The first thing that happens in the declare blockers step is that the defending player chooses which creatures will block and how they’re blocking. Once that happens, the blocks are locked in. Attackers that had a blocker declared become “blocked” creatures, and nothing can change that (aside from a few obscure effects that specifically say […]
Category: Static Abilities
Abilities only do exactly what they say they do.
Most relevant information about how a card works is on the card itself. The biggest exceptions are in regards to keyword abilities that have additional information on how they work in the comprehensive rules. Most keyword abilities have reminder text that is not completely detailed, but does cover most situations. While it is important to […]
Instigator Gang / Wildblood Pack’s static abilities end when it leaves play.
Both sides of / have static abilities that give either a +1/+0 or +3/+0 bonus to attacking creatures controlled by the controller of this permanent. This bonus is applied as soon as a creature controlled by this player becomes an attacking creature and lasts until the combat phase ends or the Instigator Gang / Wolfblood […]
Inquisitor’s Flail does not have a triggered ability, it has static abilities that create replacement effects
has two abilities that cause the creature equipped by it to both deal and receive twice as much combat damage as it normally would. These two abilities are not triggers and do not use the stack. These abilities are static ones that create a replacement effect when the equipped creature would both receive and deal […]
Sturmgeist’s ability does not immediately boost the combat damage it deals.
has three abilities: flying; a characteristic-defining ability that sets its base power and toughness; and a triggered ability that makes you draw a card when it deals combat damage to a player. In the combat damage step, it is important to note that abilities that trigger from combat damage being dealt will go on the […]
Lifelink is not cumulative.
Giving a creature the lifelink ability more than once will not do anything more than if it had the ability once. The ability is not cumulative and creatures that have the ability more than once will not cause their controller to gain more life than the damage dealt. For example, gives a targeted creature +2/+2 […]
Rusted Sentinel’s ability applied as it enters the battlefield
has one ability which causes it to enter the battlefield tapped. This is a static ability that generates a replacement effect that is applied to the action of putting the Sentinel into play. (This will most often happen as the Rusted Sentinel spell resolves.) The Sentinel does not enter the battlefield and then become tapped. […]
You cannot respond to the choice of creature type with Adaptive Automaton’s ability.
Magic 2012 has introduced a new do-it-yourself lord that give +1/+1 to creatures of a chosen type that you control. The itself also becomes this type, but it does not gain the +1/+1 bonus from its own ability. It is important to note that the choice of creature type is made as the Automaton enters […]
Attacking and blocking requirements
This week for the rules tips we will be looking at attacking and blocking requirements and restrictions, how they work and how they interact. Today, we are going to focus on attacking and blocking requirements. When choosing an attacking of blocking creature sometimes there are effects that force you to attack or block where you […]