Is soulbinding a targeting ability?

Asked by McClair_Bear 12 years ago

My question is simple, if I have out a Phantasmal Bear and then drop a Wingcrafter , target the Phantasmal Bear to give it flying, do I have to sacrifice it?

zach7 says... #1

no. soulbound doesnt target. just like clones

October 18, 2012 12:31 a.m.

Chaosfission says... Accepted answer #2

I believe that is correct, the creature enters, you chose to create the bond and it goes on the stack, after resolving the two are now "paired". No targeting.

702.93a. Soulbond is a keyword that represents two triggered abilities. Soulbond means When this creature enters the battlefield, if you control both this creature and another creature and both are unpaired, you may pair this creature with another unpaired creature you control for as long as both remain creatures on the battlefield under your control and Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, if you control both that creature and this one and both are unpaired, you may pair that creature with this creature for as long as both remain creatures on the battlefield under your control.

An interesting note is that as Soulbond uses the stack state based actions are applied before the bond resolves, so if you wanted to bond an entering Arbor Elf to a Wolfir Silverheart while a card:Curse of Death's Hold is out you couldn't, as the Arbor Elf wouldn't remain alive to receive the bond that would save it.

October 18, 2012 12:47 a.m.

Epochalyptik says... #3

114.1d A triggered ability is targeted if it identifies something it will affect by using the phrase "target [something]," where the "something" is a phrase that describes an object, player, or zone. The target(s) are chosen as the ability is put on the stack; see rule 603.3d.

Since soulbond doesn't use the word target, it doesn't target.

October 18, 2012 12:58 a.m.

Demarge says... #4

I won a game against a mono green aggro deck once by imaging their Wolfir Silverheart and paired it with my Mirran Crusader . If only they printed a prot r/b version it would be godly in this meta...

October 18, 2012 3:01 a.m.

McClair_Bear says... #5

Thank you all! I figured it wasn't a target, but needed to be sure!

October 18, 2012 8:09 a.m.