Actually, there's quite a bit more going on, though the result is the same.
When you cast Brass Knuckles, and completed the casting process, a triggered ability is put on top of the stack. That trigger, when it resolves, will create a copy of the Knuckles spell on top of the stack. At this point there will be two Knuckles spells on th stack, the copy on top of the original. So your opponent can respond to the original while the trigger is on the stack, but no copy yet. He can also wait for the trigger to resolve, and then counter the copy, or the original. Or he can Stifle the trigger to deny you the copy. If he has Counterflux, Flusterstorm or similar counter for multiple spells, he actually has to wait for the trigger to resolve if he wants to catch the copy with them.
So technically, your opponent CAN counter the original before the copy is created. But even if he does, the trigger will still make a copy.
If I control a Roaming Throne and a creature's trigger goes off, for example Itzquinth, Firstborn of Gishath, that has an embedded trigger, does the embedded trigger then also trigger an additional time (provided the condition is met)?
No. The ability is on the aura, so the aura's controller, you, is the one who can activate it, and no one else. In contrast, Dragon Mantle grants the ability to the creature, and thus the creature's controller is the only one, who can activate the ability.
Can't find the cards you are refering to, but you provided enough information to answer the question nonetheless. Knowing the exact cards would make it easier and more accurate, though.
Anyway, the delayed trigger to phase the permanent out and the other end of turn trigger go off at the same time. The player controls both, so can choose their relative order on the stack. Thus they can put the other trigger on top, and resolve it before the delayed trigger makes the permanent phase out. They can also choose the other order, and phase out the permanent first, thus negating the other trigger. Which could be useful for dealing with pesky end of turn sacrifice triggers and such.
Just to be sure, the above applies to triggered abilities only. If the other ability is actually an activated ability* , it can only be activated in response to the end of turn trigger, and thus would resolve first, no choice of order available, trigger goes on the stack first. Alternatively, an activated ability can be used in the postcombat main phase to phase out the permanent before the other trigger happens.
*many people lump both together for reasons, even though they work very differently, and Magic terminology is very precise, and can change rules answers drastically: triggered abilities trigger, activated abilities get activated; you cannot trigger an activated ability, you cannot activate a triggered ability.
Hisoka's ability, original and copy alike, can target any spell regardless of mana value. But the spell will only get countered if its mana value matches that of the discarded card (again, copy and original refer to that card).
613.7a A continuous effect generated by a static ability has the same timestamp as the object the
static ability is on, or the timestamp of the effect that created the ability, whichever is later. If
the effect that created the ability has the later timestamp and the object the ability is on receives
a new timestamp, each continuous effect generated by static abilities of that object receives a
new timestamp as well, but the relative order of those timestamps remains the same.
[...]
613.7d An object receives a timestamp at the time it enters a zone.
[...]
The first of those rules means, that Displaced Dinosaurs replacement effect for Puphoros has the earlier time stamp. The second of those rules gives Purphoros, and thus its "not a creature" ability the later timestamp. Thus Purphoros will be a non-creature if devotion isn't met.
Simultaneous timestamps, do not exist, they always have an order to them. Objects and effects can get a timestamp at the same time, though, just not the same timestamp unless the ability is on the object.
613.7m If two or more objects would receive a timestamp simultaneously, such as by entering a
zone simultaneously or becoming attached simultaneously, their relative timestamps are
determined in APNAP order (see rule 101.4). Objects controlled by the active player (or owned
by the active player, if they have no controller) have an earlier relative timestamp in the order of
that player’s choice, followed by each other player in turn order.
The card leaves the graveyard as whatever it is there (might not be a creature card), and enters the battlefield face down as a Forest land. Weathered Runestone determines wether the card can go to the battlefield based on what the card looks like in the graveyard. Same with Grafdigger's Cage.
Protection works only on the battlefield, so has no relevance here on any card in the graveyard.
Yedora's ability doesn't target, so Ground Seal is irrelevant.
You should try to get in as many games as possible. It's also important, that you both play each deck in each pairing to somewhat compensate for player skill. And make each deck go first and go second. That's a minimum of 4 games per matchup, which may already seem a lot. But time will fly by and extreme discrepancies in deck strength will show pretty fast. Just get it started, play a few games each day, and each deck will have a decent amount of games done in no time. Just don't force it, you are playing to have fun after all.
Since you also want to test actual deck strength, discard any games that are obviously extremely one sided from the get go, meaning mulligans to 5 or less cards, extreme mana screw and mana flood. You don't have to play those games. After all, you want to see how a typical game will turn out, right? So focus on the games that let both decks do what they are supposed to do. Treat those other issues seperately. Preferably before you start the play testing. For example, you can test mulligans by simply taking 7 cards from the deck, then the next 7, and so forth until there are no more cards to form an opening hand with. Thus you get at least 8 sample opening hands for one shuffle.
Maybe get two more friends to play a different matchup at the same time.
By default, an ability that can function on the battlefield, functions ONLY on the battlefield unless explicitly stated otherwise. Thus the Nephelim's ability only functions while it is on the battlefield. Squee has to be in the graveyard for the ability to make sense, so it functions while Squee is in the graveyard. Serra Avatar has an "enters the graveyard from anywhere" trigger, so has to go to the graveyard to trigger, has to actually have that ability while in the graveyard (a Clone of the Avatar dying would not trigger the ability), and has to stay there until the ability resolves.
113.6. Abilities of an instant or sorcery spell usually function only while that object is on the stack.
Abilities of all other objects usually function only while that object is on the battlefield. The
exceptions are as follows:
113.6a Characteristic-defining abilities function everywhere, even outside the game and before the
game begins. (See rule 604.3.)
113.6b An ability that states which zones it functions in functions only from those zones.
113.6c An ability that states which zones it doesn’t function in functions everywhere except for the
specified zones, even outside the game and before the game begins.
113.6d An object’s ability that allows a player to pay an alternative cost rather than its mana cost or
otherwise modifies what that particular object costs to cast functions on the stack.
113.6e An object’s ability that restricts or modifies how that particular object can be played or cast
functions in any zone from which it could be played or cast and also on the stack. An object’s
ability that grants it another ability that restricts or modifies how that particular object can be
played or cast functions only on the stack.
113.6f An object’s ability that restricts or modifies what zones that particular object can be played
or cast from functions everywhere, even outside the game.
113.6g An object’s ability that states it can’t be countered or can’t be copied functions on the stack.
113.6h An object’s ability that modifies how that particular object enters the battlefield functions as
that object is entering the battlefield. See rule 614.12.
113.6i An object’s ability that states counters can’t be put on that object functions as that object is
entering the battlefield in addition to functioning while that object is on the battlefield.
113.6j An object’s activated ability that has a cost that can’t be paid while the object is on the
battlefield functions from any zone in which its cost can be paid.
113.6k A trigger condition that can’t trigger from the battlefield functions in all zones it can trigger
from. Other trigger conditions of the same triggered ability may function in different zones.
Example: Absolver Thrull has the ability “When Absolver Thrull enters the battlefield
or the creature it haunts dies, destroy target enchantment.” The first trigger condition
functions from the battlefield and the second trigger condition functions from the exile
zone. (See rule 702.55, “Haunt.”)
113.6m An ability whose cost or effect specifies that it moves the object it’s on out of a particular
zone functions only in that zone, unless its trigger condition or a previous part of its cost or
effect specifies that the object is put into that zone or, if the object is an Aura, that the object it
enchants leaves the battlefield. The same is true if the effect of that ability creates a delayed
triggered ability whose effect moves the object out of a particular zone.
Example: Reassembling Skeleton says “{1}{B}: Return Reassembling Skeleton from
your graveyard to the battlefield tapped.” A player may activate this ability only if
Reassembling Skeleton is in their graveyard.
113.6n An ability that modifies the rules for deck construction functions before the game begins.
Such an ability modifies not just the Comprehensive Rules, but also the Magic: The Gathering
Tournament Rules and any other documents that set the deck construction rules for a specific
format. However, such an ability can’t affect the format legality of a card, including whether it’s
banned or restricted. The current Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules can be found at
WPN.Wizards.com/en/resources/rules-documents.
113.6p Abilities of emblems, plane cards, vanguard cards, scheme cards, and conspiracy cards
function in the command zone. See rule 114, “Emblems”; rule 901, “Planechase”; rule 902,
“Vanguard”; rule 904, “Archenemy”; and rule 905, “Conspiracy Draft.”
Yes, Aetherworks Marvel allows you to cast Restore Balance without paying its mana cost, which is an alternative cost, which you CAN pay.
Any card that gives such an alternative cost to cast the spell will work (if the alternative cost is payable that is). Any card that simply says to cast it, won't (e.g. Mishra's Research Desk).
The equipped creature goes to the graveyard, and that triggers the Orb. If it is your commander, you can then choose to put it into the command zone as a state based action. If you do, the Orb will lose track of it and won't return the card to the battlefield. Then the trigger goes on the stack and will eventually resolve to set up a delayed trigger. That delayed trigger at the beginning of the end step is what would bring the card back. But, as I said, if the card leaves the graveyard before that delayed trigger resolves, it won't come back, even if it somehow returns to the graveyard. That goes for any card that was an Orb-equipped creature, died, and left the graveyard before the delayed trigger in the end step can bring it back.
Yes. Since the Kirin has reconfigure, it can get attached, and will stop being a creature.
702.151b Attaching an Equipment with reconfigure to another creature causes the Equipment to
stop being a creature until it becomes unattached from that creature.
301.5c An Equipment that’s also a creature can’t equip a creature unless that Equipment has
reconfigure (see rule 702.151, “Reconfigure”). An Equipment that loses the subtype
“Equipment” can’t equip a creature. An Equipment can’t equip itself. An Equipment that equips
an illegal or nonexistent permanent becomes unattached from that permanent but remains on the
battlefield. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.) An Equipment can’t equip more than one
creature. If a spell or ability would cause an Equipment to equip more than one creature, the
Equipment’s controller chooses which creature it equips
No, you can equip the Kirin for 0. Because the Kirin also has reconfigure, the above rules apply. Of course, you are free to use the reconfigure ability for 5 mana instead.
If you copy a face down creature, you get a colorless 2/2 creature with no creature type. The end. It is face up already, so you cannot turn it face up. And there is no morph/megamorph ability to show for turning it face up in the first place.
Also, face down and double faced are two very different pairs of shoes. A double faced permanent can now be face down (that has been the case for quite a while, actually), but turning something face up or down does not get you to the other side of a DFC.
When you cast Brass Knuckles, and completed the casting process, a triggered ability is put on top of the stack. That trigger, when it resolves, will create a copy of the Knuckles spell on top of the stack. At this point there will be two Knuckles spells on th stack, the copy on top of the original. So your opponent can respond to the original while the trigger is on the stack, but no copy yet. He can also wait for the trigger to resolve, and then counter the copy, or the original. Or he can Stifle the trigger to deny you the copy. If he has Counterflux, Flusterstorm or similar counter for multiple spells, he actually has to wait for the trigger to resolve if he wants to catch the copy with them.
So technically, your opponent CAN counter the original before the copy is created. But even if he does, the trigger will still make a copy.
Anyway, the delayed trigger to phase the permanent out and the other end of turn trigger go off at the same time. The player controls both, so can choose their relative order on the stack. Thus they can put the other trigger on top, and resolve it before the delayed trigger makes the permanent phase out. They can also choose the other order, and phase out the permanent first, thus negating the other trigger. Which could be useful for dealing with pesky end of turn sacrifice triggers and such.
Just to be sure, the above applies to triggered abilities only. If the other ability is actually an activated ability* , it can only be activated in response to the end of turn trigger, and thus would resolve first, no choice of order available, trigger goes on the stack first. Alternatively, an activated ability can be used in the postcombat main phase to phase out the permanent before the other trigger happens.
*many people lump both together for reasons, even though they work very differently, and Magic terminology is very precise, and can change rules answers drastically: triggered abilities trigger, activated abilities get activated; you cannot trigger an activated ability, you cannot activate a triggered ability.
static ability is on, or the timestamp of the effect that created the ability, whichever is later. If
the effect that created the ability has the later timestamp and the object the ability is on receives
a new timestamp, each continuous effect generated by static abilities of that object receives a
new timestamp as well, but the relative order of those timestamps remains the same.
[...]
613.7d An object receives a timestamp at the time it enters a zone.
[...]
The first of those rules means, that Displaced Dinosaurs replacement effect for Puphoros has the earlier time stamp. The second of those rules gives Purphoros, and thus its "not a creature" ability the later timestamp. Thus Purphoros will be a non-creature if devotion isn't met.
Simultaneous timestamps, do not exist, they always have an order to them. Objects and effects can get a timestamp at the same time, though, just not the same timestamp unless the ability is on the object.
613.7m If two or more objects would receive a timestamp simultaneously, such as by entering a
zone simultaneously or becoming attached simultaneously, their relative timestamps are
determined in APNAP order (see rule 101.4). Objects controlled by the active player (or owned
by the active player, if they have no controller) have an earlier relative timestamp in the order of
that player’s choice, followed by each other player in turn order.
The card leaves the graveyard as whatever it is there (might not be a creature card), and enters the battlefield face down as a Forest land. Weathered Runestone determines wether the card can go to the battlefield based on what the card looks like in the graveyard. Same with Grafdigger's Cage.
Protection works only on the battlefield, so has no relevance here on any card in the graveyard.
Yedora's ability doesn't target, so Ground Seal is irrelevant.
Since you also want to test actual deck strength, discard any games that are obviously extremely one sided from the get go, meaning mulligans to 5 or less cards, extreme mana screw and mana flood. You don't have to play those games. After all, you want to see how a typical game will turn out, right? So focus on the games that let both decks do what they are supposed to do. Treat those other issues seperately. Preferably before you start the play testing. For example, you can test mulligans by simply taking 7 cards from the deck, then the next 7, and so forth until there are no more cards to form an opening hand with. Thus you get at least 8 sample opening hands for one shuffle.
Maybe get two more friends to play a different matchup at the same time.
113.6. Abilities of an instant or sorcery spell usually function only while that object is on the stack.
Abilities of all other objects usually function only while that object is on the battlefield. The
exceptions are as follows:
113.6a Characteristic-defining abilities function everywhere, even outside the game and before the
game begins. (See rule 604.3.)
113.6b An ability that states which zones it functions in functions only from those zones.
113.6c An ability that states which zones it doesn’t function in functions everywhere except for the
specified zones, even outside the game and before the game begins.
113.6d An object’s ability that allows a player to pay an alternative cost rather than its mana cost or
otherwise modifies what that particular object costs to cast functions on the stack.
113.6e An object’s ability that restricts or modifies how that particular object can be played or cast
functions in any zone from which it could be played or cast and also on the stack. An object’s
ability that grants it another ability that restricts or modifies how that particular object can be
played or cast functions only on the stack.
113.6f An object’s ability that restricts or modifies what zones that particular object can be played
or cast from functions everywhere, even outside the game.
113.6g An object’s ability that states it can’t be countered or can’t be copied functions on the stack.
113.6h An object’s ability that modifies how that particular object enters the battlefield functions as
that object is entering the battlefield. See rule 614.12.
113.6i An object’s ability that states counters can’t be put on that object functions as that object is
entering the battlefield in addition to functioning while that object is on the battlefield.
113.6j An object’s activated ability that has a cost that can’t be paid while the object is on the
battlefield functions from any zone in which its cost can be paid.
113.6k A trigger condition that can’t trigger from the battlefield functions in all zones it can trigger
from. Other trigger conditions of the same triggered ability may function in different zones.
Example: Absolver Thrull has the ability “When Absolver Thrull enters the battlefield
or the creature it haunts dies, destroy target enchantment.” The first trigger condition
functions from the battlefield and the second trigger condition functions from the exile
zone. (See rule 702.55, “Haunt.”)
113.6m An ability whose cost or effect specifies that it moves the object it’s on out of a particular
zone functions only in that zone, unless its trigger condition or a previous part of its cost or
effect specifies that the object is put into that zone or, if the object is an Aura, that the object it
enchants leaves the battlefield. The same is true if the effect of that ability creates a delayed
triggered ability whose effect moves the object out of a particular zone.
Example: Reassembling Skeleton says “{1}{B}: Return Reassembling Skeleton from
your graveyard to the battlefield tapped.” A player may activate this ability only if
Reassembling Skeleton is in their graveyard.
113.6n An ability that modifies the rules for deck construction functions before the game begins.
Such an ability modifies not just the Comprehensive Rules, but also the Magic: The Gathering
Tournament Rules and any other documents that set the deck construction rules for a specific
format. However, such an ability can’t affect the format legality of a card, including whether it’s
banned or restricted. The current Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules can be found at
WPN.Wizards.com/en/resources/rules-documents.
113.6p Abilities of emblems, plane cards, vanguard cards, scheme cards, and conspiracy cards
function in the command zone. See rule 114, “Emblems”; rule 901, “Planechase”; rule 902,
“Vanguard”; rule 904, “Archenemy”; and rule 905, “Conspiracy Draft.”
Any card that gives such an alternative cost to cast the spell will work (if the alternative cost is payable that is). Any card that simply says to cast it, won't (e.g. Mishra's Research Desk).
Yes. Since the Kirin has reconfigure, it can get attached, and will stop being a creature.
702.151b Attaching an Equipment with reconfigure to another creature causes the Equipment to
stop being a creature until it becomes unattached from that creature.
301.5c An Equipment that’s also a creature can’t equip a creature unless that Equipment has
reconfigure (see rule 702.151, “Reconfigure”). An Equipment that loses the subtype
“Equipment” can’t equip a creature. An Equipment can’t equip itself. An Equipment that equips
an illegal or nonexistent permanent becomes unattached from that permanent but remains on the
battlefield. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.) An Equipment can’t equip more than one
creature. If a spell or ability would cause an Equipment to equip more than one creature, the
Equipment’s controller chooses which creature it equips
No, you can equip the Kirin for 0. Because the Kirin also has reconfigure, the above rules apply. Of course, you are free to use the reconfigure ability for 5 mana instead.
Also, face down and double faced are two very different pairs of shoes. A double faced permanent can now be face down (that has been the case for quite a while, actually), but turning something face up or down does not get you to the other side of a DFC.