Mafteechr's classroom: Miracle

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mafteechr

10 April 2012

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702.91. Miracle

702.91a Miracle is a static ability linked to a triggered ability (see rule 603.10). "Miracle [cost]" means "You may reveal this card from your hand as you draw it if it's the first card you've drawn this turn. When you reveal this card this way, you may cast it by paying [cost] rather than its mana cost."

702.91b If a player chooses to reveal a card using its miracle ability, he or she plays with that card revealed until that card leaves his or her hand, that ability resolves, or that ability otherwise leaves the stack.

First, we'll dissect what this all means, then we'll go over some common examples.

If the very first card you draw of a turn (this includes your opponent's turn, if you have instant speed draw spells) is a Miracle card, you may reveal it. If you do, then a triggered ability goes on the stack at the next available time that says "you may cast this card by paying it's Miracle cost." When the ability resolves, if you choose to cast it, you do so then, and it goes on the stack.

Some notes on all of that:

• If the first card you draw is a Miracle card, you must reveal it to all players before it touches the rest of the cards in your hand. This is extremely important. Once the card touches the rest of the cards in your hand, it becomes indistinguishable from the rest of the cards and you are not able to reveal it. Why? Because this leads to abuse by putting the drawn card into your hand then revealing a Miracle card that was already in your hand.

• Once you reveal the card, a triggered ability goes on the stack at the next available time. Players receive priority during the draw step. Thus, if the first card you draw during your turn is during your draw step and it's a Miracle card, then the triggered ability goes on the stack in the draw step. If the first card you draw during a turn is from a spell or ability, then the triggered ability goes on the stack after the spell or ability causing you to draw finishes resolving. This is important to remember for the examples below.

• The triggered ability tells you that "you may cast this card by paying it's Miracle cost." This allows you to bypass timing restrictions. First card you drew during your turn was during your draw step and it's a sorcery Miracle card? You get the chance to cast it during your draw step. Same goes for drawing cards during your opponent's end step.

• We haven't talked about the last part of the rules yet. If you reveal the Miracle card while you're resolving a spell or ability that has you draw a card, then the Miracle card remains revealed during the entire resolution of the spell or ability, and until after the Miracle triggered ability resolves (or leaves the stack).

• It has a triggered ability. This can be responded to with Stifle, Trickbind, or Voidslime. In that case, you would not be able to cast the Miracle card, and it would stop being revealed and go into your hand.

• When the triggered ability resolves, you may cast the Miracle card. This means the Miracle card goes on the stack and can be responded to with any instants, such as Mana Leak, Counterspell, or Force of Will.

Okay. Hopefully that gets rid of most questions. Now, let's look at some examples!

During your draw step.

Untap, upkeep, draw. When you go to draw the card for your turn, you peek at it, and it's a Miracle card. You then reveal it and keep it revealed. Priority is then obtained by you, the triggered ability is on the stack, and you decide whether or not you want to cast the Miracle card when the triggered ability resolves. Easy as that!

During your opponent's turn.

Using an instant-speed draw spell (see: Opt, Peek) or an activated ability (see: Merfolk Looter, Thought Courier), you draw a card during your opponent's turn. If it's the first card you've drawn during your opponent's turn and it's a Miracle card, you follow the same exact steps as above.

Drawing multiple cards at once.

If you play a spell that has you draw multiple cards at once (see: Divination, Sign in Blood), recall it essentially reads "draw a card," "draw a card," et cetera, as many times as it has you draw cards. If the first card you draw from the spell is a Miracle card, you may reveal it, keep it revealed, then finish drawing the amount of cards required. When the spell is finished resolving, the triggered ability to cast the Miracle card goes on the stack. Continue as usual.

Brainstorm

This is one of the two most common cards asked about. You cast Brainstorm. If the first card you draw is a Miracle card, then you may reveal it and keep it revealed. Now draw your second and third card. Then, put two cards back on top of your library. Then the triggered ability to cast the Miracle card goes on the stack, and you proceed as usual. Note: you can put the Miracle card back on top of your library from Brainstorm, but you may not then cast it, since it is not in your hand.

Desperate Ravings

The other most asked about card. Let's say you have 5 cards in hand and you cast Desperate Ravings. If the first card you draw is a Miracle card, you may reveal it and keep it revealed. Then draw your second card. Next, you must randomly discard one of the six cards in your hand (5 unknown cards, and the 1 revealed Miracle card). The best way to do this is to lay each of your unknown cards face down and the Miracle card face up, assign them each a number 1-6, then roll a six-sided die to randomly decide. After this is complete, the triggered ability goes on the stack and you may cast the Miracle card when it resolves. Again, if the Miracle card is discarded by Desperate Ravings, then you may not cast it.

I hope this helps everyone understand how the new Miracle mechanic will work. I will ask that the comments for this article remain on target to how the mechanic works and not determining how good/bad/broken a Miracle card is (save that for the forums).

Thanks for reading!