Can I counter an eldrazi's triggered graveyard ability?

Asked by ParadoxWizard 13 years ago

Say I mill someone, and an Emrakul, the Aeons Torn or another Eldrazi goes to their graveyard. The card says that when it is put into the graveyard from anywhere, shuffle your graveyard into your library. Can I play an instant and exile their graveyard before the Eldrazi's ability triggers? Or is it put on the stack first no matter what I do?

Justarsaus says... #1

yes you can counter it

June 25, 2011 12:29 a.m.

ParadoxWizard says... #2

Just to clarify, I can get rid of the Eldrazi before it's ability triggers?

June 25, 2011 12:43 a.m.

Justarsaus says... Accepted answer #3

yea you could use something like Ravenous Trap

June 25, 2011 12:45 a.m.

sporkife says... #4

The ability triggers once the milling is complete, but once it's on the stack you can respond to it (by removing their library from the game).

June 25, 2011 12:25 p.m.

BrightGreenLine says... #5

For a literal counter, you'd need something like Stifle . This would eliminate the trigger and leave the Eldrazi sitting in the graveyard.

You can 'beat' the triggered ability however by using Ravenous Trap in response to the Eldrazi's once it's placed on the stack. As soon as your opponent finishes milling to whatever effect caused it, they have to place the eldrazi trigger on the stack and it will resolve first, before any other milling effects that may be on the stack do (in case you're milling with a bunch of Halimar Excavator triggers, for example). Then, once the trigger is on the stack, exile their graveyard, and then the eldrazi trigger will resolve, shuffling their empty graveyard into their library.

June 25, 2011 12:57 p.m.

zandl says... #6

Nihil Spellbomb is better than Ravenous Trap , by the way, since we're talking Black cards. If you only mill 1 or 2 at the beginning of the turn and an Eldrazi goes into their graveyard, Nihil Spellbomb is still free where you'd have to pay 4 for Ravenous Trap . That way, you have the chance to draw a card AND have more mana left in your turn.

Another advantage in using Nihil Spellbomb is you don't have to keep 4 mana open during your opponent's turns (if you find yourself milling during their own turn).

And Nihil Spellbomb can still be activated at any time you could cast Ravenous Trap and in response to anything (including Eldrazi's graveyard recovery).

June 25, 2011 3:29 p.m.