Talk:DM-05 Survivors of the Megapocalypse

Rulings
Q: How does the "speed attacker" ability work? A: Creatures that have "speed attacker" don't get summoning sickness. They can attack the same turn you put them into the battle zone.

Q: How does the "survivor" ability work? A: "Survivor" is both a race and an ability. Creatures that have "survivor" share their survivor abilities with all your creatures of the Survivor race. For example, Gigaling Q's survivor ability is "slayer." While Gigaling Q is in the battle zone, all your Survivors—including Gigaling Q itself—have the "slayer" ability.

Q: If I have 2 copies in the battle zone of a Survivor that has a "survivor" ability, do all my Survivors get to double that ability? A: Yes. But sometimes it doesn't matter. Smash Horn Q gives each of your Survivors +1000 power. If you have 2 Smash Horn Qs in the battle zone, each of your Survivors gets a total of +2000 power. Split-Head Hydroturtle Q lets you draw a card whenever one of your Survivors attacks. If you have 2 Split-Head Hydroturtle Qs, you can draw up to 2 cards each time one of your Survivors attacks. Some abilities don't add up, though. For example, a creature either has "slayer" or it doesn't, so putting another Gigaling Q into the battle zone doesn't do anything extra for your other Survivors. The same is true for "double breaker," "speed attacker," and certain other abilities. An ability that can get bigger or that can happen more than once will add up, and other abilities won't.

Q: How does the "triple breaker" ability work? A: It works a lot like "double breaker." When a creature that has "triple breaker" attacks your opponent and isn't blocked, it breaks 3 of his shields. That number is locked in, so the creature breaks 3 shields even if a "shield trigger" spell such as Terror Pit (from Base Set) destroys it. If your opponent has only 1 or 2 shields left, a creature that has "triple breaker" breaks those shields, but then you'll have to make another unblocked attack to win the game.

Q: I have a creature in the battle zone that has "triple breaker." I play a spell such as Mega Detonator (from the Shadowclash of Blinding Night set), which gives the creature "double breaker." How many shields does the creature break? A: You choose whether it breaks 2 shields or 3 shields. "Double breaker" neither replaces "triple breaker" nor adds to "triple breaker." Your creature now has both "double breaker" and "triple breaker," and you choose which ability to use when it's breaking shields. (I suggest using "triple breaker.")

Q: How do modified keyword abilities work? For example, Lurking Eel has "fire and nature blocker," and Gigakail and Wisp Howler, Shadow of Tears have "nature and light slayer." A: These work just like the normal keyword abilities, but only for the given traits. So, for example, a "fire and nature" blocker can block only fire or nature creatures. A modified keyword still counts as that keyword, so spells and creatures that affect cards that have that keyword affect cards that have the modified keyword. For example, Critical Blade (from the Evo-Crushinators of Doom set) and Scarlet Skyterror (from Base Set) both destroy blockers, so they can destroy Lurking Eel.

Specific Card Questions

Ambush Scorpion says, "Power attacker +3000 (While attacking, this creature gets +3000 power.) When this creature is destroyed, you may choose an Ambush Scorpion in your mana zone and put it into the battle zone."

Q: Does the new Ambush Scorpion have summoning sickness? A: Yes. Whenever you put a new creature into the battle zone, it gets summoning sickness whether you summoned it or not. The exceptions to this rule are evolution creatures and creatures that have "speed attacker," which don't get summoning sickness at all.

Avalanche Giant says, "This creature can't attack creatures. Whenever this creature becomes blocked, it breaks one of your opponent's shields. Double breaker (This creature breaks 2 shields.)"

Q: When my opponent blocks Avalanche Giant, does Avalanche Giant break a shield before or after the 2 creatures battle? A: Before. Abilities that happen when a creature becomes blocked always resolve before the creatures battle.

Q: When this creature becomes blocked and breaks a shield, can my opponent use the "shield trigger" ability of that shield? A: Yes. Avalanche Giant's ability causes a normal shield-break, just as an unblocked creature does.

Bloodwing Mantis says, "Whenever this creature attacks, return 2 creatures from your mana zone to your hand. Double breaker (This creature breaks 2 shields.)"

Q: Do I have to return 2 creatures from my mana zone to my hand even if I don't want to? A: Yes. Since it doesn't say "you may return" or "up to 2," you must return 2 creatures from your mana zone to your hand if you can. (If you can't, just return as many as you can.)

Q: If I have no creatures in my mana zone, can this creature attack? A: Yes. When this creature attacks, you do as much of its ability as you can. If you can't do some or all of it, that's fine. Just skip the parts you can't do.

Kip Chippotto says, "When one of your Armored Dragons would be destroyed, you may destroy this creature instead."

Q: If an effect is about to destroy both this creature and one of my Armored Dragons at the same time, can I still destroy this creature to save my Armored Dragon? (Ballom, Master of Death and Chains of Sacrifice, both from the Shadowclash of Blinding Night set, destroy multiple creatures at once.) A: Yes.

La Byle, Seeker of the Winds says, "{B} Blocker (Whenever an opponent's creature attacks, you may tap this creature to stop the attack. Then the 2 creatures battle.) Whenever this creature blocks, untap it after it battles."

Q: If this creature blocks an attacker and then untaps, can I use it to block another attacker this turn? A: Yes. As long as a creature that has "blocker" is untapped, it can block an attacking creature.

Le Quist, the Oracle says, "Whenever this creature attacks, you may choose a darkness or fire creature in the battle zone and tap it. (First choose what this creature is attacking. Then choose a creature to tap.)"

Q: If I attack with this creature and choose to tap one of my opponent's creatures that has "blocker," can that creature block Le Quist before becoming tapped? A: No. Abilities that happen when a creature attacks happen before blockers are chosen.

Miracle Quest says, "Whenever any of your creatures finishes attacking this turn, you may draw 2 cards for each shield it broke."

Q: When does a creature finish attacking? A: If a creature is blocked or if it's attacking a creature, it finishes attacking when the battle is over. If a creature is attacking a player and isn't blocked, it finishes attacking after it breaks shields and all "shield trigger" cards have had their effects. A creature also finishes attacking if it's destroyed, returned to its owner's hand, or otherwise removed from the battle zone before the normal end of the attack.

Obsidian Scarab says, "Power attacker +3000 (While attacking, this creature gets +3000 power.) Double breaker (This creature breaks 2 shields.) When this creature is destroyed, you may put an Obsidian Scarab from your mana zone into the battle zone."

Q: Does the new Obsidian Scarab get summoning sickness? A: Yes. Whenever you put a new creature into the battle zone, it gets summoning sickness whether you summoned it or not. The exceptions to this rule are evolution creatures and creatures that have "speed attacker," which don't get summoning sickness at all.

Pokolul says, "Whenever your opponent uses the ‘shield trigger' ability of a shield broken by this creature, you may untap this creature."

Q: If I choose to untap Pokolul, does that happen before or after the "shield trigger" card resolves? A: After. First your opponent uses the "shield trigger" ability of his shield, which includes summoning or casting that card. Then you can untap Pokolul.

Slime Veil says, "During your opponent's next turn, each of his creatures attacks if able."

Q: What does it mean for each of my opponent's creatures to attack if able? A: On your opponent's next turn, when he is ready to attack, he chooses one of his creatures that can attack, and he attacks with it. When that creature is finished attacking, then he chooses another of his creatures that can attack, and he attacks with it. He keeps doing that until he has no more creatures that can attack. He has to have those creatures attack, whether he wants them to or not.

Q: Does my opponent have to choose his attackers in the order that allows the most of them to attack? A: No. He can choose to have his creatures to attack in any order. For example, say you have one shield left and your opponent has Fear Fang (from Base Set) and Gigazoul in the battle zone. (Gigazoul says, "While your opponent has no shields, this creature can't attack.") If your opponent has Gigazoul attack first, Fear Fang attacks second. But if your opponent has Fear Fang attack first, and Fear Fang breaks your shield, Gigazoul can't attack. Either order is allowed. All that's important is that anytime your opponent can attack with one of his creatures, he does attack.

Snork La, Shrine Guardian says, "Blocker (Whenever an opponent's creature attacks, you may tap this creature to stop the attack. Then the 2 creatures battle.) This creature can't attack players. Whenever your opponent causes a card to be put into your graveyard from your mana zone, you may return that card to your mana zone."

Q: How can I tell whether or not it's my opponent who causes a card to go from my mana zone to my graveyard? A: If the card is put into your graveyard because of an ability on one of your opponent's creatures or because of a spell your opponent played, then Snork La lets you return that card to your mana zone. For example, if your opponent's Engineer Kipo (from the Evo-Crushinators of Doom set) is destroyed, Engineer Kipo makes you choose one of the cards in your mana zone and put it into your graveyard. Even though you chose the card and put it into your graveyard, your opponent's creature caused you to do those things. That's why Snork La lets you return the card to your mana zone.