Can you play Phyrexian Dreadnought and Burnt Offering?
Asked by Its_Johnny_Bravo 9 years ago
If you cast Phyrexian Dreadnought and then as soon as it enters the battlefield cast Burnt Offering can you use the dreadnought as the sacrifice or will you have to bury the dreadnought first?
The Dreadnaught creates a triggered ability when it enters the battlefield. You are able to respond to it via Burnt Offering . The ability will still resolve, as abilities on the stack exist independantly of their sources, but in this case you can just choose to bury the Dreadnaught and nothing will happen. You will NOT need to sacrifice creatures with 12 power.
August 13, 2014 7:27 a.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #3
The rules text of Phyrexian Dreadnought has changed a few times over the years, so let's reference the current Oracle text (which can always be found in the Gatherer database):
When Phyrexian Dreadnought enters the battlefield, sacrifice it unless you sacrifice any number of creatures with total power 12 or greater.
It's a triggered ability (starts with "when/whenever/at"), so that means you're allowed to respond to it after it triggers but before it starts resolving. Because it's written in the form of "(do A) unless you (do B)", that means (do B) is an optional cost that you choose to pay as the ability is resolving. If Dreadnought isn't on the battlefield when the ability resolves, you still choose whether or not to sacrifice creatures with total power 12 or greater, but if you choose not to then nothing will happen, since Dreadnought is already gone.
I'm curious: any reason for the Burnt Offering ? It just seems like a really complicated way to either do nothing or convert one B into R.
August 13, 2014 9:33 a.m.
Its_Johnny_Bravo says... #4
@Rhadamanthus I was asking in place of another combo for Brion Stoutarm which would be such an epic burn cast
jonhydude says... Accepted answer #1
I believe you would be able to respond to the triggered ability, saccing the dreadnought and getting a
or 
.
August 13, 2014 6:48 a.m.