Archetypes in triple Avacyn Restored draft

In my experience, Avacyn Restored Limited is less dependent on drafting clear archetypes than Innistrad. In particular:

None of the colors have a super-strong identity associating them with one particular strategy. For example, you could draft small aggressive white beaters, or you could draft Seraph of Dawn and Angelic Wall to try to win on board control.
Many of the colors are short on "playables".
Some of the strongest synergies are in rather basic aggressive and midrange decks.
Most of the "weird" cards turn out to be useless. Don't expect to be able to draft an awesome combo deck like Burning Vengeance or Spiders.

The closest analogy, in my view, is core set draft.

That said, if I had to pick archetypes, I think these would win on power and consistent draftability. Think of them as a mental shorthand for "What's good in this set that I'm likely to actually see?"

White-based aggro (W/R)

This is the classic white weenie strategy, basically, with red as the strongest secondary color due to its own weenies like Lightning Mauler, Kruin Striker, and Fervent Cathar. Only some of the low-cost creatures in the set are actually good, though, while others are filler; one way this deck fails is if you draft too many do-nothing 1/2s. Auras or Equipment can help keep them relevant in the game, but many of these are weak, too. In my experience, you will be outclassed by your opponent's creatures at some point, so it's important to have a way to push that final bit of damage through, whether that's direct damage, buff spells, or even Heirs of Stromkirk.

I also think the format is just slow enough that you usually want to play a big finisher or two if you can manage to pick up a good one: that's right, shove Entreat the Angels into a weenie deck! Herald of War is actually one of the better finishers because it comes down early and grows so quick. I'd be looking to pick up some of the more aggressive midrange Angels as well, like Emancipation Angel and Restoration Angel.

Green-based midrange (G/R)

The core concept of this deck is simple: most of the other decks you encounter can't beat curving out with a good two-drop into Trusted Forcemage into Druid's Familiar. Green has a lot of playable commons and uncommons and probably the highest concentration of really good ones as well (Druid's Familiar and Wolfir Avenger, for instance!), and it easily supports splashing a third color without diluting your deck (Borderland Ranger, Abundant Growth). I like red as the support color here, because it's good to have Pillar of Flame, Thunderbolt, and all the haste cards to mess with your opponent's defensive preparations. Blue is also promising for its soulbond creatures like Tandem Lookouts but seems to lead to grindier decks; generally, I think it's better to just take the blowout when you can get it, and cards like Uncanny Speed go a long way towards getting blowouts all the time.

In addition to soulbond, there's a "power matters" theme with cards like Wandering Wolf; if you pick up multiples of Blessings of Nature (an uncommon), a bunch of cards like Champion of Lambholt and Falkenrath Exterminator suddenly become game-ending combo cards.

Blue-based tempo control (U/?)

Mist Raven is a good card. Playing it feels a lot like playing Snapcaster - Vapor Snag in Standard. Then you start using Ghostly Flicker and Nephalia Smuggler and it's like a whole wave of Vapor Snags. There are no Delvers in this set, though, so you're in for a much grindier game, pecking away for 2 or 4 a turn in the air while you frustrate your opponent with blockers and bounce; a bit like CawBlade without any hands-down awesomely broken cards, really. This deck really benefits from some card draw to generate more lasting card advantage, like the Tandem Lookouts - Windcrafter combo -- ideally using it to find your big finisher or some powerful removal.

If you pull a Deadeye Navigator, then you have a real control game in the form of a soft lock. Or, you know, a Tamiyo, but I suspect you don't need to be told that planeswalkers can totally take over in Limited.


Responding to a dynamic value trigger which could change the same value

It would include any cards drawn before the ability resolves.

There are only a few specific things that are set when an ability is put on the stack: Modes, targets, choices required in order to cast a spell or activate an ability (what value to chose for "X" for example; which doesn't actually apply to triggered abilities). The amount of damage it deals is not determined until the ability resolves.

  603.3. Once an ability has triggered, its controller puts it on the stack as an object that’s not a card the next time a player would receive priority.

    603.3c If a triggered ability is modal, its controller announces the mode choice when putting the ability on the stack. If one of the modes would be illegal (due to an inability to choose legal targets, for example), that mode can’t be chosen. If no mode is chosen, the ability is removed from the stack. (See rule 700.2.)

    603.3d The remainder of the process for putting a triggered ability on the stack is identical to the process for casting a spell listed in rules 601.2c–d.

  601.2c The player announces their choice of an appropriate object or player for each target the spell requires.

  601.2d If the spell requires the player to divide or distribute an effect (such as damage or counters) among one or more targets, the player announces the division. Each of these targets must receive at least one of whatever is being divided.

And under Resolving Spells and Abilities:

  608.2g If an effect requires information from the game (such as the number of creatures on the battlefield), the answer is determined only once, when the effect is applied. If the effect requires information from a specific object, including the source of the ability itself, the effect uses the current information of that object if it’s in the public zone it was expected to be in; if it’s no longer in that zone, or if the effect has moved it from a public zone to a hidden zone, the effect uses the object’s last known information. See rule 113.7a. If an ability states that an object does something, it’s the object as it exists—or as it most recently existed—that does it, not the ability.


I commonly flip over the next tile. (following the procedure in HK-style where if a player draws a flower, it is revealed and a replacement tile drawn)


Handling multiple "timers" on the board and player mat

There are several ways to implement timers in board games

Tokens. Games like Paper Tales or Pixel Tactics (starting from 2nd set) use addition/removal of tokens from game components to track passage of time. Like this:

this option works well for cards (or other components you can easily store tokens upon) with relatively small number of simultaneous timers per player (up to 3 in Pixel Tactics and up to 4 in Paper Tales) and small number of ticks.
Dice. Pretty much anywhere you would use token counters, you can substitute them with dice.Example:

In this case instead of
adding/removing tokens you just increment/decrement a die.
Difference here is mostly personal preference, but if you operate
big number of ticks, managing d20 or couple of d6 is much easier and
clearer than pile of tokens.
Time track. Your purposed solution falls into this category, but usually games like Bestiary of Sigillum move track itself rather than items on it. In game it looks like this (on the right):

and this video(russian language) shows how it operates. Basically, each ability has its own token. When ability is used, that token is placed on appropriate number on time track, say, 4. Time track moves one tick each turn and cooldown number for that token changes. When it passes 1, token is returned back and it means that ability is ready for next use.

Another game Tavarua uses similar mechanic, but with segmented
linear track: video example. Both this systems are best for tracking a
lot of timers simultaneously, since they update all of them  with single operation.

I remember an example of time track on which objects are moved rather than track itself. Star Wars: Rebellion uses it as production queue


I Don't Understand Scab-Clan Charger's Ability

An attacking creature is one that was declared as an attacker earlier in the current combat phase, or a creature placed "on the battlefield attacking" in the current combat phase (e.g. Geist of Saint Traft's angel).

Say you attack with a 3/3 and it's blocked by a 4/4. You could discard a Scab-Clan Charger from your hand to make your 3/3 a 5/7 until the end of the turn. It would survive, and the 4/4 would die (instead of the other way around).


Does Misthollow Griffin's from-exile ability work if it's exiled face down?

No, you cannot play a face-down Misthollow Griffin from exile. The reason is that "face down" is a status of an object in the game. Even if, in practice, you happen to turn the physical card face-up, the game still considers it a face-down object.

This is important because a face-down object has no characteristics, and in particular, no abilities - it's not really a "Misthollow Griffin" object, it's just a plain old "face-down featureless card" object. (CR 406.3)

  406.3. ...A card exiled face down has no characteristics, but the spell or ability that exiled it may allow it to be played from exile....

The fact that one or more players are allowed to look at the card doesn't change the fact that it's considered a face-down object.

That also addresses your second question: no matter who can look at the card, it's still considered a face-down card object with no characteristics, so it doesn't have the ability that allows it to be played from exile.


The can never be placed next to a goal card even if there is no gold on the card.

Rules

  Path with a Ladder (4 in game)
  The path on this card is always
  connected to the Start Card and to
  all other cards with a ladder.
  It always has to touch a path card
  and cannot be placed next to a goal
  card


Identify board game played as a child featuring cute monsters

I found it, the game was called The Gunge Game and was released in 1989 by Waddingtons. It doesn't even have a wikipedia entry.


How many Mythos cards can be played during the investigator's turns?

The keeper can play one Mythos card per investigator's turn.

From the rules, bottom of the first column on page 16:

  The keeper may play a
  maximum of one Mythos card per investigator turn and may
  never play Mythos cards during the keeper’s own turn.

Each player/investigator has his own turn each round.  Playing against 4 investigators, the keeper could play a maximum of 4 Mythos cards a round.

From pg. 6

  Playing the Game

  Mansions of Madness is played over a number of game rounds.
  During each round, each player resolves his turn (starting with
  the investigators)


Can extort be triggered for countered spells?

Yes. If the spell wasn't countered, the following would happen:

He casts the spell. (Puts it on the stack, pays costs, etc.) Extort triggers.
Extort is added to the stack.
Players get priority.
Extort resolves. He chooses to pay the mana. Each opponent of his loses 1 life and he gains that much life.
Players get priority.
The spell resolves.

The spell can be countered in step 3 (in response to extort) or in step 5 (after extort resolves), but as you can see, extort has already been added to the stack at that point.

The choice of paying mana happens on resolution, so whether he chooses to spend the mana or not depends on when you counter the spell. If you counter in response to extort (step 3), he chooses after you counter. If you counter after extort resolves (step 5), he chooses before you counter.


What is the special die with pictograms in Monopoly used for?

It appears you have the Championship Edition (or the Mega Edition or some other recent modified version), which includes a "speed die" (that third die) for speeding up the game, though it's definitely not part of the original game. There are two "bus" faces, and one "Mr. Monopoly" face.

I found these rules on Hasbro's site explaining how it works. The PDF was was reluctant to load for me, so I've quoted them here:

  When starting the game, hand out an extra $1,000 to each player
  (two $500s should work). The game moves fast and you'll need
  the extra cash to buy and build.
  Do not use the Speed Die until you've landed on or passed over GO for the first time. Once you collect that first $200 salary, you'll use the Speed Die for the rest of the game. This means that some players will start using the die before others.
  Once you start using the Speed Die, roll it along with the two
  white dice on your turn. Then do the following depending on
  what you rolled.

  1, 2, or 3: Add this number to the roll of the two white dice. You'll zoom around the board.
  Bus: This lets you "get off the bus early." Look at the two white dice. You can move the value of one die, the other die, or the sum of both dice. So if you rolled a 1 and a 5, you can move 1 space, 5 spaces, or 6 spaces: it's your choice.
  Mr. Monopoly: First, move the sum of the two white dice
  and resolve the space you land on (such as drawing a card,
  buying the property, paying rent, etc.). Then, one of two
  things will happen depending on whether or not there is still
  property in the bank.

  YES, there is property in the bank -- Advance to the NEXT
  property that the bank still holds and buy it if you wish. If you
  don't want to buy this property, move to the space anyway
  and put the property up for auction.

  NO, there are no more properties in the bank -- Advance to the
  NEXT property on which you will owe another player money.

  A few minor details:

  Only the white dice are used when determining if you rolled doubles. Do not look at the Speed Die.
  If you roll a three-of-a-kind (all of the dice show the same number),
  you can move anywhere you want on the board!
  If you get sent to jail during your move (either by landing on the "Go
  to Jail" space or by rolling doubles three times in a row) then your turn
  is over and you do not get to use the Speed Die for that turn.
  Use the white dice ONLY when rolling to get out of jail.
  Use the sum of all three dice when determining how much to pay on a utility. Note: The Bus and Mr. Monopoly are valued at 0.


How does Sundial of the Infinite help you avoid losing turns to Eater of Days?

A ruling on Sundial of the Infinite says

  Ending the turn this way means the following things happen in order: 1) All spells and abilities on the stack are exiled. This includes spells and abilities that can't be countered. 2) All attacking and blocking creatures are removed from combat. 3) State-based actions are checked. No player gets priority, and no triggered abilities are put onto the stack. 4) The current phase and/or step ends. The game skips straight to the cleanup step. The cleanup step happens in its entirety.

Eater of Days' ability is a triggered ability, so if you respond to it by activating Sundial of the Infinite, that triggered ability will be exiled and will never resolve. So, you don't have to skip any turns.


What happens when you want to close a gate but there's another investigator in Other World?

If the gate the second investigator came through (or another gate to the same world) is open when they try to return, then they would return as normal to whichever gate they choose.

However, if there are no open gates to that Other World, then the investigator would be lost in time and space. For reference, this is on page 8 of the Arkham Horror rulebook, under the Other World Movement section.


Betrayal at Houseon the Hill - Can the Bell move explorers to unexplored rooms?

The problem with this situation is that the game doesn't define what "closer" really means, so you or your group will have to decide that for yourself. It could be either of the following (if you agree that only physical proximity is of question here):

move the character so that the linear distance between them and your character decreases (so if the tile inbetween the two of you was a dead end, you would still move them there)
move the character so that it will require less movement to get to them
(as indicated by Samthere in the comments, the Betrayal on House on the Hill FAQ reads: "[a monster] follows whatever path would lead it to the hero in the fewest moves", suggesting that this might be the intended way things work in this case as well)

Deciding between these options isn't all that trivial, as you could consider special tiles that allow extra movement, as well as special movement the traitor has (such as moving up the Coal Chute) or haunt-specific elements such as monsters or the traitor itself being able to move through walls.

Once you've come to a decision on that matter, you can decide whether you count unknown and therefore possible-but-npt-guaranteed pathways as the shortest direction. There are several factors I would consider in making this decision:

if you allow unexplored rooms, you help the side that needs to find a room that's still in the stack (either because the adventure requires it, or because a character is trying to get out of the basement, for example)
you could run into the situation where an unexplored room and the explored route both are equal distance to your traitor, and you need a way to handle that (whether the traitor decides, or you default to one of the options)

There is also the metagame statistics factor: In theory, you could end up at the point where there's no straight tile left in the pile, which you could theoretically know by keeping track of all straight tiles on the board and comparing the list to the total number of tiles in the stack. Therefore, it's possible that you reach the point where it's impossible that an unknown path is the shortest route, because if they do explore that room, it will certainly not provide a direct path to the traitor. The opposite is also true, where you could in theory know that there's only straight paths left in the pile, and therefore be certain that it's the shortest path without being certain which tile lies inbetween.
Now, by all means don't actually keep track of the tiles, but be aware of that possibility and it's implications on your question: There are situations where you could theoretically be certain, but in reality, you won't be. Personally, I would count this as a reason to never let unexplored rooms count as the shortest route, because in order to call them that, you would have to know they are.

Ultimately, though, it's a question that isn't directly answered by the rules and therefore needs to be determined by the playgroup. This is the only real answer anyone can give you prior to further errata being released...


In Bridge, Does It Make Sense to Pre-empt in Fourth Seat?

I've always understood the general rule to be: open with a weaker hand than usual in third seat, but with a stronger hand than usual in fourth seat.  As such, no, it seems like probably a bad idea to pre-empt in the fourth seat, for a couple of reasons.

It seems to miss the point of pre-empting entirely.  Usually, a pre-emptive bid is meant to deprive the opponents of bidding space, in a semi-sacrificial (or possibly fully sacrificial!) way.  If the opponents have shown no interest in bidding... what do you think you're doing?
If you're not pre-empting to get in the opponents' way... what ARE you doing?  Your partner has passed and thus has about 10-11 points at best.  What contract are you hoping to make with  about, or slightly less than, half the points of the deal?

Having said that - it could be a good idea to bid on a pre-empt hand in fourth if, for instance, you had 90 points below the line in a game of rubber bridge.  But make sure you are doing it for the right reason.  If your partner has a dogmatic belief that pre-empt hands require a pre-empt bid, without any seeming understanding of what a pre-empt is for, then perhaps he needs to be send back to Bridge school for a refresher course!


Identify an unknown letter cube game (not Boggle)

It's probably cubeword.

Check it here: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/27935/cubeword


Is there any strategic reason to skip a turn to untap Time Vault?

One consideration is if there is some symmetrical negative effect in play, such as Smokestack or Bottomless Pit. Skipping your turn skips a trigger on such cards that would effect you.

Another possibility would be if you're able to essentially take your turn during your opponent's turn. Prophet of Kruphix is pretty good for that, as is Seedborn Muse. Of course you're not getting combat steps, but there are plenty of decks which don't need combat in order to win.


Axis & Allies 1941: Can stranded defending fighters land in a friendly territory with hostile planes?

The stranded fighter can land safely, no combat is triggered and the attacker's plane returns home

When attacking and destroying an aircraft carrier, defender's fighters may remain in play after combat (if the attacker cancels the attack before all fighters are destroyed or no more units remain that can attack each other). These fighters are then considered stranded and, at the beginning of the Non-Combat Move Phase before the active player's moves, get the chance to move 1 space to a safe landing place. A safe landing place is either a friendly carrier or a friendly territory.

The rules define three states for territories: friendly, hostile and neutral. A territory is considered friendly when it is under your or your allies' control and control changes by capturing territories. This implies that a friendly territory with hostile planes "attacking" it is still considered friendly.

Furthermore, air units are allowed to attack hostile territories in the Combat Move Phase but it cannot be captured without land units there. The rules do not state anything forbidding that air units attack an empty hostile territory, even though it cannot be captured and no actual combat will happen. In the Non-Combat Move the air units have to return to friendly territory.

All combats triggered in the Combat Move Phase and all movements in the Non-Combat Move Phase are considered to happen simultaneously. Order of execution for individual events within these phases is irrelevant.

The result of this situation: before the attacker does any of his non-combat moves, the defender moves his stranded fighter. As the adjacent territory which is currently occupied by a hostile air unit, is still considered friendly, it is allowed to move there and be safe. No combat is triggered, as per the rules the defender's move into and the attacking plane's non-combat move out of the territory happen simultaneously and they never actually meet. The attacker's plane returns home, the defender's fighter remains in play.

This interpretation has been confirmed by Kevin Chapman, one of the game's developers, at the BoardGameGeek Forums.


Yes, creatures with a power of 0 can attack.  Otherwise, it would be very hard to use creatures like Signal Pest which buff your team when they attack, but don't have any power of their own.

The rules just say that a creature attacks.  There's no stipulation based on power:

  506.2. During the combat phase, the active player is the attacking player; creatures that player controls may attack. During the combat phase of a two-player game, the nonactive player is the defending player; that player and planeswalkers he or she controls may be attacked.


How many Planeswalkers appear in Core Set Displays

OK. There seems to be quit a few misunderstanding here, but I think I managed to identify a core one.
Magic the Gatherging can be played in several ways, the 2 most importat ones being draft and constructed.
There are also quite a few different products out there. Some suite one play style. Other suit the other. Some, especially in case of draft play, are absolutely the wrong way to do things.
But lets work on the assumption that you want to play draft. These are usually organized by game stores or by groups or friends. Either way, what you need is 3 draft boosters per player. (Usually 6-8 players in total.) Please note that non-draft booster products also exist, namely the new set boosters. These are not designed for draft play. 2 player draft variants also exist, but I will not get into those right now.
As for what set to get, most products are desiged to be drafted set by set, meaning (at least for all sets in stores right now) all the boosters for all the players would be from the same set. Doesn't matter if it is an "expansion set" or a Core Set. In modern MtG Core Set aren't that different from any other set. They just tend to have a bit more simple design in the cards they offer, to offer a better starting point for newer players.
What about Planeswalker Decks? Those are mostly intended as a starting point for constructed play, where you build a 60 (or 100 for Commander) card deck from any cards from any sets that are considered legal for the format you wish to play. Most beginner friendly constructed format (outside Commander, that's a bit of an exception) is Standard.
Trying to draft these decks would be... odd. Not impossible, but they really aren't meant for this.
Given all this, your 3rd question kind of becomes irrelevant, but let me just state that no deck needs planeswalkers. The are pretty powerful cards and some decks can make great use of them, but others will work just fine without them.


How to deal with damaged cards from a MTG booster pack?

Wizards of the Coast has a process you can follow for the replacement of defective products purchased, described in detail on their website:

  If you purchase a product and find that only one or several cards are damaged, defective, or missing when you open it, please return any damaged cards (if not missing), and follow the shipping guidelines provided above.  We'll replace the exact cards for you.


What is offensive about the card "Stone-Throwing Devils"?

While sources are sparse and unofficial, it appears to be because of the name of the card itself. The term “stone-throwers” or “stone-throwing devils” is used as a derogatory name for Palestinians or Muslims.
Sources:
https://tappedout.net/mtg-forum/general/why-is-it-banned/

This particular card was banned because "stone throwing devils" is an old slur for muslims.

https://twitter.com/itsJulian23/status/1270998016766476288?s=20

What I found is that "Stone throwers" is a derogative term for Palestinians, especially kids.


Is there a (tournament) standard for character picks?

No; FFG don't host official Citadels tournament events (evidence includes this page which lists games supported for store championship events).

The only tournament I could find online run by players was this one, which used only the base game (not the Dark City cards).


Online Platforms where simulate board/card game

Try Tabletop Simulator on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/286160/Tabletop_Simulator/
It has the both the ability to upload custom components and to play multiplayer board games virtually.  I've used it for remote prototype testing myself.


Do I immediately get any clues at a location I jump to from the "Lost In Time And Space" location?

No you don't. Moving from Lost in Time and Space happens during the Upkeep phase, and you may only pick up clues at the end of movement that happens during the Movement phase.

From the Arkham Horror FAQ (page 14):

  Q: Do you immediately gain any Clues at locations
  you move to during Upkeep (from being Lost in Time
  and Space)?

  A: No.


1 in 5 getting to the Late War isn't much of a sample size, but it does appear to be on the low side. Do you have more details on why it ended early? DEFCON, Europe Control or 20 VPs? Is it USSR or USA that's winning early? Is one of you always winning early?

I found this spreadsheet from this link depicting stats for a pair of players, and they get to the Late War about half the time. My own experience is 17 of 44 games decided in the Late War, which is on the low side because my opponents were newer and overmatched (I was 36-8). Games reach the Late War more often if both players are evenly matched.


Can I tap a creature in response to it being tapped?

You can't respond to "being tapped"; you can only respond to spells being cast and abilities being activated or triggered.
And that's what you have here. Your opponent activated Dromoka Dunecaster's ability, after which you both get a chance to cast instants and activate abilities in response (i.e. before it resolves).
You are free to activate Humble Defector's ability at this time[1][2]. Having been placed on the stack last, it will resolve first. When it resolves, it will have you draw two cards and then give your opponent control of Humble Defector.
When Dromoka Dunecaster's ability then resolves, it does nothing[CR 609.3] since a permanent that's tapped can't be tapped[CR 701.17a].

If it's your turn, due to the limitation imposed by the ability.

Technically, your opponent gets first dibs since it's their ability to which you are responding[CR 601.2h]. That said, in a tournament setting, it's assumed that a player passes when they get priority in response to casting an spell or placing an ability on the stack unless they explicitly retain priority.

601.2h Once the steps described in 601.2a–g are completed, the spell becomes cast. Any abilities that trigger when a spell is cast or put onto the stack trigger at this time. If the spell’s controller had priority before casting it, he or she gets priority.
609.3. If an effect attempts to do something impossible, it does only as much as possible.
701.17a [...] Only untapped permanents can be tapped


Does killing Might Sliver before damage affect other slivers' power and toughness?

The ability from Might Sliver is a static ability: it functions as long as Might Sliver is on the battlefield.  When the sliver leaves the battlefield (dies in this case), its ability also goes with it.  Your other creatures loose the power/toughness increase.

At the time that your opponent played the instant, it was still in the Declare Blockers step.  During that step, you declare blockers, then both players have a chance to play instants before combat damage. Once your Might Sliver is dead, your other Slivers are 1/1 when you choose to move to damage.

  604.2. Static abilities create continuous effects, some of which are prevention effects or replacement effects. These effects are active as long as the permanent with the ability remains on the battlefield and has the ability, or as long as the object with the ability remains in the appropriate zone, as described in rule 112.6.


When would it be advantageous not apply Training Ground's cost reduction?

You have a Glissa Sunseeker in play, and your opponent has an artifact with CMC {1}. You have 1 untapped Lotus Vale and no other untapped lands or mana in your mana pool.

You want to activate an ability on a creature that normally costs {3} (like that on Walking Wall), and you also want to use Glissa to destroy your opponent's artifact.

After getting 3 mana from Lotus Vale, you need to spend exactly 2 mana in order to have {1} remaining, so that you can destroy your opponent's artifact. So you choose to only reduce the cost if your ability by {1} instead of reducing it by {2}.


How can I determine whether two decks are equally strong?

Playtesting is by far the best option (and how all major (and minor) trading card games) have been designed. Do not only pitch the two decks against each other, but also against other decks.

Other than that, if the rules are simple enough, you can do some mathematical analysis. E.g. for Magic: The Gathering, compare the mana curves of the decks, and if both are Aggro decks, you can compare the average Power/Toughness of the creatures. But given Magic's rich ruleset, that is bound to fail. Still, it might work for simpler examples, such as when comparing two non-standard chess armies by relative piece value.


Hexproof vs enchantment affecting all creatures

Yes, Dampening Pulse will affect creatures your opponents control that have Hexproof. The entire relevant part of the definition of Hexproof (rule 702.11b) is

  “Hexproof” on a permanent means “This permanent can’t be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.”

Then, rule 114.9a says

  Just because an object or player is being affected by a spell or ability doesn’t make that object or player a target of that spell or ability. Unless that object or player is identified by the word “target” in the text of that spell or ability, or the rule for that keyword ability, it’s not a target.

Dampening Pulse doesn't use the word "target" and it doesn't have any keyword abilities (targeted or otherwise), so Hexproof doesn't affect it.


Additional Turns and Emrakul, the Promised End

It doesn't matter who controls the turns or if there are extra turns, five additional turns are taken in total (assuming nobody wins before that).
So if the Andy casts Emrakul on the first extra turn targeting Nathan the turns will end up being like this:

Andy (casts Emrakul)
Nathan (controlled by Andy)
Nathan (controlled by himself)
Andy
Nathan

From the Magic Tournament Policy:

2.5. End-of-Match Procedure
If the match time limit is reached before a winner is determined, the player whose turn it is finishes his or her turn and five additional turns are played in total. This usually means that one player takes three turns and the other two, but a player taking extra turns may affect this. (...)


What are the dragonflies used for in Little Balancing?

Rules on the publisher's site lists them as follows in the box's contents:

  15 “point won” counters

The only other mention of them in the rules follows:

  When all the elements have been placed on the platform, the game is won. Each player thus takes a “point won”.


What is the best resource for Card Trays?

Without parameters on shape, size, and cost, it's difficult to give a good answer.  However, if it were my game and I needed 4-5 6-slot horizontal card slots, I would consider making them out of folded cardboard.  With a little trial and error it should be simple to shape what you need from 7x3 (21) horizontal folds, and 3 vertical folds with 2-4 tabs to keep the shape.

If you want plastic, you likely want to purchase your own vacuum former.  Hobby versions can be had for as little as $120 (plus materials).  They work by laying a piece of plastic over a mold you create to form any plastic shape you want.

Random site selling a former


The muggins claim by Player 1 cannot be made until the peg is moved by Player 2 and released - which in this case wins the game.
Even if this is not a written official rule, it is the only sane way to play muggins. There must needs be an official start to the muggins claiming period, which definitively indicates that Player 1 is satisfied with his hand count. Moving the peg and releasing it is exactly that.

Update
Here is the official American Cribbage Congress Rules of Muggins. It specifically states (my emphasis):

Rule 10.2. Situations That Apply
Except for the situations listed in rule 10.3, muggins is applied to the underpegging of the full value of any points during the play or scoring of the points in the hand or crib.

and further down

c. For points missed in a hand or crib:

(1) The dealer must call muggins after the pone has finished pegging the score or states there is no score and before the pone's hand is mixed with other cards or the total count of the dealer's hand is announced.


I believe your confusion is around triggered abilities and the stack.
In your scenario all combat damage is assigned and resolved, and state based actions are handled first.  (i.e. life totals are checked).
If you survive, then all triggers are placed on the stack.
But you didn't survive combat, so Dina's triggered ability did not get on the stack.
Bottom line, you have to survive combat damage in order for Dina's triggered ability to get placed on the stack.


What is the correct opening move in mancala when you go first in a 6 hole per side board?

This site suggests third-from-the-left (your 4) followed by far-right (your 1).

  This opening has the following strengths:

  It empties bin F* early in the game, allowing Mi to play a single pebble from F into her mancala each time a single pebble lands there.
  It empties bin F at a time when at least two of the pebbles from F (those landing in J and I) will likely eventually come back around the board to Mi’s side.  Furthermore, if Yo makes the defensive G play, all five of the pebbles from G are ultimately likely to wind back up on Mi’s side.  For example, after playing G, Yo has six pebbles in H.  If she plays H on a subsequent turn, the sixth pebble in H will land in A, back on Mi’s side.
  It allows Mi to play from A, B, C, and F without repopulating Yo’s side of the board.  It therefore sets Mi up for an effective “starving” strategy.
  Because of the large number of pebbles in each of Yo’s bins, it is unlikely that Yo will be able to counter with a stalling or starving strategy herself.
  Most importantly, it puts Yo in a defensive position at her very first move of the game.  Yo has an immediate glaring vulnerability to being raided in bin G, and must therefore seriously contemplate the defensive G or HG responses.  Either of these responses, however, leaves her in the weakened board position of having each of her remaining bins populated with enough pebbles to play around to Mi’s side, thus reinforcing a starving strategy by Mi.

They go into a considerable amount of detail explaining subsequent moves, analysis, and their conclusions: I would definitely recommend reading the entire page to understand it better.

*Note: this page labels your far-left bin A and continues counter-clockwise, so your far-right bin is F, your opponent's far-right bin is G, and your opponent's far-left bin is L. Yo is the opponent with the mancala on the left; Mi is the player with the mancala on the right.


Yes, your own control effect will override your opponent's, and you will make your own decisions.

716.1a Multiple player-controlling effects that affect the same player overwrite each other. The last one to be created is the one that works.
716.9. A player may gain control of themselves. That player will make their own decisions and choices as normal.


Aura swap says to "exchange this permanent with an Aura in your hand". The new Aura is not cast, it's simply put onto the battlefield. Since it's not cast, and is put on the battlefield during resolution of the effect, it cannot be countered by spells or abilities. There's never a time when the new Aura exists on the stack - the Aura swap ability goes on the stack with the new Aura in your hand, and upon resolution, the new Aura goes on the battlefield.

You could get around this by countering the Aura swap ability itself (e.g. Stifle), or by removing the permanent that has Aura swap (perhaps by bouncing the creature it's attached to). In either of these cases, though, your opponent will still have the new Aura in his hand afterwards.


What happens if multiple triggers on the stack would cause both players to drop to 0 life if fully resolved?

In the situation you describe, both you and your opponent were incorrect. You would have died first because your opponent's triggered abilities would have resolved first. You do not get to arrange all triggered abilities, only the ones you control. Nobody has control over which player's abilities as a whole go on the stack first, because that is defined by the rules.

You misunderstood the rules for multiple ability triggers at the same time:

  603.3b If multiple abilities have triggered since the last time a player received priority, each player, in APNAP order, puts triggered abilities they control on the stack in any order they choose. (See rule 101.4.) Then the game once again checks for and resolves state-based actions until none are performed, then abilities that triggered during this process go on the stack. This process repeats until no new state-based actions are performed and no abilities trigger. Then the appropriate player gets priority.

In other words, triggered abilities that trigger at the same time go on the stack in blocks, where each block consists of all triggered abilities a certain player controls. These blocks go on the stack in APNAP order, and only the order of abilities within each block can be determined by its respective controller.

It was your turn, so you were the active player. Your and your opponent's Poison Tip Archer triggered at the same time. According to 603.3b, you are the first to put your 8 triggers on the stack in any order you choose, followed by the opponent's 4 in the order the opponent chooses. Therefore, your opponent's triggers resolve first. You lose 1 life for each trigger, and when you are at zero life, before the next ability can resolve, you would lose the game.


What planeswalker cards can be used as commanders in the Commander format?

Currently (in November 2018) there are the following sets of planeswalkers that you can use for your commanders:

The five double-faced transforming planeswalkers from Magic Origins. This is because they're a Legendary Creature on their front face, which is what the Commander rules are looking for.
Nicol Bolas, the Ravager, also a double faced card that starts as a Legendary Creature.
Three sets of planeswalkers which say “(This card) can be your commander”:

The five mono-color planeswalkers from Commander 2014
The four multi-color planeswalkers from Commander 2018
Rowan and Will Kenrith from Battlebond

These latter sets of commanders are still not legendary creatures, but golden rule 101.1 lets them make themselves exceptions.

  101.1. Whenever a card's text directly contradicts these rules, the card takes precedence. The card overrides only the rule that applies to that specific situation. The only exception is that a player can concede the game at any time (see rule 104.3a).

This is like how the Commander 2016 Partner commanders also get to make themselves exceptions from the usual Commander rules.

As of Ixalan, all planeswalkers are going to be Legendary Planeswalkers, including retroactively. You still won't be able to use them for your commanders because they won't be Legendary Creatures. Sheldon of the Commander Rules Committee has said there aren't plans to allow all planeswalkers (posted 28 August 2017, in response to an inquiry about planeswalkers becoming legendary):

  No, PWs will not be allowable as commanders unless a card specifically says that it can--so no change.

(This is like how they're not allowing Legendary Artifacts or Legendary Enchantments — it's not about being legendary, it's about being a Legendary Creature.)

House ruling exceptions for fun

That said, Commander is intended to be a format played casually for fun with friends — the official EDH site's Philosophy section says as much. That same section explicitly encourages people to make exceptions or changes to the rules for local play if it's fun. Unless you're in some kind of official sanctioned event, adherence to the Commander rules is only necessary insofaras you and your friends find it fun. If you and your friends want to allow Planeswalkers as commanders, by all means, talk about it and create such a rule between yourselves, and then make a deck with a Planeswalker as a commander.

Where are the rules for planeswalker not being commanders?

There's two sources of Commander rules you can check to verify the absence of Planeswalkers in general being allowed:

The official Commander/EDH site's rules, which say the following:

  Players must choose a legendary creature as the "Commander" for their deck.

No mention of Planeswalkers.
The MTG Comprehensive Rules, probably easiest found on the MTG Wiki Commander format article, which also includes some community commentary and explanation. Those rules say:

  903.1. In the Commander variant, each deck is led by a legendary creature designated as that deck’s commander. The Commander variant was created and popularized by fans; an independent rules committee maintains additional resources at MTGCommander.net. The Commander variant uses all the normal rules for a Magic game, with the following additions.

(Notably they defer to the site I linked in point 1.)


I do not believe it works due to the wording of the rules regarding costs.

202.1. A card’s mana cost is indicated by mana symbols near the top of the card. (See rule 107.4.)
601.2e The player determines the total cost of the spell. Usually this is just the mana cost. Some
spells have additional or alternative costs.

Fist of Suns has a static ability that creates an alternative cost for all spells that are played. This alternative cost if {W}{U}{B}{R}{G}. However that alternative cost is not the mana cost which is still the original printed symbols.
For this reason when both are out if you attempt to pay the alternative cost of {W}{U}{B}{R}{G} you are no longer paying the mana cost, so the ability to pay mana as if it were mana of any color no longer applies.
Thus after activating North Star with Fist of Suns in play you can either pay {W}{U}{B}{R}{G} or the CMC of the spell, but cannot choose to pay {5}.


Can an Aura which was not cast be attached to a permanent with shroud?

Yes, they may. The cards you mentioned returned those Auras to the battlefield, so only 303.4 applies here. It should also be notes that the aura must enchant a legal object (i.e. Auras with "enchant player" must enchant players, auras with "enchant a creature you control" cannot enchant noncreatures and cannot enchant opponents creatures, etc)

Aura spells (i.e. Cards cast from your hand, and added to the stack), do require a target. It is unfortunate that they are the only spells that target, without "target" within the rules text.


Flexibility in Opening two in third seat with 8 points and seven card suit?

You are, within certain constraints designed to prevent wholly destructive bidding systems, allowed to make any call that is:

any of a sufficient bid; a valid Double or Redouble; or Pass; and
not otherwise constrained by penalty under the Laws of Rubber Bridge consequent to a prior irregularity.

However your opponents are entitled to a full and complete description of the agreements and understandings between you and partner.

In particular, you are most definitely entitled to make a call based on your understanding of the opponents methods, in the context of the current auction. But if you make a habit of certain actions in common circumstances, such as a third hand opening following two passes as here, this must be added to the partnership agreements made known to the opponents.

Nothing you have stated in your post suggests to me that your opening bid is inappropriate. While not a call I would likely make myself, I see merit in your reasoning when playing against timid opponents.

It would seem that your opponents on this hand have conflated the rules of the announced bidding system (really just guidelines for improved play and partnership harmony) with the Laws of Rubber Bridge.


Card game where you're dealt two role cards you keep hidden

The game you're thinking of is called The Resistance: Coup.

It was originally a kickstarter game that has lots of different publishers/distributors depending on what country you're in, but it's available from Amazon either way.


How long can I wait before choosing to counter a spell?

Your friend was right.

Casting spells and activating abilities puts them on the so-called Stack before they actually resolve and turn into creatures, enchantments, and so on. The Stack is a pretty important part of MtG.

You can only counter spells and abilities while they are on the stack; indeed, a spell can only be a spell on the stack, and if you read your counter spells carefully, they say exactly that: counter target spell. Therefore, if it's not on the Stack, you can't counter it, because it can't be a spell. Once a spell has resolved, it's off the Stack and it's too late to counter it.

Most spells, like creature, enchantment, or sorcery spells can only be played while the stack is empty, among other things. That means, if your friend first played a creature (the Wall of Reverence), and then an enchantment (Ethereal Armor) on that Wall, the Wall can no longer be on the Stack and must already be on the battlefield. Not to mention that this enchantment requires a target, which can in this case only be a creature that's already on the battlefield.

The only situation where you can choose which spell to counter is, obviously, when multiple spells are on the Stack. The first spell can be anything, and the other spells are typically instants.

Note that your opponent is not required to respond to a spell, even if he could (which he could not in this case) - if he so chooses, he can just let any spell resolve, then cast the next, let it resolve, and so on, until he has played everything he wanted to. Indeed, this is a common strategy against a player like you who plays counter spells, because he forces you to decide on incomplete information. If all spells were on the Stack at the same time, you would of course have a much easier time to decide which spell to counter, if any, which is why a smart player would deny you that opportunity, and he has every right to do so.


What to do when all basestars are in the Cylon Fleet board?

The rules for placing ships on the Cylon fleet board are awkwardly placed over two pages and it appears you missed the second section.  The situation is considerably more dire for the humans that how you played it.  The basestar shows up on the main game board and usually brings a party with it.

  If all ships of the appropriate type are already on either the
  main game board or the Cylon Fleet game board, the current
  player finds the highest-numbered Cylon space area on the
  Cylon Fleet game board that contains at least one of that type
  of ship. He then moves all the ships in that Cylon space area
  to the corresponding space area on the main game board.


How do the Investigators Collectively Decide?

"If players cannot agree, then the first player chooses" ...

(It reads something to that effect, though I could only locate it in the Headless Hollow version of the rules on short notice)


Destroying Odric, Master Tactician in response to declared attackers

Abilities written as "Whenever X, Y" are triggered abilities, they go onto the stack when the trigger condition, in this case "Whenever Odric, Master Tactician and at least three other creatures attack" is met, the ability's effect, in this case "you choose which creatures block this combat and how those creatures block" is put on the stack.

Once an ability is on the stack, changes to the board itself don't affect that ability, it is going to resolve unless countered. So unless you Stifle the ability, removing the Odric, no matter where he goes, be that to hand, exile, graveyard or even flickered back to the board, will not stop his ability from resolving. The only change to boardstate that can affect a spell or ability on the stack is if that ability is no longer legal, say removing all targets, causing the spell or ability to fizzle (be put in the graveyard as it would resolve).


How do Moldgraf Monstrosity and Feldon of the Third Path interact?

You would get to return two creatures from your graveyard.

Feldon of the Third Path's ability's effect says

  Create a token that's a copy of target creature card in your graveyard, except it's an artifact in addition to its other types. It gains haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.

"Sacrifice" is defined in rule 701.15a:

  To sacrifice a permanent, its controller moves it from the battlefield directly to its owner’s graveyard. A player can’t sacrifice something that isn’t a permanent, or something that’s a permanent he or she doesn’t control. Sacrificing a permanent doesn’t destroy it, so regeneration or other effects that replace destruction can’t affect this action.

And what it means for a creature to "die" is defined in 700.4:

  The term dies means “is put into a graveyard from the battlefield.”

Moldgraf Monstrosity's ability says

  When Moldgraf Monstrosity dies, exile it, then return two creature cards at random from your graveyard to the battlefield.

So, sacrificing it triggers its ability. One other thing to note is that the effect has two different instructions, "exile it", and "return two creature card at random from your graveyard to the battlefield". These are two separate instructions, so if you can't complete one, you should still follow the other. This is specified in rule 101.3, which says

  Any part of an instruction that’s impossible to perform is ignored. (In many cases the card will specify consequences for this; if it doesn’t, there’s no effect.)

Specifically, the exact order of events plays out like this:

The delayed triggered ability from Feldon's activated ability goes on the stack.
The triggered ability resolves. You sacrifice the token copy of Moldgraf Monstrosity. Moldgraf Monstrosity's ability triggers.
State-based actions are evaluated, and the token disappears.
The triggered ability is put on the stack.
The triggered ability resolves, and you can't exile the token, but you still get two creatures back.


What are mistakes beginners should avoid in Dominion?

The bottom line is victory points. Period. Nothing else matters. If something is not actively helping you get more or your opponents get less, don't do it. It seems obvious that I'm telling you to remember how to win, but its very easy to go super-heavy on kingdom cards until you realize its too late...
Most of the time, the way to get victory points is with $$$. When I was learning I loved to pull of the 10 card action combos that took me 14+ turns to build, but when I realized I still had only made 7$ by the end of it I started looking at things differently. Solution: Make sure you have enough powerful treasures and actions that give +coins. Gold is king!
Keep an eye on end-game. How many provinces are left? Which piles are low? What are your predictions for what people are about to buy? If you know you have the most victory points, sometimes you just want to make the game end as fast as possible. If you can use a Coppersmith to get 1 or 2 provinces early, and then use plenty of +buys cards to buy up 3 piles of cost 2 and 3 cards before your opponents decks really get rolling, go for it. Its so funny when your opponents have just built these gold stocked decks to nail provinces and they realize you just ended the game and won with 10 victory points.
Know what cards will maximize your average $ per card ratio. If you have plenty of treasures in your deck, a smithy is often even better than a gold. Likewise, if you have plenty of actions that give you +cards, make sure you have treasures to back them up.
Know the difference between early game cards, mid-game cards, and late game cards.
Watch your terminal actions. There's nothing that sucks more than drawing 5 terminal actions and having to just pick one of them to play. Try to balance your terminals with you chain actions. On the other hand, don't overload on +actions if you have very few terminals. A few of my friends love the 'village idiot' strategy: get 6 or more villages and have giant chains of them every turn. If you're not using the extra action from a village, its completely and utterly useless as all it does is replace itself.
Know the basic strategies, like drawing lots of cards, big money, attack cards, and trashing your bad cards as early as possible. These are covered very thoroughly here, so I'll just leave it at that.
Know how to evaluate a kingdom set to see what strategies will be strongest. Note how each attack card will change things, and how you need to adjust your strategy. I cover this more in the linked post.


What happens if both players have the ability to pump their creature an unlimited number of times?

This is a fragmented loop.  The active player (whose turn it is) would be forced to make a decision that stops the loop.

719.3. Sometimes a loop can be fragmented, meaning that each player involved in the loop performs an independent action that results in the same game state being reached multiple times. If that happens, the active player (or, if the active player is not involved in the loop, the first player in turn order who is involved) must then make a different game choice so the loop does not continue.
Example: In a two-player game, the active player controls a creature with the ability “{0}: [This creature] gains flying,” the nonactive player controls a permanent with the ability “{0}: Target creature loses flying,” and nothing in the game cares how many times an ability has been activated. Say the active player activates his creature’s ability, it resolves, then the nonactive player activates her permanent’s ability targeting that creature, and it resolves. This returns the game to a game state it was at before. The active player must make a different game choice (in other words, anything other than activating that creature’s ability again). The creature doesn’t have flying. Note that the nonactive player could have prevented the fragmented loop simply by not activating her permanent’s ability, in which case the creature would have had flying. The nonactive player always has the final choice and is therefore able to determine whether the creature has flying.

In essence - the attacking player is screwed.


Is spellbook building with only a single core set possible?

My wife and i play with the Mage-War Academy core set.
We each have a custom deck. Since the wizard and the beast master have no common type of spell, it's rather easy.
However, should we both want the same spell in 3 copies when the said spell is only available in 1-3 copy, you should photocopy it so that both player has acces to the number they chose. i'd recommend sleeving them, cause... y'know... paper. Since the cards are not drawn, it is of no matter if it's different from others.

Take special notice of the enchantment cards. They are used as "hidden" information. You should play a completely unrelated card (i recommend using Equipment cards of the OPPOSING wizard) in its stead so that it looks and feel like a normal card. And switching the card with your paper one when it is revealed. Take care to have different "replacement" card for each of your enchants. And write on a sheet of paper the corresponding pair so your opponent cannot accuse you of lying.

Be warned that most gaming groups and tournaments will not let you play with fake cards.


When is the woodcutter worth buying in Dominion?

I recommend the insightful writeup at the Dominion Strategy blog.

It boils down to mostly what you said: +Buy can certainly be very key, so if Woodcutter is the only way to get it, Woodcutter is useful.  It also works well with Gardens, but in the long run it's just one of the least useful cards in the base set.


If I forfeit Breaking News, will the tags stick?

In the latest FAQ from FFG the case of Archer, Amazon Industrial Zone and Breaking News is mentioned.

  If the Corp scores
  Breaking News
  and then rezzes
  Archer
  through a card effect, forfeiting the Breaking News, does the
  Runner keep the 2 tags?

  Yes. The conditional ability on Breaking News has not yet
  triggered, and it will not trigger when the turn ends since the
  card is no longer active.

So yes, the tags stick.


Are gods treated as creatures before they enter the battlefield?

Yes. It always has the creature type when on the stack (though that makes it a creature spell or a creature card, not simply a creature).
No. ETB abilities check the appearance of the object as it exists on the battlefield.

The first question boils down to "When does As long as your devotion to red is less than five, Purphoros isn't a creature work?"

If it were a characteristic-defining ability, it would function in all zones, including on the stack[CR 604.3]. Mistform Ultimus has such an ability. But Purphoros's isn't a characteristic-defining ability because it sets the type conditionally[CR 604.3a]. As such, it only works when the card is on the battlefield[CR 112.6].

So, Purphoros has the creature type while on the stack regardless of your devotion, and Essence Scatter can target and counter it regardless of your devotion.

The second question boils down to "When does Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control check the object's type?"

First of all, it's not casting a creature spell that triggers Purphoros's ability; it's a creature entering the battlefield.

We know the God is always a creature card on the stack, but it might not be on the battlefield, so the second question boils down to when does the triggered ability inspect the God's types. ETB abilities check the object as it exists immediately after it enters the battlefield to see if the ability triggered[CR 603.6d].

In other words, Purphoros's ability checks if the God entering the battlefield is a creature as it exists on the battlefield, and that depends on the your devotion to the God's color. If it's low, it won't be a creature and your ability won't trigger.

Referenced Rules

  604.3. Some static abilities are characteristic-defining abilities. A characteristic-defining ability conveys information about an object’s characteristics that would normally be found elsewhere on that object (such as in its mana cost, type line, or power/toughness box). Characteristic-defining abilities function in all zones. They also function outside the game.

  604.3a A static ability is a characteristic-defining ability if it meets the following criteria: (1) It defines an object’s colors, subtypes, power, or toughness; (2) it is printed on the card it affects, it was granted to the token it affects by the effect that created the token, or it was acquired by the object it affects as the result of a copy effect or text-changing effect; (3) it does not directly affect the characteristics of any other objects; (4) it is not an ability that an object grants to itself; and (5) it does not set the values of such characteristics only if certain conditions are met.

  112.6. Abilities of an instant or sorcery spell usually function only while that object is on the stack. Abilities of all other objects usually function only while that object is on the battlefield. The exceptions are as follows:

(The exceptions are all common sense, such that an ability that requires you to discard a card to activate only function in your hand.)

  603.6d Normally, objects that exist immediately after an event are checked to see if the event matched any trigger conditions. [...]

(The exceptions are leaves-the-battlefield and similar abilities. Again, stuff that's obvious without knowing the rules.)


What is this Old French Game board with 10x10 squares and dark and light circular pieces?

That appears to be a relatively nice double sided International draughts/Checkers board.

Without any further identifying information, it could have been produced anytime in the last 1-200 years, but based on its appearance, I'd estimate it was manufactured around the 1940s-1950s.

The markings indicate the board has a Breveté SGDG, which is a French patent, the Breveté SGDG system started in 1844 and ended in 1968, so that narrows the age down to a 120 year window.


What is resolved first, an card when-player-summon effect or a summoned card effect?

Chain activation 1: Opponent's monster summoned, and tries to destroy your monster. SS1 (SS2 if quick effect)

Chain Activation 2: Planet Pollutant Planet activates SS2

Where is Alien Mars? Because it is a SS1, it cannot be activated in this chain

Chain Resolution 2: An A-Counter is put on your opponent's monster.

Chain Resolution 1: Your opponent destroys your Alien Mars

Therefore, your opponent's monster destroys your monster, but you managed to put an A-Counter on it with your Planet Pollutant Virus.


Why are the white stones in the bottom left of this game counted as points for black?

It is possible depending on previous turns that some variants of the Superko rule would allow black to win that fight. For example, if black played A3, white might not be allowed to capture at A5 if that position had already appeared earlier in your game. However, even if that rule is in effect and relevant, I doubt it would be incorporated into the scoring system, so my guess is this is just a bug in the digital adaptation.
EDIT: PJTraill comments that we can see from your picture that H8 was the most recent move; since that space was empty before and is now filled forever, no earlier positions should be relevant for Superko. Thus there is no way to break that seki.


Short answer: There is no such rule in cribbage and your friend owes you a drink (and 120 pts in your next game)

Even among variants of the game, I've never heard of this rule.  The closest I could come is a variation where in order to win you must peg out exactly.  But even then, Go's are allowed (and encouraged as it's amazingly difficult to get a 1 otherwise).

Sorry you got hoodwinked, but kudos to your friend for his attempt.


Can I deal just one card at a time in Klondike?

Press F5 or go to the upper right corner and click Options (the gear) while you are in a Klondike game. The draw and scoring options are under Game Settings, which will either be an option to click or be the option that comes up.


In Poker, what happens with the next players if paying the big blind puts a player all-in?

Player B is considered all in and Player C must still match the full blind amount and there will just be two possible winning piles depending on who wins. If Player B wins they would win 60 chips per player that paid the big blind and the next high hand would win the rest.
pokerlistings.com

When a player's stack is less than the amount of the small blind, they are automatically considered all-in in the next hand they play, regardless of position.
If the player's stack is larger than the small blind but smaller than the big blind, they will be considered all-in in any position other than the small blind, assuming they fold for their option.
When all-in, the player can only win the amount of their stack, plus that same amount from all of the callers and blinds. If the person has less than the big blind, they can only win the portion of the blind equal to that of their stack.


Is there an optimal swing die value for Changeling VS Iago?

If you believe in basic Swing Die strategy, then '6' is the appropriate value for X for Changeling.

The formula for Swing Die selection is:

  (A-B)*2/3 = (Sides the Bigger Character must keep)

  Where 'A'/'B' are character's dice side totals.

The general theory is

1) If you can force your bigger opponent to have to keep two or more dice, then you will have a distinct advantage. You are more likely to go first as a smaller character (smaller characters usually have dice more dice with fewer sides, and are therefore more likely to have the lowest die).

2) Select the biggest die possible, that condition 1) will hold true.

Until Changeling has won has won 2 matches, a swing die value dX='6' requires that Iagomust keep 2 dice to not lose by points. If you read down column '6', Iago must keep between 22.7 and 33.3 sides to not lose, even if they take all Changelings dice. Iago cannot select a Swing Die value that allows them to only keep a single die and still win.

Once Changeling has won 2 rounds, then their best Swing Die value of dX should probably be '20' unless Iago has selected dX=4 or 5. With 2 wins for Changeling, the only way Iago could switch swing die values is by losing and giving you your 3rd round win for the match. If Changeling doesn't have 2 wins yet, dX='18' is your next best swing die value. It gives you the biggest die possible, without requiring that you keep more than a single die. The best that Iago can do is select dX='4' for their next swing die, which only requires you to keep 17.3 sides. Even if they do happen to win an Iago'4' vs Changeling'18' round, you can switch back to Changeling dX='6' with your swing Die and require Iago keeps 2 dice again.

Changeling|'4' |'5' |'6' |'7' |'8' |'9' |'10'|'11'|'12'|'13'|'14'|'15'| '16'| '17'| '18'| '19'| '20'|
    +--+  +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
    |60|  | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 | 50 | 55 | 60 | 65 | 70 | 75 |  80 |  85 |  90 |  95 | 100 |
    +--+--+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
Iago| 4|64|29.3|26.0|22.7|19.3|16.0|12.7| 9.3| 6.0| 2.7|-0.7|-4.0|-7.3|-10.7|-14.0|-17.3|-20.7|-24.0|
Iago| 5|65|30.0|26.7|23.3|20.0|16.7|13.3|10.0| 6.7| 3.3| 0.0|-3.3|-6.7|-10.0|-13.3|-16.7|-20.0|-23.3|
Iago| 6|66|30.7|27.3|24.0|20.7|17.3|14.0|10.7| 7.3| 4.0| 0.7|-2.7|-6.0| -9.3|-12.7|-16.0|-19.3|-22.7|
Iago| 7|67|31.3|28.0|24.7|21.3|18.0|14.7|11.3| 8.0| 4.7| 1.3|-2.0|-5.3| -8.7|-12.0|-15.3|-18.7|-22.0|
Iago| 8|68|32.0|28.7|25.3|22.0|18.7|15.3|12.0| 8.7| 5.3| 2.0|-1.3|-4.7| -8.0|-11.3|-14.7|-18.0|-21.3|
Iago| 9|69|32.7|29.3|26.0|22.7|19.3|16.0|12.7| 9.3| 6.0| 2.7|-0.7|-4.0| -7.3|-10.7|-14.0|-17.3|-20.7|
Iago|10|70|33.3|30.0|26.7|23.3|20.0|16.7|13.3|10.0| 6.7| 3.3| 0.0|-3.3| -6.7|-10.0|-13.3|-16.7|-20.0|
Iago|11|71|34.0|30.7|27.3|24.0|20.7|17.3|14.0|10.7| 7.3| 4.0| 0.7|-2.7| -6.0| -9.3|-12.7|-16.0|-19.3|
Iago|12|72|34.7|31.3|28.0|24.7|21.3|18.0|14.7|11.3| 8.0| 4.7| 1.3|-2.0| -5.3| -8.7|-12.0|-15.3|-18.7|
Iago|13|73|35.3|32.0|28.7|25.3|22.0|18.7|15.3|12.0| 8.7| 5.3| 2.0|-1.3| -4.7| -8.0|-11.3|-14.7|-18.0|
Iago|14|74|36.0|32.7|29.3|26.0|22.7|19.3|16.0|12.7| 9.3| 6.0| 2.7|-0.7| -4.0| -7.3|-10.7|-14.0|-17.3|
Iago|15|75|36.7|33.3|30.0|26.7|23.3|20.0|16.7|13.3|10.0| 6.7| 3.3| 0.0| -3.3| -6.7|-10.0|-13.3|-16.7|
Iago|16|76|37.3|34.0|30.7|27.3|24.0|20.7|17.3|14.0|10.7| 7.3| 4.0| 0.7| -2.7| -6.0| -9.3|-12.7|-16.0|
Iago|17|77|38.0|34.7|31.3|28.0|24.7|21.3|18.0|14.7|11.3| 8.0| 4.7| 1.3| -2.0| -5.3| -8.7|-12.0|-15.3|
Iago|18|78|38.7|35.3|32.0|28.7|25.3|22.0|18.7|15.3|12.0| 8.7| 5.3| 2.0| -1.3| -4.7| -8.0|-11.3|-14.7|
Iago|19|79|39.3|36.0|32.7|29.3|26.0|22.7|19.3|16.0|12.7| 9.3| 6.0| 2.7| -0.7| -4.0| -7.3|-10.7|-14.0|
Iago|20|80|40.0|36.7|33.3|30.0|26.7|23.3|20.0|16.7|13.3|10.0| 6.7| 3.3|  0.0| -3.3| -6.7|-10.0|-13.3|


If Mirage Mirror becomes a copy of a creature, and then is put into the library some how, does it still stay a creature until end of turn?

No, it's just an ordinary Mirage Mirror artifact once it's in your library. It won't still be a copy of anything.
The key rule here is:

400.7. An object that moves from one zone to another becomes a new object with no memory of, or relation to, its previous existence. There are nine exceptions to this rule:
(None of the exceptions apply. They're mostly about cards keeping track of each other between zones when they need to.)

Generally after something moves to a new zone, it's reset to a fresh state of just being whatever the card says.


Can I tap Sliver Hive to pay for Hive Stirrings?

No, you cannot use the coloured mana from Sliver Hive to cast Hive Stirrings.

Sliver hive says

  Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast a Sliver spell.

But Hive Stirrings is not a Sliver spell, it is only a Sorcery. This means you cannot use the coloured mana from Sliver hive to pay for the spell.

You can use the mana from Sliver Hive to play Creature - Sliver spells, or to play tribal sliver spells. There aren't any tribal sliver spells I can see, but you could play a changeling one such as Wings of Velis Vel.


Is Famished Paladin and Resplendent Mentor a legal infinite life combo?

Yes, that works. Congratulations for finding two cards that work so well together. It's not legal in Standard but it is in other formats (e.g. Modern). There are no rules for which cards are allowed in casual games, it's just what you agree on with your opponent(s).

Note that you can't gain infinite life, as stated in the title; you can gain as much life as you want. E.g. you can declare that you want to execute the loop (tapping the Paladin with the ability it gained from the Mentor) one million times, and you end up with one million extra life. If your opponent has an 'infinite' damage loop, they'll be able to execute theirs for a larger amount than one million and still kill you. They'd be advised to kill your creatures first, otherwise you can respond to their loop iteration with another activation of the Paladin's life-gaining ability.


Does Dixit need any modifications to play with 7, 8, 9, and 10 players?

Dixit Odyssey has rules for 7+ players.  The suggested scoring system for 7+ players:

Each player has two vote tokens, not just one.  They can split their guess between two cards if they want.
If all players correctly identify the storyteller's card, or none do, everyone except the storyteller receives two points each.
Otherwise, the storyteller receives three points and so does anyone else who correctly identifies the storyteller's card.  If they only used one of their two votes, they receive a bonus point.
For each other card, the person who played it gets a bonus point (to a maximum of three) for each player who voted for it.

The game ends when the first player reaches 30 points.  Calculate the rest of the scoring for the round (in case someone overtakes), and then the winner of the game is the person with the highest number of points.


On e4 the White pawn is strong, controlling the important central square d5 (which Black has given up some control over by playing c5). You might think that it is just as good to control d6, but d6 is less central.

The loss of time is also significant. You spend a move to put the pawn on e5, and then another move to defend it with the queen. You will have to move the queen again, or your g-pawn, to develop your king's bishop. That makes three moves you could have been spending developing minor pieces or central pawns or castling! Half a pawn seems a fair evaluation of that loss of time.

Finally, the pawn may be vulnerable on e5. Black has a pleasant choice whether to play g6 and Bg7, or e6, Ne7 and g6, or f6 exchanging the pawn but getting fast development. White will have trouble bringing more pieces to the defence of e5: in particular it won't be easy to support it with a pawn as Black controls d4 and White's knight blocks the f-pawn.


How is the current format for an MTG booster draft calculated?

Wizards of the Coast designs sets for specific Limited environments.

The intended draft format for Lorwyn/Shadowmoor block was:

Lorwyn draft: 3x Lorwyn
Morningtide draft: 2x Lorwyn, 1x Morningtide
Shadowmoor draft: 3x Shadowmoor
Eventide draft: 2x Shadowmoor, 1x Eventide

Cards from the two halves of the set were not intended to be drafted together.

The MTG Tournament Rules specify the officially-recommended booster mix for current sets (see Appendix D).


King of tokyo: Using costumes in tokyo to prevent/heal damage

Yes, they are power cards so, yes, you can use them to gain hearts.
From the rules:

Costume cards are a new type of Power card for King of Tokyo...

and

A Costume card is a Power card and is played, like Keep cards, in front of the player who bought it.


Two Experiment Kraj are on the battlefield, what are their abilities?

In addition to their own abilities, the first Experiment Kraj will have 1 set of copies of applicable abilities, while the second Kraj will have 2 sets. Ultimately, the total number of copied abilities will grow exponentially.
The rules to look at are found in

Interaction of Continuous Effects

An object's characteristics are determined through a system of layers. Ability-modifying effects are handled in layer 6. This is where the continuous effect of Experiment Kraj's static ability is applied:

613.1f Layer 6: Ability-adding effects, ability-removing effects, and effects that say an object can’t have an ability are applied.

When 2 Kraj are on the battlefield and they try to add each other's activated abilities, their effects are dependent on each other:

613.7. Within a layer or sublayer, determining which order effects are applied in is sometimes done using a dependency system. If a dependency exists, it will override the timestamp system.
613.7a An effect is said to “depend on” another if (a) it’s applied in the same layer (and, if applicable, sublayer) as the other effect (see rules 613.1 and 613.3);

True because they are the same ability.

(b) applying the other would change the text or the existence of the first effect, what it applies to, or what it does to any of the things it applies to;

True because applying one ability influences what the other would do.

(c) neither effect is from a characteristic-defining ability or both effects are from characteristic-defining abilities. [..]

True, because both add abilities to the creature it's on. Abilities (card text) are a characteristic.

613.7b An effect dependent on one or more other effects waits to apply until just after all of those effects have been applied. If multiple dependent effects would apply simultaneously in this way, they’re applied in timestamp order relative to each other. If several dependent effects form a dependency loop, then this rule is ignored and the effects in the dependency loop are applied in timestamp order.

The 2 abilities would form a loop, because each depends on the other. Therefore, they are instead applied once, in timestamp order.
Therefore, the Kraj with the lower timestamp would be applied first. It gains all abilities of other creatures with a +1/+1 counter on it. Next, the other Kraj is handled. It also gets all activated abilities of other creatures with a +1/+1 counter on it, including the already handled first Kraj.
Example: There are 2 Experiment Kraj and an Avizoa on the battlefield. All creatures have a +1/+1 counter on them.
After continuous effects are handled, the first Kraj will have its own activated +1/+1 counter ability, the other Kraj's counter ability, and the Avizoa's "{0}: +2/+2, use once per turn" ability.
The second Kraj will have its own counter ability, the two counter abilities from the first Kraj, and two of the Avizoa abilities (one from the first Kraj, the other from the Avizoa)
Each Experiment Kraj on the battlefield will have the sum of copies of all other Krajs, some of which will already have been handled by the continuous effect rules. At 2 Krajs, the total is (2+3) = 5. At 3 Krajs, the first will have 3, the second 5, the third 9. At 4 Krajs, the last Kraj to be handled already has 25 total. Here are some diagrams for visualization:

This shows the total number of abilities each Kraj has with 1, 2, 3 Krajs etc. on the field.

The triangle completed upwards.

A little more info.
Mathematically speaking, if there are n Krajs on the battlefield, the m-th Kraj to be handled will have a total of

1 + (n-1) * 2(m-1)

sets of copies.


Crazyhouse Chess: is it possible to get all eighteen queens?

If that is the goal of both players, should be easy to achieve.  Simply move weak side king away from his 1st rank and build a wall of minor pieces between him and the passed pawns.  With a little more effort a player with a huge lead could force the king out and achieve the same thing.


This depends on which type of Canasta you are playing. Classic Canasta, which in my experience is the most common and what you will find rules for in most sources, does not have any such restriction. Discarding a wild card is a common strategy to freeze the discard pile, and there are no restrictions about when you can do so.
However, in Modern American Canasta, it is true that you cannot discard a wild card, unless you are either going out, or you have no choice. In this version of Canasta, you cannot freeze the discard pile.
Source:

It is illegal to discard a wild card, except in the following cases:

You may discard a wild card as your final discard, when going out.

In rare cases, you may reach a situation where your hand consists entirely of wild cards. If on your turn you then draw yet another wild card, you may discard a wild card of your choice. The next player is not allowed to take the pile (since there are no natural cards that can match your discard). If requested by an opponent, you must show your hand to prove that you had only wild cards.

There are many other difference between the two versions; so you need to be sure you and your play group are clear on which version you are playing.


Are any special rules added if you are playing with more than one expansion?

Short answer: No. There are no special rules for playing with more expansion.

Additional info: However, there were some special rules for playing with specific expansions.

On January 12 2016, FFG had posted an update which featured new Reference cards with a following description:

  Due to the introduction of new mechanics in its expansions, the balance of Eldritch Horror has shifted. To remedy this, revised
  Reference cards have been created for use when playing with any of the following expansions: Mountains of Madness, Strange
  Remnants, Under the Pyramids. Below are the revised Reference cards.

This update only lasted a week. On January 19 another update renamed this cards to "variant" not "revised" reference cards.

  With the introduction of new mechanics in Eldritch Horror expansions, some player groups may wish for a more difficult or more
  relaxed experience with certain player counts. The variant Reference cards shown below can be used to increase or decrease the
  game’s difficulty.

I think that the revised reference cards are what you are asking about.
Arkham Horror was becoming harder with each expansion added and needed a special rules to fix that.
Eldritch Horror was becoming a bit easier with each expansion added (other than "Forsaken Lore") and these cards have returned the difficulty back where it was in the core game.
That's my experience, at least.
You may find these new reference cards at the end of the official FAQ.


Fetchlands + duals is a formula used by almost all the top decks in every format that allows them. The main advantage is monumental consistency.

Verdant Catacombs, for instance, can fetch any of the following original dual lands:

Badlands (Swamp / Mountain)
Bayou (Swamp / Forest)
Savannah (Forest / Plains)
Scrubland (Plains / Swamp)
Taiga (Mountain / Forest)
Tropical Island (Forest / Island)
Underground Sea (Island / Swamp)

That translates into easy access into any color you need, significantly superior to even what you'd get running a full set of Shards of Alara tri-lands.

In addition,

The duals you fetch can produce two colors, so you'll have good color depth among the lands you have in play (color depth is an advantage of multi-color non-basics in general).
Fetches provide a way to shuffle away the top of your library, commonly employed with cards like Brainstorm and Sensei's Divining Top: put the cards you want on top of your library and the cards you don't underneath them, draw the cards you want, then crack your fetchland to shuffle the chaff away.
Many multi-color lands come into play tapped at least some of the time. Both old-school duals and shocklands can come into play untapped, so there's no loss of momentum compared to playing basic lands.
Since cracking a fetchland actually removes another land from your library, it thins your deck, reducing your likelihood to draw lands in the late game when you'd rather have spells. This effect is rather marginal, but it's a tiny little bonus.
Fetches basically double your landfall triggers.
Unlike other non-basics, these lands make it very easy to use domain-like abilities. This is basically why "Zoo" even exists as a deck type in Modern and Legacy. In Commander you'll see this used to support some powerful cards like Collective Restraint.
Fetchlands give you an easy way to put lands in your graveyard, which powers up Deathrite Shaman, Tarmogoyf, Life from the Loam combos, threshold cards, and other stuff.

Why shouldn't you play fetches, duals, and shocks, besides the cost of owning the cards?

Strategically speaking,

Fetch abilities can be countered by a few rare effects. In Legacy, the spell for this is Stifle. In Commander, you could fall prey to repeatable effects like Azorius Guildmage or Voidmage Husher.
Fetches are vulnerable to search hosers like Aven Mindcensor and Shadow of Doubt. Commander has a very powerful hoser: Stranglehold.
A heavily non-basic mana base is vulnerable to non-basic-land hate like Wasteland, Back to Basics, Blood Moon, Price of Progress, and Ruination. Experienced players can easily mitigate many of these effects by using their fetchlands to get basic lands, though; ultimately you still have better protection against them than you would with a multicolor deck that doesn't use fetches and duals.
Fetches and shocks drain your life. A couple life here and there seems inconsequential, but it can add up pretty quickly.

Also, practically speaking, shuffling your deck all the time is annoying. I can't even shuffle 100 sleeved cards without splitting the deck in half. Although you can at least reduce some of the inconvenience by cracking fetches on an opponent's turn (similar to proper Divining Top etiquette).


What happens when you are unable to move in Stratego?

Straight from page 5 of the rules:

  Note: if a player cannot move a piece or strike in his/her turn, they must give up and declare their opponent the winner.

So, yeah, don't set up your bombs and flags in a manner that prevents most of your troops from being movable without the bombs being removed by an opposing miner (that's actually another easily-missed point - the only way for a bomb to leave the board is if a miner hits it. Any other piece is simply lost while the bomb stays). You will be forced to forfeit if you cannot make any move at all.


Betrayal at house on the Hill: Widow's Walk - Blueprint item

You might be missing the dumbwaiter icons in general allow anyone to move to different floors; that is their primary purpose.

  Some room tiles include an elevator-like symbol on them, in addition to any Item, Event, or Omen symbol they might have. This symbol signifies that the room has access to a dumbwaiter, which players may use to move to a Landing one floor up or down. It costs 1 space of movement to use a dumbwaiter, plus 1 space to move onto the Landing.

So while it costs an extra movement, you do not need the blueprint item to make use of the dumbwaiters.

What the blueprint allows is to move from one dumbwaiter icon to another as a movement, as opposed to the normal use which requires you to move to the landing of a floor 1 below or 1 above where you are. So yes, the blueprint makes the dumbwaiters better, but it does not give them the ability to move to a different floor; that already was part of the dumbwaiter rules.


You played within the rules. Houses must be built up (and sold off) evenly within a color group, but different color groups can be built up differently without regard to each other.

The section of the rules you quote is exactly the section that supports your play.

Addendum: not an official source, but this same question came up on boardgamegeek (with the same answer).

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/435348/confuse-about-building-evenly


Does the Changeling ability count for Happily Ever After?

No, that won't work. Creature types are subtypes and not card types.

205.2a The card types are artifact, conspiracy, creature, enchantment, instant, land, phenomenon, plane, planeswalker, scheme, sorcery, tribal, and vanguard. See section 3, “Card Types.”
205.3a A card can have one or more subtypes printed on its type line.
205.3m Creatures and tribals share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types.

In regular games, you'll only see artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and finally tribal (which is never encountered alone, but always in combination with another card type).


How many Number Monsters have been released in Yu-Gi-Oh thus far?

125 Number Monsters

The Yu-Gi-Oh! Wikia has a semantic search function that allows for creating complex queries. In this case, we want to query things that are:

Monsters in the real-life card game (either OCG or TCG)
Part of the "Number" archetype (including variants, like C and S)

This query can be constructed with [[Concept:CG monsters]] [[Archseries::Number]]. Running the query shows that there are 125 Number Monster cards at the time of this writing.

If we add [[Category:TCG cards]] to the query, we find that there are 122 Number Monsters in the TCG. The 3 that exist in the OCG but not the TCG are:

Number 29: Mannequin Cat
Number 41: Baguska
Number F0: Utopic Future - Future Slash


When should Italy NOT take over Tunisia on its second turn in Diplomacy?

Well quickly to address the last sentence. It is actually quite common for Italy to take Tunis with an army rather than a fleet. Then with F ION and A TUN, there are options for ION-AEG, ION-EAS and the convoys TUN-ALB, TUN-GRE which aren't possible with a fleet in Tunis.

But to answer the question in the title, there are certainly occasions when Italy does not take Tunis on the second turn (and is still playing intelligently), but these are rare.

Occasionally Italy will forgo the Tunis build to try to take Greece. The other case one sees is if Austria has let Italy into Trieste in the spring, Italy is now guaranteed a build and can order ION-AEG instead of going to TUN in order to gain position in an attack (allied with Austria) against Turkey.

But I should emphasise that not taking Tunis is a minority opening, and almost always played with an expectation that Italy will be getting a build elsewhere.


Choose a card from your format, undefined, to give the targeted creature lifelink.


Is this box an official MTG product? Who are the featured characters?

That is the Battle Royale box. It's a preconstructed theme deck box from November 1999, and it came with four 40-card decks. It came out during the Masques block, between Mercadian Masques (October 1999) and Nemesis (February 2000).

I can't find any indicators of who the box art depicts. It doesn't seem to be a card art reprint — Christopher Moeller is credited for the box art, but it matches none of his Battle Royale cards' art. It doesn't even match the art style used on cards at the time, and it doesn't seem to depict anything from cards in the box. The official product page (from a very old part of the Wizards site) just calls it the "Battle Royale Box Art". Probably Moeller was just told to paint a bunch of fantasy creatures fighting and they put that on the box.

(Thanks to Jefromi for checking through the card art too, and finding Moeller's art.)

How I found this out, for future investigators: I searched Google Images for "mtg 1999 deck box", since that copyright line means it must have come out in 1999. The results showed boxes of this type were either starters or preconstructed theme boxes. "mtg starter box" didn't get me anywhere. I opened the list of MTG sets, and googled "mtg sixth edition preconstructed box", and then "mtg nemesis preconstructed box" (that box looks nemesis-y), and found photos of a box exactly like that one, and one of them was on a MTG Salvation Wiki page.


What happens when I remove Mistbind Clique with its champion trigger still on the stack?

You are correct in thinking your opponent still gets the option to exile a faerie. However, if he/she does so, the Clique's tap-down ability does not apply.

Mistbind Clique's ability reads "When a Faerie is championed with Mistbind Clique, tap all lands target player controls." The when there implies that it is a triggered ability:

  112.3c Triggered abilities have a trigger condition and an effect. They are written as "[Trigger condition], [effect]," and begin with the word "when," "whenever," or "at." Whenever the trigger event occurs, the ability is put on the stack the next time a player would receive priority and stays there until it's countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. See rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities."

Since Mistbind Clique is no longer present on the battlefield when the Champion triggered ability resolves, the tapping triggered ability will not trigger.


Can you identify this "memory" card game with 3 secret cards, lowest score wins

The rules are very close to Cabo. Differences:

number of cards

4 cards face down instead of 3, and the player may look at only two of them at the start of play

card powers

Q or J: blind swap
9 or 10: peek at another player's card
7 or 8: peek at your own card

scoring

all cards according to rank (A=1, K=13)


Dominion Nocturne: Why is Raider not better than Gold

There are 3 main factors at play which make it so that a Gold may the right choice over Raider sometimes.

Duration cards are inherently weaker than non-duration cards for 2 reasons:

First off, because you cannot play the same duration card every turn. If you have an engine that lets you draw through your deck most turns, which isn’t all that uncommon, then a single Gold will provide you with $3 to spend every turn. But a single Raider will not; you would need 2 Raiders in your deck to get the same $3 per turn.

The other reason is that Duration cards miss the shuffle more often, and thus get played fewer times on average throughout the game. If a card is in play when you shuffle your discard pile to make a new draw deck, then that card is said to “miss the shuffle”. This means that you don’t get to play that card this trip through the deck; you need to wait until you shuffle again. With treasure cards, it is very rare for them to miss the shuffle, because you don’t normally draw any cards while treasures are in play (of course there are many cards that can still cause this to happen). But with Duration cards, you will draw your next hand, as well as any cards you draw next turn, while the duration is in play. This makes it much more likely to miss the shuffle.

As mentioned in another answer, delaying the +$3 does hurt. Dominion has a snowball effect that makes it so that improving your deck early matters more than improving it later. You see this with trashing, where it is much better to trash bad cards early than it is to trash them later. If you play a Gold on turn 6, for example, then that means getting another Gold or a good $5 cost card into your deck on turn 6. Playing a Raider on turn 6 means getting that next good card into your deck on turn 7, which may or may not be one shuffle later, meaning 1 less time you play that good card throughout the game. Also, a Raider played on the final turn of the game gives you no money to spend at all, which means that even outside of missing the shuffle, the Raider is likely to help at least 1 fewer time than a Gold.

This one doesn’t impact things quite as much, but simply having the Treasure type has advantages over having the Night type in terms of various combos and interactions. Cards like Mint, Storyteller, Venture, and Ironmonger all combo with Gold while basically nothing combos with Night cards.

You can see other examples of Duration cards costing less due to the delay of their effects. Caravan is just like Laboratory except the +1 card is delayed. This difference is enough for it to cost $4 instead of $5. Similar with Caravan Guard vs Poacher, and Mastermind vs King's Court.
Finally, keep in mind that while Dominion does avoid ever having one card be strictly better than another card, it is true that some cards are generally stronger than others, and that’s part of the design. So it may in fact be that even despite all 3 points above, Raider is simply a better card than Gold most of the time.


Can I respond to a draw from Gitaxan probe?

If you want to activate Lions Eye Diamond before drawing a card, you must do so before Gitaxian Probe resolves.

You can respond to another event, like your opponent playing a spell or activating an ability.

So no, there is no opportunity to respond to your spell once it has begun resolving. You will get priority after the spell resolves, and at that time you can activate your Lion's Eye Diamond.

See this question for more details:  Can a player respond while a spell is resolving?


Enchantment and other continuous effects priority

Yes, that is entirely correct. Whenever a continuous effect comes into existence, it gets a timestamp, which represents when it came into existence relative to other effects. And, all of those effects you described affect Layer 4, so as you surmised, the order in which they are applied depends on when they were created.

It's important to note that at the end of this sequence, there are 4 continuous effects modifying the land's subtype. Whenever you want to figure out what the land's subtype is, you apply all of the effects in order. This is important because it means that when one of the effects stops applying, you just remove it from the list. For example, if Gaea's Liege leaves the battlefield, the land will be an island.


What's the technical term for the period of time between when an opponent concludes their turn and mine begins?

There is no between turns; the end of one turn transitions immediately to the beginning of the next. The last time you can definitely activate abilities and play instants before your turn is during your opponent's End Step, which is after their second main phase. The end step is is followed by the cleanup step (the last step of the turn), when players usually do not gain priority, and that is followed immediately by your untap step.

The standard way of indicating that you want to do something during this time is to wait for your opponent to say "I end my turn." (or equivalent), and then you say "During your end step, I activate my Arid Mesa's ability."

Technically, this falls under the Shortcut rules. The official tournament rules (section 4.2) list "Your turn" (and equivalents) as meaning "I propose a shortcut: that I pass priority until you have priority at my end step" and when you say "I would like to do something at your end step" it means "I accept your shortcut, and when it is complete I do something."