There are many effects in Magic that cause multiple players to perform actions at the same time. ‘s first planeswalker ability is an example of this. When this ability resolves, each player in the game will discard a card. At first glance it seems simple, but many players are confused on the order that the […]
Category: Resolving spells and abilities
Elder of Laurels’ ability counts on resolution
has an ability that can give a creature you control +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of creatures you control. This ability checks the number of creatures you control and determines how much of a bonus to give to the targeted creature only when it resolves. As this ability uses the […]
Brimstone Volley’s Morbid ability checks on resolution
The game will check to see if a creature has died that turn when resolves. This is because this specific morbid ability is a static ability that generates a replacement effect. This replacement effect is applied as Brimstone Volley resolves. (You can tell this is a replacement effect as it uses the word ‘instead’.) It […]
With Curse of Oblivion, the enchanted player chooses which cards to exile.
is one of a cycle of new cards in Innistrad that enchants a player. This curse causes the enchanted player to exile two cards from their graveyard at the beginning of each of their upkeep steps. The choice of which cards in this players’s graveyard to exile is made by the enchanted player. It does […]
How Tree of Redemption Works.
is a new card in Innistrad with the unique ability to exchange its toughness for your life total.Here’s how the process works: When Tree of Redemption’s activated ability resolves, your life total will become equal to the Tree’s total toughness (taking into account all effects that are currently modifying it). You will gain or lose […]
Abattoir Ghoul’s ability uses last known information.
‘s ability causes the controller of the Ghoul to gain life equal to the toughness of a creature that went to the graveyard if the Ghoul dealt damage to it that turn. Because the creature that you are looking at to determine the amount of life gained is no longer in play, the game will […]
Timely Reinforcements determines what it does when it resolves.
can give its controller six life, put three 1/1 soldier tokens into play or both of those effects depending on what the game looks like when it resolves. If the controller of Timely Reinforcements has a life total that is less than any opponent in the game, then this player will gain six life. If […]
When an object changes controller it does not untap unless the effect that causes this change in control specifically says to untap it.
There are plenty of ways to ‘steal’ permanents in Magic. When a permanent does change controllers it is the same object that was previously in play. If it is a creature it will not be able to attack the turn it is ‘stolen’ unless it has haste or the effects that causes it to change […]
Chandra’s Outrage only has one target.
Spells and abilities are countered on resolution if all of their targets are illegal when they attempt to resolve. If a spell has multiple targets and at least one of them is legal when it goes to resolve, the spell will resolve and do as much as possible. However sometimes spells seem like they have […]