mana drain/misdirection

[Juggernaut GO]

what happens when you mana drain a spell, then opponant misdirects it to the misdirection?  is this play legal, is misdirection still on the stack when it is resolving?  Do you get the 5 mana from drain, and if not, how can  the mana drain fizzle if they can change the target with misdirection with midirection still being on the stack?

[49 Cents]

The play is legal, but you get 0 mana.

The reason is simple: The Misdirection simply resolves before Drain does, so when the Drain checks, there is no target and it fizzles.

[Dante]

what happens when you mana drain a spell, then opponant misdirects it to the misdirection?  is this play legal, is misdirection still on the stack when it is resolving?  Do you get the 5 mana from drain, and if not, how can  the mana drain fizzle if they can change the target with misdirection with midirection still being on the stack?

to go more in depth, in order:

spell X on stack
Mana Drain targeting spell x
Misdirection on stack targeting Mana Drain, changning the target of Mana Drain to MisD (you choose the new target on announcement).

assuming no more spells are added to the stack, you solve them:

- MisD resolves, changing Mana Drain to itself.  This is still legal because during resolution, MisD is still on the stack.  Once it's done resolving, MisD comes off the stack.

- Mana Drain resolves, but fizzles because the spell it's countering is no longer on the stack.

[Komatteru]

"Fizzle" is no longer a game term.  The current term in the comprehensive rules is "countered upon resolution."

[49 Cents]

Well sure, but everybody knows what I mean with fizzle. Who cares that Wizards doesn't use it anymore..

[pyr0ma5ta]

Is it legal for Misdirection to move a Force of will to itself?  I was under the impression that a spell cannot target itself.

[Gabethebabe]

Is it legal for Misdirection to move a Force of will to itself?  I was under the impression that a spell cannot target itself.

That is actually a game rule.

415.6. A spell or ability on the stack is an illegal target for itself.

But you can redirect the FoW (Mana Drain/whatever) to your Misdirection.

[pyr0ma5ta]

But you can redirect the FoW (Mana Drain/whatever) to your Misdirection.

Really?  How exactly does the stack work?  Misdirection starts to resolve, and so you can change the FoW's target.  You can choose to change the FoW's target to the Misdirection, despite the fact that the Misdirection is already resolving?  I really don't understand how this works.  Any rules gurus or Judges available to put in 2 cents?

[Binary]

The spell is still in the "stack" zone while it's resolving, which thereby makes it a legal target for Force of Will. The fact that it's "already resolving" doesn't change its location.

[Dante]

But you can redirect the FoW (Mana Drain/whatever) to your Misdirection.

Really?  How exactly does the stack work?  Misdirection starts to resolve, and so you can change the FoW's target.  You can choose to change the FoW's target to the Misdirection, despite the fact that the Misdirection is already resolving?  I really don't understand how this works.  Any rules gurus or Judges available to put in 2 cents?

I explained the exact stack layout above:

to go more in depth, in order:

spell X on stack
Mana Drain targeting spell x
Misdirection on stack targeting Mana Drain, changning the target of Mana Drain to MisD (you choose the new target on announcement).

assuming no more spells are added to the stack, you resolve them:

- MisD resolves, changing Mana Drain to itself.  This is still legal because during resolution, MisD is still on the stack.  Once it's done resolving, MisD comes off the stack.

- Mana Drain resolves, but fizzles because the spell it's countering is no longer on the stack.

In particular, the MisD resolves, changing Mana Drain to itself.  This is still legal because during resolution, MisD is still on the stack.

That could have been a little clearer and said "When Misdirection starts resolving, it can retarget Mana Drain to target Misdirection, because Misdirection is still a card on the stack, even though it's in the middle of its own resolution."

[pyr0ma5ta]

Thank you for the explanation. 

[Philatio]

changning the target of Mana Drain to MisD (you choose the new target on announcement).

I was under the impression that with Misdirection, the only target you declare on announcement was the spell you are targeting - here, the Mana Drain.  Then you only name the new target for Mana Drain on resolution of the Misdirection.

[Khahan]

changning the target of Mana Drain to MisD (you choose the new target on announcement).

I was under the impression that with Misdirection, the only target you declare on announcement was the spell you are targeting - here, the Mana Drain.  Then you only name the new target for Mana Drain on resolution of the Misdirection.

This is correct. But leaving the stack is the absolute final part of resolution. Therefore, as midirection resolves and you choose the target, it is still on the stack and is a legal choice.