Ask the Judge, 9/10/2008
Rules Tip of the Day: There is no such thing as infinity in Magic. If an unbounded, controllable loop is created, the controller of the loop needs to choose a number and they repeat the loop that many times.
Q: My opponent has a Fiery Bombardment in play and he chooses to sacrifice Demigod of Revenge. In response, I choose to play a removal spell such as Unmake. Then my friend clams that he can pay 2 more mana and target Demigod of Revenge again in an attempt put a new copy of the spell on top of the stack. Can he do that?
A: Technically, no, but he does not need to. You cannot play Unmake and target this Demigod. He sacrifices the Demigod when he activates Fiery Bombardment's ability. This is a cost to play the ability; payment of costs does not use the stack and no player can respond to the payment of costs. By the time you receive priority to do anything, the Demidog is not in play for you to target.
Q: If I have Runed Halo, naming Tarmgoyf, but I control ai planeswalker, can my opponent attack the planeswalker with his Tarmogoyf?
A: Yes, the Halo does not prevent your opponent from attacking planeswalkers you control or prevent it from being damaged by the chosen source.
Q: My opponent controls one of my creatures through a card like Persuasion. If I play Glamer Spinners and remove the enchantment from my creature, where does it go? And do I put it on one of his creatures, since he controlled my creature when I removed it?
A: The control effect applied by Persuasion to the enchanted creature will end when you move it, and you will regain control of this creature. Also, you choose the targets of Glamer Spinner's ability when the ability goes on the stack. At that time, your opponent controls the enchanted creature, so the other targeted creature will be another creature that your opponent controls. It is not relevant that your opponent will lose control of the enchanted creature when the enchantment is moved.
Q: My opponent has a Prison Term on one of my creatures. I resolve a Sygg, River Guide, and my opponent moves the Prison Term to Sygg. Can I put Sygg's ability on the stack, giving him protection from white before the Prison Term is attached?
A: Sort of. You can activate Sygg's ability targeting itself before the Prison Term resolves, but not after the Prison Term has been moved. If you give Sygg protection from white before Prison Term's ability resolves, then he will not be able to move Prison Term, and it will stay where it is.
Q: I have a Cemetery Puca in play copying a Reveillark. If it dies, can I put the Reveillark ability on the stack first, returning the Cemetery Puca to play, then use its ability to copy the "Reveillark" that just died?
A: No. This Cemetery Puca that is returned to play was not in play when the Reveillark left play, so its ability will not trigger.
Q: If I have a Leyline of Singularity in play and play Mirrorweave, the effect would be the same as if I played Wrath of God, correct?
A: No. With Leyline of Singularity in play, you cannot play Mirrorweave. Mirrorweave cannot target a legendary creature.
Q: Is a creature with protection from white or with shroud was safe from Porphyry Nodes' ability?
A: No, Porphyry Nodes' ability does not target. Creatures with protection from white or shroud can be destroyed by this ability.
Q: If I have a Loxodon Gatekeeper in my graveyard when I play Living Death, do my opponent's creatures from his graveyard come into play tapped?
A: No. Each of these creatures comes into play at the same time. Loxodon Gatekeeper's ability only applies to permanent cards that come into play when the Gatekeeper was already in play.
Q: Player A has two cards in play: Cowardice and Eater of Days. Player B plays Agonizing Demise targeting Player A's Eater of Days. How much damage does Player A receive, and why?
A: Zero. When you played this Agonizing Demise (presumably with the kicker cost paid), Cowardice's ability triggered and went on the stack on top of Agonizing Demise. This triggered ability will resolve first and return Eater of Days to its owner's hand. Then Agonizing Demise will become countered on resolution, as its target is not legal.
Q: My friend uses the activated ability on Shivan Gorge to deal one damage to me. Is that ability a red source (because of its red cost), and being so, can Circle of Protection: Red protect me from that?
A: No, the source of the ability is the Gorge, which is a land and is, therefore, colorless. It does not matter that the activation cost required red mana.





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