for all intents and purposes, the lower 2 text boxes (level 2-6, and level 7+) do not exist at this point.
The Level Up abilities always exist. They don't suddenly appear as you add Level counters.
They simply don't do much if the number of counters doesn't match.
For design purposes, Leveler cards have these unusual three rows, with very little wording. Very trendy.
However, here's how Student of Warfare actually reads, from a Rules point of view:
Creature - Human Knight
1/1 W: Put a level counter on this permanent. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
As long as SoW has at least 2 level counters on it, but no more than 6, it's a 3/3 and has First Strike.
As long as SoW has 7 or more level counters on it, it's a 4/4 and has Double Strike.
(as you can see, it cannot simultaneously give itself First Strike and Double Strike; levels are mutually exclusive)
I don't understand how the slumber counters determine whether it is a LAND-creature or just an ordinary creature.
Does it have Slumber counters?
If so, the ability says "This is no creature. This is a land."
If not, the ability is silent. Arix is a simple creature.
Then Vitu-Ghazi comes in and says "This is also a creature."
The hard thing to get used to is to look at Arix's ability first, and then look at Vitu-Ghazi, regardless of the time Slumber counters were added/removed.
All these situations deal with a card changing type: from creature to land, or from land to creature.
When one wishes to establish the final result of such transformations, rule 613.3 must be looked up:
613.3. (...) apply effects from characteristic-defining abilities first (...), then all other effects in timestamp order (...)
As per this rule, the creature-to-land ability of Arixmethes must always come first, since it's a characteristic-defining ability (CDA, rule 604.3).
It doesn't matter if the Slumber counters get removed prior or after other effects: this ability must be applied first, period.
Then, any change applied after that will override this one: turning Arixmethes into a creature (Vitu-Ghazi) always overrides its creature-to-land inner ability.
Nexus' land-to-creature ability is not a CDA, and neither is Vitu-Ghazi's. Those are 'regular' effects (rules 609.1 & 611.1) which must be applied according to Timestamp: the latest effect will override the previous ones.
I also understand that players straight up lose the game for causing an infinite loop.
No, infinite loops are not an automatic game loss.
Rule 722 handles loops for friendly games. (Tournaments rules may differ)
In a nutshell:
-If no player is able to break the loop, the loop will run for infinity; the game is a draw. (rule 722.4)
-Any player who can break the loop may choose a maximum number (perhaps only one), and the loop runs that many times. (rule 722.1b)
-If no player wishes to break the loop, the game is a draw. (rules 722.5 & 722.6)
My thought was everything is happening at once since combat began so the protections stay intact but the Voltaic Key still gets destroyed and then after combat the protections disappear.
You seem to have un unusual perception of combat.
Combat is nothing more than one of the phases of a player's turn.
It does not happen all at once: it actually is subdivised into five steps.
Nothing makes protection 'freeze' for the duration of combat: destroying your Voltaic Key as your Champions attack will indeed 'de-activate' Metalcraft and remove protection, allowing the wolves to block and kill the Champions.
Metalcraft has no official meaning; it's just a convenient word to help players understand cards. (rule 207.2c)
The ability of your Champions does exactly as it says: 'AS LONG AS you control 3+ artifacts, Champion has Protection'.
Therefore, as soon as you fall below 3 artifacts, Protection is gone. (rule 113.3d)
does it retain Xathrid's petrify for the duration of the game or lose it changing zones?
The Petrify effect and the counter are lost when it changes zone. The creature returns to its original printed configuration.
(take note that the petrification counter doesn't actually do anything; it's only there to remind people of Gorgon's effect.)
When an object leaves the battlefield, all effects cease to affect that object and counters are removed from it.
This is generally true for any change of zone.
(unless the effect is obviously intended to be applied from zone to zone, which Xathrid Gorgon's is not)
Is it permanently a colorless artifact with defender that cannot access it's activated abilities?
Yes... as long as it remains on the battlefield!
110.1. A permanent is a card or token on the battlefield. A permanent remains on the battlefield indefinitely. A card or token becomes a permanent as it enters the battlefield and it stops being a permanent as it’s moved to another zone by an effect or rule.
Thanks. I was pretty sure it works as well, but my freinds did'nt believe me
Aside from believing, it might be helpful to understand why it works this way.
Orah's ability is a triggered ability (rule 603). These are somewhat trickyer than what their text may appear to say.
Above all, one must be made aware of the delays in the way the game progresses.
First, two clerics die. This will immediately trigger Orah (twice), but the targets are not immediately chosen. (rule 603.2)
Only a little while later does the player get asked for targets. (rule 603.3)
By this time, 2-cmc-cleric is indeed in the grave and can be chosen for the ability triggered by the death of 3-cmc-cleric, along with some 1-cmc-cleric from the death of 2-cmc-cleric.
Also, when someone is looking for the current rule, this thread still shows what is the current way to deal with Trample damage, and why the person thought it was the other way. =^)
Older threads are rather unreliable when it comes to the rules: Magic moves very fast. Every single year, some rules are changed or deleted, and some new rules get added.
Many cards also receive retro-active modifications: many of those cardboard pieces you hold in hand may actually say something different than what is printed on them! For example, Angry Mob is now a Human (although ALL printed cards read 'mob'), and is thus subject to Human Frailty.
Combat damage is one subject that received many major rules adjustments, along with The Stack, Mulligans and Legendary permanents.
If you wish to keep up with rules evolution, have a weekly look at Magic's official website: https://magic.wizards.com/en
Or you could read the rulebook yourself, once in a while.
I personnally read it every year.
With only 196 pages to read (once you skip over introduction, titles, glossary and credits), one can read 5 pages a day and be done in 39 days.
if my creature does combat damage to said opponent, does curious obsession trigger goes to the stack or narset purely negates it, cause i ve already draw my card for this turn?
Obsession triggers, and resolves, but you still won't draw a card, because Narset forbids it.
As it resolves, Obsession offers you a choice: to draw, or not to draw.
Since Narset forbids it, it would be illegal for you to choose the 'to draw' option; you must choose 'not to draw'.
608.2d If an effect of a spell or ability offers any choices other than choices already made as part of casting the spell, (...). The player can’t choose an option that’s illegal or impossible (...)
Even if you were not offered the choice, such as with Betrayal, for example, which orders you to draw a card (it doesn't say 'you may'), you still couldn't draw, because:
101.2. When a rule or effect allows or directs something to happen, and another effect states that it can’t happen, the “can’t” effect takes precedence.
On the other hand, under the specific scenario where Narset would die at the same time, due to combat damage, for example, then you will draw.
(this appears to be unwritten assumption of previous posters)
Yes.
Since you actually told us that Angel dealt 4 damage to Troll, we know that combat damage has been dealt (and that no other random card was implicated).
Troll received 4 damage, and then regenerated
At the same time, Angel received 4 damage, and then died.
Both the regeneration and Angel's death are caused by the damage; the removal from combat cannot happen before damage!
So just a quick question about sneak attack. I’m assuming from the errata and the newest wording...
This card has worked the same since it was created, 22 years ago. It has always been able to spring out a surprise blocker.
The new wording only allowed to streamline some weird corner case scenarios, should a player have the strange idea to activate it, and then refuse to play out a creature.
Thank you very much. You are a rules guru. You must have read that handbook cover to cover several times.
Yes, as we all did.
Or should.
The Comprehensive Rulebook has 243 pages.
Once you remove the titles, introduction, glossary and credits, there remains 196 pages.
If you read 5 pages a day, you'll be done in 39 days.
They simply don't do much if the number of counters doesn't match.
For design purposes, Leveler cards have these unusual three rows, with very little wording. Very trendy.
However, here's how Student of Warfare actually reads, from a Rules point of view:
1/1
W: Put a level counter on this permanent. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
As long as SoW has at least 2 level counters on it, but no more than 6, it's a 3/3 and has First Strike.
As long as SoW has 7 or more level counters on it, it's a 4/4 and has Double Strike.
(as you can see, it cannot simultaneously give itself First Strike and Double Strike; levels are mutually exclusive)
See rule 710 for details:
https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/rules-and-formats/rules
Does it have Slumber counters?
If so, the ability says "This is no creature. This is a land."
If not, the ability is silent. Arix is a simple creature.
Then Vitu-Ghazi comes in and says "This is also a creature."
The hard thing to get used to is to look at Arix's ability first, and then look at Vitu-Ghazi, regardless of the time Slumber counters were added/removed.
Arixmethes' creature-to-land ability must always be applied first, because it has the oldest timestamp.
Furthermore, +1/+1 countres ALWAYS COUNT, since the always get applied last. (rule 613.1g)
When one wishes to establish the final result of such transformations, rule 613.3 must be looked up:
As per this rule, the creature-to-land ability of Arixmethes must always come first, since it's a characteristic-defining ability (CDA, rule 604.3).It doesn't matter if the Slumber counters get removed prior or after other effects: this ability must be applied first, period.
Then, any change applied after that will override this one: turning Arixmethes into a creature (Vitu-Ghazi) always overrides its creature-to-land inner ability.
Nexus' land-to-creature ability is not a CDA, and neither is Vitu-Ghazi's. Those are 'regular' effects (rules 609.1 & 611.1) which must be applied according to Timestamp: the latest effect will override the previous ones.
Rule 722 handles loops for friendly games. (Tournaments rules may differ)
In a nutshell:
-If no player is able to break the loop, the loop will run for infinity; the game is a draw. (rule 722.4)
-Any player who can break the loop may choose a maximum number (perhaps only one), and the loop runs that many times. (rule 722.1b)
-If no player wishes to break the loop, the game is a draw. (rules 722.5 & 722.6)
Combat is nothing more than one of the phases of a player's turn.
It does not happen all at once: it actually is subdivised into five steps.
Nothing makes protection 'freeze' for the duration of combat: destroying your Voltaic Key as your Champions attack will indeed 'de-activate' Metalcraft and remove protection, allowing the wolves to block and kill the Champions.
Metalcraft has no official meaning; it's just a convenient word to help players understand cards. (rule 207.2c)
The ability of your Champions does exactly as it says: 'AS LONG AS you control 3+ artifacts, Champion has Protection'.
Therefore, as soon as you fall below 3 artifacts, Protection is gone. (rule 113.3d)
Consider having a close look at rule 506:
https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/rules-and-formats/rules
Yes, your copy of Cancel can target the original and counter it.
The Fury Storm shenanigan also appear to work.
The Petrify effect and the counter are lost when it changes zone. The creature returns to its original printed configuration.
(take note that the petrification counter doesn't actually do anything; it's only there to remind people of Gorgon's effect.)
When an object leaves the battlefield, all effects cease to affect that object and counters are removed from it.
This is generally true for any change of zone.
(unless the effect is obviously intended to be applied from zone to zone, which Xathrid Gorgon's is not)
Have a peek at rules 122.2 & 400.7 for details:
https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/rules-and-formats/rules
Yes... as long as it remains on the battlefield!
Orah's ability is a triggered ability (rule 603). These are somewhat trickyer than what their text may appear to say.
Above all, one must be made aware of the delays in the way the game progresses.
First, two clerics die. This will immediately trigger Orah (twice), but the targets are not immediately chosen. (rule 603.2)
Only a little while later does the player get asked for targets. (rule 603.3)
By this time, 2-cmc-cleric is indeed in the grave and can be chosen for the ability triggered by the death of 3-cmc-cleric, along with some 1-cmc-cleric from the death of 2-cmc-cleric.
Many cards also receive retro-active modifications: many of those cardboard pieces you hold in hand may actually say something different than what is printed on them! For example, Angry Mob is now a Human (although ALL printed cards read 'mob'), and is thus subject to Human Frailty.
Combat damage is one subject that received many major rules adjustments, along with The Stack, Mulligans and Legendary permanents.
If you wish to keep up with rules evolution, have a weekly look at Magic's official website:
https://magic.wizards.com/en
Or you could read the rulebook yourself, once in a while.
I personnally read it every year.
With only 196 pages to read (once you skip over introduction, titles, glossary and credits), one can read 5 pages a day and be done in 39 days.
Magic rulebooks:
https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/rules-and-formats/rules?source=MX_Nav2020
Yes, the artifact-land reverts to a land as it enters the grave.
Viridian cares about the object that WAS on the battlefield.
As it resolves, Obsession offers you a choice: to draw, or not to draw.
Since Narset forbids it, it would be illegal for you to choose the 'to draw' option; you must choose 'not to draw'.
Even if you were not offered the choice, such as with Betrayal, for example, which orders you to draw a card (it doesn't say 'you may'), you still couldn't draw, because:
On the other hand, under the specific scenario where Narset would die at the same time, due to combat damage, for example, then you will draw.
(this appears to be unwritten assumption of previous posters)
Since you actually told us that Angel dealt 4 damage to Troll, we know that combat damage has been dealt (and that no other random card was implicated).
Troll received 4 damage, and then regenerated
At the same time, Angel received 4 damage, and then died.
Both the regeneration and Angel's death are caused by the damage; the removal from combat cannot happen before damage!
The new wording only allowed to streamline some weird corner case scenarios, should a player have the strange idea to activate it, and then refuse to play out a creature.
Or should.
The Comprehensive Rulebook has 243 pages.
Once you remove the titles, introduction, glossary and credits, there remains 196 pages.
If you read 5 pages a day, you'll be done in 39 days.
Rules:
https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/rules-and-formats/rules