Is Iona an ETB?

Asked by Chubbub 8 years ago

Ok, so for the TO modern rotisserie draft that's been going on, we've had a little debate. One of the players picked Torpor Orb and Iona, Shield of Emeria. Some of us think that torpor orb would cancel Iona's ability because we think it's an ETB, but others have said orb wouldn't cancel it because an ETB can only use when, whenever, or at, which Iona doesn't. So does Iona have an ETB or not?

TheRedMage says... Accepted answer #1

The ability on Iona, Shield of Emeria is not an Enter-the-battlefield trigger. Triggered abilities have one of the three magic trigger words in them ("at", "whenever" or "when"), usually at the beginning. The one on Iona is instead a so-called replacement effect (instead of her just entering the battlefield, she enters the battlefield and you name a color).

Most notably there is no point in which she is on the battlefield and a color has not been named.

Torpor Orb only stops triggered ability, so Iona, Shield of Emeria will still work fine.

May 11, 2015 4:19 p.m.