Animate Dead

[Malakai]

The situation:

Active Player casts Animate Dead, targeting the Griselbrand in his graveyard.
Non-active player responds by activating Nihil Spellbomb targeting AP.
Nihil Spellbomb's ability resolves. The AP's graveyard is empty.
AP discards (to Putrid Imp) Iona.
Animate Dead resolves.

At this point, AP argues that Iona is going to get into play, either by attaching Animate Dead to it, or through Animate Dead's triggered ability. NAP argues that since the Aura's target no longer exists, the Aura will never enter the battlefield and thus the triggered ability of Animate Dead will never be put on the stack.

Bonus points if you cite the rules that make this go one way or another.

[Julian23]

Well, what can I say? This is just another case of "countered upon resolution because of no legal target." You wouldn't argue that you get to enchant a different creature just because your opponent Swords-To-Plowshared the Albino Troll you originally targeted.

Once Animate Dead resolves, it will enter the battlefield enchanting nothing. It's will then be put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based effect.

Regarding citing the corresponding part of the rules...I'm at work, gimme a break :cool:

[Malakai]

This is what I said, but literally everyone in the room--adept legacy players--all disagreed with me.

[Koby]

Animate Dead suffers from the ill-fated "printed text doesn't match Oracle text" syndrome. Let's start with it's Oracle wording:

"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.

Enchanted creature gets -1/-0."

Rules tip for this card gives us a hint as well:
"9/16/2007: This is a new wording. Animate Dead is now an Aura. You target a creature card in a graveyard when you cast it. It enters the battlefield attached to that card. Then it returns that card to the battlefield, and attaches itself to that card again (since the card is treated as a new object on the battlefield)."

Thus, you target the creature card in a graveyard.

114.1b. Aura spells are always targeted. These are the only permanent spells with targets. An Aura's target is specified by its enchant keyword ability (see rule 702.5, "Enchant"). The target(s) are chosen as the spell is cast; see rule 601.2c. An Aura permanent doesn't target anything; only the spell is targeted. (An activated or triggered ability of an Aura permanent can also be targeted.)

303.4c. If an Aura is enchanting an illegal object or player as defined by its enchant ability and other applicable effects, 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.)

Not sure how these are being misinterpreted. The target no longer exists (exiled), thus Animate Dead has no effect and goes to the graveyard.

[Malakai]

They argued that 114.1b doesn't say it can't just come into play enchanting a different, legal permanent. I also pointed out 303.4g, but again the argument "well Iona is a legal card for it to enchant."


I should have made the TO read 608.2b directly after reading 114.1b.

[Koby]

They argued that 114.1b doesn't say it can't just come into play enchanting a different, legal permanent. I also pointed out 303.4g, but again the argument "well Iona is a legal card for it to enchant."


I should have made the TO read 608.2b directly after reading 114.1b.

Iona is a legal card to enchant, but it was not targeted as I'm sure you have been pointing out.

If you think the TO and/or the judges at this store are not conforming to the Comprehensive Rules, please contact your Regional Coordinator to discuss these issues. It may require getting the judges re-certified or at least take another training session (such as judging conferences at most large events).

[cdr]

Great answers Koby. /endorse

You could try going into http://chat.magicjudges.org while they're present; that's the official rules IRC and the best way to get on-the-spot rules answers.

[Esper3k]

If the AD target is removed while AD is still on the stack, AD won't even come into the battlefield just like regular auras that get their targets removed while they're on the stack, right?

Saw some people mentioning it above, so I figured I'd ask to clarify.

[Koby]

If the AD target is removed while AD is still on the stack, AD won't even come into the battlefield just like regular auras that get their targets removed while they're on the stack, right?

Saw some people mentioning it above, so I figured I'd ask to clarify.

At the time Animate Dead would resolve, if the target is no longer in the zone it was targeted as the original object, the Aura spell would fizzle and be put directly into the graveyard. It would not enter the battlefield at all.

[Malakai]

Iona is a legal card to enchant, but it was not targeted as I'm sure you have been pointing out.

If you think the TO and/or the judges at this store are not conforming to the Comprehensive Rules, please contact your Regional Coordinator to discuss these issues. It may require getting the judges re-certified or at least take another training session (such as judging conferences at most large events).

Ha, no, they do their best, with different employees having different levels of expertise.

[Esper3k]

At the time Animate Dead would resolve, if the target is no longer in the zone it was targeted as the original object, the Aura spell would fizzle and be put directly into the graveyard. It would not enter the battlefield at all.

Ok thanks, that's what I thought!

[nedleeds]

You can also Stifle the ETB and it just sits there ... that's come up a couple of times.