Stacking spells... timing of using multiple Judge's Familiar (etc)
Asked by CamraMaan 3 years ago
For ages, I've been under the impression that once the stack starts to resolve you can't add back to it, but recently I was told different, so I need more clarity.
Say I have four Judge's Familiar on the battlefield, and my opponent has five available mana and casts Suture Priest , which I intend to counter using my eyrie of Judge's Familiar . I've been under the impression that in order to guarantee I counter the Rings spell I would need to sac and put all four Familiars on the stack before anything resolves. But I learned that I can do each separately...? Wait for one to resolve, see what my opponent does, then use another if needed? Additionally, I was informed that I can't stack them anyway, without someone else adding to the stack first, because once I put one on the stack the permission has to go around the circle before I can do anything else, and once it gets back to me it resolves before I can do anything anyway... is this correct as well?
Raging_Squiggle says... Accepted answer #2
These rules should answer your question. You do get priority back after activating the bird. You can certainly activate one at a time. Once a birds ability resolves, the active player (player who’s turn it is) gets priority to do stuff, then they pass priority back to you to give you a chance to activate another bird, rinse and repeat. Note that the stack resolves one object at a time, not all at once.
117.1b A player may activate an activated ability any time they have priority.
117.3b The active player receives priority after a spell or ability (other than a mana ability) resolves.
117.3c If a player has priority when they cast a spell, activate an ability, or take a special action, that player receives priority afterward.
117.3d If a player has priority and chooses not to take any actions, that player passes. If any mana is in that player’s mana pool, they announce what mana is there. Then the next player in turn order receives priority.
117.4. If all players pass in succession (that is, if all players pass without taking any actions in between passing), the spell or ability on top of the stack resolves or, if the stack is empty, the phase or step ends.
April 15, 2021 9:08 a.m.
I'll go a little more into the actual answers, as Raging_Squiggle provided the relevant rules. You aren't able to sacrifice any Judge's Familiar s to counter Rings of Brighthearth due to the fact they can only target an instant or sorcery spell.
Assuming they were casting Fabricate instead (a sorcery of the same mana value), you'd be able to sacrifice a Judge's Familiar , see if they make the payment, then sacrifice another if they did. This follows 117.4 letting a spell resolve, then 117.3b (giving the active player priority) -> 117.3d (that player not doing anything) -> 117.1b (you being allowed to activate another bird)
Alternatively you can sacrifice multiple Judge's Familiar s because you retain priority after sacrificing each one (as 117.3c says you'll get priority immediately after activating the first one). While how you thought you had to do it is an option, it's a bit less optimal as your opponent can see their spell is getting countered and opt to not spend any additional mana, saving it for another spell.
April 15, 2021 10:59 a.m.
Named_Tawyny says... #4
SO when you say 'For ages', how long are we talking about?
Because prior to the 6th Edition rule changes, you would have been correct about how things resolves (as a batch rather than the stack).
So if you've been playing for a long time, you were right, but the rules have changed since, which could be the source of your confusion.
April 15, 2021 6:49 p.m.
Named_Tawyny, I started in about 1993-94, when Revised and Antiquities were out, then stopped right after the release of Tempest. I started back up a few years ago, and I've been trying to re-wrap my brain around the rules again ever since. The game changed immensely, especially coming from a super low-key playgroup before I stopped.
I appreciate the help though! I seem to come up with rules disputes in my playgroup every week, based on them following older rules, but I rarely know how to explain how/why they're wrong (if I'm not wrong myself). You guys help make that a lot easier! :)
April 16, 2021 2:45 a.m.
And Neotrup, I don't know why, but I always seem to post questions in the early AM and butcher the card interactions when I draw up examples, such as Judge's Familiar only targeting instants or sorceries. I really need to post in the daylight when I'm thinking clearly. My apologies, and I appreciate your patience and help! :)
CamraMaan says... #1
D'oh! I initially had the Judge's Familiar countering Rings of Brighthearth , but tried to dumb down the question to streamline it, and forgot to change the other "Rings" in there, which should be referring to the (now) Suture Priest .
April 15, 2021 8:48 a.m.