When casting a spell like Dragon's Rage or Charm, do you need to declare targets and destinations before opponents can counter it?
Ruling: Yes, you must declare the target and destination when you cast the spell, before opponents can counter it with cards like Defy or other counter spells.
Sequence:
- Declare target and destination when casting the spell
- Opponent has opportunity to counter the spell
- If spell resolves, Dragon's Rage creates a reflexive trigger (the "do this:" part) that targets a unit to fight
- The reflexive trigger cannot be countered (only the original spell can be countered)
Nuances:
- Dragon's Rage is unique because it uses a reflexive trigger - you only declare the initial target and destination when casting, not the unit it will fight
- The fight target is chosen when the reflexive trigger is created upon resolution
- Charm works the same way as Dragon's Rage's first part (declare target and destination, can be countered)