I have a fist full of spells, including a lightning bolt. Opponent casts Kitesail Freebooter. Freebooter resolves, entering the battlefield and triggering its ability. The ability goes on the stack...
Now, if I choose to bolt the freebooter before the ability resolves, will I "lose" whatever card they select forever? I know this is similar to the weird loophole cards like Oblivion Ring used to have, and I know they "fixed" the wording, but I'm still not sure what happened to the freebooted card if freebooter is no longer on the battlefield when its ETB ability resolves.
They will not be able to exile a card. Oblivion Ring style wording used to allow them to permanently exile something because it was two separate abilites the ETB and LTB. Now because it is one ability with a duration of until the creature leaves and since the creature left they will be unable to select anything. They will get to see your hand though.
They did not "fix" Oblivion Ring's wording. They started using a new wording with new cards printed later.
The permanent exile trick works in cards with the old wording like Oblivion Ring, but not in cards with the new wording such as Seal Away
If the card has an "when this enters, exile ____" ability, and a separated "when this leaves, return the exiled card" ability, the trick works. Removing the ability source in response leaves the target permanently exiled.
If the card has a single ability saying "when this enters, exile ____ until this leaves", then the trick doesn't work. If the source is removed in response, the target card never gets exiled.
Freebooter has the second wording, so you won't loose your card. You still need to show your hand, though.
Compare Kitesail Freebooter with Tidehollow Sculler and Spell Queller. Unlike with Kitesail Freebooter's "Exile ... until Kitesail Freebooter leaves the battlefield", which won't happen if Kitesail Freebooter has already left the battlefield (C.R. 610.3b), Tidehollow Sculler's "Exile that card" and Spell Queller's "...exile target spell with..." get to happen whether or not Tidehollow Sculler or Spell Queller, respectively, is still on the battlefield (C.R. 113.7a). See also this thread.
EDIT (Jul. 2): The relevant part of one rule was moved in the Core Set 2021 update.
EDIT (Mar. 12, 2021): Edited.
Now, if I choose to bolt the freebooter before the ability resolves, will I "lose" whatever card they select forever? I know this is similar to the weird loophole cards like Oblivion Ring used to have, and I know they "fixed" the wording, but I'm still not sure what happened to the freebooted card if freebooter is no longer on the battlefield when its ETB ability resolves.
GWUBRDraft my Old Border Nostalgia Cube! and/or The Little Pauper Cube That Could!RBUWG
Modern:WDeath & TaxesW | RUGRUG DelverRUG
GWUBRDraft my Old Border Nostalgia Cube! and/or The Little Pauper Cube That Could!RBUWG
Modern:WDeath & TaxesW | RUGRUG DelverRUG
The permanent exile trick works in cards with the old wording like Oblivion Ring, but not in cards with the new wording such as Seal Away
If the card has an "when this enters, exile ____" ability, and a separated "when this leaves, return the exiled card" ability, the trick works. Removing the ability source in response leaves the target permanently exiled.
If the card has a single ability saying "when this enters, exile ____ until this leaves", then the trick doesn't work. If the source is removed in response, the target card never gets exiled.
Freebooter has the second wording, so you won't loose your card. You still need to show your hand, though.
EDIT (Jul. 2): The relevant part of one rule was moved in the Core Set 2021 update.
EDIT (Mar. 12, 2021): Edited.