Is this possible? please help
Asked by Tuema 8 years ago
My opponent plays a Tornado Elemental i want to counter it with Psychic Strike i only have 2 blue mana open and an already tapped Llanowar Dead. can i use Seeker of Skybreak to untap Llanowar Dead to then tap her for the extra mana needed to counter the spell? my friend says because of the way the stack works the spell will resolve before my Llanowar Dead untapps. is this true? and if so, can i ever tap something in response to untap something to then tap the thing i just untapped all as a response to an spell being played that is not an instant spell? we spent half an hour arguing about this and i dont understand the stack thing very well. please help me
Your friend is wrong. Things on the stack happen in first in last out order. Tornado Elemental is at the bottom of the stack in this case and will only resolve after everything else on the stack has resolved. So you can do all the untapping and tapping you want before it gets out of the stack.
February 15, 2016 2:12 a.m.
my friend is still not satisfied with these two answers. could more ppl please weigh in? perhaps some kind of official judge or something? and also thank you for the two very fast responses.
February 15, 2016 10:24 a.m.
canterlotguardian says... #4
...Are you serious? Someone tells him something and he just doesn't want to accept it? -_-
February 15, 2016 10:27 a.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #5
If one of us said we were a judge, how would you even know we were telling the truth? You don't need an "official judge answer", just the rules. The key point is that objects on the stack resolve one at a time and players are given priority to make responses in-between each one.
116.3b The active player receives priority after a spell or ability (other than a mana ability) resolves.
116.3d If a player has priority and chooses not to take any actions, that player passes...Then the next player in turn order receives priority.
116.4. If all players pass in succession (that is, if all players pass without taking any actions in between passing), the spell or ability on top of the stack resolves or, if the stack is empty, the phase or step ends.
February 15, 2016 12:49 p.m.
Raging_Squiggle says... #6
I am a rules advisor, soon to be taking the L1 exam, so I'm not an "official judge" yet.
You don't need a judge though for this. Just show him the official comprehensive rules of magic, and see if he doesn't believe the creators of the game.
Rhadamanthus has already posted the relevant ones but here's a couple more that are important:
116.1a A player may cast an instant spell any time he or she has priority. A player may cast a noninstant spell during his or her main phase any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty.
116.1b A player may activate an activated ability any time he or she has priority.
116.7. If a player with priority casts a spell or activates an activated ability while another spell or ability is already on the stack, the new spell or ability has been cast or activated in response to the earlier spell or ability. The new spell or ability will resolve first. See rule 608, "Resolving Spells and Abilities."
February 15, 2016 1:10 p.m.
awesome thanks i hope this clears up the problem and thanks guys for responding :D
Raging_Squiggle says... Accepted answer #1
Your friend is wrong. Whenever a spell or ability goes on the stack, it can be responded to by other players. You are allowed to respond by activating Seeker of Skybreak's ability. The scenario will look like this:
Tornado Elemental on bottom of stack.
in response, activate Seeker of Skybreak targeting Llanowar Dead
your activated ability resolves, untapping the Llanowar.
with Tornado Elemental still on the stack, cast Psychic Strike targeting Tornado Elemental.
it resolves and the Elemental is countered.
February 15, 2016 2:10 a.m.