For the first question: having one creature block multiple attackers is similar to when multiple blockers block a single attacker. In this case, the controller of the blocking creature decides what order damage is assigned to the two attacking creatures. It will apply lethal damage (or its full value if it cannot assign lethal) to the first attacking creature chosen and then the remainder to the second attacking creature. The two attacking creatures will both assign all of their damage to the single blocking creature (unless one or both of them have trample). All of the damage happens at the same time and then you look at the amount of damage vs toughness to decide if each creature dies.
For the second question: the untapping is mandatory in that if the creature is tapped it will untap. However, it does not require the creature to be tapped to attempt to untap it. Untapping the creature does not remove it from combat. The only things that will remove it from combat are spells or abilities that specifically state that they remove the creature from combat (or regeneration, but that spells it out in the reminder text).
I hope this helps.
Edit: for the second question I missed the last section so I am clarifying. The creature will not gain vigilance. The spell will simply look to see if the creature is tapped, and if so untap it. If it is already untapped, then nothing happens for that part of the spell's resolution.
Greetings all. I have been on a similar Abzan Rites list for about 3 years now. I just now found this subject in the forums and thought I'd share my list. The biggest difference is I have Lotleth Troll and Stinkweed Imp as additional threats/graveyard fodder. My fetches are not optimal because I do not own any Verdant Catacombs. If any one can help me with the more normal formatting for decks, please send me a message.
Creatures (19):
2x Angel of Serenity
4x Birds of Paradise
1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
4x Knight of the Reliquary
4x Lotleth Troll
4x Stinkweed Imp
Spells (20):
4x Abrupt Decay
1x Darkblast
4x Grisly Salvage
2x Path to Exile
1x Life from the Loam
4x Lingering Souls
4x Unburial Rites
To clarify on your first point. You can only tap Gilder Bairn to crew if either you tap another creature as well or it has two power. You cannot use the untap in the middle of doing the crew action in order to tap Gilder Bairn twice for a single activation of the crew ability.
Yes, a creature that has become blocked remains blocked even if the blocking creature leaves play. The exception would be if the attacker has trample, then removing the blocker will allow the full damage to trample through.
I accessed it this morning right after articles go live. It was a one-page comic using Lovecraftian-type descriptors of the Turtenwald monster that finished with the author meeting him and realizing he is just a person.
Yisan's ability doesn't target, so he doesn't care about the shroud from the Greaves. Everything will work normally (Yisan gets haste and cannot be targeted, and he will get verse counters and search up creatures without issue)
I would say threshold would also be a contender if we didn't already have a similar trigger on the new Demon from the SOI duel deck.
Would be the same situation as with Odric, Master Tactician and battalion cards like Firefist Striker in the same standard. Similar, but not identical. Threshold can appear in the second set, with the demon appearing in the first.
Yep, it's not like they never use cards with a similar but slightly different ability to a keyword in the same block, or even the same set. If it's in Innistrad block, or indeed in 2016 at all I'd say Threshold is the most likely. MaRo said it has some complexity issues because of the potential for the board state to change drastically on a dime, but it's not like that means it can't happen. Heck, morph is probably even more complex and we just saw it's return.
If it's 2018 (or later, if the original quote was 2015 we have all the way up until 2022, although I don't think they have actual mechanics planned out that far ahead) Madness would still be breaking the record, even counting planar chaos, right? If that's the case, I think it's most likely.
If it is indeed in SOI it can not be Threshold nor Madness as both appeared on non-timeshifted/colorshifted cards in Time Spiral. The latest the mechanic can have appeared is in Odyssey (the set, not the block), any later and it is a no go. And that unfortunately eliminates each and every mechanic from Odyssey as well as the mechanics from that set appeared throughout the block, and all of them have appeared since. That means that Invasion block is the latest. And I made a handy list earlier in the thread listing each and every mechanic it could be, most of which are simply not feasible for various reasons.
Threshold was only on a timeshifted card (Mystic Enforcer), so it has not been seen since Judgment.
Essence Depleter was mine. I had a controlling U/B deck (with activated <> abilities) with Mindmelter, flyers, and removal, and it helped seal several games. Being able to activate it 2-3 times a turn is solid.
My understanding is that if a card has a mana symbol in the text box that is not in your commander's color identity then you cannot put it in the deck.
If you acquire a signet or similar during the course of the game, then colors that are not in the color identity become colorless.
Edit: You are allowed to put cards like City of Brass in your deck as they do not explicitly add the forbidden colors.
Wow that strangler is ridiculous. I really want these processors to work, but I don't want to have to rely on ingest creatures to enable them. What we could really use is a one or two mana enchantment/artifact that exiles one card from the opponent's yard a turn. Something like relic of progenitus. Relic does fit the crunch.
I play a mono-red Possibility Storm deck (not truly competitive, but fun to bust out and see people's responses). Zoetic Cavern is a good method for cheating out your fatty of choice as it can be cast as a creature triggering PS and is a land so it allows more options without diluting your chances.
Question, do you scry before or after things like Leylines come down?
Because the scry is part of the mulligan rules and leylines happen after all players have finished their mulligans, I believe the leylines will be post-scry.
For the second question: the untapping is mandatory in that if the creature is tapped it will untap. However, it does not require the creature to be tapped to attempt to untap it. Untapping the creature does not remove it from combat. The only things that will remove it from combat are spells or abilities that specifically state that they remove the creature from combat (or regeneration, but that spells it out in the reminder text).
I hope this helps.
Edit: for the second question I missed the last section so I am clarifying. The creature will not gain vigilance. The spell will simply look to see if the creature is tapped, and if so untap it. If it is already untapped, then nothing happens for that part of the spell's resolution.
Creatures (19):
2x Angel of Serenity
4x Birds of Paradise
1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
4x Knight of the Reliquary
4x Lotleth Troll
4x Stinkweed Imp
Spells (20):
4x Abrupt Decay
1x Darkblast
4x Grisly Salvage
2x Path to Exile
1x Life from the Loam
4x Lingering Souls
4x Unburial Rites
Lands (21):
1x Bloodstained Mire
4x Forest
2x Ghost Quarter
2x Godless Shrine
1x Marsh Flats
1x Overgrown Tomb
1x Plains
1x Stirring Wildwood
1x Swamp
1x Temple Garden
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Vault of the Archangel
4x Windswept Heath
Sideboard (15):
3x Blessed Alliance
1x Bojuka Bog
1x Boseiju, Who Shelters All
3x Collective Brutality
1x Darkblast
2x Golgari Charm
2x Loxodon Smiter
2x Siege Rhino
With the discard outlets, the Ray of Revelation can be treated as a green card.
Threshold was only on a timeshifted card (Mystic Enforcer), so it has not been seen since Judgment.
If you acquire a signet or similar during the course of the game, then colors that are not in the color identity become colorless.
Edit: You are allowed to put cards like City of Brass in your deck as they do not explicitly add the forbidden colors.
Relic of Progenitus is out due to flavor (Progenitus is from Alara).
Sejiri Steppe gives protection.
Edit: Or you are netting mana with each land, so you could use Rogue's Passage
Edit: clarity
PAX is this weekend and has several sessions that will likely be spoiler-filled. Spoilers on the Mothership should start first week of September.
Because the scry is part of the mulligan rules and leylines happen after all players have finished their mulligans, I believe the leylines will be post-scry.