While playing a round of Commander, my friend had just cast his Commander (so it is his turn) Zacama, Primal Calamity and used his ability to destroy my Crystal Shard.
I then used the tap effect of my Crystal Shard in reaction to them being destroyed. Then he said he reacts on my activation of the shard and pays another 3 mana to use Zacama's ability to destroy it.
Will the stack resolve in a way that I don't get to activate the shard? Or could I have reacted to him destroying it in trying to tap it again? Felt kinda trolled.
Abilities are independent of their sources. Removing the source in response to activation does not prevent the activation of Crystal Shard, nor does it make the ability do anything other than try to resolve as much as possible.
To be clear. They can activate their dino in response to you activating the shard, and you probably won't be able to reactivate the shard because you have already paid its cost of tapping it, but it won't effect the ability that you put on the stack already.
so stack would be:
Zacama targeting shard<---top
Shard targeting something
Zacama targeting shard<---bottom
The shard will be destroyed, then it's target will be bounced unless the cost is paid, then Zacama's ability will fizzle because its target, the shard, is gone.
You already activated the Shard. Destroying it before that activation resolves does not "un-activate" it or stop it from resolving and having its effect. But it will be destroyed before the Shard's ability takes effect. You cannot activate the Shard again unless you first get it to untap somwhow, because part of the cost of activating it is to tap it, and the costs are paid up front. The second (first) Zacama activation will get countered by the game rules for no longer having any legal targets (it "fizzles") when it tries to resolve.
Then he said he reacts on my activation of the shard and pays another 3 mana to use Zacama's ability to destroy it.
It was useless on their part to re-activate Zacama: that won't stop the effect of Crystal Shard.
See, the stack does not resolve as a whole (a common beginner's misconception): the spells and abilities piled up on the stack resolve ONE AT A TIME, and players may play new stuff between each resolution.
Your opponent played Zacama's ability: this ability is placed on the stack and waits, doing nothing.
(since it is an ability, and not a physical card, nobody actually sees it; but it is there nontheless)
While this ability is waiting, on the stack, you played Crystal Shard's ability: this ability also get placed on the stack and waits.
Both these abilities will eventually resolve and do their thing, WHATEVER HAPPENS to Zacama and Shard.
Zacama's ability WILL destry your shard, whatever happens to Zacama.
The creature targetted by Shard WILL be bounced to hand (unless they pay), whatever happens to Shard.
Seems like I/my playgroup must have misunderstood some mechanics, which is quite funny as I thought I got outplayed badly lol. I didn't get my bounce (targeted own creature) the way we played it.
Thank you very much for the insightful help,
cheers.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
To keep it short;
While playing a round of Commander, my friend had just cast his Commander (so it is his turn) Zacama, Primal Calamity and used his ability to destroy my Crystal Shard.
I then used the tap effect of my Crystal Shard in reaction to them being destroyed. Then he said he reacts on my activation of the shard and pays another 3 mana to use Zacama's ability to destroy it.
Will the stack resolve in a way that I don't get to activate the shard? Or could I have reacted to him destroying it in trying to tap it again? Felt kinda trolled.
so stack would be:
Zacama targeting shard<---top
Shard targeting something
Zacama targeting shard<---bottom
The shard will be destroyed, then it's target will be bounced unless the cost is paid, then Zacama's ability will fizzle because its target, the shard, is gone.
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)
See, the stack does not resolve as a whole (a common beginner's misconception): the spells and abilities piled up on the stack resolve ONE AT A TIME, and players may play new stuff between each resolution.
Your opponent played Zacama's ability: this ability is placed on the stack and waits, doing nothing.
(since it is an ability, and not a physical card, nobody actually sees it; but it is there nontheless)
While this ability is waiting, on the stack, you played Crystal Shard's ability: this ability also get placed on the stack and waits.
Both these abilities will eventually resolve and do their thing, WHATEVER HAPPENS to Zacama and Shard.
Zacama's ability WILL destry your shard, whatever happens to Zacama.
The creature targetted by Shard WILL be bounced to hand (unless they pay), whatever happens to Shard.
You might consider reading rules 116, 400, 602 & 608:
https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/rules-and-formats/rules
RULES OF MAGIC :
http://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/rules-and-formats/rules
Seems like I/my playgroup must have misunderstood some mechanics, which is quite funny as I thought I got outplayed badly lol. I didn't get my bounce (targeted own creature) the way we played it.
Thank you very much for the insightful help,
cheers.