Open the Vaults: Ruling Question
Asked by TehGrief 6 years ago
I have recently played a game of magic involving Open the Vaults and a series of curses and auras intended to enchant opponents creatures.
Curse of Inertia, Curse of Chaos, and Spectral Grasp are in my graveyard.
I cast Open the Vaults
Now, here is where we ran into trouble; The spell effect reads "Return all artifact and enchantment cards from all graveyards to the battlefield under their owners' control.".
What I understand from this text is that whatever it is that I am returning must come into the battlefield under MY control; causes the curses to be attached to me, and the aura to one of my creatures.
Am I wrong in this thinking? Can someone please explain how this interaction truly works. Thank you.
As a point of clarification, the curses can attach to any player, even one who has hexproof or shroud, for the same reason as the enchant creature being able to enchant a creature with hexproof or shroud. The auras cannot attach to players/creatures with protection from them.
November 5, 2017 9:49 a.m.
To clarify, Open the Vaults is not just putting the curses and auras onto my battlefield, they are first going onto the stack where I can choose targets including my opponents creatures or opponents?
November 5, 2017 11:53 a.m.
Tyrant-Thanatos says... Accepted answer #4
TehGrief no, Open the Vaults is in fact just putting them directly onto the battlefield under your control.
303.4f If an Aura is entering the battlefield under a players control by any means other than by resolving as an Aura spell, and the effect putting it onto the battlefield doesnt specify the object or player the Aura will enchant, that player chooses what it will enchant as the Aura enters the battlefield. The player must choose a legal object or player according to the Auras enchant ability and any other applicable effects.
It may be important to note that because of this rule, and the interaction it has with cards like Open the Vaults, your auras are not targetting the cards they are being attached to, and can thereby bypass Shroud and Hexproof.
November 5, 2017 1:15 p.m.
That makes a lot more sense; it's almost as if they are simply appearing directly back onto the battlefield rather than being placed on the stack.
Thank you for your help, it's greatly appreciated.
That certainly makes Open the Vaults very powerful.
Boza says... #1
It is quite simple. The owner of a card is the player who started the game with this card in his/her deck. Now, as the auras are coming into play via Open the vaults, you have to select what they will enchant.
The first two's can only be attached to players (yourself or others). The second one can go on any creature (even one with hexproof or shroud, since auras only target when cast).
November 5, 2017 5:26 a.m.