In a showdown of Frost Titan VS. Royal Assassin, who wins?
Asked by Kalani 14 years ago
So the titan has to tap to attack, making him vulnerable to the assassin's ability, but if he targets the assassin, does he preempt the assassins ability and avoid destruction?
Jarrod_0067 says... #2
This is why you kill a Royal Assassin before it loses sickness
December 6, 2010 2:43 a.m.
KrazyCaley says... #3
Although technically Frost Titan 's ability activates even though it's dead, "tapping" your Royal Assassin . Sadly, it is already tapped.
December 6, 2010 2:50 a.m.
It's already tapped, yes, but it still gets frozen for the next untap step, since the entire ability gets to resolve. Titan's controller gets something good out of all this.
December 6, 2010 3:02 a.m.
I think I would take the Frost Titan in a cage match, though : )
December 6, 2010 5:14 a.m.
HammerAndSickled says... #6
Note that you could also just use Frost Titan's ETB ability to tap down the Royal Assassin for your next attack phase...
December 6, 2010 9:50 p.m.
The ruling above on the interaction of the cards is certainly correct...
However, strictly speaking the Frost Titan should win in any real world scenario.
Three scenarios:
1) The Frost Titan is on the battlefield first: When the the Royal Assassin is played the Frost Titan will be able to attack and lock it down before it loses summoning sickness.
2)The Royal Assassin is on the battlefield first: When the Frost Titan is played its "enters the battlefield" ability can lock down the Royal Assassin before it ever taps and becomes vulnerable.
3) Both creatures enter the battlefield simultaneously via another effect (ie Living Death ): When the Frost Titan 's "enters the battlefield" ability resolves the Royal Assassin gets locked down, again before the Frost Titan taps and becomes vulnerable.
In short, the titan only loses if it's controller makes a mistake or special circumstances like the assassin having haste or shroud, or some other effect.
December 7, 2010 7:19 a.m.
Or the other special circumstances like the Assassin being on the field turns earlier because it costs 3 less than the Titan. I'm just sayin' =P
MagnorCriol says... Accepted answer #1
In a straight-up gunfight, no, the Titan doesn't win. This is because of the way priority and the stack works.
You attack with the Titan, and his "tap target permanent" ability goes on the stack. In order to put that ability on the stack, you had to attack with him, which means you had to tap him. So he's already tapped by the time that ability goes on the stack.
BUT, before that ability can resolve and take effect, you pass priority to your opponent, giving them a chance to respond. They can take this opportunity to activate their Assassin, tapping him to put his destroy ability on the stack.
Priority then passes back to you. If you don't have a response, then priority passes back to them and their ability resolves, destroying your Titan before it can tap your Assassin.
(Note that the assassin's destroy effect is an ability controlled by the opponent, so for it to work at all they'll have to pay 2 a per the Titan's first ability.)
December 6, 2010 2:04 a.m.