Rules Tip of the Day: Aura enchantments, which used to be called local enchantments, only target when they are spells on the stack. When they are permanents in play, they no longer target the permanents they enchant.

Q: I have a Wheel of Sun and Moon and a River Kelpie in play. If the Kelpie is killed without any counters on it, will it be sent to my graveyard and returned to play with a -1/-1 counter, or will it be put on the bottom of my library?

A: It will go to the bottom of your library. Wheel of Sun and Moon has a static ability that creates a replacement effect. Applying this effect does not use the stack. When the event that would put this River Kelpie into your graveyard is applied, the Kelpie goes to the bottom of your library instead. It never actually goes to your graveyard at all. Because of this, the persist ability never has a chance to trigger.

Q: A Witherscale Wurm with Rancor is blocked by another 9/9 creature. Does it live to tell the tale? In other words, would the nine -1/-1 counters on it be removed before it dies?

A: No. In this example, when combat damage is dealt, the Witherscale Wurm will receive nine -1/-1 counters; the blocking creature will receive nine (or more) points of damage; and the defending player will receive up to two points of damage. This will cause Witherscale Wurm's ability to trigger. However, before this triggered ability can go on the stack, state-based effects are checked. At this time, the 2/0 Witherscale Wurm will go to the graveyard. It will not be in play long enough for its triggered ability to remove the -1/-1 counters from it.

Q: I had a Cemetery Puca and a Kitchen Finks in play. When my Finks died, I paid 1 to make my Puca become a Fink. Now, the Cemetary Puca copying the Finks dies, goes to the graveyard, and is returned to play via persist. Does my revived Puca get a -1/-1 counter??

A: Yes. Regardless of the fact that it does not have the persist ability and it comes into play as a Cemetery Puca, it was returned by a persist ability, so it will come into play with a -1/-1 counter.

Q: I have Ashenmoor Liege and a token creature in play, and my opponent plays Shock targeting the token. I play Wild Ricochet targeting the Shock, and I make both Shocks on the stack target the Liege. Does Ashenmoor Leige's ability trigger once, twice, or not at all? And who ends up losing life?

A: It triggered once for the Shock that your opponent played that is now targeting it. You did not gain control of the original Shock; it is still controlled by your opponent. Wild Ricochet just changed its target, not its controller. When its target was changed, the Ashenmoor Liege did become targeted, so the Liege's ability triggered. However, the copy of Shock was created by your Wild Ricochet, so you control it. Because you control this spell, when the Liege becomes targeted by it, the Liege's ability does not trigger.

Q: I played a Cragganwick Cremator, and randomly discarded my Drove of Elves. It states that its power and toughness are equal to the number of green permanents you have. My opponent said that since it was never in play, its ability never takes place, so he takes no damage. I disagree, since it's not really an ability, just a description of its power and toughness, so he should take the damage. Which is right?

A: You are correct, but do not quite have the correct reasoning. The line on Drove of Elves that states that its "power and toughness are each equal to the number of green permanents you control" is an ability. This kind of ability is known as a characteristic-defining ability. This ability is applied in all zones. So the power of the Drove of Elves card you discarded will be determined by the number of green permanents you control, and Cragganwick Cremator's ability will deal damage.

Q: When using Gloomwidow's Feast, who controls the 1/2 Spider after destroying a target blue or black flying creature: the controller of Gloomwidow's Feast, or the controller of the flying creature which was destroyed?

A: The Spider token that is put into play by Gloomwidow's Feast is put under the control of the controller of Gloomwidow's Feast, not the controller of the blue or black creature with flying that was destroyed.

Q: If my opponent has Smokebraider and then puts Freed from the Real on it, does this allow for Smokebraider to become an infinite loop by being able to untap itself or is that just an ability of the enchantment?

A: No that does not work. Freed from the Real does not give any abilities to the enchanted creature; it itself has two activated abilities. As Freed from the Real is not an Elemental, you cannot spend mana from Smokebraider's ability to pay the activation cost of its abilities.

Q: I have a Forced Fruition out. My opponent plays Disenchant and targets it. Does he draw seven cards?

A: Yes. When this Disenchant is played, Forced Fruition's ability will trigger. This triggered ability will go on the stack on top of the Disenchant, and it will resolve first.

Q: If I play Pithing Needle and name Pact of Negation, then play Pact of Negation, will I lose the game if I don't pay the 3UU on my next upkeep?

A: Yes, you won't save yourself this way. Paying that cost occurs when Pact of Negation's delayed triggered ability resolves. It is not an activated ability.