An Introduction to Layers Judge's Corner #88

[@TheDylls]

5:31 This is such a great example of why most of us never "need" to know Layers... Made ME even more interested in the topic! Yours is the second video I've watched and I'm already pretty accurate on which layer or sublayer cards are affecting

[@chickenfinger2920]

God damnit just when I thought magic couldn’t possibly get more complicated

[@TheDylls]

I feel you! Even though I don't keep up with all of the mechanics, I'm usually the Judge with my friends after I read the abilities. THEN a friend I taught Magic to recently brought up layers! Haha

[@lateharvestcommander]

I´m glad to see your video. I was searching it for days. These videos are very elucidative.

[@SuperNexus14]

Great! Layers feel like the part of Magic that is required for it to work but where noone could really tell you how it is actually done. This video is great for getting a general sense of that.

[@ThomasBauer95]

Great video! Very well summarized and easy to understand. One question here: Do layers only affect continous effects or also triggered abilities?

[@sickedout7723]

Good question. Layers affect triggered abilities as well. A good example of this is inspiring commander. "Whenever a creature with power 2 or less enters the battlefield, under your control, you gain 1 life and draw a card". Now say you have a crucible of fire. "Dragon creatures you control get +3 +3." Then say you play a sprite dragon. Hypothetically, if layers didn't apply here, you wouldn't gain the life from inspiring commander since it's a 4/4. However, since inspiring commander has a triggered ability, it would go on the stack as soon as sprite dragon enters the battlefield. THEN crucible of fire would activate because it's in layer 7, and you would gain the life.

[@BubblewrapHighway]

Uh-mee-boyd, from amoeba. 😂

[@justinlinty]

what layer are burns like shock an bolt

[@TheDylls]

It's still "dependencies" that I'm not quite getting. For example, doesn't the result of Opalescence and Humility "depend" on each other, in the same layer? 7b? Edit: Hold on... If Blood Moon was a land with the same text, does that mean that timestamps would apply instead of dependency?

[@sashasaffron1630]

Speaking of types, it's the 4th layer! Lol

[@ralki15]

I have a question since I can’t find this answer anywhere online. For Galazeth Prismari, does the ability replaces all artifact abilities you control? Or does artifacts you control still keep their own abilities in addition to this added ability?

[@broccolihoward5621]

the artifacts gain that ability in addition to any other abilities they naturally have

[@Scee_Anno]

hey, the Rhox faithmender example at 6:11 makes it sound like you cast twisted image, it resolves, then the opponent casts hydrosurge while you're in combat. this puzzles me if they're both on the stack it makes sense that rhox would die due to how the stack resolves :O

[@NStripleseven]

The example plays out the way you describe it, yes. It is a weird-seeming interaction, but if you think of it in terms of the layers it does kind of make sense.

[@ProdPizer]

ok , makes more sense now I was like "nopppe"

[@arttucker6678]

I thought of it this way: the Hydrosurge resolves first, ok, done, and then the Twisted Image resolves after and THAT is when the power/toughness are switched, not before. So after the Twisted Image resolves, the creature switches from a -4/5 to a 5/-4.

[@rhysdyson2880]

So just to clear it up, either way, due to stack or layers, Rhox dies? If Rhox is declared attacking, Twisted Image is cast before damage, and Hydrosurge is cast in response, it makes sense Twisted Image will kill Rhox purely from the order of spells resolving. And if Twisted Image is cast and resolved before combat (turning Rhox into a 5/1), and it is declared an attacker, and Hydrosurge is cast before damage, due to the order of the layers, Hydrosurge see’s Rhox as a 1/5, even though Twisted Image was cast the phase before?

[@sympathism]

​@@rhysdyson2880 it says that if both the addition and substraction and power swapping effect are applied to a creature, you do additions and substractions before swapping power and toughness. So, 1/5 -> -4/5 -> 5/-4

[@kirika119]

What happens if I blink my creature when my opponent goes to take control of it ?

[@Soumein]

The control effect was targeting your creature, but exiling it and returning it basically makes it a whole new entity. The control effect fizzles. If the control effect isn't targeted, or is determined at resolution (like if there was an effect "Take control of target opponent's creature(s) with the lowest Attack)", then blinking won't work.

[@kirika119]

@@Soumein thank you very much

[@Soumein]

@kirika119 oh jeeze I just realized that may not have been what you were asking. If a creature already under control blinks, it looks like every blink effect specifically states who gets control of it. Angel of Condemnation's second ability doesn't state where the creatures return. I'd only be guessing that the ruling would be to follow other Jail effects like Admonition Angel or Aligned Hedron Network (owner's control). Another case I found is Timothar, Baron of bats. He exiles dying Vampires you control as bats who return the exile. The rulings state it returns under your control, as exemplified with one ruling where the bat token is controlled. Cards with Chanpion a -something- also return that something under the owner. Fun read, thanks