Rules Tip of the Day: Effects that prevent you from playing specific card (Meddling Mage) or from playing spells for a specified amount of time (Orim’s Chant) will not prevent a player from putting a permanent into play with an activated ability.

Q: If I Imprint a creature with multiple abilities does each of those abilities imprint onto Death Mask Duplicant or do I have to choose only one? Example: If I remove a creature with Haste and First Strike, does Death Mask Duplicate receive both abilities?

A: Death-Mask Duplicant will get both Haste and First Strike. You do not have to choose one of the specified keyword abilities per imprinted card.

Q: I have Toshiro Umezawa in play, and my opponent has Leonin Shikari (or any other 2/2 creature). If I play Hideous Laughter, does Toshiro Umezawa’s ability trigger?

A: Yes, Toshiro's ability will trigger when it goes to the graveyard at the same time as a creature controlled by your opponent.

Q: If I tap Lantern-Lit Graveyard for red mana to play Blood Moon, will it untap during my next untap step? Would this differ if the Blood Moon is removed before my turn?

A: It won't untap regardless of whether the Blood Moon is in play. The effect that keeps the Lantern-Lit Graveyard from untapping is from the Lantern-Lit Graveyard's second mana ability. Whether or not this land it changed into a Mountain will not keep this effect from being applied.

Q: I was playing an opponent recently, and he was at 20, while I was at one.  I activated Goblin Charbelcher, choosing my opponent as the target.  He responded by playing Shining Shoal, removing Pristine Angel from the game in the process.  I was wondering how the effects resolved, and if it was possible to win or even draw the game in that process, or if I would have lost no matter what. 

A: It would be impossible for you to win the game, but it would be possible for the game to be a draw if you revealed at least 26 nonland cards before you revealed a land or at least 13 nonland cards and then revealed a Mountain. If either of the above conditions were met, then Charbelcher will deal 26 points of damage. Six of this damage will be directed to you and the remaining will be dealt to your opponent. After Charbelcher's ability has finished resolving, state-based effect will be checked and both of you will have a life total of zero or less and both of you will lose the game, making it a draw. If the Charbelcher deals less than 26 points of damage, then your opponent's life total will not go below zero and only you will lose the game. Another possibility is that a land is the first card revealed, if this is the case then no damage will be dealt, and the game continues.

Q: If I play Shock targeting my opponent and in response she plays Shining Shoal with X=2,  can I use my own Shining Shoal to redirect the 2 damage back to her somehow?

A: Yes, assuming that your opponent chooses either you or a creature you control as the target of his Shining Shoal. When your Shining Shoal resolves you can choose Shock as the source of damage you wish to redirect and your opponent as the target of your Shining Shoal. Then when the Shock resolves the replacement effect created by your opponent's Shining Shoal will be applied and redirect the damage to you or a creature you control. This replacement effect will have to be applied first as the Shock is not going to deal damage to you or a creature you control yet. Then after the replacement effect from your opponent's Shoal is applied, the Shock will deal damage to you or a creature you control, so the replacement effect from your Shoal can redirect this damage back to your opponent. Because an individual replacement effect is only applied once to an individual event, this will not create a loop.

Q: Can Elvish Spirit Guide be discarded for mana while Trinisphere is in play?

A: Yes. Discarding an Elvish Spirit Guide for mana is using an activated ability, it is not playing a spell. Trinisphere will not affect it.

Q: Can you Stifle the abilities of Illusionary Mask, especially concerning the flipping of the card?

A: You can Stifle the activated ability of putting a creature card into play face down. However turning a face-down card face up is not an activated ability, it is just the end of a continuous effect and it can not be countered.

Q: Would you explain the interaction between Beacon of Destruction andYawgmoth's Will?

A: When Beacon of Destruction resolves, it is shuffled back into its owner's library as part of its effect. Because it was never headed for a graveyard, Yawgmoth's Will's replacement effect will not apply, and it will not be removed from the game.