Nissa, vastwood seer and instant creature damage spell
Asked by jstack14 9 years ago
Alright, time for a magic card ruling.
1 During my second main phase I play a nissa, vastwood seer, (I have 7 lands out and a land in hand to drop). It is still on the stack still, my opponent has a chance to respond, he plays a Fiery Conclusion in response. In my opinion this is invalid because my nissa is not a creature yet, its just on the stack, so he can't target it. Is that correct?
If he could then I would NOT be able to play a land at instant speed in response. Correct?
So lets consider this in the way it should have played out.
2 I play a nissa,vastwood seer with 7 lands out. He doesn't play a counter or other card in response so I should have priority as the creature spell resolves. I then play a land, nissa transforms and he can't use Fiery Conclusion because it is not a creature, its a planeswalker now. Is this correct, because he can't play an instant in response to a land drop because land drops don't use the stack?
Another scenario
3 I play the nissa, but I don't do anything after. After my creature spell resolves he plays fiery conclusion. If I understand correctly, I can NOT play a land in response to transform it because a land can't be used at instant speed in response. Is this correct?
In each of these scenarios at least nissa's search for a land ability triggers because the card isn't countered.
Thanks for the help, #2 is how I was trying to play it but he disagreed and me being a pushover I just let it slide because I don't want to cause an argument (he seemed adement). I am pretty certain the way it played out (scenario 1) is against the rules. I think scenario 2 is how it should have happened since I was trying to play my land drop right after the nissa, it wasn't like I waited 30 seconds then said... wait i was gonna.... gotchya!... but hey magic is about fun, and not having an argument is more fun then winning with bitter feelings. Thanks for teaching/correcting/reinforcing the rules to me.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #1
Link all cards in your question.
Nissa, Vastwood Seer Flip
Fiery Conclusion
1: Correct. While a creature card is on the stack, it's just a creature spell. It's not a creature (i.e., a creature permanent), so it isn't a legal target for Fiery Conclusion.
Also, lands are never played at instant speed. They are played at sorcery speed (i.e., during your main phase while the stack is empty and you have priority).
2: Incorrect. First, Nissa, Vastwood Seer Flip has a triggered ability that triggers when Nissa, Vastwood Seer Flip enters the battlefield. Because land plays are made at sorcery speed, you can't play a land while this ability is on the stack.
Further, even if Nissa, Vastwood Seer Flip did not have an ETB ability and you were thus able to play your land, your opponent could still respond because Nissa, Vastwood Seer Flip's last ability (the one that transforms Nissa, Vastwood Seer Flip) doesn't do anything until it resolves. The ability still has to use the stack, and players can still respond to it.
3: Correct, although this was already addressed in the previous explanation; you forgot to account for the triggered ability properly. While you're correct in saying that it triggers, you forgot to factor that into your assessment of when you'd be able to play a land.
July 20, 2015 8:03 p.m.