The Official Magic the Gathering card game Rules, Questions, and General Discussion Thread

[Space Lynx]

Alright, I have had several times now where I get frustrated at not understanding a mechanic or card and I can't find a proper forum worth bothering with... so here goes nothing.

Starting with my first question, does this card allow you to search your ENTIRE library outside the game or only the Sideboard of 15 cards?

 

[Toothless]

Probably library. When in doubt flip the table.

 

[Raevenlord]

The "outside the game" refers to the cards that you have in your possession besides your deck - which in competitive scenarios is only your sideboard.

 

[Space Lynx]

The "outside the game" refers to the cards that you have in your possession besides your deck - which in competitive scenarios is only your sideboard.

So in Standard ranked it would be sideboard only, but any other mode basically your library that you own...

MTG is complicated as crap sometimes...

 

[Vayra86]

So in Standard ranked it would be sideboard only, but any other mode basically your library that you own...

MTG is complicated as crap sometimes...

This is nothing bruh

I've got 6 EDH (commander) decks on paper here that will make you cry in agony

But yeah this game is awesome and seriously complicated in equal measure

In general, 'own outside the game' is referring to a sideboard selection. Even if its non-competitive, you'd find some sort of limitation, because otherwise you'd have access to virtually every card. On paper, playgroups have rules for this. In some formats (like Commander) there is no sideboard at all and cards like that would be useless.

With the Strixhaven set release, the sideboard has become even more limited in size if you also use Lessons, as these also end up in your sideboard which is always capped at 15 cards. This is relevant for the current rotation in Standard (and lessons are pretty neat ways to get card advantage).

Additionally, 'cards you own' are not referred to as your 'Library'. The library is your actual deck of cards you're using - specifically, the stack you've not drawn yet.

If you want some catch-all hints and tips to get you started with understanding the game on a deeper level, give a shout, happy to provide

One big basic tip on card rules:

Gatherer - Magic: The Gathering

Has every card and with rulings if something was not clear in actual play.

MTG Wiki

mtg.fandom.com

Has all the rules

 

[Space Lynx]

This is nothing bruh

I've got 6 EDH (commander) decks on paper here that will make you cry in agony

But yeah this game is awesome and seriously complicated in equal measure

In general, 'own outside the game' is referring to a sideboard selection. Even if its non-competitive, you'd find some sort of limitation, because otherwise you'd have access to virtually every card. On paper, playgroups have rules for this. In some formats (like Commander) there is no sideboard at all and cards like that would be useless.

With the Strixhaven set release, the sideboard has become even more limited in size if you also use Lessons, as these also end up in your sideboard which is always capped at 15 cards. This is relevant for the current rotation in Standard (and lessons are pretty neat ways to get card advantage).

Additionally, 'cards you own' are not referred to as your 'Library'. The library is your actual deck of cards you're using - specifically, the stack you've not drawn yet.

If you want some catch-all hints and tips to get you started with understanding the game on a deeper level, give a shout, happy to provide

One big basic tip on card rules:

Gatherer - Magic: The Gathering

Has every card and with rulings if something was not clear in actual play.

MTG Wiki

mtg.fandom.com

Has all the rules

I just played MTG Arena all weekend... I did 3 Sealed deck of the new expansion DnD and I did 2 premier drafts... I had enough gold and gems saved up, and on two of my Sealed runs I won big, second place well 6 wins 3 loss, never made it to big number 7. but I got a LOT of gems back which allowed me to keep playing...

Was an insane amount of fun this weekend... haven't had that much fun since Kaladesh Pre-Release.

 

[Vayra86]

Cool! So you play paper too then? I can't recall Kaladesh on Arena.

Pre-release events are cool anyway. Really nice way of drafting into entirely new stuff. Quick, accessible, not like your average box draft where deck building is half the day (for some )

As for this new set release... I'm a bit lukewarm on it having seen all the spoilers, much like Strixhaven. Its cool they merge the franchises and all, but this whole rotation just isn't my favorite setting. Its an utter mess... what have we got now? Fairy tales (Eldraine), Mutating big fatties (Ikoria), Vikings (Kaldheim) because everyone does a Nord/Viking/tough men in the snow theme this year and the last, I suppose to counteract the LGBT vibe or something (notice how many blokes try looking like em too lately? Anyway... ), Harry Potter (Strixhaven) and now DnD. I suppose its all high fantasy... but wtf!? Can we get more random?

Luckily we're going back to real Magic land soon with Innistrad, or at least, I hope so I like it a bit less happy color and prancing ponies.

 

[Space Lynx]

Cool! So you play paper too then? I can't recall Kaladesh on Arena.

Pre-release events are cool anyway. Really nice way of drafting into entirely new stuff. Quick, accessible, not like your average box draft where deck building is half the day (for some )

Yes, when I was living away from home at grad school I found a local store who did Friday MtG near my Uni.

I actually came in second place in the Kaladesh pre-release midnight tournament, about 30-40 people were there that night. Was a lot of fun. I remember the deck I built, I got pretty lucky on my boosters, I was able to build a heavy flying only deck... with cheap commons and uncommons, it allowed me to blitz early and keep it going with bounce cards if I remember right... but it was awhile ago. I forget which deck beat me for first place, but I remember it being a long battle... was very fun.

@R-T-B

 

[R-T-B]

That's what happens after a frog visits the frog god. I've not been personally.

 

[Space Lynx]

@Vayra86 or anyone who knows

I am playing against someone with this card here... they did the exile thing on it... well now neither of us can win the game, they are at negative 3 life, the counter they placed on a token angel... i killed that, but the game still won't end... so if this card just OP as crap a endless stalemate??? how do you get around it?

 

[dragontamer5788]

So in Standard ranked it would be sideboard only, but any other mode basically your library that you own...

MTG is complicated as crap sometimes...

MtgRemy has a good video on that.

 

[Space Lynx]

also they put the counter on this card... so I can't kill it...

 

[dragontamer5788]

I am playing against someone with this card here... they did the exile thing on it... well now neither of us can win the game, they are at negative 3 life, the counter they placed on a token angel... i killed that, but the game still won't end... so if this card just OP as crap a endless stalemate??? how do you get around it?

You killed the angel, so the token goes away. If they're at -3 life when the effect goes away, you instantly win (because you destroyed the thing that kept them alive).

also they put the counter on this card... so I can't kill it...

"Target Angel".

That's... not an angel. They needed to do some crazy shenanigan to put that counter onto that card. Probably possible but... they were probably just styling on you.

 

[Space Lynx]

You killed the angel, so the token goes away. If they're at -3 life when the effect goes away, you instantly win (because you destroyed the thing that kept them alive).



"Target Angel".

That's... not an angel. They needed to do some crazy shenanigan to put that counter onto that card. Probably possible but... they were probably just styling on you.

I'm still in game. he is at negative 80 life and i am at 24 life. i suppose one of us has to fall asleep first, the concede will still give me the win.

 

[dragontamer5788]

I'm still in game. he is at negative 80 life and i am at 24 life. i suppose one of us has to fall asleep first, the concede will still give me the win.

Oh, I see. Its "all creature types", so it is an angel, lol.

Nah, you're gonna lose because of drawing from an empty library. It is what it is: unless you have land destruction, you probably lost the game and should concede. All he has to do is keep the darn thing as a land (never turning it into a creature) and you'll never really get an opportunity to kill it.

Only Red and (sometimes) Green has land-destruction (Beast Within). You might be able to bounce the land (land-bounce is rare, but Blue has it sometimes), which will kill the "I can't lose" token. White and Black probably has no options.

 

[Space Lynx]

he just went afk. he has some kind of macro that is auto passing everything instantly.

Oh, I see. Its "all creature types", so it is an angel, lol.

Nah, you're gonna lose because of drawing from an empty library. It is what it is: unless you have land destruction, you probably lost the game and should concede. All he has to do is keep the darn thing as a land (never turning it into a creature) and you'll never really get an opportunity to kill it.

well his library is empty and he isn't dead yet. you can't lose game with no library.

also i have the angel and artifact now myself, he still has lands.

stalemate. its just whoever concedes first or whoever computer shuts down first. i can just make a macro real quick like he did.

 

[dragontamer5788]

well his library is empty and he isn't dead yet. you can't lose game with no library.

I said YOUR library will empty.

His library going empty isn't a problem. He's got the token that prevents losing the game on his side of the board (and it seems like you have no way of removing it).

--------

But if you got the angel + token yourself, you might still lose because he might be able to kill your angel. At best, you'll stalemate (if you can protect your angel token). At worst, you'll lose because he can just kill your angel with a common removal card (Portable hole??). I'd just concede frankly, his combo is stronger than yours.

 

[toilet pepper]

I started playing during 4th edition and Mirage cycle. Looking at the cards now, all I can say is that they are OP. It makes the Unglued series of cards look like a joke.

To your question... yes it would most likely refer to the sideboard.

 

[Space Lynx]

I said YOUR library will empty.

His library going empty isn't a problem. He's got the token that prevents losing the game on his side of the board.

--------

But if you got the angel + token yourself, you might still lose because he might be able to kill your angel. At best, you'll stalemate (if you can protect your angel token). At worst, you'll lose because he can just kill your angel with a common removal card (Portable hole??). I'd just concede frankly, his combo is stronger than yours.

he cant kill my angel. he is out of cards. its fulls talemate.

i ended up having to concede anyway, even though it was a draw. he had a macro where he could go afk from PC but still auto pass everything, I didn't have that.

so yeah. wow. what a broken combo. hard to believe its accepted in standard 2022 format.

 

[Vayra86]

also they put the counter on this card... so I can't kill it...

Yep this is the staple meta game winner right now. Its ridiculous, but you can of course destroy lands to answer it.

 

[dragontamer5788]

Yep this is the staple meta game winner right now. Its ridiculous, but you can of course destroy lands to answer it.

Instant-speed removal is also a thing, but a less common thing.

You can also destroy the artifact before it destroys itself: but you need to ensure that they don't have www available, otherwise they can just activate the ability in response to your destroy effect (and note: the destruction of the artifact is part of a cost, so its relatively difficult to interrupt).

 

[Selaya]

I mean, this is but the symptom of multiple things that's going wrong with the game, chief amongst them
(a) The Grand Advent Of Threats - Threats get more and more efficient while answers are stagnating at best; mostly getting worse (when your best answers like bolt, stop counterspell and force are from 1993-1995, something's fucking wrong)
(b) Magic: The Creaturing, and to lesser extents Magic: The Planeswalkering/Permanenting

 

[Space Lynx]

I mean, this is but the symptom of multiple things that's going wrong with the game, chief amongst them
(a) The Grand Advent Of Threats - Threats get more and more efficient while answers are stagnating at best; mostly getting worse (when your best answers like bolt, stop counterspell and force are from 1993-1995, something's fucking wrong)
(b) Magic: The Creaturing, and to lesser extents Magic: The Planeswalkering/Permanenting

broken meta's are mainly why I do sealed or draft only 90% of the time. it's a shame.

 

[Vayra86]

Instant-speed removal is also a thing, but a less common thing.

You can also destroy the artifact before it destroys itself: but you need to ensure that they don't have www available, otherwise they can just activate the ability in response to your destroy effect (and note: the destruction of the artifact is part of a cost, so its relatively difficult to interrupt).

Its not though because the effect is a game state change and not so much a direct effect. You actually have tons of opportunity to remove it as a land wirh a counter on it. Either as creature or as land.

 

[Space Lynx]

Its not though because the effect is a game state change and not so much a direct effect. You actually have tons of opportunity to remove it as a land wirh a counter on it. Either as creature or as land.

yeah, need to change out my sorcery destroy creatures for the Instant variant.