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Sep 26, 2011 -- 1:46PM, Falyxron wrote:

1.  When both Humility and Opalescence are in play, does Humility have anything written on it?

I'm not sure that's the correct question to ask, because barring white-out (tipp ex if you're not american), nothing changes what's written on the card.

Instead, what we need to do is step through the layer system, taking into account that new things are on the battlefield, and see what we end up with. In practice, this means that humility can apply to additional objects.

If I have Humility and Opalescence in play, and I cast Blinding Mage , will it come in as a 1/1 with no abilities, or as a 1/2 with the ability to tap creatures?

In layer 4, we apply opalescence's type-changing effect, and humility is now a creature. In layer 6, humility's ability-removing effect is applied, and now neither humility nor blinding mage have any abilities. In layer 7b, we apply opalescene's power-and-toughness-setting effect and humility's power and toughness setting effect in timestamp order. Assuming humility has a later timestamp,  both humility and blinding mage are 1/1s.

As a result, blinding mage is a 1/1 with no abilities (at every moment that it is on the battlefield)

2.  The Question #4 in the article seemed to make sense, but I don't understand why Dralnu's Crusade has part of its ability removed by Humility.  A judge explained to me that When Humility and Opalescence are in play, Opalescence continues its effects in Layer 7, even after Humility has removed all abilities in Layer 6, because "Opalescence's effects have already started applying."  The article itself says: "If a continuous effect has started applying in an earlier layer, it will continue to apply in later layers even if the ability that created that effect has been removed."  Dralnu's Crusade had effects that applied in Layers 4 and 5, well before Humility removed all abilities in Layer 6.  Why do the Level 7 effects of Dralnu's Crusade not apply?

Opalescence has one big ability which generates effects in multiple layers. Dralnu's Crusade actually has two abilities (make sure to check it's oracle text). The first ability modifies power and toughness. The second ability does multiple effects: turning them black, making them zombies.

Since the power and toughness ability is a standalone, it can't benefit from the rule that says that once an effect begins to apply it continues to apply in later layers. The power and toughness effect never began to apply.

3.  Kind of a side question - If Opalescence is in play, and someone tries to cast Confiscate on it, what happens?  Does Confiscate enter play as an Aura, and then fall off once it becomes a creature?  I was under the impression that creatures cannot be attached to other permanents via equipping or becoming an aura.

Opalescence only turns non-auras into creatures. Confiscate will be unaffected.

Sep 26, 2011 -- 1:57PM, cyphern wrote:

 In layer 4, we apply opalescence's type-changing effect, and humility is now an enchantment. In layer 6, humility's ability-removing effect is applied, and now neither humility nor blinding mage have any abilities. In layer 7b, we apply opalescene's power-and-toughness-setting effect and humility's power and toughness setting effect in timestamp order. Assuming humility has a later timestamp,  both humility and blinding mage are 1/1s.

I think you mean creature here.