ulamog vs perplexing chimera

Asked by zanomac 5 years ago

i cast Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger targeting my opponents Perplexing Chimera can he trigger perplexing chimera and steal ulamog

FLATSO99 says... #1

Yes, the same way you could exachange control of spells like Vraska's Contempt until Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger resloves affter being cast he is still a targetable spell with this ability. Happy Tapping:)

September 6, 2018 5:09 p.m.

Caerwyn says... Accepted answer #2

I want to add a bit to what FLATSO99 said, because it is a bit more complicated than that.

Here's the stack in this situation:

  1. You opponent casts Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger. Ulamog is on the stack at the bottom.

  2. Upon being cast, Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger's exile ability goes on the stack and you choose two creatures to exile. The stack now looks like (a) Ulamog; (b) Ulamog's ability.

  3. Your opponent may activate Perplexing Chimera's ability. The stack now looks like (a) Ulamog; (b) Ulamog's ability; (c) Chimera's ability.

  4. As the last one in, Chimera's ability resolves first. Your opponent now gains control of the Ulamog spell. Here's the important part--THEY DO NOT GAIN CONTROL OF THE ULAMOG EXILE ABILITY. Per rule 112.7a, abilities exist independently of their source. Regardless of what is done to the Ulamog on the stack, you still controls the exile effect. Note, this means targets can't be changed by the Chimera. The stack now looks like (a) Ulamog (now your opponent's); (b) Ulamog's ability, and you have the Chimera on the battlefield under their control.

  5. Ulamog's ability resolves. The two targeted creatures are exiled. If you targeted Perplexing Chimera, that is still a valid target for the ability, even though it is now under your control. If you targeted it, you would now be exiling your own creature. The stack now just has your opponent's Ulamog spell on it.

  6. Ulamog resolves and enters the battlefield under your opponent's control.

September 6, 2018 5:29 p.m. Edited.

Kogarashi says... #3

To add further onto this mess, if you somehow give Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger flash and cast him on your opponent's turn, your opponent's Perplexing Chimera trigger will go on the stack before your Ulamog trigger, so your Ulamog exile trigger will resolve first. This is because triggers go on the stack in APNAP (Active Player, Non-Active Player) order, and on your opponent's turn they are the active player, not you.

This actually prevents you from losing control of Ulamog. Per rulings on Perplexing Chimera, if it leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, you can't actually make the exchange. Because in this instance Ulamog's trigger would resolve first, the Chimera is exiled before the Chimera's ability resolves, and the exchange can't be done.

September 6, 2018 10:07 p.m.

Gidgetimer says... #4

What cdkime said except that you are casting the ulamog in step one and both the ulamog trigger and Perplexing Chimera's ability are triggered so both go on the stack after Ulamog was cast. Triggers go on the stack in APNAP order, so the order of resolution remains the same.

September 6, 2018 10:07 p.m.

420chandra says... #5

why would you think they "couldn't" take your ulamog? Perplexing Chimera is actually really simple if you just read it.

September 6, 2018 10:53 p.m.

Gidgetimer says... #6

Because if the Chimera is removed before the exchange happens, the exchange doesn't happen. He didn't realize if a pending removal of the Chimera would stop this or just the Chimera actually leaving the battlefield.

September 7, 2018 11:26 a.m.

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