After blocking creatures have been declared, even if no creatures are blocking, both players will receive priority before the combat damage step. An unblocked attacking creature can have its power raised at this point in order for it to deal an increased amount of combat damage. It is at this point that an attacking or […]
Author: krizriktr
Artifact is a type, not a creature type
‘Artifact’ is a type, not a subtype. When an effect has you choose a subtype, like a creature subtype, you cannot choose artifact. This also applies to effects that depend on or apply to specific creature subtypes. Years ago, it was more common for an artifact creature to exist without a creature type. However that […]
How Deathtouch works.
Deathtouch is a static ability that changes the end result when a source with Deathtouch deals damage to a creature. When an object (which is usually a creature) with Deathtouch deals damage to a creature, that creature receiving the damage is destroyed when state-based actions are applied. A single point of damage from a source […]
Counters remain on permanents, even if they don’t do anything.
If a non-creature permanent becomes a creature temporarily and receives a counter, that counter will remain even after this permanent stops being a creature. For example, if a is ‘animated’ by its activated ability and receives either +1/+1 or -1/-1 counters, those counters will remain on the Colonnade even after it stops being a creature. […]
Copy effect copy other copy effects
Effects that copy one object will normally copy the ‘base’ characteristics of the object and do not copy most other effects applied to the original object. For example, a will copy the printed characteristics of the card that that is chosen as Clone enters play. It does not matter if the creature targeted by Clone […]
Constructed vs limited sideboard use
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Part of this article has been corrected due to the Magic 2014 rules update. Please ignore the struck-through portion and refer to the updated information below. In constructed events, you submit a deck that must be at least 60 cards and can be more. However your sideboard must be either zero or 15 […]
‘Becomes blocked’ vs. ‘becomes blocked by a creature’
Many triggered abilities trigger when an attacking creature becomes blocked. However some of them trigger just once regardless of the number of creatures that are blocking the attacking creature and others trigger once per each blocking creature. The difference is in how the trigger condition is written. Abilities that say ‘Whenever ~this creature~ becomes blocked’ […]
Objects cannot be both black and nonblack
It is possible, and quite common, in Magic for an object (card, permanent or spell) to be a single color, multiple colors or colorless. But it is not possible for an object to be both of a quality and not of that quality. For example, can target a non-black creature. A creature that is both […]
How Inkmoth Nexus and Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas interact.
One area of player confusion is how multiple abilities that ‘animate’ a permanent interact. A very common interaction that has come up a lot lately deals with ‘ animation ability and the planeswalker second activated ability. In order to get this ball rolling, you must first use Inkmoth Nexus’ ability to turn the Nexus into […]