Does Lightning Bolt kill Sunscorch Regent?
Asked by lapeste47 9 years ago
Suppose that Sunscorch Regent has no counters on it and a player targets it with a spell which will do three damage to it. Does it get a counter and survive, or does the ability only trigger after the spell resolves, at which point it's too late?
nobu_the_bard says... Accepted answer #2
The trigger on Sunscorch Regent looks for when a spell is cast. Casting puts the spell on the stack, but the trigger happens after casting, so it is placed on the stack atop the cast spell. That means it will resolve before the spell does. The trigger doesn't actually even care if the spell resolves.
In most cases, something like Lightning Bolt will not be able to kill Sunscorch Regent unassisted, because it will be a 5/4 when the Bolt resolves. Because of how the trigger is worded, there are a few ways around it - getting Lightning Bolt onto the stack without casting it somehow, for example.
April 15, 2015 12:47 p.m.
Sunscorch Regent will live.
Casting a spell is the act of running through the steps and costs of putting it on the stack. So Sunscorch Regent ability triggers in response to Lightning Bolt entering the stack. Assuming no other actions the stack empties out top to bottom as normal. Sunscorch Regent gets a +1/+1 counter making it a 5/4, Lightning Bolt deals 3 damage to it. Sunscorch Regent is a 5/4 with 3 damage marked on it.
April 15, 2015 12:48 p.m.
Thanks for these quick replies. Thanks esp. to nobu_the_bard for clarifying that the creature effect triggers even if Lightning Bolt is countered!
BlueScope says... #1
The Regent's ability triggers when an opponent casts Lightning Bolt, meaning it will be above the Bolt on the stack, resolving first - and by the time it does, your Regent will be a 5/4 (and you'll have 1 life more).
April 15, 2015 12:43 p.m.