Stupefy

This is unclear under existing rules, so the updated rules will clarify. “When you kill a unit with a spell” triggers immediately after a spell you control resolves if either of the following is true: That spell instructs you to kill a unit during its resolution, and that unit is put into the trash this way. A spell instructs you to deal damage to a unit during its resolution, and that unit is put into the trash during the cleanup immediately following that spell’s resolution. This includes “direct kill” spells you control like Hidden Blade. It also includes damage spells like Void Seeker, provided they mark lethal damage on the unit that immediately causes it to die. In all cases, the unit has to actually die—if that death is replaced by a card like Unlicensed Armory, then you didn’t kill a unit with a spell. Notably, the following do not count as you killing a unit with a spell: You are instructed to kill a unit by a spell another player controls, even if the spell instructs you to kill the unit (e.g., another player’s Cull the Weak). Another player is instructed to kill a unit by a spell you control (e.g., your Cull the Weak, if you don’t kill any of your own units with it). You play a spell like Challenge that causes a unit to deal lethal damage to another unit. You use a spell to mark damage on a unit and the unit dies later in the turn, even if that damage later became lethal damage for any reason. You use a spell to directly or indirectly lower the Might of a unit, causing damage it’s already taken to become lethal damage. For example: ○ You use a spell like Stupefy to lower the Might of a unit that has already taken damage, causing that damage to become lethal damage. You use a spell like Charm to move a unit with damage on it away from Trifarian War Camp, indirectly lowering its Might and causing that damage to become lethal damage. You use a spell like Rebuke to return Lee Sin, Centered to its owner’s hand, indirectly lowering the Might of a buffed unit at the same battlefield that has damage on it, causing that damage to become lethal damage. You do anything else with a spell that causes a unit to die in any other way than the two methods listed above, or at any time other than during or immediately after the spell’s resolution. You do any of the above, but the unit doesn’t actually die.

No. This is a change to our design philosophy beginning with Spiritforged , but Origins cards will maintain their functionality.

The chosen unit will be given -2 [M], to a minimum of 1 [M]. If it was 2 [M], it will become 1 [M].

In the case of Stupefy, Mel, Newly Awakened replaces the event of Stupefy giving -1 [M] with it giving -2 [M] instead. However, a replacement effect that replaces an event modified by the game effect that generated that event will inherit any of those modifications. In this case, Stupefy modifies the “give -1 [M]” game action and thus event with “to a minimum of 1 [M].” The replaced event will inherit the same modification.

Relevant Rules: 375.

Ravenbloom Student will trigger twice, Battering Ram will cost [4], and your opponent’s Legion abilities will be active.

Ravenbloom Student’s triggered ability checks whether a spell that you control resolves. You gained control of the Stupefy, and it resolved, so you will have triggered Ravenbloom Student’s ability. Battering Ram and Legion, on the other hand, check whether cards were finalized . Although you gained control of Stupefy, you did not finalize it; you got it after it was already finalized by your opponent. Thus, your opponent’s Legion abilities will be active, and Battering Ram will only receive a [1] Energy discount.

Relevant Rules: 419.4., 419.4.a., 419.4.b.

You will score 2 points total. 1 from conquering, 1 from Swain.

Swain only checks whether you’ve played a non-token unit, a non-token gear, and a spell. Checks like that do not care whether they were satisfied by multiple cards or a single card relevant to the trigger conditions.

He will not.

In order for his replacement effect to apply, the event of him being given -[M] must occur. In the case of Stupefy played on a 1 [M] unit, no -[M] is given; it is snapshot to -0 [M]. Thus, there is no suitable event for Gangplank’s replacement effect to replace.

Relevant Rules: 477.3.b.

She will not trigger.

Although Dragon Form sets the base Might of a unit to 5 [M], it does so via layers. Layers are evaluated when the effect is applied and their evaluation includes all existing applied layer alterations. We process layers in order, starting from the Trait-Altering layer (where this base Might setting effect is applied), proceeding to the Ability-Altering layer (not part of this example), and proceeding to the Arithmetic layer (where Stupefy’s -1 [M] is applied), but this process happens instantaneously; there is no window while evaluating layers for the unit to see itself become 5 [M] and then go down to 4 [M]. As soon as the effect of Dragon Form is applied, the unit is 4 [M].

As a side note, Might is one of the traits that is managed in the Trait-Altering layer, and it is one of the copyable traits that copy effects can replace or add to.

Renekton’s ability will not trigger in either scenario.

In order to “become 10 or more,” his Might would have to have previously been less than 10. “10 or more” is a state, and Renekton’s triggered ability checks for the event of him achieving that state. If he maintains that state, regardless of how his Might changes, he will not “become” that state.