Deathtouch
Boast - 1B: Target player searches their library for a card, then shuffles their library and puts that card on top of it.
2/3
So how does this interact with Ashiok, Dream Render and Opposition Agent in a game of Commander? If I control both, if my opponent controls the last Opposition Agent to come into play, if the Opposition Agent is mine and someone else has Ashiok, etc.
Edit: not sure if it matters, but I know that unlike conditional tutors, this kind of tutor actually requires the player searching to find a card. And forcing someone else to do that is fairly unprecedented.
If you control Ashiok and Opposition Agent together and an opponent of yours controls Varragoth:
If the opponent activates Varragoth's activated ability targeting themselves, that player can't search their library when it resolves, because of Ashiok; rather, when it resolves, that player simply shuffles that library. In general, if something is impossible, it can't be replaced (C.R. 614.7, 101.2, 101.3; see also C.R. 614.17c). See also this thread.
If the opponent activates Varragoth's activated ability targeting you or a teammate of yours, then when it resolves, the targeted player still searches their library, shuffles it, and puts the card found (if any) on top of it.
If the opponent activates Varragoth's activated ability targeting another opponent of yours, then when it resolves, the targeted player still searches their library (and you control that player while they search it, which means that you look at all the cards in the library—in addition to the targeted player—and choose which card to "find" in that library [C.R. 701.19a, 716.4, 716.5]), but they exile the card found this way, and you may play that card "for as long as [it] remain[s] exiled" (C.R. 109.5). Moreover, the targeted player still shuffles their library, but since the card found became a new object as it moved to exile (C.R. 400.7), that card won't be put on top of the library.
If you control Ashiok and an opponent of yours controls Varragoth and Opposition Agent:
If the opponent activates Varragoth's activated ability targeting themselves, that player can't search their library when it resolves, because of Ashiok; rather, when it resolves, that player simply shuffles that library.
If the opponent activates Varragoth's activated ability targeting you or a teammate of yours, then when it resolves, the targeted player still searches their library (and the opponent in question controls you or the teammate while you search it, which means the opponent looks at all the cards in the library—in addition to the targeted player—and chooses which card to "find" in that library [C.R. 701.19a, 716.4, 716.5]), but you or the teammate exiles the card found this way, and the opponent may play that card "for as long as [it] remain[s] exiled" (C.R. 109.5). Moreover, you or the teammate still shuffles the library, but since the card found became a new object as it moved to exile (C.R. 400.7), that card won't be put on top of the library.
If the opponent activates Varragoth's activated ability targeting another opponent of yours, then when it resolves, the targeted player still searches their library, shuffles it, and puts the card found (if any) on top of it.
If you control Ashiok and Varragoth and an opponent of yours controls Opposition Agent:
If you activate Varragoth's activated ability targeting an opponent, then when it resolves, the opponent still searches their library, shuffles it, and puts the card found (if any) on top of it. (Recall that Ashiok's first ability affects only spells and abilities controlled by your opponents).
If you activate Varragoth's activated ability targeting you or a teammate of yours, then when it resolves, the targeted player still searches their library, shuffles it, and puts the card found (if any) on top of it.
If more than one player controls Opposition Agent, then the second ability of more than one of them may come in conflict. If so, then roughly speaking the "last" such Opposition Agent to have entered the battlefield "wins", due to the timestamp order rules (C.R. 613.11). For example, if you're searching your library while two opponents of yours control Opposition Agent, then in general the opponent who controlled the Opposition Agent that entered the battlefield last will control you while you're searching the library (C.R. 613.7).
Note that this answer doesn't depend on whether the Commander variant is played, and the Commander variant is not synonymous with a multiplayer game; except for Commander drafts, nothing in the rules for that variant (under C.R. 903) explicitly precludes applying those rules to two-player games (C.R. 903.2).
That answers a lot of questions, and I really appreciate it. What about the most probable scenario however, when I control all three and target an opponent?
That answers a lot of questions, and I really appreciate it. What about the most probable scenario however, when I control all three and target an opponent?
If you control Ashiok, Varragoth, and Opposition Agent:
If you activate Varragoth's activated ability targeting yourself or a teammate of yours, then when it resolves, the targeted player still searches their library, shuffles it, and puts the card found (if any) on top of it.
If you activate Varragoth's activated ability targeting an opponent, then when it resolves, the targeted player still searches their library (and you control that player while they search it, which means that you look at all the cards in the library—in addition to the targeted player—and choose which card to "find" in that library [C.R. 701.19a, 716.4, 716.5]), but they exile the card found this way, and you may play that card "for as long as [it] remain[s] exiled" (C.R. 109.5). Moreover, the targeted player still shuffles their library, but since the card found became a new object as it moved to exile (C.R. 400.7), that card won't be put on top of the library.
Note that Ashiok's first ability doesn't apply here, since you control both Ashiok and Varragoth's activated ability; thus the scenario is no different than if Ashiok weren't on the battlefield.
Multo beno. I thought these would be the outcomes, but since I'm not an actual judge and this is a fairly deep matter, I wanted to double-check to be very sure.
Edit: if they control Ashiok and I control the other two? I don't mean to be pedantic, but the logic I followed on my own a few hours ago says I can dig from any library that isn't my own in this case. This was actually the most confusing scenario for me.
Multo beno. I thought these would be the outcomes, but since I'm not an actual judge and this is a fairly deep matter, I wanted to double-check to be very sure.
Edit: if they control Ashiok and I control the other two? I don't mean to be pedantic, but the logic I followed on my own a few hours ago says I can dig from any library that isn't my own in this case. This was actually the most confusing scenario for me.
If an opponent of yours controls Ashiok and you control Varragoth and Opposition Agent:
If you activate Varragoth's activated ability targeting yourself, you can't search your library when it resolves, because of Ashiok; rather, when it resolves, you simply shuffle that library.
If you activate Varragoth's activated ability targeting an opponent, then when it resolves, the targeted player still searches their library (and you control that player while they search it, which means you look at all the cards in the library—in addition to the targeted player—and choose which card to "find" in that library [C.R. 701.19a, 716.4, 716.5]), but the targeted opponent exiles the card found this way, and you may play that card "for as long as [it] remain[s] exiled" (C.R. 109.5). Moreover, the targeted player still shuffles the library, but since the card found became a new object as it moved to exile (C.R. 400.7), that card won't be put on top of the library.
If you activate Varragoth's activated ability targeting a teammate of yours, then when it resolves, the targeted player still searches their library, shuffles it, and puts the card found (if any) on top of it.
So basically yes. These questions are going to come up a lot most likely, so please move and archive this thread in card rulings proper for the future. I'll translate peter's analysis from super-lawyer to semi-understandable tomorrow.
Edit: I believe they can see the card you exiled after the search resolves.
So basically yes. These questions are going to come up a lot most likely, so please move and archive this thread in card rulings proper for the future. I'll translate peter's analysis from super-lawyer to semi-understandable tomorrow.
Edit: I believe they can see the card you exiled after the search resolves.
To be clear, even if you control Ashiok, you can have an opponent search their library with Varragoth. If you do and you also control Opposition Agent, both you and your opponent can look at the cards in that library, you choose a card from it, that player exiles that card and shuffles their library, and you may play that card for as long as it remains exiled (and may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast it). See also Thrull Surgeon, where the experience is similar except it involves the player's hand, rather than library. Also compare Ashiok with Stranglehold.
Legendary Creature- Demon Rogue
Deathtouch
Boast - 1B: Target player searches their library for a card, then shuffles their library and puts that card on top of it.
2/3
So how does this interact with Ashiok, Dream Render and Opposition Agent in a game of Commander? If I control both, if my opponent controls the last Opposition Agent to come into play, if the Opposition Agent is mine and someone else has Ashiok, etc.
Edit: not sure if it matters, but I know that unlike conditional tutors, this kind of tutor actually requires the player searching to find a card. And forcing someone else to do that is fairly unprecedented.
If you control Ashiok and an opponent of yours controls Varragoth and Opposition Agent:
If you control Ashiok and Varragoth and an opponent of yours controls Opposition Agent:
If more than one player controls Opposition Agent, then the second ability of more than one of them may come in conflict. If so, then roughly speaking the "last" such Opposition Agent to have entered the battlefield "wins", due to the timestamp order rules (C.R. 613.11). For example, if you're searching your library while two opponents of yours control Opposition Agent, then in general the opponent who controlled the Opposition Agent that entered the battlefield last will control you while you're searching the library (C.R. 613.7).
Note that this answer doesn't depend on whether the Commander variant is played, and the Commander variant is not synonymous with a multiplayer game; except for Commander drafts, nothing in the rules for that variant (under C.R. 903) explicitly precludes applying those rules to two-player games (C.R. 903.2).
Edit: if they control Ashiok and I control the other two? I don't mean to be pedantic, but the logic I followed on my own a few hours ago says I can dig from any library that isn't my own in this case. This was actually the most confusing scenario for me.
Edit: I believe they can see the card you exiled after the search resolves.