when do actually lose the game?
Asked by atomic_moose 11 years ago
"104.3b If a player's life total is 0 or less, he or she loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.) "
I initially read this as end of turn, but after looking through priority, a player receives priority by playing spells and the end of phase.
example: I have 1 life, it is my turn and my opponent burns me. Do I lose at the end of my phase, or if my opponent plays another instant, or is it at the end of turn?
Having priority means that you can cast spells and activate abilities. If you don't have priority, than you can't cast spells at all
You get priority roughly a dozen times over the course of a single turn if you do nothing. You also get priority before each spell resolves, and you get priority every time the stack becomes empty.
March 10, 2014 6:24 p.m.
You would lose the next time that the game state is checked. Which in this case would be after the burn spell and any subsequent spells that were placed on the stack with it have resolved and the stack is empty.
March 10, 2014 7:32 p.m.
actually kmcree the stack doesn't resolve as one entity. Each spell resolves individually and players receive priority after each spell resolves and before the next one on the stack starts to resolve. So, just for example, if he were to cast Elvish Mystic and in response his opponent cast Magma Jet . The stack would be mystic on bottom and jet on top. If nothing else is played by either player the Magma Jet will resolve dealing 2 damage to him taking his life total below 0. After Magma Jet resolves players will receive priority again before the mystic on the stack resolves. Since State Based Actions are checked immediately before anytime priority is given, it's at this time the game will check and see that his life total is below 0 and he'll lose the game with his Elvish Mystic still on the stack. In the case of a multiplayer game, then anything he has left on the board (regardless if it's enchanting an opponents creature or something similar) will be immediately removed from the game and any spells he has remaining on the stack will be removed and will not resolve.
March 10, 2014 7:55 p.m.
Right, but in this case the Magma Jet was the first card cast. So it would be at the bottom of the stack, and the stack would be empty after it resolves. What I said is still correct. If the Magma Jet was cast in response to something then yes, what you said is true. My point was primarily that he would have a chance to respond to the Magma Jet , and any spells he cast in response would resolve before he lost.
March 10, 2014 8:02 p.m.
that's fine, I wasn't harping at you or anything like that, just trying to be helpful. I've seen lots of players who think that once stuff on the stack starts to resolve that they have to wait till each of those spells takes effect before they can cast something. So I was just pointing out that you get a chance to play spells in between the resolution of each spell already on the stack and that the stack doesn't have to be empty in order for the game to check SBA's. That last part about "and the stack is empty" in your comment could lead to some confusion is all so I was just clarifying on a point I know others who read this could benefit from seeing.
March 10, 2014 8:19 p.m.
No worries. I just realized his question doesn't explicitly say the burn spell was first on the stack, so my comment could have been confusing.
March 10, 2014 8:22 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #8
@Sam_I_am: Technically speaking, state-based actions are checked before players get priority.
Sam_I_am says... Accepted answer #1
you would get priority after the burn spell resolves, and then state based actions are checked, and you lose
March 10, 2014 6:19 p.m.