Can Dauntless Bodyguard save uncrewed vehicles?
Asked by jwanders 5 years ago
Say I crew my Weatherlight with some other creatures, and then cast Dauntless Bodyguard. Weatherlight's now a creature, so I assume I can choose it for the Bodyguard. On my opponent turn they try to destroy Weatherlight. Can I sacrifice Bodyguard to make it indestructible, even without re-crewing it?
It does work, for non bovious reasons. Dauntless Bodyguard remembers that the vehicle was the chosen permanent, so when it says "chosen creature" it can still find it, even though it isn't a creature.
May 4, 2018 4:38 p.m.
MegaMetagross says... #3
nice passive aggressiveness Neotrup. but it actually does not work, for obvious reasons. Dauntless Bodyguard specifically states "the chosen CREATURE". if the card is not a CREATURE, it therefore cannot gain indestructible.
May 4, 2018 4:43 p.m.
The rules pertaining to linked abilities do get a bit fuzzy here. The most relevant rule is 608.2i, which refers to untargeted objects referred to by the cost or trigger condition. It doesn't specify how to handle a situation with linked abilities, but consistent application of rules would dictate that you can still find the creature even if it is no longer a creature.
May 4, 2018 5:04 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #5
Yes, this works. Dauntless Bodyguard's abilities are linked, and the "chosen creature" mentioned in the second ability is understood to refer to the same object chosen for the first ability. It's written that way because the chosen object will still be a creature in 99.9% of in-game situations, but it doesn't require that the object is still a creature.
May 4, 2018 5:08 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #6
For a rules reference, see the following:
607.1 An object may have two abilities printed on it such that one of them causes actions to be taken or objects or players to be affected and the other one directly refers to those actions, objects, or players. If so, these two abilities are linked: the second refers only to actions that were taken or objects or players that were affected by the first, and not by any other ability.
607.2 There are different kinds of linked abilities.
607.2d If an object has an ability printed on it that causes a player to "choose a [value]" or and an ability printed on it that refers to "the chosen [value]," "the last chosen [value]," or similar, those abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to a choice made as a result of the first ability.
Dauntless Bodyguard's abilities fit the definition given in 607.1, and I think it's safe to assume it's covered by the sub-category described in 607.2d. The word "value" isn't strictly defined anywhere in the rules document, and is used to cover multiple different concepts in various places (numerical values, colors, types, subtypes)
May 4, 2018 5:14 p.m.
MegaMetagross says... #7
Rhadamanthus the rules for link abilities don't change the fact that an uncrewed vehicle is not a creature. your definition of the word "value" is irrelevant that Dauntless Bodyguard grants protection to creatures, and uncrewed vehicles are not creatures. it really is that simple. an uncrewed vehicle is just plain not a legal target for Dauntless Bodyguard's 2nd ability unless that vehicle is re-crewed.
May 4, 2018 5:34 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #8
Dauntless Bodyguard's second ability doesn't target anything, as it doesn't specifically use the word "target". The rules for linked abilities are exactly why this works.
MegaMetagross says... #1
that doesn't work, for obvious reasons. an uncrewed vehicle is not a creature. period. at best, you would have to re-crew the vehicle.
May 4, 2018 2:51 p.m.