Player A argued that Flicker happens all at once before SBAs are checked and therefore the Catoblepas would survive and the enchantment would reenter attached to him. It was decided by several others though that the Catoblepas would die before the enchantment reentered. What is the actual ruling for this?
The Catoblepas survives. Since Flicker was responded to with Omen, Omen resolves first, its trigger goes on the stack (above Flicker) and targets the Catoblepas. Next, that trigger resolves dealing 2 damage to the creature (now a 4/3 with 2 damage marked). Next, Flicker gets to resolve. The Blessing leaves the battlefield, then returns attached to a creature of its controller's choosing (reenchanting the Catoblepas in this case). While the creature is a 3/2 with lethal damage marked for a short period of time during the resolution of the Flicker, SBAs aren't checked during the resolution of spells and abilities. Only afterwards. And at that time, the Catoblpas is a 4/3 with 2 damage marked, which is not lethal.
Assume Player A controls Blight-Breath Catoblepas and Iroas's Blessing, and the latter is attached to the former, and this is a two-player game.
Player B casts Flicker of Fate targeting Blight-Breath Catoblepas, and passes.
Player A casts Omen of the Forge.
All players pass, then that spell resolves. Omen of the Forge enters the battlefield and its ability triggers. The ability goes on the stack and Player B targets Blight-Breath Catoblepas.
All players pass, then that ability resolves. Omen of the Forge deals 2 damage to Blight-Breath Catoblepas (which is 4/3 thanks to Iroas's Blessing). The 2 damage is not enough to destroy Blight-Breath Catoblepas, since it's less than Blight-Breath Catoblepas's toughness.
All players pass, then Flicker of Fate resolves exiles Breath Catoblepas (without Iroas's Blessing) and returns that creature to the battlefield without Iroas's Blessing attached to it and without any damage marked on it.
Now, since Iroas's Blessing isn't attached to anything, it goes to the graveyard as a state-based action.
Note that Omen of the Forge itself doesn't target anything; with limited exceptions, no permanent spell can have targets (C.R. 115.1a-b). In this scenario, if Player B chooses a target for its enters-the-battlefield ability in advance, they will be bound to that choice unless another player intervenes (C.R. 722.2a-c; for sanctioned tournaments, see M.T.R. 4.2). See also this thread.
EDIT: Struck out text after comment 5 was posted.
EDIT (Jan. 25): Add rule citations.
EDIT (Apr. 25): Edited text not struck out to conform to rule update for Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths.
Player A has Blight-Breath Catoblepas on the battlefield enchanted with Iroas's Blessing. He casts Flicker of Fate targeting the enchantment. In response, Player B casts Omen of the Forge targeting the Catoblepas with the ETB ability.
Player A argued that Flicker happens all at once before SBAs are checked and therefore the Catoblepas would survive and the enchantment would reenter attached to him. It was decided by several others though that the Catoblepas would die before the enchantment reentered. What is the actual ruling for this?
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)
Here is how this scenario can play out:- Assume Player A controls Blight-Breath Catoblepas and Iroas's Blessing, and the latter is attached to the former, and this is a two-player game.
- Player B casts Flicker of Fate targeting Blight-Breath Catoblepas, and passes.
- Player A casts Omen of the Forge.
- All players pass, then that spell resolves. Omen of the Forge enters the battlefield and its ability triggers. The ability goes on the stack and Player B targets Blight-Breath Catoblepas.
- All players pass, then that ability resolves. Omen of the Forge deals 2 damage to Blight-Breath Catoblepas (which is 4/3 thanks to Iroas's Blessing). The 2 damage is not enough to destroy Blight-Breath Catoblepas, since it's less than Blight-Breath Catoblepas's toughness.
- All players pass, then Flicker of Fate resolves exiles Breath Catoblepas (without Iroas's Blessing) and returns that creature to the battlefield without Iroas's Blessing attached to it and without any damage marked on it.
- Now, since Iroas's Blessing isn't attached to anything, it goes to the graveyard as a state-based action.
Note that Omen of the Forge itself doesn't target anything; with limited exceptions, no permanent spell can have targets (C.R. 115.1a-b). In this scenario, if Player B chooses a target for its enters-the-battlefield ability in advance, they will be bound to that choice unless another player intervenes (C.R. 722.2a-c; for sanctioned tournaments, see M.T.R. 4.2). See also this thread.
EDIT: Struck out text after comment 5 was posted.
EDIT (Jan. 25): Add rule citations.
EDIT (Apr. 25): Edited text not struck out to conform to rule update for Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths.
The target of Flicker of Fate in the scenario is Iroas's Blessing, not the Catoblepas.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)