A controls an Ajani PW and a Pestilence while N controls a Narset PW and a Leyline of Anticipation. A activates Pestilence. N responds by casting a Confiscate, which resolves, changing control of the Pestilence. Now the activated ability A controls causes Pestilence (that N now controls) to deal 1 damage to each player.


306.7. If noncombat damage would be dealt to a player by a source controlled by an opponent, that opponent may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker the first player controls instead. This is a redirection effect (see rule 614.9) and is subject to the normal rules for ordering replacement effects (see rule 616). The opponent chooses whether to redirect the damage as the redirection effect is applied.

As damage is applied, we apply the replacement and see that N controls the source of damage, so does N get to say “Redirect the 1 point from A's Life to Ajani” ?

A thinks he controls the ability, and he's right. N has a rulebook and says he controls the source of damage, and that's also right. {isn't it?} I'm noticing there's no using Last Known Information here, the object that is the source has not changed zones. A's ability is causing N's Permanent to deal non-combat damage to each player. Player A wants to re-direct 1 damage from N to Narset. I'm missing the rules support to allow that: That the ability is truly the source and not the permanent the ability says is the source. So while my gut wants A to re-direct the 1 damage from N to Narset, my mind reads the rule like that can't happen, and N may re-direct 1 damage from A to Ajani.

Clarification? …thanks.

Edit: It occurs to me I stated it like corner case. But any Ray of Command effect (which are many) with any {qualifying} creature permanents, (which are very many*) will care how this works.

*examples include Crypt Rats and also Brion Stoutarm But isn't limited to those.

Edited Beau Jenkins (April 22, 2016 08:00:41 PM)

The planeswalker redirection effect only checks who controls what at the time that damage is being dealt. If noncombat damage is being dealt to a player, and the source of that damage is currently controlled by one of that player's opponents, then that opponent may choose to redirect the damage, regardless of whether or not they controlled the damage source at the time the spell or ability that's causing the damage to be dealt was cast/activated/triggered/whatever.

So yes, player N could use an instant control-changing effect in the manner described to both redirect damage from A to Ajani, and stop A from being able to redirect damage from N to Narset.

This is also relevant to cards such as Squallmonger and Backlash–the important thing for the planeswalker redirection rule is who controls the source of the damage, regardless of who controls whatever's causing that source to deal damage.