Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Judge's Corner

Equipping the Mantras

Well, we have an update to an existing Mantra, and a brand new Mantra today.

First, the change to Mantra #4. This change is necessary due to the new artifact subtype of Equipment in Mirrodin.

(The change is in italics.)

4. "Protection is a DEBT we owe some of our permanents." (26 September 02) (Footnote B)

Footnote B: DEBT is an acronym. It stands for Damage, Enchantments/Equipment, Blocking, and Targeting, which are the 5 things a creature with protection is protected from.

For an extended definition, protection is usually written on a card as "Protection from [quality]." (For example, "Protection from green.")

-Damage: All damage dealt to the permanent from a source with the stated quality is prevented.

-Enchantments: The permanent can't be enchanted by permanents with the stated quality.

-Equipment: The permanent can't be equipped by Equipment with the stated quality. Such an Equipment stops equipping that permanent, but remains in play.

-Blocking: The permanent can't be blocked by permanents with the stated quality.

-Targeting: The permanent can't be targeted by spells with the stated quality, or abilities from permanents with the stated quality. (Remember Mantra #3.)

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(There is an article by Paul Barclay, Magic Rules Manager, at http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/feature/171 that tells you all about Equipment.)

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Now, on to Mantra #9...

9. If you have multiples of a card in play, you deal with each card individually. (3 September 2003)

For example,

>If you have 2 Furnace of Rath out, you multiply the damage by 4.

>If you have 2 Lethal Vapors out, creatures will be destroyed twice. (You need 2 regeneration shields to save it.)

>If you have 2 Lethal Vapors out, and you play the ability that destroys Lethal Vapors, playing one of the abilities will only destroy one Lethal Vapors. You will end up skipping 2 turns if you have to destroy 2 Lethal Vapors.

>If you have 2 Mirri's Guile out, you look at the top 3 cards, rearrange them, then look at the top 3 cards again and rearrange them.

>If you have 2 Lightning Rift out, and you cycle a card, you may pay 1 for each Lightning Rift and have Each Lightning Rift deal 2 damage, for a total of 4 damage.

>If you have 2 Sapphire Medallions out, all blue spells cost you 2 less to play.

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Now, on to today's questions ...

Q: If I use Earthcraft, can I float mana and keep untapping the land to make more mana?

-Michael

A: Only if you have another creature to use. Earthcraft lets you untap the land ONCE (per time you activate it).

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Q: I played an Elf deck including a few Taunting Elves with a friend of mine versus 2 other friends. I try to follow standard tournament rules when playing even my friends so in this occurrence I opted to ask you ... one of my Taunting Elves, powered by a Timberwatch attacked and all creatures had to block it. Does this include my ally's creatures?

-Thomas W.

A: Once again: there are no official rules for multiplayer Magic. However, we can use a little common sense here.

In one on one games, you attack your opponent. So I would say, it you are playing in a team format, that you only attack your opponents (and thus they are the only ones who can block). So I would say no, your partner's creatures don't have to (and can't, even if they want to) block your Taunting Elf.

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Q: I have a deck which involves Mana Clash, Chance Encounter, and Impulsive Maneuvers. I used to win by guessing the flips from the Mana Clash and Impulsive Maneuvers, and when I guessed right, I put a counter on Chance Encounter. Am I doing that correctly?

-Ken

A: You are doing the mechanic correctly. However, you can't put counters on Chance Encounter for Mana Clash - Mana Clash does not have a "winner" for the flips that occur during its resolution.

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Q: On such cards as Confiscate, Control Magic, and Abduction, do you lose the creature if the enchantment is discarded (or moved)?

A: Yes. The effect telling you to control the creature is no longer there, so it doesn't apply any more.

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Q: If I have an Abduction one of my opponent's creatures (controlling it) can I use an Enchantment Alteration to move the enchantment to another creature, and still keep the first one?

A: No.

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Q: If not, I can still use the creature in combat and just move the enchantment before it dies, causing it to not return to play on their side, and gaining me the new creature in the process, right?

A: Almost. You put damage on the stack, and then use Enchantment Alteration to move the enchantment. Since damage has already been assigned, it will still be dealt, even though the creature(s) dealing damage are switching controllers.

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Q: On Aura Graft, Do you have to move the targeted enchantment, or can you choose not to move it, and still gain control of it?

A: From the Odyssey FAQ:

* When Aura Graft resolves, you must move the enchantment if there's another permanent for the enchantment to legally enchant, even if one of your opponent's [my comment: or in this case, one of your] creatures is the only legal choice.

However, if there are no legal other places to put the enchantment (for example, you are Aura Grafting a Control Magic on a Masticore, and there are no other creatures on the board), you gain control of the enchantment, but it doesn't move.

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Q: Also, does Aura Graft work on non-local enchantments?

A: No.

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Q: I originally got Retraced Image to use on Islands (mono-blue mana excel), but can it also be used late-game on Control Magic, choosing a new target for the second one?

-Ryan S.

A: You can put the extra Control Magic on a new permanent, yes. (Note that this doesn't target - Local enchantments only target when they are played.)

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Q: How much damage do you take from mana burn?

-Lanse F.

A: 300.3. When a phase ends (but not a step), any unused mana left in a player’s mana pool is lost. That player loses 1 life for each one mana lost this way. This is called mana burn.

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Q: My opponent plays Cabal Therapy and names Skeletal Scrying, knowing that it's in my hand from a previous Cabal Therapy. I then Scry for 5 in response. He says that I can't do this, but since Cabal Therapy is a sorcery, can't I play instants in response to it?

-Pyro

A: Both players ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a chance to respond to ANY spell or (non-mana) ability before it resolves. So you can play the Scrying before the Therapy resolves. (Note he can choose a different card name, since he chooses the card when Cabal Therapy resolves.)

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Q: Assume I have Cowardice in play. I play Tidal Surge targeting three of my opponent’s creatures. He plays Counterspell. Since targets are declared when a spell is played, the three creatures are returned to my opponent’s hand despite the spell being countered, right?

-Cory

A: Correct. Cowardice triggers off the card being targeted - the spell or ability targeting the creatures does not have to resolve.

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Q: If I use Artificial Evolution on an Elfhame Palace, can I change it to Badgerhame Palace, or is Elfhame one word?

-Person51090

A: You can't change it. From the Onslaught FAQ:

* In this context, "the text" refers only to text in the card's text box and on the card's type line. It won't change parts of a card name, even if the name appears in the card's text box. For example, suppose you play Artificial Evolution targeting a spell named Embermage Goblin, changing all instances of "Goblin" to "Zombie." The affected creature's type line will read, "Creature -- Zombie Wizard," but its name will still be "Embermage Goblin" everywhere its name is used on the card.

See you Monday.

Bill Guerin

DCI Level 2 Judge

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