Look, it’s me, and I’m back with more about chaining! When I said I was going to spend the next few weeks on it, I’ll bet you had no idea I’d still be going at this point. Anyway, this week I’ve got a topic that isn’t often discussed, but which has a lot to do with what you chain, and when, and why. We’re diving deep into the relationship between targeting (and non-targeting) effects, and look at where they fit in with the chain. Targeting is an integral mechanic to chaining, and the complexity (and advantages) that it can create as a chain resolves might be surprising!

You’re already fascinated, aren’t you?

Let’s start with a little refresher course on what does and does not “target.” Generally speaking, an effect that targets will ask the controlling player to choose a particular card (or cards) to which the effect will apply when it is activated. Targets are always declared at the point of activation. If the recipient of an effect is instead selected at the time of that effect’s resolution, it is not formally considered a target, and the effect that influences it is not considered a “targeted” effect.

It’s important to understand what does and does not target, because targeted effects and non-targeted effects react differently to changes that may occur on the field during a chain. The easiest way to show the difference is with a practical scenario, so let’s look at how two similar cards—one targeted and one non-targeted—each react to similar occurrences on the field.

Jason Grabher-Meyer did a spectacular job demonstrating replays at Worlds 2005. I’m going to bring him in to display this amazing talent as we play through two similar scenarios.

Jason Hates Saber Beetles, Happy Ending (For Me)

I’m the turn player, and I intend to continue my merciless assault on Jason. This turn, I’ve got Luster Dragon (#2) and my new favorite pet, Saber Beetle, out on the field. Book of Moon is in my hand. Jason has nary a monster to be seen, but he does have one set card in his spell and trap zone that I don’t yet know about—Sakuretsu Armor. I enter my battle phase, and declare a direct attack with Saber Beetle. But wait! Jason flips up Sakuretsu Armor, activating its effect.

I’ve got two options right now. I can do nothing, and Jason’s Sakuretsu Armor will squish my poor Beetle. Or, I can add my Book of Moon onto the chain, and things will resolve quite differently.

This is where we are in the chain: Sakuretsu Armor >>> Book of Moon.

Provided that Jason doesn’t have response (and because I’m writing this, he doesn’t) the chain will resolve backwards, so Book of Moon resolves first, flipping my treasured Beetle face-down. Now, Sakuretsu Armor’s effect targets, and it can only target an “attacking monster.” There’s no attacking monster here! Sakuretsu Armor has lost its target, and because a targeted effect picks a specific mark at activation, it can’t destroy anything. Sakuretsu Armor’s effect will disappear and it will be sent to the graveyard, but most importantly, my Beetle is safe and I’m going to kick Jason’s butt with it next turn.

The precision of a targeted effect is both its strength and its weakness. It generally gives its user a great deal of control, since it allows the selection of a particular monster, spell, or trap. However, the cost of using a targeted effect is the one demonstrated above—if the target is removed or invalidated between the effect’s activation and resolution, the effect disappears.

Now let’s change our scenario slightly, and see what happens.

Jason Hates Saber Beetles, Sad Ending (For Me)

Instead of trying to smite me with Sakuretsu Armor, Jason’s going to lord his superior trading skills over me by activating Widespread Ruin instead.

Widespread Ruin is another popular trap card that destroys a monster in response to an attack. Its activation requirement (a declared attack from an opponent) and its end result (destroying one of the opponent’s monsters) are the same. However, this particular card does not target. Let’s see what happens now!

I still control Saber Beetle and Luster Dragon, and I have Book of Moon in my hand. Jason has no monsters and one set spell or trap. I announce an attack with Saber Beetle, and wouldn’t you know it, Jason flips up Widespread Ruin, which is so typical of him. I can’t bear the thought of losing my precious Saber Beetle to Jason’s expensive trap card, so I respond with Book of Moon to flip my Beetle face down.

This brings us here: Widespread Ruin >>> Book of Moon

Widespread Ruin can only destroy a face-up monster in attack position, so Beetle is safe, huzzah! However, let’s examine how everything plays out.

First, Book of Moon turns Saber Beetle to face-down defense position. Then, Widespread Ruin’s non-targeting effect (which Jason had intended for the Beetle) looks around the field to find the attack position monster with the highest ATK. It can’t destroy Saber Beetle, since it’s no longer in attack position. But alas, Luster Dragon is! Since it’s the only possible recipient of Widespread Ruin’s effect, it will be destroyed instead of Saber Beetle.

You can see how important targeting can be. In our first example, Jason loses his Sakuretsu Armor, and suffers a direct attack from the other monster. All I lost was my Book of Moon, and both of my monsters lived to fight another turn. In the second example, Jason shuts down both of my attacks and costs me two cards for his one. Jason gives up Widespread Ruin, while I lose both Book of Moon and Luster Dragon. Jason’s life points are intact, and he’s in a much better position than he was in the first scenario.

So what does that mean to you? How do you apply this to your duels?

Well, take Widespread Ruin for example. While it’s easy to dismiss it as an inferior, shiny Sakuretsu Armor that can’t hit Spirit Reaper when your opponent has two monsters out, it has some definite advantages in certain situations. It gets around Book of Moon, Compulsory Evacuation Device, and Strike Ninja, all of which stop Sakuretsu Armor dead in its tracks. In addition, you can use card combos to manipulate what Widespread Ruin destroys through clever use of the chain. Let’s see how.

I Will Have My Revenge

I’m sick and tired of Jason and his Widespread Ruins and Ojama Trios, so this time I’m setting aside my favorite pet monsters and going for the jugular with a Chaos Monarch deck. It’s my turn, and I’ve got Chaos Sorcerer and Mobius the Frost Monarch in attack position, staring him down. I removed a monster from his side with Sorcerer this turn, so it won’t be attacking, but Mobius is about to step up to the plate.

Jason has three set cards, because he’s like that: Snatch Steal, Widespread Ruin, and Enemy Controller. He wants to destroy Chaos Sorcerer on this turn, and he figures that he could play Snatch Steal on Mobius next turn. Even if something happens to prevent that, the remove-from-game effect of the Sorcerer is really giving him a headache.

The problem? Mobius has 100 more ATK than the Sorcerer, so as it stands now, Jason can’t destroy the Sorcerer this turn with Widespread Ruin. So there!

Alas, Jason has a sneaky plan. Seriously, he always does. Never trust him.

I declare my attack with Mobius the Frost Monarch, and Jason responds by flipping and activating Widespread Ruin. I don’t have anything to add to the chain, so I pass back. And that’s when he activates Enemy Controller—chained to his own Widespread—and targets Mobius the Frost Monarch.

The chain looks like this: Widespread Ruin >>> Enemy Controller

Enemy Controller resolves first, turning Mobius the Frost Monarch to defense position. Widespread Ruin then searches for a target, but Mobius, the monster with the highest ATK, is no longer in attack position! Oh, dear. That means the only valid monster to destroy is Chaos Sorcerer, and Widespread Ruin nails it. Jason has succeeded in shutting down Mobius’s attack and managed to take out Chaos Sorcerer all on the same chain. And next turn, you know he’ll take Mobius with Snatch Steal and hit me with it directly. That’s what I get for playing Chaos Monarchs, so I accept it with grace and don’t make fun of him.

There are plenty of similar tricks you can pull that involve targeting and the chain. Disappear, for example, can be activated on the chain to crush quite a few popular effects. If your opponent activates, say, Pot of Avarice, you can use Disappear to remove one of their targeted monsters. Even if they have more than five monsters in their graveyard, Pot of Avarice has already targeted a specific five. Remove just one of them, and the entire effect disappears. Aptly named card, isn’t it? Be sure to ask which monsters are targeted before you select one to remove with Disappear, just to make sure you’re getting the right one. Is Treeborn Frog getting you down? You can chain Disappear to its effect to remove it before it comes back to play, and you know the loss of a Frog can really screw over certain decks. Call of the Haunted and Premature Burial also target, and shutting them down can change a game in a heartbeat.

There’s plenty of Sakuretsu Armor hate out there, too. Are you playing Beasts, or an Earth deck? Using Beast Soul Swap, or Spiritual Earth Art - Kurogane on the chain can stop Sakuretsu Armor, Snatch Steal, or anything else dead in its tracks, even if the monster you Soul Swap back into play is the same one you bounced off the field. It’s a brand-new monster as far as Sakuretsu Armor is concerned. You can even tribute a monster away with Deck Devastation Virus for the same effect. By tricking the opponent into activating a Sakuretsu Armor or Bottomless Trap Hole that won’t ever resolve successfully, you balance out part of the card cost of using the Virus.

In your upcoming duels, take a second to think about targeting. If you’re unsure about which cards target, you can always consult a judge or the Upper Deck Entertainment FAQs. You’ll definitely find some of the information there. Learn which cards have targeting effects, and be sure to consider that information when you’re deciding on your next play. Look at the kinds of cards that are popular in your area. Do players favor targeting over non-targeting effects? If there’s a trend there, it gives you insight into countering and mastering it.

I’m still not done with chaining. Remember to return next week to find out what else I have to say on the subject. See you then!