Spirit Reaper

 Spirit Reaper was the first monster to have the effect of being indestructible in battle.

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This card is shown riding Nightmare Horse in the artwork of Reaper on the Nightmare.

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This monster resembles Death from the later Castlevania games.

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This monster shares many similarities with Skull Servant. In addition to wearing similar robes, they have the same Attribute, Type, ATK and DEF.

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TCG Rulings

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Fake Feather: If the effect of the copied Normal Trap Card targets, you have to select the target for the copied effect when "Fake Feather" resolves. In this case, "Fake Feather" targets the Normal Trap Card, as well as the target for the effect.
(Example: If you activate "Fake Feather" and target "Reinforcements," then target "Spirit Reaper," "Fake Feather" targets both cards, so "Spirit Reaper" is destroyed.)

Reptilianne Servant: If "Spirit Reaper" is Special Summoned by "Call of the Haunted" while "Reptilianne Servant" is face-up on the field, both monsters are destroyed after "Call of the Haunted" resolves{{sic

Viser Des: If you target "Spirit Reaper" with this effect it is immediately destroyed by its own effect. "Viser Des

Judge Program Forum Rulings

{{RulingFlagged">TCGJudgeProgram =
The effect of "Spirit Reaper" that keeps it from being destroyed as a result of battle is a Continuous Effect and does not use the Chain.: Spirit Reaper vs Effects tageting him.: Spirit Reaper Vs. Book of Moon The effect of "Light and Darkness Dragon" will not be able to negate it.: LADD vs Spirit reaper

If "Spirit Reaper" is targeted by "Book of Moon", "Spirit Reaper" will be flipped face-down and will not be destroyed via its own effect. "Spirit Reaper" will destroy itself via its own effect if it is still face-up after the effect that is targeting it resolves.

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OCG Rulings

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On Being Destroyed when Targeted

If "Spirit Reaper" is targeted by an effect, then the effect of "Spirit Reaper" destroys it after the effect finishes resolving and only if "Spirit Reaper" is face-up on the field. Thus, if "Spirit Reaper" is targeted by "Book of Moon", then "Spirit Reaper" is face-down after the effect finishes resolving, so "Spirit Reaper" is not destroyed.: If "Book of Moon" is activated and targeted "Spirit Reaper", then is the "Spirit Reaper" which is flipped face-down destroyed by its effect?

"Reptilianne Servant" or "Spirit Reaper" is destroyed only if it is face-up when it is targeted and face-up after the targeting effect resolves. If a face-down "Reptilianne Servant" or "Spirit Reaper" is targeted by by an effect like "Book of Taiyou", then it is not destroyed, even though it was flipped face-up when the effect resolved.: Is "Reptilianne Servant" destroyed if it is flipped face-up by the effect of a card like "Book of Taiyou"?

Versus Specific Cards

Creature Swap: The effect of "Creature Swap" does not target the monsters that change control. If "Creature Swap" is activated and you select to change control of a face-up "Spirit Reaper", then "Spirit Reaper" is not destroyed.: Is "Spirit Reaper" destroyed if it is exchanged by "Creature Swap"?

Fake Feather: If "Fake Feather" targets a Normal Trap Card that targets, then "Fake Feather" targets both the Normal Trap Card in your opponent's Graveyard and the card that the Normal Trap Card would normally target.: Is "Spirit Reaper" destroyed when it is targeted by the effect of the Normal Trap Card targeted by "Fake Feather"?
Example: "Fake Feather" is activated and targets both "Reinforcements" and "Spirit Reaper". "Spirit Reaper" will destroy itself because it was targeted by "Fake Feather".

Nitro Warrior: If "Spirit Reaper" is targeted by the effect of "Nitro Warrior", it is destroyed immediately after it changes to ATK Mode.: When "Nitro Warrior" is selected as the target of the effect of "Nitro Warrior", at what time is it destroyed?

Nitro Warrior: If the monster targeted by "Nitro Warrior" is destroyed, such as if "Spirit Reaper" is targeted by the effect, then the attack stops. A Replay does not occur.
When you take battle damage from "Spirit Reaper" or "Don Zaloog", you can chain "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness"s effect. He will Special Summon himself, and then you discard a card.: When "Spirit Reaper" inflicts Battle Damage and his effect activates, can you chain "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness"?

On Discarding

Tragoedia: "Tragoedia"s effect activates at the same time that "Spirit Reaper"s effect activates. "Tragoedia"s effect would be activated in chain to "Spirit Reaper"s, so you would Special Summon "Tragoedia" and then discard one card.: When "Spirit Reaper" deals Battle Damage, can "Tragoedia" be chained and Special Summon itself?

Mentions in Other Rulings

Dark World: If "Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World" is discarded during the Damage Step, such as when "Spirit Reaper" or "Brron, Mad King of Dark World" inflict Battle Damage, then you can activate its effect and Special Summon it to the field.: Can "Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World" be Special Summoned if it is discarded by the effect of "Spirit Reaper" during the Damage Step?

Great Poseidon Beetle: "Great Poseidon Beetle" can attack once more only if it selected a monster in Attack Position as an attack target, and that monster was not destroyed by battle.: If a Defense Position monster attacked by "Great Poseidon Beetle" is changed to Attack Position, then can it attack once more?
Example: "Final Attack Orders" is active and the opponent has a "Spirit Reaper" in face-down Defense Position. If "Great Poseidon Beetle" attacks that "Spirit Reaper", then "Great Poseidon Beetle" cannot attack once more, even though "Spirit Reaper" was changed to face-up Attack Position

Previously Official Rulings

On Not Being Destroyed by Battle

While in Defense Position, "Spirit Reaper" will stop all Battle Damage to your Life Points from most monsters, but monsters like "Spear Dragon" and those equipped with "Fairy Meteor Crush" can still inflict Battle Damage to your Life Points with their effects.

If attacked while face-down, "Spirit Reaper" flips face-up and its effect preventing it from being destroyed will be applied during damage calculation, so "Spirit Reaper" will not be destroyed by the attack.

If "Spirit Reaper" is attacked by "Dark Ruler Ha Des", "Spirit Reaper" isn't destroyed during damage calculation, so the effect of "Dark Ruler Ha Des" cannot negate "Spirit Reaper's" effects.

"Spirit Reaper" has a special effect for when it isn't destroyed (as a result of battle), and a special effect for an extra reason to destroy it (when targeted by an effect). But it can still be destroyed by all other normal effects that would destroy a monster: "Cyber Jar", "Raigeki", etc.

"Spirit Reaper" can be destroyed as a result of battle while "Skill Drain" is active.

In Other Rulings

Asura Priest: "Asura Priest" may attack each monster only once. If the opponent controls "Spirit Reaper" you cannot continually attack it.

Diffusion Wave Motion: When a Level 7 Spellcaster-Type monster selected with "Diffusion Wave-Motion" attacks "Spirit ReaperKisetainegated).

On Being Destroyed when Targeted

When "Spirit Reaper" is targeted by an effect, "Spirit Reaper" is destroyed by its own effect AFTER resolving the effect that targeted it. For example, if "Spirit Reaper" attacks and "Magic Cylinder" is activated, designating "Spirit Reaper", first "Magic Cylinder" will resolve, negate the attack, and inflict 300 damage to the controller of "Spirit Reaper". Then, after that, "Spirit Reaper" is destroyed by its effect.

"Spirit Reaper" is destroyed by its own effect after a card that targets it resolves. If a Spell Card targets it, and the activation of that Spell Card is negated (such as with "Magic Jammer"), then "Spirit Reaper" is not destroyed. However, if the effect of the Spell Card was negated, such as if "Imperial Order" is active, then "Spirit Reaper" is destroyed because the Spell Card resolves (even though its effect is negated). Even if "Imperial Order" is already active on the field, you can activate a card such as "Tribute to The Doomed" designating "Spirit Reaper", and "Spirit Reaper" will be destroyed by its own effect.

If "Spirit Reaper" is targeted by an Equip Spell Card, and an effect like "Dust Tornado" is chained to destroy the Equip Spell Card before it resolves, "Spirit Reaper" is still destroyed because the activation of the Equip Spell Card was not negated, even though the effect of the Equip Spell Card is not applied. (If "Magic Jammer" or "Riryoku Field" was used instead, then "Spirit Reaper" would not be destroyed because both of those Trap Cards would negate the Equip Spell Card's activation.)

"Spirit Reaper" is only destroyed by its own effect if it is face-up on the field when the effect designating it as a target activates, AND after the effect designating it as a target resolves.
If you Special Summon "Spirit Reaper" with "Monster Reborn", or flip it face-down with "Book of Moon", or flip it face-up with "Book of Taiyou", it is not destroyed.
If a face-down "Spirit Reaper" is targeted with "Change of Heart", then Flip Summoned, it is not destroyed because it was face-down when "Change of Heart" was activated.
If "Spirit Reaper" is targeted by the effect of "Relinquished", "Spirit Reaper" is an Equip Spell Card after the effect of "Relinquished" resolves, so it is not destroyed.
If "Spirit Reaper" is removed from play with "Dimensionhole" or "Interdimensional Matter Transporter" or "Different Dimension Gate", then it is removed from play so it is not destroyed.
If "Spirit Reaper" is shuffled into the Deck with "Monster Recovery", it's not destroyed.
If "Spirit Reaper" is returned to the hand with "Penguin Soldier", it's not destroyed.

If "Spirit Reaper" is destroyed by its effect during the Damage Step, such as if "Rush Recklessly" was activated to increase its ATK, destroy "Spirit Reaper" with its effect AFTER damage calculation.

"Spirit Reaper" is destroyed if equipped, including with "Heart of Clear Water".

Versus Specific Cards

You cannot activate "Snatch Steal" or "Change of Heart" and target "Spirit Reaper" if you do not have an empty Monster Card Zone. (Even though the "Spirit Reaper" would be destroyed before switching sides).

Examples of cards that will not destroy "Spirit Reaper" because they do not target: "Creature Swap", "Adhesion Trap Hole", "Spear Dragon".

Vs. "Soul Exchange": Since "Soul Exchange" targets, "Spirit Reaper" is destroyed by its own effect before you can Tribute it.: soul exchange; gravekeeper's servant w/ Macro Cosmos/Dimensional Fissure]

If "Spirit Reaper" is Special Summoned with "Premature Burial" or "Call of the Haunted", "Spirit Reaper" is destroyed after it is Special Summoned because it is targeted by an effect.

"Dreamsprite" targets 1 of your own monsters. If "Spirit Reaper" is targeted, it is destroyed after damage calculation.

"Patrician of Darkness" does not target, so "Spirit Reaper" is not destroyed if you use "Patrician of Darkness" to force your opponent to attack it.

If "Spirit Reaper" is targeted by "Riryoku", it is destroyed, but the increase to the other monster's ATK lasts until the end of the turn as normal.

If a Spellcaster affected by "Diffusion Wave-Motion" attacks "Spirit Reaper", it's just a normal attack. "Spirit Reaper" is not being targeted by "Diffusion Wave-Motion".

If "Skill Drain" is active, "Spirit Reaper" can be equipped with Equip Cards, but if "Skill Drain" is later removed from the field "Spirit Reaper" will be destroyed.

In Other Rulings

Dark Deal: If the opponent activates a Normal Spell Card that targets, when you chain "Dark Deal", the card no longer targets. If the Normal Spell Card originally targeted "Spirit Reaper", the "Spirit Reaper" would not be destroyed.

Gravekeeper's Assailant: If "Gravekeeper's Assailant" attacks, and activates its effect to change the battle position of the opponent's "Spirit Reaper", then "Spirit Reaper" is destroyed by its own effect. Then a replay occurs because the potential attack targets on the opponent's side of the field were changed. In this case, "Gravekeeper's Assailant" can attack again, and can activate its effect again.

Last Turn: "Last Turn" does not target. You can select "Spirit Reaper" and it will not be destroyed by its effect.

Neo-Spacian Dark Panther: If you target "Spirit Reaper", the "Spirit Reaper" will be destroyed after "Neo-Spacian Dark Panther's" effect resolves.

Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke: A face-up Defense Position "Spirit Reaper" will be destroyed by the effect of "Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke". "Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke"s effect does not target. So if "Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke" attacks "Spirit Reaper", "Spirit Reaper" is destroyed by "Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke"s effect, not by "Spirit Reaper"s effect.

Staunch Defender: When you select "Spirit Reaper" or "The Reaper on the Nightmare" as the target of "Staunch Defender", resolve the chain, and after the effect of "Staunch Defender" resolves, the selected monster is destroyed. A replay will occur, but the opponent can no longer attack because the selected monster is gone.

On Discarding

Spirit Reaper" only forces your opponent to discard when "Spirit Reaper" attacks directly (such as when your opponent has no monsters on the field), AND when it inflicts at least 1 point of damage to the opponent's Life Points. So if your opponent uses "Kuriboh", "Waboku", or "Tornado Wall" to prevent the damage, "Spirit Reaper" does not force the opponent to discard.

In Other Rulings

Gorz the Emissary of Darkness: If your opponent inflicts battle damage to your Life Points with a monster like "Airknight Parshath" or "Spirit Reaper", you can activate the effect of "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness". The effect of your opponent's "Airknight Parshath" or "Spirit Reaper" will be Chain Link 1 and the effect of your "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness" will be Chain Link 2.

As Examples in Other Rulings

Asura Priest: If your opponent has "Patrician of Darkness" on the field they can choose the same monster as the attack target of "Asura Priest" each time you declare an attack with it. (For example, re-direct all of your "Asura Priest" attacks at "Spirit Reaper" instead.)

Chimeratech Overdragon: "Chimeratech Overdragon" can attack the same monster more than once if the attack target is not destroyed, such as an Attack Position "Spirit Reaper".

Last Turn: The effect that reduces Battle Damage to zero applies only for the special Battle Phase, not for the normal Battle Phase.
Example: A player activates "Last Turn" and selects their Defense Position "Spirit Reaper". The turn player Special Summons "Enraged Battle Ox" and attacks in the special Battle Phase, but no damage occurs. However, during the turn player's normal Battle Phase they can attack again, and will inflict 1500 points of damage due to the effect of "Enraged Battle Ox", so the opponent's Life Points will be zero and the turn player will win.

Regenerating Mummy: "Regenerating Mummy"s effect will activate during the Damage Step because of "Spirit Reaper" or "Don Zaloog".

Judge List Rulings

If you Special Summon "Spirit Reaper" from the Graveyard with "Premature Burial" then, since "Spirit Reaper's" self-destruction effect does not begin a Chain, it will immediately destroy itself before you get a chance to activate something, like "Book of Moon", to save it.: Spirit Reaper

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Mentions in Other Rulings

Gemini Imps: You cannot activate the effect of "Gemini Imps" during the Damage Step. For this reason it is not possible to activate "Gemini Imps" to negate the effect of "Don Zaloog" or "Spirit Reaper" that activate when they inflict Battle Damage to a player's Life Points.The latest print of "Gemini Imps" has Problem-Solving Card Text, which does not specify that it cannot be activated during the Damage Step. Since this card negates activations (which allows cards to be activated during the Damage Step), it can be activated during the Damage Step.

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