_Torment_(TM) Frequently Asked Questions

Compiled by Paul Barclay, David DeLaney, and Jeff Jordan





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



Black



* _Torment_ is the black set. Unlike all previous _Magic_(R) expansions, the
colors are not balanced. The _Torment_ set contains more black cards than
cards of any other color. Not only that, black has gotten its tentacles into
the other colors as well. For example, the Possessed creatures each turn black
and gain the ability to assassinate creatures of their former color at
threshold.

-----



Madness



The official rules for the madness ability are as follows:



502.24. Madness



502.24a Madness represents two abilities. The first is a static ability of
cards that functions while the card is in a player's hand. The second is a
triggered ability that functions whenever the first ability is applied. The
phrase "Madness [cost]" means "If a player would discard this card from his or
her hand, that player discards it, but may remove it from the game instead of
putting it into his or her graveyard," and "Whenever this card is removed from
the game this way, until he or she passes next, he or she may play it any time
he or she could play an instant as though it were in his or her hand by paying
[cost] rather than paying its mana cost. When he or she passes next, he or she
puts it into his or her graveyard."



502.24b Playing a spell using its madness ability follows the rules for paying
alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f.



502.24c Any time you discard a card which has madness, you have the option to
remove it from the game (to play it using its madness ability) or not. If you
remove it from the game, the second part of the madness ability triggers. When
this ability resolves, you have the option of playing the spell for its
madness cost. You can only play it the very next time you could play an
instant this turn. If it's an instant or sorcery, put it into your graveyard
when it resolves. If it's an artifact, creature or enchantment, put it into
play when it resolves.



* To play a card with madness, say that you're playing the spell as soon as
you discard it from your hand. After that, playing a card with madness is just
like playing an instant from your hand, except you pay the spell's madness
cost instead of its mana cost. It goes on the stack like any other spell and
it can be countered like any other spell.



* When you play a spell by paying its madness cost, its mana cost doesn't
change. You just pay the madness cost instead.



* Effects that cause you to pay more or less for a spell will cause you to pay
that much more or less for its madness cost, too. That's because they affect
the total cost of the spell, not just its mana cost.



* Madness works no matter why you're discarding the card. You could discard to
pay a cost, because a spell or ability tells you to, or even because you have
too many cards in your hand at the end of your turn. You can't discard a card
with madness just because you want to, though.



* When you play a card with madness, it still counts as being discarded, but
it doesn't actually get to your graveyard before you play it. That means your
opponent can't remove it "in response" to stop you from playing the spell.
Abilities that trigger on a card being discarded, however, will still trigger.



* If you choose not to play a card with madness when it's discarded, it goes
to your graveyard. You don't get another chance to play it.



* See "The stack (and how to use it)," below, for a quick explanation of how
the stack works.

-----



Flashback



The official rules for the flashback ability are as follows:



502.22. Flashback



502.22a Flashback is a static ability of some instant and sorcery cards that
functions while the card is in a player's graveyard. The phrase "Flashback
[cost]" means "You may play this card from your graveyard by paying [cost]
rather than paying its mana cost. If you do, remove this card from the game
instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack."
Playing a spell using its flashback ability follows the rules for paying
alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f.



* When you play a spell from your graveyard by paying its flashback cost, its
mana cost doesn't change. You just pay the flashback cost instead.



* Effects that cause you to pay more or less for a spell will cause you to pay
that much more or less for its flashback cost, too. That's because they affect
the total cost of the spell, not just its mana cost.



* When a spell played with flashback resolves, it never goes to its owner's
graveyard, so abilities that trigger on cards being put in a graveyard won't
trigger. The card is removed from the game instead. Countered spells played
with flashback are removed from the game, too.



* Cards with the flashback ability have a gray tombstone icon in the upper
left corner. This icon makes it easier for you to see which cards in your
graveyard can be played again.

-----



Threshold



The official rules for the threshold ability are as follows:



502.23. Threshold



502.23a Threshold is a static ability, written "Threshold -- [text]." The text
can be a static ability, activated ability, triggered ability,
characteristic-setting text, spell text, or any combination of the five. The
phrase "Threshold -- [text]" means "As long as you have seven or more cards in
your graveyard, this card has '[text].'"



502.23b Cards and permanents with threshold have the threshold text only if
their controller has seven or more cards in his or her graveyard. Otherwise,
the text after "Threshold --" is treated as though it did not appear on the
card or permanent.



502.23c An instant or sorcery card with threshold has the threshold text only
while the card is on the stack (that is, while it's a spell). An artifact,
creature, enchantment, or land card with threshold, or any permanent with
threshold, has the threshold text only if the card or permanent is in play.



* Instants and sorceries with threshold check if seven or more cards are in
your graveyard when they resolve, not when they're played or put on the stack.



* Activated and triggered abilities that permanents have at threshold check
the number of cards in your graveyard only when the abilities are played or
triggered. Even if you have fewer than seven cards in your graveyard when an
ability resolves, that ability will resolve normally.



* Static threshold abilities are simply "on" when you have seven or more cards
in your graveyard and "off" when you don't.



* Five _Torment_ creatures have comes-into-play abilities at threshold. If one
of these creatures comes into play from your graveyard, you don't count it (or
any other creatures coming into play at the same time) toward threshold. These
five creatures are: Centaur Chieftain, Cephalid Sage, Gloomdrifter, Pardic
Arsonist, and Teroh's Vanguard.

-----



The stack (and how to use it)



At the start of each phase or step, the active player gets priority. He or she
may:

a) Play a spell or an ability. If he or she does, he or she keeps priority and
gets to choose again.

b) Pass priority to the other player. If both players pass in a row, the top
spell or ability on the stack resolves and the active player gets priority
again. If the stack is empty and both players pass in a row, the game moves to
the next step or phase.



That's basically it. For the details, check out the Comprehensive Rulebook. It
can be downloaded from the Wizards of the Coast website at:

http://www.wizards.com/magic/MTG_Rules.asp

-----



Nightmares



* The nine _Torment_ creatures with creature type Nightmare all remove
something from the game when they come into play, only to give it back again
when they leave play.



Faceless Butcher

2BB

Creature -- Nightmare Horror

2/3

When Faceless Butcher comes into play, remove target creature other than
Faceless Butcher from the game.

When Faceless Butcher leaves play, return the removed card to play under its
owner's control.



* Seven of the Nightmare creatures remove cards or permanents from the game.
If one of those Nightmares leaves play before its comes-into-play ability
resolves, its leaves-play ability will trigger and resolve first. The
leaves-play ability will have no effect, then the comes-into-play ability will
resolve. The cards that are removed from the game will never come back.



* A Nightmare's leaves-play ability will only return cards. It will not return
tokens, because these cease to exist as soon as they leave play. When a
removed card comes back, it's treated as a new version of the card.



* Two Nightmare creatures (Soul Scourge and Laquatus's Champion) make a player
lose and gain life instead of removing cards or permanents from the game. If
either of these creatures leaves play before its comes-into-play ability
resolves, the leaves-play ability will resolve first. The player targeted by
the comes-into-play ability will first gain life, then lose life.



* The Nightmares are: Faceless Butcher, Gravegouger, Hypnox, Laquatus's
Champion, Mesmeric Fiend, Petradon, Petravark, Slithery Stalker, and Soul
Scourge. See the "Card-Specific Notes" section for comments on Faceless
Butcher, Hypnox, Mesmeric Fiend, and Petradon.

-----



Dreams



* The seven Dreams are cards that allow you to discard cards from your hand
for some effect based on the number of cards discarded. Discarding the cards
is a cost for all seven Dreams.



Devastating Dreams

RR

Sorcery

As an additional cost to play Devastating Dreams, discard X cards at random
from your hand.

Each player sacrifices X lands. Devastating Dreams deals X damage to each
creature.



* You can't choose an X larger than the number of cards in your hand. For the
Dreams that are targeted, you can't choose an X that's larger than the number
of legal targets.



* Unlike the _Odyssey_(TM) Rites, you discard cards to the Dreams when you pay
costs, not when the spell resolves. If the Dream is countered, you will
already have discarded the cards and you won't get them back.



* The Dreams are: Devastating Dreams, Insidious Dreams, Nostalgic Dreams,
Restless Dreams, Sickening Dreams, Turbulent Dreams, and Vengeful Dreams. See
the "Card-Specific Notes" section for comments on Devastating Dreams and
Nostalgic Dreams.

-----



"Disorders"



* The five "disorders" are enchantments that allow you to sacrifice them or
discard cards from your hand to gain some small effect.



Compulsion

1U

Enchantment

1U, Discard a card from your hand: Draw a card.

1U, Sacrifice Compulsion: Draw a card.



* The disorders are Compulsion, Hypochondria, Mortiphobia, Narcissism, and
Pyromania. See the "Card-Specific Notes" section for comments on Pyromania.

-----



Possessed creatures



Possessed Aven

2UU

Creature -- Bird Soldier Horror

3/3

Flying

Threshold -- Possessed Aven gets +1/+1, is black, and has "2B, T: Destroy
target blue creature." #(You have threshold as long as seven or more cards are
in your graveyard.)#



* At threshold, the creature is only black, and can destroy creatures of its
former color. So it's not possible for a Possessed creature to destroy itself
(unless some other color-changing effect happens). Check whether you're at
threshold just before you play the activated ability.



* The four Possessed creatures are: Possessed Aven, Possessed Barbarian,
Possessed Centaur, and Possessed Nomad.

-----



Tainted lands



* The four Tainted lands all have the ability to add either of two colors of
mana to your mana pool as long as you control a swamp.



Tainted Field

Land

T: Add one colorless mana to your mana pool.

T: Add W or B to your mana pool. Play this ability only if you control a
swamp.



* You check whether you control a swamp before you would play the mana
ability, not when it resolves. These lands are not basic lands, and are not
swamps in any way.



* The Tainted lands are: Tainted Field, Tainted Isle, Tainted Peak, and
Tainted Wood.

-----





CARD-SPECIFIC NOTES



Alter Reality

1U

Instant

Change the text of target permanent or spell by replacing all instances of one
color word with another. #(This effect doesn't end at end of turn.)#

Flashback 1U #(You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback
cost. Then remove it from the game.)#



* For example, you can change "protection from black" to "protection from
blue." The only colors you can choose are white, blue, black, red, or green.



* If you target a permanent or spell with a threshold ability while its
controller doesn't have threshold, Alter Reality will still change any color
words in the threshold text.



* You can target a spell or permanent that has no color words in its text. The
spell just won't have any affect.



* This card can only change words in the text box, not anywhere else on the
card (such as in the card name). It also can't change mana symbols.

-----



Aquamoeba

1U

Creature -- Beast

1/3

Discard a card from your hand: Switch Aquamoeba's power and toughness until
end of turn.



* Effects that alter Aquamoeba's power and toughness after its ability has
resolved won't be switched -- they'll affect the creature's current power and
toughness normally.

-----



Barbarian Outcast

1R

Creature -- Barbarian Beast

2/2

When you control no swamps, sacrifice Barbarian Outcast.



* Even if you control no swamps for a split second, the Outcast's ability will
trigger, and you'll have to sacrifice it.

-----



Basking Rootwalla

G

Creature -- Lizard

1/1

1G: Basking Rootwalla gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Play this ability only
once each turn.

Madness 0 #(You may play this card for its madness cost at the time you
discard it from your hand.)#



* Basking Rootwalla has madness 0. This means that you don't have to pay any
mana to play it using its madness ability. You must still find a way to
discard it, of course.

-----



Boneshard Slasher

1B

Creature -- Horror

1/1

Flying

Threshold -- Boneshard Slasher gets +2/+2 and has "When Boneshard Slasher
becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it." #(You have threshold
as long as seven or more cards are in your graveyard.)#



* You check whether you're at threshold just before the Slasher would become
the target of a spell or ability. During a spell or ability's announcement,
targets are chosen before costs are paid.



* Cards you're going to discard to pay a spell or ability's cost that will
target the Slasher won't be counted toward threshold.



* Likewise, if you're going to remove cards in your graveyard from the game as
a cost, these cards will still be in your graveyard when you check to see if
the Slasher's ability triggers.

-----



Breakthrough

XU

Sorcery

Draw four cards, then choose X cards in your hand and discard the rest from
it.



* You draw 4 cards, then discard all but X cards from your hand. The more you
pay for X, the more cards you'll keep.

-----



Cabal Surgeon

2BB

Creature -- Minion

2/1

2BB, T, Remove two cards in your graveyard from the game: Return target
creature card from your graveyard to your hand.



* If you remove the targeted card from your graveyard to pay for the ability's
activation cost, the ability won't return the card to your hand. It will stay
removed from the game.

-----



Cephalid Vandal

1U

Creature -- Cephalid

1/1

At the beginning of your upkeep, put a shred counter on Cephalid Vandal. Then
put the top card of your library into your graveyard for each shred counter on
Cephalid Vandal.



* You put cards from your library into your graveyard one at a time, not all
at once. The order of the cards in your graveyard is determined by the order
of your library.

-----



Chainer, Dementia Master

3BB

Creature -- Minion Legend

3/3

All Nightmares get +1/+1.

BBB, Pay 3 life: Put target creature card from a graveyard into play under
your control. That creature is black and is a Nightmare in addition to its
creature types.

When Chainer, Dementia Master leaves play, remove all Nightmares from the
game.



* The creatures that Chainer brings into play are just black, not any other
color. They do keep their normal creature types in addition to becoming
Nightmares, though.



* Chainer gives all Nightmares +1/+1. This includes creatures it brings into
play from a graveyard and all creatures that normally have creature type
Nightmare (including the card Nightmare from the _Seventh Edition_(TM) set).



* If Chainer leaves play before its activated ability resolves, the target
card will then come into play as a black creature with the additional creature
type Nightmare. It will not be removed from the game.

-----



Chainer's Edict

1B

Sorcery

Target player sacrifices a creature.

Flashback 5BB #(You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback
cost. Then remove it from the game.)#



* This doesn't target a creature, just a player. It can force the player it
targets to sacrifice a creature with protection from black, or one that can't
be the target of spells or abilities.



* You can target yourself if you want to -- this will cause you to sacrifice
one of your own creatures.



* The targeted player decides which of his or her creatures to sacrifice.

-----



Circular Logic

2U

Instant

Counter target spell unless its controller pays 1 for each card in your
graveyard.

Madness U #(You may play this card for its madness cost at the time you
discard it from your hand.)#



* Circular Logic isn't in your graveyard when it resolves, even if you play it
with madness.

-----



Cleansing Meditation

1WW

Sorcery

Destroy all enchantments.

Threshold -- Instead destroy all enchantments, then return to play all cards
in your graveyard destroyed this way. #(You have threshold if seven or more
cards are in your graveyard.)#



* If you have threshold before the enchantments are destroyed, all your cards
that Cleansing Meditation destroyed will come back into play at once. If you
didn't have threshold before the enchantments were destroyed, your cards stay
in your graveyard.

-----



Crazed Firecat

5RR

Creature -- Cat

4/4

When Crazed Firecat comes into play, flip a coin until you lose a flip. Put a
+1/+1 counter on Crazed Firecat for each flip you win.



* You must flip coins until you lose -- you can't choose to stop at any point.



* The Firecat only counts coin flips from its own ability. If you flip coins
for other reasons, it won't get more +1/+1 counters.

-----



Dawn of the Dead

2BBB

Enchantment

At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life.

At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target creature card from your
graveyard to play. That creature gains haste until end of turn. Remove it from
the game at end of turn.



* You choose which order to put the two abilities on the stack. So, you can
choose to bring the creature into play before or after losing the life. You
can't bring a creature into play unless it was in your graveyard when your
upkeep started.

-----



Devastating Dreams

RR

Sorcery

As an additional cost to play Devastating Dreams, discard X cards at random
from your hand.

Each player sacrifices X lands. Devastating Dreams deals X damage to each
creature.



* If a player doesn't control X lands, that player sacrifices all the lands he
or she controls.



* Unlike the other Dreams (but like most similar red cards), the discard cost
of Devastating Dreams is at random, not of your choice.

-----



Equal Treatment

1W

Instant

If any source would deal 1 or more damage to a creature or player this turn,
it deals 2 damage to that creature or player instead.

Draw a card.



* This will reduce 3 or more damage to 2, and increase 1 damage to 2. Equal
Treatment will not affect a source that deals 0 damage (so creatures with
power 0 still don't do any damage), and it won't affect a source if all damage
from that source is prevented.



* Equal Treatment's effect is not damage prevention. It will lower the amount
of damage dealt by a kicked Urza's Rage from 10 to 2.

-----



Faceless Butcher

2BB

Creature -- Nightmare Horror

2/3

When Faceless Butcher comes into play, remove target creature other than
Faceless Butcher from the game.

When Faceless Butcher leaves play, return the removed card to play under its
owner's control.



* When Faceless Butcher comes into play, it can't target itself. It can target
a different Faceless Butcher, though.



* Three Faceless Butchers can combine to create an infinite loop, but it's
complicated. Here's exactly what has to happen: First, the only creature in
play must be a Faceless Butcher (Butcher #1). In the removed from game zone is
Faceless Butcher #2, which was removed by Butcher #1. If a third Butcher is
played, the loop will kick in. Butcher #3 must remove Butcher #1 from the
game. When Butcher #1 leaves, Butcher #2 comes back in. Butcher #2 must remove
Butcher #3, which causes Butcher #1 to come back, and so on. Unless another
spell or ability breaks the loop or otherwise ends the game, the game will end
in a draw.

-----



False Memories

1U

Instant

Put the top seven cards of your library into your graveyard. At end of turn,
remove seven cards in your graveyard from the game.



* You can remove any seven cards in your graveyard from the game; they don't
have to be the same cards that False Memories put in there. If you don't have
seven cards in your graveyard at the end of the turn, remove all the cards
that are there.



* If you play this card during an end of turn step, you won't remove the cards
from your graveyard until the start of the next end of turn step.

-----



Far Wanderings

2G

Sorcery

Search your library for a basic land card and put that card into play tapped.
Then shuffle your library.

Threshold -- Instead search your library for three basic land cards and put
them into play tapped. Then shuffle your library. #(You have threshold if
seven or more cards are in your graveyard.)#



* Far Wanderings uses the word "search," so you don't have to find any of the
basic land cards if you don't want to. See the glossary definition of "search"
in the Comprehensive Rulebook for more information.

-----



Flaming Gambit

XR

Instant

Flaming Gambit deals X damage to target player. That player may choose a
creature he or she controls and have Flaming Gambit deal that damage to it
instead.

Flashback XRR #(You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback
cost. Then remove it from the game.)#



* Flaming Gambit never targets a creature, only a player. The player can
choose to have Flaming Gambit deal damage to a creature with protection from
red. If he or she does, the protection will prevent the damage.



* When you play Flaming Gambit's flashback cost, you choose a new X. It
doesn't have to be the same X as when the spell was first played, and the
damage the spell deals will be equal to the new X.

-----



Floating Shield

2W

Enchant Creature

As Floating Shield comes into play, choose a color.

Enchanted creature has protection from the chosen color. This effect doesn't
remove Floating Shield.

Sacrifice Floating Shield: Target creature gains protection from the chosen
color until end of turn.



* You choose one color as Floating Shield comes into play. Both of the other
abilities use that color -- you don't get to choose a new color when you
sacrifice the Shield.

-----



Grotesque Hybrid

4B

Creature -- Zombie

3/3

Whenever Grotesque Hybrid deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that
creature. It can't be regenerated.

Discard a card from your hand: Grotesque Hybrid gains flying and protection
from green and from white until end of turn.



* If all damage the Hybrid deals to a creature is prevented, the creature
won't be destroyed.

-----



Gurzigost

3GG

Creature -- Beast

6/8

At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice Gurzigost unless you put two cards
from your graveyard on the bottom of your library.

GG, Discard a card from your hand: You may have Gurzigost deal its combat
damage to defending player this turn as though it weren't blocked.



* You need to play Gurzigost's second ability before you put combat damage on
the stack. When it resolves, you choose whether Gurzigost will deal damage to
your opponent or deal damage normally.



* That ability has no effect unless Gurzigost attacks this turn or is already
attacking. Creatures that aren't attacking can't deal combat damage to the
defending player.

-----



Hypnox

8BBB

Creature -- Nightmare Horror

8/8

Flying

When Hypnox comes into play, if you played it from your hand, remove all cards
in target opponent's hand from the game.

When Hypnox leaves play, return the removed cards to their owner's hand.



* The removed cards are removed face-up, so all players can see what they are.

-----



Ichorid

3B

Creature -- Horror

3/1

Haste

At end of turn, sacrifice Ichorid.

At the beginning of your upkeep, if Ichorid is in your graveyard, you may
remove a black creature card in your graveyard other than Ichorid from the
game. If you do, return Ichorid to play.



* You can't remove an Ichorid in your graveyard from the game to bring that
same Ichorid back into play. You can remove one to bring a different Ichorid
back into play, though.



* Ichorid uses the tombstone icon next to its name, just like spells with
flashback. This lets you see it more clearly when it's in your graveyard.

-----



Insist

G

Sorcery

The next creature spell you play this turn can't be countered by spells or
abilities.

Draw a card.



* Insist can be countered. If it is, your next creature spell can be countered
as normal.



* It has no effect on creature spells that are already on the stack, or on any
creature spells that are put on the stack before it resolves. See "The stack
(and how to use it)," above, for a quick explanation of how the stack works.

-----



Last Laugh

2BB

Enchantment

Whenever a permanent other than Last Laugh is put into a graveyard from play,
Last Laugh deals 1 damage to each creature and each player.

When no creatures are in play, sacrifice Last Laugh.



* Last Laugh's first ability will trigger once for every card and token that
goes to any graveyard from play.



* The second ability will trigger at any time there are no creatures in play,
even if this is during the resolution of a spell or ability.

-----



Longhorn Firebeast

2R

Creature -- Beast

3/2

When Longhorn Firebeast comes into play, any opponent may have it deal 5
damage to him or her. If a player does, sacrifice Longhorn Firebeast.



* If you choose to take the damage, then prevent that damage, Longhorn
Firebeast must still be sacrificed.

-----



Mesmeric Fiend

1B

Creature -- Nightmare Horror

1/1

When Mesmeric Fiend comes into play, target opponent reveals his or her hand
and you choose a nonland card from it. Remove that card from the game.

When Mesmeric Fiend leaves play, return the removed card to its owner's hand.



* The removed card is removed face-up, so both players can see what it is.

-----



Nostalgic Dreams

GG

Sorcery

As an additional cost to play Nostalgic Dreams, discard X cards from your
hand.

Return X target cards from your graveyard to your hand. Remove Nostalgic
Dreams from the game.



* You can't target the cards you will discard, so you must have X cards in
your graveyard before you play Nostalgic Dreams.



* Unlike the other Dreams, Nostalgic Dreams is removed from the game when it
resolves.

-----



Overmaster

R

Sorcery

The next instant or sorcery spell you play this turn can't be countered by
spells or abilities.

Draw a card.



* Overmaster can be countered. If it is, your next instant or sorcery spell
can be countered as normal.



* It has no effect on instant or sorcery spells that are already on the stack,
or on any instant or sorcery spells that are put on the stack before it
resolves. See "The stack (and how to use it)," above, for a quick explanation
of how the stack works.



* Overmaster only prevents a spell from being countered by other spells or
abilities, not by the rules of the game. So if a spell's targets are all
illegal when it resolves, that spell will be countered as normal.

-----



Parallel Evolution

3GG

Sorcery

For each creature token in play, its controller puts a creature token into
play that's a copy of that creature.

Flashback 4GGG #(You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback
cost. Then remove it from the game.)#



* Parallel Evolution only copies tokens, not cards. Each player gets a copy of
each of his or her tokens.



* See rule 503 in the Comprehensive Rulebook if you're interested in exactly
how copy cards work.

-----



Pay No Heed

W

Instant

Prevent all damage a source of your choice would deal this turn.



* This spell isn't targeted, so you can choose an untargetable creature or a
creature with protection from white as the damage source.

-----



Petradon

6RR

Creature -- Nightmare Beast

5/6

When Petradon comes into play, remove two target lands from the game.

When Petradon leaves play, return the removed cards to play under their
owners' control.

R: Petradon gets +1/+0 until end of turn.



* If there's only one land in play (including lands that you control) when
Petradon comes into play, its first ability doesn't go on the stack, no lands
get targeted or removed, and none come back later.

-----



Pitchstone Wall

2R

Creature -- Wall

2/5

#(Walls can't attack.)#

Whenever you discard a card from your hand, you may sacrifice Pitchstone Wall.
If you do, return the discarded card from your graveyard to your hand.



* If the discarded card has left your graveyard by the time this ability
resolves, you won't get it back.



* Similarly, if the discarded card has madness, is played using its madness
ability, resolves, then goes to your graveyard by the time the Wall's ability
resolves, you still won't get the card back. The Wall's ability can't track
the card across different zones.

-----



Plagiarize

3U

Instant

Until end of turn, if target player would draw a card, instead that player
skips that draw and you draw a card.



* Plagiarize's effect isn't optional. If the targeted player would draw a
card, you must draw a card instead.



* You draw the card from your library as normal, not from your opponent's
library.



* If you and your opponent each play Plagiarize on each other during the same
turn, the two spells effectively cancel each other out. You will draw cards
when you normally would, and so will your opponent.

-----



Pyromania

2R

Enchantment

1R, Discard a card at random from your hand: Pyromania deals 1 damage to
target creature or player.

1R, Sacrifice Pyromania: Pyromania deals 1 damage to target creature or
player.



* Unlike the other disorders (but like most similar red cards), Pyromania's
discard cost is at random, not of your choice.

-----



Radiate

3RR

Instant

Choose target instant or sorcery spell that targets only a single permanent or
player. For each other permanent or player that spell could target, put a copy
of the spell on the stack. Each copy targets a different one of those
permanents and players.



* The stack is where spells and abilities go while they're waiting to resolve.
Permanents are artifacts, creatures, enchantments, and lands that are in play.
See "The stack (and how to use it)," above, for a quick explanation of how the
stack works.



* You put the copies of the spell on the stack one at a time. You control all
the copies of the spell (even if you didn't control the original spell), so
you choose the order to put them on the stack.



* You don't have to pay any costs or make any other choices -- Radiate copies
all the costs and choices of the original spell. All the copies will resolve
before the original spell does.



* Radiate can't target any spell that targets more than one thing, any spell
that doesn't target anything, or any spell that targets another spell or a
card in a graveyard. Only spells that use the phrase "target [foo]" actually
target anything.



* You're not choosing targets, so Flagbearers won't have any effect on how
Radiate works.



* Radiate can't change anything about the copies of the spell. They're all
exactly like the original, except they target different things. It doesn't
change the mode of a spell (modal spells start with "Choose one -- ") for any
of the copies. If a kicker cost was paid for the original spell, the copies of
the spell are also considered to have had the kicker paid for them. The same
is also true for buyback and flashback, though these two abilities can be
ignored. (The copies aren't spell cards, so they can't be put into your hand
or removed from the game after they resolve.)



* If you use Radiate to copy a threshold spell, the copies will check whether
you (not the original spell's controller) have threshold when they resolve. By
this time, Radiate will be in your graveyard.



* In a two-player match, if your opponent plays a spell that says "target
opponent," copying it with Radiate won't do anything. The copy will try to
target your opponent's opponents because that's who the original spell could
target. Since that's you, and you're already being targeted, nothing happens.



* If you try that in a multiplayer game, the copies will target all of your
opponent's other opponents. When each copy resolves, if it's targeting a
player who's also your opponent, it will resolve normally. If it's targeting a
player who isn't your opponent, that copy will be countered.



* See rule 503 in the Comprehensive Rulebook if you're interested in exactly
how copy cards work.

-----



Rancid Earth

1BB

Sorcery

Destroy target land.

Threshold - Instead destroy that land and Rancid Earth deals 1 damage to each
creature and each player. #(You have threshold if seven or more cards are in
your graveyard.)#



* Targeting your own land won't help you reach threshold to make the second
part of the spell kick in. As Rancid Earth resolves, the destroyed land
doesn't count towards the number of cards in your graveyard; neither does
Rancid Earth.

-----



Reborn Hero

2W

Creature -- Soldier

2/2

Attacking doesn't cause Reborn Hero to tap.

Threshold -- When Reborn Hero is put into a graveyard from play, you may pay
WW. If you do, return Reborn Hero to play under your control. #(You have
threshold if seven or more cards are in your graveyard.)#



* The Hero's ability will only trigger if you have threshold before it goes to
the graveyard. You don't count the Reborn Hero card toward threshold.



* It won't return to play unless it's still in the graveyard when its ability
resolves.

-----



Sengir Vampire

3BB

Creature -- Vampire

4/4

Flying

Whenever a creature dealt damage by Sengir Vampire this turn is put into a
graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Sengir Vampire.



* An old classic returns!

-----



Shambling Swarm

1BBB

Creature -- Horror

3/3

When Shambling Swarm is put into a graveyard from play, distribute three -1/-1
counters among one, two, or three target creatures. Remove those counters at
end of turn.



* You can't choose less than one or more than three target creatures. If you
control the only creature(s) in play, you have to put the three counters on
your own creatures. You must put at least one counter on each target that you
choose.

-----



Skullscorch

RR

Sorcery

Target player discards two cards at random from his or her hand unless that
player has Skullscorch deal 4 damage to him or her.



* If you have less than two cards in your hand, you can still choose not to
take the damage. Skullscorch will try to make you discard two cards and you'll
have to discard as many cards as you have.



* If you choose to take the damage, then prevent that damage, you won't have
to discard any cards.

-----



Strength of Isolation

1W

Enchant Creature

Enchanted creature gets +1/+2 and has protection from black.

Madness W #(You may play this card for its madness cost at the time you
discard it from your hand.)#



* Strength of Isolation does not say "this effect doesn't remove Strength of
Isolation." If it becomes black, it will fall off the creature it's enchanting
and go to the graveyard.

-----



Strength of Lunacy

1B

Enchant Creature

Enchanted creature gets +2/+1 and has protection from white.

Madness B #(You may play this card for its madness cost at the time you
discard it from your hand.)#



* Strength of Lunacy does not say "this effect doesn't remove Strength of
Lunacy." If it becomes white, it will fall off the creature it's enchanting
and go to the graveyard.

-----



Transcendence

3WWW

Enchantment

You don't lose the game for having 0 or less life.

When you have 20 or more life, you lose the game.

Whenever you lose life, you gain 2 life for each 1 life you lost. #(Damage
dealt to you causes you to lose life.)#



* Any method of lowering your life total will trigger the third ability. The
ways to do this are losing life, paying life, taking damage, and exchanging
life totals with someone whose life total is lower than yours.



* Your life total can go below 0. For example, if you have 3 life and lose 5
life, you'll go to -2 life. The third ability will trigger and you'll gain 10
life, ending up at 8. (Note that a simple shortcut is just to add any life
loss to your life total instead of subtracting it.)

-----



Zombie Trailblazer

BBB

Creature -- Zombie

2/2

Tap an untapped Zombie you control: Target land becomes a swamp until end of
turn.

Tap an untapped Zombie you control: Target creature gains swampwalk until end
of turn.



* Zombie Trailblazer's ability doesn't include the T symbol. You can play the
ability even if you haven't controlled the Trailblazer since the beginning of
your most recent turn.

-----





All trademarks, including character names, are property of Wizards of the
Coast, Inc. (Copr.)2002 Wizards.