Cards And Zones
What Happens If a Spell's Target Changes?
Recheck the original targets when the spell resolves and carry out the parts that still work.
RiftPal explanation · Answer first
The short answer
When the spell resolves, check its targets again. A target that no longer meets the requirements is unaffected, and instructions involving that illegal target are skipped.
The spell still resolves, even if every target is now illegal. Carry out any other instructions that still work; you do not automatically choose replacement targets.
RiftPal explanation
How it works
Moving on the board does not by itself break targeting. What matters is whether the original target still meets the spell's restrictions. A unit can stop meeting them and become legal again before resolution.
Leaving the board is different. If the unit goes to hand or TrashA player's off-board zone for cards that are killed or discarded and spells that finish resolving, unless an effect changes their destination. Its cards are public information and their order does not matter.View in Glossary , it is no longer the same object for that spell, even if it returns before the spell resolves. Becoming UntargetableUnable to be chosen by the spells or abilities specified by an effect. This protects against those targeting choices, not against every effect that could affect the object.View in Glossary to that spell also makes it illegal while that protection applies.
If an instruction affects several targets, apply it to those that remain legal. When targets must meet a shared limit, such as total MightMight represents both how much Combat Damage a unit can contribute and how much marked Damage it can normally take before being killed.View in Glossary , choose a legal subset of the original targets if needed; do not add new ones.
Independent instructions can still happen, but a later instruction that depends on a skipped instruction is skipped too. This loss of a valid target is called MistargetingWhen a spell or ability's chosen target is no longer valid or available as it resolves. Instructions involving that illegal target are skipped; other instructions may still happen.View in Glossary .
In practice
Example
Card example
Void Seeker
Example 1 - The draw still happens
A spell says "Deal 4 to a unit at a battlefield. Draw 1." The chosen unit moves to BaseYour Base is your personal location where your units can be played and return to during the game.View in Glossary in response.
It is no longer at a battlefield → no damage to it → you still draw 1.
Spell
Void Seeker
[Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.) Deal 4 to a unit at a battlefield. Draw 1.
Card example
Hidden Blade
Example 2 - The draw depends on the skipped instruction
A spell says "Kill a unit at a battlefield. Its controller draws 2." The chosen unit moves to BaseYour Base is your personal location where your units can be played and return to during the game.View in Glossary in response.
The kill instruction is skipped → the linked draw instruction is also skipped.
Spell
Hidden Blade
[Hidden] (Hide now for [Rainbow] to react with later for [Energy 0].) [Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.) Kill a unit at a battlefield. Its controller draws 2.