PSA: if your Lazaav is a copy of Nicol Bolas, don't flip him...

Nicol's transform ability is the only transform ability that can be activated in response to effects

The ability is explicitly stated to be sorcery speed.

Also since transforming doesn't remove auras, equipment, or damage, it helps Nicol transform into a Planeswalker without worrying about it coming into play gimped

Auras and equipment would fall off if a card becomes an illegal target. If you have [[arrest]] on your bolas before you flip him, even if he didn't exile, the aura would fall off because he is not a creature and therefore not a legal target for the attachment. Damage is also not marked on walkers in the same way as creatures, so that's irrelevant.

The reason bolas and the other cycle of origin flip walkers exile is so that they are able to enter the battlefield with their loyalty. Creatures have no loyalty counters, so flipping directly into a Planeswalker doesn't allow it to actually enter the battlefield (as it's still the same object, just with a different card type), so it would immediatly die due to having no loyalty.

/r/MagicArena Thread Parent