Morph: Turning Face Up Without the Stack

Judge Level 1

The Bolt is flying — and the face-down 2/2 simply turns it around.

Cards involved

Willbender

Lightning Bolt

Step / 4

The face-down 2/2

You control a face-down 2/2 creature — it's Willbender (morph : "When this creature is turned face up, change the target of target spell or ability with a single target"). Your opponent casts Lightning Bolt at you.

What happens?

May you turn it face up now?

The Bolt is on the stack. Can you unmorph Willbender "in response"?

Pick an answer to continue.

Turning a face-down creature face up is a special action (116.2b): you pay the morph cost and flip the card — no stack, no response window. Only the turn-face-up TRIGGER (on Willbender) goes on the stack normally.

Rules: 116.2b

116.2bTurning a face-down creature face up is a special action. A player can take this action any time they have priority. See rule 708, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents.”

You turn it face up

You pay , Willbender flips. Its trigger goes on the stack — above the Bolt — and redirects its target: to your opponent.

Rules: 116.2b

116.2bTurning a face-down creature face up is a special action. A player can take this action any time they have priority. See rule 708, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents.”

The Bolt comes home

Trigger resolves, target changed, Bolt resolves: 3 damage to your opponent. This is exactly why you don't cast single-target spells into open morphs.

Rules: 608.1

608.1Each time all players pass in succession, the spell or ability on top of the stack resolves. (See rule 609, “Effects.”)

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Stack

Willbender

Face down as a 2/2 — morph

Lightning Bolt

Target: you

Triggered ability: Willbender

Willbender trigger: redirect the Bolt's target

The stack is empty.

Battlefield

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