Show and Tell + Animate Dead

[whienot]

Show and Tell 2U

Sorcery

Each player may put an artifact, creature, enchantment, or land card from his or her hand onto the battlefield.


Animate Dead 1B

Enchantment - Aura

Enchant creature card in a graveyard

When Animate Dead enters the battlefield, if it's on the battlefield, it loses "enchant creature card in a graveyard" and gains "enchant creature put onto the battlefield with Animate Dead." Return enchanted creature card to the battlefield under your control and attach Animate Dead to it. When Animate Dead leaves the battlefield, that creature's controller sacrifices it.


If I resolve a Show and Tell and drop an Animate Dead onto the battlefield, can my opponent sacrifice a Tormod's Crypt to remove my graveyard before the creature is brought to the battlefield?


303.4f If an Aura is entering the battlefield under a player’s control by any means other than by resolving as an Aura spell, and the effect putting it onto the battlefield doesn’t specify the object or player the Aura will enchant, that player chooses what it will enchant as the Aura enters the battlefield. The player must choose a legal object or player according to the Aura’s enchant ability and any other applicable effects.

[Koby]

When Animate Dead would enter the battlefield, you would need to select a card to enchant in a graveyard. This is the triggered portion of the card (due to the "when" clause.) Your opponent could respond to this trigger, and thus Crypt the appropriate g/y in order to blank your Animate Dead.

[[sic]]

The ability goes to the stack, this can be responded to since your opponent receives priority.

[whienot]

Animate Dead won't target off of a Show and Tell. Auras brought onto the battlefield by means other that casting will not target. The controller would choose a legal object -as- it enters the battlefield.

I want details, folks. So:
1) Animate Dead chooses a creature as it enters the battlefield.
2) Animate Dead enters the battlefield attached to the chosen creature. (I think this is where I get lost.)

303.4. Some enchantments have the subtype “Aura.” An Aura enters the battlefield attached to an object or player.
Animate Dead is on the battlefield attached to the chosen creature, but the creature hasn't been brought to the battlefield yet. That won't happen until the trigger changing Animate Dead's enchant type resolves.

Is that correct?

Animate Dead seems a little convoluted in this case, since it appears that it attaches twice. Once when it enchants a creature in a graveyard, then again after it brings the creature to the battlefield.

I ask because the situation came up at the SCG Pittsburgh event. The judge ruled that the player controlling the Tormod's Crypt could not respond because the aura enters the battlefield attached to the chosen creature.

Bad rulings happen, I just want to make it was a bad ruling and not a techy play.

[Koby]

See below.

[cdr]

Objects in any zone can be attached to - there just aren't many cards that attach to objects in zones other than the battlefield.

303.4c. If an Aura is enchanting an illegal object or player, the object it was attached to no longer exists, or the player it was attached to has left the game, the Aura is put into its owner's graveyard. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)

The Animate Dead enters the battlefield attached to a creature card in a graveyard, but if that object ceases to exist (for instance, if it leaves the graveyard) before Animate Dead's ETB trigger resolves, the Animate Dead will be put into its owner's graveyard just like any other aura that loses what it was attached to.

It does attach twice, because it needs to re-attach when the card changes zones and becomes a new object.


Animate Dead does not attach when it first enters play and is still an enchanting a creature card in g/y. Once it enters the battlefield, the triggered ability changes its text as well as reanimate the enchanted card. This trigger can be responded to.

It does attach - that's what "enchanting" is - but otherwise correct.

303.4b. The object or player an Aura is attached to is called enchanted. The Aura is attached to, or "enchants," that object or player.

[DerFern]

Your opponent can not respond to Animate Dead being put onto the battlefield. However, he CAN respond to Animate Deads triggered ability. The problem is that Animate Dead received a whole lot of errata and I guess there was not the most recent wording available.

So, you cast S&T and put Animate Dead onto the battlefield. At this time it is attached to a creature in your graveyard since that is what it needs to enchant. Then, after S&T is finished resolving, its triggered ability is put onto the stack. (Here your opponent can sacrifice Tormod's Crypt and nuke your graveyard). If he does not respond, all of Animate Deads triggered ability resolve in one instance ("if it's on the battlefield, it loses "enchant creature card in a graveyard" and gains "enchant creature put onto the battlefield with Animate Dead." Return enchanted creature card to the battlefield under your control and attach Animate Dead to it.")