If I target Pouty Poro with Falling Star and my opponent Gusts it away before it resolves, do I need to pay the Deflect cost? Can I choose not to pay so Falling Star doesn't deal damage?

Ruling: It depends on when your opponent uses Gust. If they Gust in reaction to Falling Star before it resolves, nothing has been targeted yet and there is no Deflect cost. If Falling Star resolves first, it creates two reflexive triggers that each target a unit. When targeting Pouty Poro with these triggers, you can decline to pay the Deflect cost and let the trigger die before it finalizes on the chain.

Sequence:

• Falling Star is played and goes on the chain
• If opponent Gusts before Falling Star resolves: no targeting has occurred, no Deflect cost
• If Falling Star resolves: it creates two reflexive triggers of "Deal 3 to a unit"
• When targeting a unit with Deflect for each trigger: you can choose to pay the Deflect cost or decline and let that trigger die
• Once you target and pay the Deflect cost, the opponent can respond with Gust, but you cannot change your mind after paying

Nuances:

• Falling Star is unique because it uses reflexive triggers rather than targeting directly when cast
• Triggers specifically have special rules allowing you to decline Deflect costs before finalizing on the chain
• This is different from non-reflexive trigger spells like Hextech Ray, where you must pay Deflect when initially playing the spell
• You can only decline the Deflect cost as you are targeting; once you've targeted and paid, you cannot change your mind