What counts as "targeting"

Asked by Icedragon100 7 years ago

For Willbreaker what would count as targeting? Would an aura count as targeting?

BlueScope says... Accepted answer #1

All effects that use the term "target" are targetting, while all effects that don't, don't. Your second question is easy to answer: Yes, casting an Aura with a creature as a target will trigger Willbreaker.

303.4a. An Aura spell requires a target, which is defined by its enchant ability.

To name some other, non-standard examples that will trigger it, consider:

However, some effects won't trigger it:

  • Clone (copy effects generally don't target, though that's easy to overlook)
  • Proliferate

In general, effects that require choosing permanents don't target (and will not use the word "target"), even though it might feel like they do.

August 29, 2016 10:51 a.m.

TheRedMage says... #2

Small nitpick - and I hope I am not confusing things here - but it's worth mentioning that while casting an Aura does target, if you manage to put that aura onto the battlefield directly without casting it, it will attach itself to something it could enchant without targeting it. This doesn't target so effects that restrict targeting (like shroud or hexproof) don't stop this process. However if a permanent couldn't be legally enchanted by that aura (for example, because it has protection from it) it still cannot.

Examples of this are:

In all these cases, it doesn't matter that the Aura was in your graveyard and library - it matters that it wasn't cast. For example, if I control Karador, Ghost Chieftain and cast a Gnarled Scarhide from my graveyard for its bestow cost, I am still casting it and as such will need to target the creature I want the Scarhide to end up on.

August 29, 2016 7:25 p.m.

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