When do you select the runes to ready for Targon's Peak, and does it create a chain?

Question

Accepted Answer

Assuming Targon's Peak has a triggered ability like “At the start of your Beginning Phase, ready up to X runes,” you choose which runes to ready during the triggered ability’s finalization (when the ability is being put on the chain), and that choice becomes part of the single chain item. Yes — the trigger creates a pending chain item (a single chain entry that says “Ready [those runes]”) rather than separate chain items for each rune.

When the start-of-Beginning-Phase trigger fires, the ability becomes a pending chain item. During finalization you select the runes to be readied (and any other choices/costs are made). The chosen runes are recorded on that chain item; when that item resolves it readies those runes. Readying those runes is a single effect resolving from that chain item. [315] [FAQ:unleashed#2] [415]

At the start of your Beginning Phase the trigger condition for Targon's Peak becomes true; the game recognizes the trigger as occurring. [315] The triggered ability is considered for placement on the chain. If there is a conditional or a “you may” placed where the template expects one, that affects whether the player chooses to place the ability on the chain. [FAQ:unleashed#1] When the controller places the triggered ability on the chain, the ability moves to finalization. During finalization the controller makes choices (how many and which runes to ready) and pays any costs. The choices and targets are locked in as part of that chain item. [FAQ:unleashed#2] The ability is now a single pending chain item whose text is effectively “Ready [the chosen runes].” That single item will resolve in its place on the chain later. [FAQ:unleashed#2] When that chain item resolves it readies the selected runes. If a chosen rune is already Ready, nothing additional happens for that rune. Readying is a Limited Action. [415]

If the templating of Targon's Peak places a “you may” (or a cost) in an unusual location, the decision of whether to place the trigger on the chain or when to pay the cost may move to resolution instead. In that case the selection timing could change; see [FAQ:unleashed#3] for how differently placed words become part of effects rather than the condition. If, between finalization and resolution, one or more chosen runes leave the board or become illegal targets, the chain item resolves and will ready whatever of the chosen runes remain legal. If none remain legal, the resolved effect does nothing for those runes. (This follows from the fact that choices are locked at finalization and the resolution simply performs the instructed Ready action; see [FAQ:unleashed#2] and [415].) If the ability’s wording is actually a continuous start-of-phase effect instead of a triggered ability (unlikely but possible depending on templating), it might not create a chain item. My ruling above assumes normal triggered-ability templating. [315] [FAQ:unleashed#1]

Short answer: you pick the runes when the triggered ability is finalized (when you put the trigger on the chain), and that produces a single chain item that will ready the chosen runes when it resolves. At the start of the Beginning Phase, game effects that trigger at that time are recognized by the game [315]. Under the triggered-ability structure, the ability splits into its trigger/condition portion and its effect portion; choices and targets for the effect are made during the finalization step when the ability is placed on the chain, not later during resolution [FAQ:unleashed#1] [FAQ:unleashed#2]. The FAQ example explicitly states that once you choose targets during finalization the chain item becomes a single item that just says e.g. “Ready a unit,” and that unit is the one chosen during finalization [FAQ:unleashed#2]. Applying that to Targon's Peak: when its start-of-Beginning-Phase trigger occurs you (or the controller) will choose which runes (up to the permitted number) to ready as part of finalization — those choices are encoded into the single chain item — and when that chain item resolves it readies those runes. Readying is a Limited Action and attempting to ready an already-Ready object does nothing extra [415]. If the templating of Targon's Peak differs (for example a misplaced “you may” or an in-effect cost), that can change whether the choice is made on finalization or during resolution; see the triggered-ability templating guidance in [FAQ:unleashed#1] and [FAQ:unleashed#3] for how wording placement affects timing.