Shuffling Lazav that is a copy of Etrata

Asked by Boza 5 years ago

So, two new cards - Lazav, the Multifarious and Etrata, the Silencer.

Lets say that I have lazav on the field as a copy of etrata in the yard. I attack and hit the opponent, putting the trigger on stack. In response, I change Lazav into another creature in the graveyard.

Is Lazav still shuffled in the library and what happens to the whole trigger?

LGFlatron says... Accepted answer #1

The whole trigger will resolve as per normal, and Lazav will be shuffled into the deck:

1. The target creature will be exiled with a hit counter.
2. A check will be made to see if the opponent loses the game.
3. Lazav will be shuffled into the deck.

When you initially use Lazav's ability on Etrata, the Silencer, Lazav will inherit Etrata's abilities as per ruling 201.4b:

• 201.4b If an ability of an object refers to that object by name, and an object with a different name gains that ability, each instance of the first name in the gained ability that refers to the first object by name should be treated as the second name.

Regardless of what Lazav changes into after hitting the opponent, the trigger is already on the stack and will resolve as per normal.

Now if instead, Lazav is removed from the battlefield in response to Lazav changing to another creature (whether or not it successfully resolves or not), the trigger is still on the stack and will resolve where possible:

1. The target creature will be exiled with a hit counter.
2. A check will be made to see if the opponent loses the game.

However, as Lazav would have changed zones, the third part would be impossible.

As per ruling 101.3:

• 101.3. Any part of an instruction that’s impossible to perform is ignored. (In many cases the card will specify consequences for this; if it doesn’t, there’s no effect.)

Since Lazav would no longer exist on the battlefield to be shuffled into the library, this part of the action would be safely ignored.

September 19, 2018 4:58 a.m.

Boza says... #2

Thank you for the detailed answer!

September 19, 2018 5:16 a.m.

Kogarashi says... #3

It's worth noting that a player could invoke 101.3 themselves without losing Lazav if they somehow flicker it. Even though the card is back on the battlefield after the flicker effect, the game sees it as a new object and not the one that should be shuffled back into the library.

September 19, 2018 8:22 a.m.

Izzet_Explorer says... #4

Very helpful

October 19, 2018 3:47 a.m.