Category Archives: State-Based Actions

Runner’s Bane will fall off a creature once its power is 4+.

This one came up quite a lot at our prerelease! Runner’s Bane is a solid common in Limited, locking down your opponent’s little dudes. It can clear a path for you to swing early on, or it can disable his … Continue reading

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Duskmantle Seer killing both players will result in a draw.

Duskmantle Seer is a throwback to one of the most powerful cards in Magic history: Dark Confidant. Like Dark Confidant, the Seer will let you have an extra card on each of your turns, for the low, low cost of … Continue reading

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Rakdos Charm can cause the game to end in a draw.

Although I’m not a Rakdos guy (I’m crazy, but not that crazy), Rakdos Charm is one of my favorite new charms. And it’s mostly because of the third mode: each creature deals 1 damage to its controller. It’s not an … Continue reading

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Boros Charm Doesn’t Save Planeswalkers

No matter when they’re printed, the various Charm cycles that have been printed over the years have appealed to pretty much all types of players. They serve many functions, and the Charm cycle in Return to Ravnica block is no … Continue reading

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If Dinrova Horror bounces a token, it can’t be discarded!

Tokens, in the realms of the game, are not cards. That may shock some people, as they hold their 1/1 white soldiers token in their hands and go “It looks like a card, it feels like a card, it taste … Continue reading

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Divine Deflection vs. Olivia Voldaren (a study in state-based actions).

Times are tough for your Olivia Voldaren. She came down right on schedule on Turn 4, but your opponent immediately stabbed her with Stab Wound, reducing her to a mere 1/1. Fortunately, your opponent has a juicy 1/1 Human token, … Continue reading

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Why Tarfire can never kill Tarmogoyf by itself.

For our second tip, we cover everyone’s favorite beater with confusing artwork, Tarmogoyf. Good old Goofy is a Legacy staple because he’s an astoundingly efficient creature for 2 mana, since this format tends to fill graveyards quickly and with a … Continue reading

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Guild Feud and triggered abilities.

Ashley controls two Guild Feuds. At the beginning of her upkeep, they both trigger. As the first trigger resolves, Nicky reveals Acidic Slime and Ashley reveals Mwonvuli Beast Tracker. How do the triggers resolve? Two important things to remember about … Continue reading

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The different ways Dryad Militant interacts with removal spells.

Dryad Militant! This little tree-girl seems like lots of fun in Limited and Constructed both, but the most common question I’ve seen regarding her is how she works with removal. When does the spell go to the graveyard? Does she … Continue reading

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Triggers can trigger at any time, but wait to go on the stack until a player would get priority.

I cast Solemn Simulacrum while you control Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite. What happens? After a creature spell resolves, a player receives priority. But it’s not as simple as that. Before priority can be received, first the game has to check … Continue reading

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