Ask the Judge, 6/18/2008
Rules Tip of the Day: Currently, there is no way for a flip card to flip back to its original version unless the card leaves play and then returns to play.
Q: I have two copies of Raking Canopy and my opponent attacks with a face-down Akroma, Angel of Fury. When he turns it face-up, will it receive eight damage?
A: Not if he turns it face-up after it has been declared as an attacker. Raking Canopy's ability triggers when a creature with flying is declared as an attacker. It will not trigger if an attacking creature gains flying after attackers have been declared. So this Akroma will not receive any damage from the Canopies.
Q: Can you Beseech the Queen for a land?
A: Yes. Lands do not have a mana cost and therefore have a converted mana cost of zero. You can always use Beseech the Queen to search for a land.
Q: Would a Forest enchanted with Fertile Ground allow Reflecting Pool to make any color mana?
A: No. When you tap this Forest, it will generate green mana and the triggered mana ability of the Fertile Ground will generate one mana of any color. Reflecting Pool can only generate one mana that a land you control could produce, not mana that is generated by an aura attached to a land you control.
Q: I play a Cragganwick Cremator, and when it comes into play, I discard Tarmogoyf. I know that the Cragganwick Cremator will deal damage equal to the Tarmogoyf's power, which is equal to the number of card types in graveyards. But what if I were to discard a Borderland Behemoth? Would it deal eight damage (assuming the Cragganwick Cremator is the only giant I control)? Or would it deal only four?
A: Just four. The Behemoth's ability only applies when it is in play. That ability is different from the Tarmogoyf's ability as it is not a characteristic-defining ability. Characteristic-defining abilities apply in all zones; other static abilities only apply when they are in play (with a few exceptions).
Q: With Gloomlance, if I kill a green creature, the controller discards one card; if I kill a white creature, the controller discards a card. If I kill a green and white creature, does the controller discard two cards?
A: No. Gloomlance only cares that the targeted creature is green or white; the effect is the same if it is both.
Q: I control a Puca's Mischief and a card with cumulative upkeep. At the beginning of my upkeep, I place the cumulative upkeep ability on the stack, then place the Puca's Mischief ability on the stack on top of it, choosing to exchange my permanent with cumulative upkeep for an opponent's permanent. What happens when the cumulative upkeep trigger resolves?
A: When that trigger resolves, you will put an additional age counter on that card, and you can choose whether or not you want to pay the cumulative upkeep. If you don't you will be instructed to sacrifice this permanent. You don't control it, so you cannot sacrifice it, and nothing will happen.
Q: Can I use the black mana from Primal Beyond to activate Graven Cairns' filter ability for playing elementals (like Smokebraider or Shriekmaw)?
A: No. The colored mana from Primal Beyond must be spent directly on an Elemental spell or ability. You cannot use it to pay the activation cost of Graven Carins' mana ability, even if you plan on using that mana to play an Elemental spell.
Q: I have a Cloudthresher with a mannequin counter. My opponent plays a Slaughter Pact, targeting my Cloudthresher and sending it to the graveyard. He claims that he doesn't have to pay the cost of his Slaughter Pact during his next upkeep, because he simply "targeted" my Cloudthresher, and didn't actually "destroy" it. Is he right?
A: Yes. In this example, when your opponent played Slaughter Pact, the triggered ability given to it by Makeshift Mannequin will trigger. This triggered ability will go on the stack on top of the Pact and it will resolve first. When it does, you will sacrifice the targeted Cloudthresher. This will cause the Slaughter Pact to become countered on resolution. Because it is countered, it does not create a delayed triggered ability that causes its controller to pay or lose.
Q: If I activate Ghitu Encampment, then play Magus of the Moon, is Ghitu Encampment still a creature? Why or why not?
A: Yes. Magus of the Moon will remove the animation ability of Ghitu Encampment, but the animate effect from the previous activation will still be applied. This land will be a 2/1 land creature that taps for red mana until the end of turn, at which point the animation effect will wear off. It will not have first strike, because this land will lose all abilities and gain just the one to generate red mana when Magus of the Moon enters play.
Q: I have Abundance in play. What happens if I choose land and there are no lands left in my library?
A: You will reveal your library until you cannot reveal cards any longer. Once you have run out of cards you will rearrange the cards you have revealed in any order you want. That's pretty much it; you won't add a card to your hand, but you will be able to order your entire library.





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