This is so funny, it could have been a card from Unglued/-Unhinged.
Too bad it doesn't hinder counterspells most of the time.
Also great flavour.
Megrimage
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
if the spell could target creature or player... how do you guys choose it at random? roll of a dice?
garbagegatherer
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(4 votes)
Not much cards mention the stack, which is why newbies have never heard of it.
A3Kitsune
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(4 votes)
For maximum chaos, especially in multiplayer, combo with Hive Mind.
blindthrall
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
This is the most Chaotic card I've ever seen.
RPJesus
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(2 votes)
I love this with Avarice Totem.
Omenchild
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Haha this card is good with cards like flame rift that dont target. I love using this in large multiplayer games just to grief. Did i mention it goes great with fortune thief? haha
I should write a program that will calculate the outcome of a tacky player that has a Hive Mind and this enchantment out, and casts a Shock and then responds to it by casting a Radiate. All of the possible Burn targets, creatures and players, would be label from 1 to n or something and the program would output how much damage each target received. Of course, the outcome would be different each time. Grip of Chaos would make this process faster since nobody gets to pick any targets. So someone, not me, could make this deck and if it goes off they can run the program to see what goes down.
__Silence__
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
10/4/2004 The ability triggers when a spell or ability is put on the stack, and this target-changing ability itself goes on the stack. This means that the spell or ability keeps its original target until this ability resolves. You determine the new target when this ability resolves, at which time the set of legal targets may have changed.
So... Does that mean I can change their Giant Growth to whatever creature I want?
ROBRAM89
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card breaks at least two of R&D's own rules for themselves. See if you can pick them out!
Shivaess
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It was mentioned in today's daily magic article, but this + hive mind (a combo I've gotten out in EDH and caused me to Armageddon myself w/ Ajani) + knowledge pool is the most ridiculously crazy thing I've ever heard of in Magic. The only sad point is that it doesn't randomly reselect the spell from the pool (no targeting aspect in knowledge pool)
Also is there a way to stack stifle to ensure your spells will get through? could be fun...
infernox10
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Hibron
And now, Knowledge Pool.
Yeah, things are about to get complicated.
mrredhatter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In a game with hundreds of targets what is the best way of assigning the target?
Qazior
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ __Silence__
You determine the new target, but as the ability says, at random. The word "reselect" can be contrasted on word "discard".
"Reselect its target at random." by wording is technically the same as "discard a card at random". Without the word 'random', the choice would be your own. In Magic, some(thing/body) has to perform the actions or deal damage etc. Target choices are made by players, as is discaring, whether or not it is random.
Axelle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"The skilled and the foolish are on equal footing."
White? Is that you?
(Yes, I can understand that this enchantment is very, very red. But that piece of flavor text feels a bit white.)
Leonin_Kha_Cameron
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
lol, I think this is reds best defense against targeted removal!
DacenOctavio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Cards that target an "opponent" are only affected by this card in multiplayer. However, it gets much, much scarier with cards that refer to a "target player". Still, when you're casting something as mean and vicious as Cruel Ultimatum, any opponent will do.
Kryptnyt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
@Mrredhatter Use dice or a Random Number app on your phone to roll for 1 to X, after assigning numbers to all legal targets. Typically, if you have groups of identical tokens, you can assign them to a chunk of the numbers rather than assigning each one a number. For example, if someone Banefires a player for 2, and the legal targets are 32 saprolings, two players, and three different creatures, you roll 1-37, using a random number app or a D-20 plus three D6 and two coin flips. For the d20 you'd use the number you roll. For the three D6s you'd add the three numbers to the total and then subtract three (one for each die, so you can get a minimum outcome of zero per die rather than one.) For the coinflips, heads is one, and tails is zero.
Or, if you don't want to do math, you could use a deck of normal playing cards or basic lands with numbers marked on them. Use cards marked one through thirty-seven and assign each permanent a number. Shuffle the deck well (offer other players to shuffle) and flip a card over to find a target.
Because it is so much work, I recommend not using this card. Magic Online is the exception, and it makes cards like this so much smoother.
Lash_of_Dragonbreath
★☆☆☆☆ (1.1/5.0)(4 votes)
@holgir: Ah, but I'm quite sure it does hinder counterspells. You reselect its target at random, so, supposing there are only the spell you were going to cast and the counterspell, it would have a 50% chance of making the counterspell target itself, thus making it fizzle. That counts as hindering, right? Oh, red, your chaos effects are always so funny. Run this and Warp World together to make sure none of your friends is ever going to play with you again.
The_Rizz
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(4 votes)
@Lash_of_Dragonbreath: "it would have a 50% chance of making the counterspell target itself"
Incorrect. 113.4. A spell or ability on the stack is an illegal target for itself.
pedrodyl
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
@swords to exile: No, you have to change the target to Ricochet Trap itself. From the card's rulings: 3/1/2010 If you cast Ricochet Trap targeting a spell that targets a spell on the stack (like Cancel does, for example), you can't change that spell's target to itself. You can, however, change that spell's target to Ricochet Trap. If you do, that spell will be countered when it tries to resolve because Ricochet Trap will have left the stack by then.
So this card isn't that effective at meddling with counterspells unless there are two or more spells at the time the counter was cast. Regardless, it's a pretty fun card and everyone hates you when you drop it in multiplayer :) It's basically a crazier, legal Gleemax.
swords_to_exile
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Edit: @pedrodyl Yes, you're quite right. My mistake. I knew it was something along those lines, but I was obviously mistaken. Thank you (seriously) for clearing it up.
This basically reads "Counter all spells and abilities that have a single target unless their caster has only one target or is insane."
Salient
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Our playgroup occasionally begins a big ol' multiplayer game with this on the battlefield (controlled by no one in particular). It's entertaining. Suddenly the normal rule of thumb for utility removal is reversed -- staples like Lightning Bolt and Vindicate become terrible because they can (re)target almost anything, but offbeat situational cards like Smite and Reprisal become amazing because it's far less likely they'll be redirected.
SirLibraryEater
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I get the feeling this card came into existence when somebody at R&D tableflipped.
car2n
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have a Battle Royale series of decks, one of them uses this card with Door To Nothingness. Y'know, for fun.
Comments (31)
Too bad it doesn't hinder counterspells most of the time.
Also great flavour.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I should write a program that will calculate the outcome of a tacky player that has a Hive Mind and this enchantment out, and casts a Shock and then responds to it by casting a Radiate. All of the possible Burn targets, creatures and players, would be label from 1 to n or something and the program would output how much damage each target received. Of course, the outcome would be different each time. Grip of Chaos would make this process faster since nobody gets to pick any targets. So someone, not me, could make this deck and if it goes off they can run the program to see what goes down.
So... Does that mean I can change their Giant Growth to whatever creature I want?
Also is there a way to stack stifle to ensure your spells will get through? could be fun...
And now, Knowledge Pool.
Yeah, things are about to get complicated.
You determine the new target, but as the ability says, at random. The word "reselect" can be contrasted on word "discard".
"Reselect its target at random." by wording is technically the same as "discard a card at random". Without the word 'random', the choice would be your own. In Magic, some(thing/body) has to perform the actions or deal damage etc. Target choices are made by players, as is discaring, whether or not it is random.
White? Is that you?
(Yes, I can understand that this enchantment is very, very red. But that piece of flavor text feels a bit white.)
Use dice or a Random Number app on your phone to roll for 1 to X, after assigning numbers to all legal targets.
Typically, if you have groups of identical tokens, you can assign them to a chunk of the numbers rather than assigning each one a number. For example, if someone Banefires a player for 2, and the legal targets are 32 saprolings, two players, and three different creatures, you roll 1-37, using a random number app or a D-20 plus three D6 and two coin flips.
For the d20 you'd use the number you roll.
For the three D6s you'd add the three numbers to the total and then subtract three (one for each die, so you can get a minimum outcome of zero per die rather than one.)
For the coinflips, heads is one, and tails is zero.
Or, if you don't want to do math, you could use a deck of normal playing cards or basic lands with numbers marked on them. Use cards marked one through thirty-seven and assign each permanent a number. Shuffle the deck well (offer other players to shuffle) and flip a card over to find a target.
Because it is so much work, I recommend not using this card. Magic Online is the exception, and it makes cards like this so much smoother.
Oh, red, your chaos effects are always so funny. Run this and Warp World together to make sure none of your friends is ever going to play with you again.
Incorrect. 113.4. A spell or ability on the stack is an illegal target for itself.
So this card isn't that effective at meddling with counterspells unless there are two or more spells at the time the counter was cast. Regardless, it's a pretty fun card and everyone hates you when you drop it in multiplayer :) It's basically a crazier, legal Gleemax.
@pedrodyl
Yes, you're quite right. My mistake. I knew it was something along those lines, but I was obviously mistaken. Thank you (seriously) for clearing it up.