#eyeball-frog

[magicjudge]

If I kick a Jilt and bounce my Pestilent Spirit, will the damage Jilt deals have deathtouch?

No. 

When we go to resolve Jilt, we apply its effects in the order they're printed, so Pestilent Spirit is returned to your hand first and then 2 damage is dealt to your opponent's creature. Pestilent Spirit's ability only applies while it's on the battlefield, but it was no longer on the battlefield when Jilt dealt damage and so Jilt didn't have deathtouch when the damage was dealt and the creature won't die.

[markrosewater]

Given what happened to Standard in Mirrodin, Scars of Mirrodin, and Kaladesh blocks, has R&D considered that maybe "artifacts matter" is a block theme that shouldn't be tried?

It's making us talk about how we would do another artifact set such that it doesn't cause problems. We don't want to throw out the baby with the bath water.

[magicjudge]

Assuming he has 5 or fewer loyalty counters, if my opponent animates Gideon, Ally of Zendikar and I cast Combust on it, will it die?

Yes.

Even though Gideon has indestructible, Combust’s damage will still cause 5 loyalty counters to be removed from Gideon, leaving him with 0 loyalty. The next time state-based actions are checked, Gideon will be put into his owner’s graveyard.

[markrosewater]

Looking back on Shadows Over Innistrad block, I noticed something missing. Where's the red enchantment that says "Whenever you [block mechanic], deal damage"?

We only do that most of the time rather than all of the time.

[markrosewater]

It seems like flickering effects always return the permanent under its owner's control these days. Are we ever going to see the AVR-style flickering that returns it under your control again? I liked being able to steal a permanent, then flicker it to keep it forever.

We wouldn't do that unless some aspect of the world called for it.

[markrosewater]

I recently noticed that Gloomwidow is the first non-blue creature since Nemesis to have "can block only creatures with flying". It got me wondering. Do downside abilities have a color pie, or is it mostly dictated by flavor/mechanics needs?

No, all abilities are assigned places in the color pie. We call the ability you're talking about "high flying" and it is primary in Blue.

[magicjudge]

Ah gotcha. Just FYI, though, the card image you used for the Aether Rift question has the printed text (which doesn't mention the graveyard), not the oracle text. Probably something to keep an eye on in the future.

Sadly, there’s not a version with the oracle text printed on it, which is why I had to paste it in for the comparison.

[magicjudge]

If damage is somehow dealt to a permanent that isn't a creature or planeswalker, what happens?

Damage can only be dealt to players, creatures, and planeswalkers. If damage would be dealt to something else, that damage isn’t dealt.