Samurai of the Pale Curtain question

[mr_rogers]

Does the Samurai's ability only work on permanents in play or will it remove permanrnts put into the graveyard other ways(i.e. discard, mill, ect.)?


  I tried searching but could not find the anwser anywhere. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Ephraim]

It will only work on permanents being put into the graveyard from play. Technically, creature cards, artifact cards, enchantment cards, and land cards are not permanents unless they are in play. Compare [card]Samurai of the Pale Curtain[/card] to [card]Planar Void[/card] to see the difference. No matter where the card is coming from -- in play, from a player's hand, or even from their library (milling), Planar Void will remove it from the game.

Bonus (Look at me, I'm John Carter): If you cast an instant with Flashback -- [card]Defy Gravity[/card], for example, you will be able to play it a second time under Planar Void, but not under Samurai of the Pale Curtain. Planar Void has a triggered effect. The card goes to the graveyard, Planar Void triggers, and then when the ability resolves, the card is removed from the game. Therefore, you have an opportunity to cast the instant with Flashback a second time before it gets removed by Planar Void. Samurai of the Pale Curtain has a replacement effect -- the card never actually goes to the graveyard. If it would go to the graveyard, it is removed from the game instead.

[Jujulautre]

Bonus (Look at me, I'm John Carter): If you cast an instant with Flashback -- [card]Defy Gravity[/card], for example, you will be able to play it a second time under Planar Void, but not under Samurai of the Pale Curtain. Planar Void has a triggered effect. The card goes to the graveyard, Planar Void triggers, and then when the ability resolves, the card is removed from the game. Therefore, you have an opportunity to cast the instant with Flashback a second time before it gets removed by Planar Void. Samurai of the Pale Curtain has a replacement effect -- the card never actually goes to the graveyard. If it would go to the graveyard, it is removed from the game instead.

But the samurai does not remove any instant from the game

[Jacob Orlove]

Replace the Samurai in Eph's bonus example with Yawgmoth's Will.

Edit, @ Ender: that was the entire point of his example.

[Ender]

Replace the Samurai in Eph's bonus example with Yawgmoth's Will.

Still doesn't work cause if you cast the spell for the first time, it should already be rfg cause of the replacement effect  

[Jujulautre]

Replace the Samurai in Eph's bonus example with Yawgmoth's Will.

Still doesn't work cause if you cast the spell for the first time, it should already be rfg cause of the replacement effect  

what he means is that if you cast (from your hand) an instant with flashback, you won't have the opportunity to play it back because of the replacement effect; with planar void, you may

[Ephraim]

No, I made a mistake, trying to be all impressive and smart. Both Planar Void and Samurai of the Pale Curtain let you play that flashback instant a second time. Planar Void forces you to do it right away, while Samurai of the Pale Curtain doesn't even touch the instant -- it isn't a permanent going to the graveyard.

[JSexton]

That really WAS an excellent Carter impression.[/friendly poke]