Can Renegade Doppelganger copy any nonland permanent using Clever Impersonator?

Asked by WolvenKnightmare 7 years ago

So, according to Gatherer rulings, "If Renegade Doppelganger becomes a copy of a creature that is itself copying something else (for example, if the creature that entered the battlefield is a Clone), then Renegade Doppelganger becomes a copy of whatever that creature is copying."

The ruling's syntax indicates that it can copy nocreature permanents as well, since it's language is ambiguous ("something else" and "whatever") and isn't explicitly saying that copy has to be a creature, though that's almost always what it would be.

So, for example, say:I cast Clever Impersonator, choosing my opponent's, I dunno, we'll go with... Relic of Progenitus. So the Impersonator enters the battlefield as a copy of the Relic, and then Renegade Doppelganger's triggered ability goes off, allowing me to copy the Impersonator, however, due to the ruling clause, if Doppelganger would copy a creature that's copying something else, the Doppelganger will copy whatever the other creature is copying, thus, the Doppelganger would become a Relic, right? Or would the Doppelganger never actually "see" the Impersonator entering as a creature at all, and thus never the ability would never trigger?

WolvenKnightmare says... #1

whoops, for the ending I meant "...and thus the ability would never trigger?"

May 18, 2016 11:10 p.m.

Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #2

Renegade Doppelganger has a triggered ability that triggers when a creature enters the battlefield. Clever Impersonator has a replacement effect that changes what it enters the battlefield as. If Clever Impersonator enters the battlefield as a copy of Mana Crypt an artifact entered the battlefield. No creature ever entered the battlefield and so Renegade Doppelganger will never trigger.

May 18, 2016 11:43 p.m.

WolvenKnightmare says... #3

Thanks! Kinda came to the conclusions as I was typing it out, so thanks for confirming that!

Wish it worked the way I wanted it to though ;n;

May 18, 2016 11:46 p.m.