Rules Tip of the Day: Abilities that trigger when a creature deals combat damage will only trigger if the ability still exists when combat damage is dealt. If combat damage is put on the stack, and the permanent with the ability leaves play before damage is dealt, then the ability will not trigger.

Q: If I have no creatures in my graveyard, and Deadwood Treefolk leaves play, can I return it to my hand?

A: No. The Treefolk's ability says "another target creature card," so it is not a legal target for its ability.

Q: Can I turn a face-down Timebender face up and choose to remove two time counters from a Gossamer Phantasm, even though it does not have any time counters on it? My goal is to trigger the Phantasm's ability.

A: Yes, that works. When Timebender is turned face up, its ability triggers. This ability is modal, meaning you have to choose one of the options available. The first option allows you to remove two time counters from a permanent or a Suspended card. Unlike the second mode, there is no targeting restriction on this mode that requires that the targeted permanent already have time counters on it. So you can choose to target a creature that does not have any time counters on it.

Q: I have a Greater Gargadon Suspended and a creature enchanted with Griffin Guide in play. If my opponent plays Damnation, can I sacrifice the creature and the Griffin Guide to the Gargadon and still receive the 2/2 Griffin token? If so, would I have to sacrifice these cards in a certain order?

A: No, you cannot get all that you want in this situation. First of all, Greater Gargadon's ability does not allow you to sacrifice enchantments. If you sacrifice the creature, then Griffin Guide will go to the graveyard before you can sacrifice it but you will get the 2/2 Griffin token. Keep in mind that if you sacrifice the creature before the Damnation resolves, the Griffiin token will be destroyed by Damnation, unless you also sacrifice it to the Gargadon.

Q: Can you put Terramophic Expanse's ability on the stack, then play a bounce land like Boros Garrison to bring Terramorphic Expanse back to your hand?

A: No, that does not work. Lands can only be played when the stack is empty, and when you pay the cost of Terramorphic Expanse's ability, you will sacrifice it, so it will be in the graveyard when you get priority anyway.

Q: My opponent has a Djinn Illuminatus out and plays Sudden Shock. When he does, he tries to Replicate the Sudden Shock. Does Split Second prevent the Replicated copies from being added to the stack, or do they all go on the stack at the same time?

A: When a Repicate cost is paid, a triggered ability goes on the stack on top of the spell. Split Second does not prevent this ability from being used when the spell is played. When this triggered ability resolves, the appropriate number of copies of this spell will be put on the stack. These copies are not played, so Split Second will not prevent the copies from going on the stack. So your opponent can do what you have described.

Q: My Shape Stealer blocks a Fungus Sliver. Does the Fungus Sliver die?

A: Yes. Shapestealer's ability will trigger. When this triggered ability resolves, the Shapestealer's power and toughness will become whatever the power and toughness of Fungus Sliver is at this time. It does not matter how many +1/+1 counters are on the Fungus Sliver, these are factored in when calculating what Shapestealer's new power and toughness are. Then, when combat damage is dealt, both the Shapestealer and the Fungus Sliver will be dealt lethal damage, provided that their power is greater that their toughness. Fungus Sliver's ability will trigger at this point, but it will go to the graveyard before the triggered ability can resolve and give it the additional +1/+1 counter.

Q: If Soul Collector damages a creature with Haunt that goes to the graveyard this turn, does that creature end up Haunting a creature, or put into play under the control of the player who controls the Soul Collector?

A: It depends on whose turn it is. Both the Haunt ability and Soul Collector's ability trigger at the same time, when this creature goes to the graveyard. When multiple abilities trigger at the same time they go on the stack in APNAP (Active Player, Non-Active Player) order. This means that those controlled by the active player go on the stack in whatever order he wants, followed by those controlled by the non-active player in whatever order he wants.

Then these triggered abilities will resolve in LIFO (Last In, First Out) order. In other words, the last item added to the stack will resolve first. So the ability of the non-active player will determine what happens to this creature card. If the non-active player controls the Haunt creature, then it will be removed from the game Haunting a targeted creature. If the non-active player controls the Soul Collector, then he will return this Haunt creature to play under his control.

Q: Zirilan of the Claw and Vodalian Illusionist. I activate Zirilan's ability, bringing a Dragon into play. Before the end of the turn, I target it with the Vodalian Illusionist, phasing it out and, I assume, saving it from being removed from the game. My next untap step, the Dragon phases in. If I don't target it again with the Vodalian Illusionist to phase it out before the end of that turn, will it still be RFG'ed? I came across a ruling that said that unlimited effects still applied to permanent when they phase back into play. Is Zirilan's ability considered to have an unlimited duration or not?

A: Zirilan's ability does not have an unlimited duration. It creates a delayed triggered ability that attempts to remove this Dragon from play in the next end of turn step. However, this Dragon is not in play at this point, so nothing will happen. Because of how Phasing works, the Dragon that returns to play is considered the same Dragon, but it will not be removed from the game.