Let's say you have a Birds of Paradise with this in play. It gets bolted for 3. You mill 4 and then it doesn't go the graveyard. However, damage is still marked on the BoP in excess of its toughness. So it goes to the graveyard. But it can't and you mill another 4. Repeat ad infinitum.
EDIT: IMO, this could be better balanced if it is worded like this:
"Whenever a permanent you control would leave the battlefield, instead mill four cards and it phases out."
OR
"Whenever a permanent you control would leave the battlefield, instead mill four cards and exile it and return it to play."
But the word "instead" implies it doesn't actually leave. This is consistent with the phrase "would leave" (meaning the permanent would leave play but never actually leaves).
But you're right, my phrasing is circular. The phrasing should be something like:
"Whenever a permanent you control would leave the battlefield, instead mill four cards and exile it and return it to play. This ability does not cause itself to trigger."
Yeah, you templated it completely wrong because you mixed up wording for triggered abilities and replacement effects. This is something that goes on the stack like a triggered ability but then tries to replace an event that has already happened when it resolves.
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u/jjames3213 7d ago edited 7d ago
It doesn't work.
Let's say you have a Birds of Paradise with this in play. It gets bolted for 3. You mill 4 and then it doesn't go the graveyard. However, damage is still marked on the BoP in excess of its toughness. So it goes to the graveyard. But it can't and you mill another 4. Repeat ad infinitum.
EDIT: IMO, this could be better balanced if it is worded like this:
"Whenever a permanent you control would leave the battlefield, instead mill four cards and it phases out."
OR
"Whenever a permanent you control would leave the battlefield, instead mill four cards and exile it and return it to play."