Master of Predicaments
Asked by GLBoxingGlove 9 years ago
While playing a recent game, I had Master of Predicaments and attacked for damage. His ability kicked off. I only had Statute of Denial in my hand. Since the Master doesn't state MAY, I have to choose that card. If my opponent guesses right, I'd have to play that card.
I'm wondering if that's even possible since it would have no target to counter. or how that would work with any card that wouldn't have a target or secondary effect.
Since Statue has an addtional effect, if I cast had to cast it, even with no target, would I get to draw, then discard (which would be a waste with only 1 card in my hand)?
The main problem with your question is that while you have to chose the card, you don't have to cast the card. "That player guesses whether the card's converted mana cost is greater than 4. If the player guesses wrong, you MAY cast the card without paying its mana cost."
As for the second part of your question, if you cast a spell without a target, it fizzles and doesn't resolve any part of its abilities. For example, if I target a creature, and the creature leaves play before the spells resolution, it doesn't have a target and fizzles. However instead of trying to find a creature, it's trying to find a spell on the stack. Upon its casting, without having any spells on the stack for it to target, it does nothing on resolution but fizzle.
Does that make sense?
July 23, 2014 1:43 a.m.
@Joking, Actually, if a player attempts to cast a spell without legal targets, (e.g. casting Shock on a Sylvan Caryatid ) The spell is considered an "illegal action" and play returns to the state directly before the spell was cast. (Shock would return to it's owner's hand and play would continue as if it hadn't been cast) However if a spell's target becomes illegal AFTER the spell cast, that would cause the spell to fizzle.(casting Shock on Fleecemane Lion is a legal action, but it's controller can pay 3GW to monstrous it and give it hexproof. If Shock was cast before Fleecemane Lion was monstrous, but resolved after it became monstrous, then the spell would fizzle)
July 23, 2014 1:50 a.m.
Hey, the more ya know. More information is always good!
July 23, 2014 1:53 a.m.
GLBoxingGlove says... #6
wow... I can't believe I kept missing that MAY at the end. I've read the card so many times. I figured it would be optional to have to play the "guessing game", not the playing. thanks peoples
RobinSong says... Accepted answer #1
"If the player guessed wrong, you MAY cast the card without paying it's mana cost" You have to choose a card, and they have to guess, but you don't have to play it if you don't want to. I'm pretty sure that even if they guess wrong, you don't have to tell them they were wrong because the card doesn't say "reveal", just "you may cast it".
Obviously in your case where you were only holding a counterspell, it would be an illegal action to cast the card, so you must choose not to.
July 23, 2014 1:38 a.m.