Aetherling + Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Asked by Sneakatron 5 years ago
I'm a fairly new player, still struggling with the nuances of priority, resolution, the stack, etc. I'm unsure when the abilities of the Eldrazi Titans resolve. For instance, if my opponent casts Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, do I have time to bounce AEtherling before he would be affected by "when you cast Ulamog...destroy target permanent." Thanks for the help!
FancyTuesday says... #2
An important principle here is that before anything on the stack can resolve all players, starting with the first player that receives priority (usually the active player) must pass priority without acting. Unless some effect like split second is preventing you from adding to the stack you always have the opportunity to respond before something on the stack resolves.
However, you don't always have the opportunity to respond to something going on the stack. The active player can "hold" priority since they get it first, and may respond without passing priority to you. You'll still have the opportunity to respond before anything resolves, but it will often be the case that timing removal to get rid of a piece of a combo can be a very tricky thing with the way players can hold priority and pile up effects on the stack.
July 31, 2018 1:22 a.m.
Sneakatron says... #3
Thank you both for the timely and thorough responses. I wasn’t sure if triggered abilities utilized the stack and that’s what was tripping me up. Thanks again!
July 31, 2018 3:47 a.m.
The stack can be tricky. Rule 405.6 mentions things that don't use the stack, but a general rule of thumb is that spells use the stack, as do activated or triggered abilities that aren't mana abilities (as in they produce mana).
The list of things that don't use the stack include effects (the result of spells and abilities resolving, though they may create delayed triggered abilities that will use the stack when they trigger), static abilities (such as an enchantment that says "creatures you control get +1/+1"), mana abilities (even if they have another effect besides producing mana), special actions, turn-based actions (drawing at the beginning of your draw step, phasing in phased-out permanents, etc.), state-based actions, conceding, and objects leaving or changing control when a player leaves a multiplayer game.
Tyrant-Thanatos says... Accepted answer #1
Short answer: yes. If AEtherling was targeted by Ulamog's "destroy target permanent" ability, you can flicker it to dodge it.
Long answer: When a player casts Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, or any other card with a "when you cast this" triggered ability, such as Desolation Twin, Demigod of Revenge, etc, the ability goes onto the stack above the cast card. So the stack will look like so:
Ulamog's Triggered Ability
Ulamog itself
Before either of these things resolve, there is a round of priority. With Ulamog's trigger on the stack targeting AEtherling, you can flicker it when you have priority, and it will be exiled until the end of turn, no longer the target of Ulamog's triggered ability.
July 31, 2018 12:56 a.m. Edited.