Q: Reya and Braids do their thing on the beginning of the upkeep. So can I stack their abilities to kill a Staunch Defenders, then bring them right back? Or will they go off simeltaneously, meaning I cannot bring something back on the same turn I killed it?

Thanks!

Sincerely,
Peter Wainscott

A: Peter,

They don't go off simultaneously; they're stacked at the beginning of your upkeep in the order you choose. However, the Reya's ability is targeted; that means you must choose the creature that you'll be bringing back (and it must be in your graveyard already) when you put the ability on the stack. You can't choose a creature in play. That means you can't get a"loop" with a creature that's in play. You could, however, every turn reuse the same creature that begins in the graveyard. Stack Braids' ability first, then Reya's. Reya's will resolve first, putting your creature into play. If it has a coming-into-play triggered ability, that goes on top of the stack. Then, when Braids' ability resolves, you can sacrifice the creature you just brought back.

- Sheldon

Q: Mr. Menery,

I wish to get your take on a ruling made at our Arena Fun League. We were playing Type 1.5 and my opponent had a Kird Ape in play, which says""Kird Ape gains +1/+2 if you have any forests in play". My opponent had four Mountains and a non-basic land like an Elfhame Palace - a land that produces a green mana and another color mana. His claim was that the non-basic land was a Forest for purposes of the Kird Ape's ability. I argued it was not, that non-basic lands only produce colored mana but are not considered the basic land type... And that only the ten dual lands were considered 'Forests, Swamps, Plains, Mountains, and Islands' for abilities or triggers that relied on a basic land type.

He went to the store judge, who is studying for his Level One Certification, and he agreed with my opponent, citing rule changes with 7th edition.

Who is correct?

Kurt Molitor

A: Kurt,

You are correct. Producing green mana doesn't make something into a forest. That store judge needs to study a little more before taking his test! See Glossary,"Counts As" (which is an obsolete term — we simply say"is" now) for more details.

Q: I have a Devoted Caretaker untapped in play with an untapped plains. My opponent announces Urza's Rage and targets the Caretaker. I respond by tapping the plains and using the ability of the Caretaker on herself to give her pro-instant/sorcery. My question is: Does the caretaker die? I don't think so, because the caretaker is no longer a legal target and Urza's Rage counters itself... But Rage cannot be countered. Does the Caretaker live?

A: The Caretaker lives. Urza's Rage specifically says it can't be countered by spells or abilities. In this case, it gets countered on resolution by a game rule (413.2a) because its target is invalid.

Q: Can I target an Obliterate with an Absorb just so I can gain the life?

A: Yes, you may. Obliterate can't be countered, but it can be the target of counterspells.

Q: Think Tank and Pedantic Learning = combo? I mean, I look at the top card and it is a land, I discard it and draw the next card from Think Tank and a card from Pedantic Learning ?

A: It's a little bit of a combo. You look at the card. If you put it into your graveyard - and it's a land, Pedantic Learning will trigger. You don't draw additional cards from Think Tank. You just look at the top one at beginning of upkeep (Think Tank triggers only once).

Q: I want to use the ability of Cabal Pit to kill a Meddling Mage. I have seven cards in my graveyard, giving me threshold. I'm activating the Pit, saccing the land, putting the ability on the stack, targetting the Meddling Mage. Now in reaction my opponent plays Coffin Purge and targets the Cabal Pit I just sacced. We let the Coffin Purge resolve, and the Cabal Pit gets removed (now I still have seven cards in my graveyard). Now my opponent again responds to the ability of the Cabal Pit by flashbacking the Coffin Purge, targeting some random card in my graveyard. We let the flashbacked Coffin Purge resolve - and now I have six cards in my graveyard. Now I have no threshold. Then the ability of the Cabal Pit resolves. Does the Meddling Mage die, or is the ability of the Cabal Pit countered because I lack threshold?

A: The Meddling Mage still dies. Activated and triggered abilities that permanents have at threshold check the number of cards in your graveyard only when the abilities are played or triggered. Even if you have fewer than seven cards in your graveyard when an ability resolves, that ability will resolve normally (Odyssey FAQ).