{"id":632,"date":"2017-02-28T09:22:10","date_gmt":"2017-02-28T09:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/?p=632"},"modified":"2017-02-28T12:23:38","modified_gmt":"2017-02-28T12:23:38","slug":"card-of-the-month-sword-of-feast-and-famine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/2017\/02\/28\/card-of-the-month-sword-of-feast-and-famine\/","title":{"rendered":"Card of the Month &#8211; Sword of Feast and Famine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b><div class=\"wp-caption alignleft judgeimg\"><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.magicjudges.org\/judges\/dci\/71133963\"><img src=https:\/\/apps.magicjudges.org\/dci\/avatar?dci=71133963&size=200 alt=\"Written by Francesco Scialpi\nLevel 2, Italy\"><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Written by Francesco Scialpi<br \/>\nLevel 2, Italy<\/p><\/div><\/b>Swords, introduced in the Darksteel set, have returned in the Scars of Mirrodin block and among Kaladesh Inventions. <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Sword+of+Body+and+Mind&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Sword of Body and Mind<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Sword+of+Feast+and+Famine&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Sword of Feast and Famine<\/a> proved to be extremely powerful and found a place in several decks, both in Standard and Extended, when they were first released, and are occasionally seen also in Legacy decks.<\/p>\n<p>This is surely due to the existence of <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Stoneforge+Mystic&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Stoneforge Mystic<\/a>; we might even play a single copy of the equipment and it\u2019s as if we are playing five; if we play four, it would be like we actually had eight. In addition to this, <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Sword+of+Feast+and+Famine&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Sword of Feast and Famine<\/a> is extremely strong; if we hit our opponent with just a single attack:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>We will untap our lands and we will be able to pass the turn with mana available to respond to our opponent\u2019s actions. For decks like Faeries or U\/W, it\u2019s a significant advantage.<\/li>\n<li>Our opponent will discard a card; card advantage is one of the keys how to win games.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/magiccards.info\/scans\/en\/mpskld\/28.jpg\" width=\"312\" height=\"445\" \/><\/p>\n<p>These swords are also interesting from a rules point of view. Let\u2019s see why.<\/p>\n<h3>The Triggered Ability<\/h3>\n<p>If part of an effect can\u2019t be applied, the effect will do as much as possible, and the parts that can be applied will apply. If your opponent can\u2019t discard because he has no cards in his hand, you will still untap your lands.<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Phyrexian+Crusader&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Phyrexian Crusader<\/a> equipped and unblocked will trigger the ability. The creature has infect and its damage will cause your opponent to receive poison counters instead of losing life, but it still deals damage; infect modifies what damage does, but it doesn\u2019t modify the fact that damage is dealt.<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Mirran+Crusader&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Mirran Crusader<\/a> equipped and unblocked will trigger the ability twice. Double Strike means that the creature will deal damage twice, in two different moments; therefore, there are two trigger events.<\/p>\n<p>A Mirran Crusader\u00a0equipped and blocked by a <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Squadron+Hawk&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Squadron Hawk<\/a> (for example), doesn\u2019t trigger the ability. Even if first strike damage is sufficient to destroy the blocking creature, the Crusader is blocked and, when he tries to assign his second combat damage, there will be no creature that will be dealt damage.<\/p>\n<p>The situation changes if the equipped creature, in addition to double strike, has also trample.<\/p>\n<p>Using this last example, let\u2019s imagine that an effect gives trample to the Mirran Crusader. He will be able to assign his first strike damage like this: one to the Squadron Hawk\u00a0and three to your opponent; the ability triggers a first time. When the Crusader assigns his second damage, he\u2019s still blocked, but there is no blocking creature and trample will allow him to assign all his damage to your opponent; the ability triggers a second time.<\/p>\n<p>The ability is not prevented by an effect that gives shroud to your opponent, like <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Leyline+of+Sanctity&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Leyline of Sanctity<\/a>. The ability just says \u201cplayer\u201d, not \u201ctarget player\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>On the contrary, the ability gets prevented by an effect that prevents the damage, like <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Solitary+Confinement&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Solitary Confinement<\/a>. Prevention substitutes damage with \u201cnothing happens\u201d. If the equipped creature deals zero damage, the ability doesn\u2019t trigger.<\/p>\n<p>Effects that redirect the damage, like <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Shining+Shoal&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Shining Shoal<\/a>, don\u2019t change the source of the damage. If your opponent redirects the damage to you, it\u2019s still combat damage and the source is still the equipped creature. You will discard a card (because you are the damaged player) and you will untap your lands (because you control the ability).<\/p>\n<h3>+2\/+2 and Protection<\/h3>\n<p>In addition to the triggered ability, each sword gives +2\/+2 and protection from two colors to the equipped creature.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s good to note that the protection is an ability that is granted to the creature, while the triggered ability is on the equipment itself, not granted to the creature.<\/p>\n<p>What happens if <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Ovinize&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Ovinize<\/a> is cast on the equipped creature?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>About power and toughness, we have \u201cthe creature is 0\/1\u201d and \u201cthe creature gets +2\/+2\u201d. The first effect applies in layer 7b (effects that set power and toughness); the second effect applies in layer 7c (effects that modify power and toughness). Layers are applied in this order, and the creature will be 2\/3.<\/li>\n<li>The creature loses protection from the two colors (protection was an ability of the creature).<\/li>\n<li>The triggered ability still exists (it belongs to the equipment).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What happens if we cast <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-content\/plugins\/lems-mtg-helper\/lems-mtg-helper-cardfinder.php?find=Volition+Reins&width=223&height=310\" class=\"jTip\" name=\"\">Volition Reins<\/a> to gain control of our opponent\u2019s equipped creature?<\/p>\n<p>We gain control of the creature, but not of the equipment. We cannot move the equipment onto a creature we control, while our opponent will be able to move his equipment onto one of his creatures.<\/p>\n<p>The sentence &#8220;you untap all lands you control&#8221; refers to the controller of the equipment. If we deal combat damage to our opponent, he will discard a card and he will untap his lands, not us.<\/p>\n<p>What happens if we cast Volition Reins to gain control of the equipment?<\/p>\n<p>We will be able to move it onto one of our creatures, while our opponent won\u2019t be able to move it anymore.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly to the example above, if the equipment is still on our opponent\u2019s creature and that creature deals combat damage to us, we will discard a card and we will untap our lands.<\/p>\n<h3>Infractions<\/h3>\n<p>What happens if the equipped creature deals combat damage and we forget to apply one of its effects?<\/p>\n<p>At tournaments with a Competitive Rule Enforcement Level (REL), or higher, according to the Penalty Guide, the infraction is called Missed Trigger.<\/p>\n<p>The first question is \u201chow much time has passed?\u201d, and the concept of time means \u201cone turn\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>IPG tell us: &#8220;If the ability was missed prior to the current phase in the previous turn, instruct the players to continue playing.&#8221; [otherwise] the opponent chooses whether the triggered ability is added to the stack.<\/p>\n<p>If more than a turn has passed, the ability is lost and its effects don\u2019t happen; if less than a turn has passed, opponent chooses if the ability goes on the stack, or nothing happens.<\/p>\n<p>Different is the case in which we resolve the ability incorrectly, or partially, like untapping our lands but forgetting to make our opponent discarding a card. In this case, the infraction will be a Game Rule Violation. In any case, if you spot a mistake, call a judge as soon as possible: we will be there to help you!<\/p>\n<h4>Credits<\/h4>\n<p><div class=\"wp-caption alignnone judgeimg\"><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.magicjudges.org\/judges\/dci\/79083152\"><img src=https:\/\/apps.magicjudges.org\/dci\/avatar?dci=79083152&size=200 alt=\"Riccardo Tessitori\nTranslator\"><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Riccardo Tessitori<\/strong><br \/>\nTranslator<\/p><\/div> <div class=\"wp-caption alignnone judgeimg\"><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.magicjudges.org\/judges\/dci\/4208120376\"><img src=https:\/\/apps.magicjudges.org\/dci\/avatar?dci=4208120376&size=200 alt=\"Aruna Prem Bianzino\nEditor\"><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Aruna Prem Bianzino<\/strong><br \/>\nEditor<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kaladesh Inventions bring us some treasures from the past. Let&#8217;s review one of them with Francesco, which is explaining us all rules and policies related to the Sword of Feast and Famine and to its interactions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":278,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[25,32,54],"language":[38],"class_list":["post-632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-card-of-the-month","tag-cotm","tag-imj-magazine","tag-sword-of-feast-and-famine","language-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/278"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=632"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":645,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632\/revisions\/645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=632"},{"taxonomy":"language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/playerexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/language?post=632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}