Keeping track of the stack
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Aug. 1, 2020, 5:12 p.m. by Omniscience_is_life
We all know tracking the stack and even just individual triggers can be a difficult thing in the 4-player format that is EDH, so what do you all do to remember everything/not miss anything? I know a few basic things like putting your Underrealm Lich on top of your library to remember its replacement effect, but are there any more advanced devices you use to stay on top of things?
Omniscience_is_life says... #3
TypicalTimmy I kNOw hOw the STack worKs, but it can be a little confusing when you sacrifice a Filigree Familiar to a Viscera Seer with Teysa Karlov and Ashes of the Abhorrent out, plus your opponent has an It That Betrays and has just Fact or Fiction'd in response for some reason... just wondering if you have any tricks for not forgetting or missing anything, just like Daveslab2022's dice trick (thanks, BTW, I'll keep my cards off my library now as well)
August 1, 2020 5:25 p.m.
DadHumanPraetor says... #4
Personally I just forget my triggers and mention what should have happened later, seems to work
August 1, 2020 6:02 p.m.
Omniscience_is_life says... #5
TypicalTimmy I do apologize if I've caused any harm. My only "excuse" (heavy quotes there, I dislike saying that what I did is fine because of some random external factor) is that I felt as though your answer insinuated that I know nothing of the stack, when I believed I'd made clear I was asking for advice as to how I could keep track of triggers and interactions, rather than just a tutorial of a--although quite complicated-- rather basic part of the game. As to your comment regarding my dissent of your answer when I am the inquisitor: you are correct in theory, but the sort of response I was more looking for is the sort that Daveslab2022 suggested-- little physical reminders of gameplay interactions. Hope that's clear.
Once more, sorry. You are of course entitled to your bitterness, but I hope we can all be civil adults here and talk it through.
August 1, 2020 6:36 p.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #6
Sliding relevant cards ahead is a good idea. So you play an instant, ahead of all your cards then slide a triggered enchantment forward. You opponent(s) do the same to be helpful. If they don't, you can ask 'does anyone have triggers/responses?' Then move from there following the same lines of 'spells above board, slide relevant cards forward'. For things like rebound or copies just have the card face up on your library with a die on it indicating number of copies. It can get tricky some times. I've seen people use short form on paper too.
August 1, 2020 7:20 p.m.
Piling the cards in the center of the table is mostly all you will need to keep track of the stack. For triggers where you do not have a physical card I will use extra token/tip/emblem cards and stick a post-it on them or piece of paper tucked in a empty sleeve for the trigger event and just add it to the pile. Put on it the triggered card name, controlling player and, if you like, what triggered it.
August 1, 2020 7:57 p.m.
What TypicalTimmy said. Just use the cards themselves to mark stack trigger orders. My group will often use placeholder cards to mark some other common stack triggers (such as Mystic Remora triggers). It can be time consuming at first, but once you get used to it then it begins to feel very natural and quick.
August 1, 2020 10:47 p.m.
Omniscience_is_life says... #9
Yes, it has, I truly have no idea why he Fact or Fiction'd to this day lol. (maybe cuz I tapped out???)
And I can totally imagine the insane math that goes into Yarok when he pops off. That's the sort of thing that takes 5 mins just to get a grip on, for me at least ;)
August 2, 2020 9:34 p.m.
practice, practice, practice
one of the biggest secrets to my wins is knowing my decks so well
that i spend the entire game focusing on everyone else
Daveslab2022 says... #2
Just a little note that doesn’t actually matter at all: it’s technically not allowed for you to put cards on your deck, to remember triggers.
Obviously this is only upheld at competitive REL, but it is still good practice, in case you play Courser of Kruphix or an opponent plays Lantern of Insight, Field of Dreams or similar effects. This also keeps the battlefield to a point that everybody knows what’s happening. In a large EDH game, it’s really easy to forget what your opponent has. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “Wait you have THAT?! I totally would’ve targeted it instead!”
I use a die or a coin on top of my deck to remember triggers.
As for the stack: first in, last out. We will literally stack cards in the middle of the table if the stack gets to be complicated. It’s only happened one time- with a 9 person play group. Everybody cast a different spell in response to someone else and it got messy lol. So every time somebody cast a spell, it got put in the middle and the spells targets were moved forward a little to indicate it was the target.
August 1, 2020 5:20 p.m. Edited.