_Fifth Dawn_(TM) Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled by Paul Barclay, David DeLaney, and Jeff Jordan
Fifth Dawn Prerelease tournaments: May 22-23, 2004
Fifth Dawn official release date: June 4, 2004
The Fifth Dawn set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play June 20,
2004.
This FAQ has two sections, each of which serves a different purpose.
The first section ("General Notes") explains the new mechanics and concepts in
the set. The second 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.
GENERAL NOTES
Scry
The scry ability applies when a spell or ability resolves. The rules for scry
(from the Comprehensive Rules) are as follows:
502.36. Scry
502.36a Scry is a static ability that functions while a spell or ability is
resolving. "Scry X" means "Look at the top X cards of your library. Put any
number of them on the bottom of your library in any order and the rest on top
of your library in any order."
Condescend
XU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays X.
Scry 2 (Look at the top two cards of your library. Put any number of them on
the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)
* If a spell has scry 2, you look at the top two cards of your library and
then decide where you want to put them. You can put both cards on either the
top or bottom of your library in any order, or you can put one card on the top
and one on the bottom.
* Follow a spell's instructions in order. All spells with scry in the Fifth
Dawn set have scry as the last part of their text, so scrying is the last
thing you do before the spell is put into its owner's graveyard.
* If the spell is countered, you don't get to use the scry ability.
* There is one card (Eyes of the Watcher) that has a triggered ability with
scry. When the triggered ability resolves, look at the top two cards of your
library and then decide where you want to put them, just as though the ability
were a spell with scry.
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Sunburst
The sunburst ability applies when a spell or ability resolves. The rules for
sunburst (from the Comprehensive Rules) are as follows:
502.37. Sunburst
502.37a Sunburst is a static ability that functions as a spell is resolving.
"Sunburst" means "If this spell is a creature spell, it comes into play with a
+1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost. If this spell
is a noncreature spell, it comes into play with a charge counter on it for
each color of mana used to pay its cost."
502.37b Sunburst applies only as the spell is resolving and only if one or
more colored mana was paid for its costs. Mana paid for additional or
alternative costs applies.
Clearwater Goblet
5
Artifact
Sunburst (This comes into play with a charge counter on it for each color of
mana used to pay its cost.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may gain 1 life for each charge counter
on Clearwater Goblet.
Suntouched Myr
5
0/0
Artifact Creature -- Myr
Sunburst (This comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of
mana used to pay its cost.)
* An artifact creature with sunburst comes into play with one +1/+1 counter on
it for each color of mana used to pay its cost.
* A noncreature artifact with sunburst comes into play with one charge counter
on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost.
* The type of counters depends on whether the spell is a creature or a
noncreature spell, not whether the permanent that results from that spell will
be a creature or a noncreature permanent. Even if March of the Machines from
the _Mirrodin_(TM) set is in play, noncreature artifact spells with sunburst
come into play with charge counters.
* Sunburst doesn't apply if a card is put directly into play from a player's
hand. It applies only if it's being played as a spell.
* If you pay WUBRG1 for a six-mana sunburst creature spell, it comes into play
with five +1/+1 counters on it -- one for each different color of mana you
spent.
* If you pay 2UBBR for a six-mana noncreature artifact spell with sunburst, it
comes into play with three charge counters.
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"Bringers of the Dawns"
There is a cycle of five creature cards in the Fifth Dawn set that have an
upkeep-triggered ability, trample, and an alternative play cost of WUBRG. The
Bringers are Bringer of the White Dawn, Bringer of the Blue Dawn, Bringer of
the Black Dawn, Bringer of the Red Dawn, and Bringer of the Green Dawn.
Bringer of the Black Dawn
7BB
Creature -- Bringer
5/5
You may pay WUBRG rather than pay Bringer of the Black Dawn's mana cost.
Trample
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay 2 life. If you do, search your
library for a card, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it.
* When you play the spell, you can pay the mana cost or pay the alternative
cost of WUBRG.
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Beacons
A cycle of five instant and sorcery cards in the Fifth Dawn set shuffle
themselves back into their owner's library when they resolve. The Beacons are:
Beacon of Immortality, Beacon of Tomorrows, Beacon of Unrest, Beacon of
Destruction, and Beacon of Creation.
Beacon of Creation
3G
Sorcery
Put a 1/1 green Insect creature token into play for each Forest you control.
Shuffle Beacon of Creation into its owner's library.
* The card is shuffled into the library as the spell resolves, and therefore
the card is not put into its owner's graveyard at the end of its resolution.
* If the spell is countered, it's put into its owner's graveyard. It's only
shuffled into the library if the spell successfully resolves.
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Affinity
See the Mirrodin FAQ for information about the affinity ability.
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Entwine
See the Mirrodin FAQ for information about the entwine ability.
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Equipment
See the Mirrodin FAQ for information about Equipment and the equip ability.
Note that the Equipment reminder text has been shortened for the Fifth Dawn
set to save space for other abilities on Equipment cards.
In addition, there is a cycle of five common Equipment cards that all have the
ability "[cost]: Attach [card name] to target creature you control." These
abilities work just like the equip ability, except that they can be played any
time their controller could play an instant. These are Healer's Headdress,
Neurok Stealthsuit, Cranial Plating, Sparring Collar, and Horned Helm.
Sparring Collar
2
Artifact -- Equipment
Equipped creature has first strike.
RR: Attach Sparring Collar to target creature you control.
Equip 1 (1: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
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Imprint
See the Mirrodin and _Darksteel_(TM) FAQs for information about the imprint
ability.
-----
CARD-SPECIFIC NOTES
All Suns' Dawn
4G
Sorcery
For each color, return up to one target card of that color from your graveyard
to your hand. Then remove All Suns' Dawn from the game.
* All Suns' Dawn can have from zero to five targets, one for each color.
* You can target two blue-and-white multicolored cards by choosing one as the
blue card and one as the white card.
* You choose the color each target must be when you choose it as a target, so
if the card you targeted as a blue card is red when All Suns' Dawn resolves,
the card is an illegal target, even if the spell doesn't target another red
card.
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Arcbound Wanderer
6
Artifact Creature
0/0
Modular--Sunburst (This comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each
color of mana used to pay its cost. When it's put into a graveyard, you may
put its +1/+1 counters on target artifact creature.)
* This card has modular--sunburst, a combination of two keyword abilities. The
sunburst ability sets the number for the modular ability.
* The number of +1/+1 counters the Wanderer gets as it comes into play is
equal to the number of colors of mana used to pay its cost.
* For the leaves-play ability, the number of counters on Arcbound Wanderer at
the time it left play is what's relevant; the number of colors of mana used to
pay its cost doesn't matter anymore.
* When the Wanderer leaves play, you may put the counters onto a single target
artifact creature. You can't split them among two or more artifact creatures.
* See the "Sunburst" section in "General Notes" for more rulings on sunburst.
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Auriok Champion
WW
Creature -- Human Cleric
1/1
Protection from black and from red
Whenever another creature comes into play, you may gain 1 life.
* Gaining life when a creature comes into play is optional.
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Blind Creeper
1B
Creature -- Zombie Beast
3/3
Whenever a player plays a spell, Blind Creeper gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
* This ability triggers off anyone playing a spell, including you, not just
Blind Creeper's controller or an opponent.
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Blinkmoth Infusion
12UU
Instant
Affinity for artifacts (This spell costs 1 less to play for each artifact you
control.)
Untap all artifacts.
* If you control no artifacts, Blinkmoth Infusion costs twelve generic mana
and two blue mana to play.
* Blinkmoth Infusion untaps all artifacts in play, not just artifacts you
control.
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Chimeric Coils
1
Artifact
X1: Chimeric Coils becomes an X/X artifact creature. Sacrifice it at end of
turn.
* If X is 0, Chimeric Coils becomes a 0/0 creature and is put into its owner's
graveyard.
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Crucible of Worlds
3
Artifact
You may play land cards from your graveyard as though they were in your hand.
* Crucible of Worlds allows you to play land cards from your graveyard as well
as from your hand.
* Crucible of Worlds doesn't change the times when you can play those land
cards. You can still play only one land per turn, and only during your main
phase when you have priority and the stack is empty.
* Crucible of Worlds doesn't allow you to play activated abilities (such as
cycling) of land cards in your graveyard.
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Dawn's Reflection
3G
Enchant Land
Whenever enchanted land is tapped for mana, its controller adds two mana of
any combination of colored mana to his or her mana pool.
* The controller of the land gets the additional mana, not the controller of
the enchantment.
* The two mana can be of two different colors. The controller of the land
chooses the colors.
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Desecration Elemental
3B
Creature -- Elemental
8/8
Fear
Whenever a player plays a spell, sacrifice a creature.
* This ability triggers off anyone playing a spell, including you, not just
Desecration Elemental's controller or an opponent.
* If Desecration Elemental is the only creature you control when its triggered
ability resolves, you'll have to sacrifice it.
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Disruption Aura
2U
Enchant Artifact
Enchanted artifact has "At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice this
artifact unless you pay its mana cost."
* Mana cost includes any requirements for colored mana, although most
artifacts don't have any color requirements.
* If the enchanted artifact has X in its mana cost, X is 0.
* If the enchanted artifact has an alternative cost (for example, if it has
the ability "You may pay WUBRG rather than pay [this card's] mana cost"), you
can pay that alternative cost instead of the mana cost.
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Doubling Cube
2
Artifact
3, T: Double the amount of each type of mana in your mana pool.
* "Double" has its normal English meaning.
* The glossary entry for "type of mana" has been modified. The complete text
of the new definition of type of mana is as follows: The "type" of mana is its
color, or lack thereof (if the mana is colorless). The type of mana a
permanent "could generate" is the type of mana that any ability of that
permanent can generate, taking into account any applicable replacement
effects. If the type of mana can't be defined, there's no type of mana that
the permanent could produce.
* Any restrictions on the mana in your mana pool aren't copied. For example,
if you have WWB5 with no restrictions on it in your mana pool and UUU that can
be used only to play artifact spells, you'll end up with WWWWBB10, UUU that
can be used only to play artifact spells, and UUU that can be used for
anything.
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Ebon Drake
2B
Creature -- Drake
3/3
Flying
Whenever a player plays a spell, you lose 1 life.
* This ability triggers off anyone playing a spell, including you, not just
Ebon Drake's controller or an opponent.
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Endless Whispers
2BB
Enchantment
Each creature has "When this creature is put into a graveyard from play,
choose target opponent. That player puts this creature card from that
graveyard into play under his or her control at end of turn."
* The creatures have the triggered ability, so each creature's controller
chooses one of his or her opponents to target.
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Engineered Explosives
X
Artifact
Sunburst (This comes into play with a charge counter on it for each color of
mana used to pay its cost.)
2, Sacrifice Engineered Explosives: Destroy each nonland permanent with
converted mana cost equal to the number of charge counters on Engineered
Explosives.
* If Engineered Explosives had no charge counters on it when you sacrificed
it, it won't destroy an animated land, because that permanent is a land in
addition to being a creature.
* If Engineered Explosives had three charge counters on it, it won't destroy
any permanents with a converted mana cost of 0, 1, or 2.
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Eon Hub
5
Artifact
Players skip their upkeep steps.
* The upkeep step is skipped entirely. The turn proceeds from untap step to
draw step.
* Upkeep-triggered abilities don't trigger, and "play this ability only during
your upkeep" abilities can't be played.
* Any triggered abilities that triggered during the untap step will go onto
the stack at the start of the draw step.
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Eyes of the Watcher
2U
Enchantment
Whenever you play an instant or sorcery spell, you may pay 1. If you do, scry
2. (Look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on
the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)
* You do the scrying at the end of the ability's resolution (assuming you pay
1).
* See the "Scry" section in "General Notes" for more rulings on scry.
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Ferropede
3
Artifact Creature -- Insect
1/1
Ferropede is unblockable.
Whenever Ferropede deals combat damage to a player, you may remove a counter
from target permanent.
* Any permanent is a legal target for Ferropede's last ability, not just one
with a counter on it.
* If there's more than one type of counter on the targeted permanent,
Ferropede's controller chooses which counter to remove from it.
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Fist of Suns
3
Artifact
You may pay WUBRG rather than pay the mana cost for spells that you play.
* This is an alternative cost to play a spell.
* You can't pay more than one alternative cost for a spell. For example, you
can't play a spell using its flashback ability by paying WUBRG. Likewise, you
can't pay WUBRG to play a creature with morph face down.
* Note that combining this card with Mycosynth Lattice from the Darksteel set
means that all spells can be played for five mana of any type (colored or
colorless).
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Fold into AEther
2UU
Instant
Counter target spell. If you do, that spell's controller may put a creature
card from his or her hand into play.
* If the spell isn't countered (because it's a spell that can't be countered,
for example), nothing happens.
* If your Fold into AEther counters a spell you control, you get to put a
creature card from your hand into play.
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Goblin Brawler
2R
Creature -- Goblin Warrior
2/2
First strike
Goblin Brawler can't be equipped.
* You can play an equip ability that targets Goblin Brawler, but the Equipment
will fail to move onto it.
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Goblin Cannon
4
Artifact
2: Goblin Cannon deals 1 damage to target creature or player. Sacrifice Goblin
Cannon.
* You can activate Goblin Cannon's ability multiple times in response to the
first activation. Goblin Cannon will be sacrificed the first time the ability
resolves, but each activation still deals damage when it resolves.
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Grafted Wargear
3
Artifact -- Equipment
Equipped creature gets +3/+2.
Whenever Grafted Wargear becomes unattached from a creature, sacrifice that
creature.
Equip o0 (0: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
* The "becomes unattached" ability triggers if (a) Grafted Wargear leaves
play, (b) the equip ability moves it onto another creature, (c) another effect
moves it onto another creature, (d) an effect causes it to become unattached,
or (e) the creature leaves play.
* Note that if (e) happens, the creature won't be in play to be sacrificed. In
all cases, it's the creature that was equipped when the ability triggered that
will be sacrificed.
* If your Grafted Wargear somehow ends up on an opponent's creature and it
then becomes unattached from that creature, you won't be able to sacrifice
that creature because you don't control it.
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Helm of Kaldra
3
Legendary Artifact -- Equipment
Equipped creature has first strike, trample, and haste.
1: If you control Equipment named Helm of Kaldra, Sword of Kaldra, and Shield
of Kaldra, put a 4/4 colorless Avatar Legend creature token named Kaldra into
play and attach those Equipment to it.
Equip 2
* The token isn't put into play unless you control all three Equipment when
the ability resolves.
* Helm of Kaldra is the third card in the Kaldra cycle. Sword of Kaldra was in
the Mirrodin set. Shield of Kaldra was in the Darksteel set.
* The token is named "Kaldra" and has creature types "Avatar" and "Legend."
This is different from previous creature tokens, where the name and creature
type were the same.
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Joiner Adept
1G
Creature -- Elf Druid
2/1
Lands you control have "T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool."
* Each land you control gets this ability.
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Lunar Avenger
7
Artifact Creature -- Golem
2/2
Sunburst (This comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of
mana used to pay its cost.)
Remove a +1/+1 counter from Lunar Avenger: Lunar Avenger gains your choice of
flying, first strike, or haste until end of turn.
* You choose whether Lunar Avenger gains flying, first strike, or haste when
the activated ability resolves.
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Magnetic Theft
R
Instant
Attach target Equipment to target creature. (Control of the Equipment doesn't
change.)
* Magnetic Theft can cause an Equipment one player controls to be attached to
a creature another player controls. The controller of the Equipment can pay
the equip cost to move the Equipment to a creature he or she controls (but
only any time that player could play a sorcery).
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Mephidross Vampire
4BB
Creature -- Vampire
3/4
Flying
Each creature you control is a Vampire in addition to its other creature types
and has "Whenever this creature deals damage to a creature, put a +1/+1
counter on this creature."
* The triggered ability Mephidross Vampire grants to each creature you control
triggers on *any damage* dealt to any creature, not just combat damage.
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Mycosynth Golem
11
Artifact Creature -- Golem
4/5
Affinity for artifacts (This spell costs 1 less to play for each artifact you
control.)
Artifact creature spells you play have affinity for artifacts. (They cost 1
less to play for each artifact you control.)
* The spells gain affinity for artifacts as they're put onto the stack. They
don't have the ability while they're cards in your hand.
* If Mycosynth Golem is sacrificed as part of the cost to play a spell, the
cost reduction will already be locked in, and the cost won't be increased.
* If Mycosynth Golem is sacrificed as part of the cost to play a mana ability
to play the spell, the cost reduction will already be locked in, and the cost
won't be increased.
* Two or more instances of the affinity ability are cumulative, even if
they're both affinity for the same thing.
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Myr Servitor
1
Artifact Creature -- Myr
1/1
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Myr Servitor is in play, each player
returns all cards named Myr Servitor from his or her graveyard to play.
* The Myr Servitor that's the source of the ability must be in play when the
ability resolves. If it is, all other Myr Servitor cards are returned from all
graveyards to play under their owner's control. If it's not, no Myr Servitors
are returned to play.
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Ouphe Vandals
2G
Creature -- Ouphe
2/2
G, Sacrifice Ouphe Vandals: Counter target activated ability from an artifact
source and destroy that artifact if it's in play. (Mana abilities can't be
targeted.)
* The ability targets an ability on the stack, not the artifact, so it can
destroy an artifact with protection from green or one that can't be targeted
by spells and abilities.
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Plunge into Darkness
1B
Instant
Choose one -- Sacrifice any number of creatures, then you gain 3 life for each
sacrificed creature; or pay X life, then look at the top X cards of your
library, put one of those cards into your hand, and remove the rest from the
game.
Entwine B (Choose both if you pay the entwine cost.)
* Everything other than the mode/entwine choice (and paying the 1B, of course)
is done on resolution.
* Assuming the entwine cost has been paid, the effect is (1) sacrifice any
number of creatures, (2) gain 3 life for each sacrificed creature, (3) choose
X, (4) pay X life, and (5) look at the top X cards of your library, put one
into your hand, and remove the rest from the game.
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Raksha Golden Cub
5WW
Creature -- Cat Soldier Legend
3/4
Attacking doesn't cause Raksha Golden Cub to tap.
As long as Raksha is equipped, Cats you control get +2/+2 and have double
strike.
* Raksha Golden Cub is a Cat, so it also gets +2/+2 and double strike if it's
equipped.
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Relentless Rats
1BB
Creature -- Rat
2/2
Relentless Rats gets +1/+1 for each other creature in play named Relentless
Rats.
A deck can have any number of cards named Relentless Rats.
* Yes, you're allowed to play a deck consisting of sixty Relentless Rats and
nothing else.
* This card's text applies even in Constructed-tournament play. It overrides
the normal limit of four of an individual card.
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Reversal of Fortune
4RR
Sorcery
Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You may copy an instant or sorcery
card in it and play the copy without paying its mana cost.
* Reversal of Fortune creates a copy of the card in the other player's hand,
then allows you to play the copy from that player's hand without paying its
mana cost.
* You play the copy while this ability is resolving and still on the stack.
Normally, you're not allowed to play spells and abilities at this time.
Reversal of Fortune breaks this rule.
* You don't pay the spell's mana cost. If the spell has X in its mana cost, X
is 0. You do pay any additional costs for that spell. You can't use any
alternative costs.
* If the copied card is a split card, you may choose to play either side of
the split card but not both.
* You can't play the copy if an effect prevents you from playing instants or
sorceries, or from playing that particular instant or sorcery. It doesn't
matter whether your opponent can play the card at this time; the only thing
that matters is whether you can play it.
* You can't play the copy unless all of its targets, if any, can be chosen.
* If you don't want to play the copy, you can choose not to; the copy ceases
to exist the next time state-based effects are checked.
* The spell is played from your opponent's hand, not yours, which can be
important for some cards.
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Rite of Passage
2G
Enchantment
Whenever a creature you control is dealt damage, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
(The damage is dealt before the counter is put on.)
* If the creature is dealt damage by more than one source at the same time, it
gets only one counter.
* The creature doesn't get a counter if all the damage that would be dealt to
it is prevented.
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Skullcage
4
Artifact
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, Skullcage deals 2 damage to that
player unless he or she has exactly three or exactly four cards in hand.
* Skullcage's ability deals damage if the player has zero, one, two, five, or
more than five cards in hand when its ability resolves.
* Skullcage doesn't check hand size when it triggers, only when it resolves.
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Solarion
7
Artifact Creature
0/0
Sunburst (This comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of
mana used to pay its cost.)
T: Double the number of +1/+1 counters on Solarion.
* "Double" has its normal English meaning.
* If Solarion had three +1/+1 counters on it, it would end up with six +1/+1
counters on it.
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Spectral Shift
1U
Instant
Choose one -- Change the text of target spell or permanent by replacing all
instances of one basic land type with another; or change the text of target
spell or permanent by replacing all instances of one color word with another.
(These effects don't end at end of turn.)
Entwine 2
* It's not possible to target the same spell or permanent with both abilities.
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Spinal Parasite
5
Artifact Creature -- Insect
-1/-1
Sunburst (This comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of
mana used to pay its cost.)
Remove two +1/+1 counters from Spinal Parasite: Remove a counter from target
permanent.
* Yes, this card's base power/toughness is -1/-1. If it has five +1/+1
counters on it, it's a 4/4 creature.
* If Spinal Parasite is a 1/1 because it has two +1/+1 counters on it, you can
remove both counters to pay for its activated ability.
* Any permanent is a legal target for Spinal Parasite's ability, not just one
with a counter on it. The player who controls Spinal Parasite chooses which
counter to remove from the targeted permanent.
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Summoner's Egg
4
Artifact Creature
0/4
Imprint -- When Summoner's Egg comes into play, you may remove a card in your
hand from the game face down.
When Summoner's Egg is put into a graveyard from play, turn the imprinted
face-down card face up. If that card is a creature card, put it into play
under your control.
* The card is imprinted face down. This means that other players don't know
what the card is and you can't look at the card once it's imprinted (until
it's turned face, up of course). Note that effects that remove cards from the
game, including all previous imprint cards, remove those cards from the game
face up unless the effect says otherwise.
* If the card is not a creature card when it's turned face up, it remains
removed from the game face up.
* Any "When this creature is turned face up" abilities that the imprinted card
may have don't trigger because the card isn't being turned face up while it's
in play.
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Vedalken Orrery
4
Artifact
You may play nonland cards any time you could play an instant.
* The controller of Vedalken Orrery can play nonland artifact, creature,
enchantment, and sorcery cards any time he or she could play an instant. This
includes on other players' turns and during the upkeep step, draw step, combat
phase, and end step.
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Vedalken Shackles
3
Artifact
You may choose not to untap Vedalken Shackles during your untap step.
2, T: Gain control of target creature with power less than or equal to the
number of Islands you control as long as Vedalken Shackles remains tapped.
* The creature's power and the number of Islands you control matter only when
the ability is played and resolved. After that, only the fact that Vedalken
Shackles remains tapped matters.
* If Vedalken Shackles becomes untapped before its ability resolves, you don't
gain control of the creature, even for a second.
* If Vedalken Shackles leaves play, it's no longer tapped, so you lose control
of the creature.
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