============================================================================= Card Rulings Summary (CHANGES ONLY) Updated 02/19/98 ============================================================================= Rulings are collected from many sources. See credits and disclaimer at the end of the file for details. The most recent mtg-l digest used was "18 Feb 1998". These rulings are updated monthly. The most recent version is available on the web (WWW) as either of the following: http://www.activesw.com/~sdangelo/magic.html ftp://ftp.activesw.com/pub/sdangelo/magic/rule-cards.txt The above files are also available via FTP to "ftp.activesw.com" under "pub/sdangelo/magic" as "rule-cards.txt". If you have neither WWW nor FTP access, send e-mail to "dangelo@netcom.com" requesting a copy of the current Rulings Summaries. A '+' is used to mark changes since the last released version on 01/14/98. Thanx, Stephen. ---- Stephen D'Angelo | Official Magic: The Gathering Rules Summary dangelo@netcom.com | Network Representative for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ============================================================================== Printing Information ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No changes to this section. Card Rulings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - - * - * - A - * - * - - Abeyance: + Does prohibit the abilities of cards which are not in play. For example, the Ashen Ghoul's ability can not be played while it is in your graveyard. [WotC Rules Team 12/18/97] [Duelist Magazine #22, Page 27] (REVERSAL) Aluren: + You cannot choose to play a creature as an instant via Aluren and still pay the casting cost. You either play the creature normally, or via Aluren without paying the casting cost. [bethmo 02/07/98] - - * - * - B - * - * - - Blanket of Night: + The land can now be tapped for black mana in addition to any other abilities it already has. [Visions FAQ 02/16/97] This works just as if the text "Tap: Add B to your mana pool" was added to each mana-producing land. [D'Angelo 01/26/98] - - * - * - C - * - * - - Conversion: + Changes the entire land on the multilands which count as two kinds of land. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] (REVERSAL. Previously it was possible to change half of a Badlands.) Cuombajj Witches: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] This makes it possible to damage the opponent who you choose. Cursed Scroll: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] This makes it possible to damage the opponent who you choose. + You name the card, choose an opponent, and choose a target creature or player all during the announcement of the ability. No choices are made on resolution. [D'Angelo 02/01/98] - - * - * - D - * - * - - Desperate Gambit: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Dracoplasm: + When it is about to come into play by means other than being cast, you must choose the number of creatures to sacrifice and do so right before it comes into play. [bethmo 02/12/98] See "When You Play" in the General Rulings. - - * - * - E - * - * - - Echo Chamber: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Endless Scream: + The X in the text box is set when the spell is cast and does not revert to zero while in play or even when the enchantment is moved. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Energy Storm: + Damage from instants, interrupts and sorceries is reduced to zero. This includes any ability, such as the Prodigal Sorcerer's, which is played as an instant, interrupt, or sorcery. [D'Angelo 01/19/98] Excavator: + If you sacrifice a land that counts as more than one land type, you may choose only one of those land types. It gets landwalk of the type you choose. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Extinction: + You must name a valid creature type. [DeLaney 01/15/98] - - * - * - F - * - * - - Fatal Lore: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Forgotten Lore: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] - - * - * - G - * - * - - Goblin Bomb: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] - - * - * - H - * - * - - Helm of Awakening: + The cost reduction does apply to external penalty effects such as Gloom. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] (REVERSAL) Humility: + Will remove even upkeep cost text. [bethmo 01/22/98] - - * - * - I - * - * - - Interdict: + As errata, it should read "Counter target artifact, creature, enchantment, or land ability requiring an activation cost. Activated abilities of that permanent cannot be played again this turn. Draw a card." [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] + After being played, it prevents all abilities with activation costs, even if they are triggered. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] + After being played, it does not affect continuous abilitise or any abilities without activation costs. So it cannot prevent Trample, paying of upkeep, and so on. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] (REVERSAL) Intuition: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] - - * - * - J - * - * - - - - * - * - K - * - * - - - - * - * - L - * - * - - Library of Lat-Nam: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Lobotomy: + If the player has no cards in their hand, you still get to look through their deck, but you do not get to remove any cards. [D'Angelo 01/27/98] - - * - * - M - * - * - - Minion of the Wastes: + When it is about to come into play by means other than being cast, you must choose the amount of life to pay and pay it right before it comes into play. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] See "When You Play" in the General Rulings. Mongrel Pack: + The Hound tokens are put into play if it dies during the attack phase, even if it was not an attacker or blocker. [bethmo 01/23/98] - - * - * - N - * - * - - Nova Pentacle: + As errata, it should read "{3},{Tap}: Redirect all damage dealt to you from one source to target creature of an opponent's choice." [Encyclopedia Page 154] [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Null Chamber: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] - - * - * - O - * - * - - - - * - * - P - * - * - - Phyrexian Grimoire: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Phyrexian Portal: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Preacher: + As errata, it should read "{Tap}: An opponent chooses target creature he or she controls. Gain control of that creature. If Preacher..." [Encyclopedia Page 172] [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Primal Clay: + If put into play by a means other than casting it, you choose the form right before it comes into play. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] See "When You Play" in the General Rulings. - - * - * - Q - * - * - - - - * - * - R - * - * - - - - * - * - S - * - * - - Scragnoth: + Desertion will not put the card in play for you. It only does that if the spell is successfully countered. [D'Angelo 01/20/98] Soul Echo: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Starke of Rath: + The word "permannetly" means "this effect does not end but can be overridden by other control effects in the future". This means that he can repeatedly switch controllers. [D'Angelo 01/19/98] Steal Enchantment: + When a player takes control of an enchantment, they do not get to change anything about the enchantment (such as what creature it is on, what choices it has or anything) at that time. They just become its controller. [D'Angelo 01/26/98] - - * - * - T - * - * - - Thran Tome: + As errata, change "target opponent" to "an opponent". It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] Time Vault: + As errata, it should read "Comes into play tapped. ; Does not untap as normal. ; Skip your next turn: Untap Time Vault and put a time counter on it. Play this ability only if Time Vault is tapped and only once each turn. ; {Tap}: Remove the time counter from Time Vault to take an additional turn immediately before the next normal turn." [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] It is of type "Artifact" and not "Mono Artifact". [Encyclopedia Page 208] Tombstone Stairwell: + You can play the phase ability to put tokens into play before you pay (or choose not to pay the cumulative upkeep. [bethmo 01/17/98] + The "bury at end of turn" is attached to the token creatures, so if you manage to get the tokens into play after the Tombstone Stairwell leaves play, the tokens are still buried at end of turn. [bethmo 01/17/98] - - * - * - U - * - * - - - - * - * - V - * - * - - - - * - * - W - * - * - - - - * - * - X - * - * - - - - * - * - Y - * - * - - - - * - * - Z - * - * - - Acknowledgments and Disclaimers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ While this work is not officially issued by Wizards of the Coast, it is the official collected rulings from official sanctioned representatives of and publications by Wizards of the Coast. This summary is collected from rulings made by officials and network representatives of Wizards of the Coast, along with a number of unofficial rulings also collected from the net. Whenever a source for a ruling is known, the name of that person is listed with the ruling. "bethmo" is Beth Moursund, the network representative for the "mtg-l" mailing list. "D'Angelo" is Stephen D'Angelo, the previous "mtg-l" representative. "Peterson" is Paul Peterson, the previous "mtg-l" representative. "bethmo" was also the representative before Paul. "Aahz" is Tom Wylie, the Magic Rules Guru. "DeLaney" is David DeLaney, the network representative for the "rec.games.trading-cards.magic.rules" newsgroup. "Snark" is Dave Howell of WotC. Official rulings from the rules team are marked as "WotC Rules Team". Rules from the Mirage rule book are marked with "Mirage Page #". Errata from the Magic Official Encyclopedia are marked with "Encyclopedia Page #". These files may be freely copied and posted anywhere you'd like. The contents can also be included in other formats (such as HTML or databases) or in products, but there are two restrictions. I insist that the files are not sold for profit. Anything you put them in must be available at no more than cost of duplication. Also, you must give credit to me and list the version date your work is derived from. Thanks. Every attempt has been made to make this summary accurate, but errors do creep in. Nothing in this work is guaranteed to be accurate. Use at your own risk. Magic: The Gathering and all of the cards listed herein are copyrighted by Wizards of the Coast.