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Resolving spells and abilities, Triggered Abilities

Two Ophiomancer’s probably won’t get you 2 snakes.

December 18, 2013February 5, 2015 | bimmerbot

Ophiomancer's ability has an "intervening-if" clause, which means you can't really end up with more than one snake no matter how many Ophiomancers you control.

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Tagged Ophiomancer
Missed Triggers, Tournament Rules, Triggered Abilities

When it’s missed: Triggers with visible impact or a choice made on resolution

December 17, 2013February 5, 2015 | bimmerbot

Continuing our series on Comp REL triggers, we cover how to tell when someone has missed a trigger with a visible impact on the game state or that requires a choice on resolution.

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Activated Abilities, Resolving spells and abilities, Triggered Abilities

Illusionist’s Bracers and Beetleform Mage

December 17, 2013February 5, 2015 | bimmerbot

"Activate this ability only once each turn" doesn't mean a copy of that ability can't be created and resolve in the same turn!

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Tagged Beetleform Mage, Illusionist's Bracers
Planeswalkers, State-Based Actions

Using the planeswalker uniqueness rule for profit.

December 14, 2013February 5, 2015 | bimmerbot

Under the new rules, you can activate your planeswalker, then cast a second copy, put only the old one in the graveyard (instead of both!), and activate the new one! Not always the best value, but a neat trick that can come in handy in certain situations.

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Tagged Liliana of the Veil
Characteristics, Triggered Abilities

If you Whip out an Adephage and get a token, it sticks around.

December 13, 2013February 5, 2015 | bimmerbot

Whip of Erebos's "exile that thing" trigger isn't copiable, so if you get a token copy of a resurrected Giant Adephage, for example, the token has no obligation to go away at end of turn. Value!

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Tagged Giant Adephage, Whip of Erebos
Missed Triggers, Tournament Rules, Triggered Abilities

When it’s missed: Triggers with targets or modes

December 12, 2013February 5, 2015 | bimmerbot

We're running a series of Comp REL trigger tips, regarding when they would be considered missed. Today covers those that have a target or mode.

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Resolving spells and abilities, Triggered Abilities

Gods, 4 devotion, and evolve.

December 11, 2013February 5, 2015 | bimmerbot

Gods that enter while you have 4 devotion will be a creature when they enter, even though they aren't entering "as a creature." This is confusing, but we explain how that difference matters for enter-the-battlefield triggered abilities!

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Tagged Evolve, Thassa God of the Sea
Triggered Abilities

When Polukranos becomes monstrous, you must choose a legal target if there is one.

December 10, 2013February 5, 2015 | bimmerbot

Normally, "any number of target [things]" can be "zero," but when you're dividing something (like damage), at least one target must be chosen if possible. So don't monstrify Polukranos when your opponent only has a deathtouch creature!

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Tagged Polukranos
Combat Phase

Killing a blocker won’t get the attacker’s damage through (unless it has trample).

December 3, 2013February 5, 2015 | bimmerbot

Combat is one of the main parts of Magic! With most decks winning with creatures dealing damage, it is key to understand how combat works! If a creature is blocked, it is forever blocked, until combat is over. This means that cards like still would work after the combat damage step, but not during the […]

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Tip Categories

  • Abilities (873)
    • Activated Abilities (216)
    • Mana Abilities (27)
    • Static Abilities (243)
    • Triggered Abilities (512)
  • Casting / playing a spell or ability (378)
  • Characteristics (168)
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  • Costs (87)
  • Effects (244)
    • Continuous Effects (78)
    • Interaction of Continuous Effects (14)
    • One-Shot Effects (23)
    • Prevention and Replacement Effects (143)
  • Keywords (102)
  • Multiplayer (40)
  • Planeswalkers (30)
  • Priority (43)
  • Resolving spells and abilities (440)
  • Source (11)
  • State-Based Actions (47)
  • Tournament Rules (244)
    • Communication Policy (20)
    • Missed Triggers (16)
    • Shortcuts (27)
  • Turn Structure (43)
  • Type & Subtypes (44)
  • Type Changing (27)
  • Uncategorized (112)
  • Zones (43)

Keep in Touch

  • Twitter
  • RSS

Hot Tips!

  • What Protection really means.
  • Deflecting Palm and Dictate of the Twin Gods
  • Trinisphere vs. Delve
  • Courser of Kruphix and Dig Through Time
  • Courser of Kruphix and Scrying

Tip Categories

  • Abilities (873)
    • Activated Abilities (216)
    • Mana Abilities (27)
    • Static Abilities (243)
    • Triggered Abilities (512)
  • Casting / playing a spell or ability (378)
  • Characteristics (168)
  • Combat Phase (132)
  • Control / Controller (48)
  • Copies (48)
  • Costs (87)
  • Effects (244)
    • Continuous Effects (78)
    • Interaction of Continuous Effects (14)
    • One-Shot Effects (23)
    • Prevention and Replacement Effects (143)
  • Keywords (102)
  • Multiplayer (40)
  • Planeswalkers (30)
  • Priority (43)
  • Resolving spells and abilities (440)
  • Source (11)
  • State-Based Actions (47)
  • Tournament Rules (244)
    • Communication Policy (20)
    • Missed Triggers (16)
    • Shortcuts (27)
  • Turn Structure (43)
  • Type & Subtypes (44)
  • Type Changing (27)
  • Uncategorized (112)
  • Zones (43)
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