has a nifty ability that changes the timing restrictions on when you can cast spells. For example, it lets you cast sorcery spells on your opponent’s turn, or in response to another spell. However, Alchemist’s Refuge doesn’t change the timing restrictions on when you can activate abilities. This can get confusing if you have a […]
Category: Abilities
Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond end the game once your opponent loses life (or you gain any).
A few of you may remember the card from Magic 2010. It has a very interesting interaction with a new card from Avacyn Restored. Exquisite Blood triggers whenever your opponent loses life, and it gains you that much life. Sanguine Bond is the other half of that; whenever you gain life, your opponent loses that […]
How Silverblade Paladin and first strike blockers/attackers interact.
‘s ability allows it to pair with another creature, and for as long as the two are paired, they both have double strike. In order for creatures to un-pair, one of the three things must happen: One of the creatures leaves the battlefield; one of the creatures changes control; or one of the creatures stops […]
Cathars’ Crusade triggers multiple times if multiple creatures enter at the same time.
has an ability that triggers “whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control.” Normally, this will be one creature entering the battlefield as a result of the creature spell resolving – “a creature.” However, some spells and abilities can cause multiple creatures to enter the battlefield at the same time. In this case, “a […]
Once two creatures are paired via Soulbond, they’re stuck that way until one of them leaves the battlefield.
Soulbond is a fun new mechanic from Avacyn Restored that lets you pair 2 creatures together, and both get fun new effects. Soulbond says that when the Soulbond guy enters the battlefield under your control, or a different guy enters the battlefield under your control, you can pair the two together if they aren’t paired. […]
You can’t do anything with your Vexing Devil between the opponent’s choice to take 4 damage and the sacrifice.
When enters the battlefield, its ability triggers and gives the opponent the choice of either allowing it to stay on the battlefield, or taking 4 damage so its controller sacrifices it. If you allow the opponent to make a decision on whether or not they take 4 damage, you cannot cast “in response” to that […]
Abundant Growth gives the land an extra ability, but doesn’t let it produce extra mana.
Green is never short of mana fixing when new sets are released, and Innistrad block hasn’t been the exception. When Innistrad came out, we had , then we got in Dark Ascension. One of the cards that accomplishes this role in Avacyn Restored is . It only costs one mana, fixes your manabase, and it […]
You can’t play a land after you reveal a Miracle card but before you cast it.
There seem to be a lot of questions about the new miracle mechanic lately. To repeat, here is how it works: When you draw the first card in a turn, if it has miracle, you may reveal it. When you do, its ability triggers. Upon the resolution of the miracle triggered ability, you may cast […]
You have to discard a card FIRST to activate Mad Prophet’s ability.
has an activated ability that reads, “T, discard a card: Draw a card.” When activating an ability, all costs must be paid or it cannot be activated. Discarding a card is defined as moving a card from your hand to the graveyard. In this scenario, if you want to activate the ability, you must not only tap Mad Prophet, […]