Rules Tip of the Day: There is a combat phase in every turn, even if no attacking creatures are declared. If, at the beginning of the declaration of attacker step, no attackers are chosen, then you finish that step and then skip to the end of combat step.

Q: If I have Vigor in play and use my Tahngarth, Talruum Hero targeting itself, how many +1/+1 counters does Tahngarth get?

A: Twelve. When Tahngarth's ability resolves, it would deal four damage to itself at first. Instead of this damage being dealt, it will recive four +1/+1 counters. Then when it would deal damage to itself the second time it will have a power of eight. This means that it will then attempt to deal eight damage to itself and then gain eight more +1/+1 counters instead.

Q: I have a Brighthearth Banneret in play and an additional on in my hand. Does the ability of the one in play lower the cost to play the reinforce ability of the one in my hand?

A: No. Reinforce is an activated ability of the card it is on; it is not a spell cost. Brighthearth Banneret's ability lowers the cost to play Elemental and Warrior spells; it does not lower the cost to play activated abilities.

Q: My opponent plays Lignify targeting my Moonglove Changeling. If I activate the Changeling's ability in response, will it have deathtouch until the end of turn?

A: No. When Moonglove Changeling's ability resolves, it will give itself the deathtouch keyword ability. Then Lignify will resolve and remove all abilities from this creature. This includes the Deathtouch ability. Technically speaking, the effect that gives it Deaththouch will still be applied until the end of the current turn, but the keyword ability itself will be removed form the creature.

Q: I target my Battlewand Oak with Wings of Velis Vel. What is the power and toughness of the Treefolk?

A: When you play Wings of Velis Vel, the Battlewand Oak's ability will trigger. This triggered ability will go on the stak on top of the Wings, and it will resolve first. When it does, it will give the Oak +2/+2. Then Wings of Velis Vel will resolve and set the power and toughess of the Oak to 4/4. This will, in effect, negate the +2/+2 from the Oak's own ability, as both of these effects are applied in the same sublayer and the effect from the Wings of Velis Vel has a later timestamp.

Q: I was wondering if planeswalkers can be targeted by healing effects to add loyalty counters? For instance, if I have ten Forests and Garruk Wildspeaker in play, and I play a Joyous Respite from my hand, can I transfer the healing from me to Garruk as it resolves, just like it is done with damage?

A: No. You can redirect noncombat damage that would be dealt to an opponent to a planeswalker they control, but there is not a similar process with life gain.

Q: When I play it, does Mycosynth Golem benefit from one or two instances of affinity for artifacts? I'm thinking noe for its static "affinity" ability and one additional for the "artifact creature" ability written below on the card.

A: Just one. It's second ability does not apply to itself, as that ability only applies while the Golem is in play. When it is a spell on the stack, only its normal, inherent affinity ability will lower its own cost.

Q: I have a Bringer of the White Dawn and a Leonin Sun Standard in play. I use the ability of Bringer of the White Dawn, targeting a Suntouched Myr in my graveyard. Before it resolves, I activate the ability of the Leonin Sun Standard. Will the Suntouched Myr enter play with +1/+1, or will my Bringer of the White Dawn be a lone 6/6 on my side of the board?

A: You'll only have the Bringer in play when all of this resolves. Leonin Sun Standard's ability gives +1/+1 to creatures you control when the ability resolves. A creature that has not entered play yet will not receive this bonus. This means that the Suntouched Myr that you are reanimating will enter play as a 0/0 creature and will go to the graveyard.

Q: If I have a Seismic Assault in play, can I cycle a land to trigger it and still draw my card?

A: No. In order to activate Seismic Assault's ability, you must discard a card to pay that activation cost. That ability does not activate anytime you discard a land card, only when you discard one for the expresse purpose of activating Seismic Assault's ability.

Q: In a Two-Headed Giant game, my teammate deals damage to one of our opponents with a Goblin. Can I play my Earwig Squad by paying its prowl cost?

A: No. In order for you to take advantage of the prowl ability of your Earwig Squad, you must have controlled the Goblin or Rogue that dealt combat damage to an opponent. The fact that an opponent was dealt combat damage is not enough for you to play this spell via its prowl ability.