Using Arbor Elf while spells/Planeswalker abilities are on the stack
Asked by clayperce 6 years ago
While playing on MTGO I've noticed Arbor Elf does always not work like I'd expect it to when spells are on the stack. I suspect it's a bug in MTGO, but I wanted to get a second opinion ... maybe I just need to learn some more rules :-)
Example 1: Arbor Elf is in play, and I top-deck a Bonfire of the Damned, which I want to cast for its Miracle cost. Immediately after I reveal the Bonfire, I can use Arbor Elf's activated ability to Untap a Forest (in order to get maximum mana for the Bonfire). But if I click the card (to cast it), I've found I can no longer use Arbor Elf's activated ability. Is that correct, or a MTGO bug?
Example 2: Arbor Elf and Chandra, Torch of Defiance are in play and I activate her first ability (+1: Exile the top card of your library. You may cast that card. ...) and want to cast the spell. But I've found I cannot use Arbor Elf's activated ability to Untap a Forest at any point in the process (if I want to use Arbor Elf's ability I have to do it before the +1 and just leave the mana floating). Is that correct, or a MTGO bug?
Thanks much!
Gidgetimer,
Got it; thanks! I found the reference in 601. Casting Spells about 10 mins after I posted this :-)
I thought the spell went on the stack and then the costs were paid (which would have allowed me to use Arbor Elf). But I get it now ... costs are paid as part of the cast. And like you say, "If the total cost includes a mana payment, the player then has a chance to activate mana abilities" ... but Arbor Elf's is not a mana ability.
Thanks again!
September 20, 2017 12:23 p.m.
Raging_Squiggle says... #3
Note that Miracle is a static ability linked with a triggered ability, meaning you could respond to the Miracle trigger by activating Arbor Elf to untap a Forest.
September 20, 2017 1:57 p.m.
Raging_Squiggle,
Yeah, I think that was part of what confused me. I had noticed that "Immediately after I reveal the Bonfire, I can use Arbor Elf's activated ability to Untap a Forest (in order to get maximum mana for the Bonfire). But if I click the card (to cast it), I've found I can no longer use Arbor Elf's activated ability."
Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #1
Both of those scenarios are correct. You normally can not activate abilities while casting a spell or resolving an object on the stack. The sole exception is mana abilities to generate mana to pay the cost of the spell or to make a payment that the spell or ability is allowing you to make.
Arbor Elf does not have a mana ability and so it can not be activated when casting a spell or making a payment during spell/ability resolution. Even if you could, the ability will do nothing since Arbor Elf's ability has to go on the stack and resolve before it untaps the land.
September 20, 2017 11:56 a.m.