Spells with "Then"
Asked by Rivioli117 9 years ago
Does a spell that says "x happens THEN y happens" go on the stack as two separate abilities? So can you respond to y triggering after x triggers?
Raging_Squiggle says... #2
Oops, wrong example card! Lol. Merchant Scroll, instead of Brainstorm, my apologies.
September 23, 2015 2:30 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #3
First, spells and abilities are unrelated things. Spells have effects. Only a few spells have abilities. Demonic Tutor has effects. Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre has a triggered ability that triggers when the spell is cast (triggered abilities always begin with "at," "when," or "whenever").
Therefore, Demonic Tutor produces no triggers. Effects don't trigger. Demonic Tutor exists on the stack as a single spell. When it begins to resolve, it resolves completely before players are allowed to do anything else. You cannot respond in the middle of the resolution of something.
September 23, 2015 5:09 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #4
"Then" is simply used for basic English grammar/style reasons to indicate that certain actions need to happen in a specific sequence. It doesn't mean there's a pause in resolution for players to make responses. Once a spell or ability starts resolving, no one will get an opportunity to make responses until it's completely finished.
Raging_Squiggle says... #1
No, you can respond at the beginning before the spell begins to resolve, or after it has resolved. Take Tooth and Nail. If you cast it for its entwine cost, your opponent cannot respond in between the two effects but must wait for the whole of it to resolve.
Another example is Brainstorm. Which says "then shuffle your library." Your opponent can't respond between you having drawn and before you shuffling. They must wait for the spell to fully resolve. Hopefully this helps you out.
September 23, 2015 2:29 p.m.