I have Griselbrand down on the battlefield tapped.
I have 20 life points
Turn passes to my opponent.
He casts Flickerwisp on his first main phase.
He refuses to declare a target for Flickerwisp's exile ability until after I announce it resolves.
He states he does not have to declare a target until Flickerwisp is down and off the stack because that's when the ability triggers.
I disagree. He must name a target when he casts it.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.
He states he does not have to declare a target until Flickerwisp is down and off the stack because that's when the ability triggers.
He's right. He doesn't declare a target for the "When Flickerwisp enters the battlefield, ...." ability until he is putting that ability on the stack. That doesn't happen until right after it triggers.
115.1d A triggered ability is targeted if it identifies something it will affect by using the phrase “target [something],” where the “something” is a phrase that describes an object and/or player. The target(s) are chosen as the ability is put on the stack; see rule 603.3d.
603.2. Whenever a game event or game state matches a triggered ability’s trigger event, that ability automatically triggers. The ability doesn’t do anything at this point.
603.3. Once an ability has triggered, its controller puts it on the stack as an object that’s not a card the next time a player would receive priority. See rule 117, “Timing and Priority.” The ability becomes the topmost object on the stack. It has the text of the ability that created it, and no other characteristics. It remains on the stack until it’s countered, it resolves, a rule causes it to be removed from the stack, or an effect moves it elsewhere.
603.3d The remainder of the process for putting a triggered ability on the stack is identical to the process for casting a spell listed in rules 601.2c–d. If a choice is required when the triggered ability goes on the stack but no legal choices can be made for it, or if a rule or a continuous effect otherwise makes the ability illegal, the ability is simply removed from the stack.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Why bother with mere rulings when so many answers can be found in the Rules?
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I have 20 life points
Turn passes to my opponent.
He casts Flickerwisp on his first main phase.
He refuses to declare a target for Flickerwisp's exile ability until after I announce it resolves.
He states he does not have to declare a target until Flickerwisp is down and off the stack because that's when the ability triggers.
I disagree. He must name a target when he casts it.
He's right. He doesn't declare a target for the "When Flickerwisp enters the battlefield, ...." ability until he is putting that ability on the stack. That doesn't happen until right after it triggers.