Forum:Battleguard Howling vs Spellbook of Wisdom

If Player A activates Battleguard Howling against Player Bs spellcaster and Player B chains Spellbook of Wisdom to it (selecting the trap effect of course), does the opponent still take the damage to the monsters original attack?

I understand the part that it might not return the monster back to the hand, however, I am not sure about the burn damage. The way I understand it is, Battleguard Howling is not affecting the monster other than returning it to the hand and the burn damage is affecting the player's life points instead.

Thank you. Roxasora13 (talk • contribs) 07:55, September 10, 2014 (UTC)

The damage is still inflicted.--Lê (talk • contribs) 08:49, September 10, 2014 (UTC)

To expand on Lê's answer slightly, If we look at the wording of "Battleguard Howling", we find this as the effect: inflict damage to your opponent equal to the original ATK of the face-up monster you targeted with this card, and if you do, return it to the hand.. Do you see the part where it says "and if you do"? That part details the order and requirements for the different parts of the effect. If you compare the connective term to the table on Problem-Solving_Card_Text#Action_structure, you will see that "and if you do" is a "Simultaneously, A required effect". More specifically, that the first effect is required for the second effect but not viceversa. Because the damage occurs, and if you do, the bouncing of the monster, the damage will still happen if you cannot bounce the monster. If, instead, the opponent used a card that prevented the damage, then neither of the effects would occur. Does that make sense, Roxasora13? --LordGeovanni- (Talk To Me) *Kupo* 16:03, September 11, 2014 (UTC)