Permanents with indestructible means that a permanent cannot be destroyed by effects that would destroy it or by receiving lethal damage. However that does not mean that indestructible permanents cannot be targeted by spells and abilities that would attempt to destroy them. For example, you can use ‘s activated ability and target a . When […]
Category: Resolving spells and abilities
Searing Blaze has two targets
has two targets. It targets a player and a creature that player controls. This is true regardless of whether or not its controller has landfall. With Landfall, the only thing that changes is the amount of damage that is dealt to the two targets. In order to cast Searing Blaze, you must be able to […]
When auras enter the battlefield but are not cast.
Most often, auras enter play after being cast. When they are cast, a target is chosen at that time. Then when the aura spell resolves, the aura enters the battlefield attached to the targeted permanent. However, it is possible for an aura to enter the battlefield without being cast. In those instances the the aura […]
When you gain life with Engulfing Slagwurm’s ability.
‘s ability triggers whenever it blocks or becomes blocked by a creature. (As mentioned in a previous rules tip, this ability will trigger once for each individual creature that blocks it or for each creature it blocks.) When this ability resolves, the specific blocked or blocking creature is destroyed and the controller of the Slagwurm […]
You sacrifice Impaler Shrike when its trigger resolves.
has a triggered ability that triggers when it deals combat damage to a player. It is important to note that this is a trigger condition and not the condition for playing an ability. This means that you choose whether or not to sacrifice the Shrike when this triggered ability resolves. This is the only time […]
Your opponent does not get to see what you have exiled with Praetor’s Grasp.
allows you to search through an opponent’s library, choose a card, exile it and play the card as long as it is exiled. This effect does a couple of things that are important to point out. First of all, as the card is exiled face down normally no players can look at it. However this […]
Choosing a color does not use the stack with Caged Sun’s ability.
has a static ability that gives creatures you control of the chosen color +1/+1. This is a static ability that applies as soon as the Caged Sun enters play. The choice of a color occurs as Caged Sun enters play. This is not something that uses the stack or that can specifically be responded to. […]
Spellskite can’t be targeted by the same spell or ability twice.
When a spell or ability asks for multiple targets while only using the word “target” once, you must choose different targets. Some spells use the word “target” more than once, but specify “another target,” and the same concept applies. In the case of ‘s triggered ability, the number of targets chosen is locked in when its […]
Stack timing matters.
In most games the order that things resolve on the stack is easy to figure out and intuitive. In most cases only one or two items are on the stack at a time, and in some the end result of what happens can be quickly and intuitively derived. But sometimes it is best to go […]