How does Akali, Deadly Weapon work when?

Question

Accepted Answer

When Akali, Deadly Weapon moves, her “When I move” triggered ability can be placed on the chain (the controller chooses because the ability contains “you may”). If the controller places it on the chain it is finalized and resolved as a chain item before the Move Cleanup runs. When that chain item resolves you choose a unit at either the battlefield Akali, Deadly Weapon moved to or the battlefield she moved from; deal 1 damage to that unit (or 2 if Akali, Deadly Weapon is Empowered when the effect resolves). If the chosen target is illegal as the effect resolves it does nothing to that target (the trigger still resolved).

After a Move completes, add the “When I move” trigger for Akali, Deadly Weapon as a Pending Item (the controller may choose to put it on the chain because of the “you may”). That Pending Item will be finalized and resolved on the chain before the Cleanup inserted for the Move is executed. On resolution, choose a unit at the battlefield you moved to or the battlefield you moved from; deal 1 damage (or 2 if Akali, Deadly Weapon is [Empowered] at resolution). If the chosen unit is an illegal target at resolution, the effect deals nothing to it but the chain item still resolved. [448] [319.3] [FAQ:unleashed#1] [FAQ:unleashed#17] [359.3.e.2]

The Move action completes. Per rule [448], a Cleanup must be performed as a result of the Move. The move also causes Akali, Deadly Weapon’s triggered ability “When I move…” to trigger. Because the ability contains a “you may” next to the condition, the controller chooses whether to place that trigger on the chain as a Pending Item per the triggered-ability sequencing described in [FAQ:unleashed#1]. When that Trigger is added as a Pending Item, a Cleanup Outstanding Task is also created as specified in [319.3] and [319.8]. Because the Chain is not empty, the FEPR loop will return to Finalize pending items as required by [340]. Finalize/Execute/Pass/Resolve will occur for the trigger (players make choices and pay costs during Finalize) before the Cleanup is executed, since cleanups occur after adding an item to the chain and after finalizing that item [FAQ:unleashed#17]. When the trigger resolves (the newest Chain item), you choose a unit at the battlefield Akali, Deadly Weapon moved to or the battlefield she moved from and deal damage: 1 damage normally, or 2 damage if Akali, Deadly Weapon is [Empowered] at resolution. The Empowered check is done at resolution time (the effect’s resolution sees the current game state) [359.3.e.2] [157.3]. If the chosen target is illegal as the trigger resolves (for example it moved off-board), the resolution does nothing to that target, but the chain item still resolved (see [359.3.e.2]). After the trigger resolves, the outstanding Cleanup from the Move will be executed, performing all Cleanup Tasks in order (including handling any units that die from damage during the Cleanup) [323] [448].

If the controller declines to place the triggered ability on the chain (because it contains a “you may”), nothing is added to the chain and the Move Cleanup proceeds when appropriate [FAQ:unleashed#1]. If you select a unit that is legal when you put the trigger on the chain but becomes illegal before the trigger resolves (for example, it moved away or left the board), the trigger resolves and simply does nothing to that unit; it does not 're-target' automatically [359.3.e.2]. If the unit becomes illegal then legal again before resolution (for example moved away then moved back), it is a legal target when the trigger resolves and will take the damage (see the example in [359.3.e.2]). If Akali, Deadly Weapon was Empowered only by a replacement or temporary effect that expires before resolution, the trigger will resolve using the game state at resolution—i.e., treat her as not Empowered if that status no longer exists at resolution. If the damage from the trigger causes a unit to die, that death is handled during the normal Cleanup sequence after the trigger resolves (or by another immediate instruction) and any Deathknell triggers get added to the chain during that Cleanup as specified by [323] and [808].

What the card says: Akali, Deadly Weapon has a triggered ability that reads 'When I move, you may deal 1 to a unit at a battlefield I moved to or from. If I'm [Empowered], deal 2 instead.' Because the ability uses the phrasing 'you may' next to the condition, that 'you may' is the controller’s choice to put the triggered ability on the chain rather than a choice made on resolution; triggered-ability sequencing treats that 'you may' as the decision to add the trigger to the chain [FAQ:unleashed#1].

Timing and ordering: When a Move action finishes, the game must perform a Cleanup [448]. However, the Move also generates triggered abilities such as 'Akali, Deadly Weapon — When I move…'. Those triggered abilities are added as Pending Items on the Chain when they trigger; adding a Pending Item also makes a Cleanup an Outstanding Task [319.3]. The FEPR loop handles Pending Items on the chain before actually executing outstanding Cleanups: with Pending Items present the game returns to Finalize in the chain resolution loop [340]. Cleanups are performed after adding an item to the chain and after finalizing that item, not during finalization [FAQ:unleashed#17]. Therefore the practical order is: Move completes -> triggered ability added as a Pending Item (you choose to add it or not because of 'you may') -> finalize that triggered ability -> resolve it on the chain -> after it resolves the Move Cleanup runs [448] [340] [FAQ:unleashed#17].

Effect resolution details: When the trigger resolves you choose a unit at the battlefield you moved to or the battlefield you moved from and deal damage. The amount is 1 unless Akali, Deadly Weapon is [Empowered] at the time the effect resolves, in which case it deals 2. Target legality is checked at resolution: if the chosen unit is illegal as the trigger resolves (for example it left the board), the spell resolves without affecting that unit but the chain item still resolved [359.3.e.2]. If the unit briefly became illegal and then legal again before resolution, it is a legal target when the ability resolves and will take the damage (example behavior described in [359.3.e.2]).

After resolution: Once the triggered chain item finishes resolving, the outstanding Cleanup from the Move is executed. The Cleanup will then handle board-state changes (including deaths from damage, Deathknell triggers getting added, kills being moved to the Trash, etc.) in the order specified by the Cleanup rules [323] [808].

Missing definitions / practical note: The provided Core Rules excerpt does not define how paying or applying [Empower] works or whether Empower is a temporary or persistent status; therefore I assumed Empower is a status that can be present or absent at resolution and is checked at resolution time. If your table uses a specific Empower timing rule that changes when Empower becomes active (for example, empowering as part of the Move action itself), use that timing to determine whether Akali, Deadly Weapon is Empowered when the triggered ability resolves.