Exploit and the stack

Asked by SwaggyMcSwagglepants 8 years ago

So, there are 2 things to this question:

1. Can I respond to the exploit trigger?

2. If so, does the other ability still resolve if I kill the creature that is exploiting (e.g. Profaner of the Dead)

Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #1

Exploit is a triggered ability. It triggers when the source creature enters the battlefield, goes on the stack, and can be responded to like most other triggered abilities.

Note, however, that exploit is an independent ability. Creatures that do something when you exploit a creature do it through a second ability that works in conjunction with exploit, but it not part of exploit.

If Profaner of the Dead enters the battlefield and is then killed in response to its exploit trigger, the return-to-hand ability will never trigger because Profaner of the Dead won't be on the battlefield when the exploit ability resolves. Its controller may still exploit a creature because the exploit ability will still resolve, but nothing else will happen either way.

If, however, Profaner of the Dead is killed in response to its second ability triggering, then that ability will still resolve as it normally would, and it will have its full effect.

June 16, 2015 8:16 p.m. Edited.