If I control both Erratic Portal and Portcullis and I cast a creature such as Man-o'-War with an ETB trigger, can I have the Man-o'-War's ETB ability resolve, then activate Erratic Portal to return the creature to my hand thereby avoiding exile by Portcullis (assuming there are already at least 2 creatures on the battlefield)?
When Man-o'-War enters the battlefield in this scenario, both its and Portcullis's abilities will trigger at the same time; neither ability will do anything right when they trigger, however, but rather they will go on the stack at the same time in the order of your choice (C.R. 603.2, 603.3, 603.3b, 603.4, 113.8). (In the case of Man-o'-War, the order won't matter here, especially because Man-o'-War's ability will still get to resolve even if Man-o'-War leaves the battlefield in the meantime.) And since those abilities go on the stack, you can activate abilities (such as Erratic Portal's) in response to them, so that the activated ability gets to resolve first (C.R. 117.7). And when Man-o'-War leaves the battlefield before the Portcullis ability resolves, the ability won't exile Man-o'-War even if it returns to the battlefield before that ability resolves (C.R. 400.7, 101.3).
Thank you. When an ETB ability takes place in multiple steps such as I would describe the case with Massacre Girl, the whole of her ability text goes on the stack, correct (i.e. including "Whenever a creature dies this turn, each creature other than Massacre Girl gets -1/-1 until end of turn.")? In a recent game, I controlled Portcullis and there were a couple of creatures on the battlefield and my opponent brought out Massacre Girl. Active player's triggered abilities go on the stack first (in the order of their choice) then the non-active player's. So the last on the stack (first to resolve) is Massacre Girl being exiled under Portcullis. Then, each creature gets a -1/-1 counter. And then, even though Massacre Girl is in exile, if any creature dies, each remaining creature gets an additional -1/-1 counter (and so forth)?
Thank you. When an ETB ability takes place in multiple steps such as I would describe the case with Massacre Girl, the whole of her ability text goes on the stack, correct (i.e. including "Whenever a creature dies this turn, each creature other than Massacre Girl gets -1/-1 until end of turn.")? In a recent game, I controlled Portcullis and there were a couple of creatures on the battlefield and my opponent brought out Massacre Girl. Active player's triggered abilities go on the stack first (in the order of their choice) then the non-active player's. So the last on the stack (first to resolve) is Massacre Girl being exiled under Portcullis. Then, each creature gets a -1/-1 counter. And then, even though Massacre Girl is in exile, if any creature dies, each remaining creature gets an additional -1/-1 counter (and so forth)?
Correct, but for a minor yet important detail: Massacre Girl does not give out counters, just a temporary debuff that ends in the cleanup step. Only effects that use the actual word "counter" use counters.
Thank you. When an ETB ability takes place in multiple steps such as I would describe the case with Massacre Girl, the whole of her ability text goes on the stack, correct (i.e. including "Whenever a creature dies this turn, each creature other than Massacre Girl gets -1/-1 until end of turn.")?
Yes. In the case of the text you quoted, that is a delayed triggered ability that is created when Massacre Girl's enters-the-battlefield ability resolves, even if Massacre Girl isn't on the battlefield by the time it resolves (C.R. 603.7, 113.7a). See also this thread.
When Man-o'-War enters the battlefield in this scenario, both its and Portcullis's abilities will trigger at the same time; neither ability will do anything right when they trigger, however, but rather they will go on the stack at the same time in the order of your choice (C.R. 603.2, 603.3, 603.3b, 603.4, 113.8). (In the case of Man-o'-War, the order won't matter here, especially because Man-o'-War's ability will still get to resolve even if Man-o'-War leaves the battlefield in the meantime.) And since those abilities go on the stack, you can activate abilities (such as Erratic Portal's) in response to them, so that the activated ability gets to resolve first (C.R. 117.7). And when Man-o'-War leaves the battlefield before the Portcullis ability resolves, the ability won't exile Man-o'-War even if it returns to the battlefield before that ability resolves (C.R. 400.7, 101.3).
See also your previous thread on Man-o'-War in particular.
Correct, but for a minor yet important detail: Massacre Girl does not give out counters, just a temporary debuff that ends in the cleanup step. Only effects that use the actual word "counter" use counters.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)
Yes. In the case of the text you quoted, that is a delayed triggered ability that is created when Massacre Girl's enters-the-battlefield ability resolves, even if Massacre Girl isn't on the battlefield by the time it resolves (C.R. 603.7, 113.7a). See also this thread.