Alfred targets one of Nolan's Bears with both modes of
Agony Warp, holds priority, and casts
Radiate targeting
Agony Warp. In response, Nolan uses some effect to sacrifice the targeted Bear. Is
Agony Warp still a legal target for
Radiate?
At first glance, I would think so. However, 114.8c states
114.8c An object that looks for a “ that targets only ” checks the number of different objects or players that became the target of that spell or ability when it was put on the stack <snip>. If that number is one (even if the spell or ability targets that object or player multiple times), the current state of that spell or ability’s target is checked as described in rule 114.8b.
and 114.8b says
114.8b An object that looks for a “ that targets ” checks the current state of that spell or ability’s targets. <snip> If an object it targets is no longer in the zone it’s expected to be in or a player it targets is no longer in the game, that target is ignored; its last known information is not used.
When Radiate tries to resolve, is it still the case that Agony Warp targets “only a single permanent or player”? it seems like Radiate would check if Agony Warp is legal, which involves checking what it targets, and since it's only targeting one thing, 114.8b would apply, and since Agony Warp's target Bear is no longer on the battlefield, it's ignored?