Subject: Exodus (TM) Infrequently Asked Questions (fwd) Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 14:55:59 +0100 (BST) From: Paul Barclay This is the "Infrequently Asked Questions" for the Exodus (TM) expansion. Card text has not been quoted, because the official spoiler list has not yet been released. It's an official document, as far as NetReps can be official, and all the NetReps agree on the official parts of it. All card names are (c) 1993-1998 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Each ruling has a notation next to it in square brackets "[]". The meanings of the most common ones are as follows: [Card Text]: The ruling is derived directly from the card text. [A card name]: Look in the D'Angelo's summaries for the card name to find the precedent for the ruling. [5E Rules]: Look in the 5th Edition rulebook to find the precedent for the ruling. [New]: These rulings have no easily found precedent, but they are official. [Unofficial]: Rulings with this identifier are _not_ official. They are simply an indication of how the card should be played, for cards with incorrect or unclear wording. All Unofficial rulings will be dealt with by the Rules Team in the July rulings. ========== Artifacts: ========== > Coat of Arms For creatures with multiple types, only one type needs to match (Zuberi Golden Feather gets +1/+1 for any Griffins, and for any Legends). [New] If two creature types match (Wild Pegasus tokens for example), count the number of creatures, not the number of creature types (Wild Pegasi get +1/+1 for each other Wild Pegasus, not +2/+2) [Card Text] > Memory Crystal This card's ability is _not_ optional. [Card Text] It will only reduce the generic portion of a Buyback cost. [Card Text] > Null Brooch You can play this card's ability even if you have no cards in hand. [Lion's Eye Diamond] "Artifact Creature" spells count as creature spells. [5E Rules] > Transmogrifying Licid If you move it onto itself, it will be destroyed. [Licids] ====== Black: ====== > Carnophage This card's ability is an Upkeep Cost, even though it doesn't cause the creature to be sacrificed if it is not paid. [Card Text] > Culling the Weak You can't sacrifice two creatures to get 8 black mana with this card. [Goblin Grenade] It doesn't ever come into play - it's a Mana Source spell, not a permanent. [Card Text] > Dauthi Jackal This card doesn't have to be participating in combat to use its ability. [Card Text] > Dauthi Warlord This card's ability counts creatures with Shadow on both sides. [Card Text] > Death's Duet You can't cast this card if you only have 1 creature card in your grave. [Ashes to Ashes] > Entropic Specter The setting of this card's power and toughness will change with your opponent's hand size - it's basically an anti-Maro. [Card Text] It only works if damage is successfully dealt [Spirit Link] > Grollub Only successfully dealt damage is counted. [Spirit Link] > Hatred The life payment is a cost - you don't get it back if Hatred is countered. [Infernal Contract] > Keeper of the Dead "At least two fewer" means you must have at least two more creature cards in your graveyard when this ability is _announced_. [Card Text] You can activate multiple Keepers in response to each other, and all will resolve normally. [Card Text] > Mind Maggots "Artifact Creature" cards are considered to be creature cards. [5E Rules] > Necrologia An instant Necro. You have to discard down to 7 afterwards. [5E Rules] > Oath of Ghouls Its ability is an optional Phase Ability, so you can only use it once per turn. [5E Rules][Card Text] The condition about creature cards is checked on resolution, not on announcement, because it involves counting things. [Equipoise] This card is badly worded. It should read: During each player's upkeep, that player may return a creature card from his or her graveyard to his or her hand if that player has more creature cards in his or her graveyard than one of that player's opponents. [Unofficial] (As written, the card has problems with the new "Phase Abilities" rule.) > Pit Spawn Note that the Spawn has First Strike, so can usually remove any blockers/attackers before they get to deal damage back. [Card Text] Only successfully dealt damage is counted - Protection from Black will save anything damaged by the Spawn. [Spirit Link] > Spike Cannibal It will move its own +1/+1 counter from itself to itself. This will not cause it to die, as the counter is always on it. [Card Text] It will not move +1/+1 counters from non-creature permanents. [Card Text] ===== Blue: ===== > Curiosity Yes, you can play this on one of your opponent's creatures. But, it will only let you draw a card if it damages one of _your_ opponents. [Card Text] You draw a card for each time that your opponent is damaged, not for each point of damage. [Card Text] > Equilibrium This payment is made at the end of the spell's interrupt window. It's a triggered ability, so it cannot be responded to with anything. [Lightning Cloud] > Fade Away You can choose to pay some mana and sacrifice some permanents if you have more than one creature. [Card Text] All the payments or sacrifices are done at the same time. You can't sacrifice one creature to another one in order to ignore the payment for the sacrificed creature. [New] > Keeper of the Mind This card should not say "target opponent". [Cursed Scroll "target opponent" ruling]. > Mana Breach The person who played the spell chooses which of their lands goes back to its owner's hand. [Card Text] > Mind Over Matter You can tap a tapped card, and untap an untapped card. [Icy Manipulator] > Mirozel Works just like the Skulking Ghost, but goes to your hand. [Skulking Ghost] > Oath of Scholars Its ability is an optional Phase Ability, so you can only use it once per turn. [5E Rules][Card Text] The condition about cards in hand is checked on resolution, not on announcement, because it involves counting things. [Equipoise] Drawing and discarding cards is all one event, so you can discard cards in your hand to Chains of Mephistopheles. [Card Text - no "then"] This card is badly worded. It should read: During each player's upkeep, that player may discard his or her hand and draw three cards if that player has fewer cards in hand than one of that player's opponents. [Unofficial] (As written, the card has problems with the new "Phase Abilities" rule.) > Robe of Mirrors Will not destroy Enchantments on the creature, and will not prevent enchantments being moved onto the creature. [Mystic Veil] > Rootwater Mystic The card does not move anywhere; you do not get to shuffle the library [Card Text] > School of Piranha This card's ability is an Upkeep Cost. [5E Rules] > Scrivener This card's ability is optional. [Card Text] > Thalakos Drifters The reminder text is confusing on this card - it is only valid when the Drifters have Shadow. [Tempest Rules] ====== Green: ====== > Avenging Druid This card's ability is optional. [Card Text] It only works if damage is successfully dealt [Spirit Link] Putting a land into play does not count as "playing a land". [5E Rules] > Cartographer This card's ability is optional. [Card Text] > Crashing Boars This card's ability is not optional. If there are no untapped creatures under the control of the defending player when the triggered ability is played, nothing happens. [Card Text] > Elvish Berserker This card's ability applies to the first blocker as well. [Unlike Rampage] > Jackalope Herd The Herd are returned to your hand as a triggered ability on announcement of a spell [Card Text] If they are sacrificed as a cost for that spell, they will be in the graveyard and will not return. [5E Rules] Rabbits...With......Antlers. > Keeper of the Beasts This card should not say "target opponent". [Cursed Scroll "target opponent" ruling]. > Manabond This is a Discard Phase Ability. [Upkeep Abilities] Putting a land into play does not count as "playing a land". [5E Rules] Your hand is discarded on the resolution of this ability. [Card Text] > Mirri, Cat Warrior Miaow! > Oath of Druids Its ability is an optional Phase Ability, so you can only use it once per turn. [5E Rules][Card Text] The condition about creatures in play is checked on resolution, not on announcement, because it involves counting things. [Equipoise] The cards all go to your graveyard at the same time, so you choose their order. [Millstone] This card is badly worded. It should read: During each player's upkeep, that player may reveal cards from the his or her library until a creature card is revealed if he or she controls fewer creatures than one of his or her opponents. The player puts the revealed creature card into play, and puts all other revealed cards into the graveyard. [Unofficial] (As written, the card has problems with the new "Phase Abilities" rule.) > Plated Rootwalla You can't play its ability more than once per turn. [Card Text][Rootwalla] > Predatory Hunger If you put this on your opponent's creature, it gets +1/+1 counters for each creature any of _your_ opponents casts. [Card Text] > Pygmy Troll This card's ability applies to the first blocker as well. [Unlike Rampage] > Rabid Wolverines This card's ability applies to the first blocker as well. [Unlike Rampage] > Resuscitate This card cannot be played during damage prevention. It must be played before Regeneration is required. [Martyrdom] > Skyshroud War Beast The "target opponent" is set on announcement of the Beast spell, or when the Beast comes into play by any other means. [Targeted Permanents] > Song of Serenity Doesn't prevent those creatures playing abilities. [Pacifism] > Spike Hatcher It's a Spike. [Spikes] > Spike Rogue Hey, look - another Spike. [Spikes] This card's second ability can move +1/+1 counters from other creatures onto it, so it's an Anti-Spike as well. [Spikes][Card Text] > Spike Weaver Wow - yet another Spike. [Spikes] This card's second ability includes your creatures. [Portal] > Survival of the Fittest Yes, this card really is that good. [Unofficial Opinion] ===== Land: ===== > City of Traitors Yes, this card really is that poor. [Unofficial Opinion] Putting a land into play does not count as "playing a land". [5E Rules] ==== Red: ==== > Anarchist This card's ability is optional. [Card Text] > Dizzying Gaze This card's ability is an ability of the enchantment, not the creature. [Card Text] If you lose control of the creature or the Gaze, then the Gaze will be buried (unless you lose control of both at the same time). [Card Text] > Fighting Chance One coin flip per blocking creature. [Card Text] > Mogg Assassin Both targets are chosen on announcement. The coin flip is performed on resolution. If the first target is controlled by you on resolution of this ability, it will not be destroyed even if you win the flip. [Card Text] > Monstrous Hound This was the Prerelease card. [Gold foil "Prerelease 6/98" stamp] This card basically sits around looking stupid unless you control more land than one of your opponents. [Card Text] > Oath of Mages Its ability is an optional Phase Ability, so you can only use it once per turn. [5E Rules][Card Text] The condition about life totals is checked on resolution, not on announcement, because it involves counting things. [Equipoise] This card is badly worded. It should read: During each player's upkeep, that player may choose to have Oath of Mages deal 1 damage to one of that player's opponents if that opponent has more life than the player. [Unofficial] (As written, the card has problems with the new "Phase Abilities" rule.) > Ogre Shaman See Stormbind for more rulings. [Stormbind] > Onslaught This card's ability is cumulative. [5E Rules] You are allowed to target a tapped creature. [Icy Manipulator] > Pandemonium This card is under debate by the NetReps and the Rules Team. We're not sure how it _should_ work, and there are several equally likely answers from the Rules Team. Expect clear rulings for this card in the July Rulings. > Paroxysm This card's ability is _not_ optional. [Card Text] > Price of Progress "Each player" includes you. [Portal] > Raging Goblin We knew it would arrive eventually. > Reckless Ogre If it attacks more than once per turn, it gets an additional +3/+0 each time. [Card Text] > Scalding Salamander This card's ability can be used before blockers are declared, and will deal damage to creatures that are not currently in combat. [Card Text] > Seismic Assault This card works differently to Land's Edge. Only you may use its ability, you may only discard land cards and it can damage creatures. [Card Text] > Shattering Pulse Anyone want to buy some slightly used Shatters? > Spellshock "any player" includes you. [Portal] ====== White: ====== > Cataclysm You may not choose to "not choose" one type of permanent, so you cannot use Cataclysm to sacrifice all your land. [Card Text] If you control permanents of more than one type, you can choose the same permanent more than once. There is no rule stating that you have to choose four different permanents, only that you must make four choices if you control all four types of permanent. [New] > Charging Paladin See the Raging Ogre for rulings. [Raging Ogre] > Convalescence Its ability is a Phase Ability, so you can only use it once per turn. It is _not_ an optional ability. [5E Rules][Card Text] The condition about life totals is checked on resolution, not on announcement, because it involves counting things. [Equipoise] > Exalted Dragon As worded, this card will not work as intended. It should be worded: Exalted Dragon cannot attack Sacrifice a Land: Exalted Dragon may attack this turn as if it did not have the ability "Exalted Dragon cannot attack". [Unofficial] (As written, the card will allow you to attack if a land is sacrificed to some other spell/ability/effect - it's written more like a Xena card than a Magic card) > High Ground This card is cumulative, and works just like Mounted Archers. [Mounted Archers] > Keeper of the Light This card should not say "target opponent" [Cursed Scroll "target opponent" ruling]. > Kor Chant The target creature does not have to be under your control. The damaged creature does. [Card Text] > Limited Resources Putting a land into play does not count as "playing a land". [5E Rules] > Oath of Lieges Its ability is an optional Phase Ability, so you can only use it once per turn. [5E Rules][Card Text] The condition about land in play is checked on resolution, not on announcement, because it involves counting things. [Equipoise] Shuffle your library after searching for the land. Do not shuffle if you chose not to search your library. [Card Text] Putting a land into play does not count as "playing a land". [5E Rules] This card is badly worded. It should read: During each player's upkeep, that player may search his or her library for a basic land card and put that card into play if that player controls fewer land than one of that player's opponents. Any player that does so shuffles his or her library afterwards. [Unofficial] (As written, the card has problems with the new "Phase Abilities" rule.) > Penance Similar to Hidden Retreat, except that it will prevent damage from creatures and abilities as well as spells. [Hidden Retreat] > Reconnaissance This card only affects creatures that _you_ control. It's not a Maze of Ith. [Card Text] > Shackles This card does not tap the creature when it comes into play. [Card Text] > Soltari Visionary If the damaged played controls any Enchantments, you _must_ choose one to be destroyed. [Card Text] It only works if damage is successfully dealt [Spirit Link] > Soul Warden This card's ability will not see itself coming into play. [Mogg Bombers] > Treasure Hunter This card's ability is optional. [Card Text] > Wall of Nets If this card is not in play at the end of combat (even if it dies in combat), it will not be able to remove any creatures from the game. [Card Text] > Zealots en-Dal This card's ability doesn't care if any of your White permanents are also other colours - it only looks for permanents that are not Lands _and_ are not White. [Card Text] With thanks to Dan Gray, Dave Delaney and Adam Conus for helping to compile this document. Paul. -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- -- -- Paul Barclay -- (Tel. 0958-980-180) -- MTG-L NetRep -- -- Manufacturing Engineering Group: Mill Lane, Cambridge, England CB21RX -- -- Official MTG-L Network Representative for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. --