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tricky question about Sword of the Meek

here's a question i've had difficulty resolving satisfactorily.

seem nobody really clarifies this anywhere on the oracle rulings or forums.

sword of the meek

situation:
- i have a sword of the meek on the battlefield (NOT in the graveyard).
- i play a 1/1 creature

... does it still auto-equip, despite not being in the graveyard?


my gut feeling is yes. however the wording is slightly ambiguous, and the last part of the ability may require the first part to happen....

i'm just not confident i've interpreted it correctly.

anyone got a solid ruling for this?

thanks in advance.
Posted 02 March 2011 at 11:21

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4 replies

[QUOTE=purkle]...and the last part of the ability may require the first part to happen...[/QUOTE]

the usual rule about these kinds of things is that if it's in one sentence, then every part of it has to happen for any part of it to happen.

if it's separate statements, then they are separate effects and one failing doesn't cancel the whole spell/ability.

so in this case, it's all part of the same statement, therefor it only works if the equipment is in the graveyard.

the word "then" is the best indicator.

anything that's structured "A then B" requires A to happen before B.


my .02
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Posted 02 March 2011 at 14:47

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it does NOT auto equip when it's on the battlefield
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Posted 02 March 2011 at 15:56

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well then..... what a strange card!

haha. cheers for that clarification. it really needs to be on the oracle.
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Posted 02 March 2011 at 17:39

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[QUOTE=purkle]well then..... what a strange card!

haha. cheers for that clarification. it really needs to be on the oracle.[/QUOTE]

Here's the rule:

112.6j An ability whose cost or effect specifies that it moves the object it’s on out of a particular zone functions only in that zone, unless that ability’s trigger condition, or a previous part of that ability’s cost or effect, specifies that the object is put into that zone.
Example: Necrosavant says “{3}{B}{B}, Sacrifice a creature: Return Necrosavant from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate this ability only during your upkeep.” A player may activate this ability only if Necrosavant is in his or her graveyard.

Since the Sword's triggered ability moves it out of the graveyard, it can only function while the Sword is in the graveyard.
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Posted 03 March 2011 at 01:58

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