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I would like to know if making Spellskite hexproof would render him useless or make him ultra effective at fizzling spells?

I'm thinking about his activated ability: if he was hexproof, would I be able to pay the cost to change the target to him making the spell fizzle or would it mean I cannot use his activated ability?

Either way this would be a useful thing to know to either use to enhance him and take him out of the game with an enchantment.

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  • So would this mean that comboing Spellskite with Ring of Evos Isle (gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/…) would do what I wanted if I controlled Spellskite?
    – ThunderToes
    Commented Jan 18, 2017 at 7:56
  • I think I get what you mean. Change the target to Spellskite, then make Spellskite Hexproof, and finally cause the spell to fizzle. Yup, it works (but only for spells that can target Spellskite). You should be able to work this out, given the answers below. If there's still something you don't understand I suggest please post so that you not only get the easy answer, but a proper explanation as well.
    – Rainbolt
    Commented Jan 20, 2017 at 16:34

3 Answers 3

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You can fizzle a spell, but only once. Here are the two sequences possible:

1. Give Spellskite Hexproof, and then change target to it

Spellskite's ability resolves, and attempts to change the target. It fails because Spellskite is not a valid target. The spell or ability in question continues to target its original choice.

2. Change target to Spellskite, and then give Spellskite Hexproof

First you change the target of a spell (say, Lightning Bolt) to Spellskite, and let Spellskite's ability resolve. Lightning Bolt is now targeting Spellskite, but before it resolves, give Spellskite Hexproof. When Lightning Bolt tries to resolve, it will fail, as its current target is now invalid.

Basically, if you want to do what you're thinking of, you need to change the spell's target to Spellskite, and let the target-changing ability resolve BEFORE giving Spellskite Hexproof to fizzle the spell.

Just to be clear, here's a hard example of the second, more useful case.

Player A controls a Spellskite, and is at 3 life. Player B casts Lightning Bolt targeting Player A. In response, Player A activates Spellskite's ability targeting Lightning Bolt on the stack. Spellskite's ability resolves, so now Lightning Bolt is on the stack targeting Spellskite. Then, Player A casts Blossoming Defense targeting their own Spellskite, which resolves and gives Spellskite Hexproof. Lightning Bolt tries to resolve, and is countered as its target (Spellskite) is no longer valid.

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  • That's what my thoughts were I think it's going to help me out if I ever run into it to enchant it with alpha authority or something similar if my aponent controls him that would essential silence him
    – ThunderToes
    Commented Jan 16, 2017 at 16:01
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This would not be effective

Gatherer has a pretty clear ruling:

You can activate Spellskite’s ability even if Spellskite wouldn’t be a legal target for the spell or ability. However, the target of that spell or ability will remain unchanged.

So you are allowed to pay the costs (it's 'pay 2 life' cost might be handy combined with Transcendence, for instance) but because Spellskite has Hexproof he is an illegal target; Spellskite's ability would resolve - but have no effect - and the original target of the spell would remain targeted.

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  • It's highly effective if the spellskite belongs to your opponent ;)
    – Affe
    Commented Jan 17, 2017 at 18:27
  • People generally use the word "fizzle" to describe a spell or ability that is countered because all of its targets are illegal. That's not exactly what happens here. The target of Spellskite's ability is legal. The ability resolves, and its controller ignores all of the instructions that are impossible to follow. That happens to be all of the instructions, so the outcome in this case is essentially the same as "fizzling", but the distinction is important for abilities that have other effects.
    – Rainbolt
    Commented Jan 20, 2017 at 16:25
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    @Rainbolt reworded.
    – steenbergh
    Commented Jan 20, 2017 at 16:29
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Here's what the Spellskite's ruling says about that :

You can activate Spellskite’s ability even if Spellskite wouldn’t be a legal target for the spell or ability. However, the target of that spell or ability will remain unchanged.

This means you can still activate Spellskite's ability to redirect your opponent's spells and abilities to it, even if it has hexproof, but since it's not a legal target the original target will remain unchanged.

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