Gilded Drake

[Jacemindbreak]

Do I have to make an exchange? Even if the opponent has a creature?

[KobeBryan]

I am also wondering the same.

basically can i just cast the card to empty a bridge from below? Even though he has zombies in play.. Some guy told me that I cannot cast the card without doing the exchange. he was playing dredge so he probably told me that for an advantage.

[Koby]

Updated Oracle text might help:

Gilded Drake
Creature — Drake 3/3, 1U (2)
Flying

When Gilded Drake enters the battlefield, exchange control of Gilded Drake and up to one target creature an opponent controls. If you don't make an exchange, sacrifice Gilded Drake. This ability can't be countered except by spells and abilities. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)

Summary rulings:

10/4/2004: If the chosen creature to exchange is not on the battlefield at resolution, then sacrifice this card.
10/4/2004: This ability is targeted, so Protection can prevent targeting if it exists when the ability would be put on the stack. Once the ability is on the stack, adding Protection will not counter the ability but the exchange will not take place since the target is illegal and you sacrifice this card on resolution.

[KobeBryan]

Updated Oracle text might help:

Gilded Drake
Creature — Drake 3/3, 1U (2)
Flying

When Gilded Drake enters the battlefield, exchange control of Gilded Drake and up to one target creature an opponent controls. If you don't make an exchange, sacrifice Gilded Drake. This ability can't be countered except by spells and abilities. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)

Summary rulings:

10/4/2004: If the chosen creature to exchange is not on the battlefield at resolution, then sacrifice this card.
10/4/2004: This ability is targeted, so Protection can prevent targeting if it exists when the ability would be put on the stack. Once the ability is on the stack, adding Protection will not counter the ability but the exchange will not take place since the target is illegal and you sacrifice this card on resolution.

oh nice..."up to one". thanks as usual.

[cdr]

I am also wondering the same.

basically can i just cast the card to empty a bridge from below? Even though he has zombies in play.. Some guy told me that I cannot cast the card without doing the exchange. he was playing dredge so he probably told me that for an advantage.

Yes, as you can see per the Oracle text Koby posted you either have to exchange it or sacrifice it when it comes into play. The "up to one" part means you can choose not to target something to exchange and just sacrifice it.

[KobeBryan]

Yes, as you can see per the Oracle text Koby posted you either have to exchange it or sacrifice it when it comes into play. The "up to one" part means you can choose not to target something to exchange and just sacrifice it.

That dredge player tried to pull a fast one on me...saying i cannot kill his bridges by dropping the drake without targeting anything.

Then after the match he told me i shouldn't board in surgical extractions since I had 2 scavenging oozes (MD), 1 bojuka bog.

[caiomarcos]

Yes, as you can see per the Oracle text Koby posted you either have to exchange it or sacrifice it when it comes into play. The "up to one" part means you can choose not to target something to exchange and just sacrifice it.

I don't see where it gives you the choice to not make the exchange. The only choice it gives you is that you could either get zero or one creature back, ie, you could exchange it for nothing. You only sacrifice it when the exchange does not happen for other reasons, like the ones listed (target removed before resolution, protection), and not as an option.

[KobeBryan]

I don't see where it gives you the choice to not make the exchange. The only choice it gives you is that you could either get zero or one creature back, ie, you could exchange it for nothing. You only sacrifice it when the exchange does not happen for other reasons, like the ones listed (target removed before resolution, protection), and not as an option.


"up to one" is the key word.

[Koby]

The exchange requires another target. You could chose "zero" targets and sacrifice it instead.

[cdr]

I don't see where it gives you the choice to not make the exchange. The only choice it gives you is that you could either get zero or one creature back, ie, you could exchange it for nothing. You only sacrifice it when the exchange does not happen for other reasons, like the ones listed (target removed before resolution, protection), and not as an option.

If you choose zero targets, you are not making an exchange - the second part of the trigger requires you to sacrifice it if you don't make an exchange whether you chose a target or not.

There is no such thing as "exchange for nothing", an exchange is a very specific action per the rules.

[caiomarcos]

There is no such thing as "exchange for nothing", an exchange is a very specific action per the rules.

That makes it clear, I wasn't sure about the definiton of "exchange" per in-game rules. Thanks!

[cdr]

For reference:

Exchange: To swap two things, such as objects, sets of objects, or life totals. See rule 701.8, "Exchange."

701.8 covers the specifics of various types of exchanges.

[nedleeds]

Sweet. I can get rid of bridges with my Drakes.