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Published on 12/13/2021

End of Year Quiz

By Carsten Haese, Nathan Long, Justin Hovdenes, and Andrew Villarrubia
This Article from: Justin Hovdenes

Cranial Translation
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Note: This article is over two years old. Information in this article may be out of date due to subsequent Oracle and/or rules changes. Proceed with caution.

This is my last article for the year. I thought maybe I'd change things up, and instead of you all asking me questions I'd quiz you to see how well you have been learning. No outside notes, no asking for help from those in nearby desks, and all phones must be turned in during the test. Good luck you have 30 minutes to complete the quiz.

If you'd like us to answer a question, please send it to us via email at moko@cranialinsertion.com or tweet it to us @CranialTweet. We do our best to answer every question we get, and your question may even show up in a future article!

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Q: In which of the following situations can I cast Cyclonic Rift for its Overload cost?

A: The answer is...

A: I cascade into C-Rift with Shardless Agent.
B: I cast C-Rift from my opponent's graveyard using Dire Fleet Daredevil's trigger.
C: I cast C-Rift from my graveyard using Snapcaster Mage's trigger.
D: I cascade into C-Rift with Maelstrom Wanderer.
E: I cast C-Rift from my graveyard with Mission Briefing.

The answer is

B & E.
You can never use two different alternate costs at one time, overload is an alternate cost, so neither A or D work, as cascade is also an alternate cost, and C doesn't work because Flashback is also an alternate cost.

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Q: My opponent exiled my Alchemist's Gambit with Elite Spellbinder. Which of the following ways may I cast the gambit and for how much mana?

A: The answer is...

A: Normally for
B: Cleaved for
C: Cleaved for
D: Normally for
E: You can't cleave Alchemist's Gambit in this situation.

The answer is

A and C.
You can cleave in this situation, because Elite Spellbinder doesn't set up an alternate casting cost. Whether you cast normally or cleave, either cost will be increased by Spellbinder.

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Q: I control a Helm of Awakening in which of the following situations does it reduce the cost of the spell being cast?

A: The answer is...

A: I cast Ponder while my opponent controls Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
B: My opponent attempts to Mana Tithe my Ponder.
C: I cast Ponder
D: I cast Telling Time
E: I cast Ponder while my opponent controls a Trinisphere

The answer is

A & D.
Mana Tithe doesn't increase a spells cost, so Helm has no affect. Helm can reduce cost increases added by affects like Thalia. Helm can only reduce generic mana costs, not costs like so will not help reduce the cost of Ponder normally. While a Trinisphere is on the battlefield, to determine the end cost of a spell, first add all increases (like Thalia), then subtract all reducers (like Helm), then if its still lower then 3, it will become 3.

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Q: So far this turn I have already cast 4 spells. I then cast a copy of Brain Freeze by activating my Isochron Scepter, but before it or any possible copies resolve, I copy the Brain Freeze with Twincast. If I target the opponent with all copies, how many cards will the opponent mill?

A: The answer is...

A: 33 cards
B: 6 cards
C: 0 cards
D: 18 cards
E: 3 cards

The answer is

D.
Isochron Scepter does cast the copy, so it will storm, as the storm count is 4, you get the original copy and 4 more copies making 5 total. Then the Twincast creates one more copy (it will not storm as its copy was not cast), making a total of 6 copies, 6 times mill 3, = 18 cards milled.

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Q: My opponent attacks me with a 4/4 beast token, and I chose to block it with my Bear Cub and Abyssal Horror. My opponent chooses the damage assignment order of Horror first and Cub second. I have a Massive Might in my hand. If I cast it before damage, which of the following ways of casting it lead to saving what creature?

A: The answer is...

A: Target Bear Cub, saves Bear Cub
B: Target Bear Cub, saves Abyssal Horror
C: Target Abyssal Horror saves Abyssal Horror
D: Target Abyssal Horror, saves Bear Cub
E: You can save neither, as its too late to cast instants

The answer is

A and D.
You can cast instants and activate abilities between when damage assignment order is announced and combat damage is dealt. The beast token must deal at least lethal damage to the Abyssal Horror before it can deal any damage to the Bear Cub, as its the first creature in the damage assignment order. If Abyssal is a 4/4, it dies and no damage is done to Cub. If Bear Cub is a 4/4, then 2 damage will be dealt to Abyssal and Cub, killing only the Abyssal.

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Q: I'm resolving Farseek which of the following options can I choose to do?

A: The answer is...

A: Put Overgrown Tomb onto the battlefield untapped by paying 2 life.
B: Put Raugrin Triome onto the battlefield tapped.
C: Put a Forest onto the battlefield tapped.
D: Put Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth onto the battlefield tapped.
E: Chose to fail the search, even if there are legal lands to find.

The answer is

B and E.
Overgrown Tomb is a legal choice, but paying the 2 life will not have it enter the battlefield untapped. Farseek doesn't allow you to find Forests, it lets you find any of the other 4 basic land types (island, mountain, swamp, or plains). Although Urborg has the type swamp on the battlefield, it doesn't have that type in the library so its not a legal choice. If you are ever searching your library for a card with a specific quality, you can choose to fail the search even if a legal option exists.

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Q: I cast a kicked Rite of Replication targeting my Master Biomancer. How many counters does each token end up with?

A: The answer is...

A: Each token Biomancer has two +1/+1 counters.
B: One token Biomancer has two counters, another has four counters, another has six counters, another has eight counters, and the last one has ten counters.
C: Each token Biomancer has ten +1/+1 counters.
D: Each token Biomancer has twelve +1/+1 counters.
E: One token Biomancer has four counters, another has six counters, another has eight counters, another has ten counters, and the last one has twelve counters.

The answer is

A.
The Biomancer's ability only works while its on the battlefield as it replaces how other creatures enter the battlefield. All the token Biomancers enter the battlefield simultaneously, so no Biomancer token can add counters to any other Biomancer token made by Rite of Replication.

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Q: I've just cast Volcanic Vision targeting Armed // Dangerous in my graveyard. How much damage does it deal to each of my opponent's creature when it resolves?

A: The answer is...

A: 2 damage and then 4 damage
B: 4 damage
C: 6 damage
D: 2 damage
E: your choice of 2 or 4 damage

The answer is

C.
A split card's mana value is equal to both halves added together. (Converted Mana Cost is now called Mana value)

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Q: I cast Smallpox while my only creature is Tergrid, God of Fright. Which of the following cards do I get to steal from my opponent's graveyard?


A: The answer is...

A: The Hypnotic Specter my opponent sacrificed to Smallpox.
B: The The Rack my opponent discarded to Smallpox.
C: The Swamp my opponent sacrificed to Smallpox.
D: The Strip Mine my opponent discarded to Smallpox.
E: None of the above, because Tergrid is sacrificed to the Smallpox.

The answer is

A, B, and D.
You complete the actions of a spell in the order listed. Tergrid will see each card discarded and can return any permanents discarded this way even though she will die shortly. Tergrid will see each creature sacrificed and can return each creature sacrificed this way even though she is being sacrificed at the same time. Tergrid will be dead before any lands are sacrificed, so she can not return any lands sacrificed during the land sacrifice step.

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Q: In which of the following situations does Ankle Shanker's attack trigger actually happen?

A: The answer is...

A: I attack with Shanker after having cast it earlier this turn.
B: My attacking Ilharg, the Raze-Boar puts Shanker onto the battlefield from my hand.
C: Using Sedris, the Traitor King, I Unearth and attack with Shanker.
D: I attack with Shanker while my opponent controls a Torpor Orb.
E: Shanker is revealed and put on the battlefield with Hans Eriksson trigger.

The answer is

A, C, and D.
Being put onto the battlefield attacking, is not the same as being declared an attacker. Ankle Shanker's triggered ability only trigger if it is declared an attacker. So Ilharg and Hans cheat creatures on to the battlefield attacking, therefore no attack trigger for Shanker. Sedris, however puts Shanker on the battlefield and then can become an attacker during the normal declare attackers step. Torpor Orb has no affect on attack triggers only enter the battlefield triggers.

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To see how you did, compare below

10/10 = A+
9/10 = A
8/10 = B
7/10 = C
6/10 = D
5/10 or worse = ouch

Well that's all I've got for you, happy holidays and see you next year!

- Justin Hovdenes AKA Hovey
Level 2 Magic Judge
Rapid City, SD

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