Cipher & Heroic
Asked by Colten_Lee 9 years ago
Simple, if I have a Phalanx Leader and a Hidden Strings ciphered on him, whenever he deals combat damage I cast Hidden Strings to untap him. Does this trigger his heroic?? And does it every time I do it?
Since it's a cast copy of Hidden Strings can it then be countered by Negate before it resolves?
August 25, 2014 7:54 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #3
@thewyzman: Regardless of whether a copy of a spell was cast or created on the stack, it is still a spell itself, and it follows the normal rules and procedures for handling spells unless the game encounters a situation in which they can't apply (such as trying to return a copy of a spell to your hand). Players can respond to them, and effects can counter them.
August 25, 2014 7:56 a.m.
UpperDeckerTaco says... #4
Even though that spell could be countered, it comes into play and has to target something, even though the effects won't resolve if countered, since you targeted it, and heroic doesn't say "successfully cast" won't the heroic triggered ability still happen?
August 26, 2014 9:13 p.m.
Yes, the Heroic ability still happens regardless if the spell resolves or not.
August 26, 2014 9:19 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #6
First, spells don't come into play. "Comes into play" is an old way of saying "enters the battlefield." Spells only exist on the stack.
As long as you cast the spell (or the copy of the spell), it can trigger heroic. A copy of a spell that is created on the stack cannot trigger heroic.
August 26, 2014 9:25 p.m.
" When Phalanx Leader deals combat damage, the Cipher ability triggers and a copy of Hidden Strings will be put onto the stack, and you may select Phalanx Leader as a target and trigger his heroic ability. " - thispersonisagenius
" A copy of a spell that is created on the stack cannot trigger heroic. " - Epochalyptik
I'm confused?
August 27, 2014 10:14 a.m.
Created on the stack refers to cards like Grapeshot , in which the storm copies are simply put on the stack above the original spell. Compared with Hidden Strings , you actually cast the card from the exile zone without paying its mana cost. Notice the wording - strings has cast while grapeshot mentions copies.
GlistenerAgent says... Accepted answer #1
You are absolutely correct. Hidden Strings selects a target to untap/tap, and then another target to untap/tap. When Phalanx Leader deals combat damage, the Cipher ability triggers and a copy of Hidden Strings will be put onto the stack, and you may select Phalanx Leader as a target and trigger his heroic ability.
August 24, 2014 10:23 p.m.