Dismember question regarding stack/resolves
Asked by herrickk 5 years ago
This is regarding the basic rules of magic and Dismember.
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Which creatures can I play it on? Any creature on the field or only attacking? I know it doesn't specify attacking creature so I'm assuming it can be played on any creature on the field.
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When would I play it? Let's say he casts a 4/4 creature. Would I play it immediately after he summons it or wait till its summoned and the stack is empty. Then cast it?
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When would it resolve to put the creature in the graveyard? After I cast Dismember and he doesn't respond or after battle or at the cleanup step?
I'm still trying to grasp the stack and player priority. Thanks for your patience.
Ok so for question 2. Once he summons the creature I want to kill I have to wait for him to either summon another creature or play a sorcery, or wait till the combat phase where whether he chooses to attack or not i still get a chance to respond and can cast Dismember. Correct?
September 18, 2018 6:15 p.m.
Unless your opponent has some way to give his creatures flash (or cast them as if they had it), he'll be summoning creatures on his turn. That means in order for you to cast your spell, he has to pass priority to you.
He casts the creature you want to kill. You let it resolve, because Dismember can't affect it while it's on the stack because it's not a creature (permanent) yet, just a creature spell. Your opponent has priority at that point, so either he will pass it to you to move onto the next step or phase (in this case either combat or end of turn, depending on which main phase he cast the creature during), or he will cast another spell, and will have to pass priority to you in order for that spell to resolve. Either point is when you want to cast your Dismember.
September 18, 2018 7:44 p.m.
You do get to Dismember when he goes to attack, before declaring which creatures actually attack, thus denying attack triggers. It's assumed you do it in the start of combat step, unless there are relevant triggers like Goblin Rabblemaster, in which case it's assumed to be mainphase.
On point 3, Dismember is in your graveyard before checking if it killed it's target, which can be relevant for Tarmogoyf.
September 19, 2018 12:50 a.m.
Thanks everyone. This helps alot. I usually play at home with people that are as new as me so I'm just trying to get as much knowledge as possible.
Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #1
You can cast it on any creature you can legally target with it (barring shroud, protection, and hexproof it is any creature).
You have to target a creature on the battlefield. So if your opponent casts something you want to kill with it, that creature would need to resolve and then you would need to get priority. Assuming they cast the creature on their turn either after the next spell that they want to resolve or the next time they try to advance the step or phase.
When Dismember resolves the creature will get -5/-5. If this lowers the creature's toughness to 0 or less it will be put in the graveyard at that time. If the creature is an X/6 or larger it will be put in the graveyard when it has lethal damage marked on it or another effect further lowers its toughness.
September 18, 2018 5:27 p.m.