When Irelia Fervent is chosen by a spell and then readied by Blade Dancer Irelia's ability, does she gain +1 or +2 Might total? Does Blade Dancer Irelia target?

Question

Accepted Answer

Irelia - Fervent will get +2 Might total in the described sequence. Irelia - Blade Dancer’s ability does choose the unit (i.e. it establishes a chosen/target relationship during finalization).

Irelia - Fervent's ability reads “When you choose or ready me, give me +1 [M] this turn.” The act of being chosen and the later act of being readied are two separate events, so both trigger separately and each gives +1 [M], for a total of +2 [M]. The readying by Irelia - Blade Dancer is performed by its triggered ability and that ability chooses the unit during finalization, so it does choose/target the unit. See rules and FAQ citations below for the triggered-ability finalization behavior, Ready action, and Deflect interaction.

You choose Irelia - Fervent with a spell or ability; that choice places Irelia - Fervent’s "When you choose me" trigger on the chain and also places the "When you choose a friendly unit" trigger from Irelia - Blade Dancer on the chain (assuming the chooser is the controller of those abilities) [FAQ:unleashed#2]. When the "When you choose me" trigger resolves, it gives Irelia - Fervent +1 [M] for the turn (this is one distinct event) [710]. During finalization of Irelia - Blade Dancer's triggered ability, its controller may exhaust Irelia - Blade Dancer and pay the rainbow cost to finalize the effect that reads "Ready a unit," with the unit chosen during finalization [FAQ:unleashed#2]. When the resolved effect readies Irelia - Fervent, that is a separate "ready" event and will cause Irelia - Fervent’s "When you ... ready me" trigger to also go on the chain and resolve, granting another +1 [M] for the turn, for a total of +2 [M] that turn [415] [710]. Because these are two distinct triggers caused by two distinct events (being chosen and later being readied), both buffs apply and stack while active [710].

If the initial "choose" was done by an opponent (i.e., not "you"), Irelia - Fervent's "When you choose me" will not trigger, so you would not get the first +1 [M]. If some replacement effect or event prevents the ready instruction from actually being placed as a finalized instruction (for example, if legality checks fail during finalization so the controller cannot pay the cost or choose a legal target), then the second "ready me" event may not occur and the second +1 [M] would not be gained [FAQ:unleashed#2]. If the ready instruction targets a unit that is already Ready, the Ready instruction itself is still the instruction being executed but per rule [415.1.c] nothing additional happens; whether that counts as a distinct "ready" event for the purpose of triggering "When you ... ready me" is a corner case. The most defensible interpretation given the provided texts is that the readying instruction resolves (but has no state-change), and thus the "when you ready me" trigger still sees the ready instruction occur; if a tournament-level ruling is needed, this should be clarified with the head judge. If Deflect or other costs are relevant: remember Deflect imposes a Mandatory Additional Cost on spells/abilities that choose the permanent [809]. That matters if an opponent's ability would be the one trying to choose Irelia - Fervent.

Short answer: Irelia - Fervent gets +2 [M] because she experiences two separate events—being chosen and later being readied—each of which triggers her ability and grants +1 [M].

Why this is two separate buffs

Irelia - Fervent’s printed ability is "When you choose or ready me, give me +1 [M] this turn." The wording names two distinct trigger conditions: one for when you choose her, and one for when you ready her. If both events occur at different times, each is a separate trigger that can go on the chain and resolve separately. When each resolves it applies its +1 [M] effect; those effects stack while active and are reflected in the unit’s current Might as effects resolve [710].

How Irelia - Blade Dancer’s ability works and whether it "targets/chooses"

Irelia - Blade Dancer reads "When you choose a friendly unit, you may exhaust me and pay :rb_rune_rainbow: to ready it." Per the triggered-ability finalization guidance, that sort of ability is split conceptually into the condition (the moment you choose a friendly unit) and the later effect that becomes a finalized chain item if you pay its costs and choose a legal unit during finalization. The FAQ explains that the second section becomes a finalized chain item and that the finalized item will say just "Ready a unit," where the unit was chosen during finalization [FAQ:unleashed#2]. That means the ability does choose (i.e., establishes the chosen/target relationship to) the unit as part of finalization; therefore it is correct to say Irelia - Blade Dancer's triggered ability does choose/target the unit.

Sequence in practice

If you choose Irelia - Fervent with your spell/ability, both the "When you choose me" trigger from Irelia - Fervent and the "When you choose a friendly unit" trigger from Irelia - Blade Dancer will be created. When the "When you choose me" trigger resolves it grants +1 [M]. Later, if you finalize and pay Irelia - Blade Dancer's cost and it readies Irelia - Fervent, that ready is a separate event that will cause Irelia - Fervent’s "When you ... ready me" trigger to resolve and grant another +1 [M]. Both buffs exist concurrently for the turn and so add together in the unit’s current Might while they are active [710] [415] [FAQ:unleashed#2].

Notes and caution

If the initial "choose" was done by an opponent (not "you"), Irelia - Fervent's "When you choose me" won't trigger. If costs, legality, or replacement effects prevent the ready instruction from finalizing, then the "ready me" event may not happen and you won't get that second +1 [FAQ:unleashed#2]. Also remember Deflect imposes extra Power costs on spells/abilities that choose a permanent [809], which matters if an opponent is doing the choosing.

Conclusion: Unless one of the edge cases above applies, the unit gains +1 [M] when chosen and then another +1 [M] when readied by Irelia - Blade Dancer, for a total of +2 [M] that turn; and yes, Irelia - Blade Dancer’s triggered ability does choose the unit during finalization (i.e., it establishes a chosen/target relationship) [710] [415] [FAQ:unleashed#2] (and be mindful of Deflect [809] if opponents are choosing your unit).