Rules Tip of the Day: State-based effects are not checked until after a spell or ability has completely resolved and a player is about to receive priority. This means that if a condition for a state-based effect is met during the resolution of a spell or ability but then this condition changes so the state-based effect is not met, no state-based action will occur.

Q: My opponent has Sensei Golden-Tail, Samurai of the Pale Curtain, Konda's Hatamoto, and Promise of Bunrei in play. If I play Hideous Laughter, will the Promise of Bunrei trigger?

A: Yes. After the Hideous Laughter resolves state-based effects will be checked and Sensei Golden-Tail and the Samurai of the Curtain will be removed from the game. They are removed from the game, rather than going to the graveyard, due to the Samurai of the Pale Curtain's ability. Then state-based effects are rechecked and Konda's Hatamoto will go to the graveyard. This is because now that Sensei's Golden-Tail has left play Konda's Hatamoto's toughness is below zero. It will go to the graveyard as opposed to being removed from the game because Samurai of the Pale Curtain is not in play at this point When Konda's Hatamoto goes to the graveyard, the ability of Promise of Bunrei will trigger.

Q: In a recent game, I pumped my life up to over 30 and then played Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant which my friend responded by immediately blasting it with 2 damage from his Ghost-lit Stalker. I argued that it flips and becomes an enchantment immediately thus negating the damage while he claims that it destroys the creature before it flips and becomes an enchantment. Which of us is right?

A: Your opponent was correct. When Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendent enters play its ability will trigger and go on the stack. Your opponent can respond to this triggered ability and destroy Rune-Tail before it resolves and Rune-Tail flips.

Q: Can I fetch a dual land such as Bayou when I sacrifice a Sakura-Tribe Elder?

A: No. Bayou (and all of the other dual lands) may have two basic land types, but it is still a non-basic land and therefore can not be searched for when resolving the ability of Sakura-Tribe Elder.

Q: have an Isochron Scepter with Twincast imprinted and a Mirari out. Can I Twincast (with the Scepter) my Cranial Extraction and then use the Mirari to copy the original and the Twincast Cranial, so I get 4 Cranials?

A: Kind of. When you play Cranial Extraction Mirari's ability will trigger. When this triggered ability resolves you can pay 3 mana to make a copy of Cranial Extraction. Then you can use Isochron Scepter to make a copy of Twincast and play this copy. When you play this copy Mirari's ability will trigger then as well. When this triggered ability resolves, you can pay 3 mana to make a copy of Twincast. You can also choose to have this copy of Twincast target the Cranial Extraction as well. So you can end up with four copies of Cranial Extraction, but you make the fourth copy in a roundabout way, by using Mirari to make a copy of Twincast which then makes a copy of Cranial Extraction. Easy, huh?

Q: I was wondering is I would be able to imprint Vitalizing Cascade onto Isochron Scepter and be able to get Vitalizing Cascade's effect?

A: You can imprint Vitalizing Cascade onto Isochron Scepter, but because you are not paying the mana cost of this copy and you are not given the opportunity to choose a value for X. This means that these copies of Vitalizing Cascade will only allow you to gain 3 life.

Q: I have Sphere of Resistance in play. I play Engineered Explosives, declaring X=0. I tap a Mountain to pay the extra cost. How much charge counters will have the Explosives as they come into play? (I think that the answer is 1, but someone told me that the "extra cost" due to the Sphere does not count towards the sunburst ability, so in that case it would be 0 charge counters)

A: The converted mana cost of this spell is zero but the total cost you pay to play it is one due to the Sphere of Resistance. The Sunburst ability looks at the differently colored mana used to pay the cost, not just the mana cost. Because of this your Engineered Explosives will get a single charge counter when it comes into play.

Q: I have a Mountain and City of Traitors in play. I play Blood Moon. then I put a land from my hand into play. Do I have to sacrifice City of Traitors?

A: No. Blood Moon will change the land type of City of Traitors to Mountain. When it does it will removes any abilities that land has and give it the ability to generate red mana. This means that when you play an additional land its triggered ability will not be able to trigger, as that ability does not exist.

Q: How does Ensnaring Bridge works in a one on one game, and what is its effect in a multiplayer game? Does the Bridge only work for the player that played it or does its effect make it so other players can't attack each other? For example; Player A plays Ensnaring Bridge and has no other cards in hand. Player B wishes to attack player C with a 5/5 creature, can player B attack?

A: Ensnaring Bridge's effect will be applied to all creatures, not just your or those that would attack you. In other words it will prevent those with power greater than the number of cards in your hand controlled by one opponent from attacking another opponent. In the example given, player B will not be able to attack Player C with this 5/5 creature. If you are using some form of the range of influence option, the Ensnaring Bridge's effect will only prevent those creatures within range of you from attacking.