Do instants still apply to destroyed creatures?
Asked by Mr_Radical 8 years ago
If I were to have a creature and target it with an instant that has an "until end of turn" effect, and that creature is destroyed that turn, would the effect still affect the creature in the graveyard? For instance, if I were to have Aegis Angel and I make it black until end of turn with Aphotic Wisps, then my opponent destroys Aegis Angel, would it remain black in my graveyard until end of turn, allowing me to return it to my hand with Call to the Netherworld?
Raging_Squiggle says... #2
Short story: No. Because it doesn't keep the black color when it remains in the graveyard.
Long story: Any characteristics it acquired while on or entering the battlefield do not remain on the card when it changes zones. (There are exceptions, but that's not important here). There is an instant, a very quick instant, as the card is going to the graveyard where it has all characteristics, including being black, which is enough time to trigger abilities, but not to activate abilities.
Example: Clone is a copy of Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre. It is sent to the graveyard somehow. The ability from Ulamog triggers as the Clone enters the graveyard. But once all abilities are triggered, the card will revert back to Clone itself when state based actions are checked. You would shuffle the Clone card in to your graveyard that is not a copy of anything.
December 22, 2015 1:19 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #3
@Raging_Squiggle: Your example with Clone and Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre is incorrect. A "dies"/"leaves the battlefield" trigger will trigger from the battlefield and use information from the battlefield to determine if and how it triggers, but a "to graveyard from anywhere" trigger will trigger from the graveyard and use information from the graveyard. The Clone doesn't have the ability at the time it would have triggered.
merrowMania says... Accepted answer #1
No, it would not. The angel would count as a black creature that died (for something like Teysa, Orzhov Scion), but it becomes a new object after that because it changed zones.
December 22, 2015 1:15 p.m. Edited.