Maureen de Garmeaux

I have a question related to a potential combo with " Professor Nathaniel Peaslee, Alien Intelligence".

 

Professor Nathaniel as the following card text :

Action: During the operations phase pay X (which must include at least one [Yog-Sothoth] resource) to choose a non-Ancient One character of X skill or less. The controller of that character gains control of Professor Nathaniel Peaslee and you gain control of that character

 

Now suppose this scenario :

Step 1. I trigger Nathaniel action effect and exchange it for another character of my opponent.

Step 2. I trigger Maureen action effect and copy Nathaniel card and icons.

Step 3. I trigger Maureen new Action (Nathaniel card text).

 

During step 3, if I trigger Nathaniel action from Maureen copied text, what happen?

Copying effects with self-referential text, like Professor Nathaniel Peaslee's, generally doesn't work because the copier does not have that name and often can't fulfil the requirement or selection. That is the case here.

Below is how Peaslee's ability operates. Where it all falls down for Maureen is in step 1B), regarding the final point where Peaslee's effect references himself as well a targeted non-Ancient One character. Because Maureen is not named Professor Nathaniel Peaslee, and as this text is self-referential (and thus does not target the real Peaslee either), the effect fails due to being unable to effect both the named card and targeted card.

1) Action is initiated
- Declare intent to activate Peaslee's ability
A) Determine the cost(s)
- "X ... a non-Ancient One character of X skill or less"
B ) Check play restrictions, including verification and designation of applicable targets or cards to be effected
- "During the operations phase"
- "which must include at least one Yog-Sothoth resource"
- "choose a non-Ancient One character of X skill or less. ... Professor Nathaniel Peaslee and ... that character"
C) Apply any penalties to the cost(s)
- N/A
D) Apply any other active modifiers (including reducers) to the cost(s)
- N/A
E) Pay the cost(s)
- "pay X (which must include at least one Yog-Sothoth resource)"
F) Play the card, or trigger the effect.
- Declare intent to perform Peaslee's ability
2) Disrupts (of action execution)
3) Action is executed
- "The controller of that character gains control of Professor Nathaniel Peaslee and you gain control of that character."
4) Passive abilities are initiated
5) Forced Responses
6) Responses