Why Was "If You Do" Changed to "When You Do?"
General forum
Posted on Feb. 28, 2019, 10:45 p.m. by DemonDragonJ
I have noticed that, recently, cards that offer a choice have changed their wording from "if you do" to "when you do," which makes less sense, since the new wording implies that the choice is always made, that the specified action always happens, whereas the previous wording did not imply that.
What does everyone else say about this? Why was "if you do" changed to "when you do?"
It wasn't changed; both still exist. And that's because they do different things. "When you do" is a triggered ability that can be responded to (like any 'when', 'whenever' or 'as' statement on a Magic card). "If you do" is not.
So when Heart-Piercer Manticore , for example, enters the battlefield, its triggered ability goes on the stack without a target. While that ability is resolving, you may sacrifice a creature. If you do, a second ability triggers and you pick the target creature/player/Planeswalker that will be dealt damage.
On the other hand, when Creeping Chill hits the graveyard from your library, its triggered ability goes on the stack, period.
March 1, 2019 12:29 a.m. Edited.
Each refer to different interactions with the stack and timing. Most times the outcome will be the same but each technically resolve differently.
March 1, 2019 2:11 p.m.
mfogle,
FYI, they're very different if an opponent has interaction .
For example, say we have a creature on board and a Heart-Piercer Manticore in hand except that the wording was "If you do, Mantiore does damage ..." and our opponent has a creature on board and a Blossoming Defense in hand. We resolve Manticore and its ETB trigger goes on the stack. At that point, our opp has to decide whether to use the Blossom on their creature ... they have no idea if we're going to sac' a creature or not, whether we're going to target their creature or them. Bummer for them! With the "when" wording though, they get a chance to respond, probably with a much different result ...
March 1, 2019 4:12 p.m. Edited.
DemonDragonJ says... #6
clayperce, that explanation was not easy to understand, but it does make sense; thank you very much.
PlatinumOne says... #2
the previous wording still implied that if the choice was made the effect still happens. theres really not an important reason for the change, wotc just likes to arbitrarily change things somethings. another example is removing the phrase "mana pool".
February 28, 2019 11:14 p.m.