Dromoka's Command + Strangleroot Geist
Asked by shelldell 9 years ago
Let's say I have Strangleroot Geist out, and I cast Dromoka's Command.. can I choose both the "fight" and "+1/+1 counter" options and then decide to resolve them in the following order?
1) Strangleroot kamikaze fights 2/2 enemy, dies & returns with +1/+1 counter due to undying (3/2)
2) Resolve the +1/+1 counter addition from Dromoka's Command onto the returned Geist, ending at 4/3.
Thank you!
nobu_the_bard says... #2
Couple of things: modal spells with more than one option active are executed in the printed order, and effects can't be interrupted by other effects during resolution. The first note here is published errata on Oracle for all of the Command spells in that set. Thus:
You can't choose to place a +1/+1 counter on your creature after the fight option; the counter is always placed before the fight happens.
Even if you could do that, Undying is a triggered ability. The Strangleroot Geist would be dead in this scenario following the fight, and his triggered ability simply goes to the stack to await its turn. He'd remain dead for the remainder of Dromoka's Command until his Undying brings him back later, since his triggered ability can't interrupt the resolution of another ability. In this situation, the +1/+1 counter effect would fail to resolve since it has an invalid target.
April 14, 2015 12:49 p.m.
Also, the Strangleroot Geist that returns to the field is no longer the same target. You have to declare all your targets when you're casting a spell, and the undead Strangleroot Geist won't be a legal target yet. As far as Magic is concerned when a permanent leaves and re-enters the battlefield it's a brand new one with. So while functionally the card itself is the same it's not the same with regards to the rules.
April 14, 2015 12:49 p.m.
I had a feeling that about the latter part but I didn't know about the command rule. Thanks for bringing that to my attention, & have a good day.
April 14, 2015 12:51 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #5
It's not a rule specific to commands. All effects are always executed in the order in which they're written. That's why Preordain and Serum Visions are functionally different, for example.
Slycne says... Accepted answer #1
No, for a couple reasons.
Commands always resolve in the order that they are printed. So you can't pick and choice the way you want it to resolve.
When resolving a spell you always resolve it fully without any other actions. Anything that they trigger goes on the stack. If Strangleroot Geist dies during the spell resolving, its undying ability won't return it to the field until after that spell is finished.
April 14, 2015 12:43 p.m.