Auras and enemie creatures

[Goodguy666]

This is a general question. Can I use my aura on an enemy creature and still retain control of the enchanment (I would think so). In that case can I cast a pemmin's aura (superman's aura) on an enemy creature and the activate it to give the creature +1/-1 untill it dies ? My gut feeling is yes, but for some reason I feel there might be something stopping me. Just wondering about auras such as pemmins aura, vanishing, flickerform etc. being used offensivly instead defensivly as they most often are

Thanks

[Godder]

Yes, if you enchant an opponent's permanent with one of your Auras, you still control the Aura and can still use activated abilities of the Aura. This is something Cage of Hands relies on, for example. Putting Pemmin's Aura on an enemy creature is perfectly legal, as is repeatedly using the +1/-1 ability to kill the creature.

[Harlequin]

Keep in mind that some Aura actually give the creature the ability.  For example: Quicksilver Dagger reads

Enchanted creature has ": This creature deals 1 damage to target player. You draw a card."

In this case, while you do still control the enchantment - the ability is granted to the creature.  So if you put Quicksilver Dagger on an opponent's creature they still control the creature including all its activated abilites... so they can now activate the ping+draw ability and you cannot.  A legal play, but a poor play.

[Wagner]

Keep in mind that some Aura actually give the creature the ability.  For example: Quicksilver Dagger reads

Enchanted creature has ": This creature deals 1 damage to target player. You draw a card."

In this case, while you do still control the enchantment - the ability is granted to the creature.  So if you put Quicksilver Dagger on an opponent's creature they still control the creature including all its activated abilites... so they can now activate the ping+draw ability and you cannot.  A legal play, but a poor play.

Actually, in this example, wouldn't you be drawing the card instead of your opponent? I'm thinking you still control the Aura, so you refers to the owner, you.

[Harlequin]

No becuase the creature itself gains the entire ability.  So its almost like the creature had that abiliy printed on it.  If I put my dagger on your Birds of Paradice its as if the BoP's had 2 abilites printed on them:

" : add one mana of any color to your mana pool." (as writen on the card)
" : This creature deals 1 damage to target player. You draw a card." (as granted by the aura)
So you control the birds, and "You" refers to "You" the controler of the ability