What if I cast a card with multiple modes, targeting only Ink-Treader Nephilim?
Asked by SirFowler 8 years ago
Let's say I cast Selesnya Charm targeting Ink-Treader Nephilim. Can I cast the card for any of its modes, or does it have to be the mode I choose after I cast it?
This one card is just an example. Pretty much any card with multiple modes is the general question I'm trying to ask.
Any help would be great, thanks :)
@BlueScope So just to be clear, when I cast Banishing Stroke and target the Ink-Treader, I can only put creatures on the bottom. Or because it says 'or', can I choose other stuff as well?
June 5, 2015 8:07 p.m. Edited.
Sorry if this is taking up too much time, but I just want to be clear on the subject.
June 5, 2015 8:09 p.m. Edited.
You don't get to choose any targets, but instead, Ink-Treader locks them in for you. Say other than the Ink-Treader, there's 2 Grizzly Bears and a Phyrexian Crusader on the battlefield, and you cast Banishing Stroke targetting the Ink-Treader. The spell will be copied twice (it can target the Bears, but not the Crusader because of Protection from White) and will be targetting one of the Bears each.
This is not a choice of modes, but rather if you were to choose targets (for example with Redirect), you could choose to target artifacts, creatures or enchantments.
To put this in a scenario where it actually matters: Say there's also a Nylea, God of the Hunt on the battlefield, and two more Bears (so your devotion to green is 5 and Nylea a creature, also getting a copy of BAnishing Stroke targetting her). After the copies of Banishing Stroke are on the stack, someone Lightning Bolts one of the Bears. When it resolves, Nylea isn't a creature anymore, but Banishing Stroke still is legally targetting her because she's still an enchantment, therefore meeting the requirements to choose legal targets.
BlueScope says... Accepted answer #1
For an object on the stack, chosen modes are copyable values, so the chosen mode will be "locked in" already.
Rule: 706.2. When copying an object, the copy acquires the copiable values of the original objects characteristics and, for an object on the stack, choices made when casting or activating it (mode, targets, the value of X, whether it was kicked, how it will affect multiple targets, and so on). [...]
June 5, 2015 7:38 p.m.