Rules Tip of the Day: I will be out at PT Hollywood for the next few days and will not be able to answer questions as quickly as I normally do. That doesn't mean you shouldn't send them in, but be patient. I'm sure it will take me a while to clear out my inbox once I get back.

Q: If someone has Wheel of Sun and Moon in play and you destroy it, is the Wheel affected by its own ability?

A: It will be in play when the destruction effect is applied, so it will go to the bottom of his library.

Q: I have a Wildslayer Elves in play, enchanted with Shield of the Oversoul, and lands are my only other permanents. My opponent plays Glamer Spinners, targeting the Elves and a land. Would the Shield fall off, because its new target is not a legal enchantment, or would the effect do nothing, since its not a legal enchantment?

A: First of all, Glamer Spinners' comes-into-play ability only has one target; the permanent that has enchantments on it. When this ability resolves, you move the Auras on this target to another permanent controlled by the same player. This does not target the second permanent. However, you must choose a permanent that can have the Auras attached to the targeted permanent attached to it. In this example, your opponent cannot make a proper choice, so the Aura will remain on your Wildslayer Elves.

Q: I have Kitchen Finks with a -1/-1 counter and Saffi Eriksdotter in play. My opponent Shocks the Finks and I sacrifice Saffi to bring back the Finks. Does it come back to play with a -1/-1 counter?

A: No. A creature with persist only comes back into play with a -1/-1 counter if it is brought back into play by the persist ability. In this example, Saffi Eriksdotter's ability is what returns the Finks to play, so it will not have a -1/-1 counter on it.

Q: Does Yixlid Jailer stop creatures with persist from returning to play? Does the persist trigger happen when it is in the graveyard, or before it goes to the graveyard?

A: No, the persist ability triggers when a creature with persist leaves play. It does not matter if the creature loses all abilities when in the graveyard.

Q: Player A has five creatures in play: a Grozoth and four Merfolk Looters. Player A attacks with the four Looters. Player B, who controls two Grizzly Bears, blocks two of the Looters. At the end of the declaration of blockers step, Player A plays Mirrorweave targeting Grozoth. What happens to the four creatures that are already attacking but now find themselves with defender?

A: Nothing; they are still attacking. The defender ability only prevents a creature from attacking; it does not do anything to a creature that is already attacking.

Q: I attack with a 3/3 creature with wither, and my opponent blocks with a 1/1. He also has Flourishing Defenses in play. How many Elf tokens does he get?

A: Three. The blocking 1/1 creature will get three -1/-1 counters. Just like damage, creatures can receive more -1/-1 counter than are necessary to lower their toughness to zero. In this example, your opponent's Flourishing Defenses will end up putting three Elf tokens into play.

Q: In a recent game, my opponent had a Grindstone and Painter's Servant in play. He made all permanents blue with the Painter's Servant and then milled me with the Grindstone. Does that work?

A: Yes. Lands do not normally have a color, but they can be given one by an effect like Painter's Servant's.

Q: If I use two copies ofPresence of Gond on the same creature, and then tap it for the enchantment ability, will I be able to put two Elf Warrior tokens into play?

A: No, just one. This doubly enchanted permanent will have the activated ability to put an Elf Warrior into play twice. You can only activate one of these abilities at a time, not both.

Q: I attack with a Sickle Ripper, and my opponent blocks with Corrosive Mentor. Once combat damage is done, can I play Fate Transfer on my Sickle Ripper and put the -1/-1 counter on his Mentor, saving my creature and killing his?

A: No. After combat damage is dealt, state-based effects are checked. At this time, your Sickle Ripper will be a 1/0 creature and go to the graveyard. This will happen before any player can play any spells or abilities.

Q: What happens in a Two-Headed Giant game when a spell or ability causes one team to win and lose at the same time? For example, my opponents and my teammate have no cards left in their libraries, I have one card left, and an ability causes each player to draw a card. I think the rules see that three players have lost the game, resulting in both teams losing the game, without checking for a winner.

A: That is correct. There are actually very few ways to win in a game of Magic, but lots of ways to cause your opponents to lose. In this example, both the opposing team and your team lose, so the game is a draw.