Rules Questions: Assigning zero damage.
General forum
Posted on Oct. 11, 2013, 7:50 p.m. by SirBarnick
Ajani, Caller of the Pride has an ability "Put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature". This implies a number between 0 and 1 meaning 0 would be valid in this case.
Several other cards have similar text: Chandra, Pyromaster can do 1 damage to up to one target creature, Diluvian Primordial can cast up to one target instant or sorcery, etc.
These cards have very explicit limits on them where zero is an option.
So when I see the card Boulderfall, it says to "assign 5 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or players". Since this card doesn't give an explicit number of creatures that can be targeted ("any number" versus "up to five") this implies that I can target more than 5 creatures. If I can do so, then that means any creature or player beyond the fifth would have to be assigned zero damage.
Where this comes into play is a card like Dismiss into Dreams. That card says "Each creature your opponents control is an Illusion in addition to its other types and has "When this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it." Combine this will Boulderfall and you can wipe the board even when the creatures may be indestructable.
So, can zero damage be assigned to a creature from a card like Boulderfall?
A related question would be: Can a fraction of damage be assigned to a creature? Since Boulderfall says I can divide the damage any way I choose, perhaps I choose 0.5 damage to 10 different creatures. Would this be legal?
Thanks in advance...
SirBarnick says... #3
Thanks. Sorry for the misplaced post. Interestingly, the forum makes me go through a tutorial explaining the things you mentioned before replying to a comment but not before posting for the first time.
October 11, 2013 8:02 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
To address your last question, divisions have to be positive integers. You can't use fractions.
October 11, 2013 8:36 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... #5
As an interesting corollary to the rule raithe000 quoted and to address what you are trying to do. As long as you aren't trying to stay standard Fireball divides the damage upon resolution. Since the SPELL does the dividing it gets around you having to assign one damage to each creature since the spell doesn't tell you to divide it. So you can cast it for X=0 and then just pay R and one colorless per illusion you are targeting to activate the triggered ability that forces the sac.
raithe000 says... #2
601.2d If the spell requires the player to divide or distribute an effect (such as damage or counters) among one or more targets, the player announces the division. Each of these targets must receive at least one of whatever is being divided.
So no, you can't choose an unlimited number of targets, and each target must receive at least one point of damage.
Also, questions like this should be asked in the Q&A, and you can link cards by using double brackets like this [ [Boulderfall] ] without the spaces.
October 11, 2013 7:55 p.m.