Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Judge's Corner

Face Down Fun

Short Answers:

-I'll repeat this ONCE more ... if you have priority and/or are playing a spell or ability, your opponent can do NOTHING right now. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. He has to wait until he gets priority back.

-Converted mana costs of lands are 0.

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Long Answers:

Q: Assuming I have enough mana, can I use Unnatural Selection on an opponent's 2/2 typeless cards declaring them "legends". If so, will the opponent have to eliminate all but one?

-Sam K.

A: Since face down creatures don't have a name, they can't share a name with another card. Making face down creatures legends = Not a combo.

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Q: My friend plays a Morph creature (Blistering Firecat) and I play a Clone to copy the face down Firecat. Will I by able to morph it to become a 7/1 trample haste creature?

A: No. Your clone only copies the card as it is. So it is a 2/2 typeless, colorless, etc. card. Since it doesn't have the morph ability, it can't be "turned face up" into the face up form of what it was copying.

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Q: I want to morph up a creature but my opponent plays Bind to prevent that. Can she do that?

A: No. Morphing is not an activated ability, it is a static ability, so Bind cannot target it.

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Q: I play a morph creature (Exalted Angel) but my opponent Spelljacks it. Now, can he play the Angel face-down and then morph it to become the 4/5 Angel or does he have to play it face up to begin with?

-Andreas H.

A: I'll quote from a reply by Rune Horvik here, from the judge's list ...

You can't play the card face down, because it has an alternative way of playing the spell. Spelljack ONLY lets you play the card using its alternative cost, you can't choose to use any other additional ways to play the spell, like Morph. You can still pay _additional_ costs, like kicker and buyback, but Morph is an alternative cost, and you can't combine alternative ways to play spells.

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Q: If I take control of my opponents creature and then it dies, does it go into my opponents graveyard or my graveyard?

-Brian S.

A: Cards only go to their owner's graveyard. If a card you don't own would be put into your graveyard, it goes into its owner's graveyard instead.

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Q: When does the loss of life from Guiltfeeder happen? It says if he attacks and is not blocked. Does that mean that the loss of life occurs immediately after the declare blockers step?

A: Guiltfeeder

{3}{B}{B}

Creature -- Horror

0/4

Fear #(This creature cant be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.)#

Whenever Guiltfeeder attacks and isn't blocked, defending player loses 1 life for each card in his or her graveyard.

A creature is determined to be "not blocked" right after blockers are declared. So if Guiltfeeder isn't blocked, his ability triggers right away (during the declare blockers step, right after blockers are declared). Once that triggered ability resolves, you lose the life. This is all before normal combat damage is done.

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Q: I have a Mirari out. I play Cunning Wish, and Mirari it. I resolve the Mirari copy. Can I then play an instant while the original spell is on the stack? I am wondering whether it is legal for me to play instant spells in between the resolution of my Wishes.

-Nathan M.

A: Yes. Once the Mirari Wish resolves, both players receive priority to play spells or abilities while the original Wish is on the stack.

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Well, I guess I've been a little lax on my tournament reports, eh? Well, I have 2 for you this column ...

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Tournament report 1 - FNM - Diamond Bar, CA

I got really sick of playing Tog, and after my Horned Turtle performance at Regionals (I went 1-4), I decide to switch decks. The first deck I get built is U/G...

U/G madness, version 12345.0

2 Aquamoeba

3 Arrogant Wurm

4 Basking Rootwalla

4 Merfolk Looter

4 Wild Mongrel

3 Wonder

4 Careful Study

4 Circular Logic

3 Deep Analysis

2 Quiet Speculation

1 Ray of Revelation

3 Roar of the Wurm

2 Unsummon

1 City of Brass

10 Forest

11 Island

Sideboard:

3 Compost

3 Gigapede

3 Phantom Centaur

2 Ray of Revelation

2 Turbulent Dreams

1 Unsummon

1 Upheaval

Round 1 - Alex Kwan - Mirror

Game 1 - He wins the roll, 12-2, and plays first. I mulligan a hand of 2 Island, Forest, Quiet Speculation, 2 Unsummon, and Wonder (not nearly aggressive enough) into a hand of Forest, 2 Basking Rootwalla, Unsummon, and Circular Logic. I don't get a second land until turn 4, and don't get a third until like turn 8. Meanwhile, he's curved out perfectly, and he compounds my bad board position with a good mind game to save an Aquamoeba blocking a Mongrel.

Sideboard: In: 3 Gigapede, 2 Turbulent Dreams, 1 Unsummon. Out: 3 Merfolk Looter (very bad decision in this matchup), Deep Analysis, Careful Study, Ray of Revelation.

Game 2 - I mulligan a hand of 2 Island, 2 Roar of the Wurm, Wonder, Arrogant Wurm, and another card (Careful Study? It wasn't a Mongrel, Aquamoeba, or Looter). I draw no land in my hand of 6, and keep a hand of 2 Forest, Island, Arrogant Wurm, and Turbulent Dreams. He keeps me alive long enough for me to Turbulent Dreams his board, and play my Arrogant Wurm, but the fact that he has Wonder in his graveyard and I don't spells certain doom.

Games: 0-2, Matches: 0-1.

Round 2 - Peter N. - Rogue beasts

Peter drew in round 1.

Game 1 - He wins the roll, 8-1, and plays. He only has 2 land in his opening hand, and doesn't draw another until turn 5. Meanwhile, I go turn 2 Mongrel, turn 3 pitch 2 Roars and a Wonder, and cast Looter, turn 4 swing and flashback Roar, turn 5 pitch my hand for the win. This deck is just stupid sometimes.

Sideboard - In: 2 Gigapede, 1 Turbulent Dreams, 1 Ray of Revelation (I saw he had Worship in his previous match). Out: 2 Merfolk Looter, Careful Study, Arrogant Wurm.

Game 2 - He casts a turn 3 Intrepid Hero to keep my fat off the board, and turn 4 Worship. I attack him down to 1, and then draw Turbulent Dreams to bounce the Hero and Worship and serve for the win.

Games: 2-2, Matches: 1-1

Round 3 - Robert R. - Slivers' Bidding

Game 1 - My deck gets gassy again. All he gets is Crypt Sliver, and I go turn 1 Rootwalla, turn 2 Mongrel, turn 3 pitch Rootwalla and an Arrogant Wurm to the Mongrel. It ends 2 turns after.

Sideboard - In: 3 Phantom Centaur (I though he had more black creatures than he actually did), 3 Compost. Out: 2 Merfolk Looter, Roar of the Wurm, Arrogant Wurm, Careful Study, Deep Analysis.

Game 2 - Compost is utterly broken in some matchups. This is one of them. Turn 1 Rootwalla, turn 2 Compost, turn 4 Compost. Compost is really good when they are Buried Aliving black creatures into their graveyard. He stalls on 3-4 mana, and I just mop up.

Games: 4-2, Matches: 2-1

I help him with his deck until the next round starts.

Round 4 - Michael - Elves/Beasts

Game 1 - Oops, my deck did it again. His life total goes 19-12-5. I am untouched. I believe it was turn 1 Rootwalla, turn 2 Mongrel, turn 3 pitch 2 Rootwallas, and serve. He scooped at 5 with a Timberwatch elf and 3 other creatures out (2 elves) to my board of the above plus Looter.

Sideboard: In: 2 Turbulent Dreams, Upheaval, Unsummon. Out: Merfolk Looter, Ray of Revelation, Careful Study, Aquamoeba.

At this point, I start to think I don't want to play any more tonight ...

Game 2 - He takes a mulligan. I go turn 2 Aquamoeba, discard the Rootwalla I just drew during his end step, flip it the first time with Wonder, and keep pumping and flipping it. He takes 6 per turn for 3 turns while I just bounce his creatures with the Unsummons I drew. He's at 2, I attack again, put damage on the stack, and concede the match.

Games: 5-4, Matches: 2-2.

Like I said, I didn't want to play on, so I let him make top 4.

There is one change I'll make in the sideboard for the next time I play this ... take out a Gigapede (2 is fine, 3 is overkill) and either the Unsummon or Upheaval (probably the Unsummon) from the board and replace them with 2 Krosan Reclamations, for the mirror match.

This deck just gets broken draws. I'm going to be trying to grind in to Nationals (as it is only 90-120 minutes down the road), and this is the deck I'm probably going to play. If you're playing to win, play this. There's a reason this deck has the most top 8's at Regionals. If you're playing to have fun, you should probably choose something else.

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Tournament Report 2 - Frank and Sons, the next day.

So I wake up at 9:30. I call Scott to see if they're running Type 2, and if they're starting at 10:30, as usual. He says they haven't gotten there yet. So I make the drive down, get there at 10:20, and sign up. Turns out, they didn't even start until after 11:00. Scott graciously lets me borrow the cards I need from the business (http://www.shuffleandcutgames.com) for the following:

Wake

3 Exalted Angel

2 Memory Lapse

4 Counterspell

4 Compulsion

3 Deep Analysis

3 Cunning Wish

4 Renewed Faith

4 Wrath of God

2 Mirari's Wake

3 Moment's Peace

2 Mirari

10 Island

3 Forest

3 Plains

3 Brushland

4 Krosan Verge

3 Skycloud Expanse

Sideboard:

1 Ray of Revelation

1 Ray of Distortion

2 Circular Logic

1 Chastise

2 Seedtime

1 Moment's Peace

1 Opportunity

1 Elephant Ambush

1 Flash of Insight

1 Krosan Reclamation

2 Reprisal

1 Mana Short

Round 1 - Michael B. - Tog

Game 1 - He wins the roll, 6-5. I take a mulligan. He goes for his Mana Short early, but I eventually get the Mirari, Wake, and Compulsion out. He Opportunities, and I go get a Seedtime and Mirari it. That, along with a two-handed untap, has me make 6 elephants and serve.

Sideboard: In: 2 Circular Logic, 2 Seedtime. Out: 3 Wrath of God, Exalted Angel.

Game 2 - It's his turn to take the mulligan this game. He gets down a Tog early, and I can't clear. A brother joins him, and an Up followed by 2 counters seals it.

Game 3 - No mulligans this game. I get ballsy, and ask, "Did you sideboard your removal out?" as I play an Angel face down turn 3. She hits twice before he Wishes for the Demise to kill it. I draw a bunch of crap following that, and after he Duresses to make sure the coast is clear, he executes the big Up.

Games: 1-2, Matches: 0-1

So, I'm helping out the business, and Scott prompts me that the second round has started. I mutter under my breath, and go to check who has a game win against me. Turns out I have the one match you're allowed to be late to ...

Round 2 - *BYE*

More time passes, and then I get to go play for real. I notice everyone's sitting again, so I check the pairings and find my seat. Turns out there's an error anyway, and they have to repair.

Round 3 - Rafael Costa - U/G

Game 1 - He wins the roll, 17-15. I get an early Wrath to stabilize, drop 2 Wakes and a Mirari, and he concedes to a Miraried Renewed Faith with only one creature out.

Sideboard: In: 1 Circular Logic. Out: 1 Exalted Angel. (I leave the other Logic in the board for a Wish target.)

Game 2 - He gets the perfect beatdown, and I scoop with a hand of 8 blue cards.

Game 3 - He comes out hot and heavy, and right after I am able to stabilize with a Wrath, He drops Aquamoeba and madnesses an Arrogant Wurm. I am at 7.

Games: 2-4, Matches: 1-2

Round 4 - John L. - W/G Mobilization/Beasts

Game 1 - He gets the early beats, but a constant stream of Moment's Peaces keep me in the game, I finally draw into my Wraths, go get my Ray of Revelation for his Mobilization, and he concedes when I Mirari a Wish and go get the Ambush.

Sideboard: Nothing.

Game 2 - Early beats, with a Nantuko Monastery. He Hurricanes to clear an Exalted Angel off the board, and beats me down. I eventually run out of Peaces and into a land pocket.

Sideboard: In : 2 Reprisal (for the Monasteries). Out: Renewed Faith, Exalted Angel.

Game 3 - I get the early Mirari/Wake combo, and play a couple of Angels to balance out his Phantom Centaur. He has 2 Wraths and a Hurricane, but I have 2 Counters and a Wish for the Logic. He scoops.

Games: 4-5, Matches: 2-2

I wanted a control deck to play, since I was sick of Tog, and this is it. It just randomly loses sometimes, so I don't know if I would play it in the grinders, but I have my control deck to play again.

See you Thursday.

Bill Guerin

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DCI level 2 judge