(Why) does Mystic Reflection go infinite with ETB token generators?
Asked by Omniscience_is_life 3 years ago
If one casts Mystic Reflection on Avenger of Zendikar in response to its ETB trigger... does it go infinite? Like, create a plant, which is actually an AoZ, which makes a plant, which is actually an Aoz, etc... seems unlikely that they'd make something that does that, but I don't understand how it wouldn't.
Thanks, as always, in advance
RockOnNinja says... #2
So I had an interaction like this on MTGO just now.
I had a Field of the Dead on the battlefield with 7 unique lands.
I used Nissa to untap my Cloudpost.
I played Avenger of Zendikar, and in response to the trigger cast Mystic Reflection targeting my Cloudpost.
I got 10 Cloudposts from Avenger(which is what I expected) but then Field triggered and created another Cloudpost (which I thought was odd).
I was then locked into an infinite loop of Field triggering on a Cloudpost entering, making me another Cloudpost.
P.S - I am not sure if this is some janky interaction or if MTGO is just poorly coded, just wanted to share what happened when I attempted this Interaction.
March 14, 2021 7:05 p.m.
Hi, you can't target land with Mystic Reflection
April 30, 2021 2:10 a.m.
Mystic Reflection can target any creature, even lands. Of the 4 Nissas that can untap Cloudpost , 2 will make it a creature and 1 gives you the option. My guess is the interaction was the result of MTGO's programming, which should also solve the combo as it should limit the number of tokens you can produce of a given type.
Neotrup says... Accepted answer #1
It does not. If you cast Mystic Reflection in response to Avenger of Zendikar's enter the battlefield ability, you'll make Avenger of Zendikar tokens equal to the number of lands you control, which will in turn make plant tokens equal to the number of lands you control squared. Additionally, on landfall you're plants will get counters equal to the number of Avengers of Zendikar you currently have, which should be one more than the number of lands you controlled at the time. Overall, it's a very powerful play, but it doesn't go infinite.
The reason for this is that Mystic Reflection modifies the next time one or more creatures would enter, not all instances of creatures entering for the remainder of the turn. In fact, if you had a second Mystic Reflection to cast in response to the next Avenger of Zendikar entry trigger, it would only replace one more batch of tokens (a batch being equal to the number of lands you control), not all the triggers on the stack.
In fact, if creatures enter sequentially as part of a single spell or ability, it will only modify the first instance of creatures entering. So if you cast in response to Selvala's Stampede only the 'wild' creatures enter as copies, not the 'free' ones (unless there are no wild votes).
This also means that an opponent could flash in a creature after Mystic Reflection resolves, before Avenger of Zendikar's ability resolves to steel the effect and make it so your plants just enter as plants.
January 21, 2021 7:48 p.m.