Q: Oh, wise minion to none,

At a small Type II tourney, it recently came up between game 2 and 3: Braids vs. Sacred Ground. I thought I remembered a Smokestack ruling about Smokestack not triggering Sacred Ground, because the Sacred Ground player is choosing the permanent to sacrifice. We asked the judge, he didn't know. Asked the top players there, they didn't know. Everyone but me thought the Sacred Ground would probably return the land to play. I sided Braids out as a compromise.

Please help, and thanks!
- John Golden

A: John,

Braids' ability is controlled by your opponent, even if you make the choice of which permanent to sacrifice (Glossary,"Control/Controller"). It will trigger Sacred Ground.

- Sheldon

Q: Is it possible to Divert a Flametongue Kavu's ability? In other words, can it change the target of permanents as they are being cast? I appreciate your time.

Thanks,
Mark Wallace

A: Mark,

No. Divert can only redirect spells. The Flametongue's damage is a triggered ability. The Flametongue spell, which is what puts the creature into play (and afterward generates the triggered ability), has no targets.

- Sheldon

Q: Gary Wise noted that"Chamber of Manipulation can be comboed with Braids, Cabal Minion" in his limited review. Now, I'm a bit confused : I thought 'at the beginning of your upkeep' effects triggered and resolved before you could do anything else? Am I wrong?

A: Kind of. Beginning of upkeep triggers go on the stack before you can do anything...but then you can respond. That means you can put Braid's trigger on the stack, then use the Chamber to steal a creature. When the Braid's ability resolves, you can sac the creature you just stole.

Q: My opponent taps five mana in preparation to cast a spell. In response, I cast Cease Fire. He didn't announce the spell; he just tapped the mana. If he was preparing to cast a creature, does this force him to be unable to use the mana and take burn?

I'm utterly baffled by Wizards changes to the mana tapping rules. I've never tried to play it that way, but it seems like mana tapping reads as an instant if you try to float mana. I have no idea; I'm baffled by that.

A: You took away priority when you couldn't. He taps his five mana, he still has priority (since mana abilities don't use the stack). You can't play Cease Fire until after he's already played his spell — unless he gives you expressed permission to do so ("I take five mana and pass priority to you"). Tapping mana is not an instant — it doesn't use the stack.