ETB effects on creatures stolen before resolution
Asked by KablamoBoom 5 years ago
Here's an example. Opponent casts Craterhoof Behemoth, trigger goes on the stack, I cast Ray of Command. Whose creatures get buffed?
To add further explanation. Ray of Command takes control of a creature after it is on the battlefield and its ETB effect has already gone on the stack. In order to do what I assume you wanted to do you need to cast something like Aethersnatch which takes control of a spell (any spell, even their commander) while it is on the stack and when it resolves if it was a permanent, it will enter the battlefield under your control and you will get the ETB.
October 25, 2018 7:01 a.m.
Additionally, as a general rule, abilities on the stack exist independantly of their sources. If Craterhoof Behemoth is exiled, destroyed, taken control of or anything else with its ability on the stack, it will not do anything to the ability.
Imagine that Craterhoof Behemoth is a soldier throwing a grenade at you. You may shoot him, have him have a sudden change of heart and join your side, but none of that has any impact on the thrown grenade.
October 25, 2018 9:14 a.m.
KablamoBoom says... #4
@Boza Yeah, I think cards like Akroan Horse and Sleeper Agent were throwing me off. Both triggered abilities, both saying "you do X", and technically both work the same. But I guess if you Dominate a Sleeper Agent with the trigger on the stack your opponent still loses the life, not you. Some part of my brain gets its wires crossed when the creature still exists as its trigger is resolving.
October 26, 2018 12:21 p.m.
KablamoBoom says... #5
@Madcookie I don't want the ability. Craterhoof on my opponent's turn? lol naw, I just get tripped up when the creature exists while its trigger is resolving.
October 26, 2018 12:23 p.m.
@KablamoBoom If you were to Dominate Sleeper Agent you still don't get to retarget its ETB effect. People explained it but I see there is still some misunderstandings. MTGArena or Xmage is great at visualizing this type of stuff, but imagine the ETB as a separate "card", popping on the stack. You can remove the creature card from the battlefield, but its trigger "card" is still on the stack and is controlled by the person on whose side the creature entered the battlefield. Therefore with effects like Dominate that target stuff already on the battlefield, you don't control the ETB trigger and can't retarget it. Imagine we are playing commander with a third person. He casts Sleeper Agent and it resolves. He says "Madcookie will get the creature", you cast Dominate, before the trigger has resolved and steal it. Then the trigger which exists on the stack as "Madcookie gains control of this object eg.Sleeper Agent" resolves and you lose control of the creature and I gain control of it and will lose 2 life on my upkeep if it is still there.
Lastly I suggested Aethersnatch because I got the feeling you were interested in getting a certain ETB. Once a creature has entered the battlefield any ETB from it go on the stack and are controlled by the person whose side of the battlefield it entered play and as far as I know there aren't any cards that can steal triggers from the stack.
October 26, 2018 8:10 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #7
KablamoBoom: Answers to this question have been up for a while. I chose one to mark as the "Accepted Answer" so that the thread can move out of the Unanswered queue. Please remember to take care of this yourself in the future.
Neotrup says... #1
His do, but he has 1 fewer creatures, so the buff's smaller. Same if you kill it instead of stealing it.
October 24, 2018 9:57 p.m.