Rules Tip of the Day: Counters have specific names, given by the effect that creates them. Differently named counters are not interchangeable. Effects that refer to a specific counter type will only affect counters with that name.

Q: My opponent controls a Dimir Curpurse and I control Keiga, the Tide Star. He attacks into it, and I decide not to block. I stack damage, and sacrifice Keiga to Miren, the Moaning Well, taking control of the attacking Cutpurse. When the combat damage is dealt, I discard because the Cutpurse damaged me, but who draws the card? I was thinking that "you" referred to the controller of the Cutpurse when the damage resolved, which would be me. Is this correct?

A: You are correct. You are the controller of the Cutpurse when combat damage resolves, so you are the controller of the triggered ability. Because you control this ability, all instances of the word "you" refer to you.

Q: If Shared Fate is in play, and I have a Nightmare Void in my graveyard, can I Dredge it back into my hand when I draw my normal one card during my draw step? It's confusing because both cards have replacement effects on the drawing of a card..

A: Yes, you can. Both Shared Fate and the Dredge ability will try to replace what happens when you would draw a card. As the affected player, you can choose which effect will be applied to your draw. So you can choose to mill two card from the top of your library to return the Nightmare Void to your hand, as opposed to removing a card from the top of your opponent's library.

Q: I would like to ask you about the card Excruciator. The damage that would be dealt by it can't be prevented anyway, really? So Heart of Light, Chant of Vitu-Gazhi, Rune-Tail's Essence, Inviolability, or Deep Wood would not stop him from dealing his combat damage, right?

A: Any effect that uses the word "prevent" will not have any effect on the damage from Excruciator. So the cards you listed will not do anything to the damage from Excruciator. However this damage can still be redirected, by something like Shining Shoal. It can also end up not being deal if it is blocked by something like Phytohydra. this is because Phytohydra's ability does not prevent damage—it does not use the word "prevent"—that ability just causes damage to not be dealt.

Q: When I use Dimir Infiltrator's Transmute ability, can I get Psychic Drain?

A: Yes. When in any zone other than the stack, the value of X in the converted mana cost of a card is zero. So the CMC of Psychic Drain in your library is two, and you can use the Transmute ability of Dimir Infiltrator to get one.

Q: My opponent uses an Equip ability and targets a creature he controls. In response to the equip ability, I use Sneak Attack and I put Horobi, Death's Wail in play. Is the creature targeted by the Equip ability destroyed by Horobi's ability?

A: No, it will not be destroyed. You choose targets of a spell or ability when you play the spell or ability. In this example, Horobi was not in play when your opponent's creature was targeted by the Equip ability. Because of this, Horobi's ability will not trigger.

Q: Would an attacking Quagmire Lamprey kill a blocking Auriok Champion with its ability? Ioes the Lamprey's ability target?

A: No, that ability does not target. It also does not deal damage, so the -1/-1 counter will be put on the Auriok Champion, even though the Champion has protection from black. Assuming that these is nothing else that raises the toughness of the Champion, then it will go to the graveyard, as it has zero toughness. Keep in mind that this counter will be placed on the blocking creature before combat damage is assigned.

Q: At what time should I use War Tax—right at the beginning of the combat phase, or after attackers are declared?

A: In order to force your opponent to pay mana for each attacking creature, you need to play the ability of War Tax before attackers are declared. This means that you will have to use this ability in the beginning of combat step in order to be effective.

Q: An opponent wants to play Ritual of Subdual. While it's on the stack, I tap 2 Plains, but I do nothing. When his spell resolves, I Disenchant it with my mana. Is this possible?

A: Yes, that is perfectly legal. Ritual of Subdual only affects mana abilities of lands when it is in play. It will not affect mana that has been added to mana pools before the Ritual came into play.

Q: What effect would Power Conduit/Energy Chamber have on Ice Cauldron?

A: It depends on whether or not you have used Ice Cauldron's ability to put a charge counter on itself yet. If you have, then using Ice Cauldron's second ability and removing any charge counter will add mana of the type and amount you spent when the first ability was used. This is because Ice Cauldron's second ability refers to its first ability and not necessarily to any ability that puts a charge counter on Ice Cauldron. Keep in mind that you'll only be able to use this mana to play the card that was removed from the game by this first ability. If you have not used Ice Cauldron's ability at all, then using Ice Cauldron's second ability will not do anything, other than cause you to remove the charge counter.