blowfly infestation targeting something illegal
Asked by Mr_crazydude 11 years ago
This might seem like a weird question but here goes:
cards on the field:
opponent has 2 creatures, doesn't matter which. 1 of them has protection from black, the other has a -1/-1 counter on it.
on my side of the field: Blowfly Infestation + Crumbling Ashes and 1 random creature.
It's my upkeep and Crumbling Ashes destroys my opponents creature with a -1/-1 counter on it. This triggers Blowfly Infestation . Obviously I don't want to target my own creature so here's the question:
can I target an illegal target, being the creature with protection from black my opponent controls, to break the cycle? Or is it mandatory that I target my own creature and destroy it next time it's my upkeep?
Rhadamanthus says... #2
When a targeted triggered ability is put onto the stack you have to choose a legal target if possible. If it's impossible to choose a legal target, then the ability is removed from the stack and ignored. In your example you have to target your own creature, since it's the only legal choice. Blowfly Infestation was probably designed to work this way for power-balancing reasons.
February 18, 2014 1:42 p.m.
Mr_crazydude says... #3
Then i will have to add Melira, Sylvok Outcast to stop it from shooting myself in the foot.
thx
nobu_the_bard says... Accepted answer #1
You cannot target the creature with protection from black at all using Blowfly Infestation 's ability. You are not able to declare an illegal target; if the target were to become illegal after entering the stack with that target it would be fizzled (for example, once the ability was on the stack, you cast Brave the Elements for black), but you cannot have declared it with an illegal target when the ability triggered.
You will be forced to target your own creature next.
February 18, 2014 1:40 p.m.