Does Wall of Shards' culumative upkeep work with "players can't gain life," hexproof opponents, and is there life gain priority?
Asked by StopShot 4 years ago
I have three questions regarding this card: Wall of Shards
1.) I have Wall of Shards and an Everlasting Torment on the battlefield. Because my opponents are unable to gain life would I be unable to pay for Wall of Shards 's cumulative upkeep cost and be forced to sacrifice it? (I know this has been asked if it works with Tainted Remedy , but is "Players can't gain life" also a replacement effect or something else?)
2.) I have Wall of Shards on the battlefield and my opponent has Aegis of the Gods on the battlefield. Wall of Shards never specifies targeting an opponent when paying for the cumulative upkeep cost. Can I make the opponent who controls Aegis of the Gods gain life?
3.) I have Wall of Shards on the battlefield and two opponents. Upon upkeep I put a second age counter on Wall of Shards and pay it's cumulative upkeep. Can I pay the cost by making both my opponents gain 1 life each? If so do both opponents gain life at the same time or must I choose priority? And if there is priority can I cast spells between each instance of life gain such as recurring and casting a single Punishing Fire from the graveyard multiple times?
Thank you.
@Boza, In the same example for scenario 3. If I decide to give one opponent 2 life, and that opponent has an Ajani's Pridemate , would that opponent gain 1 & 1 life at the same time or just 2 life? How many +1/+1 counters would the Pridemate get from this effect?
December 17, 2019 6:05 a.m.
This is an example of a single event of gaining life. Ajani's Pridemate will get 1 counter in this example.
Boza says... Accepted answer #1
1/ No - You cannot pay the cost in that case and will have to sac the wall.
2/ Yes- Cumulative upkeep asks you to choose, not to target, thus an opponent with hexproof is a valid choice.
3/ Yes - you can split that payment in between multiple players. From Gatherer on Wall of Shards :
"When paying Wall of Shards’ cumulative upkeep, you may choose a different opponent for each age counter, or you can choose the same opponent multiple times."
There is no priority for any player during this action - the choice of opponents and said opponents gaining life happens during the resolution of the ability.
December 17, 2019 4:14 a.m. Edited.