Strionic Resonator + Ultron, Artificial Malevolence

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Overview

When another nontoken artifact enters and Ultron’s triggered ability is on the stack, activating Strionic Resonator targeting that triggered ability creates a second instance (a copy) of that triggered ability on the stack; each instance resolves separately and each gives you the option to pay to create a token that’s a copy of the entering artifact. Strionic copies a triggered ability on the stack; it doesn’t grant abilities to permanents [2018-03-16]. The tokens created copy the artifact’s copiable values when the token is created [706.3].

The StackRules & CitationsDetails & Edge Cases

Step 1

Another nontoken artifact enters the battlefield under your control, causing Ultron’s triggered ability to trigger and be put on the stack (the ability refers to that specific artifact as “it”).

Step 2

You activate Strionic Resonator targeting Ultron’s triggered ability that is on the stack and pay and tap the Resonator; Strionic’s ability resolves and creates a copy of that triggered ability on the stack, as described in the card text and confirmed by [2018-03-16].

Step 3

You now have two separate triggered-ability objects on the stack: the original Ultron trigger and the copy created by Strionic; because Ultron’s trigger doesn’t target, Strionic’s "you may choose new targets for the copy" is not applicable in this case (there are no targets to change) [706.2].

Step 4

When each resolving instance of the triggered ability resolves, you may pay for that instance; if you pay, the ability creates a token that’s a copy of the artifact that caused the trigger. Each instance’s payment and token creation are handled separately, so you can pay for none, one, or both instances.

Step 5

Each token created is a copy of the referenced artifact and thus gets that artifact’s copiable values at the time the token is created; treat the token as entering the battlefield as a copy and apply copy rules accordingly [706.3] and [706.5].

Step 6

If the token created by an instance is not a creature, it becomes a 2/2 Robot Villain creature in addition to its other types as part of that effect (this is part of Ultron’s ability text and is applied when the token is created).

Resolution

Copying Ultron’s triggered ability with Strionic Resonator creates an additional triggered-ability object on the stack that does the same thing as the original: when each resolving instance resolves you may pay for that instance and, if you do, create a token that’s a copy of the artifact that caused the trigger. Strionic simply copies the triggered ability on the stack and does not put any new abilities on any object [2018-03-16]. The token(s) are created as copies of the referenced artifact using that artifact’s copiable values at the time the token is created [706.3].