Rules Tip of the Day: When a creature changes controllers, it is removed from combat, if it is in combat. However, if combat damage is on the stack, it will still be dealt as assigned, even to creatures that have been removed from combat.
Q: When Soul Snuffers comes into play, will it put a -1/-1 counter on creatures that have protection from black, like Chameleon Colossus?
A: Yes, as this ability does not target or deal damage, it can affect a creature that has a protection ability.
Q: I have a blue and black creature with flying in play, and my friend plays Gloomwidow's Feast. He puts a 1/2 green Spider token with reach into play. But he says that because my creature is both blue and black, he would get two of the spider creature token. Is this right?
A: No. Gloomwidow's Feast only cares that the targeted creature is blue or black or both. That it is both of the appropriate colors does not matter.
Q: I have two copies of Grimoire Thief in play, and I play a Memory Sluice, tapping both Grimoire Thieves for conspire. In which order will the cards go to the graveyard, and will they be removed from the game?
A: The triggered abilities from the Grimorie Thieves will go on the stack on top of the Memory Sluice. Those triggered abilities will resolve first and remove cards from the game, then the Memory Sluice will resolve and 'mill' cards.
Q: I have a Murderous Redcap in play and my friend has Kitchen Finks in play. They are put in the graveyard at the same time. Can I do the point of damage from the returning Redcap to the returning Kitchen Finks?
A: It depends on whose turn it is. When multiple abilities trigger at the same time, they go on the stack in APNAP (Active Player, Non-Active Player) order. This means that those abilities controlled by the active player go on the stack in whatever order he wants, followed by those controlled by the non-active player in whatever order he wants. Then these triggered abilities will resolve in LIFO (Last In, First Out) order. In other words, the last item added to the stack will resolve first. If you are the active player, the persist ability from your Redcap will resolve last, and you will be able to target the Finks. If you are the nonactive player, then you will not be able to target the Finks, as they will noo be in play when the Redcap's triggered ability goes on the stack.
Q: How do Rings of Brighthearth and Detainment Spell interact? Is is possible to attach Detainment Spell to a creature and then copy the equip ability and target another creature, effectively enchanting two creatures with the same card?
A: No. You can copy the ability, but the original activation will end up determining what Detainment Spell will attach to. The copy will resolve first and move Detainment Spell to a targeted creature. Then the original activation will resolve and move it to that targeted creature.
Q: If I cast Pithing Needle and name Faerie Macabre, will my opponent be able to use his Macabre to remove cards from my graveyard?
A: No. Faerie Macabre's ability that removes two card in a graveyard from the game is an activated ability.
Q: On cards like Vivid Creek and Vivid Meadow that come into play tapped, can I, as I play one, remove a charge counter and add two mana to my pool?
A: No, you can't add any mana to your mana pool. They come into play tapped, but that does not mean that their mana ability is activated.
Q: I play Slaughter Pact on a creature and it resolves. If I remove the Pact from my graveyard to the removed-from-game zone before my next upkeep, do I still have to pay for it?
A: Yes. When Slaughter Pact resolved, a delayed triggered ability was created. This delayed triggered ability will go on the stack at the beginning of your upkeep, even if Slaughter Pact is no longer in your graveyard.
Q: If a Karplusan Wolverine becomes blocked, and one damage is dealt to a target player, does that damage count as "combat damage" or not? For example, if I have a Lavacore Elemental in play at the time, can I put a time counter on it in response to the damage dealt to a player by a blocked Karplusan Wolverine?
A: No. It dealt damage in the combat phase, but that damage is not combat damage. Combat damage is the damage that creatures in combat assign at the beginning of the combat damage step that is equal to their power.
Q: If I have Energy Field in play and I control a planeswalker, can my opponents still deal damage to the planeswalker?
A: Yes, depending on the source of the effect and the type of damage. When a spell or ability would deal damage to you, you can choose to have it be prevented, so the controller of that source cannot redirect the damage to your planeswalker. However, your planeswalker can still be attacked and receive combat damage. Your Engergy Field will not prevent this.
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