Do players control the static abilities or replacement effects abilities of permanents they control?

Asked by Yesterday 4 years ago

This came up a in another question a while ago but sort of petered out.

If I control a Chains of Mephistopheles , do I control the replacement effect that would cause an opponent to discard a card?

So, if an opponent controls a Nephalia Academy and would draw a card, they must first discard and then draw to the Chains, but are they given the opportunity to put that card on top of their library first?

Similarly, though I can't think of an instance where it'd be relevant right now, do I control the static ability of a Darkest Hour that I control?

Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #1

109.4. Only objects on the stack or on the battlefield have a controller. Objects that are neither on the stack nor on the battlefield aren’t controlled by any player. See rule 108.4. There are five exceptions to this rule:

109.4a An emblem is controlled by the player that puts it into the command zone. See rule 114, “Emblems.”

109.4b In a Planechase game, a face-up plane or phenomenon card is controlled by the player designated as the planar controller. This is usually the active player. See rule 901.6.

109.4c In a Vanguard game, each vanguard card is controlled by its owner. See rule 902.6.

109.4d In an Archenemy game, each scheme card is controlled by its owner. See rule 904.7.

109.4e In a Conspiracy Draft game, each conspiracy card is controlled by its owner. See rule 905.5.

Static abilities and replacement effects don't go on the stack, are not permanents, and are not one of the exceptions. They therefore have no controller.

July 14, 2019 2:05 p.m.

Yesterday says... #2

Thx bae.

July 14, 2019 3:37 p.m.

Rhadamanthus says... #3

Keep in mind that when replacement effects modify an event, they don't change the source of the event. The original source is still the source. In your Chains/Academy example: If your opponent casts Vision Skeins then it's their own Skeins that will cause them to discard cards after Chains is applied, so Academy won't do anything. If you cast the Skeins, however, then it's your spell/ability that is causing them to discard after Chains is applied, and Academy can be applied to that event.

July 14, 2019 7:35 p.m.

Yesterday says... #4

Oh. So if I control the Vision Skeins spell, even if another player controls both the Chains of Mephistopheles and the Nephalia Academy, the Academy effect will still apply to the discard from the Chains because I'm the one with the spell that causes them to discard the card?

So likewise, if I control Chains, and an opponent controls a Tamiyo, Collector of Tales and casts a Vision Skeins, they discard then draw twice in a row (unless their hand is empty). But if I cast the Skeins then they just draw two cards?

July 14, 2019 7:47 p.m.

Rhadamanthus says... #5

The replacement effect from Chains changes Vision Skeins ' effect from "each player draws two cards" to "each player does the Chains thing twice". In your Nephalia Academy example, the opponent with the Academy can apply it to the discards. In your Tamiyo, Collector of Tales example, however, if you cast the Skeins then the opponent mills twice and doesn't draw, because they didn't "discard a card this way".

July 15, 2019 2:32 p.m.

Yesterday says... #6

Yep, cool. My bad on messing up with the Chains, but it was the ownership of the ability that I was getting at. Thanks, I get it now.

July 15, 2019 2:35 p.m.

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