Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2000 22:50:58 +0000 From: Paul Barclay Subject: [O] NetRep Reply 515 ======================================================================= NetRep Reply number 515 to the Magic: the Gathering List ======================================================================= This reply covers the digests: MTG-L Digest - 22 Jan 2000 to 23 Jan 2000 (#2000-25) MTG-L Digest - 23 Jan 2000 to 24 Jan 2000 (#2000-26) MTG-L Digest - 24 Jan 2000 to 25 Jan 2000 (#2000-27) MTG-L Digest - 25 Jan 2000 to 26 Jan 2000 (#2000-28) MTG-L Digest - 26 Jan 2000 to 27 Jan 2000 (#2000-29) Older replies may be found at: http://www.second-hand.demon.co.uk ftp://ftp.magic.asuka.net http://yavapai.ccgnews.com http://www.en.magic.asuka.net http://www.thedojo.com/backpage-rulesregulations.shtml FOLLOWUP TO PREVIOUS REPLIES: ======================================================================= ** I'm back from LA, and I've managed to catch up. See this Reply and Reply #516 for all the answers from the last two weeks. SHORT ANSWERS: ======================================================================= ** "Enchanted Creature is unblockable" is an evasion ability. It's an evasion ability of an enchantment, not of the creature that the enchantment is on, though. So, Humility can never remove it. ** The Parallax enchantments all have errata. See the Nemesis FAQ or the Oracle for Nemesis on http://www.wizards.com/dci/judge ** Unmask says "Target Opponent". It can't be Misdirected to another player in a duel. LONG ANSWERS: ======================================================================= [Mat Brown, asking about copiers] >> Note that the "initial" level is only there in order to force counters >> to be applied after type-changing stuff, but before other P/T changing >> stuff. So, it's only relevant for stuff that changes Power/Toughness. > >Are you sure that is the only reason that initial characteristics are >defined? Maybe not originally, but that's the only thing they were put into the rulebook to do. >I seem to recall being told that when the 6th Edition rules were designed, >initial characteristics were designed with the idea of using them for copy >cards as well. That was pre-6th edition, actually - in 5th Edition, both copiers and type-changers used "base" stuff (some of the time, at least). >For cards that say they copy a card, like Dance of Many, it makes sense for >them to just copy the card. For cards that say they copy a creature, like >Clone, it doesn't make sense for them to just copy the card. If Clone is >going to be ruled to copy a card, it needs to be issued errata to say that >it copies a card. Not a bad idea at all, I think. ----- [Bob Terrell, asking about the en-Kor] >How are the en-Kor abilities worded, anyway? Can you use them when there's no >damage assigned/on the stack/dealt to them? Yes, you can use them any time. They're worded exactly like it says on the card. Note that the Classic Rulebook will be updated to say that damage cannot be redirected from or to something that isn't a creature. ----- [Jeff Jordan, talking about "initial"] >> Note that the "initial" level is only there in order to force >> counters to be applied after type-changing stuff, but before other >> P/T changing stuff. > >That is one reason. It also lets creatures get creature types when >they become creatures, (basic) land get mana abilities, and local >enchantments get the characteristics that define the "enchanting" >conditions. There are effects that require these to be defined before >"normal" CEs can be applied, just like counters "require" P/T. No. These are "normal" CEs (except for the creature types one, of course). >And counters aren't the only reason for P/T to work before "normal" >abilities. What if I draw a card while I control a Maro? Does this >immediately overwrite any Giant Growth or Sorceress Queen effects? The Maro's ability has a single timestamp. It's just calculated all the time. Just like Empyrial Armor. Counters (and P/T changing stuff) are the _only_ reason to have stuff be "initial". >> So, it's only relevant for stuff that changes Power/Toughness. This >> makes things just about workable. For all other effects, the normal >> continuous effect application rules are sufficient. > >Soul Sculpt a creature, and then play Opalescence. Since only >Opalescence sets a P/T, does it get applied before the Soul Sculptor >that it depends on? (For that matter, doesn't Opalescence *always* >get applied before Humility?) No, I said (or at least, I meant) that you can ignore any difference between "initial" and "normal" CEs for all purposes except calculating power and toughness. Normal dependency works fine for all the rest (surprisingly, it will put the "initial" stuff first anyway 9 times out of 10). ----- [Wayne Ma, asking about "As X comes into play..."] >What happens if a card that says "As X comes into play do X" gets >countered? Do you do X upon anouncement? You do X on resolution. That's what "As X comes into play" means. You don't make any choices for it until it resolves. ----- [Daniel Dunphy, asking about revealing cards] >Is the revealing of cards for such spells as Scent of Ivy part of >the casting cost or the resolution? You reveal the cards on resolution. You don't have to choose how many to reveal before that. > In particular, I want to know whether or >not I get to see the revealed cards if I counter the spell or only if I >don't counter the spell? The caster must always be shown a number of revealed cards (which can, if you want, be zero). ----- [Wayne Ma, asking about combat damage] >During which steps of the attack phase can you play Snap or Vendetta to >stop damage from an attacking creature. At which time(s) and why? During the "Declare Attackers" step and the "Declare Blockers" step. Before attackers are declared, the creature isn't an attacking creature. Combat Damage is put onto the Stack after the Declare Blockers step, so it's normally the last time you can kill the creature before it deals its damage. >At which point(s) are you able to activate a man land to block? Any time before you declare blockers. >At which points can you remove the manland to prevent it from blocking? Any time after its ability resolves until blockers are declared. ----- [Gunslinger, asking about Man-Lands] > Quick question... can you Rancor a Ghitu Encampment? If you animate it, then yes you can. If you don't animate it, then no. ----- [Wayne Ma, asking about tokens] >Do counters go to the graveyard? No. Counters are just markers that you use to keep track of stuff. _Tokens_, however, do go to the graveyard (and then are removed from the game as a state-based effect). >If so, do you get to draw a card off of Fecundity if you sacrifice a >Phyrexian Processor token to Ashnod's Altar? Yes. ----- [Beta, asking some rules questions] >1. How does Nether Void interact with pitch spells? Is it errata'd to >increase the CCs by 3 colourless mana? No. It reads: "Whenever a player plays a spell, counter it unless that player pays {3}." The Void triggers when a spell is played, and will counter it when its triggered ability resolves, unless the spell's controller pays the {3} then. >2. What happens if you use Power Artifact on a Crooked Scales? The first >flip will cost you 2 mana, will the repetitions cost you 1 or 3? They will cost you {3}. >3. I heard that you have to pay 10+B in order to untap a Colossus of >Sardia enchanted with Dance of the Dead. The untap costs are added. That's not correct. You can choose to pay either {9} or {1}{B} (or both, one after the other). >b) What if you let Merieke Ri Berit make a Dance? Does she untap at all? Dance of the Dead triggers at the beginning of your upkeep. Merieke's ability only applies to the Untap step. >4. If you Power Artifact a Masticore, both its damage dealing and its >regeneration will cost 1, right? Correct. >5. Jason, can you give me the source you have the Dan Quayle quotes >from? They're probably from Dan Quayle, at a wild guess. ----- [Carl Sullivan, asking about the differences between sets] >I just recently bought some 100 card repacks consisting of a wide variety of >cards. I can tell which are Classic, 5E, and 4E (dates on bottom), but how >do I tell which are Unlimited or Revised? Classic cards have the expansion symbol "VI". 5th Edition cards have a copyright date of 1997, 4E cards have 1995. Revised and Unlimited are very similar, but Revised have no border, and Unlimited cards have a bevelled border (just inside the white bit). Hard to explain, but you'll understand when you see two together (look for a white bordered Kird Ape - that'll be Revised, and look for a white bordered Invisibility or Sinkhole - they'll be Unlimited) >Also were Alpha and Beta printed with black borders? I believe so, and is it >Alpha or Beta that has the different corners? Alpha cards have more rounded corners than the other cards. Both Alpha and Beta cards have black borders. Paul. - ------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Paul Barclay -- paul@second-hand.demon.co.uk -- Mobile: 0958-980180 - - DCI Level III judge -- http://www.second-hand.demon.co.uk/index.htm - - Official MTG-L Network Representative for Wizards of the Coast, Inc -