Supreme Verdict and Abrupt Decay
Asked by JMANNO33O 11 years ago
Why does Supreme Verdict say can't be countered but Abrupt Decay say can't be countered by spells or abilities? Is there really a difference? There has to be since it's in the same set right? They wouldn't have two different wordings for the same effect in the same set.
Epochalyptik says... #3
A targeted spell or ability can be countered by a state-based action for no longer having any legal targets when it would resolve. Because Supreme Verdict isn't targeted, it can't fizzle. Abrupt Decay can and will fizzle if its target becomes illegal.
May 12, 2013 4:52 p.m.
"Can't be countered by spells or abilities" avoids things such as Judge's Familiar in addition to your classic Counterspell . Someone else will have to explain the difference between that and the simple "can't be countered" though. It still isn't clear to me by what has been posted.
May 12, 2013 6:54 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #5
@Kravian: When a targeted spell or ability on the stack no longer has any legal targets, that spell or ability is countered by state-based actions. Therefore, you can't write "can't be countered" on a targeted spell or ability because that would mean SBAs can't counter it for having illegal targets. Instead, "can't be countered by spells or abilities" is used because it means nothing the players can do can counter that spell or ability.
Abrupt Decay has targets, so it can be countered by SBAs if those targets become illegal. Supreme Verdict does not have targets, so it can't be countered by SBAs. Therefore, the distinction doesn't need to be made that spells or abilities can't counter Supreme Verdict .
May 12, 2013 7:03 p.m.
Thank you so much for clarifying. My issue was in the concept of "fizzling" (which I guess is probably slang and not the official terminology). I didn't realize that the SBAs literally "countered" it; I assumed that some other, external, intangible rule came into play in those situations.
May 12, 2013 8:26 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #7
Yes, "fizzle" is slang for "countered by the rules". It used to be an official game term, but that was a loooong time ago (before the 6th Edition rules update). Your comment about the use of the word confusing you with respect to what the cards actually say is exactly why I try to discourage people from using it at all.
Mewgle says... Accepted answer #1
Abrupt Decay targets and it's worded that way so it can still countered by game rules like if the permanent it's targeting gains Hexproof, protection etc.
May 12, 2013 4:50 p.m.