If a tutor spell is countered, what happens to the card I was searching for?
Asked by ljoncich 5 years ago
If I cast Chord of Calling and my opponent casts Counterspell after I have searched and have card in hand. What happens to the card I searched for?
Tyrant-Thanatos says... #2
I'd like to add to what cdkime posted by pointing out that a spell cannot begin to resolve until all players have passed priority.
A common new-player misconception is that you can just be quick with your hands and cast something like Chord of Calling and immediately start searching and telling their opponent "too late" when they try to counterspell. This is not how the game works.
Almost all players shortcut their way through each and every action in the game because the nuances are deep and playing the whole game step by painstaking step would drag the game out to be 3-5 times longer.
If you cast a spell like this, you basically have two options: You can openly and clearly present your opponent with their opportunity to respond to it (especially smart if you know your opponent has counterspells), or you can cast it normally, start searching, and be willing to back up when your opponent has a response.
August 16, 2018 12:33 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... #3
cdkime is absolutely correct. To add on to this though, MtG is a strategy game, not a reflex game. Chord of Calling does absolutely nothing until your opponents pass priority back and it resolves. You do not get to make your spells uncounterable by resolving them quickly. Allow your opponents 5 or so seconds to say if they are going to respond before resolving the spell.
August 16, 2018 12:37 p.m.
Thanks everyone.
This is exactly what I thought.
I will openly and clearly present my opponent with their opportunity to respond to it, if they say "they want to wait until they see what I searched for". I will reply with "it will be too late, if you allow me to search, the spell has resolved, and no loner can be countered"
August 16, 2018 2:04 p.m.
Minor point of clarification to your statement:
Properly, you should say "the spell is resolving" rather than "has resolved". The spell has not fully resolved until all the words on the spell have occurred and the spell has been placed in the graveyard. I know that seems a bit like nitpicking, but I want to make sure you accurately present yourself.
Caerwyn says... Accepted answer #1
This is an illegal action. Counterspells can only be cast when a player has priority. Priority is a pretty complicated mess, but the relevant part here is that no player gains priority during resolution of a spell.
Properly, Counterspell should be cast while Chord of Calling is on the stack, targeting Chord of Calling. As Counterspell was placed on the stack second, it will resolve first, and Chord of Calling will be countered before it can resolve.
Once Chord of Calling has started to resolve, no player will gain priority during the entire resolution--which includes searching your library for a creature, placing it on the battlefield, shuffling your library, and Chord of Calling going to the graveyard.
Also, of note, Chord of Calling directly places the item on your battlefield--at no point does the tutored card go to your hand.
Also, please link your cards in double brackets, like so:
Chord of Calling
August 16, 2018 10:50 a.m.