Sphinx of the Final Word

Asked by 1riv1 7 years ago

Sphinx of the Final Word states that instant and sorcery spells you control can't be countered by spells or abilities and is Hexproof. However Tears of Valakut states Tears of Valakut can't be countered by spells or abilities. Which card would take precedent, since both cards say almost the same thing.

Neotrup says... Accepted answer #1

Tears of Valakut can't be countered by spells or abilities. If you control Sphinx of the Final Word and cast Tears of Valakut it still can't be countered by spells or abilities. If your opponent casts Summary Dismissal it will exile Tears of Valakut stopping it from resolving without actually countering it.

If your opponent controls Sphinx of the Final Word and you try to cast Tears of Valakut targeting it you will be trying to preform an illegal action and the game will reverse to a previously legal state (before you tried casting Tears of Valakut).

If you cast Tears of Valakut targeting a creature that is not hexproof, and your opponent casts Blossoming Defense on it making it hexproof, when Tears of Valakut Tries to resolve it will be countered by the rules for having an illegal target (rule 608.2b). This is not a spell or ability countering it, which is why it specifies that it cannot be countered by spells or abilities, so that it can allow the rules to still counter it.

December 8, 2016 11:34 a.m.

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