Discussion Forum

For once a rulequote is worth it, 212.9g: "If noncombat damage would be dealt to a player by a source controlled by an opponent, that opponent may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker the first player controls instead."

So yeah apparently you can, a few judges have posted online in various places to confirm this.

okay so if someone were to use it i could redirect the damage from me to the planeswalker?

The way the rule is worded already tells you that. If a player would take damage from a source an opponent controls, that OPPONENT may redirect the damage to a planeswalker the damaged player controls.

Magic is played significantly and possibly primarily by obsessive compulsives and people who excel more than any other group at analyzing and breaking systems. Chances are if you have a question (like this one) that the dudes worded the rule in a way that it deals with it.

[QUOTE=Noobishwarrior]okay so if someone were to use it i could redirect the damage from me to the planeswalker?[/QUOTE]

no...like shadow mentioned with that rule quote, the opponent decides where the damage goes

this is just like how you can lightning bolt a planeswalker, or attack a planeswalker

on another note I'm kinda surprised that something like pestilence doesn't deal 1 damage to all player, creatures AND all planeswalkers(because essentially they are treated as players)

[QUOTE=pelican]no...like shadow mentioned with that rule quote, the opponent decides where the damage goes

this is just like how you can lightning bolt a planeswalker, or attack a planeswalker

on another note I'm kinda surprised that something like pestilence doesn't deal 1 damage to all player, creatures AND all planeswalkers(because essentially they are treated as players)[/QUOTE]

I doubt they're gonna errata it just for planeswalkers.

i just mean in general for all cards which make similar effects such as earthquake

That would make it way too powerful. Think about it. Last time I played against a judge I found out the hard way damage is redirected AFTER the spell resolves. That means that not only would you be doing N damage to every planeswalker to begin with but you could also wait until nobody counters the spell and then do N damage AGAIN to a planeswalker.

[QUOTE=Shadowex3]That would make it way too powerful. Think about it. Last time I played against a judge I found out the hard way damage is redirected AFTER the spell resolves. That means that not only would you be doing N damage to every planeswalker to begin with but you could also wait until nobody counters the spell and then do N damage AGAIN to a planeswalker.[/QUOTE]

where's this "AGAIN" coming from...I'm not sure I follow your point...? Explain please

[quote]on another note I'm kinda surprised that something like pestilence doesn't deal 1 damage to all player, creatures AND all planeswalkers(because essentially they are treated as players)[/quote]

In response to that, because then you'd do <amount> damage to a planeswalker automatically, and have the option to redirect the damage going to it's controller to the planeswalker for double the damage to the planeswalker in total.

[QUOTE=Shadowex3]In response to that, because then you'd do <amount> damage to a planeswalker automatically, and have the option to redirect the damage going to it's controller to the planeswalker for double the damage to the planeswalker in total.[/QUOTE]

so basically it works like:

i cast lightning bolt(having the ability to ONLY target a creature or a player)

if i don't target a creature i therefore target the player

the spell has a chance to be countered/affected

then it resolves

THEN i decide i want it to damage the planeswalker?



is this what the rule entails?

That's exactly what that rule entails. Basically, since applying the damage to an opponent's planeswalker is an optional replacement effect, you don't have to choose until the damage is going to happen, after the spell starts to resolve.