[MTG] Q&A

[Flame Dragon]

Thought is the yugioh section has one, why not give one to the MTG one

Anyway, lets start this of with some questions.

I was watching someone use a Kuldotha Forgemaster deck and when they Forgemaster would be targeted by removal, like Oust, they wouldn't use it's effect? I don't get why they wouldn't since I've always thought you could tap your guy during your opponent's turn should they point removal at it. And to double check: I go first and play Llanowar Elves. If opponent goes to Lightning Bolts my Llanowar Elves, could I tap it to giant growth it and save it?

Other question is a little odd since it has to do with multiplayer. If player A attacks player B could player C block for B?

[Dementuo]

No, to the second question.
I could be wrong.

[-Lightray Daedalus-]

[b]Question A:[/b] It all depends if Forgemaster or Llanowar Elf has been through the whole Summoning Sickness period.
A creature that you Summon is afected by Summoning sickness Until your Next Upkeep after the creature entered to the battlefield.
Example: You go turn 1 a Summon Llanowar Elf. Next during your opponent's Main Phase he uses Shock on it...Llanowar Elf cannot activate its effect since it is still affected by Summoning Sickness. But now...If your opponent waits till it is your turn and try to Shock it during your Next upkeep, the Summoning Sickness is already gone so you can Tap Llanowar Elf and Use the Giant Growth as you wished.

Note:Summoning Sickness only affects abilities that requires the Creature to be tapped. abilities with different costs such as Basking Rootwalla's Self Pumping effect can be used ever since the creature properly enters the battlefield.

[b]Question B:[/b] It depends...if all of A,B and C players are going on each other(each one has its individual LP etc)...no he can't...althought he can cast Spells like for example..[url="http://magiccards.info/sc/es/25.html"]Wing Shards[/url]...if he thinks it is necesary to make you not attack his other rival. In Twin Headed Giant I believe both players chooses which creatures block what

[Flame Dragon]

[quote name='Ｔｈｅ ｓｕｐｐｒｅｓｓｉｏｎ ＰＬＵＴＯ' timestamp='1308027015' post='5282044']
[b]Question A:[/b] It all depends if Forgemaster or Llanowar Elf has been through the whole Summoning Sickness period.
A creature that you Summon is afected by Summoning sickness Until your Next Upkeep after the creature entered to the battlefield.
Example: You go turn 1 a Summon Llanowar Elf. Next during your opponent's Main Phase he uses Shock on it...Llanowar Elf cannot activate its effect since it is still affected by Summoning Sickness. But now...If your opponent waits till it is your turn and try to Shock it during your Next upkeep, the Summoning Sickness is already gone so you can Tap Llanowar Elf and Use the Giant Growth as you wished.

Note:Summoning Sickness only affects abilities that requires the Creature to be tapped. abilities with different costs such as Basking Rootwalla's Self Pumping effect can be used ever since the creature properly enters the battlefield.

[b]Question B:[/b] It depends...if all of A,B and C players are going on each other(each one has its individual LP etc)...no he can't...althought he can cast Spells like for example..[url="http://magiccards.info/sc/es/25.html"]Wing Shards[/url]...if he thinks it is necesary to make you not attack his other rival. In Twin Headed Giant I believe both players chooses which creatures block what
[/quote]
Ok thanks. For the longest time I thought summoning sickness applied only for the turn they are played. Yay for less illegal plays.

And thanks again. I thought as much, but my one friend said they could so I thought, lets get some more opinions.

[.Nu-13]

I keep bringing out Artifact Creatures with Prototype Portal. Can I use the effect of Riddlesmith each time a token from Portal comes to field?

[Flame Dragon]

I'm going with no. the Smith cycle only works when you cast the card and since Prototype Portal only puts it into play, not casting it, Riddlesmith wouldn't trigger.

[Mysty]

My opponent used Tezzeret's ability (both Tezzerets have an ability that turns artifacts into 5/5 creatures) to turn Phyrexian Revoker into a 5/5. He then casts Phyrexian Metamorph. He has it enter the battlefield has Revoker. Is that Metamorph-Revoker a 5/5 as well, or is it just its regular size?

Similarly, I use Koth to stand up a Mountain into a 4/4 creature. If I cast Phyrexian Metamorph on the mountain, do I get a 4/4 Mountain artifact creature, a 4/4 Mountain artifact creature that loses its creature4/4-ness at the end of the turn, or do I just get an artifact mountain?

[-Lightray Daedalus-]

I'm gessing this is what Mystery Guest is looking for

[quote]Clone doesn't copy whether the original creature is tapped or untapped. It also doesn't copy any counters on that creature, any Auras attached to that creature, or any effects that are currently affecting that creature -- you get exactly what's printed on the chosen card and nothing more. So if you copy an animated Chimeric Staff, for example, you get a normal, nonanimated Chimeric Staff.[/quote]

So in the first case you get a regular 2/1 Phyrexian Revoker

And in the second case you get an Artifact Land - Mountain...Losing Creature Status

[Mysty]

[quote name='Ｔｈｅ ｓｕｐｐｒｅｓｓｉｏｎ ＰＬＵＴＯ' timestamp='1308191957' post='5286648']
So in the first case you get a regular 2/1 Phyrexian Revoker

And in the second case you get an Artifact Land - Mountain...Losing Creature Status
[/quote]

Thank you! The morons at the card store I go to for casual play said otherwise. I feel like I know the rules of the game better than the store owner, but I don't have a judge's ranking to prove it.

[King of Nothing]

So, I'm a bit new to drafting. I do that MTG draft of the week thing sometimes but never really post the results. I want to learn a bit more before I do. I have a question and a task O.O

Question: What's the most mana you want in a card for a deck, when making a 40-card draft deck?

Task: Put these in order from most to least important in a draft (Meaning, first pack, have no idea what you want to build, what would you look for)

Power
Toughness
Life gaining
Life losing (for opponent)
Cost
Destruction
Mana Gaining
Flying
Trample
Counter
Exile
Artifact

[Flame Dragon]

When your building a 40 card deck normally 16-17 mana is enough.

As for what to take, that really comes down to what ever you think is the best card in the pack. Normally this will be the uncommon or rare. If you want a rules of thumb, I guess removal is always something you can pick highly.

[King of Nothing]

[quote name='Flame Dragon' timestamp='1308256506' post='5288333']
When your building a 40 card deck normally 16-17 mana is enough.

As for what to take, that really comes down to what ever you think is the best card in the pack. Normally this will be the uncommon or rare. If you want a rules of thumb, I guess removal is always something you can pick highly.
[/quote]
Well, this whole time I always tried to go with an aggro flying deck when I pick. Is flying rated that highly on drafts?

[-Lightray Daedalus-]

[quote name='King of Nothing' timestamp='1308257545' post='5288385']
Well, this whole time I always tried to go with an aggro flying deck when I pick. Is flying rated that highly on drafts?
[/quote]

Yes creatures with some sort of evasion are the best for that kind of decks

[~NOiSE~]

[img]http://www.magicmatters.net/CardArt/MirrodinBesieged/27.jpg[/img]

[b]Card text:[/b] [i]Look at the top seven cards of your library. You may put one of those cards onto the battlefield if it has the same name as a permanent. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.[/i]

This card confuses me a little. You can put one of the seven cards on the battlefield if it has the same name as a permanent...what permanent?

[-Lightray Daedalus-]

[quote name='Jester Head' timestamp='1308281416' post='5289205']
[img]http://www.magicmatters.net/CardArt/MirrodinBesieged/27.jpg[/img]

[b]Card text:[/b] [i]Look at the top seven cards of your library. You may put one of those cards onto the battlefield if it has the same name as a permanent. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.[/i]

This card confuses me a little. You can put one of the seven cards on the battlefield if it has the same name as a permanent...what permanent?
[/quote]

Any permanent present on the field at the activation of the card, your or your opponent's thing is that this card doesn't target any particular permanent which may make the text confussing.

[~NOiSE~]

[quote name='Ｔｈｅ ｓｕｐｐｒｅｓｓｉｏｎ ＰＬＵＴＯ' timestamp='1308282896' post='5289233']
Any permanent present on the field at the activation of the card, your or your opponent's thing is that this card doesn't target any particular permanent which may make the text confussing.
[/quote]

That's what I figured, but yea, the text isn't really clear on that. You'd think they just add in "on the battlefield" or something...

Anyway, thanks much.

[King of Nothing]

[quote name='Jester Head' timestamp='1308283088' post='5289237']
That's what I figured, but yea, the text isn't really clear on that. You'd think they just add in "on the battlefield" or something...

Anyway, thanks much.
[/quote]
Yeah, when I first read it I thought it meant that the card itself had to be a permanent. They really should add "on the battlefield" if that card ever gets a reprint...which I'm sure it will in 2013

[Flame Dragon]

So I have a couple more questions. I recently learned of the block/sac trick so I'm now trying to figure out how else this can be used. So if I have a creature with a tap ability block then I tap it does the creature still battle? I'm assuming it would, but I just want to double check.

[Mysty]

[quote name='Flame Dragon' timestamp='1308301384' post='5289572']
So I have a couple more questions. I recently learned of the block/sac trick so I'm now trying to figure out how else this can be used. So if I have a creature with a tap ability block then I tap it does the creature steal battle? I'm assuming it would, but I just want to double check.
[/quote]

I don't know what you mean by "steal" battle. By here's what I can tell you:

Right after blocking, there is a short time to cast instants and use abilities. During this time, since a blocking creature has already declared its block, so you can now tap it to activate its ability and it will still battle. Due note that you can't use a Tap ability unless the creature isn't summoning-sick (or has haste).

As for the block/sac trick, here's what that means: when you declare a blocker onto a creature, that blocked creature is considered blocked that combat. That means, even if the creatures blocking it disappear, it can still only deal damage to the creatures blocking it. (Due note that creatures with trample will bypass this technicality and will assign its damage to you sinxce the blockers' total toughness is now 0.)

[Flame Dragon]

[quote name='Mystery Guest' timestamp='1308306572' post='5289638']
I don't know what you mean by "steal" battle. By here's what I can tell you:

Right after blocking, there is a short time to cast instants and use abilities. During this time, since a blocking creature has already declared its block, so you can now tap it to activate its ability and it will still battle. Due note that you can't use a Tap ability unless the creature isn't summoning-sick (or has haste).

As for the block/sac trick, here's what that means: when you declare a blocker onto a creature, that blocked creature is considered blocked that combat. That means, even if the creatures blocking it disappear, it can still only deal damage to the creatures blocking it. (Due note that creatures with trample will bypass this technicality and will assign its damage to you sinxce the blockers' total toughness is now 0.)
[/quote]
I meant still. Don't know what happened there.

Either way you answered my question. Thanks.

[Sleepy]

Question:
I get the concept of the Planeswalkers more or less... they are treated as a player and can be attacked to make them loose their Life. Can I block my opponents' attacks directed to my Planeswalker with my creatures?

I'm new to this game and this most likely is very basic.... but I don't know >=

[King of Nothing]

@Sleepy -

Planeswalkers can be attacked with creatures, and you can block an attack on your planeswalker with your creatures

[Resident Fascist]

What's a Planeswalker? Excuse me for being newby...

[-Lightray Daedalus-]

[quote name='Ｔｈｅ ｂｌａｚｉｎｇ ＭＡＲＳ' timestamp='1309533058' post='5325009']
What's a Planeswalker? Excuse me for being newby...
[/quote]

Copy/Pasting some site:
[b]
Planeswalkers
Q: What is a planeswalker?
A:[/b] Planeswalkers are a completely new card type. It's actually easier to start off by explaining what planeswalkers aren't. Planeswalkers are not players, though they are similar in some respects, and they are not creatures. Thus, spells that target players can't target them, and things that affect creatures don't affect them, either.

A planeswalker on the battlefield is a permanent; it will stay there until something removes it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[b]Q: So how do I cast a planeswalker?
A:[/b] Planeswalker spells are cast like any other spell that isn't an instant; you may cast a planeswalker from your hand during a main phase of your turn when the stack is empty. (See the Turn Structure and Stack entries in the FAQ for more information on main phases and the stack.) Planeswalker spells, just like any other spell, may be responded to, and can be countered by anything that can counter a spell. (Note that since planeswalkers are not creatures, things that specifically counter creature spells, like Remove Soul , can't counter them.)

When the planeswalker spell resolves, it enters the battlefield just like any other kind of permanent, and it will have a number of loyalty counters on it equal to the number listed in the bottom right-hand corner of the card. These counters act like hit points or your life total-- when a planeswalker is dealt damage, that many loyalty counters are removed from it, and when it has no loyalty counters on it, it gets put into your graveyard. If two or more planeswalkers with the same planeswalker type (the type listed on its type line after the dash) are on the battlefield, all are put into their owner's graveyard; this is similar to the rule for legendary permanents.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[b]Q: How do I activate a planeswalker's abilities?
A:[/b] The abilities printed on a planeswalker card are a special kind of activated ability called 'loyalty abilities', so called because you activate them by adding or removing some number of loyalty counters to or from the planeswalker. (Note that since these are activated abilities, not triggered ones, they only happen if you add/remove the counters specifically in order to activate the ability--if counters are added/removed some other way, the ability won't "go off".)

The number of loyalty counters you need to add or remove is shown in the little "shield" symbol just before the colon; if you need to add counters, the shield points up and the number will be positive. (+1, +2, etc.) If you need to remove counters, the shield points down and the number will be negative. (-1, -2, -10, etc.) Note that you can't take off counters that aren't there, so you can't activate an ability whose cost requires you to remove counters unless the planeswalker already has the appropriate number of counters on it.

Finally, most importantly, you may only activate one loyalty ability of a given permanent each turn (so you can't activate the same ability twice, nor can you activate one loyalty ability and then a different loyalty ability of that same permanent) and you may only activate loyalty abilities during your main phase when the stack is empty.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[b]Q: How can I kill/remove a planeswalker?
A:[/b] You can kill a planeswalker by dealing enough damage to it to remove all of its loyalty counters, either in combat or by redirecting noncombat damage to it from its controller. (See the questions below for more information on that.) Also, since planeswalkers are permanents, anything that will affect a permanent, such as Boomerang or Rootgrapple , will also affect a planeswalker.

See below for explanations of how planeswalkers work in combat and how to redirect noncombat damage to a planeswalker.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[b]
Q: How do planeswalkers work in combat?
A:[/b] Planeswalkers aren't creatures, so they can't attack or block. However, they can be attacked, just like you can be. As your opponent is declaring attackers, he or she can decide whether each of his creatures is attacking you or attacking one of your planeswalkers. You can use your creatures to block creatures that are attacking a planeswalker you control just the same as you can use them to block creatures that are attacking you. Creatures that are attacking a planeswalker you control that you don't block will assign and deal their combat damage to your planeswalker just the same as they would assign and deal damage to you if they were attacking you; and again, since planeswalkers are not creatures, the planeswalker doesn't deal any damage back to those creatures.

Remember, when a planeswalker is dealt damage, that many loyalty counters are removed from it, and when it has no loyalty counters on it, it gets put into your graveyard.

Note that while the creatures may be attacking the planeswalker, it's the planeswalker's controller who is considered the "defending player". This can be important for things like Landwalk.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[b]Q: How is damage dealt to a planeswalker outside of combat?
A:[/b] If a spell or ability your opponent controls would deal noncombat damage to you, that opponent can choose to have all of that damage dealt to one of your planeswalkers instead. So if your opponent Shock s you, that opponent may choose to have that Shock deal its damage to one of your planeswalkers instead. This is a replacement effect that is applied as the damage is actually dealt--they don't make the decision until the spell or ability is resolving and the damage would actually be dealt.

Note that only your opponents can do this--you can't have the damage from a spell you control be redirected to one of your planeswalkers. And this redirection only applies to noncombat damage, so your opponent can't attack you and then redirect the damage to your planeswalker. If he wants to deal combat damage to one of your planeswalkers he has to attack that planeswalker.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[b]Q: How does this redirection work with things that prevent damage?
A:[/b] If two or more replacement or prevention effects (redirection is a kind of replacment effect) are trying to alter the same event (in this case, damage being dealt to you), the player who would be affected by the event (you) gets to decide in which order to apply them. So you can choose to either give your opponent the opportunity to redirect the damage and then apply the damage-prevention effect if it's still relevant, or vice versa. Note that your opponent doesn't choose whether or not to redirect the damage until the redirection effect is actually applied, so at the time you decide how to apply the effects you can't be sure whether or not your opponent will choose to redirect the damage or not.

So, let's take an example. You control an Ajani Goldmane with five loyalty counters on it. Your opponent casts a Lava Axe targeting you. (He can't target your planeswalker with it, because a planeswalker is not a player.) In response, you cast a Mending Hands targeting yourself. (You can't target your planeswalker either, for the same reason.) Mending Hands resolves, setting up a prevention "shield", and then the Axe resolves. You have two choices; either give your opponent the opportunity to redirect before applying the Hands' effect, or apply the Hands' effect, then give your opponent the opportunity to redirect.

If you do the former, your opponent can choose to redirect all 5 damage to Ajani, and then the Mending Hands won't do anything, because the Axe isn't trying to deal damage to you anymore. The Axe would deal 5 damage to Ajani, removing all the counters from it, and Ajani would die. (He could also choose not to redirect the damage, in which case the Hands would kick in and you would only be dealt 1 damage, but I think he'd probably want to go with the former.)

If you do the latter, however, you prevent 4 of the 5 damage first, before your opponent chooses whether or not to redirect the damage. Then your opponent gets the chance to either let the Axe deal its remaining 1 damage to you, or to your Ajani, which wouldn't be enough to kill it anyway.

(In most cases, you'll probably be wanting to prevent the damage first.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[b]Q: How does the redirection work with things that otherwise replace the damage? (ie. Furnace of Rath , Pyromancer's Swath , and so on.)
A:[/b] Very similarly to how it works with prevention effects. Again, you choose in which order to apply the effects. So in the case of a Furnace of Rath or Pyromancer's Swath , you would choose whether to first give your opponent the opportunity to redirect and then increase the damage, or increase the damage then give your opponent the opportunity to redirect it. (In this case, you'll probably want to do the first, because then if they redirect the damage the Furnace/Swath will no longer apply and they won't be able to increase it--they don't affect damage being dealt to planeswalkers, see.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[b]
Q: If a planeswalker and a legendary creature have similar names, and I have both on the battlefield at the same time? (ie Nicol Bolas and Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker )
A:[/b] Yes, you can. The rule that kills of multiple planeswalkers with the same planeswalker type doesn't apply, because the creature isn't a planeswalker and thus doesn't have any planeswalker types at all; the rule that kills off multiple legendary permanents with the same name also doesn't apply, because the planeswalker is not legendary and it does not have the same name as the creature.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[b]Specific Card Interactions

Q: How do planeswalkers interact with Doubling Season ?
A:[/b] The Season will double the number of loyalty counters the planeswalker enters the battlefield with; however, it will not double the counters added to the planeswalker as a cost to activate one of its "plus" loyalty abilities. Doubling Season only doubles counters placed due to effects; activating loyalty abilities adds or removes counters as a cost, not an effect. (Though note that if the ability happens to create counters or tokens as part of its effect, such as with Garruk Wildspeaker 's Beast-making ability, then Doubling Season will affect that.)

[Resident Fascist]

Ah, I get it. I guess you can add or Take away 1 Loyalty counter a turn?