Can Oko's Elk ability stop nonbasics from being affected by Magus of the Moon?

No, turning Magus of the Moon into an Elk will not stop it from affecting nonbasic lands.

Both of these effects in question are continuous effects, so their interaction is described by the Interaction of Continuous Effects rules section, commonly called the "layer system". The first part of that section is the most relevant here:

  613.1. The values of an object’s characteristics are determined by starting with the actual object. For a card, that means the values of the characteristics printed on that card. For a token or a copy of a spell or card, that means the values of the characteristics defined by the effect that created it. Then all applicable continuous effects are applied in a series of layers in the following order:

  613.1a Layer 1: Copy effects are applied. See rule 706, “Copying Objects.”
  613.1b Layer 2: Control-changing effects are applied.
  613.1c Layer 3: Text-changing effects are applied. See rule 612, “Text-Changing Effects.”
  613.1d Layer 4: Type-changing effects are applied. These include effects that change an object’s card type, subtype, and/or supertype.
  613.1e Layer 5: Color-changing effects are applied.
  613.1f Layer 6: Ability-adding effects, ability-removing effects, and effects that say an object can’t have an ability are applied.
  613.1g Layer 7: Power- and/or toughness-changing effects are applied.

Magus of the Moon's effect applies at layer 4: it changes the type of nonbasic lands to Mountain. Oko's effect applies at layers 4, 5, 6, and 7: it turns the permanent into an Elk Creature, makes it green, removes its abilities, and makes it a 3/3. So, as 613.1 says, the continuous effects are applied in that order.

First, Magus of the Moon turns nonbasic lands into Mountains and Oko's effect turns the Magus into an Elk. Second, Oko's effect turns the Magus green. Third, Oko's effect removes the Magus's ability. And fourth, Oko's effect turns the Magus into a 3/3.

You may be wondering, then, how Magus of the Moon also ends up removing abilities from nonbasic lands, if its effect only applies in layer 4. The answer is rule 305.7:

  If an effect sets a land’s subtype to one or more of the basic land types, the land no longer has its old land type. It loses all abilities generated from its rules text, its old land types, and any copy effects affecting that land, and it gains the appropriate mana ability for each new basic land type. Note that this doesn’t remove any abilities that were granted to the land by other effects. Setting a land’s subtype doesn’t add or remove any card types (such as creature) or supertypes (such as basic, legendary, and snow) the land may have. If a land gains one or more land types in addition to its own, it keeps its land types and rules text, and it gains the new land types and mana abilities.


Why is "All that remains" banned from Android: Netrunner World Championships?

There is nothing banned in All That Remains.

This exception was added in the update to the Tournament Rules for the World Championship to clarify that because it was being released so close to the Championship, it would not be legal (since players would not be able to adequately play with it first).

I expect this exception to be removed in the next update now that the World Championship has concluded.


Trying to find the name of this patience-style game

This sounds like a 2-deck variation of the game, 'Golf'. The wikipedia page lists it as a starting with a 7 x 5 card layout. This website has a 2-deck version, which starts with a 9 x 7 card layout.

More rules or game play example might help to narrow it down.


What is the interaction between Muraganda Petroglyphs and Humility?

Yes, they are. The reason for this is the layer system described in rule 613. The relevant portions are:

613. Interaction of Continuous Effects
613.1. The values of an object’s characteristics are determined by starting with the actual object. For a card, that means the values of the characteristics printed on that card. For a token or a copy of a spell or card, that means the values of the characteristics defined by the effect that created it. Then all applicable continuous effects are applied in a series of layers in the following order:
613.1f Layer 6: Ability-adding effects, ability-removing effects, and effects that say an object can’t have an ability are applied.
613.1g Layer 7: Power- and/or toughness-changing effects are applied.
613.3. Within layer 7, apply effects in a series of sublayers in the order described below. Within each sublayer, apply effects in timestamp order. (See rule 613.6.) Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are applied within a sublayer. (See rule 613.7.)
613.3a Layer 7a: Effects from characteristic-defining abilities that define power and/or toughness are applied. See rule 604.3.
613.3b Layer 7b: Effects that set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value are applied. Effects that refer to the base power and/or toughness of a creature apply in this layer.
613.3c Layer 7c: Effects that modify power and/or toughness (but don’t set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value) are applied.

Let's look at a Giant Spider you have on the battlefield.
In layer 6, Humility removes its Reach, which is important because it now qualifies for Muraganda Petroglyphs.
Layer 7a is the value printed on the card, in this case 2/4.
Then, layer 7b applies: Humility sets the power and toughness to 1/1.
Then, layer 7c applies: this is Muraganda Petroglyphs' bonus, setting power and toughness to 3/3.


From the Official FAQ v2:

Q: What exactly does “(max 4)” mean on techs such as Democracy, Code
of Laws, or Pottery?
A: It means that a player can only have four coin
tokens on the Tech card at one time. If a coin token is removed from
the card, the player can fulfill the condition on the card to add
another coin token to it.


No, Cascade and Epic don't work together.

Epic creates a copy of that spell on the stack, which then resolves.

Cascade responds to spell casting. Copying a spell is not casting it. You can frequently see that on the rulings on cards that copy spells, such as on Insidious Will:

  The copy is created on the stack, so it’s not “cast.” Abilities that trigger when a player casts a spell won’t trigger.

The final nail in the coffin is that Epic says “you can't cast spells”. If somehow you did trigger Cascade, you would not be allowed to cast the spell you cascaded down to. Of course, you wouldn't be able to cast spells to trigger Cascade in the first place. (Thanks @Gendolkari.)

Only the original casting of the Epic spell will trigger Cascade. That will be the final Cascade you will see this game.


Can damage be dealt to permanents that are not creatures or planeswalkers?

In the context of of damage, "any target" is limited to creatures, players and planeswalkers:

  114.4. Some spells and abilities that refer to damage require "any target," "another target," "two targets," or similar rather than "target [something]." These targets may be creatures, players, or planeswalkers. Other game objects, such as noncreature artifacts or spells, can't be chosen.

Even if you could somehow target a non-creature/planeswalker, it would not receive damage:

  119.1a Damage can't be dealt to an object that's neither a creature nor a planeswalker.

Note however that non-creature permanents can still have damage marked on them, but the only way to do this for them to have been a creature when they took the damage:

  119.6. Damage marked on a creature remains until the cleanup step, even if that permanent stops being a creature. If the total damage marked on a creature is greater than or equal to its toughness, that creature has been dealt lethal damage and is destroyed as a state-based action (see rule 704). All damage marked on a permanent is removed when it regenerates (see rule 701.14, "Regenerate") and during the cleanup step (see rule 514.2).


Definitely a reverse, say 15-16+ HCP + distributional values.
Promises 5+ clubs.
Can be a "waiting reverse" with only 3 diamonds to elicit more information from partner, with either 3 hearts or 6+ clubs.

The point to a "waiting reverse" is when opener has multiple options for a non-ideal bid, and wishes to set the denomination after responder rebids. It should be done only in a suit below 2 of responder's suit, unless opener is stronger than a minimum reverse. As noted it is often done with 3 of responder's suit to see if responder can rebid it. It often implies slam interest, as the extra information communicated may be of more use to the defence in merely a game contract.

With a minimum reverse, opener must be able to retreat to either 3 of responder's suit or 3NT if the reverse suit is raised.


Running out of cards in Exploding Kitten

It's impossible to run out of cards. The last card in the deck is guaranteed to be an Exploding Kitten. You must either handle it using a Defuse (which would create a deck consisting of just an Exploding Kitten) or lose (which would cause the only other remaining player to win).

If you find yourself playing another turn immediately, you must contend with the Exploding Kitten a second time (unless you Attack or Skip).


When is it worthwhile to aim for visits from Nobles?

Generally I'd look to go for Nobles in one of the following situations:

There are 2 or more Nobles with matching colours. E.g. if there's a Noble that requires 4 green and 4 red, and also a Noble that requires 3 green, 3 red and 3 blue then it might be worth picking up the 11 cards (mostly from Level 1) required. If there's also a Noble that requires 4 green and 4 blue then that's 9 points for 12 cards which looks very attractive.
There are Level 3 cards which match colours on a Noble. E.g. if there's a 4 point card that needs 3 red, 6 green and 3 blue and also a Noble that needs 4 green and 4 blue then I might go for the Noble and the 4-point card.
In a 2-player game, there are only 4 tokens of each colour so it can be much harder to buy Level 3 cards. Nobles can be an easier option for 2-player games.

A few other thoughts and observations.

unlike cards, Nobles cannot be reserved. On level one there are 8 cards of each colour, so really the only way someone can stop you getting a Noble is if they claim it for themselves first.
it's possible to pick up a large number of Level 1 cards very quickly. Once you have a few cards you can pick up Level 1 cards for 1 or 2 tokens, or even for free.
buying a card costs a turn, a visit from a Noble does not. So you potentially save a turn which can be crucial.
if scores are tied at the end of the game, number of cards bought is used as a tie breaker. If you went for Nobles and the other player didn't then you'll almost certainly lose. This does happen occasionally, so it's worth bearing in mind.


In Star Fluxx, how does the game end with Play all?

Your sister is correct. The Fluxx rules do say that "as soon as someone meets these conditions, they win!"

I don't think this should be an issue, it requires her to find the "play all" (or play 3, etc.) card and there are plenty of ways you can disrupt her strategy:

Change the rules so that there is a hand limit
Change the rules to increase the play limit
Use an action or surprise card to disrupt this strategy: Trash a new rule, Trade hands, rotate hands, rules reset, That's Mine! etc.


If there are no prey conditions, does an enemy get assigned to whomever the lead investigator wishes?

Close. If you draw an enemy (e.g., from the mythos encounter deck or your own deck), then prey instructions are always ignored -- the monster automatically engages whichever investigator drew the card.  The lead investigator has no say in the matter.

However, if there are two investigators at a location, and an enemy moves into that location (e.g., from the hunter keyword) and has no prey instructions, then the lead investigator can choose who the monster engages with.

In the RRG, this is covered under the event details for the Mythos phase:

  If the card is an enemy, spawn it following any spawn instruction the
  card bears. (A spawn instruction is any text bearing a "spawn"
  precursor.) If the encountered enemy has no spawn instruction, the
  enemy spawns engaged with the investigator encountering the card and
  is placed in that investigator's threat area.


Can Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar be cast by Aluren or by Cascade effects? (Modern Horizons 2 Spoilers)

Yes, you may pay alternative costs to cast Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar, and "without paying its mana cost" is an alternative cost.

118.6. Some objects have no mana cost. This represents an unpayable cost. An ability can also have an unpayable cost if its cost is based on the mana cost of an object with no mana cost. Attempting to cast a spell or activate an ability that has an unpayable cost is a legal action. However, attempting to pay an unpayable cost is an illegal action.

118.6a If an unpayable cost is increased by an effect or an additional cost is imposed, the cost is still unpayable. If an alternative cost is applied to an unpayable cost, including an effect that allows a player to cast a spell without paying its mana cost, the alternative cost may be paid.

Note that "As long as you've discarded a card this turn you may pay [B/R] to cast this spell." also represents an alternative cost, so that's already a hint regarding alternative costs.


Is the Native discarded when moving onto a Base Camp?

BGG Answers: (Majority View)

The native Card is NOT discarded. It ignores the Base Camp requirement like any other hex.

  If the native should not ignore base camps it should’ve been stated explicitely in the rules. It isn’t. Therefore the native may move onto base camps (without trashing/removing any card) like onto any other hex (except mountains and occupied ones).

-

    ... If the native should not ignore ...

  "Ignore that space’s requirements and just place your piece on it" overrides the need to have such rule. This is how rulebooks work, from my 10 years of gaming experience.

-

  The Native does indeed ignore any and all symbols or requirements.
  It lets you move onto an adjacent hex if that move is legal (i.e. no mountain and no occupied hex, unless you have the cave tile that specifically allows that).

  If it is a base camp you don't trash cards
  if it is rubble you don't discard cards
  if it is terrain you don't need the shown strength.


In Magic, when and why did the rules change to check life totals “continuously” instead of at the end of each phase?

Wikipedia suggests this as the reasoning for the 6th edition rules changes:

  This brought that loss condition in line with the only other loss
  condition specified by the rules; a player being forced to draw a card
  when he has an empty library has always been an immediate loss.

Which is certainly more pleasingly symmetrical.

Thinking about the modern approach to Magic design, there are almost certainly other good reasons: like mana burn, it's a corner case that doesn't come up all that often (at least, not often enough for it to be worth having special rules for it); like damage on the stack, it's the sort of thing that might be counterintuitive for the new player ("What do you mean, you killed me after you were already dead? I'm not playing this stupid game...").  In general, weird intricacies of the rules that only "experienced players" are able to exploit are not favoured at Wizards any more!


If a creature planeswalker is dealt damage by a creature with infect, what happens?

Loyalty counters are different and separate from the -1/-1 counters produced by infect. -1/-1 counters affect power and toughness only. If an infected Planeswalker reverts to a non-creature, the -1/-1 counters will have no effect. They will remain until otherwise removed, or until the permanent changes zones.
Non-creature Planeswalker vs Infect Damage

Lose loyalty equal to the infect damage per rule 119.3c.
Do not gain infect counters. Rule 119.3d only applies to creatures.

Creature Planeswalker vs Infect Damage

Lose loyalty equal to the infect damage per rule 119.3c.
Gain -1/-1 counters equal to the infect damage per rule 119.3d.

Example
Gideon, Champion of Justice has five loyalty counters and five -1/-1 counters. If he resolves his zero ability to become a creature, Gideon will die the next time state-based actions are checked.
Planeswalkers are not subject to the same state-based action where a player with ten poison counters automatically loses the game. Planeswalkers cannot gain poison counters.


Is a player limited to four In-Town Deed cards?

Nope - they just only had room on the board for four. You can play as many deeds as you can pay for.

See page 19 of the rulebook, where they show a deed potentially being played 3 to the right of the Home, where there is no printed spot on the board.


Will Roalesk, Apex Hybrid, trigger Sharktocrab twice?

Yes, it would.
Even though no one gets priority in between the instructions "proliferate" and "then proliferate again"; each instruction is still a separate instance, and Sharktocrab's ability will trigger after each of them.
Abilities trigger as soon as the relevant event happens; they don't wait to trigger until an entire ability is done resolving.

603.2. Whenever a game event or game state matches a triggered ability’s trigger event, that ability automatically triggers. The ability doesn’t do anything at this point.
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.


Casting instants between first strike/normal strike combat phases

Yes, that's a thing you can do.

It works out like this:

The first strike combat damage step begins:

All creatures with first strike or double strike assign combat damage. Your 1/1 deals its damage to the 4/4, which now has 1 damage marked on it.
All players get priority.
You cast a spell—Lightning Bolt—and deal 3 damage to the 4/4. It now has 4 damage marked on it and dies.
All players (including you) choose to do nothing else, passing priority to let the next step begin.

The regular combat damage step begins:

All creatures still present now deal damage, except your 1/1 because it already dealt its first strike damage. The 4/4 is no longer around, so it won't do anything.

Your 1/1 survives this combat.

Naturally we'd normally see this scenario if you can't deal a whole 4 damage with any one spell or creature, but you can combine these damage sources to get the job done. However, you're also definitely not limited to eliminating the creature via damage in the middle of combat: if you have a spell like Murder or Final Reward you can also remove the creature that way after first strike combat damage and have the same outcome. You may choose to do things that way if your 1/1 has Lifelink, to gain some life before eliminating the enemy creature.


Can Wear / Tear destroy a Chalice of the Void with X=1?

The Wear // Tear will not be countered
As per the rules on Split cards:

708.4. In every zone except the stack, the characteristics of a split card are those of its two halves combined. This is a change from previous rules.
708.3a Only the chosen half is evaluated to see if it can be cast. Only that half is considered to be put onto the stack.
708.3b While on the stack, only the characteristics of the half being cast exist. The other half’s characteristics are treated as though they didn’t exist.

Your fuse card will either have the CMC of three in all zones except the stack, it can also have a CMC of one or two depending on which part of the split card you use or also a CMC of three on the stack if you fuse it.
It could very easily be countered if you try and destroy an enchantment with it but that is not part of your question.


When claiming victory in 011, can one select a character other than the Chosen One or Fenrir?

I think no, in both cases.
The rulebook (PDF) specifically mentions that when declaring victory, and as quoted by you (emphasis mine):

If you are a hero [...] you must move the Chosen One (by the normal movement methods) to the building where the Organ of Eternity is located
If you are the incarnation of Fenrir [...] you must move the character whose card you have in your hand (by the normal movement methods) to the same space as the Chosen One

I think "you must move the character whose card you have in your hand" rules out a Fenrir victory by bringing the Chosen One to him instead of selecting and moving Fenrir to the Chosen One.
In your second scenario, both cases in the rules specify "by the normal movement methods" which I think precludes moving a different character to the objective and then using a special movement technique to swap two players' locations.
The clarification allowing players that are declaring victory to select any character is presumably just a way to avoid meta-gaming and players choosing specific characters only to prevent an opposition win (or heroes accidentally working themselves into a corner).


What's the most efficient way of determine individual card values for my collection?

There are apps out there that can quickly scan cards as you flip through them, and provided estimated prices. Delver Lens is a good one. Not to mention it can keep track of your collection, or export to other collection tracking websites.


Relic - Activated Corruption Cards and discarding

Yes,  activated corruption cards remain activated until they are discarded via an event or action that instructs you to discard them.

Also,  note that you only check to activate corruption cards as you receive them.  eg.  if the first corruption card you recieve is a 5 it does not activate and is placed face down.  Even if you reach 5 corruption cards later in the game,  that first card will not activate.

You can find this information on page 17 of the rule book


When you take a trick, you *take* a trick

You've described something similar to Top Trumps and its many different versions.

When a player wins a trick however they add it to their deck rather than hand but the principle is similar to what you have described.


Can I sacrifice a treasure for mana not in my commanders colours?

As the rule states:

  A card's color identity is its colour plus the color of any mana
  symbols in the card's rules text.

Flash Conscription's rules text contains a white mana symbol, therefore it it's colour identity is Red/White.

The only time this does not apply is when that symbol is included in reminder text e.g. Extort like on Crypt Ghast

it should also be noted:

  903.4c The back face of a double-faced card (see rule 711) is included when determining a card's color identity.

so Elbrus, the Binding Blade / Withengar Unbound from is classed as a black card because the back face has the black colour identifier on it's type line.

Also split cards like those with fuse mechanic or aftermath also take the colour identity from both halves combined.

As for generating mana outside of your commanders colour identity, this is fine and allowed in commander rules, as of January 2016


Can I summon Interplanetarypurplythorny Dragon in response to The Monarchs Stormforth?

No, Player B cannot special summon IPPT Dragon in this scenario.

  If a monster you control is destroyed by battle or card effect and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon this card from your hand.

Tributing a monster is not considered destruction, so the requirements to activate IPPT Dragon's effect have not been met. Note that any card effect is not considered to destroy anything unless it explicitly states so.


How many different right-handed Power Swords are there on the sprues of the Space Marines?

Alright, I have done some more research, asked around and I have come to the following conclusion regarding the Power Weapons on the sprues of the regular Space Marines. Some are entire arms, others are just hands. Likewise some weapons have one bladed edge, the others two.

Tactical Marines Squad

1 left-handed double-bladed Power Sword, hand.

Assault Marines Squad

1 left-handed double-bladed Power Sword, arm.
1 left-handed single-bladed Power Axe, arm.

(Note: on the older sprues these are both right-handed)

Devastator Marines Squad

1 left-handed double-bladed Power Sword, hand.
1 left-handed single-bladed Power Axe, hand.

(Note: this is on the sprues of the new boxed set)

Vanguard Veterans

1 right-handed single-bladed Power Sword, hand.
1 right-handed single-bladed Power Axe, hand.

Command Squad

1 left-handed double-bladed Power Sword, arm. Note that this one is intended for the Company Champion, not for the Sergeant as is usual.

Space Marine Commander

1 left-handed double-bladed Power Sword, arm.


How does Song of Freyalise chapters 1-2 work?

According to the wording of this effect, my creatures will gain the {T} ability until end of turn or no?

Not exactly. The card says 'Until your next turn', so that means you can use their mana ability during your opponent's next turn (or turns, if it's a multiplayer game or they cast Time Walk) as well. Only when it's your turn again will the effect stop.


What happens when you need to tear-down a hotel but no houses are in the bank in Monopoly?

The rules state:

  When the Bank has no houses to sell,
  players wishing to build must wait for some player to return or sell
  his/her houses to the Bank before building.

and

  Houses and hotels may be sold back to the Bank at any time for
  one-half the price paid for them.

and

  All hotels on one color-group may be sold at once, or they may be
  sold one house at a time (one hotel equals five houses), evenly, in
  reverse of the manner in which they were erected.

I would say that if it is NOT possible to break up a hotel into four houses, you must sell all hotels at once, at half-face value for the entire purchase of each hotel and four houses, thus satisfying the condition "all hotels on one color-group may be sold at once".


Do Ascension's small box expansions work well with the other big boxes?

I have played all combinations of sets up through and including Realms Unraveled.

Here are my thoughts:

Immortal Heroes will mix in fine with RoTF and CoTG.
Immortal Heroes played all on it's own would grow stale quickly
Immortal Heroes and Storm of Souls together is an fun block in and of itself - maybe more fun than CoTG and RoTF.

If you have an iPhone or iPad I highly recommend the Playdeck implementation of the Ascension game - it costs a few bucks and you can play online with strangers, friends, or against the AI computer.


The Prosperity rules cover this exact situation:

  Forge - "Any number" includes zero. If you trash no cards, you have to gain
  a card costing 0 if you can.


Can my opponent really have no benched pokemon, even with a Pyroar?

Yes.   The rules only require that the player have one Pokemon in the active position.   Pokemon on the bench are optional.   If the opponents active Pokemon is knocked out, and they have no pokemon on the bench to replace it, the attacking player wins.

Pyroar has an ability, Intimidating Mane,  which reads
"Prevent all damage done to this Pokémon by attacks from your opponent's Basic Pokémon."

It is up to you to build a deck that includes an appropriate counter to the opponents Pyroar.   This could be Rayquaza's Shred attack, Golurk's Devolution Punch, Staraptor's Strong Breeze, or any other pokemon who's attack reads "This attack's damage isn't affected by any effects on the Defending Pokémon"

Or you can evolve a Stage 1 or 2 Pokemon, or Mega EX Pokemon, who's attacks aren't blocked by Pyroar's ability.

Good Luck


For the Call of Cthulhu LCG, what is the release order of the expansions?

BoardGameGeek.com lists all the Asylum Pack Expansions, along with their order of release. The database does have a field for Release Date, but usually it is blank with only the year of release noted.

-1) Forgotten Lore: Spawn of Madness, Kingsport Dreams, Conspiracies of Chaos, Dunwich Denizens, At the Mountains of Madness, Ancient Horrors

-2) The Summons of the Deep: Spawn of The Sleeper, The Horror Beneath the Surface, The Antediluvian Dream, The Terror of the Tides, The Thing from the Shore, The Path to Y'ha-nthlei

-3) The Dreamlands: Twilight Horror, In Memory of Day, In the Dread of Night, The Search for the Silver Key, Sleep of the Dead, Journey to Unknown Kadath

-4) The Yuggoth Contract: Whispers in the Dark, Murmurs of Evil, The Spoken Covenant, The Wailer Below, Screams from Within, The Cacophony

-5) The Rituals of the Order: The Twilight Beckons, Perilous Trials, Initiations of the Favored, Aspirations of Ascension, The Gleaming Spiral, That Which Consumes

-6) Ancient Relics: The Shifting Sands, Curse of the Jade Emperor, The Breathing Jungle, Never Night Into Tartarus, Shadow of the Monolith

-7) Revelations: Written and Bound, Words of Power, Ebla Restored, Lost Rites, The Unspeakable Pages, Touched by the Abyss

Deluxe Expansions: Secrets of Arkham, The Order of the Silver Twilight, Seekers of Knowledge, The Key and the Gate Terror in Venice

FFG have now retired Asylum Packs for Call of Cthulhu and will now be releasing deluxe expansions every 4 months instead, beginning with the Seekers of Knowledge.


Does a creature returned by the Undying effect have summoning sickness?

Yes,

A creature with undying returned to the battlefield would have summoning sickness.  Undying does not provide an exception to the general rule.

  302.6. A creature's activated ability with the tap symbol or the untap symbol in its activation cost can't be activated unless the creature has been under its controller's control continuously since his or her most recent turn began. A creature can't attack unless it has been under its controller's control continuously since his or her most recent turn began. This rule is informally called the "summoning sickness" rule.

As you noted, the Undying creature returns as a new creature and thus has not been under its controller's control continuously since the the turn began.


Smash Up: Microbot Fixer + Microbot Alpha

All your minions gain +1 power, because they are all Microbots.
From the FAQ,

Q: When a card makes all of your minions microbots, and further then gives all of your microbots strength bonuses, is the effect only local to the base those cards are located or are those effects global?
A: If the text does not reference “on this base” or “at this base” then it is global.

Additionally, the rules explain how to handle Ongoing abilities. Since both the Alpha Microbot and Microbot Fixer's effect are active as long as it is in play, all your Minions are Microbots and they all gain +1 Power, and the Alpha gets an additional bonus equal to the number of other Minions.

Ongoing: Most abilities happen, and then they're over. Ongoing abilities are active for as long as they're in play.


Can I use Duke to immediately restore sanity right after I discover I'm going to lose it?

No, you couldn't use Duke in that situation. Certain cards such as Flesh Ward specifically allow interrupting the order of things to prevent you from taking damage, but Duke does not.

You would need to choose to use Duke before whatever action you were taking (such as drawing an encounter), or afterwards, but it cannot interrupt the resolution of a card once it has started.

From the Arkham Horror Complete FAQ (page 14):

  Q: When can a character perform actions during a phase?
  For example, if a player with the ally Duke (“discard to
  immediately restore your Sanity to its maximum”) draws
  an encounter and has to roll a die and lose that much
  Sanity, when can he discard Duke to restore Sanity: not at
  all once the encounter card is drawn, before the roll, or
  after the roll?

  A: He may discard Duke after the roll, provided he
  has not been driven insane. Actions can be performed
  at any time during their listed phase as long as any given
  conditions are met. However, once an encounter is drawn,
  it must be resolved before any more actions can be performed.
  So, in the case of Duke, you can use him before
  or after drawing an encounter card, but if you draw the
  encounter card and it inflicts Sanity loss that reduces you
  to 0 Sanity, you go insane before you can use Duke. Flesh
  Ward is one exception to this rule because it prevents a
  Stamina loss and is intended to be used in response to such
  events. The Premonition Spell [CotDP] is another exception.


Domaine - Can you expand into an opponent's domain if your domain and his have no knights?

Yes, that is correct.

If your domain has no knights it can only expand into territory that is not part of any domain.  In this case you should get some knights into your domain and take advantage of your neighbor before he does the same to you!


Are normal infection cards still drawn after a player draws an epidemic card?

You still perform the normal draws from the infection deck, after increasing the infection rate, infecting a new city with 3 cubes, and increasing the intensity of the infection.

If a card is an Epidemic card, instead of taking the card in hand, refer to the rules for Epidemics, below. After drawing the required cards, take on the role of the Infector. See Playing the Infector on page 7.
Playing the Infector - Draw cards from the Infection Draw Pile equal to the current Infection Rate and add one cube to the pictured cities, using a cube of the same color as each card. (Page 7)


How to show turn order when turn order can change during the round

No matter what method you decide on, you will need to keep track of two things, the current turn order and the next turn order. I have a few options you could try:

Two Tracks

You can simply have two tracks that will show current and next turn orders. This is a simple solution, players can all stay in their seats and the turn will just jump around the table, this is good for certain games where the "player to your left" or "player to your right" kind of abilities do not exist.

Musical Chairs and Chips

This is good for games where "player to your left" or "player to your right" kind of abilities do exist. You have the players sit clockwise in turn order. And they will start each round holding a chip with their number on it. When switching turn orders throughout the game, players just switch these chips. At the start of each round, players will reseat themselves according to turn order.

Infinite Stacking Track

This is a bit complex, but the idea is that each player has a token with his color/team on it. And there is an "infinite" track, (this could just be a very long track) Initial turn order is decided and tokens are placed in that order on the track, whenever a player modifies a turn order, you simply move the token up or down the track, if a token already exists on that you place yours below that token.

This way, when a new turn is started, going from the first tile in the track towards the end and working from the top-most token down. You get an extra little mechanic where some tiles are blank, which means players after those tiles would need to work extra-hard to get ahead of those that are already passed them. The difference a regular track is that in a regular track you would just replace the tokens instead of stack them.

Double Secret Cards

This is a good method if at some point the turn order might be randomized, or you want to keep the turn order secret, similar to the Two Tracks suggestion you would have 2 sets of cards, one for the current turn, one for the next turn (maybe a different color on the back?) Players would start the game where both cards are the same number (turn order) and only when it's that players turn, he would reveal that he is the player with that number, (revealing the current card color) in this way, players can manipulate the turn order in secret (which adds an interesting element to the game).

The only pitfall is that players need to remember who they gave the next turn cards to, so they can also give them the current turn cards at the end of the turn.


Can I cast spells right before the end of my opponent's second main phase?

Yes, you will always have a chance to play you spells and abilities at the end of each step and phase where players get priority, including the post-combat main phase. If you do, you can't prevent your opponent from continuing his main phase after your spell.
A step or phase when players get priority ends if and only if the stack is empty and every player in turn order has passed priority. Since you want to play your spell during your opponent's turn, he will have to pass first, which gives you priority and the opportunity to cast your spell.
If your opponent passes priority and you cast a spell or activate an ability, when you are done doing that, priority will pass back to your opponent, allowing him to continue his main phase with everything that involved, including casting sorceries. That's because not every player has passed priority in succession.

500.1. A turn consists of five phases, in this order: beginning, precombat main, combat, postcombat main, and ending. Each of these phases takes place every turn, even if nothing happens during the phase. The beginning, combat, and ending phases are further broken down into steps, which proceed in order.
500.2. A phase or step in which players receive priority ends when the stack is empty and all players pass in succession. Simply having the stack become empty doesn’t cause such a phase or step to end; all players have to pass in succession with the stack empty. Because of this, each player gets a chance to add new things to the stack before that phase or step ends.

Also note that if your opponent says "your turn" or something similar, what he's really doing is proposing a shortcut to the end of his turn, i.e. that both players pass priority and do nothing until the beginning of your turn. You are not obliged to accept that shortcut, and regardless of agreed-upon shortcuts, all steps and phases happen every turn, even if nothing happens during them.

500.1. A turn consists of five phases, in this order: beginning, precombat main, combat, postcombat main, and ending. Each of these phases takes place every turn, even if nothing happens during the phase. [..]
720.2a At any point in the game, the player with priority may suggest a shortcut by describing a sequence of game choices, for all players, that may be legally taken based on the current game state and the predictable results of the sequence of choices. [..]
720.2b Each other player, in turn order starting after the player who suggested the shortcut, may either accept the proposed sequence, or shorten it by naming a place where they will make a game choice that’s different than what’s been proposed. [..]


Is splitting your 3 settlements allowed?

As long as you are next to your existing settlements and the terrain types match the card, there is no requirement that the three settlements that you play be in the same physical piece of terrain.


If you are looking for bullets to represent life, look into purchasing snap caps or plastic dummy rounds. These products are normally used for safe handgun dry fire training.

If there is a gun show near you, you can likely get a pack of 20 for 15 dollars. Or try e-commerce.


What are the rules with attached creepers in Cthulhu Fluxx?

You cannot win with a creeper out, even if it is attached to an investigator, unless that creeper is a condition of the victory (such as the Insane Nightmares goal)

See this image taken from http://i.imgur.com/PEk2UQV.jpg for the card text:


When I get rewarded with a crystal and already have 3, do I forfeit the reward?

Effectively, you're forced to use the new crystal immediately. You gain a mana token of the crystal's colour directly into your Play area.

From the rules, page 5, under "Gain" Effects:

  If an effect tells you to gain a crystal, take a mana token of the corresponding color and put it in your Inventory. If you already have three crystals of that color, gain a mana token of that color to your Play area instead.


Does a creature block when it is declared as a blocker or when damage is dealt?

Bob can activate Labyrinth of Skophos targeting either creature, but it won't save his creature.
Dead-Iron Sledge doesn't require the creatures to still be attacking or blocking when it resolves. It will destroy the creatures even if they have been removed from combat. It triggers when the equipped creature is declared as a blocker or another creature is declared as blocking it. After that moment, it doesn't matter at all if the equipped creature is still blocking or being blocked; all that matters is that the ability triggered. *
So the question of when a creature stops being considered a blocker or being blocked is irrelevant to Dead-Iron Sledge; it doesn't care. But to answer that question as well:
A creature controlled by the defending player is considered to be "blocking" from the moment it is declared as a blocker, and stops being a blocking creature if it is removed from combat. An attacking creature is considered to be "blocked" from the moment a creature is declared as a blocker for it, and remains "blocked" even if the blocking creature is removed from combat.
In other words, there are different rules for the attackers vs the blockers. "Block" in the context of "is this creature blocked?" doesn't have the same meaning as "blocking" in terms of "is this a blocking creature?"

Declare Blockers Step

509.1g Each chosen creature still controlled by the defending player becomes a blocking creature. Each one is blocking the attacking creatures chosen for it. It remains a blocking creature until it’s removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 506.4.

509.1h An attacking creature with one or more creatures declared as blockers for it becomes a blocked creature; one with no creatures declared as blockers for it becomes an unblocked creature. This remains unchanged until the creature is removed from combat, an effect says that it becomes blocked or unblocked, or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. A creature remains blocked even if all the creatures blocking it are removed from combat.

The rulings are different because 509.1g is different than 509.1h. 509.1g says that a blocking creature stops being a blocking creature if it is removed from combat. However, 509.1h says that just because a blocking creature is no longer a blocking creature doesn't mean that the creature is was blocking is no longer blocked.
In simplest terms, it is possible for an attacking creature to be considered blocked, but without any blocking creatures around.
Check out Curtain of Light. This actually causes an attacking creature to become blocked without ever having a creature blocking it. This shows that there's a difference between "is blocked" and "has a creature blocking it".
*Putting this at the bottom because it's helpful, but not necessary to the actual answer. If Dead-Iron Sledge instead said "Whenever equipped creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, destroy target blocked or blocking creature", then it would be different; it would matter if the creature was removed from combat, because it would be a targeted ability. When a targeted ability resolves, it checks to see if the targets are still valid. If you targeted a blocking or blocked creature that was removed from combat, then it would no longer be a valid target for the ability, so it would fizzle (leave the stack without resolving and have no effect). But instead it says "destroy both creatures", so it doesn't target anything.


Hypergenesis vs Containment Priest - How does it resolve?

Containment Priest exiles just Progenitus. Admonition Angel's landfall ability triggers once.

Containment Priest's ability is a replacement effect (rule 614.1a says "Effects that use the word 'instead' are replacement effects."). Rule 614.4 says

  Replacement effects must exist before the appropriate event occurs—they can’t “go back in time” and change something that’s already happened. Spells or abilities that generate these effects are often cast or activated in response to whatever would produce the event and thus resolve before that event would occur.

Admonition Angel enters the battlefield before Containment Priest, so it is not exiled. But by the time Progenitus would enter, Containment Priest is already on the battlefield, so Progenitus is exiled instead.

Admonition Angel's Landfall ability (like any Landfall ability) is a triggered ability because rule 603.1 says

  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.” They can also be expressed as “[When/Whenever/At] [trigger event], [effect].”

Rule 603.6d says

  Normally, objects that exist immediately after an event are checked to see if the event matched any trigger conditions. Continuous effects that exist at that time are used to determine what the trigger conditions are and what the objects involved in the event look like. However, some triggered abilities must be treated specially. [Several exceptions that don't apply here].

Like with Containment Priest, immediately after the Mountain enters the battlefield, the Admonition Angel is already on the battlefield, so its ability triggers.


Will Mirror Gallery make it impossible for your Mox Amber to produce mana?

No, legendary permanents are still legendary with Mirror Gallery on the field and will count for Mox Amber.
Mirror Gallery only makes the "legend rule" not apply. It does not change any object in the game. In particular, it does not remove the "legendary" object supertype from anything.
The only way for Mox Amber to not produce mana is if you don't control any colored, legendary creatures or planeswalkers. Note that the game makes a distinction between types of mana and colors of mana. "Colorless" is a type of mana, but not a color, so Mox Amber will not produce any mana if you control only, for example, Karn, Silver Golem or Karn Liberated.

106.1a There are five colors of mana: white, blue, black, red, and green.
106.1b There are six types of mana: white, blue, black, red, green, and colorless.
105.2c A colorless object has no color.


Abilities that need a name and unnamed tokens

Actually, the tokens made by Rousing of Souls will have the name "Spirit" by 110.5c:

  110.5c. A spell or ability that creates a creature token sets both its name and its creature type. If the spell or ability doesn't specify the name of the creature token, its name is the same as its creature type(s). A "Goblin Scout creature token," for example, is named "Goblin Scout" and has the creature subtypes Goblin and Scout. Once a token is on the battlefield, changing its name doesn't change its creature type, and vice versa.

However, as there is no card named "Spirit", you cannot name it for Secrets of Paradise (per 201.3).

  201.3. If an effect instructs a player to name a card, the player must choose the name of a card that exists in the Oracle card reference (see rule 108.1) and is legal in the format of the game the player is playing. (See rule 100.6.) If the player wants to name a split card, the player must choose the name of one of its halves, but not both. (See rule 708.) If the player wants to name a flip card's alternative name, the player may do so. (See rule 709.) If the player wants to name the back face of a double-faced card, the player may do so. (See rule 711.) A player may not choose the name of a token unless it's also the name of a card.

Note that situations have occurred in the past, where "token names" have later been elevated to "card name" status. For example, in Future Sight, the white spellshaper, Goldmeadow Lookout made tokens named "Goldmeadow Harrier". At the time, you could not name "Goldmeadow Harrier" if an effect asked you to name a card. Sometime later, in Lorwyn block, Goldmeadow Harrier was actually printed as a creature card, which then did allow you name it if an effect asked you to name a card.


Any.

Your graveyard is a graveyard.
Your opponent's graveyard is a graveyard.
Cards in either graveyards are cards in a graveyard.

It would say "your graveyard" or "an opponent's graveyard" otherwise.


How can we remember to score points for claimed routes?

We usually just don't bother to score any points at all until the end of the game.  Then, you go over all the claimed routes and score them, as well as scores for tickets to determine the winner.


You need deck sleeves.

They should be available at your local game store, or from any number of online suppliers.  They are available in various sizes, so be sure to bring a sample card along while shopping (or measure it precisely before hand).

Online you can find lower quality sleeves for around 1 cent apiece in bulk.  Higher quality sleeves may cost upwards of 10 cents/sleeve.  The higher quality will give you a sleeve that shuffles much easier and can optionally have an opaque back.  (An opaque back is desirable if some of your cards are marked or bent due to heavy use).

Ultra-Pro and Fantasy Flight are two high quality well known manufacturers to ask for if you want somewhere to start.


This is speculation, but Borborygmos has a heavy flavor angle of the barbarian trope of fighting and feasting.  The flavor text on the original printing of Borborygmos references the only other two cards in the original Ravnica block referencing Borborygmos, Wreak Havoc (where he is quoted saying, "Crush Them!") and Protean Hulk (where he is quoted saying, "Meat and eggs.  We eat!").  What better name for him than the rumbling of the intestines?  It combines his two obsessions of brawling and eating.
See the flavor text on the following three cards:


When and Why did the Catan number distribution change

Having spent a bit more time with the rule book and the internet I've come to the conclusion this is a combination of two factors.

The image supplied above from the 5th edition rule book is a beginner set up that has no relation to the letters on the back of the number chits. It is purely a "balanced", and non-blocking starting point allowing new players to get into the game without too much trouble.
There's a printing error on the Chits in my copy (no idea how wide spread it is).

The printing error has two separate sources of verification.
This Distribution Question include a list of the Letter to number combinations that match my older set and (really tellingly) match this image from the Almanac of the fifth edition.

The numbers I have are in a slightly different sequence such that one 6 is swapped with an 11 (I and P), and one 9 is swapped with a 5 (M and O). Which leads to commonly paired 9s and 11s. Given the image Q above, this is probably a printing error.


How to "dematerialize" a deck in the Magic Assistant card manager?

It looks like you can accomplish this by doing the following:

Open up the deck you want to convert.
Select the entire list of cards.
Right click and click Edit Card...
Change the Ownership dropdown to "Virtual" and click OK.
Copy the list of cards, and paste into the main collection.

This will result in each card appearing as physically owned in the collection and virtually owned in the deck. If you do this, you may want to also modify the deck's properties to make it Virtual so that cards you add to it in the future will be virtual.


Can I use Act of Aggression to steal their attacking creature and block with it?

Yes, that's fine.  You would play the spell during the declare attackers step, after attackers are declared, but before proceeding to the declare blockers step.  Then you are free to declare it as a blocker.  If you wait for your declare blockers step, it's too late to block with the creature.

The ordering is:

Declare Attackers Starts:
Turn Based Action - Attackers are declared
Players get Priority <- Cast Spell Now!
Declare Blockers Starts:
Turn Based Action - Blockers are declared
Players get Priority <- Too late
to use as blocker if cast now!

Any time a creature changes controllers, it is automatically removed from combat, so it will no longer be considered attacking you (or attacking/blocking at all if it previously was).


Yes, Kaya's Ghostform should return Hanged Executioner to the battlefield.

Kaya's Ghostform's ability says

  When enchanted permanent dies or is put into exile, return that card to the battlefield under your control.

Exiling Hanged Executioner to pay the cost to activate its ability puts it into exile, which triggers Kaya's Ghostform's ability and should put the Hanged Executioner back on the battlefield.

If Arena did not do that, that is an error on Arena's part. I suggest that you make the developers aware of this bug by following the instructions on this page.


Warhammer 40k: Do 'decurion' style detachments comprised of multiple formations still count as one detachment for ITC purposes?

“Decurion Style” Detachments comprised of multiple sub-detachments count as 1 detachment towards the 3 detachment limit.

Source: ITC 2017 FAQ and Format Guidelines  (linked from ITC2017 FAQ, Format and Scenarios)

A new edition may render this answer obsolete, but until then, this is the official ITC position.  Including full text for posterity:

  An army may duplicate a single Detachment, one time.

  Example: A list
  may include 2 CADs, but not 3 CADs. Or, a single CAD, and 2 Allied
  Detachments. Or, 3 Formations, 2 of which are the same Formation, etc.

  This includes “Decurion Style” Meta-Detachments which are comprised of
  multiple datasheets and Formations. They may only take a single
  duplicate Formation, one time within the Meta-Detachment, although
  they make take duplicate Data Slate units within the Detachment if
  permitted to do so. Example: Necrons may take the Decurion with 2
  Canoptek Harvest formations within it, but no other duplicate
  formations.

  Note: “Decurion Style” Detachments comprised of multiple
  sub-detachments count as 1 detachment towards the 3 detachment limit.


Keeper Action Card Reuse in Mansions of Madness

Yes,

Unless restricted by the card, the Keeper is only restricted by his available threat in terms of using the same Keeper Action multiple times.

See this errata by the designer on BoardGameGeek.  It's obvious that the errata is meant to limit the usage.  If the default was once/turn, there would be no need for the errata.


When trying to quickly end the game, is it better to skip building cities?

If you are trying to rush the game - which is certainly a valid strategy if your early rolls force you in that direction - just buy developments whenever you can. If you have fewer cities, every turn you spend playing catch-up is a turn your opponents with more cities can buy either more-expensive (and more VP) developments or monuments. You're trying to dash across the finish line before they can reap the benefits of their well-developed engines. You won't be able to make much use of your developments, so just get what you can afford and gives you points.

One advantage of this is that if you are threatening the end of the game, say with 4 developments, your opponents will have trouble committing to the big, efficient monuments (that aren't worth anything if incomplete) and will have to settle for the smaller ones that are worth fewer points per worker. This is particularly troublesome for them if you're later in the turn order.

If you or your friends finds that a rush strategy makes the game too short, you may prefer the official Late Bronze Age variant that user1873 alluded to.


Yes, you may look at the card, since you control it:

  707.5. At any time, you may look at a face-down spell you control on the stack or a face-down permanent you control (even if it’s phased out). You can’t look at face-down cards in any other zone or face-down spells or permanents controlled by another player.

No, your opponent may not look at the card, since 707.5 only allows the controller to look at it.
N/A see #1
No, a manifested card does not go on the stack; manifesting is an action taken as part of a spell/ability resolving.
See #4

Also, see rule 701.32 for more information on Manifest.


Does adding a +1/+1 counter count as "gaining attack?"

From the FAQ at VsSystem2PCG.AlterVista.org, regarding Mystique's Bitter Fury:

Question

  Does adding counters count as her gaining ATK? What about Trickster God switching her ATK/DEF, would she gain 5 xp as she turns into a 6/1?

Answer

  Yes and Yes.


Which of these rules for a Scrabble first turn play are official?

Like you said, the center tile counts as a Double Word Score tile, so whoever plays first gets double the points.  That is an official rule.

The second and third rules mentioned are house rules, and are not supported in the Scrabble rules.  The second rule would prevent you from hitting one of the adjacent Double Letter Score spaces, as even a 7 letter word wouldn't be long enough to reach it, since they are 5 spaces away.

Even the most recent Scrabble Tournament rules clearly indicate that the first word played must simply cover the center tile, and be spelled top-to-bottom or left-to-right.


Does Scrabble allow playing words which contain diacritics in their original spelling?

Scrabble does indeed allow words of a foreign origin IF they are used consistently enough in the English language to appear in an English dictionary.

Generally speaking this would result in the spelling being anglicised to remove diacritics since they have no meaning in English. As such you are highly likely to find the words naive, nee, cafe in an English dictionary without diacritics, thus they are usable.

From the Scrabble rules (at the end under Accepted Scrabble Words):

  When playing an English version of the game, foreign words are not allowed to be placed on the board. However, if the foreign word does appear in a standard English dictionary, it is allowed. The reason for this is due to the fact that the word is spoken enough and is considered part of the English language.

It is also worth noting that even in the French edition of Scrabble diacritical marks are not present in the letters and are merely inferred by placing the appropriate unmodified letter.

The Wikipedia entry for Scrabble letter distribution also specifically states that diacritical marks such as é are ignored in words borrowed from French.


According to the rulings on this card's gatherer entry

  01/10/2008 If the exiled card is an Aura, that card's owner chooses what it will enchant as it comes back onto the battlefield. An Aura put onto the battlefield this way doesn't target anything, but the Aura's enchant ability restricts what it can be attached to. If the Aura can't legally be attached to anything, it remains exiled forever.

It would appear that option 2 in your question is the correct interpretation.


In Dominion Intrigue does Bridge Stack with Itself

Indeed it does.  From the rulebook:

The effect is cumulative; if you Throne Room a Bridge, all cards will cost 2 coins less this turn.

Obviously the effect will still be cumulative if you just play two Bridges in one turn!


You move your piece to Jail and must wait until the next turn to play the card.

The official rules only talk about using "Get Out of Jail Free" in one place:

  You get out of Jail by... (1) throwing doubles on any of your next
  three turns; if you succeed in doing this you immediately move
  forward the number of spaces shown by your doubles throw; even
  though you had thrown doubles, you do not take another turn;
  (2) using the “Get Out of Jail Free” card if you have it; (3) purchasing
  the “Get Out of Jail Free” card from another player and playing it;
  (4) paying a fine of $50 before you roll the dice on either of your next
  two turns.

There is nothing in the rules that suggests you can use this card to avoid going to Jail.


When can cards/power ups be played in King of Tokyo (and Power Up! expansion)?

The King of Tokyo rules only define two types of cards, Keep and Discard. (Page 2). There is no such thing as Temporary or Permanent cards. Many cards seem to represent power ups of the Monsters, but this isn't a game term.

Card Description
How to play the card is indicated above the description of the effect.
KEEP: Monsters keep these cards for the remainder of the game (sometimes the card will indicate it is discarded under certain circumstances.)
DISCARD: Monsters immediately resolve these then discard them.

As the Card Description indicates, the cards themselves will indicate when they can be played, with the exception of DISCARD cards that are played immediately after being purchased. Unless a card notes otherwise, you may play it and gain its effects immediately.
Permanent/Temporary Evolution cards can be played at any time, barring a timing restriction printed on the card. From the expansion rules (page 2)

Evolutions - Monsters keep their evolutions secret until they want to play them – which can be at any time. There are two kind of Evolutions:
Temporary Evolution: They are discarded after being played.
Permanent Evolution: They stay in play like a Keep card from the base game.


If face down permanents have no abilities, why are they affected by "loses all abilities"?

the community here seems fairly certain that Morph is not an ability.

Morph is an ability.

702.36a Morph is a static ability that functions in any zone from which you could play the card it’s on [...]

But the face-down permanent doesn't have it.

707.2. Face-down spells and face-down permanents have no characteristics other than those listed by the ability or rules that allowed the spell or permanent to be face down. [...]
702.36b To cast a card using its morph ability, turn it face down. It becomes a 2/2 face-down creature card, with no text, no name, no subtypes, and no mana cost. [...]

This is confirmed by a ruling on Muraganda Petroglyphs.

Muraganda Petroglyphs gives a bonus only to creatures that have no rules text at all. This includes true vanilla creatures (such as Grizzly Bears), face-down creatures, many tokens, and creatures that have lost their abilities (due to Ovinize, for example). [...]

how does losing all abilities prevent a face down permanent from being turned face up?

The special action that allows a face-down card to be turned face-up checks the morph cost of the card as if it were face-up.

702.36d If you have priority, you may turn a face-down permanent you control face up. This is a special action; it doesn’t use the stack (see rule 115). To do this, show all players what the permanent’s morph cost would be if it were face up, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. (If the permanent wouldn’t have a morph cost if it were face up, it can’t be turned face up this way.) The morph effect on it ends, and it regains its normal characteristics. Any abilities relating to the permanent entering the battlefield don’t trigger when it’s turned face up and don’t have any effect, because the permanent has already entered the battlefield.

The effect suppressing the abilities of a face-down card with morph would continue to affect it once it's turned face-up too[1], so it wouldn't have a morph cost if it were face-up, so it cannot be turned face-up by the special action described in 702.36d.
This is confirmed by the The Khans of Tarkir Release Notes.

If a face-down creature loses its abilities, it can't be turned face up because it no longer has morph (or a morph cost).

If the effect wouldn't affect the face-up permanent (e.g. "Permanents with no names lose all abilities" created by a static ability), then you could morph it.


Journey to Eternity and Thrashing Brontodon

Yes, the Journey to Eternity will return to the battlefield transformed and the Thrashing Brontodon will also return to the battlefield.

The exact sequence of events is as follows:

You activate Thrashing Brontodon's ability targeting Journey to Eternity. While paying the cost, you sacrifice Thrashing Brontodon, which triggers Journey to Eternity's ability.
Journey to Eternity is no longer attached to a creature, so it is put into your graveyard as a state-based action [CR 704.5m]
Journey to Eternity's triggered ability goes on the stack on top of Thrashing Brontodon's ability.
Journey to Eternity's ability resolves, returning Thrashing Brontodon to the battlefield and returning Journey to Eternity to the battlefield transformed.
Thrashing Brontodon's ability starts to resolve, but it no longer has a legal target because the Journey to Eternity left the battlefield, so it is countered by the rules [CR 608.2b]


Does a game exist where some win, some lose, and some don't?

Yes. Though it's rare, some games mix up what it means to win and to lose, because why not? Games typically treat everyone as either 100% winner or 100% loser, but it doesn't have to be that way.

In real life, there are many situations where you don't just win or lose, and a lot of people are satisfied if they're able to maintain their situation. Some games mimic this.

For example, in Galaxy Trucker, rules are set out based on the story of the game. Since you're a simple trucker trying to make a living, you're a winner if you've made any money at all that game (though, as in real life, some people win more than others). If you're in debt then you've made a loss from the venture, so you're a loser. If you're on exactly 0 then you've managed to keep flying without winning or losing!

A friend of mine has a game they're making with several different endings:

If the players can't keep the game's from reaching a lose condition, everyone loses.
If the players do too well then the problem goes away without the higher ups noticing, so nobody loses but nobody wins.
If the players hold off the lose condition for long enough, the higher ups notice and reward the best player. This player wins, but nobody loses!

While some people may play with the main goal of simple victory, it can be quite refreshing when your victory, loss or otherwise is more interesting than just numerical competitiveness.


Clarifying combat damage to player with abilities like Bloodthirst and Cipher

A player and his or her creatures are separate things. Dealing combat damage to a creature does not count as dealing combat damage to that creature's controller, and vice versa. Also, regarding your last sentence, a player never deals damage to anything, only sources controlled by that player, such as spells and creatures.


It is a common mistake to think of treasure as cards you play in order to buy something. Instead, it is important to remember that playing a Treasure card is almost just like playing an Action card that produces coin when played (such as Market or Legionary). Playing a Silver simply adds $2 to your pool of coins you can spend this turn, just like playing a Market adds $1.

So at the start of your buy phase, you will play all the Treasure cards you want to play this turn (which more often than not is just all of the Treasure cards in your hand). Then you will buy the card or cards that you want, and if you have leftover coin after doing so, you can use it to pay off debt.

This has the practical effect of being able to spend $4 to buy an Engineer just as if it cost $4 instead of 4 debt; but the actual steps you are taking is to first buy Engineer for $0, taking 4 debt, and then spending $4 to pay off that 4 debt.


There's two parts to this.

False Summoning is actually an Instant.
False Summoning was introduced in a Portal set. Portal sets didn't have Instants.

Gatherer actually has the wrong card image for the Masters Edition print; they just re-used the image from the Portal Second Age print. Scryfall has the correct image in which the card is an Instant.

But, back to how this happened to begin with: back in 1997 thru 1999, Wizards released three Portal sets (Portal in 1997, Portal Second Age in 1998, and Portal Three Kingdoms in 1999). These products targeted new players as a teaching aid to introduce them to the game. In an effort to simplify the game, it did things like:

use sword/shield icons for power and toughness
rename blockers to interceptors (only in Portal '97)
never call a card an Instant
and more!

A great example of all three of these particular differences at once is the card Defiant Stand. You'll notice it's an Instant in the Oracle text on Gatherer.

That third one is the operative factor here. If a card needed instant timing, then in Portal it was instead printed with “Sorcery” on the type line, and it was printed with a specific instruction as to when you could/must play the card, and that meant you could cast it at that time (and only at that time). Hence we also get Sorcery counterspells that say you can cast them in response to someone else casting a spell. Make no mistake: this wouldn't work at all in regular Magic rules (you still don't have permission to cast a sorcery at those times) but Portal was operating on simplified rules.

Now, teaching the player the game this way has some major problems. In particular, it's teaching the player poorly about how Sorceries work. Wizards of the Coast eventually decided this was the wrong approach too, and the Portal sets are no more. When Starter 1999 was released, instants were correctly labelled as such.


Can I summon a token?

No.

The "standard" way to cast a spell is to follow these steps (this is an extremely condensed version of comprehensive rule 601.2):

Take the card out of your hand and put it on the stack
Announce the spell (e.g., "I cast Elvish Mystic.")
Pay the costs of the spell

Tokens are not real Magic: the Gathering cards. They cannot exist in your hand. They do not have mana costs. You cannot add tokens to your deck. The rules simply do not allow you to cast them.

What are "tokens", exactly?

Tokens are markers that represent permanents.

  110.5. Some effects put tokens onto the battlefield. A token is a marker used to represent any permanent that isn’t represented by a card.

How are tokens created?

It goes something like this:

You cast spells and activate abilities.
Spells and abilities create effects.
Effects create tokens.

What about those cards that come with booster packs that look kinda like real cards?

Those are tokens, and again, they are not real Magic: the Gathering cards. They exist only to give you, the player, something to use as a marker. They usually look like the thing they are representing, which makes them far more player-friendly than, for example, a die, or a piece of torn paper. You can't exactly turn a die sideways to show that it is tapped.


Are you required to call a judge if you're not involved in the game?

Covered by the Tournament Rules:

  Any person physically present at a tournament and not in any other category above is a spectator. Spectators are responsible for remaining silent and passive during matches and other official tournament sections in which players are also required to be silent. If spectators believe they have observed a rules or policy violation, they are encouraged to alert a judge as soon as possible. At Regular or Competitive REL, spectators are permitted to ask the players to pause the match while they alert a judge. At Professional REL, spectators must not interfere with the match directly.

(Emphasis mine)


Ways to find and purchase out-of-print / rare / old supplies?

If you are looking for something like this that you can't easily find through most normal sellers I would try contacting the Customer Service departments of larger sellers like Star City Games or Channel Fireball and see if they have any way of finding the item in question for you. I don't know if CFB does this, but SCG does have a process for managing user requests, they might not have it in stock now, but knowing that you are interested in buying one means they are likely to acquire one if they come across a seller.


Sakashima's Student and Stinkdrinker Bandit

No, the Ninjutsu'd Stinkdrinker Bandit's ability will not trigger.

Stinkdrinker Bandit's ability is a triggered ability. When the defending player has decided on his blockers, it triggers for every Rogue that is now unblocked. It will not trigger again during the current combat phase.

If you want to Ninjutsu your Stinkdrinker Bandit with Sakashima's Student, you can only do so after blockers have already been declared because of Ninjutsu's  timing restrictions: An unblocked creature is any attacking creature that, after the blockers have been declared, has not been assigned a blocker. By that time, it's too late for the copied Stinkdrinker Bandit to trigger his ability.

For your combo to work, Stinkdrinker Bandit's ability would have to be a static ability and read something like "Attacking and unblocked Rogues you control get +2/+1". In that case, it wouldn't matter when the Stinkdrinker Bandit would enter the battlefield, as long as it's before the end of combat.


Can non-creature permanents have +1/+1 counters?

Lands (any permanent, really) can have +1/+1 counters just fine. In fact, Llanowar Reborn enters the battlefield with one! The counter(s) will not go away just because your blinkmoth stops being a creature.

Of course, the +1/+1 counter doesn't do anything until the land becomes a creature again, but the +1/+1 counter will still be there.


Do Attacking Creatures Deal Damage Simultaneously or Sequentially?

From the Comprehensive Rules:

  510.1. First, the active player announces how each attacking creature assigns its combat damage, then
  the defending player announces how each blocking creature assigns its combat damage.

  510.2. Second, all combat damage that’s been assigned is dealt simultaneously.

Note that it is possible to get the sequential effect you want if you have a way of giving your Miner the ability First Strike (or Double Strike). All creatures with First Strike deal damage first, and then there is time to flicker your Miner before other creatures deal damage.


Can I enter a non-target foreign home in Chinese Checkers?

It depends on the version of the rules. Some versions let the unused homes occupied by unused pegs making them unusable. But some versions let them open so they can be used.

This also implies that you can uses unoccupied foreign homes of other players.

Source.


Does Reduce to Ashes Kill indestructible creatures?

The creature will not die or be exiled.

The ability Indestructible is defined in rule 702.12b:

  A permanent with indestructible can’t be destroyed. Such permanents aren’t destroyed by lethal damage, and they ignore the state-based action that checks for lethal damage (see rule 704.5g).

So, if you resolve Reduce to Ashes targeting an indestructible creature with 5 or less toughness, this is how it plays out:

First, Reduce to Ashes deals 5 damage to the creature. For the rest of the turn, if that creature would die, it is exiled instead.

Then, State-based actions are checked. In particular, rule 704.5g says

  If a creature has toughness greater than 0, and the total damage marked on it is greater than or equal to its toughness, that creature has been dealt lethal damage and is destroyed. Regeneration can replace this event.

But the creature has indestructible, so it can't be destroyed and nothing happens.

Then, since the creature wouldn't die, the replacement effect never happens. Rule 614.7 says

  If a replacement effect would replace an event, but that event never happens, the replacement effect simply doesn’t do anything.

However if the creature dies for some unrelated reason (if its controller sacrifices it, for example), then the replacement effect will kick in, and the creature will be exiled.


In Magic, when one event triggers multiple abilities simultaneously, you put all the triggers on the stack and resolve them one by one, sequentially.

So, what's actually happening with the triggers is this:

Both Plague Spitters' abilities trigger at the same time. Since you control both, you can put them on the stack in whatever order you choose. We'll say you put ability #1 on the stack first, then ability #2.

Stack is: PS1, PS2.

If nobody adds more stuff to the stack, we begin resolving abilities on the stack. Plague Spitter ability #2 at the top of the stack resolves and does 1 damage to each creature. You check to see if any creatures died, but they all have 2 toughness, so they don't. Also, the damage triggers Rite of Passage. You put the Rite of Passage triggers (one for each creature) on top of the stack. If there are three creatures, there are three separate triggers.

Stack is: PS1, RoP1, RoP2, RoP3.

(Note that the RoP triggers are on the stack, so none of your guys have +1/+1 counters yet, but they all do have one damage marked on them. If I Gut Shot one of your Plague Spitters right now, I could wipe your board using its death trigger.)
All pass. We resolve RoP trigger #3.

Stack is: PS1, RoP1, RoP2.

All pass. We resolve RoP trigger #2.

Stack is: PS1, RoP1.

All pass. We resolve RoP trigger #1. (Now all your creatures have a +1/+1 counter on them.)

Stack is: PS1.

All pass. We resolve Plague Spitter trigger #1. The Plague Spitter does 1 damage to each creature. We check if any of them died. They all have three toughness now, because of the counters, so nope. Rite of Passage triggers again (for each creature).

Stack is: RoP4, RoP5, RoP6.

(Continue resolving RoP triggers.)
You'll end up with a bunch of 4/4 creatures (2/2s with two +1/+1 counters each) with 2 damage marked on them.


Player targeted by Executive Order card must obey the other player order?

You can try giving orders, but the other player is in full control of the actions.

For this reason, never XO the person to your left unless all Cylons have been positively identified.  Giving a Cylon 3 actions in a row is very hard to overcome!


No, a Pawn must be promoted to a Knight, Bishop, Rook, or Queen.
Yes, pawn promotion isn't limited to captured pieces.
My guess is that normal people don't carry around multiple sets of pieces, probably only tournaments. Most likely tournaments keep far more queens around than other pieces since promotion is usually to a queen (99% of the time).
The Wikipedia page says this (emphasis mine):

Promotion is a chess rule describing the transformation of a pawn that reaches its eighth rank into the player's choice of a queen, knight, rook, or bishop of the same color (Just & Burg 2003:16). The new piece replaces the pawn on the same square and is part of the move. Promotion is not limited to pieces that have already been captured (Schiller 2003:18–19). Every pawn that reaches its eighth rank must be promoted.

If you want a copy of the USCF's Rulebook: The Official Rules of Chess, 5th Edition (2003) that they are referencing though, it will cost you.
The FIDE has this in their rule book.

3.7e. When a pawn reaches the rank furthest from its starting position it must be exchanged as part of the same move on the same square for a new queen, rook, bishop or knight of the same colour. The player’s choice is not restricted to pieces that have been captured previously. This exchange of a pawn for another piece is called ‘promotion’ and the effect of the new piece is immediate.
6.12 b. A player may stop the clocks only in order to seek the arbiter’s assistance, for
example when promotion has taken place and the piece required is not available.


No you can't as the allowed actions that you can do are not based just on your starting or ending location. As soon as you enter a room with a hostile alien you will be limited to either killing it or using the teleporter to leave that room.

If you look at the action card it only lists kill a hostile alien in your location as an action

English Rules

  Move up top 2 spaces (can do when injured)

  Kill a hostile alien in your location (can do when injured, must do when a hostile alien is present)

  Cary another player 1 space

  Give a skill or tool to another player in your location

  Take a skill or tool from another player in your loctation

If you look at the teleporter card it shows that it can be used remotly, while injured or while a hostile alien is present.


How long will an MTG draft take with varying number of players (approximately)?

It depends on whether you use the official rules or house rules.

In appendix B of the MTG official tournament rules (not the same thing as the comprehensive rules) it gives recommended time limits for sanctioned tournaments:

Each pick has an associated time limit, which starts at 40 seconds and drops by 5 seconds roughly every two cards. The total time allocated to picks for a single pack is 285 seconds.
Between packs, there is a period for review of the cards you've picked, which is 30 seconds after the first pack, 45 after the second, and 60 after the third.
Deck construction gets 30 minutes
Each round gets 50 minutes

So based on these numbers alone, you would need a total of (285/60)*3+(30+45+60)/60+30+50*N = 46.5+50N minutes. In practice, people will need a few minutes between rounds to clear their head and change seats, but for only a few people, that won't be a long process. Still, as a decent estimate, you could set aside an hour per round plus one additional hour for drafting and deck construction.

My monthly(ish) drafting group has no time limits at all for draft picks. If your group is not full of competitive players and you're just doing it for fun, I highly recommend this. You can still get the drafting and deck construction done in about an hour, since you can always make fun of whoever is the slowest picker at the table ;-) (The draft time depends on the number of cards that are being picked, not the number of players)

Also keep in mind that Magic tournaments are mentally draining. After 3 or 4 rounds people can start to get tired of playing. In my experience a 3-round tournament works well, and it's possible to adapt it to different numbers of players by doing a Swiss structure with ranking-based pairings.


No. Scavenge is an ability, not a spell

The official MTG rules for the ability do not appear to be up on wizards site, but from the cards reminder text, you can clearly see that the ability is an activated ability (the colon ':'), that functions only while the card is in your graveyard, with specific activation instructions that only allow activation whenever you could cast a Sorcery (on your turn, during a main phase, when the stack is empty).

  112.3b Activated abilities have a cost and an effect. They are written as “[Cost]: [Effect.] [Activation instructions (if any).]” A player may activate such an ability whenever he or she has priority. Doing so puts it on the stack, where it remains until it’s countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. See rule 602, “Activating Activated Abilities.”

  [Mana cost], Exile this card from your graveyard:Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card's power on target creature. Scavenge only as a sorcery.

  602.5d Activated abilities that read “Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery” mean the player must follow the timing rules for casting a sorcery spell,

Activating abilities is not the same thing as casting spells, so Hypersonic Dragon will have no effect on your ability to Scavenge only on your own turn, while the stack is empty. What Hypersonic Dragon will let you do, is to cast cards with the Card Type - Sorcery whenever you have priority, even on other players turn, when you normally could not.

  205.1. The type line is printed directly below the illustration. It contains the card’s card type(s). It also contains the card’s subtype(s) and supertype(s), if applicable.

  307.1. A player who has priority may cast a sorcery card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Casting a sorcery as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 601, “Casting Spells.”)


Yellow cards that change the trading rules: how many coins should I pay?

Regardless of the number of resource producing buildings your opponent has, you always get to buy the given resource for 1 coin

Quote from the official rules:

  Some commercial Buildings (yellow cards) change the trading rules and
  set the cost of some resources to 1 coin.


In what order does Scale Blessing place counters?

You'll end up with a 2/2 with two +1/+1 counters, and a 2/2 with three +1/+1 counters.

There are two separate things to do, in the order they're written on the card:

Bolster 1: put a +1/+1 counter on the 2/2 that doesn't have any counters yet. (It's your creature with the least toughness.) You now have one creature with one counter, and one with two. It's good for you that the bolster comes first, because next...
Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature that has a +1/+1 counter on it. It says "each creature that has a +1/+1 counter on it", not "exactly one +1/+1 counter", so that's both of your creatures! Now you have one creature with two counters, and one with three.

It's true that the reminder text for bolster is at the very end, but it's just a quick explanation of what bolster means. The actual text instructing you to bolster 1 is is the first thing on the card, so it's the first thing you do.


The ability would just copy once, and you would end up with a total of 3 filibuster counters after both upkeeps.

Paradox Haze gives you a second upkeep step. That just literally means that after one upkeep, another one happens. At the start of each of those 2 upkeep steps, Azor's ability will trigger, go on the stack, and resolve.

You activate Strionic Resonator during the first upkeep step or the second; either way there will be 1 copy of Azor's ability on the stack at that time, which you can target and copy.

To copy both of them for a total of 4 counters, you would need to also untap Strionic so you can use it a second time (or have another Strionic).


Does Diffusion Sliver protect from boardwipe spells and sacrifice spells?

No, they are not protected

Diffusion Sliver's ability is only triggered when a Sliver becomes a 'target'. A creature is only targeted by spells or abilities that actually have the word 'target' on it. For instance, Giant Growth. From the Comprehensive rules:

  114.1a An instant or sorcery spell is targeted if its spell ability identifies something it will affect by using the phrase “target [something],”

(Note that rule 114 in its entirety describes 'targeting', this is just a specific excerpt for instants and sorceries.)

The Sliver needs to be identified as that 'target [something]' in order for this specific ability to trigger. On instants and sorceries, this is spelled out; casting an Aura (ie Unholy Strength) on a Sliver also triggers the ability added to it by Diffusion Sliver, as they have an implicit target:

  114.1b Aura spells are always targeted.

Casting an equipment would not trigger the ability, as they enter play unattached and not targeting anything.  Their equip-ability however would count as becoming a target.

To look a little closer at what spells do and do not target the Slivers:

Twiddle would target the Sliver and trigger this ability.
Turnabout wouldn't, because the card doesn't target a creature, it targets a player.
Call to Glory would not target the Sliver, as it doesn't target anything.


I can't find this game or remember the name

Sounds like Accordion:

  Cards are dealt in a single row, from Left to Right [...]  The goal is
  to move cards onto each other, removing the lower card,  until a
  single card remains. A card may be moved onto a card on  its direct
  left, or third on left, if the card matches the [suit or value] of the
  destination card.

http://www.allgoodsw.com/sol_rules.html#accordion

And see the Wiki Entry for variants.


Player B can choose to not tap the lands, and thus be unable to pay the cost.

Rule 117.3c says

  Activating mana abilities is not mandatory, even if paying a cost is.

So, when the ability resolves, player B can choose not to tap the lands, then player A fails to pay the cost because they do not have enough mana.


Does Gleam of Authority care if a creature gains extra counters?

Yes, the enchanted creature would grow more powerful.
From the Comprehensive Rules:

604.1. Static abilities do something all the time rather than being activated or triggered. They are written as statements, and they’re simply true.
611.3a A continuous effect generated by a static ability isn’t “locked in”; it applies at any given moment to whatever its text indicates.


How do I interrupt a loop after multiple iterations?

Yes, you can accept only the first 18 iterations. After he proposes the number of iterations for the loop (500 here), you can choose a lower number of iterations, and both players have to abide to those iterations.

The rules for this are described in 719. Taking Shortcuts. A few quotes from that section:

  719.2a At any point in the game, the player with priority may suggest a shortcut by describing a sequence of game choices, for all players,
  that may be legally taken based on the current game state and the
  predictable results of the sequence of choices. This sequence may be a
  non-repetitive series of choices, a loop that repeats a specified
  number of times, multiple loops, or nested loops, and may even cross
  multiple turns. It can’t include conditional actions, where the
  outcome of a game event determines the next action a player takes. The
  ending point of this sequence must be a place where a player has
  priority, though it need not be the player proposing the shortcut.

  719.2b Each other player, in turn order starting after the player who suggested the shortcut, may either accept the proposed sequence, or
  shorten it by naming a place where he or she will make a game choice
  that’s different than what’s been proposed. (The player doesn’t need
  to specify at this time what the new choice will be.) This place
  becomes the new ending point of the proposed sequence.

  719.2c Once the last player has either accepted or shortened the shortcut proposal, the shortcut is taken. The game advances to the
  last proposed ending point, with all game choices contained in the
  shortcut proposal having been taken. If the shortcut was shortened
  from the original proposal, the player who now has priority must make
  a different game choice than what was originally proposed for that
  player.


What are effective strategies for playing control against aggro-control?

You could try playing more spot removal (such as Condemn or Path to Exile) instead of mass removal. Typically aggro-control decks have problems if you succesfully remove their first threats. This way the control deck won't die in the early turns and will be in a good position to win the game, because it has a better late game.

The reason behind spot removal being better than mass removal in this kind of match-up is that it demands more answers: they only need a single counterspell to deal with your Day of Judgment, but they will need two if you play two Condemn. However, they'll need two answers if you play a second Day of Judgment, but usually you wont survive to your next turn if they counter the first one.


The specific situation you mention does not work out no. Targeting happens at the moment of activation of a card or effect. It's only after that, that you get to chain anything.
So this means that when player B activates magic cylinder, it's already too late.

However, if player A already had Safe Zone active, player B would not be allowed to play Magic Cylinder.


What languages / countries do not have a dedicated Scrabble set?

In 2008, there were 29 versions in different languages according to The Telegraph

The Boardgame Geek database includes 26 language versions (see the pulldown for languages here). That list doesn't include Chinese.

However: Wiki has a breakdown of most (all) language versions (including Chinese language version Zhuyin).


Red Sign of Shudde M'ell hands use and timing against Nightmarish X in Arkham Horror

Red Sign can be cast during any phase (so combat during any phase isn't an issue).
'Combat' begins as soon as you stop at/leave an location/street with a monster or during the encounter phase when 'A monster appears!', etc. This is to say that you're already in combat when you're figuring out how many dice to roll for your horror check. As Red Sign makes no specific mention of casting while making a combat check, rather it only refers to 'combat' in the general sense, Red Sign can be cast before making a horror check to remove Nightmarish from a monster.
You pose an interesting situation with your second question, but this has nothing to do with your primary question and is covered by the other question you posed here:
Stateful equipment use for Red Sign of Shudde M'ell in Arkham Horror
Additionally, from the Kevin Wilson thread of the FFG forums:

Can Enchant Weapon, Shrivelling, Wither, Dread Curse of Azathoth, and Red Sign of Shudde M'ell be cast at any time after an investigator engages a monster, so as to, for example, use the Red Sign to cancel Nightmarish before the Horror Check, or allow one to see if a "weapon" type spell succeeds before making the decision to fight or flee?
Yes. Yes you can.


Do I draw a card if I enchant an opponent's Eidolon of Blossoms with Hypnotic Siren?

First gatherer note on Hypnotic Siren:

  If you Hypnotic Siren for its bestow cost, and you gain control of a creature with a constellation ability, that ability will trigger when Hypnotic Siren enters the battlefield. You'll controll [sic] that triggered ability.

Looks like the answer is "yes".


Yahoo! Games has Hearts. Actually I originally signed up for a Yahoo account so I could play Hearts.


Is it possible to get old Vanguard cards?

Yes, they can be traded.

I don't believe they are sold by Wizards, when I used to play they were given as tournament or set release perks.

Ah, looks like nowadays new players get a booster pack of default Vanguard cards.


What is the Card type of "Emblem Sorin, Lord of Innistrad"?

It's not a real card. It's basically a token.

As a game object, it's an "emblem".

The relevant comp rules:

  113.1. Some effects put emblems into the command zone. An emblem is a marker used to represent an object that has one or more abilities, but
  no other characteristics.

  113.3. An emblem has no characteristics other than the abilities defined by the effect that created it. In particular, an emblem has no
  name, no types, no mana cost, no color, and no expansion symbol.

  113.5. An emblem is neither a card nor a permanent. Emblem isn't a card type.

Sorin, Lord of Innistrad has an ability that creates these things (yes, multiples will stack). Dark Ascension booster packs contain an emblem token thingy to help you keep track of it. You aren't obligated to use the emblem card, just like you aren't obligated to use the official token cards to represent tokens.