Ask the Judge, 06/08/2005
Rules Tip of the Day: Most abilities that prevent damage do not target the source of the damage that is prevented. When offered a choice, you can choose to prevent the damage from a source that cannot be targeted, as choosing a source does not target.
Q: Does the activated ability of Oboro Envoy work on creatures end and the end of turn? The card doesn't specifically state so.
A: Yes it does, that card was misprinted. It received erratum in the Saviors of Kamigawa FAQ so that the effect does end at the end of the current turn.
Q: I have bet: I say that Celestial Kirin cannot be used to destroy all lands in play using Evermind. My friend says it can. What is the answer?
A: You are correct. Evermind cannot be played at all, so Celestial Kirin's ability will not trigger. (The only way I know of to use Celestial Kirin's ability to destroy lands would be to use Conspiracy naming "Spirit" and then play a creature spell with a mana cost of zero.)
Q: What happens to the Measure of Wickedness if I sacrifice my Frostling and deal the 1 damage to a 1/1 creature my opponent controls (assuming the 1/1 is not a token)?
A: Your opponent will gain control of it as it's ability will trigger when the Frostling goes to the graveyard. However when the Frostling ability resolves and your opponent's 1/1 creature goes to the graveyard, the ability will trigger again and you will regain control of the Measure of Wickedness.
Q: If my opponent plays Tooth and Nail without Entwine, then I play Twincast targeting that Tooth, what happens? Can I pay two mana to activate the Entwine after I copy that Tooth? Or I can only choose one (between search or play)?
A: No, you cannot pay the additional two mana. In fact you are not given a choice as to which mode that your copy will be. The copy created by Twincast will be the exact same as the copy played by your opponent with the mode he chose.
Q: If I were to have played Undying Flames, could I then use an Isochron Scepter to cast an imprinted Magma Jet, or does the epic ability prevent me from playing the imprinted spell?
A: You won't be able to play this spell. Isochron Scepter makes a copy of the imprinted card and the Epic effect will prevent you from playing this copy.
Q: If I play Sakashima from hand (paying his mana cost) and there's let say Myojin of Infinite Rage in play, will Sakashima come into play (as a copy of the Myojin except name) with an Divinity counter on it?
A: Yes it will. Because it comes into play with the abilities of the chosen creature and you did play it from your hand, it will come into play with a divinity counter on it.
Q: What if an opponent chooses 0 for Choice of Damnations. Does nothing happen? Also, can they choose 0 as a number?
A: Yes the targeted opponent can choose zero. If he does, then you can choose to have him not lose life and then he will have to sacrifice all permanents he controls.
Q: I am a wink confused about the full abilities of Misdirection. The scenario is this: I have a Meddling Mage naming Fireblast and a Nimble Mongoose in play. My opponent casts Thunderclap targeting the Mage. Originally, I thought that there was nothing I could do, but I came across this ruling on Misdirection made me wonder:
"Misdirection does not check if the current target is legal. It just checks if the spell has a single target."
Theoretically, could I change the target to a creature that cannot be targeted only to have the original spell fizzle upon resolution?
A: No. That ruling means that even if the current target of the Fireblast is illegal (for example if the Meddling Mage gained Protection from Red after Fireblast was played), that you can still change the target of the Fireblast. It does not mean that you can use Misdirection to choose an illegal target for the Fireblast. Anytime a target for a spell or ability is chosen, a legal one must be made, even if the person making the choice is not the controller of the spell or ability.





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