Q: Because you can announce a spell before you pay the mana cost, can you use Lion's Eye Diamond to pay for the spell? Previously, I understood that it was only useful if you had Tutored for something: Merchant Scroll for Fact or Fiction with the Diamond in response.

Also, can you clear up this Crystalkeep ruling for Lion's Eye Diamond: this ability is a mana ability, so it is played and resolves as a mana ability, but it can only be played at times when you can play an instant.

Thanks,
Jeremiah

A: Jeremiah,

You can't use LED's ability during the announcement of a spell/ability. LED is a mana ability, but you may only play it as an instant. There are times — like during the announcement of a spell — that you can play other mana abilities, but not LED.

Yes, if you Tutor for something and then use LED in response, you'll be able to use the mana to play the Tutored-for spell.

- Sheldon

Q: If I cast Eureka, and Ankh of Mishra is already in play, will players take damage if they put land into play? (Also on the same note, would Uktabi Orangatun destroy an artifact?)

A: Permanents put into play with Eureka will trigger coming-into-play abilities - so yes, they will take damage from the Ankh, and the monkey will destroy an artifact. Note that all these triggers will wait to go on the stack until after Eureka has finished resolving.

Q: If I have Consecrate Land on a Tundra, can my opponent destroy the land with Wasteland? (If he can, what does Consecrate Land do?)

A: Your opponent can target the Tundra with a Wasteland (which is sacrificed as a cost of playing the ability), but the Consecrate Land will save it from being destroyed.

Q: How do Eldamari's Vineyard and Seize the Day interact? Will the Vineyard activate again?

A: No. The Vineyard only triggers at the beginning of the First Main Phase.

Q: If a Hatred/ Firestorm is countered, do I still need to pay the life/cards? Are there any differences between these and cards like Acceptable Losses?

Q: Yes. You make all the payments, like the life for Hatred and the discard(s) for Firestorm/Acceptable Losses, during the announcement of the spell. If the spell is countered, you don't get any payments back.

Q: If a creature is used to block and then tapped before combat damage, does that creature still deal damage?

A: Yes. See sections 306-311 of the Comprehensive Rules for more on how combat works.

Q: Does Ground Seal nullify Tormod's Crypt?

A: No, because Tormod's Crypt doesn't target; it just removes the entire graveyard.

Q: Can COP: Red be used to prevent the damage from cards like Lava Blister?

A: Yes, but the shield has to be in place before Lava Blister resolves.

Q: Sheldon,

Can you help settle a debate? My friend claims that with two Seismic Assaults in play, he can deal four points of damage for every one land card discarded. I claim that the discarding of a land is the cost to activate each enchantment. Therefore, each discarded land allows him to activate only one of the enchantments, doing only two points of damage.

Peace,
Pastor Greg

A: Pastor Greg,

You're right. You can only use a resource (like a land you're discarding) to pay one activation. Your friend is probably confusing this with a triggered ability (say getting two copies for having a pair of Dual Natures in play).

Sheldon