#planeswalker redirection

[magicjudge]

Farewell Planeswalker Redirection, Hello Oracle Changes!

The planeswalker redirection rule is going away when Dominaria releases on Friday. In its place, many cards that can deal damage to players are receiving errata that allows them to target planeswalkers directly. 

Planeswalker Redirection What?

For any of you that are reading this and don’t know what I’m talking about, the planeswalker redirection rule was a rule that allowed you to redirect noncombat damage from a source you control that would be dealt to an opponent to  one of their planeswalkers instead. It’s going away though, so don’t worry about it.

Why Did It Exist?

When planeswalkers were first introduced in Lorwyn in 2007, no one was sure how long they would last. Because of this uncertainty, Wizards didn’t want to have to change the text of hundreds of cards for a new card type that might not last. (Consider the Tribal card type, was also introduced around the same time. but the last new Tribals were printed in 2010, with Wizards abandoning the type soon after.)

So, if spells couldn’t damage planeswalkers directly, there still needed to be a way for players to damage them without attacking them. It was for this reason that the planeswalker redirection was created.

Why Change Things Now?

It has now been 11 years since planeswalkers were introduced, with 110 unique planeswalker cards printed in that time. Planeswalkers are an established, core part of the game. Magic’s story revolves around them and the card type isn’t going away. (In fact, Planeswalkers have been in the game for longer now than Interrupts were around in Magic’s early years until they were obsoleted in the Sixth Edition rules changes.) The planeswalker redirection rule has been a clunky workaround since its introduction and it went against the way that all but the most pedantic players actually played Magic.

Yes, changing the Oracle text of hundreds of cards and the effective function of hundreds more that aren’t changing is going to be painful, especially in formats like Modern and Commander that go farther back into Magic’s history, but this is a change for the better and will benefit the game in the long run.

What’s Changing?

Lots and lots of cards that deal (or prevent) damage to targeted players are changing, and I’m going to lead you the different templates that were used in the past and how to translate them going forward. They fall into two categories:

“Target creature or player” changes to “any target”

These spells could target anything before and they can target the new definition of anything now. “Any target” here means a target creature, player, or planeswalker. This means a spell like Electrolyze or Forked Bolt can now deal damage to both a player and a planeswalker they control, or two planeswalkers controlled by the same player.

“Target player” changes to “target player or planeswalker” in most cases. “Target opponent” changes to “target opponent or planeswalker” in most cases.

This is another easy one to understand. Most spells that could damage players and targeted them directly can now target planeswalkers directly. And yes, these “target opponent” cards can now target your own planeswalkers.

What’s Not Changing?

There are two types of damage effects that aren’t getting Oracle text updates. These effects can therefore no longer deal damage to planeswalkers directly.

The exception to the “target player” and “target opponent” cards discussed above are cards that check a characteristic related to the player, such as the number of creatures they control or the number of cards in hand to determine the amount of damage. These spells remain unchanged and can only target and damage players.

Cards that deal non-targeted damage to a player or opponent aren’t changing. These cards do what they say they do, with the only change in their function being that they can no longer damage planeswalkers. 

For example, Hazoret the Fervent’s activated ability still deals 2 damage to each opponent. It cannot deal damage to planeswalkers your opponents control. She can still attack them directly though.

(There’s one exception to this class, though, as Vial Smasher the Fierce will now be able to deal her damage to a planeswalker controlled by the randomly selected player.)

Umm...

Are you confused? Are you not sure what a card you play in a deck does anymore? Well, you can check the card’s current Oracle text in Gatherer and you can see the list of all the cards affected by these Oracle changes here on the Dominaria update bulletin.

Cards printed in Dominaria and beyond will do what they say on them, but always check the text of older cards if you’re not sure.

Also, if you’re still confused and need more clarification on any of these points, please put your question in my inbox and I’ll answer you as soon as I can!

[magicjudge]

If I have an effect which deals one damage to each opponent and I have two opponents and one of them has a planeswalker, can I still redirect the damage to that planeswalker or does it not work because it wasn't 'target opponent'?

Whenever a spell or ability you control would deal noncombat damage to an opponent, you can redirect that damage to one of their planeswalkers instead. It doesn’t matter if the source of the damage is targeted or if it’s damaging multiple opponents or creatures, you can still redirect the damage that would go to your opponent to one of their planeswalkers.

[magicjudge]

Can I redirect damage from a pain land such as City of brass to one of my planeswalkers?

No.

Planeswalker redirection is only applicable when noncombat damage from a source you control would be dealt to an opponent. It doesn’t apply to damage that would be dealt to you.

Your own planeswalkers are your friends, not your meat-shields. :(

[magicjudge]

If an opponent casts Fiery Temper and targets me, I let it resolve, then opponent directs the damage to a planeswalker I control, am I able to cast Turn Aside to counter the damage to the planeswalker?

No, this doesn’t work.

When Fiery Temper is resolving, no one will get priority again until after it has finished resolving fully. It’s too late to do anything about Fiery Temper, even if the damage is redirected to your planeswalker.

Additionally, your planeswalker is never the target of Fiery Temper; you are. Turn Aside could never legally target Fiery Temper at any point here.

[magicjudge]

If my opponent controls 2 walkers and I bolt them, can I redirect 2 to walker A and 1 to walker B?

No. Your choices are 3 to your opponent, 3 to planeswalker A, or 3 to planeswalker B. You have to redirect the damage as a single lump sum.

[magicjudge]

I control both a Protector of the Throne (newly spoiled from CN2) and a Planeswalker. My opponent targets me with a Shock, intending to redirect the damage to my planeswalker. Can I apply the Protector's replacement effect to save my Planeswalker?

You’re the affected player, so you get to choose which of the two replacement effects (Protector of the Crown or planeswalker redirection) to apply to the damage first. If you apply Protector’s effect first, then there’s no damage left to redirect to one of your planeswalkers.

[magicjudge]

Can i redirect the damage done to me by Heartless Hidetsugu to my planeswalker instead, or can i only use the redirection effect on the damage dealt to my opponents and their planeswalkers, but not myself?

You can only redirect noncombat damage from a source you control that would be dealt to an opponent. Damage that would be dealt to you by a source you control can’t be redirected, and your opponents control if damage from their sources is redirected to your planeswalker or not.

Planeswalkers are friends, not meat shields.

[magicjudge]

I control a planeswalker. My opponent hits me in the face with a fiery temper. Can I redirect that damage to my planeswalker?

No.

Your opponent controls the choice to redirect the damage to your planeswalker, not you.

Your planeswalkers are your friends, not your meat-shields.