Spell Cast (and house rules?)
Asked by TJMadMan 7 years ago
My play group has always played by the rules: if when you cast a spell (ie Doom Blade) targeting an invalid target (ie Invisible Stalker), it was considered a 'fizzled' spell, and put in your graveyard with no effect.
For whatever reason I found myself looking over the comprehensive rules on the wizards webpage. After scouring through the rules (specifically the ones pertaining to proposal of spell cast: 601.2), it seems if a spell is illegal from the proposal, it can never be cast!
Has my playgroup been far too harsh on each other about this rule?? I understand if after you cast a spot removal spell, your opponent responds to it by giving their creature hexproof or whatever. I know that makes your spell fizzle. BUT, if the spell is invalid upon 'proposal' of the spell being cast... it is actually taken back, correct?
Part of casting a spell is declaring legal targets. If you cannot declare legal targets, you cannot cast that spell. Pretty simple really.
July 29, 2016 8:38 p.m.
nyctophasm says... #3
I've actually been wondering something about that. Is an indestructible creature an invalid target for a spot removal spell that has the capacity to target the creature, even though it won't die to the effect? Doom Blade to Colossus of Akros, is that a legal action, if a stupid one without other effects?
July 29, 2016 9:06 p.m.
MSU_Iced_Z says... #4
Yes, Doom Blade can legally target Colossus. Similarly, Cancel can target Abrupt Decay. As you said, not a great idea on its own.
July 29, 2016 9:10 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #5
A legal target is any object that meets the stated targeting restrictions.
Doom Blade requires you to target a nonblack creature. Doom Blade's effect (destroying the creature) does not affect the targeting process; the game doesn't check whether the spell can perform certain actions on the specified target. Assuming the target is legal, the spell will resolve and simply do as much as it can.
July 30, 2016 6:53 a.m.
Also, keep in mind that players are allowed to reveal hidden information that they have access to at any time, so if a player were to attempt to cast Doom Blade while Invisible Stalker is the only creature on the field, not only can the spell not be cast, but the player hasn't technically broken any rules, they've just revealed a card in their hand to all players, which they have every right to do. The card stays in their hand.
MSU_Iced_Z says... Accepted answer #1
Yes, you've been doing it incorrectly. You cannot put a spell or ability on the stack if without declaring legal targets. It's not "taken back" (and at a competitive tournament might get you in trouble if you did it repeatedly), it simply never happens.
July 29, 2016 7:51 p.m.