Can I Aether Vial in a Spellskite to steal an opponents aura that they have just cast?

Asked by Vediowave 11 years ago

I was told that I can't in a game due to the AEther Vial 's trigger being on the stack and the stack not fully resolving before Spellskite is on the field, therefore not allowing me to use the Spellskite 's phyrexian mana ability. I suppose in a way my question is, can you add to the stack when some abilities on it have resolved but not all abilities have resolved?

raithe000 says... Accepted answer #1

Your opponent was mistaken about how the stack works. The stack itself does not resolve, objects on the stack resolve, in last in, first out order. So yes, what you want to do could work.

1. Opponent casts aura.
2. In response, you activate Aether Vial with two charge counters on it.
3. Both players pass priority
4. Aether Vial's ability resolves, you put Spellskite onto the battlefield.
5. Your opponent passes priority.
6. You activate Spellskite's ability, targeting the aura.
7. Both players pass priority.
8. Aura now targets Spellskite
9. Both players pass priority.
10. Aura resolves, enters the battlefield attached to Spellskite.

Players have an opportunity to cast spells anytime they have priority during this sequence of events.

September 6, 2013 9:02 a.m.

RedKunoichi says... #2

Spellskite has to be on the battlefield to use its ability. And it will resolve before the aura does, and once Spellskite is on the battlefield you can put its ability on the top of the stack. This is because between each spell resolution each player gains priority to choose to respond which is when you would get the chance to use Spellskite 's ability.

September 6, 2013 9:03 a.m.

GreatSword says... #3

You can add to the stack, and you may activate Spellskite .

The stack doesn't resolve all at once; it goes one at a time with a round of priority before every object resolves. If any player uses hi priority to cast a spell or activate an ability, it will become the top-most object on the stack and resolve first.

So if your opponent casts a Rancor , you may activate your AEther Vial with Spellskite . The vial's ability resolves, and there's a round of priority before the Rancor will try to resolve. In that time, you activate Spellskite , targeting the Rancor. That ability resolves, and then the Rancor resolves with it's new target.

September 6, 2013 9:09 a.m.

Epochalyptik says... #4

Also, just to clear up a potential misconception, a mana ability is an ability that produces mana, not one that costs mana. Spellskite simply has an activated ability.

September 6, 2013 9:31 a.m.

Vediowave says... #5

Thanks a lot for this. I thought I was right as that is what happens on magic online.

September 6, 2013 10:37 a.m.