Rules Question: Ferocious and Wild Slash
Asked by Regulus1010 10 years ago
I suppose that this is the best place for this question, as I didn't see a category better than "General."
So, I've read a few articles stating that triggering Ferocious on Wild Slash gets around the damage prevention in Gods Willing and I'm a bit confused. I understand the basic concept: damage can't be prevented, therefore, protection from red won't save the creature that Gods Willing is cast on from taking 2 damage. However, my question lies in that something getting pro: red from Gods Willing can't be the target of red spells or effects, so shouldn't that mean that you couldn't have targeted that creature in the first place?
Let me explain: I try to Wild Slash a creature, placing it on the stack. My opponent casts Gods Willing on it, naming red. Since that creature now has protection from red with Wild Slash on the stack, doesn't that then make the creature an illegal target for red, since Gods Willing will resolve before Wild Slash?
Sorry if I'm making this way more complicated than it needs to be.
Rhadamanthus says... #2
"MTG Q&A" (linked in the header bar) is the place for rules-related questions. It's kept separate from the forums because of the special functions that have to be enabled in it.
You're right. Giving the creature targeted by Wild Slash protection from red will counter it. What those people may be talking about is one creature blocking or being blocked by a red creature, then being given protection from red by Gods Willing. If the red player resolves a ferocious Wild Slash at his opponent's face, then the protection ability won't be able to prevent any combat damage from being dealt.
February 11, 2015 12:18 p.m.
Regulus1010 says... #3
@ Epochalyptik - Sorry for the mis-post. Thanks for the response!
In the scenario you mentioned, do you mean from combat, for example? If all these spells are cast mid-combat and ferocious is triggered for Wild Slash, then I could see it being relevant.
May I ask another rules question, since you seem pretty sharp there? My opponent has Polukranos, World Eater in play and I have 3 creatures. My opponent taps enough mana to monstrous Polukranos and deal damage to my creatures in amounts that would kill them (exact numbers and P/T don't matter). I respond with Hero's Downfall on Polukranos. Are my creatures saved because Polukranos isn't around to deal the damage any longer, since Downfall resolves first? Or, Since Polukranos' monstrous was put on the stack, it'll resolve no matter what?
Thanks again in advance.
February 11, 2015 12:21 p.m.
Regulus1010 says... #4
Looks like you answered my combat-related question, Rhadamanthus - thanks!
February 11, 2015 12:22 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #5
The creatures that do something special when they turn monstrous have 2 distinct abilities: the actual Monstrosity activated ability, and a triggered ability that triggers when they become monstrous. If Polukranos is killed before the Monstrosity ability resolves then he won't become monstrous and the triggered ability won't trigger. Your guys will be saved.
February 11, 2015 12:25 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #6
It depends. If you respond to monstrosity, which is an activated ability, Polukranos, World Eater will never become monstrous and its second ability (the damage one) will never trigger.
If you respond to the triggered ability, then you can still kill Polukranos, World Eater, but the damage will still be dealt. The ability can resolve properly without Polukranos, World Eater on the battlefield.
February 11, 2015 12:27 p.m.
Regulus1010 says... #7
Thank you both! I see now why this particular situation confused me after reading your responses. It's just a special case having specifically to do with monstrous.
February 11, 2015 12:32 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #8
I'll also point out that ferocious doesn't trigger for Wild Slash. Ferocious just defines an extra effect that happens if the ferocious condition. Is true. It's not a triggered ability.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #1
Rules questions should be asked in the Q&A, which is linked in the header. I can't convert this thread to a Q&A question, so I'm moving it to BE.
You're correct. The untargetable function of protection still applies. You can't cast Wild Slash through protection. But its "damage can't be prevented" effect still applies to other instances of damage, so the protected creature can still take damage from red sources without violating the other elements of protection.
February 11, 2015 12:13 p.m.