Hello all and thank you in advance for any help you can give.
A friend of mine plays a fairy deck. It has a ton of "counters" and "return target creature to it owners hand".
My question is if I enter a creature and my opponent counters that spell can I with the likes of cloudshift or Essence Flux exile that creature and then return it in response to the counter?
In general, where Essence Flux, Cloudshift, or any other spell or ability refers to a "creature", it refers only to a creature on the battlefield, not to a creature spell or to a creature card in any other zone (including the graveyard) (C.R. 109.2, 111.1). One notable exception to this is "protection from creatures" (C.R. 702.16a; see also this thread).
Essence Flux and Cloudshift, for example, can target only a "creature you control" on the battlefield, not a creature card in your graveyard, for one (C.R. 114.1a).
A creature spell is not the same as a creature. A "creature spell" is a creature card on the stack and can exist only there, while a "creature" without any further denominator means a "creature permanent on the battlefield". Cloudshift and the like can only blink creatures, which means creature permanents. A spell is not a permanent, so if your opponent counters your creature spell, that card is on the stack and not a legal target for Cloudshift and company.
Thank you "peteroupc" and "Rezzahan" your replies helped I kind of figured it would not be a legal move but was not sure. I will save the "Blink" cards for when they use there "return target creature to there owners hand"
I am using a blue and white spirit/illusion deck so essence flux works well with it I will have to put in some "counter" cards to "counter there counters" maybe render silent or rewind
With the rules question answered, I am locking this to prevent strategy discussion that wouldn't be suited for this forum. -MadMage
A friend of mine plays a fairy deck. It has a ton of "counters" and "return target creature to it owners hand".
My question is if I enter a creature and my opponent counters that spell can I with the likes of cloudshift or Essence Flux exile that creature and then return it in response to the counter?
Essence Flux and Cloudshift, for example, can target only a "creature you control" on the battlefield, not a creature card in your graveyard, for one (C.R. 114.1a).
Former Rules Advisor
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I am using a blue and white spirit/illusion deck so essence flux works well with it I will have to put in some "counter" cards to "counter there counters" maybe render silent or rewind
With the rules question answered, I am locking this to prevent strategy discussion that wouldn't be suited for this forum. -MadMage