BTW, the case for Grand Abolisher in the MB is this:
WRR - Stops them activating Inkmoth Nexus as a blocker. So helpful for final push.
Quick correction there (I'm not arguing that you shouldn't use Abolisher).
Your WRR opponents can activate Inkmoth Nexus on your turn while it is only a land. Once it's a creature, they can't use its mana ability or activate it again (usually no need to).
About the last answer with Gravecrawler and Flayer. It will work, half the time. Lets say Viscera Seer is the sac outlet.
Sac Gravecrawler to the seer. it comes back because of undying and deals damage. Then sac it. Now it won't come back from undying. Cast it and it deals no damage, then sac it again, it comes back because of undying it will deal damage. So every other sacrifice it comes back.
Gravecrawler doesn't have Undying. This will only work if you control Mikaeus, the Unhallowed.
It should have been Research (Research/Development). The query finds both sides if you don't 'specify' one. As far as the question goes, it was only concerned about the Research side of the card.
I would answer D-B-E-C-E-A since you explicitly point out that "triggered on the stack" option
Maybe you should remove "put anything that triggered on the stack." and make a note that "nothing triggers during spell resolve or state-based actions check"
that would make the answer "D-B-E-A" and, like, you know, pull the question out of the grey shadow
I think the problem is that the question is trying to be as detailed as possible while being as brief as possible. You're wrong about nothing triggering during spell resolution, though:
116.2a Triggered abilities can trigger at any time, including while a spell is being cast, an ability is being activated, or a spell or ability is resolving. (See rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") However, nothing actually happens at the time an ability triggers. Each time a player would receive priority, each ability that has triggered but hasn't yet been put on the stack is put on the stack. See rule 116.5.
Also, both E and C can happen multiple times, but don't have to. Once both don't do anything, then A happens.
116.5. Each time a player would get priority, the game first performs all applicable state-based actions as a single event (see rule 704, "State-Based Actions"), then repeats this process until no state-based actions are performed. Then triggered abilities are put on the stack (see rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities"). These steps repeat in order until no further state-based actions are performed and no abilities trigger. Then the player who would have received priority does so.
In Memory's Journey's case, you target a player and three cards in that player's graveyard, then they shuffle the three targeted cards into their graveyard when the spell resolves.
I'm sure it was an accident, but the cards shuffle into their library.
I'm confused by the last part of the Vesuva/Blood Moon answer. If you target a non-basic land with Vesuva, won't the result be a non-basic Mountain that would stay a non-basic Mountain when Blood Moon went away? Isn't the Vesuva copying the now-a-Mountain, not copying the not-a-Mountain and becoming a Mountain because of Blood Moon?
Blood Moon making the not-a-mountain, now-a-mountain is not a copiable value. Vesuva will be a copy of whatever the non-basic land was originally, but be a mountain as it comes into play because of Blood Moon. If Blood Moon goes away, it will be whatever you copied.
I think you'd get a similar result from copying a non-basic land that has Spreading Seas on it. Even though the land would look and act like an Island, Vesuva would come into play as a copy of the original card because these enchantments don't say the words 'become a copy of a [basic land]'. If there is a Vesuva in play copying a Mountain and you play another Vesuva choosing the Mountain-Vesuva, you'd get a Mountain because copy effects are copiable.
My mistake for failing to consider that the ambiguity in Swat's timing was merely preserved from the original question.
It's no big deal, dude. I was just trying to help cause I thought you were questioning the 'may' clause. As I said, I really don't know why the Dreamspoiler Witches were left in the question even if it was meant to be your opponent's turn. I guess it was just to test people's knowledge of the order things happen in?
So I'm "twisting it around without an explanation" if I don't assume facts that are not in evidence?
Yes. If you're not assuming facts that are not in evidence and don't bother explaining the facts you used when you go to ask your own question, then you're either trying to be tricky or your question was rhetorical because you should already know the answer. Obviously your Dreamspoiler Witches won't trigger during your own turn - that's impossible. You misunderstanding the 'may' clause of a triggered ability, though? I don't know you, so I feel like that's entirely possible and something worth being questioned. That's exactly what you made it seem like, so that's just how I responded. However, whenever you come back and justify your answer by changing the assumed situation around, it just makes it seem like you realized you were wrong and tried to play it off as you meaning something else.
Especially considering that the answer choices include J, H, and 3, assuming that any question in a Cranial Insertion quiz is "not a trick question" is asking too much.
The questions come from the readers, though. They should have no idea that their question is even going to be in a quiz; they're usually just looking for an answer. Why would they have any reason to throw in a card that they meant to be entirely irrelevant? (It's odd because the card doesn't seem to fit into the situation anyway. It actually does seem like the question was changed. Perhaps the reader wanted to know if the trigger from the Dreamspoiler Witches was fast enough to let Swat kill Adamaro, but after the article was made into a quiz, they didn't bother removing them?)
Dreamspoiler Witches triggers "Whenever you cast a spell during an opponent's turn." Last I checked, casting Swat during your own turn is a legal play.
I apologize for being so blunt with my answer then, but it's not like this is a trick question. I believe the situation and wording of the question would lead most of us to derive that the person asking it meant they wanted to do this during their opponent's turn. I suppose you could twist it around without an explanation and not explain your reasoning until someone disagrees.
For example, I could say a valid answer is that the whole situation is illegal and can't happen as described.
Adamaro, First to Desire's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in the hand of the opponent with the most cards in hand. Last I checked, this could be a free-for-all game with a third player that has three or more cards in hand.
Hey just a question about matt nass's list. Why do you suppose he doest run any Mana leaks?
The only things that Mana Leak can counter that Spell Pierce can't are creatures (sure, it makes them pay 1 more mana, but at the cost of making you pay 1 more too). Since he has Twisted Image and Grim Lavamancer, he can deal with a pretty good chunk of the creatures that the deck is 'shut down' by. Into the Roil can also take care of them, as well as the rest.
In the Adamaro question, Dreamspoiler Witches not triggering is also a valid answer, no?
No.
603.5. Some triggered abilities' effects are optional (they contain "may," as in "At the beginning of your upkeep, you may draw a card"). These abilities go on the stack when they trigger, regardless of whether their controller intends to exercise the ability's option or not. The choice is made when the ability resolves.
Because of this, it would probably be a better choice to target Adamaro and give it -1/-1, even though it's only going to matter if your opponent tries to 'counter' Swat by giving it +1/+1 somehow. However, if, for example, there were no other creatures on the battlefield besides your own Dreamspoiler Witches, then each time you cast a spell, you would be required to target them. You wouldn't decide whether or not to make them smaller until your triggered ability resolved.
i would be interested, if you were missing the mana leak or if there were situations where you have had a spell pierce in hand and would like to have a mana leak instead ?
Greetz
Morb
No, not yet at least. There were situations where I wished my Dispel was a Spell Pierce and vice versa, but the only creatures I care about my opponent getting are Spellskite, Grand Abolisher, and Urabrask the Hidden. Twisted Image takes care of Spellskite and I should be able to play around the other two. If anything, I would have liked another Into the Roil. Two is not enough when you get into a situation that you need it. Spellskite did nothing for me personally and I had a discussion about how it doesn't stop Act of Aggression from screwing up your combo.
If I was going to play Mana Leak, I would take out Spellskite and sideboard a Dispel (removing a Mental Misstep) to add 2 Mana Leak and a third Into the Roil.
Round 1 (Big Red):
Game 1 - This was not a difficult game. He Geosurged into Inferno Titan, so I comboed off.
Game 2 - I see he has Act of Aggression (using Gitaxian Probe). I'm all set to combo with backup and he Geosurges into Inferno Titan, so I just combo off with no worries.
Round 2 (B/R Vampires):
Game 1 - I topdeck what I need and win quickly while he's mana screwed and tapped out.
Game 2 - I start with combo in hand with no Mental Missteps and he IoK's me. He Torpor Orbs and my only answer is going to be one of my two Into the Roils (which I never find). I Spellskite on turn 2 and he kicks Gatekeeper (which doesn't do anything). I Pyroclasm a couple times this game and eventually lose to having all the wrong answers at the wrong times.
Game 3 - Combo in hand again without protection and my Exarch gets IoK'd again. He doesn't see Torpor Orb, but has two Go for the Throats for my second Exarch. I see two more Splinter Twins and no more Exarchs. Quite an unfortunate loss on my part considering I had more than enough answers and just always got them at the wrong time (again).
Round 3 (Tempered Steel):
Game 1 - I win the roll and play an Island, then pass. My opponent draws his card and quickly plays a Plains, an Ornithopter, a Glint Hawk, then the Ornithopter again and says he's done. I tell him to hang on a moment because I actually had a response. I back him up to when he is casting Glint Hawk and cast Twisted Image on Ornithopter, drawing me a card and making him lose both his creatures. I followed that up with Spell Piercing his Tempered Steel and comboing on my turn 5 with Dispel backup.
Game 2 - Going second, I decide to bring in Mindbreak Trap after what I just saw and obviously, Steel Sabotage. I'm hoping I get some decent value out of the trap and end up getting it in my opening hand. He plays Ornithopter, Memnite, Mox Opal (not worth it), Ornithopter (not worth it), Glint Hawk Idol? I was hoping for Steel Overseer, but I figured since he was paying mana for this I might as well get rid of it. He was down to one card at this point. I play an Island and pass. He plays Plains and Tempered Steel and I Spell Pierce it (again). He hits me with just Memnite for a few turns and I combo on turn 5 with Dispel back up again.
Round 4 (Mono-Green Aggro?):
Game 1 - I saw Llanowar Elf, Sword of War and Peace, Vengevine, and Fauna Shaman before taking an opening to combo off as soon as I could.
Game 2 - I play Deceiver Exarch at the end of my opponent's turn 4 or 5. I have to dig for Splinter Twin and end up finding it, but I'm left with two Islands and two Mountains. I use my better judgment and pause a moment before passing the turn. He tries to Beast Within, so I play Spell Pierce. On my next turn, I play Splinter Twin with mana open. He asks me to go through the motions, so I'm expecting a Nature's Claim here. After I tap to make a guy, he says Act of Aggression and I show him Dispel.
Overall, I liked the list and some of the new interactions that happened. I definitely still think some of the main deck and sideboard choices aren't great, but those are always going to either do poorly or shine on any given day based on the meta at the time.
Quick correction there (I'm not arguing that you shouldn't use Abolisher).
Your WRR opponents can activate Inkmoth Nexus on your turn while it is only a land. Once it's a creature, they can't use its mana ability or activate it again (usually no need to).
Gravecrawler doesn't have Undying. This will only work if you control Mikaeus, the Unhallowed.
It should have been Research (Research/Development). The query finds both sides if you don't 'specify' one. As far as the question goes, it was only concerned about the Research side of the card.
I think the problem is that the question is trying to be as detailed as possible while being as brief as possible. You're wrong about nothing triggering during spell resolution, though:
Also, both E and C can happen multiple times, but don't have to. Once both don't do anything, then A happens.
I'm sure it was an accident, but the cards shuffle into their library.
Am I misunderstanding or did he really make it to the Semifinals and let you block a Signal Pest with a Soldier token?
Mirran Crusader won't trade with Thrun. They have Protection from Green, so only Thrun would die.
Blood Moon making the not-a-mountain, now-a-mountain is not a copiable value. Vesuva will be a copy of whatever the non-basic land was originally, but be a mountain as it comes into play because of Blood Moon. If Blood Moon goes away, it will be whatever you copied.
I think you'd get a similar result from copying a non-basic land that has Spreading Seas on it. Even though the land would look and act like an Island, Vesuva would come into play as a copy of the original card because these enchantments don't say the words 'become a copy of a [basic land]'. If there is a Vesuva in play copying a Mountain and you play another Vesuva choosing the Mountain-Vesuva, you'd get a Mountain because copy effects are copiable.
I apologize for being so blunt with my answer then, but it's not like this is a trick question. I believe the situation and wording of the question would lead most of us to derive that the person asking it meant they wanted to do this during their opponent's turn. I suppose you could twist it around without an explanation and not explain your reasoning until someone disagrees.
For example, I could say a valid answer is that the whole situation is illegal and can't happen as described.
The only things that Mana Leak can counter that Spell Pierce can't are creatures (sure, it makes them pay 1 more mana, but at the cost of making you pay 1 more too). Since he has Twisted Image and Grim Lavamancer, he can deal with a pretty good chunk of the creatures that the deck is 'shut down' by. Into the Roil can also take care of them, as well as the rest.
No.
Because of this, it would probably be a better choice to target Adamaro and give it -1/-1, even though it's only going to matter if your opponent tries to 'counter' Swat by giving it +1/+1 somehow. However, if, for example, there were no other creatures on the battlefield besides your own Dreamspoiler Witches, then each time you cast a spell, you would be required to target them. You wouldn't decide whether or not to make them smaller until your triggered ability resolved.
That's good, since it does.
No, not yet at least. There were situations where I wished my Dispel was a Spell Pierce and vice versa, but the only creatures I care about my opponent getting are Spellskite, Grand Abolisher, and Urabrask the Hidden. Twisted Image takes care of Spellskite and I should be able to play around the other two. If anything, I would have liked another Into the Roil. Two is not enough when you get into a situation that you need it. Spellskite did nothing for me personally and I had a discussion about how it doesn't stop Act of Aggression from screwing up your combo.
If I was going to play Mana Leak, I would take out Spellskite and sideboard a Dispel (removing a Mental Misstep) to add 2 Mana Leak and a third Into the Roil.
4 Splinter Twin
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Preordain
4 Ponder
4 Shrine of Piercing Vision
2 Twisted Image
2 Into the Roil
4 Dispel
2 Spellskite
Lands
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Arid Mesa
9 Island
7 Mountain
4 Mental Misstep
3 Pyroclasm
2 Steel Sabotage
2 Mutagenic Growth
2 Negate
2 Mindbreak Trap
Round 1 (Big Red):
Game 1 - This was not a difficult game. He Geosurged into Inferno Titan, so I comboed off.
Game 2 - I see he has Act of Aggression (using Gitaxian Probe). I'm all set to combo with backup and he Geosurges into Inferno Titan, so I just combo off with no worries.
Round 2 (B/R Vampires):
Game 1 - I topdeck what I need and win quickly while he's mana screwed and tapped out.
Game 2 - I start with combo in hand with no Mental Missteps and he IoK's me. He Torpor Orbs and my only answer is going to be one of my two Into the Roils (which I never find). I Spellskite on turn 2 and he kicks Gatekeeper (which doesn't do anything). I Pyroclasm a couple times this game and eventually lose to having all the wrong answers at the wrong times.
Game 3 - Combo in hand again without protection and my Exarch gets IoK'd again. He doesn't see Torpor Orb, but has two Go for the Throats for my second Exarch. I see two more Splinter Twins and no more Exarchs. Quite an unfortunate loss on my part considering I had more than enough answers and just always got them at the wrong time (again).
Round 3 (Tempered Steel):
Game 1 - I win the roll and play an Island, then pass. My opponent draws his card and quickly plays a Plains, an Ornithopter, a Glint Hawk, then the Ornithopter again and says he's done. I tell him to hang on a moment because I actually had a response. I back him up to when he is casting Glint Hawk and cast Twisted Image on Ornithopter, drawing me a card and making him lose both his creatures. I followed that up with Spell Piercing his Tempered Steel and comboing on my turn 5 with Dispel backup.
Game 2 - Going second, I decide to bring in Mindbreak Trap after what I just saw and obviously, Steel Sabotage. I'm hoping I get some decent value out of the trap and end up getting it in my opening hand. He plays Ornithopter, Memnite, Mox Opal (not worth it), Ornithopter (not worth it), Glint Hawk Idol? I was hoping for Steel Overseer, but I figured since he was paying mana for this I might as well get rid of it. He was down to one card at this point. I play an Island and pass. He plays Plains and Tempered Steel and I Spell Pierce it (again). He hits me with just Memnite for a few turns and I combo on turn 5 with Dispel back up again.
Round 4 (Mono-Green Aggro?):
Game 1 - I saw Llanowar Elf, Sword of War and Peace, Vengevine, and Fauna Shaman before taking an opening to combo off as soon as I could.
Game 2 - I play Deceiver Exarch at the end of my opponent's turn 4 or 5. I have to dig for Splinter Twin and end up finding it, but I'm left with two Islands and two Mountains. I use my better judgment and pause a moment before passing the turn. He tries to Beast Within, so I play Spell Pierce. On my next turn, I play Splinter Twin with mana open. He asks me to go through the motions, so I'm expecting a Nature's Claim here. After I tap to make a guy, he says Act of Aggression and I show him Dispel.
Overall, I liked the list and some of the new interactions that happened. I definitely still think some of the main deck and sideboard choices aren't great, but those are always going to either do poorly or shine on any given day based on the meta at the time.