Wulfgar of Icewind Dale & BackDraft Hellkite Combo

Asked by Irish_Bastard907 1 year ago

I'm confused about how the stack works, if it would work at all. So I attack with Backdraft Hellkite and Wulfgar of Icewind Dale activates the dragon's ability twice but can cast the same spell twice before flashback exiles the spell? Or is the spell simply exiled and impossible to cast with flashback a 2nd time.

dragonstryke58 says... Accepted answer #1

You can only use flashback once. Wulfgar of Icewind Dale would double the triggers for Backdraft Hellkite, but multiple instances of flashback do not allow you to flashback twice.

Flashback represents two static abilities:

• Flashback [cost]” means “You may cast this card from your graveyard if the resulting spell is an instant or sorcery spell by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost
• If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack.

Notably, the second ability is a replacement effect. This ability replaces the destination of the card as it leaves the stack. So instead of the graveyard, the card goes straight into exile. Since the card is no longer in the graveyard, it cannot be flashed back a second time.

Comprehensive Rules:

702.34a Flashback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities: one that functions while the card is in a player’s graveyard and another that functions while the card is on the stack. “Flashback [cost]” means “You may cast this card from your graveyard if the resulting spell is an instant or sorcery spell by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost” and “If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack.” Casting a spell using its flashback ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.

June 12, 2022 7:06 p.m.

legendofa says... #2

You can only cast a spell with flashback once from the graveyard before it gets exiled.

The only difference with casting an instant or sorcery normally and casting that spell through flashback is where the card starts and where it gets put when it resolves. Just as you can't cast the same spell twice from your hand, you can't cast the same spell with flashback twice from the graveyard.

Technically, the spell would get two instances of flashback, but this simply creates a redundancy that has no game effect, similar to a creature having two instances of flying or first strike.

June 12, 2022 7:07 p.m.