Phyrexian Metamorph & The Stack
Asked by pigeon1325 8 years ago
My opponent has Blightsteel Colossus on the field.
I cast Phyrexian Metamorph, choosing Blightsteel Colossus to copy.
My opponent wanted to use an activated ability in response to the casting to bounce the Blightsteel Colossus back into the owner's hand and make the Phyrexian Metamorph's copy hit an illegal target.
Can someone walk through the stack on that for me? If it is legit, does the Metamorph fizzle or can a different creature be chosen as it actually enters the battlefield?
Thanks!
pigeon1325 says... #2
Thank you for that clear and concise answer. Very helpful!
Have a good night.
Boza says... Accepted answer #1
First of all, fizzling is a specific magic term that means that a spell has lost all its possible targets and is counter by the game rules. This is not the case here.
Metamorph's ability does not use the stack. It is a replacement effect that modifies how it enters the battlefield and does not target (note the lack of the word "target").
1/ You cast the metamorph. You do not choose for it to copy anything.
2/ While the spell is on the stack your opponent decides to bounce his dude. If he allows the spell to resolve, he can no longer do it, so he has to act now.
3/ Upon resolution of the Metamorph, you choose what creature or artifact it copies. If you do not want to choose or there are no legal choices, it will enter the battlefield as a 0/0 and promptly die.
July 17, 2015 1:02 a.m.