I recently had a debate about the timing of ongoing effects just as Overload Grekings control after kill vs creatures such as bad penny or a creature with biomatrix backup. Does the active player decide if the biomatrix backup works first or not? I'm pretty sure if you do end up controlling the creature it still won't have the upgrade, as nothing suggests this.

Bio matrix backup says “this creature gains destroyed: you may put this creature into its owners archive”

Overlord Grekings says “after a creature is destroyed fighting overlord Greking put it into play under your control”

so we have 2 effects triggering during destruction of the creature. Both occur in the order of the active players choice meaning it would either a) go to the archive loosing its upgrade then go back into play under the controller of Overlord Grekings control.

b) go into play under overlord Grekings control with the upgrade then leave play loosing the upgrade and enter its owners archives.

So it just depends on which order the active player chooses to resolve the effects.

The only exception here would be if Overlord Greking died in a fight that triggered the destroyed effect as being a continuous ability would then cease to have any effect.

I would actually ask the rules email on that one, because they are pretty much at odds.

Overlord Grekings says “after a creature is destroyed fighting overlord Greking put it into play under your control”

this is clear the card says "after" there is no order issue

Bio matrix fires first it happens(does not matter), then overlord fires you now have control of the creature. With out the upgrade.

4 hours ago, ornithologist said:

I would actually ask the rules email on that one, because they are pretty much at odds.

What is the rules email, I looked around and couldn't find it.

51 minutes ago, Troutyo said:

What is the rules email, I looked around and couldn't find it.

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/contact/rules/

You can start here.

"ACTIVE PLAYER
The active player is the player taking the current turn. The active player
makes all necessary decisions for all card abilities or timing conflicts that
need to resolve during their turn ."

This is from the rules pdf, I think the question is if you were fighting the opponents Overlord with your creature and it is destroyed, will the Overlords ability trigger after your creature is archived? Since cards that are archived are considered out of play, I would say that the Overlords ability wouldn't trigger, but that's just my opinion. If the Overlords owner is the one fighting and destroys a creature with Biomatrix Backup then I would say the word MAY on biomatrix would mean you choose not to put the creature in the owner's archive, the biomatrix is put in the owner's graveyard and the destroyed creature is put into play under your control.

Hello Timmy,

This is from the rules pdf, I think the question is if you were fighting the opponents Overlord with your creature and it is destroyed, will the Overlords ability trigger after your creature is archived? Since cards that are archived are considered out of play, I would say that the Overlords ability wouldn't trigger, but that's just my opinion. If the Overlords owner is the one fighting and destroys a creature with Biomatrix Backup then I would say the word MAY on biomatrix would mean you choose not to put the creature in the owner's archive, the biomatrix is put in the owner's graveyard and the destroyed creature is put into play under your control

I agree with your statement except for the part of the controller of the "Overlord" deciding if the "biomatrix" would be activated or not. The contoller of the "Overlord" would have the option of letting the "controller" of the creature that "biomatrix" is attached to decide to use it or not.

Thank you