When a spell played via Fizz, Trickster's ability is countered by Abandon, does the spell go to the hand or get recycled?

Ruling: The spell is recycled. Both Fizz's recycle effect and Abandon's return-to-hand effect are replacement effects that modify what happens when the spell leaves the chain. Regardless of which order the spell's owner applies them, the spell ends up recycled.

Sequence:

  • When Abandon counters the spell, it would normally send the spell to the trash, but Abandon replaces this with returning it to hand
  • Fizz's ability creates a replacement effect that triggers whenever the spell would leave the chain for any reason
  • The spell's owner chooses the order to apply these replacement effects per Rule 372
  • If Fizz applies first: the spell is recycled instead of going to trash, making Abandon's hand-return effect no longer applicable
  • If Abandon applies first: the spell would go to hand, but this still counts as leaving the chain, so Fizz's effect replaces the hand destination with recycling

Nuances:

  • The order chosen does not matter; both paths result in the spell being recycled
  • Fizz's replacement effect applies to any instance of the spell leaving the chain, not just specific destinations
FAQ #11158June 16, 2026Rule 372