If Nicol bolas can't deal damage what happens when he is transformed?

Asked by doodkyle 5 years ago

My opponent controls Nicol Bolas, the Ravager  Flip in play. I use Kiora, the Crashing Wave +1 ability to prevent all damage that would be dealt to and by Nicol bolas. On the next turn my opponent paid to transform him into Nicol Bolas, the Arisen if my opponent uses his -3 ability is the 10 damage prevented?

dingusdingo says... #1

The damage is indeed prevented

  • 711.12. When a double-faced permanent transforms, it doesn’t become a new object. Any effects that applied to that permanent will continue to apply to it after it transforms.
  • Example: An effect gives Village Ironsmith (the front face of a double-faced card) +2/+2 until end of turn and then Village Ironsmith transforms into Ironfang. Ironfang will continue to get +2/+2 until end of turn.

https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Double-faced_card

October 3, 2019 1:43 a.m.

Kogarashi says... Accepted answer #2

The damage will not be prevented.

  • 400.7. An object that moves from one zone to another becomes a new object with no memory of, or relation to, its previous existence.

The transform ability of Nicol Bolas, the Ravager  Flip exiles the card before transforming it, in order to facilitate the planeswalker side actually receiving loyalty counters so that it isn't immediately sent to the graveyard. Exiling is a zone change, and because of this, Nicol Bolas, the Arisen has no memory of its previous existence, including being the permanent that Kiora, the Crashing Wave prevented the damage of.

While there are nine exceptions to the rule I quoted, none of them cover a DFC that transforms into a planeswalker.

dingusdingo's quoted rule applies to DFCs that transform without being exiled (because they do not leave the battlefield in order to transform). Bolas and the five DFC planeswalkers from Magic Origins are exiled as part of the transformation ability.

October 3, 2019 1:50 a.m.

Rhadamanthus says... #3

Kogarashi has the right answer. The zone change makes Nicol Bolas, the Arisen a different object from the Nicol Bolas, the Ravager  Flip that was targeted by Kiora, the Crashing Wave 's ability.

October 3, 2019 12:45 p.m.

dingusdingo says... #4

Correct indeed, I didn't see the exile to flip :O

October 3, 2019 2:18 p.m.

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