Can I respond to a spell by playing a land?
Asked by TheSocialistCactus 7 years ago
This situation happened to me not too long ago. I was playing my friend (who was playing a RDW burn deck) with my Infect deck (G/W). During my turn, specifically my first main phase, my opponent bolts my Glistener Elf. I attempted to respond by playing Sejiri Steppe. He states that I cannot respond to an instant on my main phase with a land play. Is this true? Also, would the same apply if I first play Might of Old Krosa ?
TheSocialistCactus says... #2
So therefore I cannot respond to his bolt by playing a land, but in the same sense, he cannot bolt my creature when I target it with Steppe. Awesome.
September 19, 2016 11:43 p.m.
No he can still bolt in response. When you play Sejiri Steppe, it has a triggered ability. If you play the Steppe and target your Glistener Elf, your opponent can respond to the ability by targeting the Elf with a Lightning Bolt, killing it and causing the Steppe's ability to resolve and do nothing.
acbooster says... Accepted answer #1
You can only play a land at Sorcery speed.
305.1. A player who has priority may play a land card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a land is a special action; it doesnt use the stack (see rule 115). Rather, the player simply puts the land onto the battlefield. Since the land doesnt go on the stack, it is never a spell, and players cant respond to it with instants or activated abilities.
September 19, 2016 10:24 p.m.