Can You Cast a Card With No Legal Target? A Deep Dive into Magic: The Gathering Rules
The straightforward answer to the question “Can you cast a card with no legal target?” is a resounding no. In Magic: The Gathering (MTG), targeting is an integral part of the casting process. If a spell or ability requires a target, and there are no legal targets available when you attempt to cast it, you simply cannot cast the spell. This rule is foundational to the game’s mechanics, and understanding it is crucial for any player, from beginners to seasoned veterans. Let’s explore why this is the case and what implications this rule has for gameplay.
The Targeting Requirement: A Core Mechanic
Magic: The Gathering operates on a precise and well-defined set of rules, and the process of casting spells is no exception. The game’s rules specify that when you cast a spell, you must first declare all targets before paying its mana cost. This means that if a card says “target creature,” or “target player,” you need to be able to point to a valid creature or player before you can even begin to pay for the spell. If no such legal target exists, the spell cannot be legally cast.
Targeting and Casting: A Step-by-Step Overview
The casting process in MTG involves several key steps, and targeting is the very first step. Here’s a simplified breakdown:
- Declare Targets: When casting a spell with the word “target” on it, you must first select all legal targets. If no legal targets exist, the casting process stops here.
- Pay Costs: Once you have declared all legal targets, you then pay the mana cost, or any additional costs as required by the card.
- Put Spell on the Stack: After you pay the costs, the spell goes onto the stack, waiting to resolve.
- Resolve the Spell: Once the spell reaches the top of the stack, it resolves, affecting its targets.
If at step one, there are no legal targets, the casting process cannot proceed.
Why This Rule Exists
This rule is in place to maintain the integrity of the game’s balance and prevent confusion. If players could cast spells without valid targets, it could lead to degenerate strategies and situations where certain cards become incredibly overpowered. This also prevents players from casting a spell “just to put it on the stack,” which could circumvent the intentions of many game mechanics and cards.
Specific Examples and Scenarios
To illustrate this concept further, consider these examples:
- Counterspell: You cannot cast Counterspell if there are no spells on the stack. Counterspell must target a spell, and if there are no spells to target, then it can’t be cast.
- Lightning Bolt: You cannot cast Lightning Bolt if there are no creatures or players to target. This seems obvious, but it emphasizes the core rule.
- Removal Spells: Spells that destroy or exile a permanent like a creature or planeswalker cannot be cast if no valid permanent is on the battlefield to target.
- Abilities with Targets: Similarly, activated abilities with the word “target” cannot be used if there are no legal targets for them.
This consistency throughout the game demonstrates how fundamental targeting is. It’s a mechanic that applies uniformly across all card types and abilities.
Consequences of Illegal Targets
Even if you declare targets initially, and those targets become illegal before the spell resolves, the spell is countered upon resolution. This is because it will not be able to do what it was intended to do. An illegal target is defined as one that no longer meets the conditions it was required to meet at the time of casting. For example:
- A targeted creature leaving the battlefield.
- A targeted player gaining protection from the spell’s color or effect.
Exceptions and Nuances
It’s important to note that there are some nuances and exceptions to this general rule. While rare, some cards can create effects that seem to bypass the need for a target, but these effects are precisely worded to avoid being considered target-based. For example:
- Board Wipes: Some spells can affect all creatures on the battlefield without targeting specific creatures. These spells are designed to avoid these limitations and do not require a single target.
- Cards that don’t Target: Some cards do not include the word “target” and therefore don’t require a declared target during casting. These cards will still have an effect on the game, but are not prevented by this rule.
Understanding the difference between these types of effects, along with spells that require targets, is crucial to playing MTG effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you cast Fork with no target?
No, you cannot. Fork copies a spell and requires you to target a spell. If there’s no spell on the stack to target, you cannot cast Fork.
2. Can you activate an ability without a valid target?
No, you cannot. Similar to casting spells, activating abilities that require targets needs to have at least one legal target to be activated.
3. Can you cast a counterspell with no target?
No, you cannot. Counterspells require a spell on the stack to be valid targets. If no spell is on the stack, you cannot cast a counterspell.
4. Can a planeswalker ability target itself?
Yes, planeswalker abilities can target themselves. Planeswalkers can target themselves and often do in their + loyalty abilities. This helps make them useful even in cases when no other target may exist.
5. What happens if a spell’s target becomes illegal?
If a target becomes illegal before a spell resolves, the spell will still try to resolve but will not have any effect on the illegal target. If all targets are illegal, the spell is countered and goes to the graveyard with no effect.
6. Why is a target illegal in Magic?
A target becomes illegal when it’s no longer in the required zone (e.g., a creature dies), its characteristics have changed, or an effect has altered how the spell can interact with it.
7. Does “destroy target permanent” include planeswalkers?
Yes, “target permanent” includes planeswalkers since a planeswalker on the battlefield is a permanent.
8. Can you cast a spell without declaring targets?
No, you cannot. Declaring targets is the first step when casting spells and is required for any spells with the word “target”.
9. Can you target an invisible creature with a spell?
You cannot target an invisible creature if you cannot see it. If you can touch it, and would be able to target it by doing so, then it is a legal target.
10. Can Fireball target a planeswalker directly?
No, Fireball cannot directly target a planeswalker. It targets a creature or player. You can, however, target the planeswalker’s controller and redirect the damage to the planeswalker using an effect that allows you to redirect damage to the opponent’s planeswalkers.
11. Who owns a copy of a spell?
The player who created the copy controls and owns the copy, even if it’s a copy of a spell controlled by someone else.
12. Can you cast spells without a free hand?
In real life, this doesn’t matter for Magic. In more fantasy scenarios, a spellcaster might require a free hand to manipulate material components. However, MTG is abstracted and this doesn’t have any bearing on the ability to cast spells in MTG.
13. Do you have to declare targets on cast?
Yes, you must declare targets for all spells or activated abilities that include the word “target” as a part of their effect.
14. Can Insidious Will target itself?
No, Insidious Will cannot target itself. The timing of the targeting means that it cannot target itself with the final mode, because it is not on the stack as a valid target at the time targeting occurs.
15. What is the rule 706 in Magic The Gathering?
Rule 706 governs copying objects, including spells, permanents, and cards, and it explains how copies are made and controlled.
Conclusion
Understanding the rules surrounding targeting is absolutely vital for playing Magic: The Gathering. The inability to cast a spell with no legal targets is a fundamental rule that underpins the game’s integrity. It not only dictates how you can cast spells, but also the very strategies you can employ. By grasping this concept and the related rules, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the complexities of MTG and make more informed decisions, ensuring your path to victory is paved with strategy and knowledge, not accidental mishaps.