Another day, another variant of Control Magic! This one is actually pretty unique, though. Where most of our variants just have targeting restrictions or altered costs, this one is a flat out permanent steal instead of an enchantment. It also comes at the expense of requiring a trade to be made.

Now, first off, Switcheroo has exactly two targets. You can’t cast it without two targets, so no dice on using it to perma-steal your opponent’s big creature when you’ve got nothing to offer up in exchange. “No big deal,” you might think; “I’ll cast it with two targets, then sacrifice mine before it resolves! I get my opponent’s creature and he DOESN’T get mine, since the spell still has one legal target!”

Well, you’re half right, and sadly, it’s not the half that you want. Switcheroo WILL still resolve with only one legal target. The problem is, absolutely nothing happens. As we see in the comprehensive rules, you can’t do a partial exchange. Either you complete the exchange in full, or nothing happens. So, if there’s only one creature, you can’t finish the exchange. ‘To obtain, something must be lost.’ That is Alchemy’s First Law of Equivalent Exchange. Or rather, The Comprehensive Rule’s 701.8a rule of Exchanging.

Today’s Rules Tip written by
Trevor Nuñez, Level 1 judge from Roswell, NM