Linked and Delayed Abilities

References such as “my Might” or “here” generally use the relevant information when the instruction executes. The source may have changed Might or board location since triggering. Information supplied by the trigger event itself is recorded at that event instead. A location left behind by movement is not continually updated to the moving unit’s new location.

Lillia, Fae Fawn’s movement trigger records where she moved from. If she moves from Base to a battlefield, the Sprite belongs at the Base she left. Moving her again, or removing her from the board in reaction, does not change that recorded origin. Compare an attack ability saying to affect an enemy unit “here”: if its source moves before resolution, its current location can change what satisfies that instruction.

An illegal target or an object no longer able to supply the required information cannot supply usable information. The Core Rules call that missing information “null.” Calculations based on it are ignored; do not turn unavailable Might into a useful value of zero. This is different from a legal unit whose actual Might is zero.

Baited Hook’s Core Rules example kills a friendly unit and uses its Might to limit a later unit selection. If the opponent returns the target to hand first, the ability cannot kill that old target or use its Might to pick another unit with zero or one Might. It can still perform unrelated supported instructions, such as looking at cards, without receiving permission to choose a unit from the missing calculation. If the ability itself moved the object as its cost or effect, the specific pre-change information exception can instead apply.

The current Core Rules codify the linked-instruction distinction. An instruction is ignored for this purpose when its chosen object is no longer a legal target at resolution, a failure called mistargeting. Its dependent linked instruction is then ignored too. A legal instruction whose action is prevented, replaced or already satisfied is instead negated; that alone does not erase a later link unless the later instruction specifically requires the action to happen.

Hidden Blade illustrates the distinction. If its chosen unit is no longer a legal target, the later instruction letting that unit’s controller draw does not happen. Its controller means the player who controls that unit. If the unit remains legal but cannot be killed, that kill is negated rather than failing through an illegal target, and that unit’s controller still draws. Likewise, Ride the Wind can Ready a legal unit after its attempted Move to Base was forbidden. The prohibition did not turn the target into an illegal one.

A linked reference to “its controller” can remain meaningful after a death replacement leaves the unit on the board. An “if you do” instruction that specifically requires killing the unit does not receive that result when the kill is replaced. The original kill never happened. Partial prevention of damage, however, need not stop a linked check that requires damage to be dealt if some qualifying damage was actually dealt.

Information remains a separate requirement. The FAQ’s Smite example changes Hidden Blade’s death destination to Banishment. Hidden Blade did not itself make that non-board change, so the removed object cannot supply the controller information for the draw. Do not conclude that every replaced action allows every subsequent instruction. Check both the action requirement and whether the referenced information is available.

A generated delayed ability can work after its source leaves, but only during the time stated by the effect. If that window ended before the ability would be generated, it is not generated. For example, a conquest after the relevant end-of-turn timing cannot create a delayed trigger meant for that timing earlier in the same turn. An effect granting control “until I leave the board” also cannot create that duration if its source has already left in reaction.

Delayed linked abilities may instead remain active while a particular object is in the game area established by the ability that created them. Track the exact linked card and zone, not every card sharing its name. A card banished by one instance is not automatically available to a later copy’s retrieval ability. Each linked set refers to its own affected objects.