Rules Tip of the Day: When an effect asks you to choose a creature type, you can only choose a single type—one word. Additionally you have to choose one that exists in Magic, you cannot make up a creature type.

Q: Am I immortal when I have both Rain of Gore and Transcendence in play? Or does it lead to a sick, infinite loop, which ends with a spectacular, massive explosion due to card overload?

A: Well, you won't lose the game, but you won't win it either. This two-card combo will cause the game to become a draw whenever you lose or gain life. Any time you lose life, Transcendence's ability will trigger. When this triggered ability resolves you would normally gain life equal to twice the amount of life lost. However, Rain of Gore's replacement effect will change this, so you'll lose this amount of life instead. This will cause Transcendence's ability to trigger again, restarting the loop. Unless someone can break the loop, the game will be a draw.

Q: Can you use Magewright's Stone's ability on Freewind Equenaut even if it is not enchanted? It has the tap symbol in its text.

A: No. Freewind Equenaut has a static ability that grants itself an activated ability when the Equenaut is enchanted. It may have the tap symbol in its text, but when the Equenaut is not enchanted, it does not have the tap ability.

Q: Dread Slag is a 9/9 with trample whose text reads "Dread Slag gets -4/-4 for each card in your hand". When does that loss take effect? For example, my opponent has two Howling Mines out, so I have to draw three cards during my draw step. Does this kill Dread Slag instantly, or do I get a chance to play one or more of those cards before he dies?

A: Dread Slag's ability is a static ability that is applied at all times. In this example, after you have draw each extra card from a Howling Mine, state-based effects are checked. After you draw the third card, the Slag will be a -3/-3, and it will go to the graveyard. The only way to keep the Slag in play would be if you were to play one of the drawn cards before you drew the next one. If you wait until you actually have three cards in your hand, then it will be too late.

Q: When attacking with Rakdos the Defiler, do lands count as permanents when figuring out what to sacrifice?

A: Yes, lands are permanents. They will be counted as non-Demon permanents you control and you can sacrifice them when this ability resolves.

Q: I have Dreams of the Dead in play and I use it to return Drake Familiar from my graveyard to play, and then I return Dreams of the Dead to my hand. Does my Drake still have Cumulative Upkeep?

A: Yes. The effect that put the Drake into play also gives it cumulative upkeep. It does not matter that the source of the effect, Dreams of the Dead, is no longer in play.

Q: If I had less than ten cards left in my library, and Glimpse the Unthinkable resolved, targeting me, would it do anything?

A: Yes, when Glimpse resolves, it will do as much as possible, causing you to mill the remaining cards in your library.

Q: I have Ambush Commander in play. What happens if I cast Living Terrain on one of my Forests? Does the order the cards come in to play have anything to do with this?

A: Yes, the order that these permanents entered play determines the outcome. Permanents receive a timestamp when they come into play, and effects of the same type, generally speaking, are applied in timestamp order. As Living Terrain came into play after Ambush Commander, the power and toughness of the enchanted Forest will be determined by the Living Terrain. In other words, this Forest will be a 5/6 creature. [The complete rules on the interaction of continuous effects are fairly complicated, and this answer isn't trying to be complete. For more information, see Lee Sharpe's article on the subject. -Seamus]

Q: What happens when you have Bogardan Phoenix with a death counter on it in play with a Squee's Embrace? When it would go to the graveyard, does the creature get removed from play, or does it go back into my hand?

A: The Phoenix's ability creates a replacement effect that removes it from the game when it would otherwise go to the graveyard from play. Squee's Embrace triggers on the enchanted creature going to the graveyard. The Phoenix will remove itself from play, and Squee's Embrace will never trigger.

Q: In a multi-player game, if a player loses during his or her own turn does the turn end immediately? Or can I respond by playing spells or abilities before the next turn begins?

A: This turn will continue even though the players whose turn it is has left the game.