Can You Target an Opponent in MTG? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, absolutely! You can target an opponent in Magic: The Gathering (MTG). Many spells and abilities in the game specifically allow you to target an opponent. This is a fundamental aspect of MTG gameplay, enabling you to interact directly with your adversaries and influence the game state. Targeting an opponent is distinct from targeting a creature or an object and involves understanding the nuances of the game’s rules. Understanding this difference is crucial for effective gameplay and strategizing.
Targeting: The Basics
In MTG, a target is a specific game object (like a creature, player, or permanent) selected to be affected by a spell or ability. When a card says “target,” it means that the spell or ability must choose that thing to be affected. This selection occurs when the spell or ability is cast or activated, and once a target is chosen, it cannot usually be changed unless the spell or ability explicitly states so. The card’s text will usually specify what type of object is a valid target, such as “target creature,” “target player,” or “target permanent.” It’s vital to read the text carefully. For example, a spell that says “deal damage to any target” can target a creature, a player, or even a planeswalker, while a spell that says “target creature” cannot target a player.
What Constitutes an Opponent?
In MTG, an opponent is any player who is not you or your teammate in multiplayer games. This is crucial to grasp as some spells and abilities will use the term “opponent” specifically. In a 1v1 game, your opponent is simply the other player. In a multiplayer game with teams, your teammates are the other players on your team, and your opponents are all the players on opposing teams. In MTG Arena, the term “opponent” refers to the person you are currently playing against.
Why Target Opponents?
Targeting your opponents is crucial for several reasons:
- Direct Damage: Many spells deal direct damage to opponents, allowing you to reduce their life total. This is the most straightforward way to win the game.
- Disruption: Spells and abilities can also target opponents to disrupt their strategies. This can include forcing them to discard cards, preventing them from drawing, or even controlling their creatures.
- Interaction: Targeting an opponent is the primary way that players interact and engage with each other during a game. Without this, the game would be a very solitary experience.
- Strategic Advantage: Knowing how and when to target an opponent is vital for achieving strategic advantage in the game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about targeting in MTG, providing more clarity and understanding about targeting opponents.
1. Can You Target Yourself?
No, you cannot target yourself with a spell or ability that says “target opponent.” You are a player, but you are not your own opponent. If a spell is intended to target any player, including yourself, it will say “target player” instead. You are, however, a player, and in rare circumstances, some cards can target “any player,” which would include yourself.
2. What is an Illegal Target?
An illegal target is any target that does not meet the conditions specified by the spell or ability. A common scenario is a target that is no longer in the zone it was in when the spell was cast. For example, if you target a creature with a removal spell and that creature is removed from the battlefield before the spell resolves, the target becomes illegal and the spell fails to resolve.
3. What Happens if a Target Becomes Illegal?
If all targets of a spell or ability become illegal, the spell or ability does nothing, it “fizzles.” The spell is removed from the stack without taking effect, and any costs paid for casting it or activating the ability are still consumed. This is a critical element of MTG, because you can sometimes use spells to make your opponent’s target illegal, wasting their resources.
4. Can You Target a Commander?
A Commander in MTG can be targeted if it is on the battlefield. However, once a commander is in the command zone, it cannot be targeted directly. You can cast your commander from the command zone, but it is not a legal target until it is on the battlefield.
5. Can You Target Hexproof Creatures?
No, you cannot target creatures with hexproof using spells or abilities your opponents control. Hexproof means that the permanent cannot be the target of spells or abilities controlled by opponents. This includes targeting spells that can normally target creatures, players, and other permanents.
6. Does Deathtouch Affect Hexproof Creatures?
Yes, deathtouch still affects creatures with hexproof. Deathtouch is an ability that destroys any creature it deals damage to. Since it does not involve targeting, the hexproof creature will be destroyed by a deathtouch creature in combat.
7. What About Shroud?
A creature with shroud cannot be the target of any spell or ability—including your own. No enchantments, no equipment, nothing at all can target a permanent with shroud. This is stronger than Hexproof, because it even prevents you from targeting your own creatures.
8. Does Copying Count as Targeting?
Copying a spell or ability does not re-target. The copy will use the same targets, modes, and other parameters as the original. You do not select new targets when a spell or ability is copied, which means the copy is not targeting anything.
9. Can You Target Planeswalkers?
Yes, you can target Planeswalkers with spells that specify “any target,” or “target permanent,” or “target planeswalker,” or any similar effect that allows the targeting of Planeswalkers. Many removal spells, as well as some damaging spells, can target them.
10. What is the Difference Between Opponent and Enemy?
In MTG, the term opponent is a neutral term that refers to anyone you are playing against. In MTG, an enemy is not an official term, though players may choose to refer to a player that has acted in a way that is hostile to them as an “enemy.” This is usually based on personal interpretation rather than game mechanics.
11. Can an Opponent Steal Your Commander?
Yes, an opponent can take control of your commander. If your commander is stolen, the rules still allow you to return it to the command zone, should the commander be exiled or placed into your hand, graveyard, or library. You have the option of putting it into the command zone instead.
12. Can You Fail to Target?
Yes, if there are no valid targets when you attempt to cast or activate a targeted spell, the spell or ability fails. The spell or ability will simply be removed from the stack and will not take effect.
13. Can You Copy a Planeswalker?
Yes, it is possible to copy a Planeswalker. Some spells and abilities allow you to create copies of planeswalkers. This usually results in a token copy of the planeswalker entering the battlefield.
14. Do Copies Trigger ETB?
Yes, copies of permanents entering the battlefield will trigger “enters the battlefield” (ETB) abilities. Any such abilities that occur on the copied card will still resolve.
15. What About “Interrupts?”
Interrupts are an obsolete card type in MTG. It has not been supported by the game since Sixth Edition. The interrupt card type no longer exists and is instead treated as an instant card.
Conclusion
Understanding how and when to target opponents is a fundamental aspect of playing MTG. It’s not just about dealing damage, it’s about strategic interaction and control. By knowing the difference between “target opponent” and “target player,” and understanding the nuances of other targeting rules, you can become a more effective and strategic MTG player. With a solid grasp of these concepts, you’ll be better equipped to dominate the game, no matter who you’re playing against.