Does Whirlwind trigger deflect, and if so, who pays the deflect cost?
Ruling: Whirlwind does not trigger deflect because it does not target. Deflect is a passive ability that levies an additional cost only for spells or abilities that target the permanent with deflect.
Nuances:
- Deflect is not a trigger; it's a passive ability that adds a cost requirement
- The devs are aware that Whirlwind's interaction isn't fully accounted for in the CRD
- Based on both RAW (rules as written) and RAI (rules as intended), Whirlwind wouldn't require deflect to be paid