Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Judge's Corner

Flaming Bunnies

Short Answers:

-Double Strike creatures do their damage twice. So if you don't block, it will do its damage to you twice.

-Medallions reduce the total play cost of a spell.

-If you don't cast Phage, you will lose when she comes into play. There is no way around this.

---

Long Answers:

Q: If I cast Goblin Pyromancer, and change 'Goblin' to 'Rabbit' with the Evolution, obviously all Rabbits get +3/+0 then die at end of turn. But if I let the Goblin come into play, can I get my +3/+0 for my Goblins and then use the Evolution to kill all Rabbits and save my Goblins?

-Andy S.

A: Yes.

---

Q: If multiple Archers (such as Heavy Ballista or D'Avenant Archer) shoot at a single phantom, does the phantom lose one counter, or one for each archer hit?

A: Phantoms lose one counter each time they would take damage, and the damage is prevented.

---

Q: For example, if I declare that I'm attacking with a Phantom Tiger, can an opponent ping it with a Heavy Ballista, wait until that ability has resolved, then ping it with a Daru Stinger (for example) to take off a second counter and thus kill it?

A: Yes.

---

Q: On a similar theme, is it possible to block with a creature that has an archer ability, then use its ability? For example, could I block a creature with a Heavy Ballista, then tap the Ballista to deal it (or something else in the combat) an additional 2 damage?

A: Yes, and yes.

---

Q: Is it possible to interrupt a sacrifice ability and thus prevent it from happening? I'm sure you can't but a friend of mine insists that he can, in particular by trying to burn off my Ravenous Baloths after combat damage has been dealt, so that I can't sac. them for life.

A: No. Once the card has been sacrificed, it is no longer there, and it can't be targeted.

----

Q: What is the difference between 'playing' and 'putting into play'?

A: Play = either cast, in the cast of a spell; playing an ability; or, in the case of playing a land, using your special action during your main phase that allows you to play a land.

Many cards instruct you to "put (this card) into play." This is not playing that card, and things that trigger off playing a spell won't trigger off this.

---

Q: On a related note, do creatures that are put into play, for example by Cryptic Gateway or Zombify, trigger comes into play abilities that they or other creatures in play possess?

-David R.

A: As long as they trigger off a creature coming into play, and not a creature being played, then yes.

---

Q: Can I sac an wizard to the Voidmage Prodigy to counter an spell and then tap the Riptide Laboratory to save the wizard?

-Markus B.

A: No. Once you sacrifice it, it is no longer in play, and can't be targeted.

---

Q: If I play an Animate land on one of my opponents swamps turning it in to a 3/3 creature, then Eradicate it do they remove all swamps from play, there decks and in their hands from play?

-Chris G.

A: Yes.

See you Monday.

-Bill Guerin

Ask Judge Bill A Question

DCI Level 2 Judge