Rules Tip of the Day: If, when an exchange would take place, both objects that were to be exchanged are not in play, then nothing will happen. You can't exchange nothing and get something in return.

Q: I have Dark Confidant in play, and a creature with Dredge in the graveyard. Do I lose a life if I use the Dredge ability when the Dark Confidant triggers?

A: Yes, you will lose life, because you cannot do what you describe. Dark Confidant does not have you draw cards. When Dark Confidant's ability resolves you reveal the top card of your library, lose life equal to its converted mana cost, and put it into your hand without drawing it. Because of this, you cannot use the Dredge ability to affect this process at all.

Q: I was reading an article on Eye of the Storm combo decks and was wondering what would happen if an opponent was to cast an Epic spell into the mix? Would the Eye player effectively be locked out?

A: When this person plays the Epic spell, Eye of the Storm's ability will trigger and remove this Epic spell from the stack, and a copy of it and all other spells removed by Eye of the Storm will be created. This player will be able to play any number of these copies. If this person chooses to play the copy of the Epic spell, then once this played copy resolves, they will be prohibited from playing any other spells.

Q: Sisters of Stone Death has removed a creature with its second ability and later is put into the graveyard. If it brought back into play by something like Exhume, is it still possible to return the removed creature card with the third ability?

A: When the Sisters leaves play and then later returns it is a new creature with no connection to when this card was previously in play. So no, you will not be able to put a card that was removed earlier in the game with the ability of the Sisters that is currently in play.

Q: I played Maga, Traitor to Mortals with X = 25. My opponent was at 20 life. He responds to the comes into play ability by killing Maga with Rend Flesh. Will my opponent lose or not? We weren't sure, when the amount of the life loss is locked in.

A: The triggered ability of Maga will resolve. When it does it will use the last known information about Maga, looking at the state of it when it was last in play, to determine the amount of life lost. As Maga left play with 25 counters, your opponent will lose 25 life.

Q: If I have Jugan, the Rising Star in play, then use three Giant Growths on him, and cast Phyrexian Dreadnought (sacrificing Jugan) can I put the 5 counters from Jugan on the Dreadnought?

A: Yes. You sacrifice this pumped Jugan as the Phyrexian Colossus comes into play. Jugan's triggered ability will go on the stack after the Colossus has come into play, so you will be able to target it with this ability.

Q: I was having a "fun" little game with a friend of mine and he had Island Sanctuary in play. He did not draw a card, thus preventing me from attacking him on my next turn, as my green army had no flying creatures. I played Desert Twister and destroyed the Island Sanctuary, but does the effect of not being able to attack continue even though the enchantment is gone?

A: Destroying the source of an ability does not prevent the continuous effect from being applied. In this situation you will not be able to attack this turn, as your opponent skipped his last draw step.

Q: If my opponent uses his Darksteel Brute's ability to turn it into a creature during my main phase and I play Lingering Death on it does my opponent have to sacrifice it end of turn?

A: He will not end up sacrificing it. Lingering Death has a triggered ability that triggers at the end of the turn of the enchanted creature's controller. This will not be until the next end of turn. However at the end of the current turn, Darksteel Brute's animation effect will end. When it does the Lingering Death will "fall off" and go to the graveyard as it is illegally in play. Because of this it will not be in play at the end of the next turn when its ability would trigger.

Q: I would just like to know if an opponent tapping a pain-land or gaining life in response to me playing Hidetsugu's Second Rite totally nullifies its effects or if the Second Rite still go through. This is a question of "legal at the time of playing" that my friends and I can't figure out.

A: Hidetsugu's Second Rite only deals 10 points of damage to the targeted player if his life total is exactly 10 when the Second Rite resolves. It does not matter what their life total is when the Second Rite is played. So your opponent can respond to the Second Rite by either gaining of losing life so the Second Rite does nothing when it resolves.