magic the gathering if a spell has no legal target is it still played

[Ditto]

ifa spell has no legal target is it still played?

[Alterloth]

What cards for example...?

[Arix]

If a spell has no legal target, it can't be played. If someone accidentally plays it thinking there is a legal target, then the game winds back to the last legal state it was in - the spell goes back to their hand and the lands they used to pay for it untap (which technically shouldn't happen, but every other judge I've seen okays it).

[guyarney]

If you play a spell that has X targets, and one of those targets is made untargetable, not legal, or not there to be targeted - the spell fizzles.

Single target example:
You cast Twitch targeting my Mountain Goat. In response, I sacrifice my Mountain Goat to Ashnod's Altar - thereby removing Twitch's target. As a result, Twitch fizzles and you don't draw a card.

Multiple target example:
I cast Early Frost targeting your Library of Alexandria, your Bazaar of Baghdad, and your Crystal Quarry. In response, you tap and sacrifice Crystal Quarry. My Early Frost fizzles because you removed one of the three required targets. Consequently, your Library of Alexandria and Bazaar of Baghdad remain untapped.

Change of state example:
My Opal Acrolith is currently a creature. You cast Terror targeting my Opal Acrolith. In response, I pay 0 to turn my Opal Acrolith from a creature to an enchantment. Since Terror can't destroy or even target enchantments, it fizzles. At least I think that's how this one works. Arix?

[Arix]

You're right on the first and last examples, but not the second. In the Early Frost example, the other two lands will become tapped. A spell only fizzles if all of its targets are made illegal. If it still has at least one legal target, it will resolve and do as much as possible.

[guyarney]

Ohhhh, I thought a spell or ability with multiple targets fizzled if one of the targets was removed.

Do you know if it used to be that way?

[Arix]

As far as I know, it's always been this way.

[Kithas]

I know this is probably terrible thread-ressing but please excuse it

So jsut to clarify form the earlier posts, you cannot cast a spell intentionally wihtout a legal target just to have it fizzle?
ex;
I have a kiln fiend on the field and during the first precombat main phase I play puncturing light, since there are obviously no attacking or blocking creatures there is no legal target and thus I thought it would just fizzle, main point though would kiln fiend get +3/+0?

[Arix]

No. You can't play a spell without being able to choose targets at all. In that case you can't even play Puncturing Light, so your Fiend can't get +3/+0.

[Kithas]

thanks for clearing that up