Hidden Blade

If Hidden Blade's kill is prevented or replaced, does the target's controller draw?Copy Anchor Link

If Hidden Blade's target is legal when the spell begins resolving and remains on the board after the kill is prevented or replaced, its controller draws 2; if a replacement causes it to leave the board, no player draws. The phrase "its controller" links the draw to the unit affected by the preceding kill instruction.^[359.3.e.14] If the legal target can't be killed, the kill instruction is negated rather than ignored.^[359.3.e.6] Negating or replacing that kill does not stop the linked draw because the draw instruction does not refer to the kill action.^{[359.3.e.14.b]}

• The unit remains on the board: Hidden Blade can identify its controller, and that player draws 2.^{[359.3.e.12.a]} For example, Zhonya's Hourglass recalls the unit to base, where it remains on the board under its controller.
• The unit leaves the board: Hidden Blade can no longer identify a controller for that card, so no player draws.^[359.3.e.12] For example, a unit previously affected by Smite is banished instead when Hidden Blade would kill it.

If Hidden Blade's target becomes illegal, does that target's controller draw?Copy Anchor Link

No. An illegal target is unaffected by Hidden Blade, so the kill instruction is ignored.^[359.3.e.5] Hidden Blade's draw is linked to its kill instruction because "its controller" refers to the unit affected by that instruction.^[359.3.e.14] When an earlier linked instruction is ignored, its later linked instructions are also ignored, so the controller does not draw.^{[359.3.e.14.a]}