Ask the Judge, 5/13/2008
Rules Tip of the Day: The game does not advance unless both players pass priority in succession on an empty stack. A single player cannot choose to move on to the next step, phase, or turn unless their opponent has just passed priority on an empty stack.
Q: Can I choose hybrid cards when resolving Glittering Wish?
A: Mostly, yes, though some of the new hybrid cards in Shadowmoor are monocolored hybrid cards and cannot be retrieved with Glittering Wish. However, those cards with hybrid mana symbols in their mana cost that are made of two colored mana symbols are multi-colored cards.
Q: I have a Flourishing Defenses and a Safehold Elite in play. An effect deals two damage to the Safehold Elite; it dies and returns to play with a -1/-1 counter on it. Does the ability of Flourishing Defenses trigger?
A: Yes. Flourishing Defenses ability triggers when a -1/-1 counter is put on a permanent that is in play and when a permanent enters play with a -1/-1 counter.
Q: Faerie Macabre's ability indicates that you discard it to remove two cards from a graveyard. Is it possible to use the ability to remove another card and itself?
A: No. When you play this ability, the card has not yet left your hand when you choose the targeted cards in a graveyard. When you play a spell or ability, you choose all targets before you pay any costs. Keep in mind that you can target up to two target cards, so you can choose to target zero or one cards in a graveyard. Also, these two cards do not have to be in the same graveyard.
Q: I have a Tatterkite and a creature with one -1/-1 counter on it in play. If I play Fate Transfer can I choose the Tatterkite as a target?
A: Yes, you can target the Tatterkite with Fate Transfer. However, nothing will happen when Fate Transfer resolves. Tatterkite's ability makes the action of moving a counter onto it illegal, so no action is performed.
Q: I have Cinderbones in play untapped and I play Furystroke Giant, I can tap my Cinderbones to put two -1/-1 counters and no damage on a target creature, correct?
A: Correct. The wither ability will cause -1/-1 counters to be put on a creature rather than damage being dealt to it, anytime that a source with wither would deal damage to a creature. It does not matter if this damage would be dealt by an ability that not inherent and is given to the creature.
Q: If I play Mirrorweave targeting a Merrow Reejerey with eight other creatures in play, then play Summon the School, would the new tokens put into play become copies of the Reejerey?
A: No, Mirrorweave only affects those creatures that were in play when Mirrorweave resolved.
Q: My opponent plays Shock on my Pestermite. In response, I play Scion of Oona. He then plays Shard Volley on my Scion, and says that because the Scion is no longer in play, his Shock resolves too. Please explain who is right and why.
A: Your opponent is correct. A spell or ability is not countered on resolution until it attempts to resolve. It is possible for a spell or ability to be on the stack and have an illegal target for a bit. In this example, when the Shock attempts to resolve, the Pestermite does not have shroud, so it will resolve and deal two points of damage to the Pestermite.
Q: I have Darien, King of Kjeldor in play. My opponent plays Fodder Launch, targeting it. There are no other enchantments, abilities, or instants to change anything. Do I get 5 1/1 tokens?
A: Yes. When Fodder Launch resolves, Darien will get -5/-5, and you will be dealt five points of damage. State-based effects are not checked until after Fodder Launch has completely resolved, so Darien will be in play when this damage is dealt. This means that Darien's ability will trigger, and you can choose to get five Soldier tokens, even though Darien is not in play when this ability goes on the stack.
Q: If I haunt Nezumi Shortfang with Cry of Contrition and then later flip Nezumi, will the Cry of Contrition trigger when Stabwhisker the Odious hits the graveyard?
A: Yes. This permanent is still haunted. It does not matter that is is now flipped and its characteristics are different; it is still the same object.
Q: If I animate a Stalking Stones and equip it with a Paradise Mantle, will I be able to produce two mana, or only one?
A: Just one. You can either activate the inherent mana ability of the Stalking Stones or the ability given to it by Paradise Mantle. You cannot tap it just once and pay the activation cost of both abilities.





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