Question 1

Abaddon Succubus — If I target an adjacent enemy already sharing a location with Abaddon Succubus, does it still take 2 damage and heal me 2?

Accepted Answer

Yes!

Question 2

Abaddon Succubus — If the targeted minion takes less than 2 damage (or no damage at all), do I still heal 2?

Accepted Answer

Yes!

Question 3

Abundance — Does Abundance apply to my opponent's sites as well?

Accepted Answer

Yes, they will get the benefit as well, if your Abundance affects their sites!

Question 4

Abundance — When do I get this extra mana?

Accepted Answer

Mana is added to a player's mana pool during their Start Phase, or when a site enters the realm under their control. So, any sites already in play won't get the extra mana until the start of your next turn. But, if you play Abundance and then play a site into Abundance's area of effect, the newly played site will generate extra mana immediately. Also, if you start your turn with a site in Abundance, and then during your Main Phase the site is no longer in Abundance (e.g. Cloud City moving away, Scorched Earth, etc.), you don't lose the mana that you gained during your Start Phase.

Question 5

Abundance — How much mana is generated by playing an Ordinary Tower (e.g. Lone Tower) into Abundance's effect?

Accepted Answer

3 mana, because 1 (a site entering the realm under your control) + 1 (Abundance) + 1 (Genesis effect) = 3.

Question 6

Abyssal Assault — Can I choose different squares for the damage?

Accepted Answer

Yes.

Question 7

Abyssal Assault — Is the damage dealt simultaneously?

Accepted Answer

Yes. For example, if you have a 5 power Monster, it will deal 1+1+1+1+1, all simultaneously. If you try dealing it to a warded unit, the Ward will prevent all of it. If your opponent has Shield Maidens nearby, each damage will be reduced. If you have Panpipes of Pnom, it will be 2+2+2+2+2 damage instead.

Question 8

Accusation — What does 'cards or allies' mean?

Accepted Answer

Cards in their hand, or allies in the realm.

Question 9

Adept Illusionist — What does 'shuffle if needed' mean?

Accepted Answer

If you searched your spellbook, shuffle it. If you end up summoning the extra Illusionist from your hand or cemetery, you may still have searched your spellbook if you wanted.

Question 10

Adtonitum — Does this ability work whenever Adtonitum moves, even if it's my opponent's turn?

Accepted Answer

Yes, this is a triggered ability, which can trigger on your opponent's turn as well, if Adtonitum moves.

Question 11

Aino — Can Aino step across the top and bottom edges of the realm if she already has Stealth?

Accepted Answer

Yes.

Question 12

Alabaster Box — Does this need to be carried to have an effect?

Accepted Answer

Yes, since 'you' or 'your' refers to the controller of the artifact, and carriable artifacts must be carried to be controlled.

Question 13

Algor Omphalos — Must spells cast by the Omphalos match its elements?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Any spell the Omphalos casts much match at least one of its elements.

Question 14

Altar of Malachai — Does my avatar still take the damage, but I just don't lose the game?

Accepted Answer

Correct! Damage is still dealt to your avatar for effects that care about dealing damage. You just don't lose the game as a result!

Question 15

Amethyst Core — When does this artifact provide mana?

Accepted Answer

When it enters the realm, and at the start of its controller's turn.

Question 16

Amulet of Niniane — What does 'can't be targeted or damaged by magic' mean?

Accepted Answer

Magic can't target the card and the card can't be damaged by Magic (even without targeting). The card can still be targeted by non-Magic effects.

Question 17

Amulet of Niniane — Can Magic spells which cause an ally to target a unit (e.g. Shatter Strike) select the bearer of Amulet as the target?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because the ally is doing the targeting, not the Magic spell.

Question 18

Angel Ascendant — If a warded Angel Ascendant fights another minion, the ward will break when the strike happens. So does Angel Ascendant strike for 2 or 3?

Accepted Answer

It will strike for 3 (with the +1 power from Ward). If the opposing minion somehow struck first (perhaps via a Lance), then the ward would indeed break first and then the Angel Ascendant would only strike back for 2.

Question 19

Animist — If I cast a Magic as a Spirit minion, will Orb of Ba'al Berith copy it?

Accepted Answer

Good try, but no. You're casting it as a minion, so the game sees it as a Minion spell, not a Magic spell.

Question 20

Animist — If I increase or decrease the cost of a magic while I cast it as a Spirit minion, how much power will it have in the realm?

Accepted Answer

Use the printed cost of the magic as its power, regardless of how much mana you actually spent to cast it. Note that magics with X as their cost work appropriately, based on the unmodified cost of the spell when you cast it.

Question 21

Animist — If I cast a magic with X as its cost (e.g. Arcane Barrage) as a Spirit minion, will the minion retain the correct power?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because of the golden rule. If you pay 7 mana for your Arcane Barrage Spirit minion, it will have 7 power while in the realm.

Question 22

Animist — If Selfsame Simulacrum is summoned as a basic copy of an animated magic, what happens?

Accepted Answer

'Basic copy' refers to the printed characteristics of the card, which means Selfsame will try to become a magic. But magics cannot exist in the realm, so Selfsame Simulacrum would immediately go to the cemetery and there would be no effect of the magic. Sorry!

Question 23

Animist — If I cast a magic as a Spirit minion, do I still get the effect of the magic?

Accepted Answer

No. Treat the textbox of the magic as entirely blank, though it retains its elements and rarity. For example, if you cast Craterize as Spirit minion, you do not need to discard a site as an additional cost, and it will be summoned as an 8 power, Elite earth minion.

Question 24

Annual Fair — Can this ability be activated multiple times per turn?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as long as you pay 1 mana for each time you wish to activate it.

Question 25

Annual Fair — If I pay to gain water affinity, does this count as a water site this turn?

Accepted Answer

No, activating this ability means the affinity is granted directly to you for the turn, not applied to the site.

Question 26

Apostles of Thamariel — If there are multiple Apostles of Thamariel in play, do I need to track which Apostles go with which Angels?

Accepted Answer

Yes!

Question 27

Aquamarine Core — When does this artifact provide mana?

Accepted Answer

When it enters the realm, and at the start of its controller's turn.

Question 28

Aramos Mercenaries — Do you still need to meet threshold requirements when using its ability?

Accepted Answer

Yes, since you're still casting it (and not summoning it directly).

Question 29

Arcade of Bones — What does 'can't be targeted or damaged by magic' mean?

Accepted Answer

Magic can't target the card and the card can't be damaged by Magic (even without targeting). The card can still be targeted by non-Magic effects.

Question 30

Archangel Michael — If Michael cannot take a step, does he still get to strike?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but you must declare a legal step if you can, using the normal lookahead rules described in 'Range of Motion.'

Question 31

Archimago — When I cast one of the banished spells, is that placed back in the cemetery?

Accepted Answer

No. There's no way back from being banished, which overrides the part of resolution that would place the card in the cemetery.

Question 32

Archimago — When I use the Archimago's ability to banish 3 magic spells and cast 1, do I still have to pay mana and meet threshold?

Accepted Answer

Yes.

Question 33

Archimago — When using this ability, must the Archimago be the caster?

Accepted Answer

No, any of your spellcasters can cast the copied spell.

Question 34

Archimago — What happens if I pay the cost of banishing three spells, but I cannot actually cast any of those three?

Accepted Answer

If you cannot cast any of those three spells, they remain banished and nothing else happens. You did not cast a spell. (If you can cast one of the three, you must.)

Question 35

Archimago — Can I use this ability to cast Valor or Dodge Roll?

Accepted Answer

No, because the Archimago's ability is an activated ability, which you can only use during your Main Phase when nothing is on the Storyline.

Question 36

Army of the Dead — If the Army moves through many locations (e.g. Grapple Shot, Seven-league Boots), does it leave many Skeletons behind?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Leave a Skeleton behind each time the Army enters a new location (or takes damage).

Question 37

Askelon Phoenix — What is 'fire damage' ?

Accepted Answer

'Fire damage' is any damage from a fire source, such as a fire minion (including strikes), a fire site, or a fire magic. Morgana le Fay casting Lightning Bolt is not fire damage, since Lightning Bolt is an air spell. Apprentice Wizard casting Firebolts is fire damage because Firebolts is a fire magic (and in fact would be 3 separate instances of fire damage). Anyone casting Grapple Shot that sends a minion into the Phoenix will look at the minion making the strike; if it's a fire minion, it's fire damage. If the Phoenix attacks and there are multiple defenders, each defending fire minion that strikes it counts as a separate source of fire damage.

Question 38

Assorted Animals — For purposes of cards that care about the mana cost of spells, what is the mana cost of a spell with X?

Accepted Answer

If you cast the spell, the mana cost is X. For example, if you cast it for 2 mana, then Immortal Throne would see it as a 2 cost spell. But, if you aren't casting the spell and it's simply in your hand, spellbook, etc., then X is 0 until you actually cast it.

Question 39

Atlantean Fate — Can you play Rift Valley into an area affected by Atlantean Fate?

Accepted Answer

Yes, since Atlantean Fate only affects the site once it's already in play, and Rift Valley modifies how it's played in the first place.

Question 40

Atlantean Fate — If one of the sites it occupies is an Ordinary water site, are minions and artifacts there still submerged?

Accepted Answer

Yes. It's still affected by the aura, but that effect doesn't do anything to Ordinary sites, other than the Genesis ability.

Question 41

Atlas Wanderers — What does 'normal size' mean?

Accepted Answer

Anything that occupies exactly 1 location.

Question 42

Atlas Wanderers — Does this carry along oversized units or auras that occupy more than one square?

Accepted Answer

No.

Question 43

Avatar of Water — What does 'your body of water' mean?

Accepted Answer

The body of water (if any) that your Avatar currently occupies. If the Avatar isn't in any body of water, the ability won't function. (They're a fish out of water!)

Question 44

Avatar of Water — Can you choose an existing water site?

Accepted Answer

Yes.

Question 45

Awakened Mummies — Am I required to summon these units burrowed?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can and you must.

Question 46

Awakened Mummies — Do they tap when they unburrow?

Accepted Answer

No.

Question 47

Backstab — Can I target my opponent's minion(s) with Backstab?

Accepted Answer

Yes (but remember the spellcaster must be in the same region as all the targets).

Question 48

Backstab — If a minion has voidwalk and is in the void, could Backstab move it to an adjacent site to strike a tapped minion there?

Accepted Answer

No. Your spellcaster must target both minions (which are in different regions), but that's impossible since you pick a single location the spellcaster occupies for casting a spell. You can only target minions in the region where the spell is being cast. See 'Casting Spells' for more details.

Question 49

Ball Lightning — Is the damage resolved one at a time, after each hit?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Resolve the damage (and any deathrites) from the first hit, then bounce for the second hit, resolving that damage, then bounce and resolve the third hit.

Question 50

Ball Lightning — Can I hit the caster or other allies with this?

Accepted Answer

At the first location of the projectile's path, it cannot hit allies or the caster, even if it hits an enemy there first. If the Ball Lightning leaves the first location, it could bounce back and hit allies or the caster later in its path.

Question 51

Ball Lightning — After bouncing off a unit, does the ball hit them again immediately since they are both at the same starting location?

Accepted Answer

No. But the ball can hit other units at that location after changing direction, bouncing back and forth.

Question 52

Balor of the Evil Eye — Does this ability damage units at locations in other regions?

Accepted Answer

Yes, one unit at each location in every square in the cardinal direction chosen! This will include surface and subsurface of sites, as well as the void. Beware the ))evil(( eye!

Question 53

Balor of the Evil Eye — If I choose to do 2 damage at one location, do I need to do damage at all the locations in that cardinal direction?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you choose to resolve this effect, you must deal 2 damage to one unit at each other location in the chosen direction.

Question 54

Bane of Aventis — How long does this effect last?

Accepted Answer

When Bane of Aventis' Genesis ability resolves, its controller will gain control of all Warded minions nearby. This change of control is indefinite, and will last even after those minions ))lose(( their Wards.

Question 55

Battlemage — If the Battlemage attacks and kills two enemies in a single fight (if my opponent chose to include multiple defenders), does the Battlemage draw two cards?

Accepted Answer

Yes.

Question 56

Battlemage — If the Battlemage activates the 'Move and Attack' ability, doesn't actually attack, and then is intercepted, does that count as 'attacking' the intercepting unit?

Accepted Answer

No. An interception does not cause an 'attack,' and instead is merely a fight between the unit that used 'Move and Attack' and the unit that intercepted.

Question 57

Battlemage — If I declare an attack against one target, but then a different enemy defends, does that satisfy this ability?

Accepted Answer

Yes. An attack was made, and then a minion was killed. As long as your attacking unit used the Move and Attack ability and then got kill credit, this ability is satisfied.

Question 58

Battlemage — If the Battlemage with a Flaming Sword attacks one enemy, and then another enemy dies as a result of the Flaming Sword, does the Battlemage get to draw a card?

Accepted Answer

Yes. An attack was made, and then a minion was killed. As long as your attacking unit used the Move and Attack ability and then got kill credit, this ability triggers.

Question 59

Beast of Burden — What happens when a minion carries another minion that's carrying a minion?

Accepted Answer

Only the minions you're directly carrying count against your limit. Have fun at the carnival!

Question 60

Bedrock — If my opponent plays an effect that tries to cancel Bedrock in some way (e.g. Atlantean Fate, Smokestacks of Gnaak, etc.), what happens?

Accepted Answer

Bedrock wins, and is not modified in any way.

Question 61

Begone! — Does this effect target the minion?

Accepted Answer

No! Therefore, the banished minion can be in a different region and/or have Stealth.

Question 62

Bind Evil — What happens if the minion stops being Evil while under this effect (e.g. due to Persecutor's Brand wearing off, or Saint of Redemption entering play)?

Accepted Answer

The target only needs to be Evil when the spell is cast and resolves. It will continue to be be disabled, even if it stops being Evil later, until an adjacent Spellcaster taps specifically to release it.

Question 63

Bitter Departed — What if there was more than one killer last turn?

Accepted Answer

Bitter Departed may teleport to any one of the killers to strike it.

Question 64

Black Cat — How do I resolve this effect?

Accepted Answer

The first eight times the cat would die, it doesn't instead and fully heals. Track its number of lives in some reasonable way. If it gains a deathrite, it does not trigger on the first eight lives, since it doesn't actually die. If the cat is moved to an inhospitable location, e.g. underground or underwater, the game will notice and try to kill it along with any other minions who should die. The other minion's deathrite effects will resolve first, and they'll go to the cemetery. Then the game will notice the cat should die, and continue trying to kill it until it's actually dead and goes to the cemetery.

FAQ