Rules Tip of the Day: When you change the target of a spell or ability, you must choose a legal target for this spell or ability.

Q: I have Vigor in play and my 3/3 creature blocks a 3/3 attacking creature with wither. Does the blocking 3/3 get three -1/-1 counters? Three +1/+1 counters? Both? Neither?

A: Creatures with wither still deal damage, but how it is applied to creatures is a bit different. If this damage is prevented, then the creature receiving the damage will not receive any -1/-1 counters. Because Vigor gives +1/+1 counters for each point of damage prevented, this creature will end up with three +1/+1 counters on it.

Q: I cast Wild Swing, targeting two Islands and a morph. In response, my opponent unmorphs the creature, which turns out to be Fathom Seer, and returns the two Islands to his hand. Is the Fathom Seer automatically destroyed (as the only legal target remaining), or does it only die one time out of three?

A: Yes, this Fathom Seer will be destroyed. When Wild Swing resolves, you randomly choose one of the remaining targets. If one leaves play, each will have a 50/50 chance of being destroyed. If, as in this example, two of the three leave play, the last remaining target will be destroyed.

Q: If I have two copies of Everlasting Torment in play, does damage double the number of -1/-1 counters?

A: No. The wither keyword ability is not cumulative. A source of damage can have wither more than once, but that does not do anything. When these sources deal damage to a creature, the creature will still only receive -1/-1 counters equal to the amount of damage dealt.

Q: If I put +1/+1 counters on my Devoted Druid with Immaculate Magistrate, can I still trigger my Flourishing Defenses by paying the Druid's untap cost?

A: Yes. When you activate that untap ability, you put a -1/-1 counter on the Druid. It does not matter that this -1/-1 counter and a +1/+1 counter on the Druid will soon cease to exist; a -1/-1 counter was placed on a creature. Because of this, the ability of Flourishing Defenses will trigger.

Q: I have two Safehold Elites in play along with a Twilight Shepherd, and I play Wrath of God. Can I return the two Elites without triggering their persist ability, due to Twilight Shepherd's comes-into-play ability?

A: Yes. When Wrath of God resolves, all three of these creatures will be destroyed and all three of their persist abilities will trigger. As the controller of these triggered abilities, you can choose the order that they go on the stack. To get the result you want, have the persist ability of the Twilight Shepherd go on the stack last, so it resolves first. When it does, the Shepherd will be returned to play and its comes-into-play ability will trigger. When this ability resolves, you will return the two Safehold Elites to your hand. Then, when the other persist triggered abilities resolve, nothing will happen.

Q: I have Bog-Strider Ash in play with Shield of the Oversoul and Pariah's Shield equipped to it. My opponent attacks me with Wildslayer Elves, and I choose not to block. Does Bog-Strider Ash receive -1/-1 counters from wither?

A: Yes, this redirected damage is being dealt by a source with wither. As this damage is being dealt to a creature, the creature will receive -1/-1 counters.

Q: I Giant Growth a Spawnwrithe and attack. If it gets through, is the copy permanently a 5/5?

A: No, it will only be a 2/2; copies of an object do not copy effects applied to the object.

Q: Do -1/-1 counters stay on a creature if you regenerate it?

A: Yes, they will stay on the creature, as the creature never leaves play. It is the same permanent. Keep in mind that creatures that have their toughness lowered to zero or below cannot be regenerated.

Q: Does wither trigger Death Pits of Rath's ability?

A: Yes, when a source with wither deals damage and -1/-1 counters are applied, any abilities that trigger on dealing damage will trigger.

Q: I have a Cytoplast Manipulator in play, and another player plays a creature. I use its graft ability and transfer a +1/+1 counter to the new creature, and then use Cytoplast Manipulator's ability to take control of it. If I were to use Fate Transfer to move the counter back to Cytoplast Manipulator, would I lose control of the creature that I had taken control of?

A: No. Cytoplast Manipulator's ability only cares that this creature has a +1/+1 counter on it when the ability is played and when it resolves. The effect from this ability is still applied when the stolen creature loses the +1/+1 counter.

Q: Is playing spells from the top of your library with Future Sight or Magus of the Future considered drawing cards for the purpose of cards like Underworld Dreams?

A: No, these cards go from the top of a library to the stack as spells, they are never drawn and never go to a player's hand. Only effects that specificaly cuase you to draw a card, or drawing a card in the draw step of your turn, count as drawing a card.