If you are going to answer a question, please be 100% sure that your answer is correct. If you are just guessing or *think* you know the answer, keep it to yourself. There are plenty of judges and people who will know it correctly, and if multiple answers are given, it just confuses the person who asked.

This thread is a flame-free zone. If you can't be civil, don't respond. New players shouldn't be worried about being made fun of when they're trying to learn.

Some information for ya...

Comprehensive Rules (also available in Word, Rich Text, and PDF formats)
The complete rules for the game of Magic. Beginners should not go here; they are very intimidating.
Oracle Card Reference
The official text for every card in existence (use Gatherer for any quick questions about Oracle texts, Gatherer uses the Oracle text of all cards).
Official Tournament Rules
The official rules for sanctioned tournaments.
Basic Rulebook
Simplified rules for beginning players. If you are new to the game, you should read this and not the Comprehensive Rules.
Set FAQs
The official FAQs for each set. Look here if you have a specific question about a card.
Judge Certification Program
How to become a judge.
MTG-L mailing list archives
A good place to get official answers to rules questions, or to search for previous answers.
DCIJUDGE-L mailing list archives
The official Judge list. A good place to search for previous answers and discussion involving judging decisions, philosophy, etc. NOT rules questions. That's what MTG-L is for.

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Originally posted by Vegas10:
ok Pestilence in play, kills all creatures during opponents turn, openent then activates Mishra Factory and attacks, at end of turn does pestilence stay or go to graveyard? also would it be the same result if it was the pestilence players turn (Obviously the factory couldn't attack then). also please explain exactly why what happens happens so I can explain for future situations that are similiar.

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Originally posted by Schwingzilla:
If I have two Thawing Glaciers in play, can I do the old trick of, when the first return ability at the beginning of the cleanup step is on the stack, activate my second one, get a land, return the first one, untap, then use the second one again?

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No. The old trick worked because its ability would trigger at the beginning of the end step, so you could wait for the beginning of the end step to pass, use the ability, then untap on your turn and use the ability a second time and at the end of your turn, it would return to your hand. It currently does not work because of the Oracle wording which triggers at the beginning of the cleanup step and this rule:

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Comprehensive Rules:

514. Cleanup Step

514.3. Normally, no player receives priority during the cleanup step, so no spells can be cast and no abilities can be activated. However, this rule is subject to the following exception:

514.3a At this point, the game checks to see if any state-based actions would be performed and/or any triggered abilities are waiting to be put onto the stack (including those that trigger "at the beginning of the next cleanup step"). If so, those state-based actions are performed, then those triggered abilities are put on the stack, then the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. Once the stack is empty and all players pass in succession, another cleanup step begins.

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As for your next questions:

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Are there a lot of situations where things happen at the beginning of the cleanup step, and how do they work? Or can no one do anything during the cleanup step?

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There aren't a lot of situations where you can actually do something during the cleanup step, but lots of effects tend to wear off during the cleanup step.

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CR:

514.2. Second, the following actions happen simultaneously: all damage marked on permanents (including phased-out permanents) is removed and all "until end of turn" and "this turn" effects end. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack.

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So, these actions happen, but normally you can't do anything, including using an ability like Thawing Glaciers' ability.

The most common reason you would be able to do something is when is discarding a card with Madness during the cleanup step. If you have 8 cards in hand and discard Basking Rootwalla to go down to 7, this will create a trigger that allows you to cast it for its Madness cost. Normally you can't do things during the cleanup step.

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keywacat:

Does Animar's ability to reduce casting costs have the interaction I hope it does with any hydra creature? That is, free counters on the hydra?

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I'm not exactly sure what you're asking here, but let me just try to cover all the bases. By "Hydra creatures", I assume you are talking about creatures with the subtype Hydra that ALSO have an X in their cost, like Feral Hydra or Primordial Hydra. Ancient Hydra doesn't get extra counters regardless of Animar or not, Phytohydra won't get counters until damage would be dealt to it, and Khalni Hydra needs some other source to put counters on it.

You choose a value for X and Animar will reduce X by the number of counters on it, so if you choose X as 3 for Feral Hydra and there are 2 counters on Animar, you will end up spending 1G to get a 3/3 (0/0 with 3 +1/+1 counters). However, if there is only one counter on Animar, X will only be reduced by one.

Relevant rules:

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Comprehensive Rules:

601. Casting Spells

601.2. To cast a spell is to take it from where it is (usually the hand), put it on the stack, and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect. Casting a spell follows the steps listed below, in order.

601.2a The player announces that he or she is casting the spell. That card (or that copy of a card) moves from where it is to the stack.

601.2b If the spell has a variable cost that will be paid as it's being cast (such as an {X} in its mana cost; see rule 107.3), the player announces the value of that variable.

601.2e The player determines the total cost of the spell. Usually this is just the mana cost. Some effects may increase or reduce the cost to pay, or may provide other alternative costs. The total cost is the mana cost or alternative cost (as determined in rule 601.2b), plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus all cost reductions.

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Originally posted by Vegas10:
can someone tell me the best way to explain the followand and/or point me to the part in the rules/comprehensive rules that explains this, I know why it works but in a casual playgroup I'm in theyu don't understand that if you activate Jace memory adepts 0 ability or any of them for that matter that if you bounce it in response the ability still works, and that if he is cast that you can't just bounce it before the active player has the ability to use it. I know the second part is about proiority and the first part the ability goes on the stack and still resolves regardless of whether Jace is still there but trying to explain this to people who don't have the same understanding of the rules as me sometimes is difficult. any help appreciated.

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sure....

112.7. The source of an ability on the stack is the object that generated it. The source of an activated ability on the stack is the object whose ability was activated. The source of a triggered ability (other than a delayed triggered ability) on the stack, or one that has triggered and is waiting to be put on the stack, is the object whose ability triggered. To determine the source of a delayed triggered ability, see rules 603.7d–f.
112.7a. Once activated or triggered, an ability exists on the stack independently of its source. Destruction or removal of the source after that time won’t affect the ability. Note that some abilities cause a source to do something (for example, “Prodigal Sorcerer deals 1 damage to target creature or player”) rather than the ability doing anything directly. In these cases, any activated or triggered ability that references information about the source because the effect needs to be divided checks that information when the ability is put onto the stack. Otherwise, it will check that information when it resolves. In both instances, if the source is no longer in the zone it’s expected to be in at that time, its last known information is used. The source can still perform the action even though it no longer exists.

and for priority:

116.1. Unless a spell or ability is instructing a player to take an action, which player can take actions at any given time is determined by a system of priority. The player with priority may cast spells, activate abilities, and take special actions.
116.1a. A player may cast an instant spell any time he or she has priority. A player may cast a noninstant spell during his or her main phase any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty.
116.1b. A player may activate an activated ability any time he or she has priority.
116.1c. A player may take some special actions any time he or she has priority. A player may take other special actions during his or her main phase any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty. See rule 115, “Special Actions.”
116.1d. A player may activate a mana ability whenever he or she has priority, whenever he or she is casting a spell or activating an ability that requires a mana payment, or whenever a rule or effect asks for a mana payment (even in the middle of casting or resolving a spell or activating or resolving an ability).

116.3. Which player has priority is determined by the following rules:
116.3a. The active player receives priority at the beginning of most steps and phases, after any turn-based actions (such as drawing a card during the draw step; see rule 703) have been dealt with and abilities that trigger at the beginning of that phase or step have been put on the stack. No player receives priority during the untap step. Players usually don’t get priority during the cleanup step (see rule 514.3).
116.3b. The active player receives priority after a spell or ability (other than a mana ability) resolves.

one of those covers that you can only do stuff when you have priority, other covers when you get priority.

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Originally posted by VxMurDokxV:
I was observing a Commander game and I saw an interesting situation come up, here's the scenario. Player A controls a Sun Titan, a Nim Deathmantle, a Ashnod's Alter and some other critters and artifacts. Player B casts Austere Command choosing to destroy 1). All artifacts and 2). All creatures with converted mana cost 4 or greater. Player A says that he can save his Titan, Mantle and Alter after the Command resolves. Is this possible? If so, then how? Thanks guys, Player A's explanation seems legit, but I thought I would ask you guys to be sure.

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Well when the austere command blows up the sun titan and the mantle at the same time, the mantle will trigger and you can pay the 4 mana to bring back the sun titan but the mantle will still be in the graveyard. The titan could bring back the mantle or the altar, but not both. There may be some trick w/ triggers, but not one that I'm seeing readily available w/o involving other cards.

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The Titan will not come back. The Death Mantel is destroyed before the Titan so it will not trigger.

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Originally posted by TimeBeing:
The Titan will not come back. The Death Mantel is destroyed before the Titan so it will not trigger.

608.2c. The controller of the spell or ability follows its instructions in the order written.

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Originally posted by TimeBeing:
The Titan will not come back. The Death Mantel is destroyed before the Titan so it will not trigger.

608.2c. The controller of the spell or ability follows its instructions in the order written.

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Originally posted by VxMurDokxV:
Okay, cause he was sac'ing the Titan to the Alter then activating the Mantles ability in response to the resolution of the Command, allowing the Titan to come back targeting the destroyed Mantle. Then he rinsed and repeated to get the Alter.

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ie. Hypergenesis resolves, I put in Griselbrand. They put in something. Am I allowed to pay the 7 life in response to them putting their permanent into play so I can draw 7 new cards to feed the Hypergensis?

It's the same with brainstorm, and every other card that has more than one instruction. You cant draw 3, do some stuff, then put 2 cards back after.

__________________
"He fights you not because you have wronged him, but because you are there."

[16:17] <@BrassMan> what do you need new tech for?
[16:18] <@BrassMan> gush is unrestricted

I have Humility in play, my opponent has an enchantment that gives all his creatures +1/+1. What is the p/t of the creatures?

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I have Humility in play, my opponent has an enchantment that gives all his creatures +1/+1. What is the p/t of the creatures?

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2/2. the +1/+1 applies after humility makes them 1/1
Humility acts in layer 7b and the +1/+1 after in 7c

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I have Humility and Counterbalance. My opponent plays Vexing Shusher. Can i counter it with Counterbalance (provided i have somehting with cmc 2 on top obviously)?

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Originally posted by GremCards:
I have a Vigilante Justice in play, I play a Stormblood Berserker. Do I still have to damage a player before casting the creature, or would the VJ trigger his bloodthirst?

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the damage needs to be done before stormblood berserker enters play if you want it to get the counters.

Bloodthirst 2 (If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this creature enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.)

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Originally posted by choco man:
Does Arcane Melee reduce costs for flashback?

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Yes.

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5/1/2012 Arcane Melee can reduce alternative costs such as miracle costs.

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