_Ninth Edition_ Frequently Asked Questions Compiled by John Carter Document last modified June 9, 2005 _Ninth Edition_ official release date: July 29, 2005 The _Ninth Edition_ core set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play August 20, 2005. Set size: 350 cards (110 common, 110 uncommon, 110 rare, 20 basic land) This FAQ has three sections, each of which serves a different purpose. The first section ("_Ninth Edition_ Rules Changes") explains the rules that have changed with this core set. The second section ("General Notes") explains new concepts in the set. The third section ("Card-Specific Notes") contains answers to the most important questions players might ask about a given card. Items in the "Card-Specific Notes" section include full rules text for your reference. Not all cards in the set are listed. ---------- _NINTH EDITION_ RULES CHANGES There have been some minor rules changes to better support cards in the _Ninth Edition_ core set and future sets. The most important changes are listed here. The most recent version of the _Magic: The Gathering_(R) Comprehensive Rules (in English) can be downloaded at www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/rules/tourneyplayer. Local Enchantments Are Now Auras The _Ninth Edition_ core set introduces Auras, a new name for a kind of card that's been around since the beginning of the _Magic_(R) game. An Aura is just a type of enchantment that's attached to another permanent in play. Most experienced players won't notice any difference in how these "local enchantment" cards work; "enchant creature," "enchant land," and the like just move off the type line and into the text box. Spirit Link {W} Enchantment -- Aura Enchant creature (Target a creature as you play this. This card comes into play attached to that creature.) Whenever enchanted creature deals damage, you gain that much life. Why the change? The old format of local enchantments had proven confusing for a couple of reasons. First, they had words like "creature" and "land" on their type lines, even though they didn't have those types. Second, they were the only kind of spell that targets something without ever using the word "target." The Ninth Edition rules change clears up all that. The type line now says "Enchantment -- Aura," and a keyword (such as "enchant creature") in the text box says what the Aura can enchant. And the keyword has reminder text to show new players that Auras are targeted spells (don't worry -- you won't see that reminder text in expert-level sets). Local enchantment cards printed in previous sets will receive new wordings in the _Oracle_ card reference. Check http://gatherer.wizards.com for the current Oracle wording of any card. <> The following is an excerpt from the revised Comprehensive Rules: 212.4c Enchantment subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: "Enchantment -- Aura." Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. Enchantment subtypes are also called enchantment types. Enchantments may have multiple subtypes. 212.4d Some enchantments have the subtype "Aura." Auras are also called local enchantments. An Aura spell requires a target whose properties are indicated by its enchant keyword ability: "enchant creature," "enchant Forest," "enchant creature you control," and so on. An Aura permanent comes into play attached to the permanent or player the spell targeted. See rule 502.45, "Enchant." Auras can only be attached to a permanent or player whose properties are indicated by its enchant keyword ability. Other restrictions can limit what a permanent can be enchanted by. ---------- GENERAL NOTES Creature Types The creature types of many cards in the _Ninth Edition_ core set have been updated to sync them up with the conventions used in the _Kamigawa_ block and the upcoming _Ravnica: City of Guilds_ set. Most of the changes revolved around the "race-class" model, wherein most sentient creatures have both a species and a job. Samite Healer, for example, was changed from a Cleric to a Human Cleric, and Raging Goblin changed from Goblin to Goblin Berserker. Every artifact creature that didn't have a type before was given one; Dancing Scimitar is now a Spirit and Ornithopter is -- what else? -- a Thopter. A lot of cards with old obscure types have been updated to have ones that make a little more sense. Clone is now a Shapeshifter, for instance, and the Lords such as Elvish Champion were given types to match their art (see the "Card-Specific Notes" for Goblin King, and Lord of the Dead for more information). A complete list of cards with creature type changes appears in this section. In addition, the creature type of the token created by Rukh Egg's ability has changed from Rukh to Bird. In general, the creature types of older cards are updated only as they're reprinted. Note that the following creature types have been eliminated: Behemoth, Clone, Force, Hell's-Caretaker, Monkey, Nekrataal, Rukh, and Will-o'-the-Wisp. Card Name Creature Types Anaba Shaman Minotaur Shaman Anarchist Human Wizard Archivist Human Wizard Balduvian Barbarians Human Barbarian Ballista Squad Human Rebel Beast of Burden Golem Blessed Orator Human Cleric Clone Shapeshifter Crafty Pathmage Human Wizard Crossbow Infantry Human Soldier Dancing Scimitar Spirit Daring Apprentice Human Wizard Elvish Bard Elf Shaman Elvish Berserker Elf Berserker Elvish Champion Elf Lord Elvish Piper Elf Shaman Elvish Warrior Elf Warrior Foot Soldiers Human Soldier Force of Nature Elemental Fugitive Wizard Human Wizard Glory Seeker Human Soldier Goblin Balloon Brigade Goblin Warrior Goblin Brigand Goblin Warrior Goblin Chariot Goblin Warrior Goblin King Goblin Lord Goblin Mountaineer Goblin Scout Goblin Piker Goblin Warrior Goblin Sky Raider Goblin Warrior Groundskeeper Human Druid Hell's Caretaker Horror Highway Robber Human Mercenary Honor Guard Human Soldier Infantry Veteran Human Soldier King Cheetah Cat Ley Druid Human Druid Llanowar Behemoth Elemental Llanowar Elves Elf Druid Lord of the Undead Zombie Lord Master Decoy Human Soldier Master Healer Human Cleric Mogg Sentry Goblin Warrior Nekrataal Human Assassin Norwood Ranger Elf Scout Oracle's Attendants Human Soldier Orcish Artillery Orc Warrior Ornithopter Thopter Paladin en-Vec Human Knight Phyrexian Hulk Golem Puppeteer Human Wizard Raging Goblin Goblin Berserker Royal Assassin Human Assassin Samite Healer Human Cleric Sanctum Guardian Human Cleric Sandstone Warrior Human Soldier Savannah Lions Cat Seasoned Marshal Human Soldier Serpent Warrior Snake Warrior Soul Warden Human Cleric Spineless Thug Zombie Mercenary Temporal Adept Human Wizard Tidal Kraken Kraken Tree Monkey Ape Venerable Monk Human Monk Cleric Verduran Enchantress Human Druid Veteran Cavalier Human Knight Viashino Sandstalker Viashino Warrior Weathered Wayfarer Human Nomad Cleric Whip Sergeant Human Soldier Will-o'-the-Wisp Spirit Wood Elves Elf Scout Yavimaya Enchantress Human Druid Zealous Inquisitor Human Cleric Zodiac Monkey Ape ----- S-Series Cards The English and Japanese core games (the two-player game box designed for new _Magic_ players) contain nine cards that don't appear in _Ninth Edition_ booster packs. These cards have collector numbers that start with S, and they use the _Ninth Edition_ expansion symbol. All of these cards are part of the _Ninth Edition_ core set and are legal for play in all tournaments in which the _Ninth Edition_ core set is legal. S1 Eager Cadet (with new creature types: Human Soldier) S2 Vengeance S3 Coral Eel S4 Giant Octopus S5 Index S7 Vizzerdrix S8 Goblin Raider (with new creature types: Goblin Warrior) S9 Enormous Baloth S10 Spined Wurm Note that there isn't a card numbered S6/10. Because other languages use a different version of the two-player game, Goblin Raider is the only S-series card printed in a language other than English or Japanese. However, older versions of all nine cards are legal for tournament play in all tournaments in which the _Ninth Edition_ core set is legal. ---------- CARD-SPECIFIC NOTES Biorhythm {6}{G}{G} Sorcery Each player's life total becomes the number of creatures he or she controls. * If a player controls no creatures when Biorhythm resolves, that player's life total becomes 0, and he or she will lose the game. * If a player's life total will go down, that player "loses" that much life. If a player's life total will go up, that player "gains" that much life. ---------- Blinding Angel {3}{W}{W} Creature -- Angel 2/4 Flying (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying.) Whenever Blinding Angel deals combat damage to a player, that player skips his or her next combat phase. * If two Blinding Angels deal combat damage to a player (or if one deals combat damage twice), that player skips his or her next two combat phases. ---------- Blinking Spirit {3}{W} Creature -- Spirit 2/2 {0}: Return Blinking Spirit to its owner's hand. * You can play the ability repeatedly, even during the turn Blinking Spirit comes into play. * The owner of a card is the person who started the game with it in his or her deck. ---------- Booby Trap {6} Artifact As Booby Trap comes into play, name a card other than a basic land card and choose an opponent. The chosen player reveals each card he or she draws. When the chosen player draws the named card, sacrifice Booby Trap. If you do, Booby Trap deals 10 damage to that player. The choice of which card to name can't be countered. * The card isn't chosen until Booby Trap is coming into play, at which time Booby Trap is no longer a spell and can't be countered. * If an effect causes the player to draw multiple cards, each card is revealed as it's drawn. If Booby Trap's ability triggers, it will go on the stack once the card-drawing effect has concluded. * If a single Booby Trap's ability triggers multiple times, then only the first ability to resolve causes Booby Trap to be sacrificed and damage to be dealt. * If Booby Trap's last ability is countered, Booby Trap remains in play (and no damage is dealt). ---------- Clone {3}{U} Creature -- Shapeshifter 0/0 As Clone comes into play, you may choose a creature in play. If you do, Clone comes into play as a copy of that creature. * Clone doesn't copy any effects on the creature -- you just get exactly what's printed on the card and nothing more. So if you copy an animated land, for example, you get a normal, nonanimated land. * Clone doesn't copy whether the original creature is tapped or untapped, or any Aura enchantments or counters on the creature. * Any comes-into-play abilities of the copied creature will trigger when Clone comes into play. * If a Clone copies another Clone, it copies whatever the first one copied. That is, you get what was printed on the card that the original Clone copied. * You can choose not to copy anything. In that case, Clone comes into play as a 0/0 creature, and is probably put into the graveyard immediately. ---------- Coat of Arms {5} Artifact Each creature gets +1/+1 for each other creature in play that shares a creature type with it. (For example, if a Goblin Warrior, a Goblin Scout, and a Zombie Goblin are in play, each gets +2/+2.) * Sharing multiple creature types doesn’t give an additional bonus. Coat of Arms counts creatures, not creature types. ---------- Emperor Crocodile {3}{G} Creature -- Crocodile 5/5 When you control no other creatures, sacrifice Emperor Crocodile. * Once Emperor Crocodile's ability triggers, there's no way to save the Crocodile from being sacrificed. Gaining control of another creature before the ability resolves can't save the Crocodile. * The ability triggers if you don't control another creature, even if it's only for a brief moment during the resolution of another spell or ability. ---------- Fellwar Stone {2} Artifact {T}: Add to your mana pool one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce. * The opponent's land need not be able to produce a given color at that time. For example, Mirrodin's Core from the _Darksteel_ set has the ability "{T}, Remove a charge counter from Mirrodin's Core: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool." If your opponent has a Mirrodin's Core in play, you can tap Fellwar Stone for any color of mana, even if Mirrodin's Core has no counters on it. * If your opponent's lands produce only colorless mana or produce no mana, you can tap Fellwar Stone, but it won't produce any mana. (This is a functional change from the previous Oracle wording, which allowed Fellwar Stone to be tapped for colorless mana.) ---------- Flowstone Crusher {3}{R}{R} Creature -- Beast 4/4 {R}: Flowstone Crusher gets +1/-1 until end of turn. * Flowstone Crusher's ability can be played multiple times, but Flowstone Crusher is put into the graveyard after an effect resolves that makes its toughness 0. ---------- Furnace of Rath {1}{R}{R}{R} Enchantment If a source would deal damage to a creature or player, it deals double that damage to that creature or player instead. * If a creature, spell, or ability will deal damage to multiple things, you divide up the damage before applying this effect. This means something can't normally end up being dealt an odd amount of damage. * If you have two Furnaces in play, the damage is multiplied by four. If you have three in play, it's multiplied by eight. * The original source deals all the damage. Furnace of Rath doesn't deal any damage. * If multiple effects modify how damage will be dealt, the player who would be dealt damage or the controller of the creature that would be dealt damage chooses the order to apply the effects. For example, Mending Hands says, "Prevent the next 4 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn." Suppose a spell would deal 5 damage to a player who has played Mending Hands targeting himself or herself. That player can either (a) prevent 4 damage first and then let Furnace of Rath double the remaining 1 damage, taking 2 damage, or (b) double the damage to 10 and then prevent 4 damage, taking 6 damage. ---------- Giant Spider {3}{G} Creature -- Spider 2/4 Giant Spider can block as though it had flying. * A few standard Magic card wordings had used the word "may" in abilities that weren't intended to ask players to make decisions. Most of these abilities are attacking or blocking restrictions, such as Giant Spider's ability. These cards have been reworded in Oracle to use the word "can" instead. * In the case of Giant Spider, the new wording results in a slight functional change: If an Elvish Bard ("All creatures able to block Elvish Bard do so") with flying attacks, Giant Spider must block it. (With the previous wording, Giant Spider's controller could choose that Giant Spider wasn't blocking as though it had flying and therefore can't block a flying creature.) * To learn more about this template change and which older cards it affects, check out John Carter's "Saturday School" column on MagicTheGathering.com on Saturday, July 30, 2005. ----- Gift of Estates {1}{W} Sorcery If an opponent has more lands than you, search your library for up to three Plains cards, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library. * Gift of Estates does nothing if at least one of your opponents has the same number of lands as you or fewer. * You can find nonbasic lands if they have the Plains land type, such as the Alpha card Tundra. ---------- Greater Good {2}{G}{G} Enchantment Sacrifice a creature: Draw cards equal to the sacrificed creature's power, then discard three cards. * You draw cards equal to the creature's power when you sacrificed it. This includes any bonuses from effects like Giant Growth. * You must discard three cards regardless of how many cards you drew. If you have less than three cards in hand, you discard your hand. ---------- Hell's Caretaker {3}{B} Creature -- Horror 1/1 {T}, Sacrifice a creature: Return target creature card from your graveyard to play. Play this ability only during your upkeep. * You can sacrifice Hell's Caretaker to pay for its own ability. * You can play the ability any time during your upkeep. * Note that the ability doesn't give the returned creature haste. ---------- Imaginary Pet {1}{U} Creature -- Illusion 4/4 At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have a card in hand, return Imaginary Pet to its owner's hand. * Imaginary Pet's ability triggers only if you have cards in your hand as your upkeep begins, and the ability checks again as it resolves. If your hand is empty at both those times, Imaginary Pet stays in play. ---------- Jade Statue {4} Artifact {2}: Jade Statue becomes a 3/6 artifact creature until end of combat. Play this ability only during combat. * You can play the ability any time during the combat phase. If you want to attack with Jade Statue, you need to play the ability during your beginning of combat step. If you want to block it, you can play the ability either during the beginning of combat step or the declare attackers step. * If Jade Statue's ability has been played, abilities that trigger "at end of combat" will see Jade Statue as an artifact creature. * A delayed triggered ability that refers to Jade Statue still affects it even if it's no longer a creature. For example, if Jade Statue blocks the _Champions of Kamigawa_ creature Kashi-Tribe Warrors ("Whenever Kashi-Tribe Warriors deals combat damage to a creature, tap that creature and it doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step."), the Warriors' effect stops Jade Statue from untapping. ---------- Karplusan Yeti {3}{R}{R} Creature -- Yeti 3/3 {T}: Karplusan Yeti deals damage equal to its power to target creature. That creature deals damage equal to its power to Karplusan Yeti. * If the target creature isn't a legal target (it's no longer in play or has protection from red, for example) when Karplusan Yeti's ability resolves, the ability is countered and does nothing. * If Karplusan Yeti left play while its ability was on the stack, the effect deals damage equal to the Yeti's last known power to the target creature. ---------- King Cheetah {3}{G} Creature -- Cat 3/2 You may play King Cheetah any time you could play an instant. * King Cheetah is never an instant spell, no matter when you play it. ---------- Polymorph {3}{U} Sorcery Destroy target creature. It can't be regenerated. Its controller reveals cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. The player puts that card into play and shuffles all other cards revealed this way into his or her library. * If the creature is an illegal target as Polymorph resolves, Polymorph is countered and nothing happens. * You can play Polymorph targeting an indestructible creature. The indestructible creature stays in play because it can't be destroyed, but its controller still gets to put another creature card into play. (You won't see any indestructible cards in the _Ninth Edition_ core set, but you will in other sets.) * If there are no creatures left in your library, you reveal your library and then shuffle it. ---------- Rootwalla {2}{G} Creature -- Lizard 2/2 {1}{G}: Rootwalla gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Play this ability only once each turn. * If Rootwalla changes controllers after its ability has been played, the new controller won't be able to play the ability again until the next turn. ---------- Sanctum Guardian {1}{W}{W} Creature -- Human Cleric 1/4 Sacrifice Sanctum Guardian: The next time a source of your choice would deal damage to target creature or player this turn, prevent that damage. * The target is chosen when you play the ability. The source of the damage is chosen as the ability resolves. ---------- Sengir Vampire {3}{B}{B} Creature -- Vampire 4/4 Flying (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying.) Whenever a creature dealt damage by Sengir Vampire this turn is put into a graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Sengir Vampire. * If Sengir Vampire and another creature deal lethal damage to each other in combat, both are put into graveyards before Sengir Vampire's triggered ability can make the Vampire bigger. * Note that Sengir Vampire's ability isn't restricted to combat damage. ---------- Shard Phoenix {4}{R} Creature -- Phoenix 2/2 Flying (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying.) Sacrifice Shard Phoenix: Shard Phoenix deals 2 damage to each creature without flying. {R}{R}{R}: Return Shard Phoenix from your graveyard to your hand. Play this ability only during your upkeep. * You can return Shard Phoenix any time during your upkeep by paying {R}{R}{R}. * You can sacrifice Shard Phoenix and then return it to your hand all during the same upkeep. * If, for example, Shard Phoenix was blue when it was sacrificed, the damage will come from a blue source. ---------- Soul Warden {W} Creature -- Human Cleric 1/1 Whenever another creature comes into play, you gain 1 life. * Two Soul Wardens coming into play at the same time will each cause the other's ability to trigger. * The life gain isn't optional. ---------- Storage Matrix {3} Artifact As long as Storage Matrix is untapped, each player chooses artifact, creature, or land during his or her untap step. That player can untap only permanents of the chosen type this step. * Permanents with multiple types untap if any of their types is chosen. For example, an artifact creature untaps if either artifact or creature is chosen. * Storage Matrix doesn't allow players to untap permanents that don't normally untap, such as Phyrexian Colossus. * If another effect limits the number of permanents that untap, that number combines with Storage Matrix's effect. For example, the Champions of Kamigawa card Imi Statue says "Players can't untap more than one artifact during their untap steps." If both Imi Statue and an untapped Storage Matrix are in play, and you choose "artifact," only one artifact untaps. --------- Verdant Force {5}{G}{G}{G} Creature -- Elemental 7/7 At the beginning of each player's upkeep, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play under your control. * A Saproling creature token is created at the beginning of each player's upkeep, not just yours. * Verdant Force's controller puts the Saproling into play. If another player gains control of Verdant Force, the existing Saprolings stay where they are. ---------- Yawgmoth Demon {4}{B}{B} Creature -- Demon 6/6 Flying (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying.) First strike (This creature deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.) At the beginning of your upkeep, you may sacrifice an artifact. If you don't, tap Yawgmoth Demon and it deals 2 damage to you. * You may choose not to sacrifice an artifact. ---------- All trademarks, including character names, are property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the U.S.A. and other countries. (Copr.) 2005 Wizards.