MTG Magic The Gathering Ask A Judge - 「 T H U R S D A Y ' S C H I L D 」

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If you have a Sydri and Merieke on the field, and you turn an opponents artifact into an artifact creature, and then control it with Merieke, what happens at the end of your turn?

And if it stays under your control, what happens if you untap Merieke after it's an artifact again, since the card says "destroy that creature"?

You control it for as long as you control Merieke. The duration of the control-changing effect is "For as long as you control Merieke Ri Berit"; hell, the effect itself CAN'T know whether the thing stops being a creature, because the control-change effect happens in layer 2, and the type-change happens in layer 4.

When a card says something like 'destroy that creature', referring back to a specific, designated object, it really just means "That exact specific object". It doesn't care if the object has the 'correct' card type at that time.

Thanks! Could you maybe tell me about this layer stuff? Haven't heard much about it before.

Sure! So, things like Sydri create what we call "Continuous effects"; something that happens over a period of time, rather than a one-and-done thing like Lightning Bolt just doing 3 damage to something (which is what we call a "one-shot effect").

There's a system in place to tell us how different Continuous Effects interact, and we call it the Layer System. IT consists of 7 total layers, and you go through them in order:

Layer 1: Control
Layer 2: Copy
Layer 3: Text-changing
Layer 4: Type-changing
Layer 5: Color-changing
Layer 6: Ability adding/removing
Layer 7: Power/Toughness changing

Layer 7 consists further of 5 sublayers, which you also do in order:
7a: P/T defined by a CDA (Tarogoyf)
7b: P/T set to a specific number (Biomass Mutation)
7c: P/T modified by a number (Glorious Anthem)
7d: P/T modified by counters (+1/+1 counters)
7e: P/T switch (Inside Out)

This is why, for example, a Clone doesn't pick up most 'changes' to the base thing; those changes happen after Layer 1, which is where the Clone's copy effect works.

If you have multiple effects happening in the same layer or sublayer, you USUALLY deal with them in timestamp order; whichever effect is newest, 'wins'. For example, if I cast Control Magic on your creature, and after it resolves you use Homeward Path, we have two control-changing effects applying to that object in layer 2: Mine, and yours. Your effect has the newer timestamp, so it 'beats' mine; the Mind Control is still on the creature, but it's not really doing much of anything.

Isn't it copy, then control?

Gentleman and a scholar.

It is, I had a brain fart!

So say I cast a titans strength at the beginning of my upkeep to scry my draw; would I still untap the one land I used to cast it? Or would it remain tapped until my next turn?

Your upkeep is after your Untap step. If you cast Titan's Strength during your upkeep, the land's going to stay tapped until something tells it to untap (which will probably just be your next untap step).

Thanks very much

Is it impossible to cast an instant on your turn before you have to untap?

Very much so. There's no 'before' your untap step; it's the absolute first thing to happen during your turn, and you don't get priority to cast spells until your upkeep at the absolute earliest.

Afternoon bump

Let's say I play a Sakashima's student and decide to copy Phage the untouchable.
Do I die because the new "Phage" appears out of nowhere or does it still consider that I casted the base card from my hand?

>the new "Phage" appears out of nowhere
No it doesn't. You cast it from your hand. The fact that it wasn't a Phage when you did so is irrelevant, it's still the same object; all that changed was the copiable characteristics.

Nice, thanks!

If I desertion a Commander, my opponent cannot choose to have it go to the command zone because the replacement effect puts the commander on my side of the battlefield and you cant apply the commander replacement effect to them because it only applies if it hits yard, exiled, or is shuffled back into the library, not hitting the battlefield under my control.

So, Desertion counters the spell, and we have two replacement effects that want to apply: your opponent wants to put their Commander in the Command Zone instead of the graveyard, and you want to put it onto the battlefield. Normally that'd work out badly for you, because your opponent would make the choice of which to apply, since it's his object being messed with.

Desertion, however, has a SELF-Replacement effect; it's an effect of a resolving spell that that replaces part of the spell's own effect (in this case, changing what happens re: countering). Since that's true, your opponent must choose it first, and as soon as they do, THEIR replacement effect no longer applies. End result: Commander on your board.

>they cast dead weight on a gobbo
>response giant growth
>have twenty giant growths in hand and enough mana to cast one every turn
can i perpetually growth the 1/1 to keep it on board or does it die to sbas in cleanup step/end step?
if latter, can you explain the timing of it? let's assume i have no +1/+1 counters, auras or naturalizes, just twenty giant growths

It'll die. During the Cleanup Step, your Giant Growth wears off and the goblin dips down to 0 or less toughness. SBAs are checked, see that, and kill it.

so with

>tidehollow sculler
>Resolve the LTB trigger, since there's no card linked to it nothing happens, then resolve the ETB trigger, exiling a card. Since that sculler is no longer in play there will never be another LTB trigger to return it to its owner's hand.

that's bullshit
that makes me mad
shitty loophole abusing fuckfaces
fuck. why don't wotc errata this broken crap

If I attack with a 7/7 with trample and my opponent blocks with hissing quagmire as a 2/2 with death touch and I destroy it will my damage go through?

Sovereigns of lost alaras ability can put an aura on a shrouded creature you control?

What do you mean by your opponent must choose it first? Do you mean they choose the replacement effect?

yes, your opponent takes 5
>7/7 assigns lethal damage and deals 2 to quag, 5 of the 7 tramples on through

Yes. Unless something has first or double strike, all combat damage is dealt at the same time.
Your 7/7 would deal two damage to Hissing Quagmire (lethal damage) and then five damage to your opponent. Hissing Quagmire would, at the same time, deal two damage to your 7/7 which would be lethal due to deathtouch.

RTFO

>and then five damage to your opponent
Pardon, that's an algorithmic "and then" not a timing "and then". The damage to Hissing Quagmire and your opponent would be simultaneous.

I'm sorry, I meant destroying the hissing quagmire as he blocks with outnumber for example, I'll deal damage to my opponent or not?

In that case your 7/7 would deal seven damage to the opponent.
It's still blocked, but trample gives zero shits.

OK, thanks a lot man.

gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=sovereigns of lost alara
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Gotcha, thanks

If gideon becomes a creature but retains his planes walker type, can you swing at him still?

I'm sure you get this a lot, but how does Humility work with Opalescence?

how

Sure but Gideon can block for himself.
Also Gideon creatures tend to be damage proof so you'll need to skullcrack him.

if archives are still a thing, we lost a few.

Quite nicely, thank you.
RTFO.

how do i stop myself from telegraphing what i'm doing?
>i'll browse my gy and my opponent knows i'll have delve/reanimate
>ask how many cards in hand they know i've got kommand/hand hate
>ask about p/t they know i have pump spell
>ask their life total they know i'm sitting on pump/burn
i have a good poker face (i think) but my actions and words are huge tells for my next play. how do i git gud?