If I hit with a Trygon Predator, does the artifact get removed before the next effect goes on the stack?

Asked by vic 6 years ago

I have a Hands of Binding ciphered onto a Trygon Predator. My opponent has an Inkfathom Infiltrator equipped with Cloak and Dagger.

On my turn, I attack and my Predator hits my opponent for damage. Do I get to first destroy the equipment and then successfully target the Infiltrator with the Hands?

I know that as the active player, when two effects happen at once, I get to choose which one happens first. But I'm wondering if first, the effect of destroying the equipment merely goes on the stack (but does not yet happen), and then the targeting of the Infiltrator would go on the stack, but is not a legal target because the equipment has not yet gone to the graveyard.

Blo says... Accepted answer #1

So this one is a bit tricky. Hands of Binding itself can't be cast because there is no legal target, however, as you read closely you'll find that the encoded card let's you cast the spell again. This happens only when the trigger resolves.
Since you have two triggers coming of of combat damage, the way you want to choose them is:

Stack
Cipher trigger
Trygon trigger
End of stack

Without responses from your opponent, the Trygon Predator will target and destroy the Cloak and Dagger. Then cipher trigger will resolve, allowing you to cast the spell Hands of Binding. You will do so and put it on the stack. Then you have to choose targets for it, and since there is no more shroud, you are free to target the Inkfathom Infiltrator.

This works only because you don't just place the copied spell on the stack, but have to resolve a trigger first. If you would place it on the stack when combat damage is dealt, the creature would still have hexproof and as such isn't a legal target.

December 20, 2017 4:49 a.m.

vic says... #2

Okay, I'm gonna have to digest that. I'm having a little trouble following it. If I choose the cipher trigger first, then how can I use it on the shrouded creature at that point?

December 20, 2017 8:07 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... #3

You put the cipher trigger onto the stack first, then the Trygon trigger above it.

If you wanted to resolve the cipher trigger first for some reason, Inkfathom would still have shroud and you wouldn't be able to target it with the copy of Hands.

December 20, 2017 11:53 p.m.

vic says... #4

Okay, I misread Blo's column. He/she put Cipher trigger physically above Trygon trigger, and I visualized it as being above it in the stack.

So it works just like I thought it would. Thanks.

December 22, 2017 4:43 a.m.

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