Ambush vs Shalmath

Smudge rushes shalmath, currently tapped, with Ambush. Shalmath uses his untap special to untap. The action fails due to no valid target, correct?

Blooded wrote:

Smudge rushes shalmath, currently tapped, with Ambush. Shalmath uses his untap special to untap. The action fails due to no valid target, correct?

I would say correct. The action fizzles due to no legal target.

here is the official ruling
tinyurl.com/AmbushUntap

cordovader wrote:

Blooded wrote:

Smudge rushes shalmath, currently tapped, with Ambush. Shalmath uses his untap special to untap. The action fails due to no valid target, correct?

I would say correct. The action fizzles due to no legal target.

You're both slightly wrong.

The action is successful - that is, it reached resolution without being blocked. Then it fizzles due to the target no longer being valid. I wrote this up over here: www.vekn.net/forum/6-rules-questions/54171-losing-blood-during-an-action#54175 It has one exciting consequence - you can still play cards and effects that rely on an action being successful.

[LSJ 20090129]

LSJ wrote:

So, back to the example bleed above, yeah, the action would fizzle, but
(assuming it reaches resolution unblocked) it is still successful (by definition
of "successful action", namely: resolves unblocked).

So you could still play Freak Drive at normal Fortitude to untap after a
successful action that fizzles at resolution.