if I set an effect on a character (such as "participate on the next challenge or be discarted") and AFTER that but BEFORE the effect trigger (that is before a challenge is iniciated in this case), the character gains inmunity to such effects, I assume the effect is NOT active and will not trigger?

LFenix said:

In such situations, the character has to gain the correct immunity before the initiation it is trying to avoid. So let's look at the specific example you are alluding to here. I'm assuming your example is the Rhoynar Emissary - a character with the effect "Challenges: Kneel Rhoynar Emissary to choose a character. If that character is not declared as a participant in the next challenge this phase for which it is eligible, discard it from play."

When you trigger that effect, choosing the target character, the immediate effect is to put a lasting effect/condition on the target character. At that point, the Emissary is no longer a consideration. The Emissary could be killed, blanked, returned to hand, etc. before the "next challenge this phase for which it (the target character) is eligible" happens. This should indicate to you that the lasting effect/condition has nothing to do with the character at the point that failure to meet it would discard the target character. You need to recognize that in the Emissary example, there are two different points of initiation involved: the first when the character ability is initiated (and the target chosen), and the second when the lasting effect is initiated (and the target discarded).

With two different points of initiation, there are indeed two different times to consider immunity - but what type of immunity matters? Well, for the first point of initation (Emissary chooses the target), it is indeed a character ability that is initiated (triggered, in fact), so a character that is "immune to character abilities" when the Emissary is triggered would not be a legal target and would never have the "discard if it doesn't participate" lasting effect placed on it in the first place. However , for the second point of initiation (lasting effect discards the character), we have already determined that the character has nothing to do with it. If you are "immune to character abilities" at that point it just wouldn't matter . That' s because it is the lasting effect, not a character ability, that is initiating.

Now, you could gain "immune from lasting effects" (which doesn't exist) or "immune from card effects" (which does) after the Emissary is triggered, but before the lasting effect is triggered, and THAT would protect you. So it is possible to gain immunity in this kind of "double initiation" sitation, but you have to make sure you gain the right kind of immunity - and "immune to character abilities" ain't it.

ktom said:

C'mon, man! I can get behind the logic, but it's just so counterintuitive. You just keep making it more confusing for the new players I try to explain this stuff to! (Well… all… 0 of them… I guess it doesn't matter… D: )

Thanks a lot. After reading it, it sounds logical. But only AFTER xD. So many small details that make huge differences…

Wow, that was a great explanation to a rather complicated concept.

Thanks a lot for clearing that up, since it will probably come up in one of our games, too.