Does devour trigger death effects before the devourer gets tokens?
Asked by Scud422 9 years ago
If I play a creature with devour, like Mycoloth, and devour a creature with a death effect or if I have something that triggers when a creature dies, does the trigger resolve before Mycoloth gets the +1/+1 counters? For example, can I devour an Academy Rector, grab Doubling Season and put it into play so the aforementioned Mycoloth comes into play with 4 counters?
I believe you can.
When Mycoloth comes in play, you can sacrifice creatures to it from its devour ability.
Sacrificing creatures for this ability will cause on-death triggers to be placed on the stack above the devour ability (of placing the +1/+1 counters on it), because sacrificing the creatures was a "cost", and so can't be placed on the stack until you have priority again, which is after the ability you were paying for is placed on the stack.
December 5, 2014 9:18 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #3
Devour is a single effect. So the same thing that allows you to sac the creature is what is putting the counters on.
Triggered abilities trigger at any time but go on the stack the next time a player would receive priority.
No player receives priority in the middle of a spell or ability resolving.
These three things take together mean that the creatures will be sacrificed and the counters on the creature with devour before any other effect can happen.
December 5, 2014 9:21 p.m.
GoblinsInc says... #5
Devour doesn't use the stack, as it enters the field you sacrifice creatures and it enters with counters, there are no abilities that use the stack involved. So Mycoloth resolves, you sac, the Rector's ability triggers, but doesn't hit the stack till after Mycoloth has hit the field with his counters. Only 2 counters for him.
December 5, 2014 9:23 p.m.
And I'm wrong.
Devour is a replacement effect that modifies how the creature enters the battlefield. It doesn't use the stack, so you can't get Doubling Season before the counters are placed on it.
December 5, 2014 9:26 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... #10
The two commenters above me have a few misconceptions.
The first misconception is that devour is two effects which I already adressed
Second,devour happens as the creature enters, not when the creature enters. This means it is a static ability allowing for a choice during the resolution of the creature, not a trigger that goes on after the creature enters.
This is why Thromok the Insatiable works and doesn't die to SBA.
December 5, 2014 9:30 p.m.
PrimeEpoch says... #11
Yeah, the clause as is a lot different to the clause when. The 'when' clause uses the stack, because it's triggered. The clause 'as' doesn't, because it's a replacement effect that happens at the same time as the other action or effect as far as the stack is concerned.
In any case, if the effect did use the stack, sacrificing the creatures wouldn't be a cost since there is no colon after it, so you would sacrifice the creatures upon resolution. That's if it used the stack, which it doesn't.
December 6, 2014 8:40 a.m.
Just to clarify for anyone looking at this, since there's a lot of responses here: Gidgetimer and GoblinsInc gave the correct answer for this scenario.
December 6, 2014 10:43 a.m.
@nayaftw: Ah, fair enough. I saw two correct responses and just noted those without properly bothering to read the remaining responses.
December 7, 2014 1:28 p.m.
PrimeEpoch says... #15
Drilnoth at least I'm not wrong, I was worried there for a second haha
December 7, 2014 4:22 p.m.
Also, I realized I was wrong quickly after posting and corrected myself. Having never played with the devour mechanic I had to read it over a few times again after to see.
December 7, 2014 4:40 p.m.
Thanks a bunch! I figured that was the case because of how it says "as this enters the battlefield" and "enters the battlefield with". Sorry GoblinsInc, but Gidgetimer was first and a little bit more professional ;)
Prima says... #1
Hmm.
Mycoloth enters, you make sacrifices, his effect goes onto the stack, as does the Academy Rector effect. Rector resolves, you fetch the card, you put the card into play, then Mycoloth resolves. Doubling Season is put directly onto the battlefield, so in short terms, Doubling Season resolves when Academy Rector's effect does. It can't be countered, as it isn't cast. Mycoloth comes in with 4 counters
December 5, 2014 9:17 p.m.