#card names

[magicjudge]

When Shaman of the Pack enters the battlefield and there's already another Shaman of the Pack on the battlefield, does the card's ability only trigger for the one card entering the battlefield? Or does it trigger for both the card entering the battlefield and the card on the battlefield? I ask because the rules text on the card does not state "When this card enters the battlefield..." It specifically states, "When Shaman of the Pack enters the battlefield..."

For instance, I had four Elf creatures on the battlefield: a Shaman of the Pack, a Wren's Run Vanquisher, a Glissa the Traitor, and a Llanowar Augur. I then cast another Shaman of the Pack. As the new card entered the battlefield, should my opponent lose 5 life as the new card's ability is triggered? Or should my opponent lose 10 life as the new card enters the battlefield, triggering the ability of both the card entering the battlefield and the ability of the card on the battlefield?

It just triggers for itself.

A card referring to itself by name just means "this card/creature/etc."

If a card cares about its name or other cards with a specific name it will call out "card(s)/creature(s)/etc. named CARDNAME".

[magicjudge]

Do copies of reality Smasher trigger if only one reality Smasher is targeted because they all have the same name reality smasher?

When a card refers to itself by name, it just means that particular card or permanent. If it's going to include other cards/permanents with the same name, then it will refer to cards or permanents "named CARDNAME".

[namesetc]

names based off of playing cards? the type you playgames like poker with. preferably 2 syllable starting with a k/c sound (like cat or case) thanks

just off the top of my head:

suit, spade, club, diamond, jack, fool, jester, king, heart (you can add an s to the end of any of these if you think it would sound better), bid, pass, declare, deal, hand, deck, joker, ace, deuce, knave, queen, revoke, ruff, slam, trey, wild, check/cheque, chip, chop,

specifically k sounding:

kard/card, club, king, capture, call/caller, court, cut, cash, colour/color, copper, count, kicker, kill/killer.

hope these work!

[magicjudge]

Sakashima the Impostor enters the battlefield as Squadron Hawk, which name do i search for?

You’ll search your library for Squadron Hawks.

While normally a card that gains an ability from another card will substitute its name for the name of that card in the gained abilities, this only applies when the ability is referring to that card itself. It doesn’t overwrite its own name onto abilities that specify a card name, so when Sakashima, as a copy of Squadron Hawk, has its trigger tell you to search for “cards named Squadron Hawk”, that instruction isn’t changed.

[magicjudge]

With the new Wizard commander that puts cage counters on exiled creatures and artifacts. How does the abilities like Arcanis omnipotent's bounce effect work as it states the creatures name and not "this creature"

Mairsil can use those abilities just fine. When a card refers to itself by name, it just means itself and not any other card with the same name. In the case of Mairsil or other effects that copy abilities to other cards, they work the same with Mairsil's name substituted for Arcanis's in the appropriate places. (Quicksilver Elemental actually has reminder text about this. Useful reminder text. Wow!)Note that this isn't the case for cards that actually look for cards with specific names, such as Squadron Hawk or cards with Grandeur abilities.

[loreleywrites]

Arbitrary Card of the Day 6-10-17: Pointy Finger of Doom

Today's arbitrary card of the day is Pointy Finger of Doom. Subtlety makes for the best humor, and this card's name is a great example of layered jokes. Obviously, this is a pointer finger, the first digit next to the thumb. But the card isn't named Pointer Finger of Doom. "Pointy" signifies that it's a pointer finger while also hinting at the danger; this destructive digit pulverizes permanents! By tweaking the name slightly, it's imbued with a sense of danger while also retaining a descriptive moniker.

[magicjudge]

Say I got a random peep with spy kit equipped and I magically give said peep to an opponent. Would I be really mean if I cast eradicate on the creature and it does the interaction I think it does?

The creature equipped with Spy Kit has the names of all non-legendary creature creature cards, as well as its own name if it’s legendary. This means that when Eradicate resolves, you’ll get to search that creature’s controller’s library hand and graveyard for any creature card with any of those names. This will allow you to exile all non-legendary creature cards in those zones.

Yes, it’s brutal and mean.

[magicjudge]

After reading your answer about Bomat Courier, I checked the Gatherer, and sure enough, each Courier has its own little pile of exiled cards. Can you explain how we know this from reading the card? I read it as any Courier can toss a card in the pile and any Courier can bring the pile to my hand.

The main way that you’d know that each Bomat Courier tracks its own cards is the wording of the activated ability, specifically the phrase “cards exiled with Bomat Courier”.

When a card refers to itself by name this way, it just means itself and not any other card with the same name. If you were going to just pool all the Bomat Courier cards together, then the ability would refer to “cards exiled with cards named Bomat Courier”. (We saw this sort of templating for the first time in Conspiracy: Take the Crown on Arcane Savant, Caller of the Untamed, and Volatile Chimera.)

Also, Bomat Courier’s triggered and activated abilities are a pair of linked abilities, and so the activated ability can only ever access cards exiled by that triggered ability and not any other cards it might exile through other shenanigans. And because of these linked abilities, there’s no way for one Bomat Courier to access cards exiled by another Bomat Courier.