FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Magic: The Gathering

Compiled by Dave Howell, Beth Moursund, and James Ernest

This list of questions is intended to clarify the First Edition Magic: The
Gathering rules. It applies to the Revised Edition as well. These questions
and answers are not meant to supercede or substitute for the rules. If any
answer below actually modifies or corrects the old published rules, it will
make that clear.

This is the Self-Throwing Stone Giant Edition, accurate as of March
18, 1994.

To obtain the latest copy, see the information at the end of this FAQ.


SEQUENCE OF PLAY

Q: What exactly is the turn order?
A: Every turn consists of six phases: Untap, Upkeep, Draw, Main,
   Discard, and End. All but one of these phases is usually very fast.
   They all exist to support the Main Phase. In particular, the following
   describes what can happen in each Phase. (Note that there may be cards
   which break these rules. If they do, the card will tell you how. These
   detailed phase descriptions also contain certain restrictions which do
   not appear in the rules; they exist only to deal with a small number
   of paradoxical events.)

   1. UNTAP: All of your cards in play can and must untap, and all do so
      simultaneously. You may not cast spells or use any other effects
      either before or during Untap.

   2. UPKEEP: Any cards which require upkeep will tell you; otherwise, you
      don't have to do anything in this phase. Fast effects may be used by
      either player during Upkeep, including those which prevent damage you
      may have suffered during Untap.

   3. DRAW: You can and must draw one card from your Library. If you
      must draw and are out of cards, you lose the game. Fast effects may
      be used by either player during Draw.

   4. MAIN: During the main phase, you may do any one of the following,
      in any order:
        a. play one land card;
        b. make one attack (see Attack, below); or
        c. cast spells (see Spells, below).
      You may only lay out one land, and you may only make one Attack.
      However, there is no limit to the number of spells you may cast, as
      long as you can afford their casting cost, and you may cast spells
      at any time during the Main Phase.

   5. DISCARD: If you have more then seven cards in your hand, you must
      discard until you have only seven. If you have seven or less, you
      may not discard, even if you want to. Fast effects may be used by
      either player during Discard.

   6. END: It's rarely obvious that your turn is over; therefore, you must
      tell your opponent that youUre done. When you announce that your turn
      is over, you're really saying that this is your opponentUs last chance
      to cast fast effects on your turn. You may respond with fast effects
      of your own as well.

   7. HEAL CREATURES: Now the turn is over. All damage is cleared from
      creatures, and all fast effects expire. You may not cast spells or
      use any other effects during or after this phase. One exception: if
      a creature is going to die, you may use damage prevention and
      regeneration as usual.

Q: What's the order of an Attack Phase?
A: You only get one each turn, and your mana pool clears at the
   beginning and end of it. During the attack, only fast effects may be
   used; no sorceries may be cast, and no lands, creatures, or artifacts
   can come into play. It goes like this:

   1. Announce attack; last chance for either player to use pre-attack fast
      effects.

   2. Declare and tap attacking creatures.

   3. Either player may use fast effects.

   4. Declare blocking.

   5. Either player may use fast effects. Note that if a blocking creature
      is removed or a blocked attacking creature rendered unblockable
      during this step, the attacking creature is still blocked.

   6. Assign damage.

   7. Either player may use damage-prevention, damage-redirection,
      regeneration, and life-giving fast effects. The only other fast
      effects that may be used at this time are interrupts.

   8. Creatures which have lethal damage go to the graveyard.

   9. Any effects triggered by the deaths (Vampires gaining counters,
      Creature Bond damage, the use of Soul Net, and so on) take place.
      No fast effects not triggered by the deaths may be used.

   Note that steps 2, 4, 6, and 8 are considered instantaneous, and you
   may not use any fast effects during them.

   Steps 6-9 happen twice if the combat includes any creatures with the
   First Strike ability. Steps 6-9 also happen any time that any spell or
   fast effect causes damage.

Q: When exactly can I cast Spells? And what the heck are fast effects?
A: Fast effects include instants, interrupts, and most special powers of
   cards in play, including the tapping of land for mana. Fast effects are
   called that because a Fast Effect can start before another spell has
   finished. Tapping mana is played with the speed of an interrupt. All
   other special powers are assumed to occur with the speed of an instant.
   These include tapping the Prodigal Sorcerer to poke somebody; using a
   Pestilence to poke everybody; putting more power into an existing Holy
   Armor (to keep your Sorcerer from dying from the Pestilence, for
   example); and so forth.

   You can use fast effects during either player's Upkeep, Draw, Main,
   Discard, and End phases, and during specific parts of an Attack. They
   may not be played during Untap or Heal Creatures, or during damage
   resolution except as indicated above. This sounds like an extreme
   change from the rules, which say `you may use fast effects at any
   time,' but these other phases are defined as instantaneous, and in
   all but a very few cases, there's no difference between using a fast
   effect during an instantaneous phase, and using it during an adjoining
   legal period.

   Any spell that isn't an instant or an interrupt can only be played
   during the Main Phase of your turn. Remember that they're only spells as
   long as they're in your hand. Once in play, cards represent creatures,
   artifacts, enchantments, or whatever. So, for example, you may only cast
   Holy Armor (an enchantment) onto your Sorcerer during your main phase,
   but you may then power it up whenever you like. Note also that lands are
   never considered spells, even in your hand. Laying out a land can't be
   counterspelled.

Q: If a spell requires a target, can I cast it without one?
A: No. Targeting is poorly defined in the old rulebooks. If you can
   choose the victim of a spell (for example, `enchant flying
   creature',) then the spell needs a target. If a spell says something
   like `destroys all plains in play,' however, then it may be cast with
   no applicable target.

Q: What happens if the target of an enchantment becomes ineligible
   after the enchantment has been cast? For example, Earthbind enchants a
   flying creature by removing its flying ability.
A: In the First Edition rules, the enchantment remains even if the target
   becomes illegal (for example, if you play an `enchant non-creature
   artifact' card on an artifact which becomes a creature, or an `enchant
   land' card on a land that becomes a creature). In the Revised Edition
   rules, this has changed: invalid enchantments are removed.

Q: Please translate this: `(B): Bounces.'
A: In the case of enchantments and creature powers, it reads: `For each
   B spent, this card will bounce.' (That is, regenerate, jump, gain
   +1/+1, whatever.) If this taps the creature, the text will make this
   clear. Otherwise they may be used as many times per turn as you wish,
   and they are fast effects. However, in the case of artifacts, the
   translation is just a little different. If it is a mono artifact
   (First Edition cards), using it will tap it. If it is a poly artifact
   (also First Edition cards), it can still only be used once per event.
   For example, take Ivory Cup: `(1): Any white spell cast by any player
   gives you 1 life.' If you translated this like a creature fast effect,
   then you could spend five mana points in response to one white spell
   and get five life points. Instead, you can use these kinds of artifacts
   several times, but only in response to several events.

Q: What is the mana pool and when does it clear?
A: Technically, when you cast a spell, you first tap the mana points from
   whatever source you wish (land, usually). These points go into your mana
   pool. Then, as a separate event, you spend those points on the casting of
   a spell. At the end of every phase, and at the beginning and end of an
   attack, your mana pool clears. If you had any points left over, you take
   a point of damage from each one as it leaves. And no, you canUt use a
   Circle of Protection against this - unspent mana are considered a
   colorless source of damage.

TIMING

Q: What's the difference between an instant and an interrupt?
A: Interrupts happen the moment they are cast, and instants all line up
   before any of them take effect. Instants canUt cancel each other. In
   other words, once your opponent performs any fast effect which is
   defined to happen with the speed of an instant, you can't stop it from
   happening with another instant. Once everybody is through casting their
   instants, they all happen simultaneously. If I cast Lightning Bolt (an
   Instant) on your Scryb Sprites (1/1), they will take 3 points of damage.
   If you respond by casting Giant Growth on them (an Instant, which
   conveys +3/+3), they will still take 3 points of damage, survive, and
   be equivalent to a 4/4 creature with 3 points of damage until the end
   of the turn.

   Interrupts, however, can stop spells and other events from happening
   altogether. If, instead of using a Giant Growth, you cast a Blue
   Elemental Blast (an interrupt) on my Lightning Bolt, it would stop my
   Lighting Bolt from ever happening, and the Sprites would stay blissfully
   ignorant of the whole affair.

   Now, I still have the option of interrupting your interrupt, say, with a
   Red Elemental Blast, which would let my Lightning Bolt sneak through.

   A note on counterspells: countered spells go to the graveyard, and
   the mana points are considered spent. The card does not go back into
   your hand, nor does the mana remain in your pool.

   Also note that destroying the card that is the source of an effect does
   not counter the effect, even if the destruction is an interrupt. If you
   tap a Prodigal Sorcerer to do a point of damage to me and I respond by
   destroying the Sorcerer with a Red Elemental Blast, the damage still
   happens.

Q: Which fast effects are interrupts?
A: In general, tapping a source of mana is considered to happen with the
   speed of an interrupt. (Otherwise, you wouldn't ever be able to cast an
   interrupt spell.) Other creature effects, enchantments, artifacts, and
   so on, work with the speed of instants unless they say otherwise.

Q: Timing: Let's say I cast a spell that does 5 points of damage to every
   creature and both players. My opponent has 4 points of life, 3 small
   creatures, some available mana, and a Soul Net. The Soul Net is an
   artifact which will give him a life point every time a creature dies
   (he pays 1 mana for each creature). Is he dead, or not?
A: No. Only check for player death at the end of a phase, and the
   beginning or end of an attack. The 3 creatures die and he loses 5 life
   points. Then immediately after that he taps 3 mana and uses the Soul Net
   to gain 3 life points. Result: he's creatureless, tapped, and has 2 life
   points left. Of course, you can't use the Soul Net on a creature that
   doesn't actually go to the graveyard, for example, one that is
   regenerated.

Q: Okay, now let's say we are both close to death: he has 2 life points
   and I have 3. I cast Lightning Bolt. He responds by returning a
   Lightning Bolt. Who wins?
A: Nobody. The spells are instants, and are assumed to happen at the
   same time, unless one of you can interrupt one of them.

Q: But he's got fewer life points than me. Doesn't that count for
   anything?
A: No. Dead is still dead. This game is a draw.


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    #1          18-MAR-1994 23:30:52.72                                  NEWMAIL

WARDS and PROTECTION

Q: I have a Circle of Protection:  Red (`(1): Prevents all damage against
   you from one red source'). Can I use this more than once per turn?
A: Yes. Spend one point of mana for each source you wish to squelch. If
   a single source somehow manages to damage you twice, pay another mana
   as if it were another source.

Q: Can a Circle of Protection protect my creatures?
A: No. It only prevents you from being damaged. A Lightning Bolt can
   still kill your Orcs, and a Stone Rain can still destroy your land.

Q: What color are artifacts? The artifacts look brown to me. And what
   color are lands?
A: Lands and artifacts are defined as colorless. There isn't a Circle of
   Protection: Colorless. Damage from unspent mana is also considered to
   come from a colorless source, so you can't use a Circle of Protection:
   Red to keep from taking damage from unspent red mana points.

Q: I'm taking damage from a Green creature (Llanowar Elves) with a Red
   enchantment (Firebreathing, which gives +1/+0). What color is the
   source of the damage?
A: In this case, Green. A Circle of Protection: Red won't help you.

Q: I'm taking damage from tapping a land (colorless) because there's a
   Psychic Venom on it (Blue). Now what?

A: In this case, the enchantment is considered to be dealing the damage.
   The difference is this: in the case of Firebreathing, the creature's
   own power is being increased by the enchantment. In the case of a
   Psychic Venom, the damage comes directly from the enchantment, since
   land doesnUt normally damage you at all. Note also that by this ruling,
   damage from a Wanderlust is considered Green.

Q: In the case of creatures and wards, what's `protection from blue'?
   Exactly how is it defined?
A: Not very well. We're sorry about not being clear on the finer points of
   Protection from a color. The rules in the First Edition were as follows:

   A creature with protection from blue cannot be affected by any blue
   magic. In specific, it:
        % cannot be blocked by blue creatures
        % cannot be damaged by blue creatures
        % cannot be enchanted, damaged, or otherwise affected by Blue
          cards.
   Damage done by this creature cannot be prevented by blue cards.

   This caused a lot of problems. In the Revised rules, a creature with
   protection from Blue:
        % cannot be damaged by blue spells or creatures
        % cannot be blocked by blue creatures
        % cannot be the target of further blue spells, and any blue
          enchantments already on the creature are dispelled.

   However, cards of a given color can be used to prevent damage
   done by a creature with protection from that color. For example,
   damage done by this creature can be prevented by blue cards. A
   Circle of Protection will stop damage done by a white warded
   creature. (Are you confused yet?)

   We apologize that the First Edition rules on protection are unclear
   and riddled with paradoxes. For this reason, we suggest that you use the
   Revised Edition rules.


CREATURE ABILITIES

Q: Regeneration: Can I regenerate a creature that died last turn?
A: No. Regeneration only prevents a creature from going to the
   graveyard. If you canUt manage it right away, it wonUt work at all.

Q: Can I attack or defend with a creature thatUs tapped?
A: No.

Q: Can I attack with a creature IUve just summoned?
A: No. Nor can you do anything else that requires tapping it until your
   next turn. The creature is suffering from what we call `summoning
   sickness.' Basically, it just got here, and your opponent has a turn
   to react before the creature starts working. You are allowed to
   defend with the creature on your opponent's next turn, because
   defending won't tap it.

Q: If I can't attack with a just-summoned creature, or do anything else
   that would tap him, why don't you just say he's tapped on his first
   turn?
A: Because there are things he can do right away, like defend. He's not
   out of commission, heUs just a little tired from the flight.

Q: When I regenerate a creature, it comes back tapped. Does that mean I
   can't do that on my creature's first turn out?
A: No. You may regenerate it. Tapping is an effect of regeneration, not
   part of the cost. This subtle difference also means that a creature
   can still regenerate even if it is already tapped.

Q: Are walls creatures? And can they be tapped?
A: Yes, and yes. Walls are creatures that lack the ability to attack. If
   they somehow become tapped, they canUt block until they are untapped,
   just like any other creature.

Q: So, if they canUt attack, why do some walls have power ratings?
A: Any defending creature deals damage equal to its power rating to the
   creature(s) it blocks. The Wall of Swords is 3/5; this doesn't mean
   it can attack, it just means that any creature foolish enough to blunder
   into it will take 3 points of damage.

Q: Trample: Mammoths are 3/3, with trample. If I use them to defend
   against a 1/1 Goblin, does the extra damage carry over to the GoblinUs
   controller?
A: No. Trample only works when they are attacking.

Q: Okay, now they're attacking. If they are blocked by two 1/1 Goblins, I
   get to assign the damage, right?
A: Yes, unless there is a banding creature among the goblins.

Q: Okay, forget about banding for a minute. Can I choose to damage
   only one of the Goblins, miss the other one, and let the other 2
   points carry over to my opponent?
A: Yes. You could do the same type of assignment with a non-trampling
   creature, although the extra damage would not carry over.

Q: Suppose one of the Goblins above has the banding ability. Then what?
A: The only difference is that the defending player would get to
   distribute the damage however she wanted. If she chose to sacrifice only
   one of her Goblins, 2 points of trample damage would still carry over.

Q: If there are several blockers, only one of them has to have the
   banding ability for this effect to occur?
A: That's right. And the damage can be allocated to any creatures in an
   amounts the defender wants.

Q: For attack or defense, when a flying creature bands with a non-flyer,
   can the band fly?
A: No. Banding attackers do not actually travel together; they just agree
   that if any one of them is stopped, the others will all rally round and
   help pound on the defender. If all of the creatures can slip past the
   defenders, because the individuals can fly, islandwalk or sneak
   invisibly past, then they'll do that. However, if one of the members
   of the band would be blocked, then the others won't abandon that member.
   They'll all fight together. Banding on the defending side is never
   declared; defenders block whatever they can, and then if there is at
   least one banding creature among those blocking a particular attacker,
   the defender distributes damage among those creatures.

Q: Can't the Hero ride on the Pegasus?
A: No. They are cards, not real creatures. The Wolves can't carry the Sea
   Serpent across dry land, either.

Q: Okay, so what good is banding again? It's beginning to sound
   pointless.
A: Banding allows the player to control where the damage goes.
   Creatures have to be blocked as one, or let through. The controller
   of the band gets to assign the damage it receives, not the other
   player. Also, lots of little creatures can block together and foist
   all of the damage off on a particular partner they donUt like, or one
   who can regenerate, or to one who is warded against the attacker's
   color, and they get to do all of their damage to the attacking
   creature. Sound better yet?

Q: How do other creature fast effects work?
A: See the Timing discussion above, and read the answers about the
   Prodigal Sorcerer that follows. Most Creature fast effects work like his.

Q: What's up with the Prodigal Sorcerer?
A: The Prodigal Sorcerer may be the single most asked-about card in
   Magic. The Sorcerer has a peculiar little fast effect that seems
   innocuous enough. There are other cards with similar effects, but
   the Prodigal Sorcerer is more common than most of them. Read through
   these answers even if you don't have a Prodigal Sorcerer, because all
   the answers about his abilities and timing apply to other, similar
   cards. Let's have a look at him: `Tap to do 1 damage to any
   target.' This, like almost every creature special ability, is a fast
   effect, and can be played like an instant. See the timing rules above
   for more clarification.

   (By the way, his nickname is Tim.)

Q: Tim is attacking. HeUs blocked. Now I want to use his special ability.
   Can I?

A: No, because he is already tapped from attacking. You can't use his
   special ability or do anything else until he is untapped.

Q: Tim is blocking. Before damage is dealt, I decide to use his special
   ability. Now what happens?
A: The block still happens, but since Tim has become tapped, he deals
   no damage to the creature he blocked. He will still take damage from his
   attacker, though, unless that creature was killed before the damage-
   dealing step.

Q: If my opponent's Tim tries to poke me, can I use my Circle of
   Protection: Blue?
A: Yes. As always with every time you use the Circle, it will cost you a
   point of mana. If another blue source tries to damage you, you need to
   power it again. If the same Tim somehow manages to untap and poke at you
   again, the Circle will cost another point to use.

Q: The Nettling Imp has a special power: it can force one of your
   opponent's creatures to attack. What if my opponentUs Nettling Imp
   forces my Prodigal Sorcerer to attack?
A: The Imp card says that any creature which is unable to attack is
   destroyed (with certain exceptions). So you've got two alternatives:
   1. Let the Sorcerer participate in the attack. This means he won't be
      able to use his special poke this turn, and he may be blocked by
      something nasty.
   2. Tap the Sorcerer to do a point of damage (to the Imp, for example).
      This response is a fast effect and happens simultaneously with the
      nettling; if the Imp dies, the Sorcerer is still affected by its
      power. Ergo, Tim will die from being unable to attack.


OTHER TERMS

Q: What exactly does `tapping' mean?
A: Tapping is the physical act of turning a card sideways. Untapping is
   the reverse. Tapping exists as a separate act from the actual use of a
   card; you simply tap a card to remind yourself that you've used it.

   This means that tapping your opponent's card (through the use of
   spells, for example) does not give you control over the card's powers.
   It just means you're changing the card's orientation, which prevents it
   from being used. It doesn't force your opponent to use the card's
   powers. However (and this confuses a lot of players,) your opponent can
   tap the card for a fast effect, using the power before your tapping
   takes effect. (If you tap my Orcs, you don't get to attack with them,
   but neither do I.)

   If you magically untap something in play, it may be used again.

   Untapping an attacking creature doesn't prevent it from attacking; it
   just means that it suddenly feels fresh and good as new, and can be
   used for defense later if needed.

Q: Psychic Venom says I take a point of damage when the land is tapped.
   Is that true even when my opponent taps it with a spell?
A: Yes. The text specifically says, `Whenever target land is tapped.'
   Similarly, a Wild Growth on that land would give you a point of green
   mana, like it or not.

Q: What's the `casting cost' of a spell?
A: To cast any spell, you have to spend mana points. These are denoted
   in the upper right-hand corner of the card, either in mana symbols,
   numbers, or both. Numbers in gray circles represent quantities of mana of
   any or no color, your choice.

Q: What about a card that refers to the casting cost of another card?
A: In that case, it's talking about the total number of mana points
   required. Color is irrelevant.

Q: When the card says it does damage to `any target,' does that include

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    #1          18-MAR-1994 23:30:52.72                                  NEWMAIL
   my opponent?
A: Yes. If it says `target creature,' then it can't be used on players.
   If it says `you,' `your opponent,' or `target player,' then it can't
   be used on creatures.

Q: Are the terms `Kill' and `Destroy' synonymous?
A: Yes. In both cases, you may attempt to regenerate the creature being
   killed or destroyed.

Q: And `goes to the graveyard'?
A: This means that the card must be placed in the graveyard. Once a
   creature is Sacrificed, it must go to the graveyard, and can't be
   regenerated or other fancy stuff. Protection, Guardian Beast, Consecrate
   Land, and other protective effects cannot save cards that are sacrificed
   or 'placed in the graveyard.'

Q: What about `discarded'?
A: If it refers to a card in a player's hand, the card is simply placed in
   the graveyard and generates no effect. If it refers to a card in play,
   it's synonymous with `destroyed' and the card may be protected or
   regenerated.

Q: Are the terms `gone to the graveyard,' `killed,' `discarded,' and
   `destroyed' synonymous?
A: These are all past tense. If a card actually goes into the discard pile,
   then it was killed/discarded/destroyed/sent to the graveyard.

   The Revised rules have clearly defined `kill' and `destroy' as
   identical, and have replaced `destroyed without possibility of
   regeneration' with `buried.' This saves space, and works for any type
   of card (instead of just creatures).

Q: What's the distinction between `controller,' `owner,' and `caster'?
A: A card's owner never changes through the course of the game, except
   through a few special ante spells. The caster or player of a card is
   the person who brings it into play. That also means the owner, even if
   his opponent forced him to play it. The controller of a card is the
   only thing which has much likelihood of changing.

   % If you play a card, it remains under your control. If it's some sort of
     curse you've laid on your opponent, you're still the card's controller.

   % This is true even if your opponent is required to pay the card's
     upkeep cost.

   % Control only shifts when a particular card says so. Cards like Control
     Magic let you take control of your opponent's cards. Fork duplicates a
     spell and gives you control over that copy, regardless of who cast the
     original.

   % Even if you have managed to steal a creature, you haven't taken
     control of its enchantments. If you steal a Firebreathing Goblin, you
     still can't pump up the firebreathing, although your opponent can.

   When a card says `you,' it's talking to its controller. When a card says
   `your' it refers to cards you control, regardless of who owns them.

Q: Can the X on an X-spell be zero?
A: Yes.

Q: So I can cast a zero-point Disintegrate?
A: You can if you want. And if that creature dies from something else
   this turn, it will still be removed from the game.

Q: I have a Zombie Master that makes Zombies in play get stronger. That
   just means my Zombies, right?
A: No. Any reference to Rcards in playS is talking about all of them. This
   means you'll have to be a little more careful about how you use this card.

Q: Does this mean that when I cast a spell that `destroys all plains in
   play,' that mine are destroyed as well?
A: Yes. Cards that are only specific to your opponent will say so. All
   means all.

Q: So, `Each Upkeep' means I have to deal with it during mine and my
   opponentUs?
A: Oops, no. This card is talking to you. If the card affects both players,
   each must deal with it during his or her own Upkeep phase.

Q: Can I discard whenever I want to?
A: No. The only time you can discard is during your Discard phase, and
   then only if you have more than seven cards.

Q: Can I discard face down?
A: No. The Graveyard is still a semi-active source of cards, and you must
   let your opponent know what you've put into it.

Q: Suppose I don't want to draw. Can I skip my Draw phase?
A: No. And if you can't draw a card, you lose.

Q: The rules say that whenever a card contradicts the rules, the card
   takes precedence. What happens when two cards contradict each other?
A: If two enchantments on the same card contradict each other, the last
   one cast takes precedence. Other than that, if the rules don't cover
   it, you have to make a judgment call. No hierarchy has been designed
   to cover all possible infractions of the rules; this is by definition
   impossible.

Q: If it's impossible, what am I supposed to do?
A: Decide the answer for yourself or ask around. Chances are, it's come
   up before. It may even appear somewhere in a FAQ like this one. And
   it's possible that there is a simple rule you have overlooked.

MISCELLANEOUS CARDS

Q: Chaos Orb: can I blow on it?
A: No. You can't tickle the caster either. Try telling a joke. Also,
   `turn over completely' means flipping, just like a coin, a full 360
   degrees.

Q: Lich: My opponent keeps playing this on me. Is this fair?
A: Not at all. The card is an enchantment, and says, `You lose all
   life.' When a card refers to `you,' it refers to the caster or
   controller of the card. Also, Enchantments can only be played in the
   caster's territory unless the card says otherwise. He can only use it
   on himself. Read the card to find out why he would.

Q: Iron Star, Ivory Cup, Throne of Bone, Crystal Rod, Wooden Sphere:
   These are essentially the same card, but for different colored spells.
   Can I use my Throne of Bone more than once to get several life points
   from the casting of a single black spell?
A: No. This is a little unclear in the shorthand on the cards. You may use
   it many times on each turn, but only once for each black spell.

Q: Okay, can I use my Throne of Bone to get a life point from a spell that
   was countered?
A: No.

Q: Earthbind: Does this card deal its damage each round?
A: No. Earthbind only damages a creature on the round it is cast. After
   that, the creature loses its flying ability.

Q: What if I cast a Flight enchantment on an Earthbound Flying creature?
A: The creature can fly again. Whenever two effects on a creature
   directly contradict each other, the last-used effect wins.

Q: Raise Dead: Can I get a dead thing out of my opponent's graveyard?
A: No. It specifically says `your graveyard.' Even when this isn't the case,
   a card which just says `Graveyard' or `Library' is talking about yours.
   Animate Dead, on the other hand, lets you dig around in either graveyard.

Q: Nevinyrral's Disk: This is an artifact which destroys all creatures,
   enchantments, and artifacts in play, including itself. If my opponent
   uses his, and I've got Elves with a regeneration enchantment, what
   happens?
A: You can use the regeneration enchantment as it is destroyed, since
   both the Elves and the enchantment try to go to the graveyard at the
   same time. The enchantment saves the Elves, but nothing can save the
   enchantment. Result: Elves but no regeneration.

Q: Double-Land Cards: When I change the land type, what do they
   become?
A: You can't just change half of a double-land card. The card will
   become a basic land of whatever type is appropriate. And lands with
   special powers lose them.

Q: Volcanic Eruption: `Destroys X mountains of your choice, and does X
   damage to each player and each creature in play.' Can I spend more X
   than there are mountains?
A: No.

Q: Jade Statue: I can temporarily turn this artifact into a creature. Can I
   attack with this on the turn I cast it?
A: No.

Q: Can I cast creature enchantments on it?
A: No. The statue says it can only be a creature during attack or defense.
   You can't cast enchantments during that time. It also can't be treated
   as a creature when it's in the Graveyard.

Q: Clone: Can I clone a Doppleganger?
A: Yes, and the Clone becomes a Doppleganger copying whatever the
   other Doppelganger was copying. It may switch independently during its
   next upkeep phase.

Q: What if my Doppleganger copies a Clone? Does it change color?
A: It can't; it copies whatever creature the Clone has become. There's
   really no such thing as a `Clone in play' because at the moment of
   summoning, the Clone becomes in all respects a different creature.

Q: Weakness: If I play weakness (enchantment, P2/P1) on Drudge
   Skeletons (1/1, regenerating,) it will kill them. What if they are
   regenerated?
A: Regeneration preserves a creatureUs enchantments, even the ones you
   don't want. Once theyUre back, Weakness will kill them again. The cycle
   repeats until you can no longer afford to regenerate them.

Q: Siren's Call or Nettling Imp: I've got a card that forces other creatures
   to attack. I am supposed to play it during my opponentUs turn, before
   he attacks. When I do that, what happens?
A: You force him to attack. But you don't force it to happen right away.
   You've only made sure that your opponent will have to attack sometime
   during this turn, and that the creature(s) you've affected will
   participate. Your opponent can still perform any other elements of the
   Main Phase before the attack is finally launched.

Q: Swords To Plowshares: This card gives a creature's controller life
   points based on the creature's power. That doesn't include enchantments,
   does it?
A: Actually it does. Cards like this refer to the creature's current power,
   including any enchantments on it, and any fast effects or other events
   which may occur before the spell is resolved.

Q: Goblin King, Lord of Atlantis, Zombie Master: These cards give special
   powers to other creatures I have in play. Do these cards affect
   themselves?
A: No. The Zombie Master isn't a Zombie, and so on.

Q: Goblin Balloon Brigade: Does this card make all Goblins flying, or just
   itself?
A: This is worded a little ambiguously. It can only float itself.


FINAL NOTES

Q: What's to keep somebody from spending piles of cash and making an
   enormous deck?
A: Game design. They can buy all the cards they want, but after a certain
   point they will just be able to build more decks, not better ones. Huge
   decks aren't really better either; thereUs a much higher chance that
   the cards you need will never come out.

Q: Some of my cards were mangled during manufacture. What do I do?
A: If youUve got a damaged card, send it to us and weUll attempt to
   replace it. If it's rare, there may be a delay while we acquire a
   spare. If you were shorted cards, write us a letter and we'll send a
   random card for a replacement. For our latest official policy concerning
   manufacturing flaws, call or write. This policy can change depending on
   product availability.

Q: Can I get the original artwork?
A: A fantasy and science fiction art gallery called Wizards (no relation)
   is the main source for Magic art. Contact them to see if they have the
   piece you want available:

        Wizards Gallery
        117 Main Street
        Kirkland WA  98033
        (206) 828-0237
        72172.2227@compuserve.com

   Some artists are selling their work individually. Contact Wizards of
   the Coast if the gallery doesn't carry the artist in which you're
   interested.

Q: How do I get info faster?
A: The best source for answers to Magic questions is the Garfield Games
   mailing list. To subscribe, send an electronic mail message to
   listserv@wizards.com. The body of the message should contain the
   following line:

Press RETURN for more...

MAIL>

    #1          18-MAR-1994 23:30:52.72                                  NEWMAIL

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   If you want to trade cards, you'd want to send a message to
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   Again, note that sending the subscription (or unsubscription) request
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   We have official representatives monitoring the RPG areas of
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   don't want to deal with the overflow of information on gg-l. You can also
   send questions to questions@wizards.com, but you'll probably get sent a
   copy of this FAQ unless itUs a real puzzler.

   If you don't intend to participate much in the discussions of Magic,
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