Heliod and Master of Waves
Asked by Argy 4 years ago
If the Heliod card is used to flicker Master of Waves do any Elementals already on the field die?
Can you please do a very clear explanation, as this question has been popping up a lot?
Thanks.
xtechnetia says... Accepted answer #2
No, they don't die. State-based actions are only checked in between resolving things on the stack. (More precisely, they're checked right before a player receives priority.) They are not checked mid-resolution of a spell/ability.
Imagine state-based actions as a guard who checks on the game state. The thing is, they only look at the game state at specific points in time - in between those specific points, anything can happen that would normally be taken care of by state-based actions (e.g. a player being at 0 life) and the guard won't notice (nor care).
At the time just before Thassa's triggered flicker begins to resolve, state-based actions will have been checked. The elementals (I assume) have at least 1 toughness, so they won't be put into the graveyard as a state-based action. Then the flicker starts resolving, and during this time, the state-based action "guard" isn't looking at the game state until the flicker finishes resolving.
By the time the "guard" looks back at the game state post-flicker (resolution of the ability), Master of Waves ' static buff is in effect, and the previously created elementals have at least 1 toughness again, so the "guard" doesn't move them to the graveyard, being none the wiser about the elementals "temporarily" having had 0 toughness.
Argy says... #1
Sorry, it's not with flickering with Heliod, it's with this card
January 8, 2020 3:25 a.m.