Magic the Gathering: Ask a Judge

[SilPho]

^ What phlip said

[tanatoes]

Thanks for the important point about sacrifice being the cost. I need to keep things like that in mind.

[Dominic Appleguard]

The trick is that costs precede the colon.

[Ninety-Three]

How does Yixlid Jailer interact with Snapcaster Mage? My guess is that it's a timestamp-order thing, where if the Yixlid is played first, then the Snapcaster, a card can be flashed back, but Future sight cards are weird, so I wanted to check.

[SilPho]

Yeah, that's a good example of the difference time-stamps can make. Whichever effect happened most recently will determine the existence of the Flashback ability.

(Short reply because I'm short on time today. Please ask for more if you want to)

[Senstaku]

Ok, here's another question!

My opponent has a Cathedral Sanctifier equipped with Bladed Bracers, and I use Spirit Away targeting his Cathedral Sanctifier - who controls the Bladed Bracers?

[Ninety-Three]

Ok, here's another question!

My opponent has a Cathedral Sanctifier equipped with Bladed Bracers, and I use Spirit Away targeting his Cathedral Sanctifier - who controls the Bladed Bracers?

Your opponent still controls the bracers, but they're equipped to the Sanctifier which you now control, giving it the equip bonus (so it stands at 4/4 flying vigilance). Once it's their turn, if they have another creature, they'll be able to equip the bracers to it like normal.

[Dominic Appleguard]

The Bracers are equipped to the Sanctifier, but the original owner still controls the bracers. They can equip to something else.

[guidance]

How do miracle cards work with something like desperate ravings? Do you draw look at it, and if it's a miracle card reveal it to your opponent so that they know that if it's not discarded that you do have it?

[Kapol]

In my understanding, this is what would happen. When you draw the first card, if it's the first card you've drawn that turn, then you can reveal it like normal. You'll then draw the other card and discard at random. If you don't end up discarding the miracle card, then you can play it.

[SilPho]

Short answer: Reveal it as you draw it, your opponent knows whether it is discarded.

Long answer: As you draw the first of two cards from Desperate Ravings you may reveal that card if it is a Miracle card. It must remain revealed as you continue to resolve the spell by drawing another card and then discarding one at random. If the Miracle card is discarded, your opponent will know because it will no longer be revealed. Likewise, if the card is not discarded your opponent will still know because it will still be revealed.

The trigger from the Miracle now goes onto the stack, and when that resolves you may cast the card for its miracle cost if it is still in your hand.

[Senstaku]

If my opponent has a Stuffy Doll in play, and I use Crippling Blight on it, does it stay in play as a -1/0 or does it die?

[SilPho]

It will die. Indestructibilty does not stop creatures from dying if they have no toughness.

[Senstaku]

Similarly, what happens when a creature with a regeneration shield gets hit with -X counters that put it at 0? Does the regeneration shield still keep it there, even though the ability only says it removes all damage?

[AzureAngel17]

Regen only gives protection from damage and "destroy" effects, -X/-X counters and effects kill creatures regardless of whether or not that creature has a regen-shield.

[SilPho]

Remember, the regeneration "shield" is a one-shot effect, after that it won't work again without the creature getting another instance of the "shield".

This means that even if it did work against having 0 toughness, the shield be consumed but then the creature would still have 0 toughness and die anyway.

This also means that creatures with Wither or Infect can kill indestructible creatures or creatures with regeneration.

[Lord Hosk]

What is the ruling on cards that have changed rarity for playability in pauper? Like Rancor is now a uncommon but has been common 3 times.

[Volafortis]

As long as a card has been printed at common once, it's pauper legal.

[AzureAngel17]

Here's one concerning one of the new Ravnica cards and a certain counterspell from M13 that has been a pain in my butt since a friend of mine started running 4 in every deck:


I have a Nivmagus Elemental on the battlefield. I cast any instant or sorcery, and my opponent counters it with Rewind. If I sac the spell to my Elemental in response to Rewind, does my opponent get to untap 4 lands?

Edit: Never mind, the answer was on the Gatherer page for Rewind. The spell is an illegal target if it's sacrificed to the elemental, so the Rewind doesn't resolve and the opponent doesn't untap any lands.

[Senstaku]

A question on Ravnica cards as well:

Street Spasm has a cost of (X)R, and an overload cost of (X)(X)RR, and it's effect is that it deals (X) damage to all creatures your opponent controls without flying.

My question is: How does that overload cost work?

[Jenelmo]

IR you want to deal 1 damage to all his creatures you pay: 11RR = 2RR
If you want to deal 2 damage you pay: 22RR = 4RR. 3 damage: 33RR = 6RR

Hope that helps

[Dominic Appleguard]

In a more general sense:

Overloading a spell replaces the word "target" with the word "each".

So, Street Spasm does one of the following:

1) Pay XR to deal X damage to a creature without flying you don't control. That's 1R to do 1 damage, 2R for 2, etc.

or

2) Pay XXRR to deal X damage to all creatures without flying you don't control. That's 2RR to deal 1 damage, 4RR for 2, etc.

[Lemegeton]

quick one guys. i think the answer is yes but want to be sure. can plummet be used to destroy a creature that only has flying temporarily from an spell or ability

[SilPho]

Yes, it can. It only checks the creature as it currently exists when the spell is cast and when the spell resolves.

Likewise, when a creature than normally has flying loses it for some reason, Plummet won't work.

[Lord Hosk]

For example, if you cast Battleflight Eagle targeting your 15/15
Chronomaton for the win, they can plummet it.

you could also use that offensively, casting Battleflight eagle and targeting the opponents creature, and plummet it.