Banishing Knack + Sol Ring + Valley Floodcaller

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Overview

With Valley Floodcaller on the battlefield you may cast Sol Ring as though it had flash. When you cast Sol Ring (a noncreature spell) Valley Floodcaller’s triggered ability triggers and untaps any Birds/Frogs/Otters/Rats you control. You can then cast Banishing Knack (an instant) targeting a creature you control (for example Valley Floodcaller). When Banishing Knack resolves it grants that creature an activated ability until end of turn: ": Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand." The creature’s controller (not Banishing Knack’s controller) is the one who may activate that granted ability, per the ruling [2008-08-01]. Whether you can activate the granted ability also depends on the summoning-sickness rule for creatures [302.6].

The StackRules & CitationsDetails & Edge Cases

Step 1

Start with Valley Floodcaller on the battlefield under your control (it must be a Bird/Frog/Otter/Rat to be affected by its own triggered ability).

Step 2

Cast Sol Ring while Valley Floodcaller is on the battlefield; Valley Floodcaller’s 'You may cast noncreature spells as though they had flash' lets you cast Sol Ring at instant speed.

Step 3

When you cast Sol Ring (a noncreature spell), Valley Floodcaller’s triggered ability triggers and will give +1/+1 and untap any Birds/Frogs/Otters/Rats you control when it resolves.

Step 4

Allow the trigger to resolve; Valley Floodcaller (if it’s one of those creature types) becomes untapped by that triggered ability.

Step 5

Resolve Sol Ring and put it onto the battlefield. Sol Ring (an artifact) may be activated even if it just entered (the summoning-sickness restriction in [302.6] applies to creatures only).

Step 6

Cast Banishing Knack (instant) at any time you have priority; target Valley Floodcaller with Banishing Knack.

Step 7

When Banishing Knack resolves, Valley Floodcaller gains until end of turn the activated ability ': Return target nonland permanent to its owner’s hand.'

Step 8

If Valley Floodcaller has been under your control continuously since your most recent turn began (so it isn’t prevented from using tap abilities by [302.6]), you may now activate the granted ability, targeting Sol Ring to return it to its owner's hand. If it hasn’t been under your control since your most recent turn began, you cannot activate that ability due to [302.6].

Step 9

Remember the Banishing Knack ruling: the creature’s controller is the one who may activate the ability [2008-08-01].

Resolution

If Valley Floodcaller (or the creature you targeted with Banishing Knack) has been under your control continuously since your most recent turn began, you can activate the granted ": Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand" to return Sol Ring to its owner's hand after Sol Ring enters the battlefield. If the creature hasn’t been under your control since your most recent turn began (e.g., it just entered or changed controllers), you cannot activate that creature’s ability because of the summoning-sickness rule [302.6]. Also note that Valley Floodcaller’s ability only lets you cast noncreature spells as though they had flash and its ruling clarifies it doesn’t change activation timing restrictions that are worded as “only any time you could cast a sorcery” [2024-07-26].