How do copy enchantments and other similar effects act once they leave the battlefield
Asked by Etep_Zerus 2 years ago
For example if I used Copy Artifact on Thran Dynamo and someone blew up the copy, would the copy still be an artifact enchantment in my graveyard or would it return to its original text?
Furthermore, does the same ruling apply to other zones like exile?
Tyrant-Thanatos says... #2
The main exception is if they specifically talk about the card being in a different zone.
The other major exception is Characteristic-Defining Abilities, such as Changeling, Devoid, or effects like Tarmogoyf.
Polaris says... Accepted answer #1
There's a distinction you have to understand between an enchantment and an enchantment card. It might also be helpful to refer to the Oracle text here, since it's been updated quite a bit from the wordy and hard-to-follow original:
You may have Copy Artifact enter the battlefield as a copy of any artifact on the battlefield, except it’s an enchantment in addition to its other types.
Copy Artifact is an enchantment card except when it's in play. In play, it's an enchantment artifact (might have other types) if it's copying something, or just an enchantment if for some reason you played it but decided not to copy anything.
While it's copying something, it has the attributes of the artifact, plus the enchantment type from its ability. If it's ever not on the battlefield, the ability that makes it a copy of an artifact is no longer in effect and it's a blue enchantment card named Copy Artifact (this also applies to other zones like exile, yes).
With only a few exceptions, abilities do not work outside the battlefield. The main exception is if they specifically talk about the card being in a different zone. For example, Lochmere Serpent 's last ability lets you pay to return itself from your graveyard to your hand. Since this ability moves the card from the graveyard, it works in the graveyard instead of on the battlefield.
April 30, 2021 10:08 p.m.