Redirect vs Counterspell
Asked by Lurac 8 years ago
In this scenario, I have cast a spell, say Storm Crow, and my opponent responded with Counterspell. I have a Redirect in hand.
1) Can I use Redirect on my opponent's Counterspell to make it target itself?
2) This sounds a little absurd, but I have to ask: Could I, in response, cast another instant, eg. Unsummon, and then use Redirect to Counterspell the Unsummon instead?This is counter-intuitive, as Unsummon is put onto the stack later, and will resolve before it is countered. Then, as counterspell resolves, it will have no target.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #2
To give a little more explanation:
A spell or ability on the stack can never legally target itself. When you choose new targets for something, you still have to choose legal targets. Therefore, you aren't able to redirect Counterspell to itself.
Now, a spell is only removed from the stack at the very end of the resolution process. While it's resolving, it's still on the stack. This means that, when Redirect instructs you to choose new targets for the target spell, Redirect itself is still on the stack and is a legal target for Counterspell. You may choose to redirect Counterspell to target Redirect. Counterspell will then fizzle (be countered by the game rules upon resolution) because Redirect will no longer be a legal target when Counterspell resolves (it will be in the graveyard by then). All that matters is that Redirect was a legal target at the time you were asked to select new targets.
And yes, you may cast a new instant and redirect Counterspell to it, and Counterspell will fizzle for the same reason given above, but it's less efficient than simply redirecting Counterspell to Redirect.
June 7, 2015 9:40 a.m. Edited.
Thank you.Now all I have to do is make my friends believe me.
Gidgetimer says... #1
A spell on the stack is never a valid target for itself. So no to the first part of your question. You could cast an instant and then Redirect the Counterspell to it to make the counterspell fizzle. However; if you just want to prevent your first spell from getting countered and don't have a good target for the instant you could always Redirect Counterspell to Redirect.
June 7, 2015 8:36 a.m.