Rules Tip of the Day: You cannot tap a permanent or discard a card just because you want to. You can only do either of these things to pay the cost of a spell or ability or to satisfy an effect. You may also discard cards if it is the cleanup step of your turn and you have more cards then your maximum hand size.

Q: What happens when my Giant Oyster, which has eaten my opponent's Arcbound Bruiser down to a single +1/+1 counter (from its three original counters), is Red Elemental Blasted into oblivion? Does the Bruiser remember its two other +1/+1 counters, or are they permanently slurped?

A: First of all, some readers may not be aware that there is now a new state-based effect that states that when an object has both a +1/+1 and a -1/-1 counter on it, they both cease to exist (they effectively counter each other). This is primarily done for accounting reasons, as it is easier to figure out the game state if there are fewer counter on an object. So because of this new state-based effect, the Bruiser will end up with only a single +1/+1 counter on it after Giant Oyster leaves play.

Q: Can I target Saffi Eriksdotter when I sacrifice it?

A: Yes, but you probably won't get the result you are looking for. When you announce the use of this ability you can choose Saffi Eriksdotter herself as the target. However, later in the announcement process, you sacrifice Saffi to pay the cost of this ability. This means that later when the ability resolves, Saffi will not be in play, so this ability will be countered on resolution.

Q: I have Pandemonium in play. If I play Hunted Horror, do I deal 13 damage to my opponent?

A: No. In the end, you'll be able to deal seven damage to a single creature or player, and your opponent will be able to deal three damage to two targets, or six to one. The token creatures created by Hunted Horror's ability come into play under your opponent's control, so your opponent will be the one who gets to choose the target of Pandemonium's abilities. It does not matter that you own these tokens.

Q: I have a Faceless Butcher in play, removing a creature. Ixidron comes into play and the Butcher is turned face down. Does the creature removed by the Butcher come back into play, or is the creature removed permanently?

A: This removed creature will remain removed from the game permanently, assuming that Faceless Butcher is still face down when it leaves play. Faceless Butcher's leaves-play ability only triggers when it actually leaves play In this example it remains in play, but it has been turned face down. Even if this card leaves play while face down, the creature that was removed from the game earlier will stay removed from the game, as the face-down Butcher will not have the leaves-play triggered ability any longer.

Q: With Djinn Illiminatus in play, can you Replicate a Split Second spell?

A: Yes. Replicate is an additional cost that is paid when you play a spell; it does not count as playing a spell.

Q: Some Suspend spells, like Ancestral Visions and Lotus Bloom do not have printed casting costs. Is Chalice of the Void unable to counter Suspend spells with no casting costs?

A: No, The Chalice's ability can counter these spells if the Chalice has zero counters on it. These cards have no mana cost, but when on the stack they have a converted mana cost of zero.

Q: I control no creatures, and my opponent plays Smallpox. If I choose to discard Dodecapod to the Smallpox ability, will Dodecapod be sacrificed (does Smallpox occur as four individual actions?), or do all four pieces of Smallpox happen at the same time?

A: It will be sacrificed. Dodecapod's ability creates a replacement effect that changes what happens when you discard it due to a spell or ability controlled by an opponent. Instead of going to the graveyard, it will be put directly into play with two +1/+1 counters on it. This occurs before the portion of Smallpox resolves where you sacrifice a creature, as you do perform each of the four separate actions one at a time when Smallpox resolves. So, if you control no other creatures, then you will have to sacrifice the newly arrived Dodecapod.

Q: Do you announce the color choice of Persecute when the spell goes on the stack, or when it resolves? If you were going to Counterspell Persecute, can you wait until you know what color they are going to call before deciding?

A: You choose when it resolves. There are only a few things that are chosen when you play a spell or ability: modes, the value of X in a cost, any alternate or additional play costs, targets, and the division of an effect. Choosing a color is something that occurs when the spell or ability resolves. So no, you cannot wait to find out the chosen color before deciding to counter Persecute. If you do wait, then the spell is resolving and it'll be too late to counter it.