Rocket Warrior VS. Spirit Reaper

[Complex_Mind]

Here's what happened.

I summon Rocket Warrior, opponent has face-up Spirit Reaper, I attack[br]
Spirit Reaper has been specifically targetted by a monster effect and is destroyed.

Some reason my opponent didn't think this would fly, anyone certain? And if they are, would it work on face-down Spirit Reapers? I doubted it but who knows.

 

[DaGuyWitBluGlasses]

Rocket Warrior does not target. (Since you neither decide which monster to affect, nor whether to activate the card in the first place)

Spirit Reaper would not be destroyed.

 

[Complex_Mind]

Rocket Warrior does not target. (Since you neither decide which monster to affect, nor whether to activate the card in the first place)

Spirit Reaper would not be destroyed.

I don't really understand how Rocket Warrior DOES NOT target. True I choose whether to activate the effect or not, but that's not the problem. The effect designates one monster (Spirit Reaper) to carry out it's effect on. Spirit Reaper is being specifically targetted for Rocket Warrior's effect. I would think that Spirit Reaper would be destroyed. I want a more in depth explanation.

 

[Digital Jedi]

Spirit Reaper would have been targeted for an attack just like normal. Not for Rocket Warrior's effect. The effect that reduces the attack is not a selection process, as targeting effects are. It merely reduces the attack of whatever monster you happened to attack. The fact that the monster happened to be a Spirit Reaper is just happenstance.

 

[DaGuyWitBluGlasses]

I don't really understand how Rocket Warrior DOES NOT target. True I choose whether to activate the effect or not, but that's not the problem. The effect designates one monster (Spirit Reaper) to carry out it's effect on. Spirit Reaper is being specifically targetted for Rocket Warrior's effect. I would think that Spirit Reaper would be destroyed. I want a more in depth explanation.

A targetting effect is a card where you choose the target, in either 2 ways:

-When you pick from a number of possible targets (e.g you activate mystical typhoon and choose among the spells and traps on the field.
-When an effect can only target one monster, if its your choice whether or not to activate the card in the first place its targetting. (Magic Cylinder targets, because you choose either to target the attacking monster, or not activate it at all.)

So a targetting effect always involves a decision on your part.

You attack with Rocket Warrior. This is the same as attacking with any other monster, e.g. Vorse Raider, this is not activating an effect.

So after the battle step and damage calculation, Rocket Warrior's second effect kicks in, and reduces Spirit Reaper's ATK and DEF.
You do make any choice for this event to happen, therefore its not targetting.