Scavenge vs. opp. Scooze
Asked by thewyzman 11 years ago
My opponent uses his Scavenging Ooze , on MY turn to eat a Slitherhead in my graveyard. Can I respond by scavenging it onto one of my creatures?
The response feels like instant speed, but scavenging can only occur any time you could cast a sorcery, which is on my turn. I know that I can't on my opponent's turn, because I can't cast sorceries then.
So, can I scavenge it in response to his Scooze trying to eat it?
Gidgetimer says... #3
You can't scavenge in response to Scavenging Ooze 's ability but depending on when he tried to use the ability you may have had priority to scavenge before he could use the ooze.
January 29, 2014 8:25 a.m.
The play is....
I wasn't planning to scavenge it yet, but once I attacked, my opponent declared the Scavenging Ooze as a blocker, he activated its ability to eat my Slitherhead . My reactive thought was to scavenge it in response, before he could eat it.
It's on my turn which sounds like a sorcery, but the scavenge would be done in response, thus instantaneously... which begs the question.
January 29, 2014 8:43 a.m.
To spell it out in steps:
1) I declare Lotleth Troll as my attacker.
2) Opponent declares Scavenging Ooze as the blocker.2a) Before combat damage, Opponent pays G and uses Scooze's ability and targets the Slitherhead in my graveyard....
Now the question:
3) Can I scavenge the Head to buff my Troll before he eats it?
January 29, 2014 8:48 a.m.
Gidgetimer says... #6
No, because you can only scavenge on your main phase on an empty stack (the timing restrictions for when you could normally cast a sorcery). If he was in the graveyard and you were planning on scavenging it to your troll you should have done it on your main phase. If you had the way it would have gone is:
You have priority over an empty stack
You scavenge the Slitherhead , exiling it as part of the scavenge cost
Your opponent cannot target the Slitherhead since it is no longer in your graveyard.
My comment was in reference to if it was your main phase your opponent can't just activate Scavenging Ooze 's ability randomly before you pass priority. Heck he can't just activate the ability on the declare blockers step before you pass priority either.
January 29, 2014 9:04 a.m.
But regardless, there's no point inside your combat step where you can scavange, full stop, no matter what they do or don't do with oozes.
January 29, 2014 9:16 a.m.
Gidgetimer, (scavenge question aside), a Scooze can choose to eat a corpse after being declared as a blocker so it can gain the +1/+1 counter before combat damage is dealt, right? The way I'm reading your last comment sounds otherwise.
I run Scooze myself, so I am curious to its mechanics as well.
January 29, 2014 10:25 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #9
Scavenging Ooze 's ability can be activated at any time you could cast an instant (which is to say at any time you have priority). Because players pass priority at the end of each step and phase (except untap and cleanup), you have an opportunity to activate Scavenging Ooze 's ability before the game moves to the next step/phase.
Scavenge can only be activated at any time you could cast a sorcery (which is to say during your own main phase while the stack is empty and you have priority). Effects that change when you could cast a sorcery do not change when you can activate scavenge abilities. You can never scavenge in response to something.
January 29, 2014 11:58 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #11
@thewyzman: That is the answer to comment #8. Players pass priority to advance the game to the next step or phase, and Scavenging Ooze 's ability is instant speed. You can activate it after blocking and before damage.
January 29, 2014 12:13 p.m.
"...You can activate it after blocking and before damage."
There it is, thanks :)
January 29, 2014 12:19 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #13
This is just a philosophical thing, but it's better to be able to draw a conclusion from the information than to be given a direct answer to questions like this. Magic is a highly structured game, and its rules operate in parallel with one another. Understanding this situation can and will help you understand other situations.
January 29, 2014 1:11 p.m.
Much agreed, sometimes I don't follow the theories as stated, but I understand them through the action; Reading comprehension was never my strong suit. It's all good, I appreciate all responses and do my best to understand the language.
Devonin says... Accepted answer #1
You need to have priority over an empty stack to play a sorcery. With his activated ability on the stack, you do not have proper timing to activate scavenge. You can't use the scavenge ability of the Slitherhead in the graveyard in response to -anything- let alone the instant-speed activation of Scavenging Ooze 's ability.
January 29, 2014 7:29 a.m.