#mindwrack demon

[mtg-cards-hourly]

Mindwrack Demon

Artist: Matt Stewart TCG Player Link Scryfall Link EDHREC Link

[mtg-cards-hourly]

Mindwrack Demon

Artist: Daarken

[magic-the-beefening]

He’s got a splitting headache.

[googlyeyesonmagiccards]

Maybe a Mindwrack Demon, too? It's probably my favourite art in the new set.

I wracked my mind trying to think of a better art, but I just couldn’t

[magicjudge]

Do the cards in Topplegeist's cycle have "intervening if"s? How can we identify an "intervening if" in the wild?

Intervening if clauses appear in some triggered abilities and present a second required condition for that ability to trigger (and resolve).

Triggered abilities are normally formatted “[When/Whenever/At] [trigger condition], [effect].” These abilities trigger when their trigger condition is met and produce their effect when they resolve.

For example, Thornwood Falls hast the triggered ability “When Thornwood Falls enters the battlefield, you gain 1 life.” Entering the battlefield is the trigger condition, and gaining 1 life is the effect.

Triggered abilities with intervening if clauses have a slightly more complex format: “[When/Whenever/At] [primary trigger condition], if [secondary trigger condition], [effect].” When the primary trigger condition is met, the secondary trigger condition is checked. If it’s also met, then the ability triggers. If it’s not met, then the ability doesn’t trigger. When the ability goes to resolve, it checks the secondary trigger condition again. If it’s still met, then the trigger has its effect. If the secondary trigger condition isn’t met at this time, then the trigger has no effect as it resolves.

This brings us to Topplegeist and its friends. Topplegeist has a triggered ability with an intervening if clause. (I highlighted the intervening if clause above.) The beginning of an opponent’s upkeep is the primary trigger condition, having four or more card types in your graveyard is the secondary condition, and tapping target creature is the effect. Topplegeist won’t trigger at all at the beginning of an opponent’s upkeep if you don’t have four card types in your graveyard. If you do have four types in your graveyard, then it will trigger. When that trigger goes to resolve, your graveyard is checked again. If any cards have left your graveyard and dropped you below four card types in your graveyard, then Topplegeist’s trigger won’t have any effect. (Note that cards could leave your graveyard and be replaced with other cards between the ability triggering and resolving, and it will be fine as long as there are at least four card types in your graveyard at both times.)

Most permanents with triggered Delerium abilities have intervening if clauses in those abilities, but there’s at least one card currently spoiled (Mindwrack Demon) whose Delerium trigger doesn’t have an intervening if clause in it, so read each card carefully. Remember that Delerium is an ability word and doesn’t carry any inherent rules meaning with it.

[turtur-the-turtle]

[redlikeaweasley-blog]

So I thought mindwrack demon looked oddly familiar... and then remembered the Dota 2 character Night Stalker, whose face opens up at night in-game. I wonder if there are any other similar comparisons  with game characters and cards. Does anyone else know of any?