Xenograft question

[jhamma66]

I built a goofy deck using Xenograft (Ally) along with Monkey Cages, Genju of the Falls and Chimeric Mass. Shouldn't the use of all 3 of those cards trigger my Halimar Excavator? What I mean to say is shouldn't all 3 cause the same effect of a creature entering the battlefield thus activating the Ally ability of Halimar?

I thought it would be silly fun to mill with Monkey Cages!

[friarsol]

I built a goofy deck using Xenograft (Ally) along with Monkey Cages, Genju of the Falls and Chimeric Mass. Shouldn't the use of all 3 of those cards trigger my Halimar Excavator? What I mean to say is shouldn't all 3 cause the same effect of a creature entering the battlefield thus activating the Ally ability of Halimar?

I thought it would be silly fun to mill with Monkey Cages!

Changing a Permanent's Type (to creature) isn't the same as that Permanent Entering the Battlefield (as a Creature), so no. Activating a Chimeric Mass should not trigger any "When a creature ETB" effects

[ZzzzSleep]

But shouldn't a Xenograft set to Ally mean that whenever a creature enters the battlefield on your side, it triggers the ally special ability?

I tried this with Nimana Sell-Sword, Xenograft and AErathi Berserker. The Sell-Sword didn't trigger when I played the Berserker with Xenograft in play and set to Ally. Is this incorrect, or have I misunderstood how Xenograft works?

[friarsol]

But shouldn't a Xenograft set to Ally mean that whenever a creature enters the battlefield on your side, it triggers the ally special ability?

I tried this with Nimana Sell-Sword, Xenograft and AErathi Berserker. The Sell-Sword didn't trigger when I played the Berserker with Xenograft in play and set to Ally. Is this incorrect, or have I misunderstood how Xenograft works?

That should work. Sounds like a timing issue between Static Abilities and Triggered Abilities.

[jhamma66]

So, a valid issue and I should have expected my silly deck idea to work, right?

[friarsol]

So, a valid issue and I should have expected my silly deck idea to work, right?

Well, my original statement is still true, cards changing permanent types do not count as Entering the Battlefield since they are already on the Battlefield.

[jhamma66]

Ah, OK, so Monkey Cage *should* work then. I'll go back and try it again and see what happens.

[Hellfish]

Sol is right about Genju of the Falls and Chimeric Mass. Monkey Cage should work, yes, and it's a known problem. It has been reported before with Adaptive Automaton + Champion of the Parish , for instance. There may be a fix in the works, assuming nothing else breaks.

EDIT: Looks like nothing else broke, look for a fix in the next nightly/beta.