When does a countered spell go to the graveyard?

Asked by Debatra 5 years ago

When the thing that countered it resolves? When its place in the stack comes up and it fails to resolve?

Let's say Time Stop is on top of the stack. I want it to resolve, but I don't want some other card on the stack to be exiled. If I counter that other card, will it go to the graveyard, or will it be exiled?

Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #1

It goes to the graveyard as part of the "counter [something]" effect resolving. This is the official rule describing what it means to counter a spell:

701.5a To counter a spell or ability means to cancel it, removing it from the stack. It doesn't resolve and none of its effects occur. A countered spell is put into its owner's graveyard.

For example, let's say there's a complicated series of spells on the stack including a Golgari Grave-Troll that you want in your graveyard and a Time Stop on top. If you respond to Time Stop by casting Essence Scatter targeting the Troll, the Troll will be put into the graveyard as Essence Scatter resolves. It won't get exiled when Time Stop resolves.

April 27, 2020 1:38 p.m.