Rules Tip of the Day: It is only after blocking creatures are declared that an attacking creature becomes either blocked or unblocked. A creature will remain either blocked or unblocked until the end of combat, unless it is removed from combat. It is in this 'window' that an unblocked attacking creature can be returned to its controller's hand with Ninjitsu.
Q: My opponent, enchanted with Psychic Possession, Dredges his Shambling Shell. Do I draw a card?
A: No. Your opponent is replacing his draw by Dredging a card, so the ability of Psychic Possession will not trigger.
Q: If I equip Bloodshot Cyclops with Sword of the Paruns, and try to sacrifice a 1/1 creature to his ability, will the sacrificed creature count as a 1/3 or a 3/1?
A: It depends on the order that you pay costs when playing the Cyclops' ability, and whether the sacrificed creature is tapped or untapped. When playing a spell or ability, you can pay costs in any order. If you sacrifice a creature before you tap the Cyclops, then the power of the sacrificed creature will be one, and the ability will deal one point of damage. If you tap the Cyclops first and then sacrifice a tapped creature, then the power of the sacrificed creature will be three, and the ability will deal three points of damage.
Q: I play Hunted Dragon, and my opponent gets three 2/2 Knights. On his turn, he attacks with three Knights and three 2/2 Bears. Can I play Brand and instantly get my three 2/2 Knights to block his three 2/2 Bears and kill them?
A: Not quite, as Brand does not untap the permanents that you gain control of. If you wait until attackers are declared, then the Knights you gain control of will be tapped and unable to block. In order to block with these three Knights you'd have to play and resolve Brand before attackers are declared. However, if you do, then your opponent will most likely not attack with the Bears.
Q: I have a question about Proper Burial and how much life you gain from creature going into the graveyard. If the creature had its toughness reduced, do you get the current value or the printed value?
A: You gain life equal to the toughness of the creature when it left play. So if a creature has left play due to the fact that its toughness has been reduced, to zero or below, you will not gain any life.
Q: If I play Natural Affinity, turning all my lands into creatures, and then play Glimpse of Nature, would playing a land trigger the Glimpse?
A: No. Glimpse of Nature's delayed triggered ability triggers when you play a creature spell. Playing a land is never playing a creature spell. Also, the effect from Natural Affinity is only applied to those lands that are in play when Natural Affinity resolves. Any lands that enter play after Natural Affinity has resolved will not be 2/2 creatures.
Q: If I have a Goblin Goon and my opponent has Mishra's Factory, and I declare Goon as an attacker, can my opponent activate the Factory in response to remove Goon from combat, since I don't have more creatures than my opponent, or does the combat proceed since the attacker was already declared?
A: The Goon's ability only checks the number of creatures that your opponent controls when it is announced as an attacking or blocking creature. In this example, the Goon will remain an attacking creature. It does not matter that under the current conditions the Goon would not be able to attack; it is already attacking. In order to prevent the Goon from attacking, your opponent would need to animate the Factory before attackers are declared. The last chance he has to do that is in the beginning of combat step.
Q: Will using the ability of a Polluted Delta require me to sacrifice my City of Traitors?
A: No, City of Traitor's ability triggers when you play an additional land. This ability does not trigger when a land it put into play by an spell or ability.
Q: My opponent plays Balancing Act with no cards in hand and no permanents in play. He claims that, as the active player, he may choose whether the discard or the sacrifice effect comes first. Is this correct?
A: No, you resolve Balancing Act as it is written, so you sacrifice permanent first and then discard.
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