Magic the Gathering: Ask a Judge

[theDreamer]

IIRC, the game doesn't care whether you are tapped or not by the combat damage step.

Tapped doesn't affect damage, only the ability to be declared as attacker or as blocker.

[phlip]

It all continues as normal. The only time its tapped state matters is when blockers are declared - after that, you can do what you like. The same applies to attackers with Vigilance.

[SilPho]

The tapped status only matters during the brief moments when attackers are declared and when blockers are declared (just the act of choosing them, not the entire duration of the declare attackers and declare blockers steps). Before and after that the game doesn't care whether creatures tap or not.

The rules used to work differently to this, untapping a creature used to remove it from combat (or something like that), but that hasn't been the case for years and years. It was before my time.

[auberginequeen]

Query: Can Kaalia or Quicksilver Amulet be used to cheat Withengar Unbound onto the battlefield?

[Volafortis]

Query: Can Kaalia or Quicksilver Amulet be used to cheat Withengar Unbound onto the battlefield?

Nope, it's always recognized as the front side unless it's on the battlefield transformed, so it'll always be Elbrus when you try. Use Stoneforge Mystic.

[dackwards d]

I'm pretty sure you can't. While it's in your hand it counts as Elbrus, the Binding Blade. The transformed side of it doesn't exist as far as the game is concerned until the physical card has entered play and been flipped, or at least that's my understanding.

What is the process if you have multiple Galvanoths in play? Do you then get to look at the top card of your library, cast it if it is a sorcery/instant, look at the second, cast if appropriate, and so on until you have done it once per galvanoth or until you hit a non-sorcery/instant?

[Under_Score]

Does Turn Aside work on cards like Forge Devil, where the the creature is being put into play as well as targeting one of my creatures? I'm just worried I'll try to use it and find out it can't actually counter creatures like that, which is kind of specifically why I want it.

[Trymantha]

What is the process if you have multiple Galvanoths in play? Do you then get to look at the top card of your library, cast it if it is a sorcery/instant, look at the second, cast if appropriate, and so on until you have done it once per galvanoth or until you hit a non-sorcery/instant?

you have got it correct

Does Turn Aside work on cards like Forge Devil, where the the creature is being put into play as well as targeting one of my creatures? I'm just worried I'll try to use it and find out it can't actually counter creatures like that, which is kind of specifically why I want it.

No you can not counter creatures with turn aside, all "enter the battlefield" abilities only go on the stack once the creature/permanent have resolved so you can no longer counter them.

[Volafortis]

@dackwards d:
Each instance is put onto the stack, and then resolves individually.

Example, you have three galvanoths, so the stack is like this (using the bottom as the final one put on the stack, so it resolves first.)

1. Galvanoth ability #1
2. Galvantoh ability #2
3. Galvanoth ability #3

let's say ability #3 shows you a Shock. You then choose to cast it at the opponent for 2.

the stack now is as follows:

1. Galvanoth ability #1
2. Galvanoth ability #2
3. Shock

the Shock then resolves, dealing 2 to the opponent.

Then, Galvanoth ability #2 resolves, and you see a Mountain. You may not cast it. Then, Galvanoth ability #1 resolves, and you see that same Mountain, and cannot cast it.

@Under_Score:
Nope, Forge Devil's damage ability is a triggered ability, so Turn Aside doesn't work, as it can only counter spells, and the creature spell doesn't target anything. Stifle or Voidslime do, though, but they only counter the ability, not the creature.

[SilPho]

The answers above are all correct, but I have a few points to add:

@Volafortis:
Your explanation is correct, but I would advise representing the stack with the most recently added item at the top, it tends to better represent the way players may lay cards on top of each other during a game and makes more semantic sense as well.

Regarding spells, abilities and targets
Casting Forge Devil, or pretty much any other creature, means casting a spell. However, creature spells don't have targets so Turn Aside doesn't help. When Forge Devil enters the battlefield, it places a triggered ability on the stack. This ability does have a target, but since it is an ability, not a spell, Turn Aside still can't help.

A card similar to Turn Aside, such as Not of this World, (which says "Counter target spell or ability that targets a permanent you control") can help to take care of the Forge Devil's ability, but still can't help against the original casting of the creature spell.

I hope that helps someone

[Geoff_B]

Quick question about building a commander deck:

Okay I've pretty much got the idea that colours for your deck are restricted to the colours for your commander and colourless. My question is does that limit only apply to lands or do all spells/artifacts/creatures have to adhere to that?

For example if I run a red commander deck and include Quicksilver Amulet am I restricted as to what creatures I can use with it or can I use any creature from any colour? For example, in that red deck, could I use the amulet to call out Liege of the Tangle?

[SilPho]

If your General is mono-red then you could not even have a Liege of the Tangle in your deck, which means there is no way it could be in your hand, so the example you suggested won't work.

On the other hand, if you cast something like Act of Treason then you can target anything you wanted, colours don't matter for situations like that.

One final caveat though, assuming you cast Act of Treason from your mono-red deck on Llanowar Elves and tapped the Elves for mana, you would produce one colourless mana, not one green mana.

[Geoff_B]

So the restriction applies to spells and creatures, not just lands? Are colourless artifacts allowed or are they restricted as well?

[Graham]

One final caveat though, assuming you cast Act of Treason from your mono-red deck on Llanowar Elves and tapped the Elves for mana, you would produce one colourless mana, not one green mana.

Wait, what?! I've never heard that Commander rule.

[SilPho]

@Geoff:
Basically, any mana symbol that appears on the card (front or back) is taken in to consideration to determine the colour of a card, as well as certain abilities, such as Transguild Courier. (Colour indicators for the backs of double-faced-cards matter too).

A colourless artifact is fair game for literally any Commander deck, but coloured artifacts are subject to the regular restrictions.

@Graham:

903.9. If mana would be added to a player’s mana pool of a color that isn’t in the color identity of that player’s commander, that amount of colorless mana is added to that player’s mana pool instead.

Exotic Orchard would probably have been a better example of this rule; you can only tap the Orchard for colours that match both your deck's colours and the lands controlled by an opponent.

[Graham]

Well it's not like one would NEED a Green mana for anything, if they weren't running a Green Cmdr, but I wasn't aware. Cool.

[phlip]

Well, if you steal a creature that has an ability with an off-colour (for you) casting cost, you can't activate it, even if you use tricksy methods to get the appropriate mana.

Like, if you've got a mono-blue deck, and you throw Mind Control on Olivia Voldaren, you can't use her abilities, even if you also have and/or steal things normally capable of generating B or R mana.

[vxicepickxv]

Well, if you steal a creature that has an ability with an off-colour (for you) casting cost, you can't activate it, even if you use tricksy methods to get the appropriate mana.

Like, if you've got a mono-blue deck, and you throw Mind Control on Olivia Voldaren, you can't use her abilities, even if you also have and/or steal things normally capable of generating B or R mana.

I would hate to play against someone with a 5 player commander deck who decided to drop reality twist.

[SpicyPete]

Can I sacrifice my creatures by free will and not due to any spell or effect? For instance casting "Increasing Devotion" for creature tokens then killing them to buff "Unruly Mob"

[phlip]

Nope, you can only sac a creature if a spell or ability specifically tells you to do so.

[Elomin Sha]

If I make a deck comprised of my 20 Bump in the Nights is that cheating?

[SilPho]

A deck with just 20 Bump in the Nights? That's pretty illegal for Magic.

Though funnily enough, if you presented that deck in a tournament you would be instructed to remove all illegal cards and then add enough basic lands of your choice to meet the minimum deck size. So you're probably going to end up with 4 Bumps and 56 basic lands

Though it's not likely to actually happen... I hope.

[Elomin Sha]

If I add 13 Storm Crows to the 20 would that be okay?

[SilPho]

You'd at least get a round of applause with your penalty.

[Elomin Sha]

Almost seems worth a go.
Are there actual limits on how many cards of the same type you can have? If not I think my Bump in the Night Wheel is legitimate (in my twisted mind).