September 30, 2009 (Special Tournament)
Format: Standard
Registration Starts: 5:00PM
Tournament Starts: 6:00PM
Registration PHP 100
October 1, 2009 (Thursday Magic)
Format: Standard
Registration Starts: 5:00PM
Tournament Starts: 6:00PM
Registration PHP 100
Zendikar Booster Packs and Other Prizes at stake.
See you there.
Note: Zendikar Block is not yet legal for the said events.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Prerelease Announcement
Due to heavy rains and flooding caused by Typhoon "Ondoy" the Zendikar Prerelease at Gamers' Lounge Lagro will be moved to SUNDAY, September 28, 2009. Sorry for the inconvinience. See you there.
Ondoy as of 11:30PM
Ondoy as of 11:30PM
Friday, September 25, 2009
Zendikar Spoiler and Announcement
With the prerelease just days away, the spoiler at mtgsalvation is now complete. If you are planning to play at prereleases be it at Lagro or anywhere else I suggest you read up on the cards of Zendikar. I can't list all the cards spoiled because the post will be too long, but there's a link somewhere on the sidebar. Thanks and Enjoy.
Lagro Prerelease Announcement:
Prerelease will be held on SATURDAY and SUNDAY at will start at 5:00PM. Registration is PHP1000. Read this post for more info: http://mtgfairview.blogspot.com/2009/09/zendikar-prerelease-information-ii.html
Our Saturday Regular Tournament (SNM) will be moved next week to make way for the Prerelease Events this weekend.
Lagro Prerelease Announcement:
Prerelease will be held on SATURDAY and SUNDAY at will start at 5:00PM. Registration is PHP1000. Read this post for more info: http://mtgfairview.blogspot.com/2009/09/zendikar-prerelease-information-ii.html
Our Saturday Regular Tournament (SNM) will be moved next week to make way for the Prerelease Events this weekend.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Ask the Judge I
Before You Ask...
The Top Ten Rules Questions!
by Judge Chris
About 35% of the questions we get here in the Ask The Judge deal with the same basic problems over and over again - questions on the fundamentals of the game. Before you ask the judge, check these ten most-confusing questions to see if you can get an answer right here and now!
Removing The Source Of An Effect
Will Not Prevent The Effect
It doesn't matter whether you destroy a Birds of Paradise in response to your opponent tapping it for mana, or whether you destroy a Prodigal Sorcerer in response to him tapping for one damage - the effect is already on the stack, and it's too late to do anything about it. Think of me, throwing a hand grenade at you; sure, you can shoot me, but that grenade is still coming towards you.
(You can do something to neutralize the ability on the stack - for example, you can cast a Healing Salve to prevent the damage - but you can't stop the spell or ability from going there in the first place.)
Protection From A Color
Means Four Things
* All damage dealt to the protected card by sources of that color is reduced to zero, no matter where that damage came from. Pilgrim of Justice can block a 12/12 creature and the 12 damage will be reduced to zero, and the damage dealt to the Pilgrim by an Earthquake for 12 will also be reduced to zero.
* You cannot target the card with any effects or cards of the protected color. You can't even start to point a Shock at a Pilgrim of Justice; doing so is illegal. You can't target it with a Goblin Sharpshooter's ability. You can't play a Custody Battle on it, since playing a creature enchantment involves targeting it. Likewise, if you have a Words of War, you can't target that Pilgrim to do two damage to it. You just can't touch it.
* You cannot block a protected creature with a creature that is of the protected color. The Pilgrim of Justice can block that 12/12 red fattie all day long, since its damage will be reduced to zero, but the 12/12 red creature can't block the Justice.
* You cannot enchant a creature with a card of the protected color. As stated in the last rule, you can't even target a protected creature with an enchantment of the protected color... But if a creature suddenly gains protection from a color, all enchantments of that color will "fall off" and go to the graveyard.
Global, Non-Damage Effects
Will Still Destroy Protected Creatures
Protection from white will not protect a creature from a Wrath of God, nor will being untargetable like Blastoderm. Protection from blue will not keep a creature on the table once Upheaval resolves. Protection from black means bupkiss if the Mutilate is large enough.
You Can't Tap Someone's Lands "In Response"
To Prevent Them From Playing A Spell
Part of playing a spell is paying all of its costs - one of which is paying the mana. You cannot use any effects or cast any spells when someone is in the "paying costs" stage of a spell - and as such, by the time you get priority to do anything that would tap their lands, the mana is already in their pool. Jon Kaus wrote an excellent article that discusses costs and priority, and explains this in more detail.
(Opposition decks do a tricky thing - they tap someone's lands during their draw phase. Since sorcery and creature spells can only be cast played during one of the two main phases, and you can't carry mana over from one phase to the next, this effectively prevents their opponent from casting playing sorcery spells or creatures. However, there's nothing to stop a clever player from playing an instant like Naturalize in response.)
You Can't Destroy A Creature
In Response To Someone Sacrificing It
If a player plays a spell like Culling the Weak or Cabal Therapy where sacrificing a creature is a part of the cost of the spell, you won't get priority to do anything in response. It's the same reason as the one given above.
You Can't Tap A Creature In Response
To It Being Declared As An Attacker
By the time you've tapped it, it's already too late; it's attacking, and the only thing you've accomplished is giving your opponent an untapped creature that's still going to smash your face in.
What you want to do is tap it in the Beginning of Combat Step, before your opponent chooses what he's attacking with. (Combat has five steps: Beginning of Combat, Declare Attackers, Declare Blockers, Combat Damage, and End of Combat; read this article for a step-by-step explanation of Combat.) If you wait until he's declared it, tough luck for you.
Keep in mind that your opponent must give you a chance to respond during the Beginning of Combat. He can't say, "IattackwithaShivanDragonnotakebacks!" and pound on you. On the other hand, you can't wait to see what he's attacking with and then tap the biggest thing he sends your way; you have to choose which creature to tap before he chooses the creatures he'll be attacking with. (And yes, if you tap his big creature, he can choose not to attack with anything.)
You Cannot Sacrifice One Thing
To Two Separate Effects
Each effect requires its own sacrifice. If you have a Mogg Fanatic and someone plays a Chainer's Edict on you, you can sacrifice your Fanatic to do a point of damage... But that won't count as a creature that you sacrificed to the Edict. You canot get double-duty out of a creature you sacrifice to an Edict (or Braids, Cabal Minion, or Innocent Blood) by sacrificing it to something else in response.
You Cannot Discard A Card
To Two Separate Things
No, you can't use a card that your opponent forced you to discard via Duress to pump up your Wild Mongrel. Nor can you discard a land card to fuel both a Seismic Assault and a Patrol Hound.
(There is a distinct difference between cards where discarding is a cost you pay in order to get a benefit - like Wild Mongrel - and cards like Megrim, which do things whenever cards are discarded. As a rule, if the card says something like, "Discard a card: Do x," that's a cost and you must pay it.)
Token Creatures Go To The Graveyard Long
Enough To Trigger Any Graveyard Effects
Tokens do not exist anywhere but in play; the minute they are removed from the game for any reason (bounce, Astral Slide, et cetera), they cease to exist and will not come back. However, a card that's watching for just such an effect will "see" the token hit the graveyard just before it vanishes forever.
(Note, however, that some cards say "cards" and not tokens, like Compost. Compost will not care if a token hits the graveyard; it's waiting for cards. The wording on the card is very important!)
"Loss Of Life" Gets Around
Circles Of Protection And Worship
...And you can't prevent it, either. It's different from damage.
The Top Ten Rules Questions!
by Judge Chris
About 35% of the questions we get here in the Ask The Judge deal with the same basic problems over and over again - questions on the fundamentals of the game. Before you ask the judge, check these ten most-confusing questions to see if you can get an answer right here and now!
Removing The Source Of An Effect
Will Not Prevent The Effect
It doesn't matter whether you destroy a Birds of Paradise in response to your opponent tapping it for mana, or whether you destroy a Prodigal Sorcerer in response to him tapping for one damage - the effect is already on the stack, and it's too late to do anything about it. Think of me, throwing a hand grenade at you; sure, you can shoot me, but that grenade is still coming towards you.
(You can do something to neutralize the ability on the stack - for example, you can cast a Healing Salve to prevent the damage - but you can't stop the spell or ability from going there in the first place.)
Protection From A Color
Means Four Things
* All damage dealt to the protected card by sources of that color is reduced to zero, no matter where that damage came from. Pilgrim of Justice can block a 12/12 creature and the 12 damage will be reduced to zero, and the damage dealt to the Pilgrim by an Earthquake for 12 will also be reduced to zero.
* You cannot target the card with any effects or cards of the protected color. You can't even start to point a Shock at a Pilgrim of Justice; doing so is illegal. You can't target it with a Goblin Sharpshooter's ability. You can't play a Custody Battle on it, since playing a creature enchantment involves targeting it. Likewise, if you have a Words of War, you can't target that Pilgrim to do two damage to it. You just can't touch it.
* You cannot block a protected creature with a creature that is of the protected color. The Pilgrim of Justice can block that 12/12 red fattie all day long, since its damage will be reduced to zero, but the 12/12 red creature can't block the Justice.
* You cannot enchant a creature with a card of the protected color. As stated in the last rule, you can't even target a protected creature with an enchantment of the protected color... But if a creature suddenly gains protection from a color, all enchantments of that color will "fall off" and go to the graveyard.
Global, Non-Damage Effects
Will Still Destroy Protected Creatures
Protection from white will not protect a creature from a Wrath of God, nor will being untargetable like Blastoderm. Protection from blue will not keep a creature on the table once Upheaval resolves. Protection from black means bupkiss if the Mutilate is large enough.
You Can't Tap Someone's Lands "In Response"
To Prevent Them From Playing A Spell
Part of playing a spell is paying all of its costs - one of which is paying the mana. You cannot use any effects or cast any spells when someone is in the "paying costs" stage of a spell - and as such, by the time you get priority to do anything that would tap their lands, the mana is already in their pool. Jon Kaus wrote an excellent article that discusses costs and priority, and explains this in more detail.
(Opposition decks do a tricky thing - they tap someone's lands during their draw phase. Since sorcery and creature spells can only be cast played during one of the two main phases, and you can't carry mana over from one phase to the next, this effectively prevents their opponent from casting playing sorcery spells or creatures. However, there's nothing to stop a clever player from playing an instant like Naturalize in response.)
You Can't Destroy A Creature
In Response To Someone Sacrificing It
If a player plays a spell like Culling the Weak or Cabal Therapy where sacrificing a creature is a part of the cost of the spell, you won't get priority to do anything in response. It's the same reason as the one given above.
You Can't Tap A Creature In Response
To It Being Declared As An Attacker
By the time you've tapped it, it's already too late; it's attacking, and the only thing you've accomplished is giving your opponent an untapped creature that's still going to smash your face in.
What you want to do is tap it in the Beginning of Combat Step, before your opponent chooses what he's attacking with. (Combat has five steps: Beginning of Combat, Declare Attackers, Declare Blockers, Combat Damage, and End of Combat; read this article for a step-by-step explanation of Combat.) If you wait until he's declared it, tough luck for you.
Keep in mind that your opponent must give you a chance to respond during the Beginning of Combat. He can't say, "IattackwithaShivanDragonnotakebacks!" and pound on you. On the other hand, you can't wait to see what he's attacking with and then tap the biggest thing he sends your way; you have to choose which creature to tap before he chooses the creatures he'll be attacking with. (And yes, if you tap his big creature, he can choose not to attack with anything.)
You Cannot Sacrifice One Thing
To Two Separate Effects
Each effect requires its own sacrifice. If you have a Mogg Fanatic and someone plays a Chainer's Edict on you, you can sacrifice your Fanatic to do a point of damage... But that won't count as a creature that you sacrificed to the Edict. You canot get double-duty out of a creature you sacrifice to an Edict (or Braids, Cabal Minion, or Innocent Blood) by sacrificing it to something else in response.
You Cannot Discard A Card
To Two Separate Things
No, you can't use a card that your opponent forced you to discard via Duress to pump up your Wild Mongrel. Nor can you discard a land card to fuel both a Seismic Assault and a Patrol Hound.
(There is a distinct difference between cards where discarding is a cost you pay in order to get a benefit - like Wild Mongrel - and cards like Megrim, which do things whenever cards are discarded. As a rule, if the card says something like, "Discard a card: Do x," that's a cost and you must pay it.)
Token Creatures Go To The Graveyard Long
Enough To Trigger Any Graveyard Effects
Tokens do not exist anywhere but in play; the minute they are removed from the game for any reason (bounce, Astral Slide, et cetera), they cease to exist and will not come back. However, a card that's watching for just such an effect will "see" the token hit the graveyard just before it vanishes forever.
(Note, however, that some cards say "cards" and not tokens, like Compost. Compost will not care if a token hits the graveyard; it's waiting for cards. The wording on the card is very important!)
"Loss Of Life" Gets Around
Circles Of Protection And Worship
...And you can't prevent it, either. It's different from damage.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Zendikar Prerelease Information II
Zendikar Prerelease Weekend
The prerelease will be held on Saturday and Sunday
Date: September 26 & 27, 2009
Venue: Gamer's Lounge Lagro Bristol
Event Starts: 5:00PM
Registration: PHP1000
Preregistration Ongoing at venue
Each player receives a Prerelease Foil Card (Rampaging Baloths)
Each player receives six (6) Zendikar Booster Packs
Each win gets you one (1) Zendikar Booster Pack
Players with 4-0 standing receives a Zendikar T-shirt
See you there.
The prerelease will be held on Saturday and Sunday
Date: September 26 & 27, 2009
Venue: Gamer's Lounge Lagro Bristol
Event Starts: 5:00PM
Registration: PHP1000
Preregistration Ongoing at venue
Each player receives a Prerelease Foil Card (Rampaging Baloths)
Each player receives six (6) Zendikar Booster Packs
Each win gets you one (1) Zendikar Booster Pack
Players with 4-0 standing receives a Zendikar T-shirt
See you there.
Zendikar Prerelease Information
Date: September 26, 2009
Venue: Gamer's Lounge Lagro Bristol
Event Starts: 5:00PM
Registration: PHP1000
Preregistration Ongoing at venue
Each player receives a Prerelease Foil Card (Rampaging Baloths)
Each player receives six (6) Zendikar Booster Packs
Each win gets you one (1) Zendikar Booster Pack
Players with 4-0 standing receives a Zendikar T-shirt
Venue: Gamer's Lounge Lagro Bristol
Event Starts: 5:00PM
Registration: PHP1000
Preregistration Ongoing at venue
Each player receives a Prerelease Foil Card (Rampaging Baloths)
Each player receives six (6) Zendikar Booster Packs
Each win gets you one (1) Zendikar Booster Pack
Players with 4-0 standing receives a Zendikar T-shirt
Sunday, September 20, 2009
About the Prerelease
The Zendikar Prerelease is less than a week away, and almost half of the cards have been spoiled. If you're looking forward to playing at the prerelease, which I'm sure a lot will, then it won't hurt to read the spoilers and see which cards interact well with others.
Zendikar Prerelease at Lagro:
This prerelease is the first for the Fairview community and as with the other prereleases around the world, the format that will be used is Sealed Deck. Each player will be given six booster packs and from those cards you will create a 40-card minimum deck. The cards are yours so I suggest getting some protective sleeves on them when the game starts. Bringing some basic lands will also help, maybe six to seven of each land would suffice, the store may not have enough lands.
After you have constructed your deck from your cards, its game time. The games will go like the usual tournaments you may have played in, except that each win will earn you a pack and winning all four rounds get you a Zendikar T-shirt.
I myself can't wait to open my first Zendikar pack and see the goodies that lie inside. Prereleases are fun and I hope you are as excited as I am for saturday. Until next time. See you at the prerelease. Enjoy.
Zendikar Prerelease at Lagro:
This prerelease is the first for the Fairview community and as with the other prereleases around the world, the format that will be used is Sealed Deck. Each player will be given six booster packs and from those cards you will create a 40-card minimum deck. The cards are yours so I suggest getting some protective sleeves on them when the game starts. Bringing some basic lands will also help, maybe six to seven of each land would suffice, the store may not have enough lands.
After you have constructed your deck from your cards, its game time. The games will go like the usual tournaments you may have played in, except that each win will earn you a pack and winning all four rounds get you a Zendikar T-shirt.
I myself can't wait to open my first Zendikar pack and see the goodies that lie inside. Prereleases are fun and I hope you are as excited as I am for saturday. Until next time. See you at the prerelease. Enjoy.
September 21 Holiday Tournament
September 21, 2009
Format: Standard
Registration Starts: 5:00PM
Tournament Starts: 6:00PM
Registration PHP 100
DCI Cards and Booster Packs and Other Prizes at stake. First Place gets an Honor of the Pure.
See you there.
Format: Standard
Registration Starts: 5:00PM
Tournament Starts: 6:00PM
Registration PHP 100
DCI Cards and Booster Packs and Other Prizes at stake. First Place gets an Honor of the Pure.
See you there.
Friday, September 18, 2009
SNM September 17
September 12, 2009
Format: Standard
Registration Starts: 5:00PM
Tournament Starts: 6:00PM
Registration PHP 100
FNM Cards and Booster Packs and Other Prizes at stake.
See you there.
Format: Standard
Registration Starts: 5:00PM
Tournament Starts: 6:00PM
Registration PHP 100
FNM Cards and Booster Packs and Other Prizes at stake.
See you there.
New Duals from Zendikar
Yesterday I posted about the Zendikar Dual Land Cycle with thier text somewhat covered. Here they are now, saw these in Jacob Van Lunen's column at MTG.com he previewed these new lands. What do you think?
Zendikar Prerelease Card
For those playing in the Zendikar Prerelease event in less than two weeks, you're gonna be getting this. Enjoy.
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