Rules Tip of the Day: Paying costs for a spell or ability does not use the stack; it occurs either when a spell or ability is played or when a spell or ability resolves.
Q: If I reanimate a Marsh Flitter with Torrent of Souls, will the tokens get +2/+0 and haste?
A: No. Assuming that both black and red mana were paid for this Torrent of Souls, you will get both effects, but the token creatures made by Marsh Flitter's ability are not in play when Torrent of Souls resolves. The +2/+0 and haste bonuses are only given to those creatures controlled by the targeted player when Torrent of Souls resolves. Creatures that enter play later, even really soon after, will be unaffected.
Q: I have a Blowfly Infestation in play, and the last of my opponent's creatures just died with a -1/-1 counter on it. Am I forced to put a -1/-1 counter on one of my own creatures?
A: Yes. Blowfly Infestation's ability is not optional. When this ability triggers, you must choose a target creature if there is one, even if you control this creature.
Q: If I have multiple copies of Drowner Initiate in play, and a player plays a blue spell. Do I have to pay one mana for each Initiate in order to trigger them all, or will just one mana set them all off?
A: First of all, when anyone plays a blue or black spell, the abilities of each Drowner Initiate will trigger, go on the stack, and you will choose a target player for each ability. As each of these abilities resolves, you can pay one mana in order make this player 'mill' two cards. You will end up paying one mana for each ability; you cannot pay just one mana in total and have it apply to all abilities.
Q: My opponent has an Everlasting Torment in play. If I play Primal Command targeting myself to gain life and the enchantment to put on top of the library, do I gain life?
A: No. When resolving a spell, you do so in the order written. With respect to the Command spells from Lorwyn, you apply the chosen modes in the order that they appear on the card. This means that when resolving Primal Command, the Everlasting Torment is still in play when you would gain life, so you will not gain any.
Q: A player controls Puca's Mischief and a Serrated Arrows with no arrowhead counters on it. At the beginning of that player's upkeep, he puts the Serrated Arrows' trigger on the stack first and then Puca's Mischief's trigger on the stack last. The Puca's Mischief trigger resolves first and that player exchanges control of Serrated Arrows with something else. Will Serrated Arrows be sacrificed?
A: No. A permanent can only be sacrificed by its controller. When the Serrated Arrows' triggered ability resolves, the Serrated Arrows will be controlled by a player other than the controller of the triggered ability. Keep in mind that this ability will trigger in the next upkeep step of its current controller and will likely be sacrificed then.
Q: Does Raking Canopy hit every flyer that hits you, or just one per attack?
A: It triggers once for each flying creature that attacks you. When each of these abilities resolves, the creature that caused the ability to trigger will be dealt four points of damage. In the end, all attacking flying creatures will be dealt four points of damage.
Q: I play Nettlevine Blight onto my opponent's Sower Of Temptation. Later, my opponent plays a Scion of Oona. Will shroud prevent her from moving Nettlevine Blight to another creature she controls?
A: No, Nettlevine Blight's ability that returns it to play does not target anything. The controller of the permanent that was enchanted and sacrificed simply chooses another permanent they control to enchant and the Blight returns to play attached to it, this new permanent is not targeted in any way.
Q: I play Magus of the Abyss and during my upkeep, I target one of my creatures. I then turn a Willbender face-up. Am I allowed to target a creature one of my opponents controls?
A: No, Magus of the Abyss's ability can only target a creature controlled by the active player. This is a targeting restriction; it applies both when the target is initially chosen and when an effect would change this target.
Q: I have a Serra Avatar in play. It has Spirit Link on it. My opponent plays Backlash. Do I die, or does it end up doing nothing?
A: You will lose the game. When Backlash resolves, you will be dealt damage equal to your life total. This will cause Spirit Link to trigger. However, after Backlash has completely resolved, and before this triggered ability can go on the stack, state-based effects will be checked. At this point, you will have a life total of zero, and you will lose the game.
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