Nissa's Judgment

Asked by polydeuces17 7 years ago

When using Nissa's Judgment do you have to choose a target creature to deal damage to?

Can I counter it using Turn Aside? And if I can, will it also stop the support 2 happening?

hyperlocke says... Accepted answer #1

You don't have to chose a target to deal damage to. "Up to one" includes zero.

If you chose (a) target(s) for the Support part of the spell, you can counter it with Turn Aside. In that case it will counter the whole spell, including the Support part.

January 12, 2017 12:16 p.m.

Neotrup says... #2

Nissa's Judgment can be cast targeting up to two target creatures you control and up to one target creature an opponent controls. If you choose to target a creature your opponent controls it can be countered by Turn Aside which counters the entire spell and prevents the creatures you control that you targeted from getting any counters. If you choose not to target a creature your opponent controls you won't be able to deal damage to one of their creatures.

If your opponent tried to counter with Blossoming Defense instead Nissa's Judgment would only be countered if their creature was the only target, so if you're targeting your own creatures with the support ability the spell will not be countered, and your creatures will still get the counters. The part of the spell that deals damage however will not happen, because that part of the spell has an illegal target.

January 12, 2017 12:33 p.m.

polydeuces17 says... #3

So if my opponent casts Nissa's Judgment and puts +1/+1 counters on two of his guys, then targets my creature for them to deal damage to, and I cast Turn Aside does he keep the counters?

January 12, 2017 2:21 p.m.

hyperlocke says... #4

His creatures won't even get the counters.

It is not possible to let the first part resolve and only then chose targets for the second part. All the targets have to be chosen as a part of casting the spell. As soon as he choses one of your creatures for the second part, the spell becomes a legal target for Turn Aside. If a spell is countered, it is countered entirely.

January 12, 2017 2:49 p.m.

Raging_Squiggle says... #5

701.5a To counter a spell or ability means to cancel it, removing it from the stack. It doesnt resolve and none of its effects occur. A countered spell is put into its owners graveyard.

January 12, 2017 8:12 p.m.