Rules Tip of the Day: The comprehensive rules have been updated with the release of 9th edition. There are a few changes, including the fact that local enchantments now have the subtype of "Aura." Also, for the first time there are official multiplayer rules with various optional modes of play.

Q: If I have Celestial Kirin in play and I play another Celestial Kirin will both Kirin die due to the Legendary Rule? Or, will the first die by its own ability after the second comes into play?

A: You'll end up with one Celestial Kirin in play. When you play this second Celestial Kirin, the ability of the first Kirin in play will trigger and go on the stack on top of this Celestial Kirin spell. This triggered ability will resolve first and destroy all permanents with a converted mana cost of four in play, including the Celestial Kirin in play. Then the Celestial Kirin spell on the stack will resolve and enter play. Because there are never two Legendary permanents with the same name in play at one time, the Legend rule is not applied.

Q: If I have Seizan, Perverter of Truth and Ebony Owl Netsuke in play, and my opponent starts his turn with 5 cards in hand can I stack it so they draw the cards and lose the life from Seizan's ability and then Ebony Owl Netsuke will cause them to lose four more?

A: The ability of the Ebony Owl Netsuke will not trigger unless your opponent has seven or more cards in his hand at the beginning of his upkeep step. It does not matter if his hand size increases later in this step, the ability of the Ebony Owl Netsuke will not retroactively trigger.

Q: What happens if you Radiate Eternal Dominion?

A: In a two player game nothing will happen, as Eternal Dominion can only target an opponent. It is still a legal target for Radiate, but when Radiate resolves nothing will happen. In a multi-player game, a copy of Eternal Dominion will go on the stack for each opponent you have that is in your range of influence, if you are using that multiplayer option. Then at the beginning of each of your upkeep steps, you will continue to get that many copies of Eternal Dominion.

Keep in mind that you choose a target for these epic copies when they go on the stack. This means that during subsequent upkeeps you can choose to target one opponent with all of these copies. Also, if one of your opponents leaves the game the number of Epic copies created will not decrease.

Q: My opponent plays Hideous Laughter splicing Horobi's Whisper, targeting one of my creatures. I respond by playing Blessed Breath on the targeted creature. Is the Hideous Laughter completely countered, or just the Horobi's Whisper part?

A: Assuming that you choose to give this creature Protection from Black when the Blessed Breath resolves, then this spell will become countered on resolution as its lone target is illegal when it attempts to resolve. This means that the entire spell is countered and no part of it will resolve.

Q: If you Flash in a Sundering Titan, would the Titan's come into play ability trigger? Would its leaves play ability trigger, supposing you don't pay the mana differential?

A: Flash has been given errata so the chosen creature will not enter play at all if you do not pay the difference in its mana cost. So if you choose Sundering Titan, its coming into play ability will only trigger if you do pay the mana cost of the Titan, minus 2. If you do not, it won't enter play at all.

Q: With Vision Charm, can you change all lands of any single type to the basic land type of your choice until end of turn? For instance, can I change my opponent's 3 Urza's Towers into Islands until end of turn and destroy them with a Tsunami?

A: Yes, that works. Urza's Tower has two land sub-types: Urza's and Tower. Choosing "Tower" will change the subtype of all Urza's Towers into a basic land type. Choosing "Urza's" will change the subtype of all Urza lands into that type.

Q: We were playing a multi, with player A playing a Nether-Go deck, and player B playing a blue based control deck. Player A plays Nether Spirit (first one) which player B later takes control of via Abduction. Player A plays another Nether Spirit a turn later, and the two face off in combat. One of the players on player B's team waits until damage is on the stack between the two, and Disenchants the Abduction. Now the argument here is player B's teammate says that they deal damage, despite the first Nether Spirit changing zones. Player A says that because the Nether Spirit changed zones, and is treated like a new object, meaning only one Nether Spirit goes to the yard, instead of both. Who's right here?

A: If a permanent changes controllers it does not change zones, it stays in play, and there is only one in play zone. In other words, this Nether Spirit that changes controllers does not become a new object. This means that both Nether Spirits will be dealt combat damage, as it has been put on the stack, and both of them will go to the graveyard.

Q: What would you say about using cards in a tournament from sets that aren't tournament legal yet, but can be used currently? I use a deck which uses both Ravenous Rats and Nekrataals, and I would like to use this deck for Nationals (August 13th). Knowing that 9th edition isn't legal by then, but the cards are usable, could I use either of those cards from the new core set?

A: It is legal for you to use those cards at Nationals, even though that set has not rotated in yet. As long as a version of a card is printed in a legal set, it is legal to use any version of that card in a constructed deck. Generally this matters when a player uses older cards that are reprinted in a new set, but it works this way as well when you use a new card for a set that has not been rotated in yet.