Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle triggered ability
Asked by Fizzz 11 years ago
Hello!
Guys if I have Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle and 5 other mountains, then I play a new mountain, could my opponent respond to the trigger with a Boomerang on one of the current mountains, and avoid getting the 3 damage?
The gatherer says: "If a Mountain you control leaves the battlefield between the time Valakut's second ability triggers and the time it resolves, be aware if that was the Mountain that caused Valakut's ability to trigger or not. If it was, Valakut's count isn't affected; if it wasn't, Valakut's count goes down by one."
This last clause that reads "Valakut's count isn't affected; if it wasn't, Valakut's count goes down by one" is the part that I do not get.
Does the ability check the amount of mountains as the new mountain is played, or is it checked AFTER the ability resolves?
How does the ability not trigger? The mountain entered the field, making it trigger while the player had other 5 mountains.
December 21, 2013 2:04 p.m.
When a mountain enters the battlefield, if you control at least 5 other mountains, the ability will trigger. Then, when it tries to resolve it will check again whether you have at least 5 -other- mountains.
So if you had exactly 5, played a mountain, it will see "yes you have 5 other mountains" and go on the stack. If that triggering mountain goes away before resolution, the Valakut still remembers that it was the mountain that triggered it and says "Well, you DO still have 5 OTHER mountains, so we're good"
Whereas if a mountain other than the triggering mountain leaves the battlefield, Valakut still remembers which mountain triggered it, and says "Oh...well now there's only 4 OTHER mountains, I don't get to do damage"
It doesn't check whether you still have 5 mountains upon resolution, it checks whether you still have 5 mountains not counting the one that triggered it upon resolution.
December 21, 2013 2:05 p.m.
lord_of_the_snakes says... #4
wait, no, backwards, if targets 1 of other mountains, val won't trigger, and if it targets the mountain that entered, val will trigger, because, (long, boring rules ramble next, leave now if you want to keep your sanity)
the mountain enters the battlefield, valakut's ability triggers, and goes on the stack, and then boomerang is cast, and goes on the stack, priorty passes again, nothing occurs, boomerang resolves, valakut loses its necassary mountains to activate, and then the ability fizzles.
December 21, 2013 2:12 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #5
@bantam1234: That is wrong. The ability triggers when the Mountain enters the battlefield. You can't negate the triggering. You can't even respond to a land drop. Also, a spell or ability only fizzles if all its targets are illegal. Fizzling means the spell or ability is countered by the game rules. In this case, the ability still resolves. It just does nothing.
Devonin has the correct analysis. Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle 's triggered ability has what is called an intervening "if" clause. Abilities with this clause check the clause at the trigger event and on resolution. The ability only triggers if the clause is true at the trigger event, and it only executes its effects if the clause is true at the time of resolution.
December 21, 2013 2:14 p.m.
Oh so that is what an if clause mean (in Magic for that matter lol).
Trying to get these things right, as I want to take the test to become a judge :D
Devonin thanks! Great analysis, and bantam1234, I am a junkie for that kind of analysis :D
lord_of_the_snakes says... #1
like said on the gatherer, if Boomerang targets the mountain the entered, valakut does not trigger, but if Boomerang targets a different mountain, valakut will trigger
December 21, 2013 2:02 p.m.