Discussion Forum

[QUOTE=nightcreeper58]If an opponent has Ivory Mask in play, can I use spells such as Lightning Bolt on their creatures?[/QUOTE]

Yes.

Ivory Mask only shrouds the player. Creatures don't benefit from it.

Can i ask where you get all your info from? If I could get to that info, I could FINALLY end all of the several hundred arguments we have over card abilites.

[QUOTE=nightcreeper58]Can i ask where you get all your info from? If I could get to that info, I could FINALLY end all of the several hundred arguments we have over card abilites.[/QUOTE]

The ultimate authority is the Comprehensive Rules and, for card wordings, Gatherer.

Between them, things are worded tightly enough that most issues can be reduced to clear, logical steps.

Let's take this Ivory Mask question.

What does Ivory Mask actually do? From its Gatherer entry:

You have shroud.

Who or what is "you" in that ability? From the rules:

109.5. The words “you” and “your” on an object refer to the object’s controller, its would-be controller (if a player is attempting to play, cast, or activate it), or its owner (if it has no controller). For a static ability, this is the current controller of the object it’s on. For an activated ability, this is the player who activated the ability. For a triggered ability, this is the controller of the object when the ability triggered, unless it’s a delayed triggered ability. To determine the controller of a delayed triggered ability, see rules 603.7d–f.

And what does it mean to have "shroud?" From the rules:

702.16. Shroud

702.16a Shroud is a static ability. “Shroud” means “This permanent or player can’t be the target of spells or abilities.”

So, Ivory Mask's "you have shroud" ability means exactly that the player who controls Ivory Mask can't be the target of spells or abilities. It means no more and no less. In particular, it does not involve that player's creatures at all.

in addendum to Aneximines' Comprehensive post (hah!), just reading http://www.dailymtg.com/ and others can give you some great insight as to how the rules work. There's also a periodical called Cranial Extraction at http://www.mtgsalvation.com/ that's all about answering weird rules interactions. And always, there's us here at the forums. :D