Rules Tip of the Day: Creatures and players with protection from a quality cannot receive damage from sources of the protected quality.

Q: If Dryad Arbor is targeted by a spell or ability that causes it to become another creature—for example, by Jhorael or Living Terrain&mash;does that rewrite it to be a creature with the relevant power and toughness, rather than a 1/1?

A: Yes. If an "animation" effect is applied to the Dryad, then the Dryad will have power and toughness determined by this new effect.

Q: If I play Grapeshot with one spell having been played before it, two spells—one original and one copy—go on the stack. Can someone counter the copied spell with Nix? Does Nix only require the targeted spell to have had no mana spent in playing it, or does it require the spell has actually been played?

A: The targeted spell does not have to have been played. It only has to be on the stack without mana having been spent to play it. In the example given, the Storm copy can be countered, as no mana was spent to play it.

Q: I have a nice Braids, Conjurer Adept deck going. I recently got four copies of Nix. Can this card counter a spell when my opponent tries to use the Braids ability?

A: No. When Braids, Conjurer Adept's ability resolves, the active player puts an artifact creature or land card into play. They do not play these cards, they put them directly into play without playing them. Because they are not played, they are not spells and cannot be countered.

Q: My opponent plays Longhorn Firebeast. In response to him playing the Firebeast, can I play Seht's Tiger, choose to have the Tiger give me protection from red, and then choose to have the Beast deal five damage to me? If I do this, will this send the Firebeast to the graveyard? Will I take any damage?

A: Yes, that works, and you won't receive any damage. The Firebeast will go to the graveyard if you choose to have it deal five damage to you. This damage may be prevented or redirected as any other damage, via a protection ability, or an activation of a Circle of Protection: Red, or other effect. Even if the damage is prevented, the Firebeast will still be sacrificed.

Q: My friend attacks me with two creatures. Before damage goes on the stack, I play Mystical Teachings, which my friend allows to resolve. I search my deck for Sudden Death. After putting Sudden Death into my hand, who has priority? I ask this because my friend says after resolution of Mystical Teachings and getting Sudden Death, he has the opportunity now to cast Stonewood Invocation. Is he right?

A: Yes he is. After any spell or ability on the stack resolves, the active player receives priority first. Your opponent can play Stonewood Invocation before you can play Sudden Death.

Q: My opponent has Swirl the Mists in play. He choose the color as "red". I play Voice of All, and pick as my chosen color "blue". Does Voice of All have protection from blue or protection from red?

A: It will have protection from blue. Swirl the Mists' ability only changes the text of cards, it does not alter other effects that do not give a card text. Voice of All's ability does not "write" anything on the card, it creates an effect that gives Voice of All protection of the chosen color. Swirls the Mists' ability does not affect this effect.

Q: If Manabarbs is in play and you Mana Short someone after their upkeep step, will the player take damage from Mana Short tapping all that player's land?

A: Manabarb's ability triggers when a land is tapped to play a mana ability, not just any time a land is tapped. So no, Manabarb's ability will not trigger when these lands are tapped because of Mana Short, and this player will not receive any damage.

Q: A player plays a Brain Freeze with a Storm count of five, and I turn a Mischievous Quanar face-up in response, copying Brain Freeze. What will the Storm count be on my version of the Brain Freeze, and how many copies will get?

A: Just one. Mischievous Quanar's ability puts a copy of the chosen spell on the stack. The Storm ability of a spell only triggers when the spell is played, not when a copy is put on the stack. So you will only have one copy of Brain Freeze on the stack.

Q: Can creatures take more damage then they have defense? If a 2/2 gets hit for eight damage, and my opponent has Repercussion out, how much damage would I take?

A: Yes, creatures can receive damage greater than their toughness. In the example given, the controller of this 2/2 creature will receive eight points of damage when Repercussion's triggered ability resolves.