<p>Depends on how it was cast.</p>

<p>The spell asks you to select 1 target player and 0-1 target creatures:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Target player</strong> creates X 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens, then <strong>up to one target creature</strong> gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each Zombie that player controls.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>If you cast it without targeting a creature, then it has only one target and may be retargeted by Willbender. If you decide to use the creature-removal part of the spell, then it has two targets and is not a valid target for Willbender's ability.</p>

<p>Willbender's abilities does not add or subtract targets, so you cannot target a token-generating Dark Salvation to use it as removal (you can, however, steal the tokens).</p>

<p>Here's a bit of relevant comp rules that <a href="https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/users/8520/micha%C5%82-politowski">Michael Politowski</a> pointed out in the comments (emphasis added):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>114.8c An object that looks for a “[spell or ability] that targets only [something]” <strong>checks the number of different objects or players that became the target of that spell or ability when it was put on the stack</strong> (as modified by effects that changed those targets), not the number of those objects or players that are currently legal targets…</p>
</blockquote>

<hr>

<p>Thus, if you're playing EDH and your opponent has a morph in play, I very much suggest using Dark Salvation to its full effect so you don't get Willbender'd. Because the first rule of EDH is "It's Always a Willbender."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-10T10:34:05.340Z
Obligatory Comprehensive Rules reference: [114.8a](https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Target)
Michał Politowski
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-10T00:05:26.720Z
2017-11-10T19:09:42.003Z
2017-11-10T19:09:42.003Z
Alex P
<p>Can <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bWillbender%5d">Willbender</a> be used when <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bDark%20Salvation%5d">Dark Salvation</a> is cast?</p>

<p>I only ask as it mentions the word target twice.</p>

<magic-the-gathering>
Can Willbender be used when Dark Salvation is cast?
4imble
# Can Willbender be used when Dark Salvation is cast?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-09)

Can [Willbender](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bWillbender%5d) be used when [Dark Salvation](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bDark%20Salvation%5d) is cast?

I only ask as it mentions the word target twice.

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-11-10. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

Depends on how it was cast.

The spell asks you to select 1 target player and 0-1 target creatures:

> **Target player** creates X 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens, then **up to one target creature** gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each Zombie that player controls.

If you cast it without targeting a creature, then it has only one target and may be retargeted by Willbender. If you decide to use the creature-removal part of the spell, then it has two targets and is not a valid target for Willbender's ability.

Willbender's abilities does not add or subtract targets, so you cannot target a token-generating Dark Salvation to use it as removal (you can, however, steal the tokens).

Here's a bit of relevant comp rules that [Michael Politowski](https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/users/8520/micha%C5%82-politowski) pointed out in the comments (emphasis added):

> 114.8c An object that looks for a “[spell or ability] that targets only [something]” **checks the number of different objects or players that became the target of that spell or ability when it was put on the stack** (as modified by effects that changed those targets), not the number of those objects or players that are currently legal targets…

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Thus, if you're playing EDH and your opponent has a morph in play, I very much suggest using Dark Salvation to its full effect so you don't get Willbender'd. Because the first rule of EDH is "It's Always a Willbender."

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Obligatory Comprehensive Rules reference: [114.8a](https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Target)  

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