If I challenge a non-mighty Fiora, and the opponent then plays a card giving her +3 (making her mighty), do I need to pay the deflect cost?
Ruling: No, you do not need to pay the deflect cost. Fiora was already targeted when the challenge was declared.
Sequence:
- Challenge is declared targeting Fiora (who is not mighty at this time)
- Opponent plays a card giving Fiora +3, making her mighty
- The challenge proceeds without requiring deflect payment
Nuances:
- Deflect cost is only paid when you would put the spell on the chain, not when stats change after targeting