Modal Cards and Duration Effects

Asked by Delphen7 1 year ago

I came across this on Arena, and it caught me heavily off guard.

My opponent had a Portable Hole exiling my Cauldron Familiar. They cast Farewell choosing all modes. Farewell exiled the Cauldron Familiar under the Portable Hole.

I know that modal cards will technically resolve the effects in order, and that duration effects end immediately, but is that really how it would work?

Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #1

It works the way arena did it for the reasons that you identified.

When a spell or ability resolves that object's controller follows the instructions on the card in the order they are written. Exile effects with durations end immediately when the stated duration expires, returning the cards to the battlefield doesn't use the stack. When Farewell resolves, assuming all modes have been chosen, you will exile all artifacts, then you will exile all creatures, then all enchantments, and finally all graveyards. When Portable Hole gets exiled, Cauldron Familiar will be returned immediately and will be exiled with the rest of the creatures. If Cauldron Familiar had been exiled with Banishing Light it would survive. This is because enchantments are exiled after creatures.

July 13, 2022 6:11 a.m.