Aetherling and Stab Wound

[sithantic]

My opponent stupidly taps out to play Aetherling. I then {Stab Wound} it. If, in response to the stab wound trigger, he flickers Aetherling, will he still take the two points of damage?

[MuggyWuggy]

You said it right there:

in response to stab wound trigger

He bounces

Stab wound falls off

Stab wound trigger still resolves and does 2 damage

[Tonygrabowski4]

Aetherling flickers, which makes it an illegal target for stab wound.  Stab wound fizzles and aetherling's controller loses no life at the beginning of their upkeep.

Stab wound trigger still resolves and does 2 damage

Stab wound's trigger only happens at the beginning of the enchanted creature's controller's upkeep.  Stab wound never enchanted Aetherling and is no longer in play.  The loss of life would not happen.

[Tonygrabowski4]

In response to stab wound's trigger.  He already casted it and it's on the ætherling.

The first response is correct.

If the aura isn't there it still has an effect?  That doesn't make sense to me but, you're the boss.

[MuggyWuggy]

The original question stated that the aura did make it onto the aetherling

He said: "in response to stab wound triggering the aetherling bounces"

Yes stab wound falls off, but he exiled in response of the trigger. Trigger still happens even if enchantment has fallen off

[Tonygrabowski4]

At the beginning of the upkeep of enchanted creature's controller, that player loses 2 life.

When the Aetherling's controller's upkeep begins.  The Aetherling that was enchanted is no longer there.  When he comes back in he is a new creature completely.  Right?

[Kaworu, the Fifth Child]

Abilities are independent of the source.

Think of the source, an archer. He draws an arrow, the spell. He aims and shoots, but while the arrow is sailing the archer is killed. Just because the archer is gone the arrow doesn't start, like how a source being removed with a trigger on the stack the trigger will resolve.

[MuggyWuggy]

He already triggered the effect at beginning of upkeep.

Ruling reference:


From the Comprehensive Rules (Innistrad)
503. Upkeep Step
503.1. First, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of the upkeep step and any abilities that triggered during the turn's untap step go on the stack. (See rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.")
503.2. Second, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities.


So even if the active player bounces, the ability is already on the stack waiting to resolve, regardless of enchantment being on the creature or not anymore

[Giggle the Draco Genius]

The missing key here.

The stab wound already landed on the {aetherling} since the controller couldn't blink it when it was cast. He was tapped out.

So the first opportunity to blink will be the beginning of the upkeep which would trigger the {stab wound} before the controller can blink

[Tonygrabowski4]

The missing key here.

The stab wound already landed on the {aetherling} since the controller couldn't blink it when it was cast. He was tapped out.

So the first opportunity to blink will be the beginning of the upkeep which would trigger the {stab wound} before the controller can blink

Makes sense now.

[MuggyWuggy]

Sometimes the questions are trickier than answers 😁

[rarehuntertay]

A little off the {Stab Wound} but what if you block 20/20 {Colossus of Akros} with him then bounce him. Do you just take the 16 from trample?

Should be asked in a new thread. But here is the answer. If a creature with trample is blocked, and during the damage step, if the blocker is no longer there, all trample damage is assigned to defending player. So you take 20.

702.19c If an attacking creature with trample is blocked, but there are no creatures blocking it when damage is assigned, all its damage is assigned to the player or planeswalker it's attacking.