MTG Salvation

Opposition Agent/Stonehewer Giant

Stonehewer Giant searches for an equipment and attach it to a creature you control. This ability is one sentence, so the search and the attach resolve within one ability. Now, if I control Opposition Agent, I decide what my opponent searches for, but it seems to "interrupt" Stonehewer's ability by exiling the card my opponent (under my control) finds.

Since OA's ability isn't a replacement effect, I wonder how this works out? Do I:

1) Search for an equipment of my choice, attach it to a creature opponent controls without exiling it.
2) Search for an equipment of my choice, attach it to a creature opponent controls, THEN exiling it.
3) Search for an equipment, exiles it right away.

3) Search for an equipment, and exile it. It never gets on the battlefield.

"It's in one sentence" is not relevant. If you want a rule of thumb, use this: one verb = one action. Even if they are on the same line or sentence or phrase, they are separated actions.

Giant's ability wants to do the following actions, in order: search; then put; then attach; then shuffle. Opposition Agent exiles the cards that is found during the "search" action, preventing the "put on the battlefield" action. The "attach" action also becomes impossible. Then, the player performs the "shuffle" action.


The cards found in the search will be exiled rather than be put wherever the spell or ability tells the opponent to put them after finding them. Any other effects the spell or ability has will still apply. If such an effect refers to the found cards, it can see them in exile.
(2020-11-10)

Thank you!