How does Irelia - Graceful work when?

Question

Accepted Answer

Irelia - Graceful reduces the cost of spells you play that explicitly choose her. That reduction is applied during the Finalize step when you make choices and pay costs for the spell; it only affects spells that actually "choose" Irelia - Graceful (i.e., are targeted at her), and it applies only to your spells (not opponents'). [337.1] [355.1] [355.8] [355.10.d]

When you play a spell that chooses Irelia - Graceful, apply her cost reduction as you finalize the spell: make the choice to choose Irelia - Graceful and then reduce the spell’s cost by either :rb_energy_1: or one :rb_rune_rainbow:, as written, before paying costs. If the spell does not choose her (e.g., it affects a unit programmatically or by criteria), the reduction does not apply. The reduction only affects spells you play ("Your spells...") and does not help opponents. [337.1] [355.5] [355.8] [355.10.d]

You announce playing a spell that can choose a unit and begin finalization (Finalize step). [337.1] [355.1] During finalization you make the choices required by the spell. If you choose a specific unit, you may choose Irelia - Graceful as a target now. [355.5] [355.8] Because the spell now 'chooses' Irelia - Graceful, her static effect applies to that spell ("Your spells that choose me cost :rb_energy_1: or :rb_rune_rainbow: less"). Apply the reduction to the spell’s cost before paying costs. [355.1] You pay the reduced cost and the spell becomes a Finalized item on the Chain (or resolves immediately if it 'adds resources' per 337.1.c). [337.1] [355.8] If the spell does not choose her (for example it affects units by a programmatic criterion like 'all units'), you do not get the reduction. [355.10.d]

If a spell’s wording does not 'choose' a unit (it selects by criteria or affects all units), it is not considered to choose Irelia - Graceful and she provides no discount [355.10.d]. If an opponent’s card forces a choice and that choice would select Irelia - Graceful, remember her text says "Your spells..." so the reduction only applies to the controller of Irelia - Graceful, not the opponent. If another card (e.g., Irelia - Fervent's [Deflect]) imposes an additional cost to choose her, that additional cost must be paid when the opponent chooses her—Irelia - Graceful does not reduce opponents’ spells. [355.10.d]

What "Your spells that choose me cost :rb_energy_1: or :rb_rune_rainbow: less" means in practice: Graceful is a static effect on the unit that modifies the cost of spells you play that explicitly choose that unit as a target. When you play a spell, you enter the Finalize step where you make all required choices and targeting for that spell and pay costs [337.1] [355.1] [355.5]. A spell that "chooses" a unit is one that requires you to pick a specific object as a target when being played; those choices are required to finalize the spell onto the Chain [355.8]. If you choose Irelia - Graceful as that target during finalization, her text reduces the spell’s cost at that time — apply the reduction (either :rb_energy_1: or one :rb_rune_rainbow:, per the card) before you pay the spell’s costs and finalize it [337.1] [355.1]. Spells that do not choose a specific unit (for example, effects that affect "all units" or pick units programmatically) do not "choose" Irelia - Graceful and therefore do not get the discount [355.10.d]. The card says "Your spells...", so only spells you control get this benefit; opponents choosing your Irelia - Graceful are not helped by this effect (and could be impeded by other text such as Irelia - Fervent's [Deflect] that forces opponents to pay :rb_rune_rainbow: to choose her). [355.10.d]