Olivia gain control of Olivia in response
Asked by Approximos 6 years ago
If I control Olivia Voldaren and somebody uses Clone on Olivia, if they attempt to gain control of the original Olivia with her second ability, what will happen if I respond with the same ability?
Would I end up with control since my attempt would resolve first? Or would they gain control since their attempt happened after? Or would both resolve and since neither one of us controls our Olivia would they just go back to their owner?
Also, at what point would the legendary rule take effect?
Schuesseled says... Accepted answer #2
If you are responding to their attempt to control Olivia you will take their over control of their copy first, as your ability will be on top of the stack.
The legend rule will make you sac either olivia once this has resolved, you will naturally choose theirs, then their olivia ability resolves from the stack but because they don't control their olivia anymore nothing happens and you are the only one with an olivia left.
May 14, 2017 4:31 a.m.
@Neotrup: You're actually in the wrong here, since you got the stack order wrong (probably because you misread the question) - what you were explaining is what would happen if the player controlling the original Olivia would use their ability, and the opponent activating the cloned Olivia's ability in response.
Schuesseled's answer is correct. For completeness's sake, it doesn't matter for this interaction if you choose to put your own Olivia card in the graveyard (I'm just clarifying this, because you could read into the answer that the ability only does nothing because you chose to put their Olivia in the graveyard).
And last but not least, something that wasn't explicitly addressed: The Legend rule is a state-based action, which are checked every time a player would gain priority, and don't use the stack (and therefore can't be responded to).
May 14, 2017 6:48 a.m.
And now that I said that Schuesseled's answer is correct, I also feel like pointing out that the Legend rule will not make you sacrifice the permanent, but instead simply put it into the graveyard from the battlefield. This is an important distinction because it will trigger "Whenever a creature dies" triggers, but not "Whenever you sacrifice a creature" ones.
May 14, 2017 6:50 a.m.
Schuesseled says... #5
Thanks for the obsessive clarification, you are right that it is not a sacrifice but a 'die' effect. ;)
May 14, 2017 7:23 a.m.
It Ah, yes, I'd missread. It does matter which one you put in the graveyard though, because if you send your own to the graveyard you'll be forced to return the one you stole, as the control granting effect wears off when you lose yours.
Neotrup says... #1
First, they'll gain control of your Olivia Voldaren. Then, the legend rule will kick in. If they send yours to their graveyard, when your ability resolves it will do nothing, as you no longer control Olivia, the end result being that they maintain the Cloned version. If they instead send their Olivia to the graveyard, they will immediately return your Olivia. When your ability tries to resolve, it will countered for lack of a legal target. The end result being that you control your Olivia.
TL;DR - Either you or they will control an Olivia, and the other will be in the grave, with your opponent getting to choose, because they responded.
May 14, 2017 4:05 a.m.