Exiled Force's Target & Compulsory Evacuation Device

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roadhouse007

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A situation happened at tournament the other day and I want responses why game mechanics, not a ruling, dictate what happens here:

Player A summons Exiled Force, declaring priority, tributing Exiled Force to the graveyard to activate its ability, targetting Player B's only monster on the field. Player B chains Compulsory Evacuation Device, targetting his/her own monster.

The chain resolves backwards, so Compulsory Evacuation Device first places Player B's monster back in their hand. Then, when Exiled Force tries to resolve (it is not negated), there is no target so it resolves without effect.

The reason I have had to post this is the player in control of Exiled Force when this came into question argued "It was ruled a long time ago NOTHING negates exiled force. It has priority." After trying to explain to him EXACTLY how the paragraph above reads, he was still complaining it was a bad ruling, either on my part or Konami/Upper Deck contradicted themselves. Can I get some responses that confirm neither are the case, and that the answer is based on how the game mechanics work, rather than a specific ruling?
 
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Priority gives you the right to ACTIVATE an effect, not RESOLVE that effect. Sure, nothing will 'negate' the effect of "Exiled Force" (except for "Divine Wrath"), but that's not what is happening here.

Its all rules of chaining and resolution. When you choose a target of an effect, that effect doesn't immediately resolve or happen (unless it's continuous, which "Exiled Force" isn't). That effect gets put onto the chain and then, when the time comes, that effect will attempt to resolve.

So in the given scenario, you have the following....


P1 has monster x and a set "Compulsory Evacuation Device" set from a previous turn.
P2 has only "Exiled Force" in hand.
P2 summons "Exiled Force", retains Priority and declares they will use the effect of "Exiled Force" to destroy P1s monster.
"Exiled Force" is put into the Graveyard since Tributing him is the cost to ACTIVATE his effect. That effect does NOT immediately resolve, it is placed onto a chain as Link 1.
Now, the opponent, P1, has the chance to respond to "Exiled Force"s effect, which they do by chaining their set "Compulsory Evactuation" device targeting their only monster to return to their hand. Again, they have only ACTIVATED the effect, it does not immediately resolve. It is placed onto the chain as Link 2. Now, P2 has the chance to respond to "Compulsory Evacuation Device". They don't. So now P1 has the chance to respond to "Compulsory Evacuation Device". They don't, so now the chain begins to resolve. Last in - First Out. "Compulsory Evacuation Device" resolves and P1s monster is returned to their hand. "Exiled Force"s effect attempts to resolve, but since it's target is no longer on the field to be destroyed, the effect simply resolves w/o effect or disappears.


Anyway, I hope this has helped to clear things up with your friend.
 
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I'm lost on what he doesn't understand. What does he think is supposed to happen? First off, no documentation anywhere states that Exiled Force has priority, as I'm sure you already explained to him (but I presume you posted this so you could get some back-up). Monster's do not have priority, only the Turn Player has this.

In addition, you do not "declare" priority, you inherently have it as the Turn Player. You either choose to use it or pass on it. The non-turn player cannot do anything until you decide whether to use it or pass.

There is also no documentation stating that effects activated using priority resolve no matter what. If a targeting effect looses it's target then it has nothing to destroy. The effect resolves without effect. Age old mechanics that we have plenty of rulings explaining.

That leads me back to being confused on what he thinks is going to happen. If player B's only monster was returned to the hand then what is Exiled going to destroy? I certainly hope he doesn't think Exiled can destroy monsters in the hand, because there's absolutely no ruling or game mechanic that would allow that to happen.
 
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Also, just for pre-clarification so I can refer to this when this question comes up......

Same situation. Except Player B (non-turn player) controls 2 monsters. Lets call them X and Y. Player A uses exiled force, targeting X. Player B uses Compulsory Evac Device on X.

Simply put, e force does not retarget. X is not on the field, target lost. The effect does not jump over to Y.
 
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Digital Jedi said:
First off, no documentation anywhere states that Exiled Force has priority, as I'm sure you already explained to him. Monster's do not have priority, only the Turn Player has this.

In addition, you do not "declare" priority, you inherently have it as the Turn Player. You either choose to use it or pass on it. The non-turn player cannot do anything until you decide whether to use it or pass.
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Actually, that is what I meant. But no, I didn't quite say it that way. The point stays the same though, as I now have 2 confirmations as of now.

But you are right. The turn player has the right to retain their priority to act first after things such as a summon, change of phase, or attack declaration. But this DOES NOT mean that the effect immediately cannot be stopped. That is what I am referring to in this thread.
 
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Which is why the rulings for Creature Swap are the way they are. Since Creature Swap doesn't target, the two monsters are selected at resolution, and that's the reason why it doesn't matter what monsters are on the field at activation. Your not choosing them then.

Targeting effects on the other hand choose at activation and the choice cannot be altered (unless an effect like Shift does so). That's the whole point behind a targeting effect. If it worked just like a non-targeting effect then their wouldn't be any need for two different game terms.
 
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roadhouse007 said:
Actually, that is what I meant. But no, I didn't quite say it that way. The point stays the same though, as I now have 2 confirmations as of now.

But you are right. The turn player has the right to retain their priority to act first after things such as a summon, change of phase, or attack declaration. But this DOES NOT mean that the effect immediately cannot be stopped. That is what I am referring to in this thread.
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I'd be interested to know where he got the idea that priority meant "unstoppable resolution". And why he would reject rulings that explain it very clearly, when rulings are the very thing that define the game mechanics for us.
 
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ChaosMachine said:
I understand his question and the answer however what happens in the case that Exiled gets Trap Hole 'd?
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If the person that Summoned "Exiled Force" uses their Priority to activate "Exiled Force"s effect, then it can't be "Trap Hole"d. You can't "Trap Hole" a monster that isn't on the field anymore.
 
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