My opponent plays walking ballista and pays 4 mana to give it a +1/+1 counter. Since the card text specifically states the counter goes on the ballista can I legally redirect the counter to be placed on my spellskite?
No. That ability of the Ballista doesn't target. Only if the text of a spell ability uses the word "target" to identify what it is going to affect, or if the word "target" is in the rules for the keyword ability, or if it is an aura on the stack, does it target (the rules for auras include the "target"). So while you can target the ability with Spellskite, there is no target to change and Spellskite's ability simply doesn't do anything when it resolves.
Well you can legally target the ability with spellskite, but it won't do what you are hoping. Spellskite's ability changes the target of a spell or ability to spellskite, but the ability that puts a +1/+1 counter on the walking ballista doesn't actually target anything. So spellskite's ability will do nothing in this case.
That's what I thought. It wasn't so much what I was "hoping for" I just wanted to make sure I didn't unnecessarily lose a match tonight! LOL. I didn't think it would work since it isn't a targeted ability but I had to be reasonably certain my instinct was accurate. Thank you
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Former Rules Advisor
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