Rules Tip of the Day: Know your state-based effects—Any equipment that is attached to an illegal permanent will "fall off." This state-based effect is similar to the one that causes Auras to go to the graveyard. The big difference is that equipment remains in play when this happens.

Q: I play Venser's Diffusion targeting an opponent's Suspended Nihilith, which has one time counter. In response, my opponent casts a Ghostfire on one of my creatures, sending it to my graveyard, which triggers the removal of the final time counter from the Nihilith. Since Venser's Diffusion can legally target both the suspended and unsuspended target, does the spell resolve, and bounce the Nihilith?

A: No. This may be one card, but as you are moving it from one zone to another, it is treated as an entirely new object. This means that the Suspended Nihilith is a different object from the Nihilith creature in play. Because of this, your Venser's Diffusion will be countered on resolution, as its target is no longer there when it attempts to resolve.

Q: I play Arc Blade and target a creature my opponent controls. If he sacrifices this creature in response, does the Arc Blade become Suspended?

A: No. Arc Blade, and the other spells like it from Future Sight, only become suspended when they resolve. In this example, the Arc Blade will become countered on resolution. Because of this, no part of its effect will be applied and it will not become Suspended.

Q: I control an untapped Centaur Omenreader and want to play an Angel of Salvation. Can I tap the Centaur for the Convoke cost and have the cost of the Angel reduced by two as well?

A: No, that does not work. When you play a spell, you calculate the total cost, and then make all payments. You do not tap creatures to pay the Convoke cost until you make payments. This means that the Centaur Omenreader will be untapped when you calculate what the Angel should cost. You can still tap the Centaur for Convoke, but its ability will not lower the total cost of the Angel spell.

Q: If a Sprout Swarm gets Suspended by Delay, can the Buyback be used when it unsuspends?

A: Yes. The Buyback cost of spells can be paid anytime that the spell is played. A spell that is countered by Delay will be removed from the game with time counters on it and the Suspend ability. This Suspend ability will work just like any other Suspend ability. When the last time counter is removed from this card it controller can play it. As this spell is being played, its Buyback cost can be paid.

Q: I play Pact of Negation on my opponent's turn. During my upkeep, after the Negation's upkeep trigger is put on the stack, I play Timestop. Will I get around having to pay the upkeep cost in order to not lose the game?

A: Yes. If Pact of Negation's delayed triggered ability does not resolve, then you won't have to pay or lose the game. However, it's cheaper to pay that cost then to play Time Stop. And you also won't skip your entire turn, or play a card in your hand.

Q: I know if I Transmute Artifact a Pithing Needle into a Chalice of the Void, the converted mana cost of the Chalice is 0, so I don't need to pay any extra to Transmute Artifact. However, can I choose to pay more to give the Chalice charge tokens?

A: You can put Chalice of the Void into play in this manner, but it cannot come into play with any charge counters on it. This is because you choose a value for X when you play Chalice of the Void, but you are not given the chance to choose a value for X when Chalice of the Void is put into play without being played.

Q: Bottled Cloister gives me back my cards removed from the game by it at the beginning of my upkeep. Imaginary Pet tells me to return it to my hand if I have a card in my hand at the beginning of my upkeep. Do I have to bounce the Pet an the beginning of my upkeep if I have Bottled Cloister in play?

A: Imaginary Pet's ability will not trigger if you do not have any cards in your hand when your upkeep step begins. Because of Bottled Cloister, you have no cards in hand, so the Pet's ability will not trigger.

Q: If I turn an opponent's creature into an artifact or artifact creature until end of turn, then enchant that creature with Steal Artifact, do I retain control of the creature after the turn ends?

A: No. When the turn ends, this permanent will no longer be an artifact. When this happens, Steal Artifact will "fall off" and go to the graveyard, as it is not legally in play.

Q: If a player concedes a Shahrazad subgame, does he automatically lose the main game since the subgame is a part of the main game?

A: No, a player can concede a subgame and continue to play in the main game. The subgame may be part of the main game, but conceding it only causes the player to lose half of his life in the main game, it does not cause him to lose it.