Planeswalker question...
Asked by Glaspo 12 years ago
Can you target planeswalkers with spells that say target player? Like could I use Lava Axe to deal damage to Jace, Memory Adept for example? Just wondering because I I just heard somewhere that you treat planeswalkers as players and i don't know if that's how it is.
GreatSword says... Accepted answer #2
You never treat planeswalkers as players. You can attack them with creatures like players, but that's where the similarities end. For example, a creature with a cipher card like Last Thoughts that connects to a planeswalker will not trigger.
You cannot target Jace directly with Lava Axe , because it says "Target player". You can however, upon resolution of the spell, redirect the damage that would go to that player instead to a planeswalker he controls. Only you, the controller of the spell can redirect it; the player that owns the Planeswalker cannot.
February 11, 2013 8:28 a.m.
The redirecting seems a bit confusing, and perhaps cheap. It almost feels like some kind of loophole is being exploited. How can you not target a planeswalker with a card that ssys "target player" but then can "redirect" the damage afterwards....i mean if it's like that then we should be able to redirect all sorts of damage and virtually ignore all specific targets that a text says. Like mine as well use Lava Axe on a player then "redirect" that damage to a creature instead thus basically ignoring the limitations of the card. I don't mean to come off like a jerk, but this just doesn't make sense to me. I know you don't make the rules, but thanks for the help :)
February 11, 2013 8:41 a.m.
Absinthman says... #4
This is too difficult and long to explain for me at this point, so here's an excerpt from Comprehensive Rules, which also points you to other parts that relate to this topic. I advise you to read them.
306.7. If noncombat damage would be dealt to a player by a source controlled by an opponent, that opponent may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker the first player controls instead. This is a redirection effect (see rule 614.9) and is subject to the normal rules for ordering replacement effects (see rule 616). The opponent chooses whether to redirect the damage as the redirection effect is applied.
Note that the above article is written from the perspective of the player who is being targeted by the Lava Axe you mentioned.
February 11, 2013 8:49 a.m.
Absinthman says... #5
Also note that you CAN NOT choose redirect damage dealt to you by sources you control. So if your opponents puts blaze counters on your lands with Obsidian Fireheart or gives you control of Sleeper Agent for example, you can't have your planeswalker take that damage.
For your convenience, I include a link to the MTG Comprehensive Rules in PDF format.
February 11, 2013 8:58 a.m.
Thank you very much. It makes sense now. Sorry for bugging out a little bit lol
February 11, 2013 8:59 a.m.
GreatSword says... #7
Planeswalker cards are "relatively" new to Magic, they've only been around for about 5 years. When they released them they kind of had to bend the rules a bit to make cards from the past fit with them. They couldn't simply make Planeswalkers count as Players for the purpose of targeting (What happens when I Mind Rot Gideon or Slaughter Games Jace's deck?). In the end this was the best they could do, because damage was the only real interaction with spells they thought was a problem.
Denial048 says... #1
You still target the player, but then can redirect non-combat damage to the planeswalker.
Effects that say Target player loses X life (ex. Blood Artist ) cannot be redirected to planeswalkers, and if the player has hexproof (ex. Witchbane Orb ) you cannot target them to redirect in the first place.
February 11, 2013 8:25 a.m.