Goblin Artisans

[Octopusman]

I know the original intention of this card's ability was that it can only be used if an artifact spell you control is on the stack.
Here's the printed text:


Tap: Use this ability only when you cast a target artifact spell; play this ability as an interrupt. Flip a coin; target opponent calls heads or tails while coin is in the air. If the flip ends up in your favor, draw a card. Otherwise, counter your artifact spell. More than one Goblin Artisans ability cannot target the same artifact spell.


Here's the oracle text:


Tap: Flip a coin. If you win the flip, draw a card. Otherwise, counter target artifact spell you control that isn't the target of an ability from another creature named Goblin Artisans.


It looks like you pay the cost which is tap. Then there's the colon.
The ability resolves and then it says flip a coin, if you win, draw, if you lose, you counter an artifact spell you control that's on the stack.

So basically, you can use this ability even if you don't have an artifact spell you control on the stack?
I called the WotC help line and the guy agreed that was the case. He sounded knowledgeable.

You lost the flip, the lose part just fizzles if there no spell to counter.

This sounds decent to me. For one mana, on average, you get one card every two turns.
Thoughts?

[cdr]

If an ability has a target, you are required to choose that target when you announce the ability.

The Oracle text for Goblin Artisans is functionally identical to the original text.

[Octopusman]

good to know. thanks

[brattin]

If I play an artifact, activate goblin artisans, targeting my artifact, let it resolve, and win the flip and draw a card, can I then target the same spell with another goblin artisans?

I guess this is more of a question of who gets priority when.

My theory is that I can do this, and also, that I couldn't have done this when the card came out, so it's not completely functionally identical, but I don't know what the rules for interrupts were, back in the day.

[Nihil Credo]

If I play an artifact, activate goblin artisans, targeting my artifact, let it resolve, and win the flip and draw a card, can I then target the same spell with another goblin artisans?

Yes, you can (even with the same Artisans if you untap it). This is because Artisans say "that isn't the target", rather than "that hasn't become the target".