Rules Tip of the Day: Some older cards with change of control effects used the word 'permanently' in their text. In those instances, the word "permanently" means that the effect does not have a duration. There are no cards that currently use that word and cards with effects like that now have reminder text that state that the effect does not end at the end of the current turn.

Q: My opponent has a face-down Vesuvan Shapeshifter with no other creatures in play. In his end of turn step, I play Tendrils of Corruption targeting the morph. In response, he unmorphs the Shapeshifter, targeting itself, and says it dies when state-based effects are checked. I say it does not work, since there are no other creatures in play. Who is right in this situation?

A: The end result is that your opponent can cause your Tendrils to become countered on resolution. First of all, Vesuvan Shapeshifter's ability does not not target anything. When it comes into play or is turned face-up, its controller can choose another creature in play and copy that creature. Making this choice does not target the original. However, the controller of the Shapeshifter does not have to choose anything at all. if he does this, the Shapeshifter will be a 0/0 creature and it will go to the graveyard. In this specific example, your Tendrils of Corruption would become countered on resolution and you will not gain any life.

Q: What happens when a 1/1 creature comes into play, but is destroyed while a Sword of the Meek trigger is still on the stack? Does the Sword still come into play unattached to a creature, or is the entire triggered ability countered on resolution?

A: Sword of the Meek's triggered ability that returns it to play does not target anything, so it cannot be countered on resolution. When this trigger resolves, it first returns the Sword to play and then attaches the Sword to thee1/1 creature that just came into play. If when this trigger resolves, this 1/1 creature is no longer in play, then the Sword will still be returned to play. As it cannot become attached to this creature, that portion of the effect will fail to do anything. You will end up with the Sword returned to play.

Q: The only creature that my opponent has is an Akroma, Angel of Wrath, which has protection from white. Can I cast Evangelize to gain control of the Akroma?

A: No. You cannot play Evangelize in this situation as a legal target cannot be named. It does not matter that your opponent is the one who chooses the target creature, a creature with protection from white cannot be targeted by Evangelize. In this way Evangelize works the same as if you were to choose the target.

Q: My Spike Feeder comes into play; can I remove two +1/+1 counters before my Wild Pair effect triggers, so I can find Vesuvan Shapeshifter?

A: Yes, that does work. When Wild Pair's ability resolves, you search for a card with the current combined power and toughness of the creature that came into play and triggered Wild Pair's ability. In this example, the Spike Feeder will leave play before this triggered ability resolves, but when it was last in play it was a 0/0 creature. Because of this, you can search your library for any creature that either has an actual P/T of zero or that has an undefinable P/T when in your library, like Vesuvan Shapeshifter.

Q: I play a creature and my opponent plays Counterspell. I then Ertai's Meddling his Counterspell for two. What happens to his Counterspell when it resolves in two turns, and what happens to my creature?

A: First of all, once the stack has completely resolved your creature spell will resolve and enter play. When your opponent's Counterspell loses its delay counters, your opponent will then put it on the stack as an exact copy of the original Counterspell. However, as your creature spell resolved several turns ago, this Counterspell will not have a legal target. This means that this Counterspell will end up being countered on resolution and go to its owner's graveyard. The creature in question will remain in play and be completely unaffected by this Counterspell.

Q: Can a player place Kudzu on my land, tap the land with an Icy Manipulator, and then, as my land goes to the graveyard, use Simic Guildmage's ability to put Kudzu on another land I control?

A: No. Your opponent cannot play the Guildmage's ability while Kudzu's triggered ability is resolving, as no one has priority then. However, he can tap this land and then, with Kudzu's triggered ability on the stack, he can move the Kudzu to a different land you control. If he does, then this new land will be the one that is destroyed when Kudzu's triggered ability resoles. When this happens, you will then be able to attach Kudzu to a land of your choice. Regardless of what actually transpires, you will only lose one land and the Kudzu will end up on a land of your choice. Your opponent can use the Guildmage ability to move the land at this point, but if the Kudzu is on a land he controls, he will not be able to use the Guildmage's ability to put it on a land you control.