Rules Tip of the Day: Many older cards—and occasionally some new ones—have had their official text changed. The collection of the official card texts for each card is collected in a document called the Oracle, accessed through a tool called Gatherer. The Oracle is updated after the release of every set, and in fact some changes were made with the release of the online only Masters Set. You can find various Oracle files at http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/oracle.

Q: If I have Djinn Illuminatus and Fist of Suns out, can I play a Searing Wind three times by paying three of every color?

A: No. Fist of Suns changes what you have to pay to play a spell; it does not actually change the mana cost or any other cost that is derived from the mana cost, like Replicate. To play Searing Wind and Replicate it two times you'd have to pay 16WUBRRRG.

Q: I have a Children of Korlis in play. My opponent plays Tendrils of Agony on me with a Storm count of 10. Am I going to be able to sac the Children of Korlis to avoid dying? Or do all eleven Tendrils come at me simultaneously.

A: When Tendrils of Agony is played, the Storm triggered ability will go on the stack on top of the original spell. When this trigger resolves, ten copies of Tendrils of Agony will go on the stack. Each of these copies will resolve individually, one by one. In between each resolution, each player will gain priority and the ability to play spells and abilities. You can survive if you sacrifice Children of Korlis to activate its ability after some of these spells have resolved but not all of them. If your opponent has no other tricks up his sleeve, then your best bet is to do this after nine of the copies have resolved. If you started with 20 life, you'll be at two life at this point, but you will go back up to 20 life. Then the final copy and the original Tendrils of Agony will resolve and you'll end up at 16 life. Keep in mind that your opponent's life total will still be pretty high, as he will have gained 22 life.

Q: Can you play a Stingscourger if no opponents control creatures? I think its unsummon effect should just fizzle, is that right?

A: Yes, you can play Stingscourger even if your opponent does not control any creatures. If you do, the ability will trigger, go on the stack, but as there is not a legal target for the ability, the ability will leave the stack and do nothing. Also when something 'fizzles' (an informal term), that means that something is countered on resolution, but that is not what is happening here. The ability just leaves the stack and does nothing.

Q: On my first turn, I play River of Tears, and on my next turn, before I play a land, I tap River of Tears to add a blue mana to my mana pool. I then play a Swamp and tap it to add a black mana to my mana pool. In total, will I have a blue and a black mana in my mana pool?

A: Yes, that is correct. Once the mana is in your mana pool, playing a land will not change it. River of Tears' ability only cares whether you have played a land or not before you activate its mana ability.

Q: I have Sengir Nosferatu in play. My opponent attacks with all four creatures he controls. Can I block all four creatures using Sengir Nosferatu's ability?

A: No, all blocking creatures are declared at the same time. You'll either have one Bat token or one Sengir Nosferatu when blockers are declared.

Q: I return Undead Gladiator from my graveyard to my hand, discarding Nightshade Assassin. If I pay the Madness for Nightshade Assassin, could I reveal the Undead Gladiator for the Assassin's comes-into-play ability?

A: No. When you activated Undead Gladiator's ability, you discarded this Nightshade Assassin as part of the activation cost. When you do this, the Madness ability of the Assassin will trigger and go on the stack on top of the Gladiator ability. This Madness ability will resolve first, and you can play the Assassin spell at this time. If you do, the Assassin will come into play and its comes-into-play ability will trigger. This trigger will then go on top of the stack and you will choose a target creature in play. Keep in mind that at this point, the Undead Gladiator's ability is still on the stack. When this trigger resolves, you may reveal a black card in your hand. TTe Gladiator is not in your hand at this point yet, so you will not be abel to reveal it.

Q: I have a Mirari in play and I want to Flashback my Deep Analysis and copy it through Mirari. Will I have to pay three life twice?

A: No, you only pay this additional cost when you Flashback the original Deep Analysis. When you make a copy of a spell with Mirari's ability, you do not have to pay any costs associated with playing the spell.