Order of Resolved Spells + Mages' Contest

Asked by StealthyGunnar 11 years ago

So I just made this deck : Turn 1 Win Series: Token Burn and I have a few questions.

  1. Let's say I get the complete combo off (it can be seen under -----TURN 1 WIN-----), but my opponent activates a counterspell. I have 3 mana left, so I activate Mages' Contest . If my opponent cannot counter this with another spell will I not win automatically since I can bid up to 19 life and my opponent cannot go higher?

  2. What happens if I bid up to 19 life, and they decide to cast a Gutshot in response? Does Burn at the Stake resolve first?

Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #1

Please list the combo here. Don't make people follow links to get the whole question.

You don't "activate" a combo spell. You cast spells. Although it's relatively clear what you mean here, terminology is important in Magic.

Your opponent can bid higher than 19 life with Mages' Contest , but it's likely that he or she won't if he or she is at 20 life.

If you counter your opponent's counterspell, then your combo (whatever it is, I haven't looked at your deck) will continue.

For #2, Mages' Contest has to resolve first. The bidding happens during the resolution of the spell, and players don't get priority until afterward. If your opponent allows Mages' Contest to resolve and you to go to 1 life, he or she can cast Gut Shot to kill you. The stack resolves one object at a time, not all at once. Players have to pass priority before any one object on the stack resolves. You'll die before Burn at the Stake resolves.

March 16, 2014 6:54 p.m.

GreatSword says... #2

Well no, you'll only have 12 since you Reanimate 'd a Symbiotic Wurm , losing 8 life.

They can't respond to your bidding, since that's in the middle of a spell resolving. No player has priority while an object on the stack is resolving. But let's assume you just finished casting Mages' Contest and lost 19 life.

The stack resolves top-down, so the more-recently cast spell will resolve first. The Gutshot will resolve, and you'll probly lose the game for having 0 or less life as a state-based action. The Burn at the Stake won't resolve.

March 16, 2014 6:55 p.m.

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