Retraction Helix targets?

Asked by kenballus 8 years ago

If I have Stonybrook Schoolmaster and Intruder Alarm in play, and then I cast Retraction Helix on Stonybrook Schoolmaster, can I tap Stonybrook Schoolmaster to make tokens without selecting targets for Retraction Helix? If this is possible, I can make an infinite creature combo and return all of my opponent's nonland permanents to his or her hand, without having to return all of my nonland permanents to mine.

Thanks!

JWiley129 says... #1

Short answer is no. That's because you can only tap the schoolmaster by using the ability given to it by Retraction Helix. So you can definitely bounce all your opponent's nonland permanents but you will eventually have to bounce your own.

June 20, 2015 5:45 p.m.

Fictions_Reality says... #2

Technically the intruder alarm trigger goes on top of the bounce trigger which would resolve first. Since the ability says whenever this creature becomes tapped you make a token and untap the creature before the retraction helix effect finishes resolving, If im not mistaken you can then retap the stony brook targeting the same permanent as the first retraction [or seperate ones if they have more than one nonland permanent] and repeat, keeping all the retraction helix effects on the stack. eventually it will bounce everything x times but all but the first will fizzle. Of course I could be wrong but im pretty sure that would be how the stack plays out.

June 20, 2015 5:52 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #3

Fictions_Reality is correct. Here's the order of events:

1. You activate Stonybrook Schoolmaster's activated ability (granted by Retraction Helix. You have to name a target. Stonybrook Schoolmaster's triggered ability triggers during the activation process.
2. Stonybrook Schoolmaster's triggered ability is placed on top of the stack once the activation process is complete.
3. Stonybrook Schoolmaster's triggered ability resolves, creating a 1/1 token. The token causes Intruder Alarm's ability to trigger.
4. Intruder Alarm's ability resolves, untapping all creatures.

Now, Stonybrook Schoolmaster's activated ability is still on the stack, but Stonybrook Schoolmaster is untapped. You may reactivate Stonybrook Schoolmaster's activated ability and even name the same target, as Fictions_Reality states. Thus, you can continue the loop without having to bounce anything until the very end. And if you chose the same target for each instance of Stonybrook Schoolmaster's activated ability, the last instance to have been created will bounce that target and the rest will fizzle (although this will not affect your combo at that point).

June 20, 2015 6:15 p.m.