Cards And Zones
Can You Change a Target or Mode After Playing a Card?
Keep the choices you made unless an effect specifically permits new ones.
RiftPal explanation · Answer first
The short answer
You cannot change TargetA specific object, player or zone chosen by a spell or ability under the targeting rules. Check legality when choosing and when resolving. Costs, automatic groups and explicit "pick" choices do not target; pending Chain items cannot be targeted.View in Glossary or ModeAn option in a spell or ability's bulleted choice list. Choose the permitted mode or modes when putting it on the Chain, rather than waiting for it to resolve.View in Glossary s just because an opponent responds. An effect must permit new choices. When you use that permission, remake every eligible choice legally, even if you choose the same options again.
RiftPal explanation
How it works
Card reference
Lost to the Sands
A ModeAn option in a spell or ability's bulleted choice list. Choose the permitted mode or modes when putting it on the Chain, rather than waiting for it to resolve.View in Glossary is an option in a card's choice list. New-choice effects can cover modes, TargetA specific object, player or zone chosen by a spell or ability under the targeting rules. Check legality when choosing and when resolving. Costs, automatic groups and explicit "pick" choices do not target; pending Chain items cannot be targeted.View in Glossary , play locations and move destinations. Remake all eligible choices together; you may select the same options as before. You cannot keep an illegal choice while changing another. If no complete legal set exists, the instruction to make new choices does nothing.
Spell
Lost to the Sands
[Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.) Choose one —
- Deal 4 to a unit at a battlefield.
- Kill a gear.
An optional permission can be declined, leaving the old choices in place. This does not reopen choices made "as I am played" or decisions to pay optional additional costs. The card is already played and its costs are already paid.
Targeting abilities can trigger again even when you choose the same target again. New costs "to play" caused by these choices are ignored, because you are not playing the card again.
In practice
Example
Your spell targets one legal enemy unit. An effect now lets you choose a new target.
Choose a different legal enemy unit → the spell will check that new target when it resolves.
If your first target becomes illegal and nothing permits a new choice, you cannot simply switch to another unit.