BrowBeat and targeting
Asked by mmdw34 11 years ago
Im reading the text for brow beat so if I play it and target my opponent. He does not take the 5 damage, I can then target myself to draw 2 cards? Am I reading the effects right or does it work another way?
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #2
@hochmaster: That's incorrect.
Targets are always chosen during the casting process. When Browbeat resolves, any player (not target player) may take the 5 damage. If no player does, the player targeted during the casting process will draw three cards.
August 26, 2013 2:03 a.m.
Actually, the player targeted by Browbeat can take the 5 damage because it says "any player." It's rare that you'd rather take 5 when targeted by it, but there's always those weird moments in Magic.
August 26, 2013 9:51 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
@Aerokid: I suppose the difference between me saying "not target player" and "not a target player" is subtle. The damage effect has no targets. Any player, including the spell's targeted player, may take the 5 damage. Hence any.
August 26, 2013 11:07 a.m.
So is it correct when I say.. I cast browbeat and target my opponent, he does not take the 5 damage so I get to draw 5 cards?
August 26, 2013 9:18 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #6
The targeted player is the one who will draw the cards. Any player, not just the targeted player, may take the 5 damage.
If you target your opponent, then no player takes 5 damage, then your opponent will draw three cards.
August 26, 2013 9:27 p.m.
So the way this works is you target yourself just to draw 3 cards?
August 26, 2013 9:29 p.m.
Wainwright says... #8
You cast Browbeat and the most likely scenario is that you target yourself to draw 3 cards, any player then has the option to take 5 damage, if no one takes the damage you draw your three cards, if someone takes the 5 damage you don't draw the cards.
August 26, 2013 9:34 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #9
Again, ANY player may take 5 damage, NOT just the targeted player. The targeted player is just the player who will draw if nobody takes the damage.
August 26, 2013 9:35 p.m.
Wainwright says... #10
I think the thing to remember is Browbeat is a card draw spell not a burn spell. More often than not you want to play Browbeat to draw 3 cards and refill your hand. It's not for dealing damage as a burn spell would.
One way of looking at the damage is that if you want the card draw and the 5 damage is there to deter people from stopping you drawing the cards. Or to at least mean they take some damage when they deny you drawing the cards.
As an opponent I may choose to take the 5 damage to deny you drawing the extra cards in order to keep the number of cards in your hand low.
hochmaster says... #1
You're reading it wrong. You cast Browbeat , and anyone can choose to take 5 damage from it. You don't target anyone yet. If no one takes it, then you can target a player (probably yourself) and draw 3 cards.
August 26, 2013 1:34 a.m.