Instant removal on a planeswalker.
Asked by zekna1992 12 years ago
If I my opponent plays a planeswalker with 3 loyalty counters and they do the +1 ability, can I in response to the activated ability Searing Spear said planeswalker. And if I can do they still get the bonus from the ability because it is on the stack even though there is no longer a permanant to put loyalty counters on.
There will still be a planeswalker left, because adding the counter is the cost for the ability, not part of the ability's resolution.
They play the 3-loyalty PW, and activate the +1 ability, putting a 4th counter on, which puts the ability onto the stack. You respond with Searing Spear, which resolves, redirecting the 3 damage to the PW, which will leave it with 1 Loyalty counter, and then their ability resolves.
April 9, 2013 7:23 a.m.
Absinthman says... #4
I'll add an answer to the last part of your question. Even if you manage to redirect enought damage to the planeswalker to destroy it, if its loyalty ability is already on the stack, destroying the placeswalker will have no effect on its resolution. Abilities that are on the stack do not rely on their sources in any way and do not care if those sources are removed from the battlefield after they have been activated.
April 9, 2013 7:44 a.m.
Bobgalarneau says... #5
Lets see his question on another side. Does he have priority to cast Searing Spear and kill the planeswalker before it's controler can activate it's +1 ability? I always thought planeswalker ability could only be activated at sorcery speed.
April 9, 2013 8:31 a.m.
Absinthman says... #6
Yes that is right. Assuming that his opponent doesn't do anything else between resolving his planeswalker and activating the loyalty ability, zekna1992 doesn't get priority anywhere in between. If, however, his opponent casts some spell or activates any other ability before activating the planeswalker's loyalty ability, there will be a round of priority before that spell or ability resolves where zekna1992 will get a chance to cast Searing Spear . Although, this is an unlikely scenario in my opinion.
April 9, 2013 9:11 a.m.
TheLameSauce says... #7
So to clarify, I am guaranteed (more or less) the ability to activate my planeswalker as long as it resolves and I do nothing between casting and using an ability?
April 9, 2013 8:15 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #8
Yes. Your planeswalker will resolve, and, assuming it was cast as per its normal timing restrictions, you will retain priority and be able to immediately activate a loyalty ability of that planeswalker. Nobody else can do anything until you pass priority.
April 9, 2013 8:26 p.m.
TheLameSauce says... #9
Good to know. I've lost a lot to people blowing things up the moment they hit the field before I can use them.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #1
Adding loyalty counters to a planeswalker or removing loyalty counters from a planeswalker are part of the activation cost of loyalty abilities. The cost is paid before the ability is fully activated, so the counters will be added to or removed from the planeswalker before players receive priority again.
April 9, 2013 7:22 a.m.