in the effect that creates the copy.
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Xathrid Necromancer
{2}{B}
Creature — Human Wizard
2/2
Whenever Xathrid Necromancer or another Human creature you control dies, put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token onto the battlefield tapped.
* If Xathrid Necromancer dies at the same time as another Human creature you control, its ability will trigger twice.
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Young Pyromancer
{1}{R}
Creature — Human Shaman
2/1
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, put a 1/1 red Elemental creature token onto the battlefield.
* You’ll put the Elemental token onto the battlefield before the instant or sorcery spell you cast resolves but after any targets of that spell are chosen.
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Magic: The Gathering, Magic, Ravnica, Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored, Return to Ravnica, Gatecrash, and Dragon’s Maze are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the USA and other countries. ©2013 Wizards.
Compiled by Matt Tabak, with contributions from Laurie Cheers, Carsten Haese, Eli Shiffrin, Zoe Stephenson, and Thijs van Ommen
Document last modified June 5, 2013
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 Wizards.com/CustomerService.
This FAQ has two sections, each of which serves a different purpose.
The first section (“General Notes”) explains the mechanics and concepts in the set.
The second section (“Card-Specific Notes”) contains answers to the most important, most common, and most confusing questions players might ask about cards in the set. Items in the “Card-Specific Notes” section include full card text for your reference. Not all cards in the set are listed.
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GENERAL NOTES
Release Information
The Magic 2014 core set contains 249 cards (101 common, 60 uncommon, 53 rare, 15 mythic rare, and 20 basic land).
Prerelease events: July 13–14, 2013
Launch Weekend: July 19–21, 2013
Game Day: August 10–11, 2013
The Magic 2014 core set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play on its official release date: Friday, July 19, 2013. At that time, the following card sets will be permitted in the Standard format: Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored, Magic 2013, Return to Ravnica, Gatecrash, Dragon’s Maze, and Magic 2014.
Go to Wizards.com/MagicFormats for a complete list of formats and permitted card sets.
Go to Wizards.com/Locator to find an event or store near you.
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Returning Theme: Slivers
Magic 2014 features the return of creatures with the creature type Sliver. These popular creatures share abilities or power and toughness bonuses with other Slivers you control.
Galerider Sliver
{U}
Creature — Sliver
1/1
Sliver creatures you control have flying.
* Unlike Slivers from previous sets, Slivers in this set affect only Sliver creatures you control. They don’t grant bonuses to your opponents’ Slivers. (Note that previous Sliver cards have not changed.)
* If you change the creature type of a Sliver you control so it’s no longer a Sliver, it will no longer be affected by its own ability. Its ability will continue to affect other Sliver creatures you control.
* Abilities that Slivers grant, as well as power/toughness boosts, are cumulative. However, for some abilities, like flying, having more than one instance of the ability doesn’t provide any additional benefit.
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Cycle: Magus Staffs
This set also includes a cycle of artifacts, each aligned to a color, that allow you to gain life for casting spells of that color or having basic lands of the type associated with that color enter the battlefield.
Staff of the Sun Magus
{3}
Artifact
Whenever you cast a white spell or a Plains enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 1 life.
* Each of these artifacts cares about any land with the appropriate basic land type. For example, Staff of the Sun Magus’s ability triggers when any land with the subtype Plains enters the battlefield under your control, not just lands named Plains.
* Many nonbasic lands don’t have basic land types, even if they produce colored mana. For example, Azorius Guildgate is neither a Plains nor an Island. Having one enter the battlefield under your control won’t cause Staff of the Sun Magus’s ability to trigger.
* If you cast a copy of a card that’s a certain color, the appropriate Staff’s ability will trigger. However, if you copy a spell on the stack without casting that copy, it will not.
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Returning Card Type: Planeswalkers
A planeswalker is a powerful ally that fights by your side. With the exception of the “planeswalker uniqueness rule” (see the separate section below), the rules for planeswalkers have not changed with this release.
Jace, Memory Adept
{3}{U}{U}
Planeswalker — Jace
4
+1: Draw a card. Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
0: Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
-7: Any number of target players each draw twenty cards.
* Planeswalkers are permanents. You can cast one at the time you could cast a sorcery. When your planeswalker spell resolves, it enters the battlefield under your control.
* Planeswalkers are not creatures. Spells and abilities that affect creatures won’t affect them.
* Planeswalkers have loyalty. A planeswalker enters the battlefield with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to the number printed in its lower right corner. Activating one of its abilities may cause it to gain or lose loyalty counters. Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from it. If it has no loyalty counters on it, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based action.
* Planeswalkers each have a number of activated abilities called “loyalty abilities.” You can activate a loyalty ability of a planeswalker you control only at the time you could cast a sorcery and only if you haven’t activated one of that planeswalker’s loyalty abilities yet that turn.
* The cost to activate a planeswalker’s loyalty ability is represented by a symbol with a number inside. Up-arrows contain positive numbers, such as “+1”; this means “Put one loyalty counter on this planeswalker.” Down-arrows contain negative numbers, such as “-7”; this means “Remove seven loyalty counters from this planeswalker.” A symbol with a “0” means “Put zero loyalty counters on this planeswalker.”
* Activating a loyalty ability with a cost of 0 will leave the number of loyalty counters on that planeswalker unchanged.
* You can’t activate a planeswalker’s ability with a negative loyalty cost unless the planeswalker has at least that many loyalty counters on it.
* Planeswalkers can’t attack (unless an effect turns the planeswalker into a creature). However, they can be attacked. Each of your attacking creatures can attack your opponent or a planeswalker that player controls. You say which as you declare attackers.
* If your planeswalkers are being attacked, you can block the attackers as normal.
* If a creature that’s attacking a planeswalker isn’t blocked, it’ll deal its combat damage to that planeswalker. Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from it.
* If a source you control would deal noncombat damage to an opponent, you may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker that opponent controls instead. For example, although you can’t target a planeswalker with Shock, you can target your opponent with Shock, and then as Shock resolves, choose to have Shock deal its 2 damage to one of your opponent’s planeswalkers. (You can’t split up that damage between different players and/or planeswalkers.) If you have Shock deal its damage to a planeswalker, two loyalty counters are removed from it.
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Rule Change: The “Planeswalker Uniqueness Rule”
Previously, if there were two or more planeswalkers that share a subtype (such as “Jace”) on the battlefield, they would all be put into their owners’ graveyards as a state-based action. This rule is changing. The new rule is as follows:
704.5j If a player controls two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type, that player chooses one of them and the rest are put into their owners’ graveyards. This is called the “planeswalker uniqueness rule.”
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Rule Change: The “Legend Rule”
Although there are no legendary permanents in the Magic 2014 core set, the “legend rule” is changing along with this set. Under the previous rule, whenever two or more legendary permanents with the same name were on the battlefield, they were all put into their owners’ graveyards as a state-based action. This rule is changing to the following:
704.5k If a player controls two or more legendary permanents with the same name, that player chooses one of them and the rest are put into their owners’ graveyards. This is called the “legend rule.”
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New Keyword: Indestructible
Indestructible is a new keyword for an existing ability.
Darksteel Ingot
{3}
Artifact
Indestructible (Effects that say “destroy” don’t destroy this artifact.)
{T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
* In most cases, indestructible becoming a keyword doesn’t represent a functional change. There are two exceptions:
* Previously, if a permanent was made indestructible by a resolving spell or ability (such as Withstand Death), and then that permanent lost its abilities, it would still be indestructible. This was because indestructible wasn’t an ability; it was just something true about the permanent. Now, the permanent will gain the ability indestructible, and it will lose this ability along with its other abilities.
* Previously, if a group of permanents were made indestructible by a resolving spell or ability (such as creatures you control being affected by Rootborn Defenses), permanents that joined that group or entered the battlefield after that spell or ability resolved would also be indestructible. This was because the effect making the permanents indestructible wasn’t changing any of those permanents’ characteristics. Now, a permanent that enters the battlefield or comes under your control after the spell or ability resolves won’t have indestructible as it wasn’t under your control at the appropriate time to gain it.
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CARD-SPECIFIC NOTES
Academy Raider
{2}{R}
Creature — Human Warrior
1/1
Intimidate (This creature can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.)
Whenever Academy Raider deals combat damage to a player, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
* The triggered ability triggers just once each time Academy Raider deals combat damage to a player, regardless of how much damage it deals.
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Act of Treason
{2}{R}
Sorcery
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. (It can attack and {T} this turn.)
* Act of Treason can target any creature, including one that’s untapped or one you already control.
* Gaining control of a creature doesn’t cause you to gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it.
* If you control a legendary creature and gain control of another legendary creature with the same name, you’ll choose one to remain on the battlefield and put the other into its owner’s graveyard.
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Advocate of the Beast
{2}{G}
Creature — Elf Shaman
2/3
At the beginning of your end step, put a +1/+1 counter on target Beast creature you control.
* If you don’t control any Beast creatures as your end step begins, the ability will be removed from the stack and will have no effect.
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Ajani, Caller of the Pride
{1}{W}{W}
Planeswalker — Ajani
4
+1: Put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature.
-3: Target creature gains flying and double strike until end of turn.
-8: Put X 2/2 white Cat creature tokens onto the battlefield, where X is your life total.
* You can activate the first ability without a target. You’ll still put one loyalty counter on Ajani when you activate the ability.
* The number of Cat tokens you put onto the battlefield is equal to your life total when the third ability resolves.
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Ajani’s Chosen
{2}{W}{W}
Creature — Cat Soldier
3/3
Whenever an enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, put a 2/2 white Cat creature token onto the battlefield. If that enchantment is an Aura, you may attach it to the token.
* The ability doesn’t trigger until the enchantment enters the battlefield. This means that, for example, you can’t cast an Aura with enchant creature if there are no legal targets available, hoping to enchant the Cat token. Ajani’s Chosen itself, however, may be a legal target for the Aura.
* If you cast an Aura targeting an opponent or a permanent controlled by an opponent, you control that Aura when it enters the battlefield. The ability of Ajani’s Chosen will trigger.
* You may attach the Aura to the token only if it can legally enchant that token. For example, if the enchantment that entered the battlefield is an Aura with “enchant land,” it won’t move.
* You may attach the Aura to the Cat token only if the Aura and the token are both on the battlefield when the triggered ability resolves. If the Aura leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, it won’t become attached to the token. If the token leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, the Aura won’t move.
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Altar’s Reap
{1}{B}
Instant
As an additional cost to cast Altar’s Reap, sacrifice a creature.
Draw two cards.
* You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell. You can’t cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you can’t sacrifice more than one creature.
* Players can respond to this spell only after it’s been cast and all its costs paid. This means that no one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to stop you from casting this spell.
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Angelic Accord
{3}{W}
Enchantment
At the beginning of each end step, if you gained 4 or more life this turn, put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
* Angelic Accord’s ability checks how much life you’ve gained during the turn, not what your life total is compared to what it was when the turn began. For example, if you start the turn at 10 life, gain 6 life during the turn, then lose 6 life later that turn, the ability will trigger.
* If you haven’t gained 4 or more life during the turn when the end step begins, the ability won’t trigger at all. Gaining life during the end step won’t cause the ability to trigger.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate isn’t considered, even though it causes your team’s life total to increase.
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Archaeomancer
{2}{U}{U}
Creature — Human Wizard
1/2
When Archaeomancer enters the battlefield, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
* If an instant or sorcery spell puts Archaeomancer onto the battlefield, you can choose that card as the target and return it to your hand.
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Archangel of Thune
{3}{W}{W}
Creature — Angel
3/4
Flying
Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
* The ability triggers just once from each life-gaining event, whether it’s 1 life from Soulmender or 5 life from Elixir of Immortality.
* A creature with lifelink dealing combat damage is a single life-gaining event. For example, if two creatures you control with lifelink deal combat damage at the same time, Archangel of Thune’s ability will trigger twice. However, if a single creature with lifelink deals combat damage to multiple creatures, players, and/or planeswalkers at the same time (perhaps because it has trample or was blocked by more than one creature), the ability will trigger only once.
* In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate won’t cause the ability to trigger, even though it causes your team’s life total to increase.
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Artificer’s Hex
{B}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant Equipment
At the beginning of your upkeep, if enchanted Equipment is attached to a creature, destroy that creature.
* The ability checks to see if the enchanted Equipment is attached to a creature as your upkeep begins. If it’s not, the ability won’t trigger at all. If it is, the ability will check again as it tries to resolve. If the enchanted Equipment isn’t attached to a creature at that time, the ability won’t do anything.
* This ability triggers at the beginning of the upkeep of the controller of Artificer’s Hex, not the upkeep of the controller of the enchanted Equipment or the creature that Equipment is attached to.
* Players can’t pay an Equipment’s equip cost to unattach that Equipment to stop Artificer’s Hex from destroying a creature.
* In some rare cases, the creature the enchanted Equipment is attached to as the ability resolves isn’t the same one as the one it was attached to when it triggered. In such a case, the creature the Equipment is attached to when the ability resolves is destroyed.
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Awaken the Ancient
{1}{R}{R}{R}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant Mountain
Enchanted Mountain is a 7/7 red Giant creature with haste. It’s still a land.
* Awaken the Ancient can enchant any land with the subtype Mountain, not just one named Mountain.
* The enchanted Mountain retains any other types or subtypes it may have. You can still tap it to add {R} to your mana pool. It can be affected by anything that affects either a land or a creature.
* This doesn’t count as a creature entering the battlefield. The Mountain was already on the battlefield; it only changed types.
* If the enchanted Mountain stops being a Mountain for any reason, Awaken the Ancient will be put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based action.
* Copies of the enchanted Mountain won’t be 7/7 red Giant creatures with haste. For example, if Awaken the Ancient is enchanting a basic Mountain, a copy of that creature would just be a basic Mountain.
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Banisher Priest
{1}{W}{W}
Creature — Human Cleric
2/2
When Banisher Priest enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls until Banisher Priest leaves the battlefield. (That creature returns under its owner’s control.)
* Banisher Priest’s ability causes a zone change with a duration, a new style of ability that’s somewhat reminiscent of older cards like Oblivion Ring. However, unlike Oblivion Ring, cards like Banisher Priest have a single ability that creates two one-shot effects: one that exiles the creature when the ability resolves, and another that returns the exiled card to the battlefield immediately after Banisher Priest leaves the battlefield.
* If Banisher Priest leaves the battlefield before its enters-the-battlefield ability resolves, the target creature won’t be exiled.
* Auras attached to the exiled creature will be put into their owners’ graveyards. Equipment attached to the exiled creature will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled creature will cease to exist.
* If a creature token is exiled, it ceases to exist. It won’t be returned to the battlefield.
* The exiled card returns to the battlefield immediately after Banisher Priest leaves the battlefield. Nothing happens between the two events, including state-based actions. The two creatures aren’t on the battlefield at the same time. For example, if the returning creature is a Clone, it can’t enter the battlefield as a copy of Banisher Priest.
* In a multiplayer game, if Banisher Priest’s owner leaves the game, the exiled card will return to the battlefield. Because the one-shot effect that returns the card isn’t an ability that goes on the stack, it won’t cease to exist along with the leaving player’s spells and abilities on the stack.
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Barrage of Expendables
{R}
Enchantment
{R}, Sacrifice a creature: Barrage of Expendables deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
* Barrage of Expendables deals the damage, not the sacrificed creature. Notably, that creature having deathtouch or lifelink provides no additional benefit.
* Because targets are chosen before costs are paid, it is possible to choose a creature as the target of the ability and then sacrifice that creature. The ability will be countered when it tries to resolve and no damage will be dealt.
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Blightcaster
{3}{B}
Creature — Human Wizard
2/3
Whenever you cast an enchantment spell, you may have target creature get -2/-2 until end of turn.
* Blightcaster’s ability will resolve before the enchantment spell that caused it to trigger.
* If you are the only player who controls a creature when Blightcaster’s ability triggers, you must choose one as the target, although you can choose not to give it -2/-2.
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Blur Sliver
{2}{R}
Creature — Sliver
2/2
Sliver creatures you control have haste. (They can attack and {T} as soon as they come under your control.)
* If Blur Sliver leaves the battlefield during combat, any attacking Sliver creatures that came under your control this turn will continue to attack, even though they will no longer have haste.
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Bogbrew Witch
{3}{B}
Creature — Human Wizard
1/3
{2}, {T}: Search your library for a card named Festering Newt or Bubbling Cauldron, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
* You don’t have to declare which card you’re searching for when you activate the ability.
* You put only one card onto the battlefield as the activated ability resolves.
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Bonescythe Sliver
{3}{W}
Creature — Sliver
2/2
Sliver creatures you control have double strike. (They deal both first-strike and regular combat damage.)
* If Bonescythe Sliver leaves the battlefield after other Sliver creatures you control have dealt first-strike damage but before regular combat damage, those Slivers won’t deal regular combat damage (unless they still have double strike for some other reason).
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Brave the Elements
{W}
Instant
Choose a color. White creatures you control gain protection from the chosen color until end of turn. (They can’t be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by anything of that color.)
* You choose the color as Brave the Elements resolves. Once the color is chosen, it’s too late for players to respond.
* Only white creatures you control as Brave the Elements resolves will gain the protection ability. White creatures that come under your control afterward will not.
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Brindle Boar
{2}{G}
Creature — Boar
2/2
Sacrifice Brindle Boar: You gain 4 life.
* If you sacrifice an attacking or blocking Brindle Boar during the declare blockers step, it won’t deal combat damage. If you wait until the combat damage step, but Brindle Boar is dealt lethal damage, it’ll be destroyed before you get a chance to sacrifice it.
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Burning Earth
{3}{R}
Enchantment
Whenever a player taps a nonbasic land for mana, Burning Earth deals 1 damage to that player.
* To tap a land for mana is to activate one of that land’s mana abilities that has {T} in its activation cost.
* The ability will trigger each time a nonbasic land is tapped for mana. Each of these abilities goes on the stack and resolves separately.
* If any nonbasic lands are tapped for mana while a player is casting a spell or activating an ability, Burning Earth’s ability will trigger that many times and wait. When the player finishes casting that spell or activating that ability, Burning Earth’s triggered abilities are put on the stack on top of it. Burning Earth’s abilities will resolve first.
* On the other hand, a player can tap nonbasic lands for mana, put the Burning Earth triggered abilities on the stack, and then respond to those abilities by casting an instant spell or activating an ability using that mana. In that case, the instant spell or activated ability will resolve first.
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Celestial Flare
{W}{W}
Instant
Target player sacrifices an attacking or blocking creature.
* Celestial Flare targets only a player, not any creature. A creature with hexproof or protection from white can be sacrificed this way.
* If the player sacrifices a blocking creature, any attacking creature it was blocking remains blocked. Unless that attacking creature has trample or is being blocked by another creature, it won’t assign or deal combat damage.
* Creatures continue to be attacking or blocking creatures through the end of combat step. It is possible to cast Celestial Flare within combat but after combat damage is dealt (specifically, during the combat damage step or the end of combat step). Only attacking and blocking creatures that survived combat damage can be sacrificed at this time.
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Chandra, Pyromaster
{2}{R}{R}
Planeswalker — Chandra
4
+1: Chandra, Pyromaster deals 1 damage to target player and 1 damage to up to one target creature that player controls. That creature can’t block this turn.
0: Exile the top card of your library. You may play it this turn.
-7: Exile the top ten cards of your library. Choose an instant or sorcery card exiled this way and copy it three times. You may cast the copies without paying their mana costs.
* To activate the first ability, you must target a player but you can choose to not target any creatures.
* If a creature is targeted by the first ability, it won’t be able to block even if the damage is prevented.
* The card exiled by the second ability is exiled face up. Playing it follows the normal rules for playing that card. You must pay its costs, and you must follow all applicable timing rules. For example, if it’s a creature card, you can cast it only during your main phase while the stack is empty.
* If you exile a land card using the second ability, you may play that land only if you have any available land plays. Normally, this means you can play the land only if you haven’t played a land yet that turn.
* In the third ability, “exiled this way” means the cards you just exiled because of that ability resolving. Cards exiled with the second ability or with previous activations of the third ability don’t count.
* While resolving the third ability, you create the copies of the card in exile and cast them from exile. You can cast zero, one, two, or all three copies. The card itself isn’t cast. It remains exiled.
* While casting the copies for the third ability, timing restrictions based on the card’s type (such as sorcery) are ignored. Other restrictions, such as “Cast [this spell] only during combat,” are not.
* Because you’re playing the copies “without paying their mana costs,” you can’t pay any alternative costs for the copies. You can pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the copies have any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
* If the copied card has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value when casting the copies.
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Chandra’s Outrage
{2}{R}{R}
Instant
Chandra’s Outrage deals 4 damage to target creature and 2 damage to that creature’s controller.
* Chandra’s Outrage targets only the creature. The player dealt damage is the player who controls the target creature at the time Chandra’s Outrage resolves.
* If the creature is an illegal target as Chandra’s Outrage tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. No damage will be dealt.
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Claustrophobia
{1}{U}{U}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
When Claustrophobia enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
* The enchanted creature can still be untapped in other ways, such as Act of Treason.
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Clone
{3}{U}
Creature — Shapeshifter
0/0
You may have Clone enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield.
* Clone’s ability doesn’t target the chosen creature.
* Clone copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing more (unless that creature is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on.
* If the chosen creature has {X} in its mana cost (such as Vastwood Hydra), X is 0.
* If the chosen creature is copying something else (for example, if the chosen creature is another Clone), then Clone enters the battlefield as whatever the chosen creature is copying.
* If the chosen creature is a token, Clone copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that put the token onto the battlefield. Clone is not a token, even when copying one.
* Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when Clone enters the battlefield. Any “as [this creature] enters the battlefield” or “[this creature] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the chosen creature will also work.
* If Clone somehow enters the battlefield at the same time as another creature, Clone can’t become a copy of that creature. You may only choose a creature that’s already on the battlefield.
* You can choose not to copy anything. In that case, Clone enters the battlefield as a 0/0 Shapeshifter creature, and is probably put into the graveyard immediately.
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Colossal Whale
{5}{U}{U}
Creature — Whale
5/5
Islandwalk (This creature can’t be blocked as long as defending player controls an Island.)
Whenever Colossal Whale attacks, you may exile target creature defending player controls until Colossal Whale leaves the battlefield. (That creature returns under its owner’s control.)
* Colossal Whale’s triggered ability triggers and resolves during the declare attackers step, before blocking creatures are declared.
* Colossal Whale’s ability causes a zone change with a duration, a new style of ability that’s somewhat reminiscent of older cards like Oblivion Ring. However, unlike Oblivion Ring, cards like Colossal Whale have a single ability that creates two one-shot effects: one that exiles the creature when the ability resolves, and another that returns the exiled card to the battlefield immediately after Colossal Whale leaves the battlefield.
* If Colossal Whale leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, the target creature won’t be exiled.
* Auras attached to the exiled creature will be put into their owners’ graveyards. Equipment attached to the exiled creature will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled creature will cease to exist.
* If a creature token is exiled, it ceases to exist. It won’t be returned to the battlefield.
* The exiled card returns to the battlefield immediately after Colossal Whale leaves the battlefield. Nothing happens between the two events, including state-based actions. The two creatures aren’t on the battlefield at the same time. For example, if the returning creature is a Clone, it can’t enter the battlefield as a copy of Colossal Whale.
* In a multiplayer game, if Colossal Whale’s owner leaves the game, the exiled card will return to the battlefield. Because the one-shot effect that returns the card isn’t an ability that goes on the stack, it won’t cease to exist along with the leaving player’s spells and abilities on the stack.
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Congregate
{3}{W}
Instant
Target player gains 2 life for each creature on the battlefield.
* Count the number of creatures on the battlefield as Congregate resolves to determine how much life the player will gain.
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Corrupt
{5}{B}
Sorcery
Corrupt deals damage equal to the number of Swamps you control to target creature or player. You gain life equal to the damage dealt this way.
* Count the number of Swamps you control as Corrupt resolves to determine how much damage is dealt.
* Corrupt counts any land you control with the subtype Swamp, not just ones named Swamp.
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Cyclops Tyrant
{5}{R}
Creature — Cyclops
3/4
Intimidate (This creature can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.)
Cyclops Tyrant can’t block creatures with power 2 or less.
* If Cyclops Tyrant blocks a creature with power 3 or greater, and then that creature’s power becomes 2 or less, Cyclops Tyrant continues to block that creature.
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Dark Favor
{1}{B}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
When Dark Favor enters the battlefield, you lose 1 life.
Enchanted creature gets +3/+1.
* If the creature targeted by Dark Favor is illegal as Dark Favor tries to resolve, it will be countered and won’t enter the battlefield. Its ability that causes you to lose 1 life won’t trigger.
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Devout Invocation
{6}{W}
Sorcery
Tap any number of untapped creatures you control. Put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying onto the battlefield for each creature tapped this way.
* You choose the creatures to tap as Devout Invocation resolves. Once it starts resolving, no player can respond to you tapping the creatures.
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Divine Favor
{1}{W}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
When Divine Favor enters the battlefield, you gain 3 life.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+3.
* If the creature targeted by Divine Favor is illegal as Divine Favor tries to resolve, it will be countered and won’t enter the battlefield. Its ability that causes you to gain 3 life won’t trigger.
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Domestication
{2}{U}{U}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
You control enchanted creature.
At the beginning of your end step, if enchanted creature’s power is 4 or greater, sacrifice Domestication.
* Domestication’s triggered ability checks whether the enchanted creature’s power is 4 or greater as your end step begins. If it’s not, the ability won’t trigger at all. The ability will check again as it tries to resolve. If the creature’s power isn’t 4 or greater at this time, the ability won’t do anything and Domestication won’t be sacrificed.
* Domestication can target, and can enchant, a creature with power 4 or greater. The enchanted creature’s power is checked only when the triggered ability triggers and resolves.
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Door of Destinies
{4}
Artifact
As Door of Destinies enters the battlefield, choose a creature type.
Whenever you cast a spell of the chosen type, put a charge counter on Door of Destinies.
Creatures you control of the chosen type get +1/+1 for each charge counter on Door of Destinies.
* Creature types, such as Human or Sliver, appear after the dash on the type line of creatures. Notably, artifact is not a creature type. A creature may have more than one creature type, such as Goblin Warrior. Such a creature would benefit from Door of Destinies if the chosen creature type was Goblin or Warrior.
* If you cast a creature spell of the chosen type, Door of Destinies will get a charge counter before the creature enters the battlefield. The creature will enter the battlefield with the additional boost to its power and toughness.
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Elite Arcanist
{3}{U}
Creature — Human Wizard
1/1
When Elite Arcanist enters the battlefield, you may exile an instant card from your hand.
{X}, {T}: Copy the exiled card. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost. X is the converted mana cost of the exiled card.
* You don’t choose the value of {X} in the activation cost of Elite Arcanist’s ability. It’s defined by the converted mana cost of the exiled instant card.
* The copy is created in and cast from exile. You must still follow any timing restrictions, such as “Cast [this spell] only during combat.”
* You can’t pay any alternative costs such as overload costs. You can pay additional costs such as kicker costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
* If the copied card has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value when casting the copy. Don’t confuse that {X} with the {X} in the activation cost of Elite Arcanist’s ability.
* If the exiled card is a split card, then {X} is the sum of the converted mana costs of each half. However, when you cast the copy, you choose only one half to cast. You may cast a different half each time you create and cast a copy.
* If Elite Arcanist leaves the battlefield, you will no longer be able to copy the exiled card. If it returns to the battlefield, you’ll be able to exile another instant card from your hand, but Elite Arcanist will be a different permanent with no connection to the first exiled card.
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Elixir of Immortality
{1}
Artifact
{2}, {T}: You gain 5 life. Shuffle Elixir of Immortality and your graveyard into their owner’s library.
* Paying the activation cost of Elixir of Immortality’s ability doesn’t cause it to leave the battlefield. If you have a way to untap it, you can activate the ability multiple times in response to itself.
* As the ability resolves, you’ll shuffle Elixir of Immortality into its owner’s library directly from the battlefield, if it’s still there.
* If you gain control of another player’s Elixir of Immortality and activate it, the Elixir of Immortality will be shuffled into its owner’s library and the cards in your graveyard will be shuffled into your library. You are considered to have shuffled each affected library (even if, as a shortcut, each player physically shuffles his or her own library).
* If Elixir of Immortality is in your graveyard at the time the ability resolves, you’ll still wind up shuffling it into your library because you shuffle your entire graveyard into your library. If it’s anywhere else by that time, including in another player’s graveyard (because that player owns it but you controlled it), it remains where it is and you shuffle just your graveyard into your library.
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Enlarge
{3}{G}{G}
Sorcery
Target creature gets +7/+7 and gains trample until end of turn. It must be blocked this turn if able. (If a creature with trample would assign enough damage to its blockers to destroy them, you may have it assign the rest of its damage to defending player or planeswalker.)
* If the creature attacks, the defending player must assign at least one blocker to it during the declare blockers step if that player controls any creatures that could block it.
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Festering Newt
{B}
Creature — Salamander
1/1
When Festering Newt dies, target creature an opponent controls gets -1/-1 until end of turn. That creature gets -4/-4 instead if you control a creature named Bogbrew Witch.
* Whether you control a creature named Bogbrew Witch is checked only as the triggered ability resolves.
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Fiendslayer Paladin
{1}{W}{W}
Creature — Human Knight
2/2
First strike (This creature deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.)
Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
Fiendslayer Paladin can’t be the target of black or red spells your opponents control.
* Fiendslayer Paladin can be affected by black or red spells that don’t target it. For example, a red spell that “deals 3 damage to each creature” would deal damage to Fiendslayer Paladin.
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Flames of the Firebrand
{2}{R}
Sorcery
Flames of the Firebrand deals 3 damage divided as you choose among one, two, or three target creatures and/or players.
* You divide the damage as you cast Flames of the Firebrand, not as it resolves. Each target must be assigned at least 1 damage. (In other words, as you put the spell on the stack, you choose whether to have it deal 3 damage to a single target, 2 damage to one target and 1 damage to another target, or 1 damage to each of three targets.)
* You can’t deal damage to both a player and a planeswalker controlled by that player with Flames of the Firebrand.
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Fleshpulper Giant
{5}{R}{R}
Creature — Giant
4/4
When Fleshpulper Giant enters the battlefield, you may destroy target creature with toughness 2 or less.
* If there are no legal targets available, the ability is simply removed from the stack. If you control the only creature with toughness 2 or less, you must choose it as the target, though you can choose to not destroy it.
* If the target creature’s toughness is greater than 2 when the ability tries to resolve, the ability will be countered and the creature won’t be destroyed.
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Fortify
{2}{W}
Instant
Choose one — Creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn; or creatures you control get +0/+2 until end of turn.
* You choose the mode as you cast Fortify, not as it resolves.
* Creatures that come under your control after Fortify resolves won’t get the chosen bonus.
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Frost Breath
{2}{U}
Instant
Tap up to two target creatures. Those creatures don’t untap during their controller’s next untap step.
* If a creature affected by Frost Breath changes controllers before its old controller’s next untap step, it won’t untap during its new controller’s next untap step.
* Frost Breath can target tapped creatures. If a target creature is tapped when Frost Breath resolves, that creature stays tapped and won’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
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Garruk, Caller of Beasts
{4}{G}{G}
Planeswalker — Garruk
4
+1: Reveal the top five cards of your library. Put all creature cards revealed this way into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
-3: You may put a green creature card from your hand onto the battlefield.
-7: You get an emblem with “Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may search your library for a creature card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.”
* You choose what green creature card to put onto the battlefield, if any, when the second ability resolves.
* If you have Garruk’s emblem, the creature card you search for will be put onto the battlefield before the creature spell you cast resolves. The creature card you put onto the battlefield isn’t cast, so the ability of the emblem won’t retrigger.
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Garruk’s Horde
{5}{G}{G}
Creature — Beast
7/7
Trample
Play with the top card of your library revealed.
You may cast the top card of your library if it’s a creature card. (Do this only any time you could cast that creature card. You still pay the spell’s costs.)
* Normally, Garruk’s Horde allows you to cast the top card of your library if it’s a creature card, it’s your main phase, and the stack is empty. If that creature card has flash, you’ll be able to cast it at the time you could cast an instant, even on an opponent’s turn.
* You’ll still pay all costs for that spell, including additional costs. You may also pay alternative costs.
* While playing with the top card of your library revealed, if you draw multiple cards, reveal each one before you draw it.
* The top card of your library isn’t in your hand, so you can’t suspend it, cycle it, discard it, or activate any of its activated abilities.
* If the top card of your library changes while you’re casting a spell or activating an ability, the new top card won’t be revealed until you finish casting that spell or activating that ability.
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Goblin Diplomats
{1}{R}
Creature — Goblin
2/1
{T}: Each creature attacks this turn if able.
* The controller of each creature still decides which player or planeswalker that creature attacks.
* Creatures that enter the battlefield (or noncreature permanents that become creatures) after the ability resolves are affected by the ability and must attack if able.
* If, during a player’s declare attackers 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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Grim Return
{2}{B}
Instant
Choose target creature card in a graveyard that was put there from the battlefield this turn. Put that card onto the battlefield under your control.
* You can choose a creature card in any player’s graveyard as long as that card was put there from the battlefield during the turn. A creature card that was put into a graveyard from anywhere else, such as a card that was discarded, can’t be chosen as the target.
* Creature spells that are countered never entered the battlefield, so those cards can’t be chosen as the target of Grim Return.
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Guardian of the Ages
{7}
Artifact Creature — Golem
7/7
Defender (This creature can’t attack.)
When a creature attacks you or a planeswalker you control, if Guardian of the Ages has defender, it loses defender and gains trample.
* The effect of Guardian of the Ages’s triggered ability doesn’t wear off as the turn ends. Losing defender and gaining trample last indefinitely.
* Once Guardian of the Ages has lost defender, its triggered ability will no longer trigger when a creature attacks you or a planeswalker you control (unless it has somehow gained defender again).
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Haunted Plate Mail
{4}
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +4/+4.
{0}: Until end of turn, Haunted Plate Mail becomes a 4/4 Spirit artifact creature that’s no longer an Equipment. Activate this ability only if you control no creatures.
Equip {4} ({4}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
* Although you must control no creatures to activate the “animation” ability, having a creature somehow come under your control in response to that ability won’t stop it from resolving.
* It’s possible to activate the first activated ability of Haunted Plate Mail in response to activating the first ability of another Haunted Plate Mail and have them both become creatures until end of turn.
* You can activate the equip ability of Haunted Plate Mail while it isn’t an Equipment, but the ability will have no effect. Haunted Plate Mail won’t become attached to any creature.
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Howl of the Night Pack
{6}{G}
Sorcery
Put a 2/2 green Wolf creature token onto the battlefield for each Forest you control.
* The number of Wolves you put onto the battlefield is based on the number of Forests you control when Howl of the Night Pack resolves.
* Howl of the Night Pack counts any land you control with the subtype Forest, not just ones named Forest.
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Hunt the Weak
{3}{G}
Sorcery
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. Then that creature fights target creature you don’t control. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
* You can’t cast Hunt the Weak unless you choose both a creature you control and a creature you don’t control as targets.
* If either target is an illegal target when Hunt the Weak tries to resolve, neither creature will deal or be dealt damage.
* If the creature you control is an illegal target when Hunt the Weak tries to resolve, you won’t put a +1/+1 counter on it. If that creature is a legal target but the creature you don’t control isn’t, you’ll still put the counter on the creature you control.
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Illusionary Armor
{4}{U}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +4/+4.
When enchanted creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice Illusionary Armor.
* Only Illusionary Armor is sacrificed because of its triggered ability; the enchanted creature is not.
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Indestructibility
{3}{W}
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant permanent
Enchanted permanent has indestructible. (Effects that say “destroy” don’t destroy that permanent. A creature with indestructible can’t be destroyed by damage.)
* If the enchanted creature is dealt lethal damage, the creature isn’t destroyed, but the damage remains marked on the creature. If Indestructibility stops enchanting that creature later in the turn, the creature will no longer have indestructible and it will be destroyed.
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Into the Wilds
{3}{G}
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, look at the top card of your library. If it’s a land card, you may put it onto the battlefield.
* Putting a land onto the battlefield this way doesn’t count as playing a land. You’ll still be able to play a land during one of your main phases.
* If the card is not a land card, or you choose not to put it onto the battlefield, it will stay on top of your library. In most cases, you’ll then draw it during your draw step.
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Jace, Memory Adept
{3}{U}{U}
Planeswalker — Jace
4
+1: Draw a card. Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
0: Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
-7: Any number of target players each draw twenty cards.
* If you target yourself with Jace’s first ability, you’ll draw a card first, then put the top card of your library into your graveyard.
* If you activate Jace’s first ability and the player is an illegal target when the ability tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t draw a card.
* If Jace’s third ability causes a player to draw more cards than are left in his or her library, that player loses the game as a state-based action. If this ability causes all players to do this, the game is a draw.
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Jace’s Mindseeker
{4}{U}{U}
Creature — Fish Illusion
4/4
Flying
When Jace’s Mindseeker enters the battlefield, target opponent puts the top five cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. You may cast an instant or sorcery card from among them without paying its mana cost.
* If you cast an instant or sorcery card this way, you do so while the ability of Jace’s Mindseeker is resolving. If you choose not to (or can’t), you won’t get a chance to cast one later.
* “From among them” means the five cards put into the graveyard, not all cards in that graveyard.
* 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 spell] only during combat,” must be followed.
* 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.
* If the five cards are put into a public zone such as exile instead of a graveyard (perhaps due to the ability of Rest in Peace), you can cast one of those instant or sorcery cards from that zone.
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Kalonian Hydra
{3}{G}{G}
Creature — Hydra
0/0
Trample
Kalonian Hydra enters the battlefield with four +1/+1 counters on it.
Whenever Kalonian Hydra attacks, double the number of +1/+1 counters on each creature you control.
* To double the number of +1/+1 counters on a creature, determine how many +1/+1 counters are on the creature and put that many more on it. Effects that interact with counters (such as the one created by Corpsejack Menace’s ability) may change the number of counters ultimately put on the creature.
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Liliana of the Dark Realms
{2}{B}{B}
Planeswalker — Liliana
3
+1: Search your library for a Swamp card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
-3: Target creature gets +X/+X or -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of Swamps you control.
-6: You get an emblem with “Swamps you control have ‘{T}: Add {B}{B}{B}{B} to your mana pool.’”
* Each of Liliana’s abilities refers to lands (or land cards) with the subtype Swamp, not just ones named Swamp.
* You can activate Liliana’s first ability even if your library contains no Swamp cards (or you don’t want to find one). You’ll still search your library and shuffle it.
* When you activate Liliana’s second ability, you choose only the target creature. You choose whether that creature gets +X/+X or -X/-X when the ability resolves. The value of X is determined by the number of Swamps you control when the ability resolves.
* Liliana’s emblem doesn’t remove any other abilities of Swamps you control.
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Liliana’s Reaver
{2}{B}{B}
Creature — Zombie
4/3
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
Whenever Liliana’s Reaver deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card and you put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token onto the battlefield tapped.
* If the player’s hand is empty when the triggered ability resolves, you’ll still put a Zombie token onto the battlefield.
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Liturgy of Blood
{3}{B}{B}
Sorcery
Destroy target creature. Add {B}{B}{B} to your mana pool.
* Liturgy of Blood isn’t a mana ability and uses the stack. Players can respond to it by casting spells and activating abilities.
* If the target creature is an illegal target when Liturgy of Blood tries to resolve, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. You won’t add mana to your mana pool.
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Turning Mutavault into a basic land, or giving it a basic land type, won't remove the existing effect that makes it into a creature. Mutavault is still a creature, and it will still deal and receive combat damage.
Not officially, no. Before I posted, I checked my ruling with a member of the rules team. Neither I nor that member of the rules team remembered the existing official ruling, so we went with an interpretation of the rule that makes sense.
Yes, that's what the official ruling says. If you are ever the Head Judge of a tournament where this question comes up, feel free to use the official ruling instead of the sensible ruling. Both rulings are consistent with the wording of the rule despite being opposites of each other.
I'm sure the rule will be clarified as soon as a Library of Leng/Chandra Ablaze/Melek deck starts tearing up the Legacy metagame
This answer is correct. Since the card ends up being revealed, the rule that states that its characteristics are undefined doesn't apply. Therefore, its characteristics are known.
The cards reside in a hidden zone, true enough, but they are revealed. Note that the rule that Jenesis quoted talks about cards in hidden zones that are not revealed.
Well, it's legal for you to force your opponent to attack with their Knight of Glory. You can hope that they forget about the exalted trigger and block it with your Hill Giant, but if they remember the exalted trigger, your Giant is toast.