How does Dual Casting work?
Asked by xyhacker 12 years ago
What does it mean by "copy target instant or sorcery"? I figured it just meant that whenever you tap your creature, it completes the instant or sorcery's action again. Does this have to be done before the instant or sorcery LTB, or can you do it then, and do it the next turn when your guy untaps? And why does Twincast also read "you may choose new targets for the copy"?
Activating the ability Dual Casting provides must be done when the Instant or Sorcery is still on the stack because Dual Casting specifically mentions 'spell' and not Instant or Sorcery 'card'. It cannot be done later after the spell has finished resolving and hit the graveyard, exile, et cetera.
In regards to Twincast the best explanation is already provided for in the image. Say someone goes to Fireball you for 20 damage and you copy it with Twincast. If you could change its target you would just be Fireballing yourself for another 20 instead of choosing (presumably) your opponent and smacking them with the (resolving first) copy of their own Fireball .
(Similarly, you could copy your own Fireball and get two different targets with minimal mana investment between the two)
Hope I helped!
July 8, 2012 4:25 p.m.
BrokenZygoma says... #3
When a player casts a spell and you play Twincast (or pay one red and tap your creature for Dual Casting and target that spell, you make a brand new version of that spell and put it on the stack and if it targets you choose a new target. So say you cast a Llanowar Elves . Your opponent then plays Counterspell to counter your elves. You then pay 1 red and tap your creature with Dual Casting which lets you copy the Counterspell , choose a new target which in your case would probably be the original Counterspell , and it is placed on the stack as a whole new spell to be interacted with. It is different from an ability. The copy comes from the [[dual casting] ability, but once on the stack it is its own spell.
July 8, 2012 4:29 p.m.
BrokenZygoma says... #4
And you can only copy a spell that is still on the stack. Once resolved the spell no longer exists.
July 8, 2012 4:30 p.m.
pheonix_222 says... #5
Dual Casting , Reverberate and Twincast are all pretty much the same monster. From what i understand they let you copy target instant or sorcery spell. The only time you really have priority to copy a instant or sorcery is when its being cast and is on the stack. If you wait till after the spell has resolved the spell will be in the graveyard and is no longer a legal target for Dual Casting . Just like you can't Clone something that's in the grave.
Dual Casting specifies that you can only copy a spell you control, so you can't copy a Mana Leak your opponent cast. These spells also clarify "you may choose new targets for the copy", because when you cast a targeted spell you choose the targets as you cast it, having that extra text gives you the extra control to cast a Lightning Bolt targeting one thing to kill it, then use Dual Casting to target something else. Or if you cast Goblin Guide then have it be Mana Leak d, you could in response cast Reverberate copying their Mana Leak to try and counter their counter.
tl;dr you can only copy instants or sorcery that are currently being cast and are on the stack.
Hope this clears things up.
jstache93 says... Accepted answer #1
Dual Casting and Twincast put a second spell onto the stack that is the exact same as the spell it targets. The "you may choose new targets for the copy" clause means that the new spell can target any other legal target. It can be the same target as the first spell, but it doesn't HAVE to be.
July 8, 2012 4:25 p.m.