There was a time when counters didn’t cancel each other out on the same permanent; you could have a bunch of +1/+1 counters and a few -1/-1 counters on a creature and they’d just co-exist happily on that creature, in case anything cared. With the Lorwyn block, that got changed up because it was a […]
Category: State-Based Actions
Runner’s Bane will fall off a creature once its power is 4+.
This one came up quite a lot at our prerelease! is a solid common in Limited, locking down your opponent’s little dudes. It can clear a path for you to swing early on, or it can disable his utility guy. But there’s a deceptively easy way to get rid of it, and it involves hulking […]
Duskmantle Seer killing both players will result in a draw.
is a throwback to one of the most powerful cards in Magic history: . Like Dark Confidant, the Seer will let you have an extra card on each of your turns, for the low, low cost of your life total. Unlike most vampires, Mr. Duskmantle is actually very generous — he lets your opponent get […]
Rakdos Charm can cause the game to end in a draw.
Although I’m not a Rakdos guy (I’m crazy, but not that crazy), is one of my favorite new charms. And it’s mostly because of the third mode: each creature deals 1 damage to its controller. It’s not an effect you see a lot of, especially at instant speed. However, you should be careful when using […]
Boros Charm Doesn’t Save Planeswalkers
No matter when they’re printed, the various Charm cycles that have been printed over the years have appealed to pretty much all types of players. They serve many functions, and the Charm cycle in Return to Ravnica block is no different. Let’s focus on today. It has some pretty nifty abilities. That second one is […]
If Dinrova Horror bounces a token, it can’t be discarded!
Tokens, in the realms of the game, are not cards. That may shock some people, as they hold their 1/1 white soldiers token in their hands and go “It looks like a card, it feels like a card, it taste like a card, why isn’t it one?” (The Judge Rules Blog does not endorse anybody […]
Divine Deflection vs. Olivia Voldaren (a study in state-based actions).
Times are tough for your Olivia Voldaren. She came down right on schedule on Turn 4, but your opponent immediately stabbed her with , reducing her to a mere 1/1. Fortunately, your opponent has a juicy 1/1 Human token, ripe for the plucking (and the vamping)! You untap and immediately direct your vampire queen towards […]
Why Tarfire can never kill Tarmogoyf by itself.
For our second tip, we cover everyone’s favorite beater with confusing artwork, . Good old Goofy is a Legacy staple because he’s an astoundingly efficient creature for 2 mana, since this format tends to fill graveyards quickly and with a diverse range of card types. What some of you might not know is that killing […]
Guild Feud and triggered abilities.
Ashley controls two s. At the beginning of her upkeep, they both trigger. As the first trigger resolves, Nicky reveals and Ashley reveals . How do the triggers resolve? Two important things to remember about triggers: Abilities may trigger during the resolution of a spell or ability, but are not put on the stack until […]