Geistblast - what is a "target instant or sorcery you control"?

Asked by krunchyfrogg 9 years ago

I'm confused as to what that means.

If I want to duplicate a target instant or sorcery, does that mean it has to be one I'm casting right then, or one I have cast in previous turns, or one in my hand?

Gidgetimer says... #1

please link all cards in your question (especially since you missed a word and it matters for the answer):

Geistblast

A "spell" refers to an object on the stack. So any instant or sorcery that is on the stack at the time that the ability resolves.

April 21, 2016 12:46 p.m.

nobu_the_bard says... #2

Geistblast: It doesn't mean you have to have cast it. It just means you have to be the controller of the spell on the stack. There's various ways for such a spell to get on the stack without having been cast (most commonly perhaps being a copy, such as created by Reverberate) or not having been cast by you (perhaps you took control of a spell with something like Commandeer).

This effect lets you do something such as: cast Fiery Temper targetting something, then before yielding priority (so the spell hasn't begun to resolve), activate Geistblast's ability targetting Fiery Temper to create a copy.

April 21, 2016 1:38 p.m.

krunchyfrogg says... #3

I'm lost, what does "on the stack" mean?

April 21, 2016 3:35 p.m.

TheGreatLiar says... Accepted answer #4

The stack is a zone. The zones are battlefield, graveyard, hand, library, exile, and the stack.

When you cast a spell (any spell. Creature, enchantment, instant, sorcery,etc.) it is placed on the stack. The stack governs what spells resolve and in what order.

Notably, the term "spell" will only ever apply to an item on the stack. A sorcery in your hand is a sorcery card, not a sorcery spell.

So while a sorcery or instant spell is on the stack, you may pay geistblasts's coat of 2U, to make a copy of that spell.

April 21, 2016 3:56 p.m.

krunchyfrogg says... #5

Thanks. Now I get it.

April 21, 2016 7:44 p.m.

deathbyzombie says... #6

Does that mean you got to pay for copy spell?

June 5, 2016 1:36 p.m.

Gidgetimer says... #7

So i'm going to assume that what you meant was "Does that mean you have to pay for the copy of the spell?"

No, copies of spells are created on the stack and you do not have to pay for them. Some effects will copy cards (not spells) and then let you cast them. If it doesn't specify to cast them without paying their mana cost, you have to pay their mana cost.

June 5, 2016 2:10 p.m.