"Counter target spell"
Asked by Timmy_Appleseed 8 years ago
I'm being attacked by an opponent creature. I cast an instant that "counters target spell" what happens next? Does the health equal to the power of the attacking creature come out of the opponent, or can he block his countered creature with another creature? Thanks
Rhadamanthus is entirely correct, but more information on countering spells for the sake of information.
Casting a spell that has targets requires a target for each instance of target. For example, you can only cast Cancel when there is a spell on the stack. If your opponent is attacking with a creature, but not casting a spell, you cannot cast Cancel. If your opponent then casts Giant Growth to make their creature bigger, you can cast Cancel to stop Giant Growth, but the creature will still be attacking and will still deal damage if you don't block or do something else to stop the damage.
If you had Lost in the Mist instead, when the creature attacked you would not be able to cast Lost in the Mist as you would need a spell to target. When they then cast Giant Growth you can target both Giant Growth and the Attacking creature.
The rules can also counter spells, if their targets are not legal. Same example as before, but this time we'll use Unsummon. When the creature attacks, you can use Unsummon to return it to it's owners hand to prevent the damage, but let's assume you won't. When you're opponent casts Giant Growth now you can cast Unsummon the attacking creature.If you do, not only will the creature be returned, but Giant Growth will be countered, because when it goes to resolve the creature won't be there. The countering isn't really important here, because the spell doesn't have anything to do.
Same as the previous example, with you having unsummon, but this time your opponent casts Sudden Strength instead of Giant Growth. Once again you cast unsummon and when Sudden Strength tries to resolve it's countered because it's target is gone. Not only does the +3/+3 not happen because the creatures gone, but they don't draw a card either, because the spell was countered.
If a spell has multiple targets, and only one of them is gone, the spell still resolves doing whatever it can for the targets it has. We'll go back to the Lost in the Mist example, and specify that your opponent is attacking with Nivmagus Elemental. When they cast Giant Growth you cast Lost in the Mist targeting both Giant Growth and the Elemental. Even if they use Nivmagus Elemental's ability to exile Giant Growth (making it an illegal target for Lost in the Mist), Lost in the Mist will still have at least one valid target and will resolve to the best of it's ability. It will not counter any spell, because that target was illegal, but it will return the Elemental to it's owner's hand, saving you from the attack.
December 5, 2016 1:03 a.m.
If you want to stop a creature from dealing combat damage, you can return it to hand (Unsummon), put it in the graveyard by: destroy it (Doom Blade); cause it to be sacrificed (Geth's Verdict); cause it's toughness to be 0 less (Dismember), put it in exile (Swords to Plowshares or Flicker), or put it in it's owners library (Condemn).
You can also leave it on the battlefield and cause it's power to be 0 or less (Turn), prevent combat damage (Fog), block it with a creature, cause a creature to be put into play blocking it (Flash Foliage), block it without a creature (Fog Patch), or redirect the damage (Harm's Way). Though some of these options still let the damage happen, just not to you.
Rhadamanthus says... #1
As an example: Cancel
To "counter" a spell means a very specific thing in Magic. In general, anything a player plays from their hand other than lands is cast as a spell. It doesn't resolve right away after it gets cast. Rather, everyone gets a chance to make some kind of response first. This is the only time when you're allowed to respond by countering the spell.
When a spell gets countered it's put directly into the graveyard and doesn't resolve. A countered instant or sorcery won't have any of its effect, and a countered creature, enchantment, artifact, or planeswalker won't enter the battlefield. You can't go back and counter a spell after it's already resolved, and you can't counter something that's already on the battlefield. Lands are never cast as spells and can't be countered (they're played directly to the battlefield).
December 5, 2016 12:28 a.m.