The Stack
Asked by LikeMike 13 years ago
How do you determine what activates first in the stack? (sry i have no specific example)
yup whatever was put on the stack last activates first.
Example: I activate a Giant Growth on my Glistener Elf , and my opponent plays Doom Blade to kill it, and in response to that, I cast Vines of Vastwood kicked. The vines would activate first, thus giving it shroud and +4/+4. Then the Doom Blade would activate, and with its target gone, would fizzle. Then my Giant Growth would activate, but seeing my creature still has shroud, it too would fizzle unfortunately.
June 16, 2011 1:42 p.m.
AegairEtapa says... #3
Your Giant Growth wouldn't fizzle. Hexproof as it's now called means it can't be targetted by your opponent. You still can Giant Growth it.
June 16, 2011 1:44 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #4
It's also helpful to think of the most recent spell/ability as being "on top" of the stack (that's one of the main reasons it's called the stack!). As players respond to each other with more spells or abilities, they get piled on top of each other. If every player passes in succession instead of responding again, the topmost object on the stack resolves (if everyone passes when the stack is empty, the game moves on to the next step or phase instead).
June 16, 2011 1:46 p.m.
BrightGreenLine says... #5
It might help to physically make a stack with cards, to help illustrate a point. The stack clears in Last-In, First-Out order, so if you physically set the cards down in a pile it will make more sense.
If you cast Giant Growth , put it on the table. Then, your opponent casts Lightning Bolt , and you can imagine it gets put right on top of your Growth, meaning it's the top object (highest priority) on the stack. Then, you can put something else on top to beat the Lightning Bolt, or you can let the bolt resolve first before putting something else on top of your (now top card) Giant Growth.
Also, it's important to realize: After every object that is moved onto and off of the stack, all players get priority in APNAP order. Once Bolt resolves, everyone gets a chance to play spells and abilities before the Giant Growth resolves.
June 16, 2011 3:03 p.m.
so if the first card casted was Giant Growth then the second card casted was Lightning Bolt , the second card will take effect first?
June 16, 2011 4:20 p.m.
Rhadamanthus says... #7
That's right. If a player responds with Lightning Bolt before the Giant Growth resolves, then the Bolt will be on top of the stack. If no one has any more responses after that, the Bolt will be the first thing to resolve, and the creature will take damage before it gets the benefit from Giant Growth.
June 16, 2011 5:11 p.m.
xxxxxxCronoxxxxxx says... #8
think of it like a deck of cards, whenever a spell or ability goes onto the stack its like a card you put in a pile, when your ready to resolve you take the top card off and it does its stuff and if you whanted you could do more isntant mayheme after one thinge resolves but before other stuff does adding to the pile in same order as the rest of the stuff, and that keeps going untill all the spells and abilitys resolve
you also target any leigel target thats on the stacksay he countered your burn spell and your counter his counter.
but your counter is can not be countered for some reasonhe could still cast another counter on the burn spell stop it from doing damage
AegairEtapa says... Accepted answer #1
Whatever was last on the stack resolves first.
e.g. if someone casts Giant Growth and in response you Mana Leak it. Once priority passes from each of you the Mana Leak resolves first countering the Giant Growth
June 16, 2011 1:33 p.m.