Rules Tip of the Day: Creature spells never target. Many creatures have comes-into-play triggered abilities that target, but that does not mean the creature spell has a target. The targets of a creature's comes-into-play triggered abilities are not chosen until the creature spell resolves, the creature comes into play, and this triggered ability goes on the stack.

Q: I have Djinn Illuminatus in play and I cast Crack the Earth, Splicing Spiritual Visit. If I Replicate Crack the Earth after I declare the Splice, does each new Crack the Earth replica have Spiritual Visit? If so, does it change the Replicate cost?

A: Yes, each of the Replicated Crack the Earths will have the Spiritual Visit spliced on to it. This is because the Replicate ability makes a complete copy of the original spell, which includes any added Splice text. The cost of the Replicate ability will not change; Splicing the text of one card onto another does not change the converted mana cost of the original. You can play Crack the Earth with Spiritual Visit Spliced on and Replicate it three times by paying RRRRW.

Q: I have Gelectrode in play and I put six copies of Train of Thought on the stack. Can use I Gelectrode's ability and untap and tap and deal a damage six times?

A: I assume that you are playing a single copy of Train of Thought and Replicating it five times. That will not work as you expect. Gelectrode's triggered ability will only trigger once. This is because that ability triggers when an instant or sorcery is played, not when a copy of one goes on the stack without being played.

Q: My opponent controls Goblin Flectomancer. If I play Pyromantics, creating 3 copies via Replicate, will he be able to change all the targets of my Pyromantics, or only the original spell?

A: No, the Flectomancer's ability will only be able to change the target of one of the Pyromantics. Keep in mind that he can change the target of one of the copies.

Q: In a recent column there was a question regarding Ribbons of Night and Djinn Illuminatus. What if we throw Eye of the Storm into the mix? Let's say Ribbons of Night is removed from the game by Eye of the Storm, and a copy of this card is later played. Because the Djinn Illuminatus is still in play, I choose to pay the Replicate cost of this spell and pay 3UB. Will I draw a card for an original Ribbons spell, or is it still considered to be played "for free", with no blue mana spent on it?

A: In this case, when the Eye of the Storm-generated copy of Ribbons of Night resolves, you will draw a card, as you did spend Blue mana when playing this spell. The Eye of the Storm effect may allow you to play the spell without paying the mana cost, but because of the additional Replicate cost, you are spene Blue mana when you played this spell. However, you will not draw a card when the Replicate copy resolves.

Q: Can you use Voyager Staff to avoid paying the Echo cost of a creature? For example I use an entwined Tooth and Nail to put Crater Hellion into play. On the following turn, at the beginning of my upkeep, can I sac Voyager Staff to remove the Crater Hellion before paying his Echo cost, and return him to the game at the end of my turn, doing four more damage and keeping him the following turn?

A: Yes, that is possible, but you are only delaying the payment of this cost—not avoiding it altogether. At the beginning of your next upkeep, the Echo ability of the Crater Hellion will trigger again, since you have not controlled it since the beginning of your previous turn. Then you'll have to either pull off the same trick and temporarily remove it from the game, pay the Echo cost, or sacrifice it.

Q: If I play Exhaustion and copy it with Twincast, does my opponent not untap creatures and lands on her next two upkeeps, or is not cumulative?

A: No, the ability of Exhaustion is not cumulative. This is different from an effect which causes you to skip an entire step or phase, in that it only prevents creatures and lands from untapping. (In instances where you skip the entire step, only one effect can cause you to skip the step or phase, so the other effect will wait around until the next instance.) Because of this, the effects from two Exhaustions will both be applied in the same untap step.

Q: If I have Cloudstone Curio and Mana Echoes, can I use two Crimson Koboldss to make any amount of mana I want?

A: Yes, that four card combo works. If one Kobold is in play, you can play the other for free, target the creature in play with the Cloudstone Curio's ability, and generate mana with the Mana Echoes. You will be able to generate either one or two mana each time you complete a cycle, depending on how you stack these two triggered abilities.

Q: If I play Plagiarize on my turn, targeting myself, what happens when I draw a card?

A: You would draw a card. Any time you would draw a card, Plagiarize instructs you to skip the draw, but it also then instructs you to draw a card instead. Plagiarize's replacement effect will not be applied to this new draw, as it has already been applied to this event.