Possibility Storm #5: Ixalan
Hello, Magic puzzlers! Today's puzzle is the first to make it's way onto MTGGoldfish but comes from a long line of mythic puzzles. The difference between a mythic and rare puzzle often has to do with rules and timing. While the full rules breakdown is available here, we wanted to cover the biggest questions that come up from puzzlers.
This one was a real doozy. We have two replacement effects that interact with each other: Angrath's Marauders doubles damage from a source, and Protection of the Hekma reduces it by one. The order these effects are applied in matters ((2 − 1) x 2 = 2, but 2 x 2 − 1 = 3). So, which one is it? In this case, someone has to decide, and unlike triggers and many other decisions in Magic, which go by "APNAP" (active player, then non-active player) order, it is the affected player who chooses how to order replacement effects like these. So, if I'm the opponent, I'm saying shrink first, double later. For more information, check comprehensive rules 615.1 and 615.10, and 616.1 and 616.1e.
These puzzles are free to play, but if you like to challenge yourself or others, then you can get early access over on the Possibility Storm Patreon. Each puzzle has a unique solution, but if you find a better one that our crack staff of puzzle analysts missed, you can reach us on our Facebook or on Twitter @mtgpuzzles. Good luck!
