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Rules Tip of the Day: It used to be that all artifacts lost their abilities when tapped. However, that was changed with the introduction of the 6th Edition rules just over seven years ago. Now there are only a few artifacts whose effects 'turn off' when they are tapped, and these cards state this explicitly in their Oracle text.
The artifacts like this are: Howling Mine, Winter Orb, Static Orb, Storage Matrix, Watchdog, Voodoo Doll, Trinisphere, Blinkmoth Urn, Farsight Mask, Genesis Chamber, and Thunderstaff. ( I think that's all of them [If it's not, I'm sure we'll hear about it in the forums -S])
Q: I play Bottled Cloister and then pass the turn, removing my hand from the game. My opponent destroys it. Later on, I play another Cloister. If this Cloister survives until my next upkeep how many cards to I get back—all of them, or just the ones removed with this particular Cloister?
A: Just the cards that were removed by this particular Bottled Cloister. This new Cloister will have no connection to the one that was previously in play or the cards that were removed from the game by it. The cards that were removed from the game by the first Cloister will remain removed from the game, unless you retrieve one with a Wish.
Q: I have Blind Hunter in play, and I attack with it. It is blocked by another 2/2 creature. Can I Haunt the creature blocking the Blind Hunter?
A: No. Both of these creatures will go to the graveyard at the same time. The Haunt ability will go on the stack after combat damage has resolved and these creatures are already in the graveyard.
Q: I have a Petrahydrox in play and it is the only creature. What happens when I play Grifter's Blade while the Petrahydrox is in play?
A: Grifter's Blade does not target a creature when it comes into play. You can play Grifter's Blade and choose to have it become attached to a Petrahydrox. Petrahydrox will not return to your hand.
Q: I have Ink-Treader Nephilim and a pair of Grizzly Bears. I play Giant Growth and Reach through Mists, without passing priority. Then I play Twincast, copying Giant Growth, and targeting the Nephilim. With each copiy I create of the Twincast, can they copy Reach through Mists? I believe the answer is no, because the choice of what Twincast is copying is made when the spell is played, and you don't play the copies of the spell targeting Ink-Treader.
A: You are correct, but not for the reason you gave. Twincast does not become a copy of the targeted spell, it creates a copy of the targeted spell. This has nothing to do with changing the choices made when copying a spell. Furthermore, the copy created by Twincast is not played; it will not trigger the Nephilim's ability.
Q: If my opponent plays Maga, Traitor to Mortals with X = 5, and then plays Flickerform on it, can he use Flickerform's ability to make Maga leave play, then return with five +1/+1 counters, dealing another five damage?
A: No. When this Maga returns to play it is an entirely new Maga. As this Maga was not played, it was just put into play, a value of X was not chose at all. This means that this Maga will come into play as a 0/0. So it and the Flickerform on it will go to the graveyard. (Also, Maga's ability causes loss of life and does not deal damage.)
Q: If I have Soramaro, First to Dream in play, and Timetwister is played, does Soramaro become 0/0 before becoming 7/7, therefore dying?
A: Soramaro will briefly become a 0/0 creature when Timetwister resolves, but it will not go to the graveyard. This is because state-based effects are not checked during the resolution of a spell or ability. By the time state-based effects are checked, Soramaro will be a 7/7 creature.
Q: I have Pure Intentions and Wrath of God in my hand, and my opponent Persecutes me for White. I let both of them go to the graveyard. At end of turn, when I get my Pure Intentions back, can I use it to get Wrath of God back?
A: No. When Pure Intentions resolves it will create a delayed triggered ability that triggers when an effect controlled by an opponent causes you to discard. This effect will not allow you to get cards that have been discarded previously in the turn. In order to get the Wrath of God back to your hand, you would have had to play Pure Intentions in response to the Persecute.
Q: I have Cyclone and a Circle of Protection: Green in play, and I want to negate the damage the Cyclone deals to me. On the third round of Cyclone upkeep costs, do I have to pay one mana for the Circle, or three? In other words, does it deal one damage three times or three damage only once?
A: Cyclone's triggered ability deals all of its damage at one time. If you paid a cumulative upkeep cost of GGG, then Cyclone will deal three points of damage to each creature and player when its triggered ability resolves. You can prevent this damage to you by activating your Circle of Protection: Green just once.
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