How does Resonating Strike work when?

Question

Accepted Answer

When you play Resonating Strike you choose (as part of finalizing the spell) a battlefield you control and a unit you control that is at a different location. Those choices become the spell’s targets. When the spell resolves it will move that chosen unit to the chosen battlefield and give that unit +2 Might until end of turn. Targets are chosen during finalization and the spell resolves top-to-bottom; the game remembers chosen targets even if they cease to meet targeting restrictions while the spell is on the chain as long as they remain on the board. [355] [157] [FAQ:unleashed#22]

Play and finalization: When you play Resonating Strike (legal as a Reaction on your turn or in a Showdown), you make the choices required by the card: pick a battlefield you control and pick a unit you control at a different location. Those choices are made when the spell is finalized and become the spell’s targets. [347] [355] Resolution: When the spell resolves, execute its text in order: move the chosen unit to the chosen battlefield, then give that unit +2 Might this turn. If a chosen target leaves the board (non-board zone) before resolution, the spell cannot affect that object because it is no longer the same game object; if a chosen target remains on the board but has become illegal, the spell still remembers and will attempt to affect it. [355] [157] [FAQ:unleashed#22]

You play Resonating Strike (legal as a Reaction on your turn or in a Showdown). During finalization you must make the choices required by the card: choose a battlefield you control and choose a unit you control that is at a different location. These choices are made as part of putting the spell on the chain. [347] [355] Those chosen Game Objects become the spell’s targets (the card Chooses specific game objects, so it is Targeted). Valid choices must be made for the targets when the spell is finalized. [355] [355.8] The chain proceeds normally. While Resonating Strike is on the chain, players may react per normal timing rules until the chain reaches resolution. [157.3] When Resonating Strike resolves, execute its text top-to-bottom: move the chosen unit to the chosen battlefield (the Move instruction), then give that unit +2 Might for the turn. Finish resolving the spell before addressing any newly-created chain items or outstanding tasks. [157] [355.4.a] If the chosen unit is no longer on the board (moved to a non-board zone) before resolution, the spell cannot affect that object because it is no longer the same game object. If the chosen unit remains on the board but has become illegal under the original targeting restriction, the spell still remembers and will attempt to affect it. If the chosen battlefield is still the same battlefield object but you no longer control it, the spell will still move the unit to that battlefield because the chosen battlefield is the same game object. [FAQ:unleashed#22] [355.9]

If the chosen unit is killed or otherwise moved to a non-board zone before Resonating Strike resolves, the spell cannot move or buff that object because it is no longer the same game object. See [FAQ:unleashed#22]. If the chosen unit is moved to the chosen battlefield after you finalize the spell but before resolution (so the unit is already at that battlefield at resolution), there is no longer any meaningful positional change to perform. The most defensible interpretation given the provided rules is that the Move simply results in no positional change and the +2 Might still applies (the rules provided do not explicitly state otherwise). This is an assumption called out above. [355.4.a] [157] If the chosen battlefield ceases to be controlled by you after finalization but remains the same battlefield object, the spell still targets that battlefield and will attempt to move your unit there on resolution (targets persist while on the board). [FAQ:unleashed#22] If a game effect makes the chosen battlefield not a legal place for the unit to be present at resolution, the provided Core Rules excerpt does not explicitly specify whether the Move fails or still attempts to place the unit there; the ruling above assumes the spell attempts the Move to the chosen battlefield (see assumptions). [355.4.a] [FAQ:unleashed#22]

Detailed interaction and timing: Resonating Strike is a Spell that reads (in part) “Choose a battlefield you control and a unit you control at a different location. Move that unit to that battlefield and give it +2 Might this turn.” When you play it (as a Reaction on your turn or in a Showdown), you must make the choices required by the spell during finalization: choose the battlefield and choose the unit. Those choices are made before the spell is placed on the chain and they are the spell’s targets because the card Chooses specific Game Objects to affect. [347] [355] [355.8]

The chain then proceeds. When Resonating Strike resolves, spells resolve top-to-bottom, so you perform the Move first and then apply the +2 Might to that chosen unit for the turn. While the spell is resolving, no other items can be finalized or resolved until it finishes. [157] [157.1] [157.3]

Target persistence and common cases: The game creates a targeting relationship when you finalize the spell. Per the official clarification in [FAQ:unleashed#22], a target that remains on the board is still the same game object even if it later stops satisfying the original targeting restriction, and the spell will still remember and attempt to affect that object. The only exception is if the target changes to a non-board zone (for example, is moved to trash or hand); in that case it is no longer the same game object and the targeting relationship is severed, so the spell cannot affect it. [FAQ:unleashed#22]

Practical examples and notes:
- If you pick Battlefield A (you control it) and Unit X (at your base) when you finalize Resonating Strike, and an opponent later takes control of Battlefield A before the spell resolves, the spell still targets Battlefield A (the same battlefield object) and will attempt to move Unit X there on resolution. [FAQ:unleashed#22]
- If Unit X is killed and sent to a non-board zone before resolution, the spell won’t be able to move or buff it because it is no longer the same game object. [FAQ:unleashed#22]
- If Unit X is moved to Battlefield A between finalization and resolution so it is already at the chosen destination at resolution, the Move instruction has no positional effect but the +2 Might will still be applied (the Core Rules excerpt doesn’t include an explicit contrary rule, see assumptions). [355.4.a] [157]

If you want a ruling for a specific interaction (for example, “what if an effect prevents units from entering that battlefield?” or “what if the unit is recalled to base as a response?”), give the exact sequence and I will apply the same steps above to that precise situation and point to the exact rules used.