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Rules Tip of the Day: When in any other zone but the stack, the value of X in cards with an X in the mana cost is treated as zero.
Q: I have an Adarkar Valkyrie and a Garza's Assassin in play. Can I tap the Valkryie targeting the Assassin, then sac the Assassin to destroy an enemies creature, and also return my Assassin to play under my control without paying its Recover cost?
A: Yes, that works. The Valkyrie's ability will return the targeted creature card regardless of why it went to the graveyard. It does not matter that this creature went to the graveyard because it was sacrificed.
Q: If I have Djinn Illuminatus in play and I play Surging Flame, would any Replicated copies of Surging Flame be able to Ripple?
A: No. The Ripple ability of a spell only triggers when you play the spell. It does not trigger when copies of spells are put on the stack without being played.
Q: If I have a Scorched Rusalka and a Burning-Tree Shaman in play, will I take damage from the Shaman if I sacrifice it to the Rusalka?
A: No. A spell or ability is only played when the entire announcement process has been completed. As you sacrifice the Burning-Tree Shaman when announcing the ability of Scorched Rusalka, the ability of Burning-Tree Shaman will not trigger.
Q: I take control of an opponent's creature for one turn, and equip this creature with Pariah's Shield. Later, when my opponent regains control of this creature, who does the creature take damage for?
A: You still control the equipment, so any damage that would be dealt to your will now be redirected to the equipped creature. It does not matter that you no longer control this creature.
Q: If you have Azusa, Lost but Seeking in play along with Crucible of Worlds, can you play three lands from your hand or graveyard?
A: Yes. The effect from Azusa allows you to play two additional lands a turn, and the effect from Crucible of Worlds allows you to play land cards from your graveyard. When you combine these two effects, you are allowed to play up to three land cards from your graveyard.
Q: I control a Plains enchanted with Genju of the Fields. If my opponent plays Akroma's Vengeance, destroying all enchantments, creatures, and artifacts, and I activate the Genju in response, will the Genju return to my hand after the Vengeance resolves, or will it be destroyed?
A: It will be returned to your hand. When Akroma's Vengeance resolves, both the Genju enchantment and the animated land it was attached to will go to the graveyard. Because the enchanted land goes to the graveyard at this time, the Genju's ability will trigger and it will be returned to your hand. It does not matter that both the land and the Genju leave play at the same time.
Q: I have a Furnace of Rath in play and Heartless Hidetsugu as well, and I tap the Hidetsugu for his ability. Does this cause player to take damage equal to their life total, or do they receive damge equal to half their life total and another half of what's left?
A: The combination of these two effects will cause a player to take damage equal to half their life, rounded down, times two. So anyone with an even life total will lose the game. A player with an odd life total will survive with one life remaining.
Q: Does this combo work? My opponent has Manabarbs, Circle of Protection: Red, and five lands in play. Can he taps four lands for mana and then tap one land to pay the COP: Red, and take no damage? Doesn't he have to activate the COP each time he taps a land for mana?
A: No, that does not work as your opponent thinks it does. Manabarbs' ability will trigger five times. Each time one of these individual triggered abilities resolves ,your opponent will be dealt one point of damage. He can prevent this damage with a Circle of Protection: Red, but you are correct that he will have to activate the COP's ability five times to prevent all of this damage.
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