Kari Zev's Expertise question
Asked by belugawhaleonthefloor 6 years ago
So I love doing Kari Zev's Expertise on an enemy creature, and then being able to cast Fling for free to sacrifice the stolen creature. When I did this my opponent asked me why I didn't attack first and I said because the spell resolves before the combat phase begins since it's a sorcery. But he still doesn't believe me and says I can cast a spell for 2 mana or under anytime for the rest of my turn. Who is right?
Panzerforge says... #2
To be more specific:
You cast Kari Zev's Expertise (KZE), it goes on the stack. We assume no response. The first part of KZE resolves, you get control of that creature. Then the second part of KZE resolves, allowing you cast a spell from your hand. KZE stays on the stack until the second spell fully resolves.
(as found on Gatherer
"While you're casting your free spell, the Expertise spell is still on the stack. It will be put into its owners graveyard after the free spell is cast. The free spell can't target the Expertise card in your graveyard. It can target the Expertise spell on the stack, but the Expertise spell will become an illegal target before the free spell resolves." )
May 26, 2017 9:34 p.m.
Your friend is right, but it has nothing to do with the spell being 2 mana. That's nonsense.
Fling is an instant. You can cast it any time you have priority.
Kari Zev's Expertise is a sorcery. You can cast it any time you have priority AND the stack is empty during either of the two main phases of your turn. Your 1st main phase is before the combat phase (pre-combat main phase) but after the beginning phase of your turn (untap, upkeep, draw). Your 2nd main phase is after combat (post-combat main phase) but before the end phase of your turn (end step and cleanup step).
No matter which main phase you cast Kari Zev's Expertise in, the duration of it's effect will last until your turn is over. You will have control of the stolen creature for the rest of the turn (or until it leaves the battlefield). You will be able to sacrifice it to Fling or something else at any time. If you cast Kari Zev's Expertise during your 1st main phase, you can attack with the stolen creature during combat (because it has haste) and then sacrifice it with Fling any time you want after it deals its combat damage.
Here's a link to the basic rulebook, it sounds like you could use a review of the fundamentals. Link
Priority and the stack are a little more complicated, but basically it's a system for determining who's allowed to cast spells when. The player who's turn it is gets priority during every step during their turn, and they can cast a spell or activate an ability, then the the other player gets it after them, then it goes back and forth until nobody wants to do anything else. Then the spell on the stack that was cast LAST resolves (takes effect). The stack is a game zone where spells go before they have their effects, so that players have a chance to counter them (Counterspell).
You can read more about that in the Comprehensive Rules here: Link. Priority is discussed in section 116.
May 26, 2017 9:34 p.m.
Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were casting Fling as part of the resolution of Kari Zev's Expertise. You (and Panzerforge) are correct.
May 26, 2017 9:37 p.m.
Panzerforge says... #5
sonnet666 I think the question was if Fling could be the free spell cast with Expertise, which it can, but only while Expertise is still on the stack. (so not after combat)
Yes, if you had the extra mana open for Fling, it would be a better play to cast something else with the 2 mana from KZE and then go into combat, and then fling. (insult, injury, injury!)
May 26, 2017 9:38 p.m.
As Kari Zev's Expertise resolves is when you chose to cast a spell for 2 mana or less. If it was till end of turn the spell would state that.
I found this on the AETHER REVOLT RELEASE NOTES
"While youre casting your free spell, the Expertise spell is still on the stack. It will be put into its owners graveyard after the free spell is cast. The free spell cant target the Expertise card in your graveyard. It can target the Expertise spell on the stack, but the Expertise spell will become an illegal target before the free spell resolves."
Fist sentence is perfect to answer your question.
May 26, 2017 9:44 p.m.
Panzerforge, Yeah, I corrected myself.
Although, judging from the miscommunication here, it might be that belugawhaleonthefloor's friend was asking why he didn't make that play if he had the extra mana, and he just thought his friend didn't understand the card.
May 26, 2017 9:57 p.m.
belugawhaleonthefloor says... #8
Oh yes thank you guys! And sorry for the confusion. And no I would have used Fling after the attack obviously if I had mana, but yeah I was talking about the free spell you could cast because of KZE. But thank you guys!!
May 26, 2017 11:36 p.m.
U cant target with fling because the first ability of KZE stil on the stack and sacrifice a creature is the aditional cost of fling (the first ability isnt resolve yet)
August 3, 2017 11:56 a.m.
belugawhaleonthefloor says... #10
So it's impossible to use the free fling on a creature stolen by KZE because fling must happen first??
August 3, 2017 5:30 p.m.
This question was answered months ago. Everything belugawhaleonthefloor did in his game was correct.
You can absolutely sacrifice a creature stolen with KZE to Fling, because:
A) KZE's effects happen in the order they're printed on the card. You already control the stolen creature when it's time to cast Fling.
B) Sacrificing a creature is an additional cost of casting Fling. Fling is being cast as part of the resolution of KZE. You have to pay Fling's additional cost at that point if you want to play it.
C) Fling doesn't target the creature you sacrifice, just the thing it's going to deal damage to. (If you wanted to sacrifice another creature and target the creature you stole, that would be fine anyway.)
Please don't reopen old resolved questions, especially to give the wrong answer. If you have something new to ask you can start a new Q&A.
Panzerforge says... #1
You're right. You can only cast that spell as part of Kari Zev's Expertise's resolution.
May 26, 2017 9:29 p.m.