The Judge Says

Hi there.

It’s perhaps interesting that Magic is one of the few (only?) games where no-one that plays it actually knows all the rules. Based on this, I’ve put together a list of the questions that were asked at the Bristol PTQ Venice on Sunday 8^th December 2002.

Obviously, this is useful for anyone thinking of becoming a judge and should also prove of use to players who want to have more idea of the rules for the game they’re playing. The rulings below are listed in the order they were asked.

Oracle wordings for all cards mentioned are given at the end of this article for reference.

Card specific questions

Q) Oath of Druids resolves and puts a Gilded Drake into play. When the Drake’s ability resolves, can I choose not to exchange it for my opponent’s creature and just sacrifice it instead?

A) Yes. The Oracle wording of Gilded Drake makes this much clearer. (See the end of this article.)

Q) Can Fire/Ice be used to deal one damage twice to the same Phantom Nishoba, in order to remove two counters from the Nishoba?

A) No. I will avoid putting large rules extracts in this article in general, but this is answered best by reading the following:

“409.1c If the spell or ability requires any targets, the player first announces how many targets he or she will choose (if the spell or ability has a variable number of targets), then announces the targets themselves... The same target can't be chosen multiple times.

409.1e If the spell or ability requires the player to divide an effect ... among a variable number of targets, the player announces the division. Each of these targets must receive at least one of whatever is being divided...”

Q) I cast Reanimate targeting a creature. When it resolves, the creature is no longer in the graveyard. Do I still lose life from the Reanimate?

A) No. All of the targets for Reanimate are illegal or non-existent when it resolves, so the Reanimate is countered on resolution. None of the effects happen and no life is lost.

Q) If I Naturalize a Planar Void, which cards go where?

A) During the resolution of Naturalize, Planar Void goes to the graveyard and is removed from the game. As the final part of resolution, Naturalize goes to the graveyard. Since Planar Void is not in play at this point, Naturalize stays in the graveyard. The outcome is that Naturalize is on top of the graveyard, while Planar Void is in the removed from the game zone. (NB. The Oracle reading below gives a similar example with Disenchant.)

Q) If I pay 2 mana and use the activated ability of Yavimaya Elder, in what order do I draw a card and search for two basic lands?

A) You pay 2 mana, sacrifice the Elder and put the “draw a card” ability on the stack. The triggered ability of the Elder then goes on the stack, saying that you’ll search your library for up to two basic lands and put them into your hand. Resolving the abilities on the stack in “last in, first out” order, you search for up to two basic lands and put them into your hand. Then you draw a card. (NB. There is a chance to play abilities and instants between getting the two lands and drawing a card.)

Q) I play the ability of Polluted Delta to search for a land. My opponent plays Interdict targeting the Delta’s ability. Does the sacrifice get reversed? Do I pay the life? Basically, what happens?

A) First of all, the Polluted Delta’s ability is a legal target. Just because it’s on a land and is going to get you a land does not make it a “mana ability”.

By the time the ability is on the stack, the life has been paid and the land is sacrificed. When Interdict resolves, these things are well gone and countering the ability will not get you the costs back. (NB. If someone Counterspells your Spiritmonger do you get the 5 mana back? Nope. Same thing applies with Interdict.)

Q) Oath of Druids puts a Masticore into play. Do I have to discard a card since it is still in my upkeep?

A) No. Oath and Masticore both trigger at the beginning of upkeep. When the Masticore comes into play, the beginning of upkeep must have already passed (otherwise Oath wouldn’t have triggered), so the Masticore’s discard trigger does not happen and you do not discard a card.

Q) If I have a 2/2 creature with two Armadillo Cloaks on it and attack my opponent unblocked, how much life do I gain?

A) The creature is a 6/6 now. If it deals 6 damage to your opponent, both Cloaks will trigger and you’ll gain 6 life then another 6 life (a total of 12 life gained).

Q) If Llawan, Cephalid Empress comes into play and my opponent casts Aether Burst targeting Llawan in response, what happens?

A) Llawan’s “bounce opponents’ blue creatures” ability is on the stack and the Aether Burst returns Llawan to its owner’s hand. Then all your opponents’ blue creatures will be returned to their owners’ hands.

Q) I have Disruptive Pitmage face down in play. It has taken one damage from combat already. My opponent taps out to cast Starstorm for two damage. Can I morph the Pitmage and use its ability to counter the Starstorm?

A) Yes and no. You can morph the Pitmage but it will die immediately because of state-based effects (lethal damage) before you can use the counter ability.

Q) If I choose “Blistering Firecat” when Meddling Mage comes into play, does this stop my opponent playing the Firecat face down as a morph creature?

A) No, it doesn’t. (Look at the Oracle wording at the end of this article.)

Q) My opponent casts Exhume. I want to cast Entomb. When Exhume resolves, who chooses their creature first?

A) The active player (the player casting Exhume) chooses their creature first, the non-active player chooses his or her creature next and then both creatures come into play at the same time.

(NB This was based on the Entomb player trying to decide whether to search for a Gilded Drake or not. If he gets a Drake, the Exhume player knows not to choose a good creature because the Drake will steal it. This was one of the most interesting play decisions I’ve seen for a while.)

Hypothetical question

This did not come up in the day’s play, but some players were discussing it as part of a turn one kill. (I’ve no idea how the kill would work, by the way.)

Q) Does the player going first get untap and upkeep steps?

A) Yes.

113. Play-Draw Rule

“The player who plays first skips the draw step of his or her first turn. Each turn thereafter follows the standard order set forth in the Magic play rules. This is commonly referred to as the play/draw rule.”

The beginning of turn phase has three steps:

1) untap step

2) upkeep step

3) draw step

So the first turn of the game has only two steps in its beginning of turn phase.

Floor rules question

Q) Are you allowed to play with cards that have ‘non-printed’ writing on them?

A) Depends. The following is the most recent ruling from Wizards:

28. Taking Notes

“Cards in your deck may not have writing on their faces other than signatures or artistic modifications. Modifications may not obscure the artwork so as to make the card unrecognizable.”

Summary

Everything went well with no questions that we couldn’t answer (Hurrah!)

Well done to Richard Edbury and Kevin O’Connor for making the final.

Thanks to Steve Griffin (level 2) and Claire Williams (TO and level 2).

Favourite play of the day was Interdicting the Fetch land - that was cool. You lose a life, lose a land and I draw a replacement card.

Any comments or rules questions, ask me on mrgale2002@hotmail.com

Hope this is of some use to you all,

Dave Gale

(level 2)

Oracle Wordings and Additional Rulings

Armadillo Cloak

Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has trample. ; Whenever enchanted creature deals damage, you gain that much life.

Disruptive Pitmage

{Tap}: Counter target spell unless its controller pays {1}. ; Morph {U}.

Entomb

Search your library for a card and put that card into your graveyard. Then shuffle your library.

Exhume

Each player puts a creature card from his or her graveyard into play. [Oracle 1999/05/01]

The current player chooses first (if they can choose). [Urza's FAQ 1998/10/05]

All choices are made during resolution. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

Fire(/Ice)

~this~ deals 2 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or players.

Gilded Drake

Flying. ; When ~this~ comes into play, choose one - sacrifice ~this~; or exchange control of ~this~ and target creature an opponent controls. If you don't make the exchange, sacrifice ~this~. This ability can't be countered. (This effect doesn't end at end of turn.) [Oracle 2002/05/20]

This effect is targeted, so Protection from Color will prevent targeting if Protection from Color exists when the ability would be announced. Once the ability is on the stack, adding Protection from Color will not counter the ability but the exchange will not take place since the target is illegal and you sacrifice this card on resolution. [bethmo 2000/02/02]

If the chosen creature to exchange is not in play at resolution, then sacrifice this card. [D'Angelo 2000/01/16]

Interdict

Counter target activated ability of a permanent. (Mana abilities can't be countered.) ; Draw a card. [Oracle 2002/10/01]

Llawan, Cephalid Empress

When ~this~ comes into play, return all blue creatures your opponents control to their owners' hands. ; Your opponents can't play blue creature spells.

Masticore

At the beginning of your upkeep, you may discard a card from your hand. If you don't, sacrifice ~this~. ; {2}: ~this~ deals 1 damage to target creature. ; {2}: Regenerate ~this~.

Meddling Mage

As ~this~ comes into play, name a nonland card. ; The named card can't be played.

You name a card during the resolution of this spell, at the same time it is being put into play. Once you name the card, there is no chance for any player to respond to this choice before the "can't be played" effect takes hold. [Planeshift FAQ 2001/01/26]

The named card can be put into play by a spell or ability, it just cannot be played normally. [Planeshift FAQ 2001/01/26]

The effect lasts as long as this card is in play. [DeLaney 2001/02/12]

+ The effect of this card does not affect cards being played face down. [Onslaught FAQ 2002/09/24]

Naturalize

Destroy target artifact or enchantment.

Oath of Druids

At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if that player controls fewer creatures than any of his or her opponents, the player may reveal cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. The player puts that card into play and all other cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard. [Oracle 2001/05/02]

Phantom Nishoba

Trample. ; ~this~ comes into play with seven +1/+1 counters on it. ; Whenever ~this~ deals damage, you gain that much life. ; If damage would be dealt to ~this~, prevent that damage. Remove a +1/+1 counter from ~this~.

Planar Void

Whenever a card is put into a graveyard, remove that card from the game.

The card does go to the graveyard before it is removed from the game, so other triggered abilities like Energy Field will trigger on the card going to the graveyard. [D'Angelo 1999/01/12]

It will trigger on itself going to the graveyard from play and remove itself from the game. [D'Angelo 1999/01/12]

It will trigger on any cards going to the graveyard at the same time it does, and it will remove them from the game. [D'Angelo 1999/03/06]

If Disenchant is used on it, Planar Void goes to the graveyard (and removes itself), then Disenchant goes to the graveyard and stays there. [DeLaney 1999/01/18]

Polluted Delta

{Tap},Pay 1 life,Sacrifice ~this~: Search your library for an island or swamp card and put it into play. Then shuffle your library.

Reanimate

Put target creature card from any graveyard into play under your control. You lose life equal to its converted mana cost. [Oracle 1999/05/01]

Starstorm

~this~ deals X damage to each creature. ; Cycling {3}.

Yavimaya Elder

When ~this~ is put into a graveyard from play, you may search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal them, and put them into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library. ; {2},Sacrifice ~this~: Draw a card.