Manalink update 20 December 2014: Commanding 2014 Urzas

[gmzombie]

awesome work and Merry Christmas everyone!

[Nexhro]

Hey Sonic, is it just me or is the artwork for Ur-Golem's Eye missing?

Happy new year everyone!

[BAgate]

Not just you. I'm missing it too.

And to all a happy and healthy new year!

[Sonic]

Hey Sonic, is it just me or is the artwork for Ur-Golem's Eye missing?

Indeed it is. My bad - Gargaroz sent me the cards code pointer but I seem to have missed it. Looks like he added the cards entry after I returned the updated manalink files.

Not a lot of point releasing the cards artwork at the moment as the manalink.csv 'Num Pics' entry for the card is set to '0', so the artwork wouldn't show even if it was in the CardArtManalink folder.

I'll release it with the next update.

[RanDomino]

Yeah! Glad I checked today, wish I had checked a week ago!

[Gilber]

Hi Guys
I am your friend from Syria and i'm Back
I just want to thank you very much for Khans of Tarkir update (I know that i had to do this earlier and in Khans of Tarkir post but believe me i couldn't because the situation here in Syria is very bad specially in Aleppo where i am but thanks God for every thing
and as they say "Better late than nothing" Right ?
and because this post is the current, i say that here)

And i want to thank you guys sooooooo much for this another great update too
you guys do a great job and i really appreciate your effort
you are amazing-literally

One question please: Student Of Element have a photo but don't have a card
so, is there something wrong i have or that is normal and intended ?

and any help from great guys like you will be appreciated
thank you again and God bless you all
Salam (peace out).

[Sonic]

As I've said before, do not assume that just because you find a cards artwork in the CardArtManalink folder the card is active in the game.
There is no necessary link between the files in the CardArtManalink folder and whether a card is coded or not.

[Gilber]

Thanks Sonic for fast reply and i really appreciate that

Another question if you don't mind: What is the benefit from cycling effect ?
I mean when i pay mana and lose a card to draw a card, i earn nothing ?
Simply, -1card +1card =0card and above that i have to pay mana too
so,where is the benefit ?

And would any one please explain splite second effect ? I didn't understand it ?
Thanks again.

[Aswan jaguar]

Cycling usually allows you to draw and discard a card but the card you draw could be more useful than the one you have + you can play a deck that benefits from cards being in your graveyard,etc so you draw another card and gain from discarding.Also some cycling cards have triggered abilities that trigger when you cycle the card.Some cycling cards have type cycling so you know what you can fetch.

[stassy]

A card with Split Second cannot be countered when cast by normal counterspell card (because its caster is casting too fast at light speed haha ).
It can still be countered by special effect though (Gaddock Teeg I think)

[Xenocyde]

Gaddock Teeg doesn't counter spells, it prohibits from playing them altogether, so you can't place Stonewood Invocation, Word of Seizing or a kicked Molten Disaster on the stack while Teeg is on the battlefield.

Afaik, you can't counter a Split Second spell at all. Split Second doesn't affect triggered abilities and morph activations (morph effects are always triggered abilities afaik).

[BAgate]

Actually, Split Second spells could conceivably be countered, but only by a triggered ability. All split second does is prevent spells and non-mana activated abilities from being put on the stack (morph is a special action which isn't prevented). So a triggered ability such as Kira, Great Glass-Spinner or Counterbalance would still trigger and could counter a card with split second.

And Xenocyde is correct about Gaddock Teeg and his ilk. Prevention is a static ability and doesn't use the stack so does not interact with split second.

[Xenocyde]

Sure, you can use triggered abilities to counter Split Second. What I meant to say there's no spell to counter Split Second directly, in a reliable way. Kira is predictable, Counterbalance is a bit of a guessing game. I was referring to "surprise mo' fo'!" moments like Aven Liberator 's triggered morph ability (which would fizzle a split second removal or buff) or Willbender 's one.