Q: So if my opponent has no cards in graveyard, does Grip of Amnesia counter spells or what? I say"no," since they can remove their graveyard, even though it has no cards in it, from the game - but am I right?

A: The controller of the spell still has to choose whether he will remove his or her graveyard from the game - but if he does, then it is countered. If you play a Power Sink for zero, you can choose not to pay the zero and the spell is countered. There aren't many situations where you'd want to do that, so the general answer is no.

Q: This is probably a basic question on the timing of Madness, but hoping you could explain for me.

I cast Devastating Dreams, one of the cards discarded is Basking Rootwalla.

I wish to pay the madness cost of the Rootwalla.

My question is the timing of this... Will the Devastating Dreams resolve before or after said Rootwalla?

- Aaron Teare

A: Hi Aaron,

The discarding for the Dream is an additional cost. When you announce the Dream, you will discard the Rootwalla. Then the active player would receive priority - but there is the madness trigger, which will go on the stack. Now the active player will get priority; if both players pass, we will resolve the madness trigger. He can pay or not; if he pays, then the Rootwalla will come into play and then the Dreams will resolve.

So first you resolve the Rootwalla, then the Dreams.

Hope this helps,

Gis

Q: Here's a situation: I attack with a creature and my opponent blocks with Beloved Chaplain (which has protection from creatures); we put damage on the stack and before the damage resolves, I play Flaring Pain (damage can't be prevented this turn). Since the protection from creatures will try to prevent the damage and the Flaring Pain won't let the damage be prevented, the Chaplain ends up dead. Am I right?

Thanks,
Luís Batista

A: Hi Luis,

You are absolutely correct. If the damage can't be prevented, protection won't work.

- Gis

Q: What happens when Voracious Cobra blocks Thorn Elemental?

A: First strike damage is put on the stack, no responses, then the first strike damage will resolve. The Cobra deals two damage to the Elemental. This will trigger the Cobra's ability, which will go on the stack. No responses, the ability resolves and destroys the Elemental. Then normal damage goes on the stack but there is no normal damage (since the Elemental is dead).

Q: Can the Elemental's damage be redirected to the blocking player?

A: No; the Elemental is dead before it ever got to the point that it would normally assign its damage.

Q: What if we give the Thorn Elemental first strike?

A: If the Elemental has first strike, its damage will go on the stack at the same time as the Cobra. When the damage is put on the stack, the player will choose where the damage will go. So yes, the player can choose his opponent.

Gis

Q: Hi Josh,

My opponent has six mana and plays Quiet Speculation, searches his deck for two Deep Analysis and one Roar of the Wurm, and places them in his graveyard. Is there any possible way for me to use an instant like Coffin Purge to get rid of the Roar before he can cast it?

A: After the Quiet Speculation has resolved, your opponent will receive priority and the chance to play the Roar. There is no chance for you to use the Coffin Purge.

Q: Is it any different if he discards the Roar as part of a cost like Wild Mongrel's ability?

A: Yes, it is different. He will announce the ability of the Wild Mongrel, discarding the Roar as part of that announcement. The ability goes on the stack. He will receive priority and then passes. When you receive priority, you are now free to play the Coffin Purge on the Roar of the Wurm in the graveyard.

(If he had discarded a Beast Attack, he would have had the opportunity to play it here as an instant in response, without you having a chance to Coffin Purge.)

Hope this clears things up for you,

Gis

Q: If I am playing in a 1.5 tourney and I have a Mogg Fanatic in play, when I sacrifice him as a cost to play Goblin Grenade, can I still have him deal his one point of damage?

A: No, you can't, when you announce the Goblin Grenade, you have to sacrifice a goblin as part of the cost. You cannot use that goblin for anything else.

Gis

Q: Let's say I have a Parallax Wave in play and under it are two Mageta, The Lions - both belong to my opponent. When the Wave leaves play, both Magetae will come back at the same time and then be destroyed since they are both legendary, correct?

Also, what would happen if one Mageta was mine and the other was my opponent's?

A: Yes, you are mostly correct. They will not be destroyed, but put into their owner's graveyard instead. Otherwise, when two Cromats came into play at the same time you could just regenerate them.

It makes no difference who controls them; all creatures come into play at the same time.

Gis

Q: Can Divert target an enchant permanent spell?

A: Yes; when cast, an enchant permanent has one target, so it can be Diverted.

Q: Let's say I have four creatures out and an Opposition, and my opponent has a Pernicious Deed and four lands out; if I tap all of his lands during his upkeep phase with my creatures, can he blow the Deed up in response?

A: Like most abilities, the tapping of a land with Opposition uses the stack. So you announce the ability during his upkeep, and he can respond to that while the Opposition ability is on the stack waiting to resolve. He is able to tap the land for mana and he can use the mana however he wants. Blowing up the Deed is a very sensible plan.

Q: When an attacking creature is removed from the game with Second Thoughts, does it still deal its combat damage?

A: Depends on when you remove it. If you remove at in the"declare attackers" or"declare blockers" step of the combat phase, it won't deal damage. If you remove it in the"stack damage" or"end of combat step," it will deal damage.

In short: If the damage has already been put on the stack, it will deal damage.

Hope this helps,

Gis