Horrific Countenance

trolling for consistency in rules and clear card texts is qualitytrollingTM

Quoting random text (no link?) that is unclear is dishonest when you have 4 full link stating clearly that text between parenthesis is not always reminder text.

Sorry about that. It was from one of James' links, and I supposed that you'll know where I dug it from. It's the [LSJ 20050403] link, last post.

On my side, I could think that you're playing dumb on purpose.

And I could say the same for you. You were playing/seeing this card for fifteen years assuming that it is played before combat, without any text saying so. Just because other games/cards use same/or similar mechanics...

Simple:
Card is usable only when you're blocked, and you're blocked even after block combat (since it is, by ruling, part of block). This card untaps blocker, negates block, and makes action unblockable. If it negates block (and by card text, it does) it negates unsuccessful resolution of an action (as blocked action is unsuccessful by ruling), and action may continue (in my opinion).

As I see, main problem is the LSJ ruling, that cards without explicit text could not be played after combat. That's why I cited other cards that are usable after combat, and still are without that text/or were errated.

Errated cards include: Domain of Evernight, Pocket Out of Time, All kinds of Wakes...

EDIT:
And I'm looking forward this ruling to ask for more clarifying questions - from top of my head - (Unleash Hell's Fury vs. Horrific) versus (Milicent Smith vs. Change of Target)...

Megabaja wrote:

If it negates block (and by card text, it does) it negates unsuccessful resolution of an action (as blocked action is unsuccessful by ruling), and action may continue (in my opinion).

No, it doesn't contain any card text indicating it reverses the resolution and continues the action. There are other cards that do that. Horrific Countenance doesn't. The action has already resolved (unsuccessfully). Similarly, Oath and Infection [THAN] do not cause the action to continue because the blocker can no longer block.

This isn't a question of ambiguous card text where each group of people can reasonably have different opinions. Your opinion simply isn't supported by card text.

Hm, lengthy argumentations over here.

To sum up:

- Pocket Out of Time's text was updated. No further ruling needed.

- "Only usable when/by.." implies "Usable when/by.." (notice how bad Wake with Evening's Freshness would be if it weren't the case?), which makes Edge of the World usable after resolution.

- Horrific Countenance: The action is blocked, the block attempt is successful, *play Horrific Countenance* and it now continues, and is unblockable.

Horrific Countenance is only playable before resolution (just like Change of Target - I agree consistency would either have the parentheses on both or none).
- HC vs Unleash Hell's Fury: UHF inflicts 1 agg and burns before HC could be played.
- Change of Target vs Millicient Smith: Millicient Smith burns the vampire before CoT could be played ( [LSJ 20010723] )

No, it doesn't contain any card text indicating it reverses the resolution..

Text that reverses the resolution is there. It is clearly written on the card - "This action is not blocked...". Being usable only after minion is blocked, this sentence clearly negates result of a block that occurred previously during the same action.

...and continues the action.

You are correct. There is no similar text on the card. What is written is "... and it is now unblockable ". So action that was previously blocked and resolved unsuccessfully, is now unblockable. Although there is no text indicating it continues, being unblockable clearly indicates that action still exists. Notice the usage of adjectives "when" - that states that something needs to happen, and "now" that something is happening still.

Your opinion simply isn't supported by card text.

So I used intuitivenessTM that Anka mentioned. Number of cards lacking text that allows usage "after resolution of an action" is actually greater then number of cards having it written. Some of those were errated to be usable, and my point is that Horrific Countenace needs such errata.

Sorry about this - Pascals post squeezed in before I replied to James, but after I started to write it.

- Horrific Countenance: The action is blocked, the block attempt is successful, *play Horrific Countenance* and it now continues, and is unblockable.

Why is it not possible to go into combat phase of a block before playing Horrific Countenance? It is still a blocked after it...

EDIT:

- "Only usable when/by.." implies "Usable when/by.." (notice how bad Wake with Evening's Freshness would be if it weren't the case?), which makes Edge of the World usable after resolution.

Using the same logic:
Notice how bad Horrific Countenance would be if it would be used before unsuccessful resolution of an action. Using it after makes it more usable, and less wallpaper.