Rules Tip of the Day: Abilities that trigger at the end of a turn will trigger at the beginning of the end of turn step in the end phase. If a permanent with an end of turn triggered ability (like Blistering Firecat) comes into play, or a delayed triggered ability that triggers at the end of the turn is created (like the one created by Kiki-Jiki's ability) after the start of the end of turn step then the ability will not trigger now, but will wait until the next end of turn step to trigger.

Q: My opponent attacks me with an Ogre Marauder and a 5/5 creature. When the Ogre's triggered ability resolves, I sacrifice my only creature in play, Keiga, the Tide Star. Keiga goes to the graveyard, its ability triggers and I target his 5/5 attacker to come under my control. It is tapped, so I assume it still can't block, but it should also be in my control now and no longer attacking, correct? He thought that since I am not actually blocking anything that I could not sac my Keiga so that I could take his 5/5 attacker. What is correct?

A: You handled the situation correctly. You can sacrifice your Keiga even though you do not end up blocking anything. When Ogre Marauder attacks its ability will trigger. When this triggered ability resolves the defending player can sacrifice a creature in order to make the Marauder blockable that turn. You sacrifice a creature to make an Ogre Marauder blockable even if you do not later block this Marauder.

Q: I was just wondering about Radiate's interaction with Splice onto Arcane cards. If I were to play Glacial Ray and splice Through the Breach onto it, would Radiate allow me to put a creature into play for each new Glacial Ray/Breach it makes? If I played the combo in reverse, Through the Breach with a Glacial Ray spliced onto it, would I get the same effect?

A: Yes, this combo does what you expect; Glacial Ray with Though the Breach spliced onto it (or vice-versa) is a spell with a single target. When each copy resolves, 2 points of damage will be dealt to the targeted creature or player and you will put a creature card in your hand into play. That creature has haste, and you will sacrifice it later in the turn. Regardless of which is the base spell and which is spliced, the result will be the same.

Q: If I use Hell's Caretaker's ability, sacrificing Kokusho, the Evening Star, can I sacrifice Kokusho, then bring him back using the effect of the Caretaker's ability?

A: No. When you play a spell or ability you must choose all the necessary targets before you pay any costs. This means that you'll have to target a creature card in your graveyard before you can sacrifice your Kokusho in play.

Q: I have a Death Denied in my graveyard and a Toshiro Umezawa in play; when his ability triggers, could I use the Death Denied by paying X, or would the card not do anything?

A: Because Toshiro Umezawa's ability does not allow you to play this targeted card for free and you do pay the mana cost of the targeted instant card in your graveyard when the ability resolves, you can choose a value for and pay for X when you play this copy of Death Denied.

Q: My opponent controls a flipped Erayo, Soratami Ascendant. I have a Boseiju, Who Shelters All in play. In the classic can-versus-can't battle, if I use Boseiju to cast the first spell, does said spell get around Erayo's Essence, or does Erayo laugh in the face of Boseiju?

A: The effect provided by the mana generated by Boseiju will "win." As you pointed out, in Magic an effect that says something can't happen will override something that says it can. Because Boseiju's ability says that the instant or sorcery that uses this mana cannot be countered by spells or abilities, Erayo's Essence's ability will not be able to counter it. And because Erayo's ability only triggers for the first spell played each turn, your further spells played that turn will also go uncountered by Erayo's ability.

Q: Does Seedborn Muse's untap ability use the stack? Does it trigger whenever it's an opponent's untap step or does it even trigger at all? The main thing I'm trying to figure out is, if you have 2 Seedborn Muses out do you get to untap twice during an opponent's untap phase and do they untap first?

A: No, it is not a triggered ability. It has a static ability that changes how the game works. When an opponent untaps, you will too, at the very same time. Having two in play is redundant and will not allow you to untap your permanent twice during your opponent's turn.

Q: I have Earthcraft, one untapped Island and one Forest in play. In my hand I have Shrieking Drake and Brainfreeze. Can I play Shrieking Drake and tap it to untap my island it before I return it into my hand? If so I can play the Drake multiple times so I can boost the Brainfreeze storm?

A: Yes. You can respond to Shrieking Drake's coming into play triggered ability by tapping the Drake and untapping your Island. Then you can return the Drake to your hand and repeat the process over as many times as is necessary.

Q: When my opponent sacs his Shard Phoenix and I have a Nezumi Graverobber in play, can I use the ability of my Nezumi Graverobber to remove it from the graveyard?

A: Yes. However if this is during your opponent's upkeep step, then he will be able to spend three red mana and return it to his hand before the Graverobber's ability removes it from the game.