What happens when extortedspells are countered?
Asked by ShadowNinja0704 9 years ago
Let's just say I cast Giant Scorpion and I plan to extort once. If my opponent counters it with Cancel, what happens? And when exactly is Giant Scorpion "cast"?
It's cast when it hits the stack. After it is cast it sort hangs in limbo while a period occurs where you or your opponent gets the chance to respond to your spell i.e. Cancel. So when you cast the spell it hits the stack, then the extort trigger hits the stack hangs in limbo waiting for a response, extort resolves, then your opponent or you gets the chance to respond to the spell you cast.
February 11, 2016 2:18 p.m.
Raging_Squiggle says... #3
Hopefully this will clear this up for you and any future concerns regarding this.
601.2a To propose the casting of a spell, a player first moves that card (or that copy of a card) from where it is to the stack. It becomes the topmost object on the stack. It has all the characteristics of the card (or the copy of a card) associated with it, and that player becomes its controller. The spell remains on the stack until its countered, it resolves, or an effect moves it elsewhere.
601.2b If the spell is modal, the player announces the mode choice (see rule 700.2).
601.2c The player announces his or her choice of an appropriate player, object, or zone for each target the spell requires.
601.2d If the spell requires the player to divide or distribute an effect (such as damage or counters) among one or more targets, the player announces the division.
601.2e The game checks to see if the proposed spell can legally be cast. If the proposed spell is illegal, the game returns to the moment before the casting of that spell was proposed (see rule 717, Handling Illegal Actions).
601.2f The player determines the total cost of the spell... The total cost is the mana cost or alternative cost (as determined in rule 601.2b), plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus all cost reductions.
601.2g If the total cost includes a mana payment, the player then has a chance to activate mana abilities (see rule 605, Mana Abilities). Mana abilities must be activated before costs are paid.
601.2h The player pays the total cost in any order.
601.2i Once the steps described in 601.2ah are completed, the spell becomes cast. Any abilities that trigger when a spell is cast or put onto the stack trigger at this time. If the spells controller had priority before casting it, he or she gets priority.
After reading through the above accordions, if you chose to, you'll know that once the spell is cast, Extort triggers immediately and goes on the stack on top of the spell you just cast. You don't pay the 
until the ability resolves. In response to the extort ability, or after it resolves, your opponent many cast Cancel, targeting your Giant Scorpion.
116.3d If a player has priority and chooses not to take any actions, that player passes. If any mana is in that players mana pool, he or she announces what mana is there. Then the next player in turn order receives priority.
116.1a A player may cast an instant spell any time he or she has priority. A player may cast a noninstant spell during his or her main phase any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty.
Even if the spell that triggered Extort is countered, extort will still resolve as it is not dependent on if that spell resolves or not. You will still gain the life, and your opponent(s) will still lose 1 life.
Raging_Squiggle says... Accepted answer #1
You pay extort as you cast the spell. And it's considered cast once all costs have been paid for it and the game checks that it's a legal cast.
Extort is separate from the spell itself so even if it's countered you still get the extort.
February 11, 2016 12:03 a.m.