State-Based Condition Triggers an Activated Ability?

Asked by Sousaphonist 8 years ago

As far as I understand, attempting to draw a card when you have none in your deck makes you lose at a State-Based Condition which does not use the stack. However, Laboratory Maniac's triggered ability, which would make you win the game instead, would use the stack.

Exactly how does the stack work in this instance, and what options do my opponents have to react to it?

Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #1

That's a state-based action, not a state-based condition.

Laboratory Maniac doesn't have a triggered ability. Triggered abilities begin with "at," "when," or "whenever." It also doesn't have an activated ability. Activated abilities are written in the form "[cost]: [effect]."

Laboratory Maniac's ability is a static ability that defines a replacement effect. Replacement effects simply apply to relevant events as they would happen (they don't use the stack). Laboratory Maniac's ability replaces "you lose the game" with "you win the game" as you would lose for drawing from an empty library.

July 10, 2015 2:13 p.m.