Rules Tip of the Day: There has been an announced change to the Universal Tournament Rules regarding game markers on a library that will be made soon. It used to be that you could not put anything on top of or leaning against your library. However, you are able to do this as long as you do not obscure your deck or manipulate it in any way other than putting a coin, glass bead, etc. on your library. This change allows players to use these counters as a memory tool to deal with upkeep effects prior to drawing their card for the turn. As said earlier, this change has not officially been made yet, but it will be implemented immediately. So you can use these reminders starting this weekend at the prerelease.
Q: I have a question about the Vanishing ability of Deadly Grub. Vanishing has you sacrifice the creature when the last token is removed. Is there time inbetween removing the counter and then performing the sacrifice where I can use the creature to my advantage? For instance, sacrificing the Deadly Grub to a Nantuko Husk, giving the Husk +2/+2 and still giving me a 6/1 creature, since the Deadly Grub had no more counters on it when it went to the graveyard?
A: Yes, what you want to do works, if you do it at the right time. Vanishing has two triggered abilities. The first causes you to remove a time counter from the Vanishing permanent in the upkeep step of each of your turns. The second ability causes you to sacrifice this permanent when you remove the last time counters whenever you remove this last counter. Both of these abilities use the stack and can be responded to. After you remove the last time counter, this second ability will go on the stack. It is at this point that you can sacrifice the Grub to pump up your Nantuko Husk. If you do, then the Deadly Grub's leaves-play triggered ability will trigger, as it left play without any time counters.
Q: What happens when one person has two or more Recycles or Null Profusions in play? Do they draw one card per played card for each copy of the enchantment, or is the effect not cumulative?
A: The abilities of each Null Profusion in play will trigger when the player plays a card. When both of these abilities have resolved, this player will have drawn two cards.
Q: If I have two Simian Spirit Guides in my opening hand, can I remove both of them for mana on my first turn?
A: Yes, there is nothing to prevent you from using the mana abilities of any number of Simian Spirit Guides in your hand.
Q: My opponent has a creature out, and I have a Dralnu, Lich Lord in play. I'm at two life. He plays Grab the Reins, targeting my Lich with the first part, and myself for the second part. In response, I cast Repeal on Dralnu, bringing him back to my hand. My opponent says since there's no longer a legal target for the first part, then the second part fizzles as well. Would he be forced to sacrifice his creature, since it's the only legal choice, or would the second effect fizzle as well?
A: Your opponent is incorrect. When the Entwine cost of Grab the Reins is played, Grab the Reins has two targets. The first one is the creature that your opponent intends to steal and the other is the target of the damage from this spell. A spell or ability is only countered on resolution when all of its targets are no longer legal. In this example, the first target of this spell is no longer legal, but the second is. When a spell or ability resolves, it tries to do as much as possible. This Grab the Reins cannot cause a change in control of your Dralnu, but it can cause your opponent to sacrifice a creature and deal damage to you. The choice of what to sacrifice is made when Grab the Reins resolves. So this spell will not be countered on resolution, and your opponent will have to sacrifice a creature. You will, of course, still be dealt damage equal to the sacrificed creature's power.
Q: There is a Standstill in play, and my opponent has a City of Solitude in play. When he plays a spell, does Standstill trigger?
A: Yes. Standstill's ability is not an activated ability, it is a triggered ability. City of Solitude will not prevent this ability from going on the stack or from resolving.
Q: I have four 1/1 tokens and an Electryte equipped with Loxodon Warhammer. My opponent has 5 5/5 creatures. I attack with everyone, and my opponent blocks each attacker. Regardless of who blocks it, the Electryte deals one to my opponent, and as such, does six damage to each blocking creature, killing them. I'm clear on that much. What I'd like to know is how much life I should gain?
A: Just six life. When combat damage is dealt in this situation, the Warhammer equipped Electryte will deal five damage to the creature blocking it and one to the defending player. This will cause both the Electryte ability and the Warhammer's ability to trigger. Electryte will also receive five points of damage at this time. Before the two triggered abilities can go on the stack, state-based effects are checked. The Electryte will go to the graveyard. When Electryte's triggered ability resolves, six points of damage will be dealt to each of the surviving 5/5 creatures that your opponent controls, but the Electryte is not in play and it is, therefore, not equipped by the Warhammer. This means that when this damage is dealt, the ability of the Warhammer cannot trigger.
Q: I attack with a Phyrexian Slayer. After my opponent declares blockers, I use Cloudchaser Kestrel's ability to turn the blocking creature white. Will the blocking creature be destroyed?
A: No, that does not work. Phyrexian Slayer's ability only triggers when it becomes blocked by a white creature. This ability will not trigger if a non-white creature that is blocking the Slayer becomes white.
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