Published on 01/23/2023
Phyrexia Around the Corner
By Carsten Haese, Nathan Long, and Justin Hovdenes
This Article from: Justin Hovdenes
Cranial Translation
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Nothing to look at here.
If you have a short question, you can send it to our Twitter account at @CranialTweet, and if you have a longer question, you can send it to our e-mail at moko@cranialinsertion.com .
Q: I control Thousand-Year Storm and my current storm count is four. If I cast Overmaster and it and all four storm copies resolve, does that mean the next five instant and/or sorcery spells I cast can't be counterspelled?
A: Only the next one. Each of the five Overmasters resolved and are still waiting to make the next instant or sorcery uncounterable. The copies made by Thousand-Year Storm didn't use up any of the uncounterable effects, as those were not cast, and although the original won't resolve until after all the copies, it was already cast. All five effects will affect the next instant or sorcery, you can't use just one effect to help the next spell and save the other four effects for spells after it.
Q: If I Fading Hope my opponent's 3/3 Beast token, do I still get to scry 1?
A: You do get to scry! The token does go to the opponent's hand, and then it stops existing quite quickly after that, and it does have a mana value of 3 or less because its mana value is 0.
Q: If I tap Pyromancer's Goggles to make
, then I untap it using Voltaic Key, then use Goggles to make another , can I use both to cast Incinerate, getting two copies, to deal a total of 9 damage?A: Yes. Whether it's used to pay red or colorless portions of a spell's mana cost, each
from a Pyromancer's Goggles will generate a copy of a red instant or red sorcery it helped to cast.Q: If I want Jegantha, the Wellspring to be my companion, can I include Ajani, Sleeper Agent in my deck?
A: Yes, Jegantha can be the companion to a deck containing Ajani, Sleeper Agent. There are four mana symbols in Ajani's mana cost, and each is a different mana symbol as far as Jegantha is concerned.
If I can't see them,
then they aren't there.
then they aren't there.
Q: Earlier this turn, my opponent resolved Dress Down. Can I use Heroic Intervention to give my creatures hexproof and indestructible?
A: You can. Adding and removing abilities happens in the same layer, layer 6. Since they both apply in the same layer, we do them in time stamp order: apply the oldest first, then the next oldest, until we get to the youngest happening last. Dress Down happened first, so we remove all abilities, then Intervention adds some abilities.
To be super technical, when applying multiple effects in the same layer you apply any C.D.A.s first, and then apply remaining continuous effects in time stamp order and even this order can be forced to re-arrange if there are any dependencies. None of these exceptions are relevant to this question, but if you would like to learn more about Layers, you can go to this article.
Q: My opponent controls five 2/2 Soldier token and one is enchanted with Errantry, and I have goaded it with my Jeering Homunculus's enter the battlefield trigger. When my opponent goes to attack, what happens?
A: The opponent must attack with the goaded Soldier and can't attack with any other creatures. If you aren't that player's only opponent, then the Soldier must attack an opponent other than you. If you are the only opponent, then it must attack you. When determining a legal attack, you must fulfill all restrictions and then fulfill as many requirements as possible.
Q: I control a tapped Archelos, Lagoon Mystic and an untapped Spark Double that is copying Archelos. What happens to stuff entering the battlefield now?
A: For each permanent, its controller may choose for it to enter the battlefield tapped or untapped. This is because if multiple replacement effects try to affect the same permanent, its controller chooses the order they are applied in.
Q: I was told that controlling Brago, King Eternal, Sol Ring and Strionic Resonator was an infinite combo. I don't understand how it works, could you explain it?
A: This is an infinite combo, however without at least one more card, all it allows you to do is "blink" Brago, Sol Ring, and Resonator any number of times you like during the damage step of the combat phase. If you add Soul Warden you gain any amount of life you like, or if you add Corpse Knight you can have each opponent lose any amount of life. Aether Channeler would be quite good in this combo, but be careful not to deck yourself.
How the combo works is you have to deal combat damage to an opponent with Brago. Before the Brago's combat damage triggered ability resolves, you want to copy it by using Strionic Resonator and tapping Sol Ring for
. You want the copy at minimum to blink Sol Ring and Resonator, and it can't hurt to blink Brago as well. After the copy resolves, you can now copy the original trigger again because the original still hasn't resolved and both Sol Ring and Resonator are untapped. Rinse and repeat as many times as you like. Q: If I give an opponent my Phylactery Lich with Jon Irenicus, Shattered One's ability, what happens to the Lich since the opponent doesn't control a permanent with a phylactery counter on it and can't sacrifice the Lich?
A: The game ends in a draw if someone can't get Phylactery Lich off of the battlefield at instant speed or, I suppose, give the same opponent a permanent with a phylactery counter at instant speed.
The reason for this that the Lich has what's called a "state trigger." These can only trigger if a copy of the same trigger isn't already on the stack. Immediately after the opponent gains control of the Lich, the game goes, "hey, you don't have a permanent with a phylactery counter, so you have to sacrifice that Lich." But because the opponent can't sacrifice the Lich, the trigger resolves without anything happening. Then the state trigger triggers again. With the same result. This now happens at infinitum and the game is stuck in an endless loop of mandatory actions. If a player can get the Lich off the battlefield at instant speed, they can do so while the Lich's state trigger is on the stack, ending the infinite loop.
Q: During a fight with cards like Savage Punch, does first strike let my creature deal its damage first?
A: Many evergreen abilities like lifelink and deathtouch do work during a fight, because they function no matter how the creature deals damage. However, first strike and double strike don't because they only function in combat, which is different from a fight.
Q: Does Isshin, Two Heavens as One's ability double either of Brazen Cannonade's triggered abilities?
A: Isshin will not double either trigger from Cannonade. Isshin's ability only doubles triggers that trigger from a creature becoming an attacking creature. Brazen Cannonade's first trigger is triggered by creatures (that happen to be attackers) dying. Cannonade's second trigger triggers at the beginning of each postcombat main phase, if you attacked with a creature this turn.
Q: If I target Agrus Kos, Eternal Soldier with a card like Jump, does his ability trigger to give all my creatures flying?
A: This doesn't work. Agrus only copies abilities, not spells. Jump is a spell, so you get no copies. You would need something like the second activated ability of Bant Battlemage to give all your creatures flying.
Q: During my opponent's turn, if I cycle a card like Boon of the Wish-Giver, will the Oskar, Rubbish Reclaimer I control allow me to cast it even though it's a sorcery and it's my opponent's turn?
A: Yes. Good job drawing five cards for seven mana during an opponent's turn. If a spell or ability lets you cast a card and it doesn't give a duration, you can only cast it while that spell or ability is resolving, and you can ignore the normal timing restrictions. If a spell or ability lets you cast a card but it does give a duration for how long you can cast it, you must follow normal timing restrictions.
It's ok, they can't hurt us.
We are safe if we stick "together".
We are safe if we stick "together".
Q: I only have six cards left in my library. I happen to know that three of those cards are Blightsteel Colossuses. My opponent has just cast Glimpse the Unthinkable targeting me. What happens when the Glimpse resolves?
A: You will attempt to put all six cards in your graveyard at once, but before the Colossi hit the graveyard, you will reveal them and shuffle all three back into an otherwise empty library. You won't need to mill four more cards, the excess mill was just wasted.
Q: Does my Hushbringer stop my opponent's Metallic Mimic from putting +1/+1 counters on creatures of the chosen type?
A: Hushbringer does not interact with Metallic Mimic in any way. Hushbringer is looking for triggers (these usually start with "when", "whenever", or "at"). Metallic Mimic's ability is a static ability that creates a replacement effect, not a triggered ability.
Q: Last turn I played Mirage Mirror and my opponent currently controls a Darksteel Forge. Earlier this turn I cast Cyberdrive Awakener, turning the Mirage Mirror into a creature. If I now attack with the Mirage Mirror and before blocks use its ability to become a copy of the Darksteel Forge, will it still be a creature when it comes to the combat damage step?
A: It will still be a creature. Copy effects do not override type changing effects. It's a Darksteel Forge, still being animated by the effect from Cyberdrive's ability.
Q: My opponent has controlled Scion of Darkness for several turns. This turn I stole it by enchanting it with Control Magic and then tried to attack with it. My opponent says I can't attack with it, because it has summoning sickness. Is my opponent correct?
A: Your opponent is correct. In simple terms, a creature that changes control is "re-summon sicked".
The full rule is:
302.6. A creature's activated ability with the tap symbol or the untap symbol in its activation cost can't be activated unless the creature has been under its controller's control continuously since their most recent turn began. A creature can't attack unless it has been under its controller's control continuously since their most recent turn began. This rule is informally called the "summoning sickness" rule.
Q: If I sacrifice my Bruvac the Grandiloquent to Altar of Dementia will Bruvac still double the mill from the Altar?
A: Bruvac will not double the mill. Bruvac stops being on the battlefield when you pay the cost to activate the Altar's ability. Then later the ability will resolve, by which time Bruvac is long gone.
Q: If I Saw in Half my own Maro while I have six cards in hand, how big will the token copies be?
A: The Mari (is that the plural of Maro?) will be 3/3 tokens and their P/T will not change even if the number of cards in your hand does. If a copy of a creature is made and the copy effect defines the power and toughness of the creature, then any abilities that define the P/T will not be copied.
Q: I control Mishra, Eminent One and The Stasis Coffin. Each combat on my turn, could I copy the Coffin and sacrifice the copy for protection, keeping myself safe from opponents for the most part?
A: You can! You are not required to attack with the token Mishra makes, and most conveniently in this example Mishra changes the name of the token, so you don't have to worry about the legend rule ruining one of your copies of the Stasis Coffin.
May the special oil I gave you bring you good luck in the coming weeks,
- Justin Hovdenes AKA Hovey
Level 2 Magic Judge
Rapid City, SD
BobbyFortanely
It's rare that I get all of the questions right, but this week was one of them (even the part about CDA's interacting with exceptions in copy effects). I'm so happy, what a great start to the week.
#1
• Date: 2023-01-23 • Time: 04:46:33 •
