Common Mistakes Made by Newbs Advanced By: trouble_fish

Many new players to the game of Magic, once they learn the general rules (see Chad's article), can have trouble with learning and practicing the specifics. There are a lot of specifics to Magic. Experience is one way to learn some of them. Reading this article is another. Feel free to skip parts too complex (but come back later) and parts you already know (but are you sure you know them?).

In this article (being the advanced section) it is important to note these are very complex game concepts. It would be helpful to read my non-advanced article, and it is very important to know what oracle text is as the oracle text updates cards to up-to-date wordings regarding these rules.

The Stack

Few people who haven't read the rules or played in tournaments know about the stack. The stack, however is how any Magic game is run. It is how the best tricks and combos are pulled off. On a practical note, it is how spells are countered, targeted, or their targets changed.

The stack is where all spells and abilities are are put when played or triggered. Spells and abilities are always put on top of the stack. There they wait to resolve. On the stack, there can only be spells or abilities. Creatures, artifacts and enchantments are spells when played. Spells have types (a creature would be a creature spell, etc.).

A card on the stack is not "in play", and has not "come into play". It has, however, been "played". Once all players decide to stop playing spells and abilities (this is called to "pass"), the top spell or ability on the stack resolves. If the spell is a creature, artifact or enchantment spell, it is put into play as a permenant. Then all players get a chance to play more spells or abilities. Officially by the rules, when a spell is played the card is physically placed onto the stack. Most people prefer to keep a mental record of the stack. This is also acceptable.

Things that Don't Use the Stack

Land cards can only be played when the stack is empty and go directly into play at "faster than instant" speed. They do not use the stack.

Turning a creature face up by paying its morph cost does not use the stack. However, an ability that's triggered when a creature is turned face up does use the stack. Those abilities are worded "When XYZ is turned face up, ...".

Mana abilities do not use the stack. A mana ability is an ability that produces mana. The cost is paid for the ability and the mana is added to the mana pool. Other things that trigger as a result of mana being added to a mana pool are not mana abilities (eg. Overabundance).

Static abilities continuous, not played, and therefore don't go on the stack. Addition Stack Stuff

Sorceries, artifact spells, creature spells and enchantment spells can only be played during one of your main phases and only while the stack is empty. Unless stated otherwise like Mystic Snake and Ghitu Fire. Types of Abilities

Ability types are confusing. Only a month ago I was getting them wrong. Therefore, if you want it easier, it's best to ask someone who knows if you're not sure what ability is what.

An ability is any text on a card. Abilities are divided into activated abilities, triggered abilities, and static abilities. If an ability produces mana it is also a mana ability. If an ability uses one word to represent its existence, it is additionally a keyword ability. The comprehensive rules state that an additional or alternative cost to play a card is an ability. So flashback, madness, or the alternative cost on Foil are also abilities. Cards not in play still have their abilities, but those abilities for are not allowed to be used. Some abilities, are only useful when a card is not in play. Those abilities that can only apply when a card is not in play can be used. Use common sense when determining this. For example, cycling, madness and abilities like on Wonder.

An activated ability is an ability that reads Cost:Effect. A colon separates the cost and effect. The cost must be paid as the ability is played and the effect only happens after it resolves. Some keyword abilities are activated abilities. These abilities do not contain a colon, but have the ability and a cost written next to it. Unfortunately, some are not activated abilities, but will act like them. The only one that is actually an activated ability is cycling.

A triggered ability is an ability that is put on the stack when a certain condition is met. They "trigger" and are not "played". Triggered abilities are identifiable by the words "When", "Whenever", "At [trigger time]" (eg. "At the beginning of your Upkeep") and "If [condition]". They trigger once for each time the condition is met, but not more than once. For example, if a player has a permenant that reads "When your hand is empty, draw a card.", the ability is put on the stack when the hand is emptied but only once. Then, if a card is drawn and somehow the hand becomes empty again, the ability is put on the stack again because the event occured again. Triggered keyword abilities include flanking, rampage, cumulative upkeep, echo, the "At the beginning of your upkeep" part of fading, madness, provoke and storm.

A static ability is an ability that just "is". Static abilities are in effect immediately if they apply when the card is in put play, in a graveyard, etc. (again use common sense to determine when a static ability applies). Typically static abilities apply a certain state to cards or are attached to a game event. For example, on Crookshank Kobolds, "Crookshank Kobolds is red." is a static ability that applies that state to the card. On Phantom Tiger, the "Phantom Tiger comes into play with two +1/+1 counters on it." is a static ability attached to a game event since it does not use a triggered ability word. Most keyword abilities are static abilities. On creatures, most apply only in combat, at certain stages, like flying for blocking and trample and first strike for damage dealing. For strange reasons, flashback, morph, buyback part of madness and the "Comes into play with X fading counters on it" part of fading are static abilities (probably because most apply at any time, but do things that are different like putting a spell on the stack for flashback).

A good example of abilities interacting is Tsabo's Web. This card has a static ability that only affects cards with non-mana activated abilties.

ANYTHING ELSE?