Card Rulings:Butterfly Dagger - Elma

"Butterfly Dagger - Elma":

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OCG Rulings

• You cannot activate the effect which returns this card to the hand if this card is destroyed during the Damage Step.

Previously Official Rulings

• Missing the timing: Because the effect of "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" is an optional "when… you can" Trigger Effect, "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" being sent to the Graveyard has to be the very last thing that happened in order for you to activate its effect. So, if it is destroyed in the middle of a chain, you cannot return it to your hand.
  • Example:If the turn player activates "Pot of Greed", and the opponent chains "Mystical Space Typhoon" to destroy "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" during the chain, it cannot return to the owner's hand.

• If the monster that "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" is equipped to is destroyed as a result of battle, or by a card effect like "Sakuretsu Armor" or "Fissure", then "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" cannot return to your hand because it is no longer equipped to a monster. However, if the monster and the "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" are destroyed simultaneously by a card like "Final Destiny", then you can return it to your hand.

• While "Imperial Order" is active, if "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, it can return to your hand.

• When you activate "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" and your opponent chains "Mystical Space Typhoon", it cannot return to your hand.

• When "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" is "sent to the Graveyard" without being "destroyed", such as with "Woodland Sprite", it cannot return to your hand.

• If "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" is negated and destroyed by "Ryu Senshi" or "Freed the Matchless General", it cannot return to your hand.

• While "Morale Boost" is active, if you equip "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" to "Gearfried the Iron Knight":
  • 1) Increase your Life Points for "Morale Boost".
  • 2) Destroy "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" with "Gearfried the Iron Knight"'s effect.
  • 3) Inflict damage for "Morale Boost" when "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" is sent to the Graveyard.
  • 4) The owner of "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" can return it to his/her hand.

• If "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" is destroyed during the Damage Step, such as by the effect of "Cliff the Trap Remover", you cannot activate the effect that returns "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" to the hand.

Mentions in Other Rulings

See also Card Rulings:Guardian as almost all of their Rulings mention "Butterfly Dagger - Elma".

• A Hero Emerges: When "Guardian Elma" is selected for "A Hero Emerges", and you have "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" on your side of the field, you can Special Summon her, but if you don't have it, then she is sent to the Graveyard.

• Pole Position: EXAMPLE #6
  The opponent has "Blade Knight" (1600 ATK) equipped with "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" (+300 ATK; 1900 ATK total) and 2 cards in hand, along with "Marauding Captain" (1200 ATK). The turn player has "Robbin' Goblin", "Pole Position", and "Giant Orc" (2200 ATK). The turn player attacks "Marauding Captain" with "Giant Orc", inflicting 1000 points of damage. The opponent has to discard a card because of "Robbin' Goblin" and an infinite loop is created because "Blade Knight" now fluctuates between 2300 and 2000 ATK (either above or below "Giant Orc", making it the strongest monster on the field... or not). Therefore, "Pole Position" is destroyed.

• Woodland Sprite: An Equip Spell Card sent to the Graveyard by this card's effect is not "destroyed". So the effects of "Butterfly Dagger - Elma"...cannot or will not be activated.