So my question is, if someone casts a removal spell targeting Palinchron, can you use the activated ability to pay 3 mana, and return to your hand as a counter to the spell? Or does the removal spell have priority in the stack?
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-MadMage
Activating Palinchron's ability costs 4 mana (2 blue and 2 generic).
No type of spell or ability has priority over another. Whatever was added to the stack last will resolve first (known as LIFO, Last In First Out). Activating Palinchron in response to a removal spell targeting it will result in it returning to the hand, and the removal spell doing nothing. (Spells no longer get countered for having no legal targets left when they try to resolve, they simply do nothing.) Otoh, a removal spell cast in response to that ability will result in the Palichron dying before it can bounce.
You can activate Palinchron's last ability in response to a spell that targets Palinchron (C.R. 117.1b, 117.7). And when that ability returns Palinchron to its owner's hand, Palinchron will be an illegal target of that spell (C.R. 608.2b). (Note, however, that in general, this is effective at keeping the spell from resolving only if the spell has only one target and that target is Palinchron — the spell will still get to resolve if it has other legal targets [C.R. 608.2b; compare Murder with Spiteful Blow].)
Using card tags is mandatory in the Magic Rulings forum. Please check your private messages to learn how to use them. I've added them for this post.
-MadMage
No type of spell or ability has priority over another. Whatever was added to the stack last will resolve first (known as LIFO, Last In First Out). Activating Palinchron in response to a removal spell targeting it will result in it returning to the hand, and the removal spell doing nothing. (Spells no longer get countered for having no legal targets left when they try to resolve, they simply do nothing.) Otoh, a removal spell cast in response to that ability will result in the Palichron dying before it can bounce.
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