Blazing Archon and Planeswalkers

Asked by Arachnarchist 12 years ago

Does Blazing Archon prevent you from attacking planeswalkers controlled by the same player?

GoblinsInc says... Accepted answer #1

No. It says creaturess can't attack you. "you" being the controller of the creature. Attacking a planeswalker "you" control is not the same as attacking "you"

March 28, 2012 10:24 p.m.

zandl says... #2

To elaborate, you declare who/what you're attacking. You can either choose to attack your opponent or a Planeswalker he/she controls. If you choose the Planeswalker, you never actually declared your opponent as the target for the attack.

This isn't to be confused with assigning damage to a Planeswalker through redirection. For example, you have to be able to target the player who controls the Planeswalker and then redirect the damage to it, as with Shock, Lightning Bolt, etc. But if you're assigning combat damage to a Planeswalker, you must choose your opponent to damage and then opt to redirect.

March 28, 2012 10:34 p.m.

GoblinsInc says... #3

To elaborate, you declare who/what you're attacking. You can either choose to attack your opponent or a Planeswalker he/she controls. If you choose the Planeswalker, you never actually declared your opponent as the target for the attack.

Note that attacking does not target.

This isn't to be confused with assigning damage to a Planeswalker through redirection. For example, you have to be able to target the player who controls the Planeswalker and then redirect the damage to it, as with Shock, Lightning Bolt, etc.

You don't need to be able to target an opponent to redirect noncombat damage to their planeswalker. See things like earthquake for an example of damage you could redirect without targetting.

But if you're assigning combat damage to a Planeswalker, you must choose your opponent to damage and then opt to redirect.

Woah, no. If you attack an opponent's planeswalker and are assigning combat damage to it, you -do not- choose to damage the opponent and then redirect it. You merely assign the combat damage to the planeswalker your creature is attacking

March 28, 2012 10:39 p.m.

GoblinsInc says... #4

Hmm, hoped I toned that properly. I wrote it like I might say it, but meant positively.

March 28, 2012 10:41 p.m.

zandl says... #5

I didn't mean you don't target your opponent when you attack. I used the word "target" as a general term, not "target" in M:tG terminology.

March 28, 2012 10:43 p.m.

GoblinsInc says... #6

I didn't mean you don't target your opponent when you attack. I used the word "target" as a general term, not "target" in M:tG terminology.

Ah, ok. When dealing with magic Q&A, I generally am very specific/careful with terms, so looked at your comment as using magic terminology there.

March 28, 2012 10:50 p.m.

hunter9000 says... #7

You don't need to be able to target an opponent to redirect noncombat damage to their planeswalker. See things like earthquake for an example of damage you could redirect without targetting.

I think you're only refering to untargeted damage like from Earthquake, but this makes it sound like you can damage a planeswalker with something that targets a player without targeting the player first. A Lightning Bolt for instance does have to be able to target the player in order to be redirected to the planeswalker when it resolves. So a Witchbane Orb would prevent you from using lightning bolt against a planeswalker, but not prevent you from damaging it with earthquake. Just want to avoid confusing someone who might misread that.

March 28, 2012 11:37 p.m.

GoblinsInc says... #8

I disagree with how you're reading into my statement (or how easily you think it would be misread), but clarification is not a bad thing. Thank you.

March 29, 2012 1:25 a.m.