The Stack

Now cards with the split second second effect cannot be countered because nO card effects (accept mana abilities) can be activated. True or untrue?

Now cards with the split second second effect cannot be countered because nO card effects (accept mana abilities) can be activated. True or untrue?

Not necessarily. Split second will not stop triggered abilities from countering it (such as Counterbalance) but it will prevent a card from being cast, like a Counterspell. It also will not stop "special actions", such as Morph (for cards like Voidmage Apprentice). It's not impossible to stop split second, but it is very difficult.

If an echantment is cast on my creature such as  Pacifism and I cast  Cloudshift to exile my creature. When does the creature exiled come back? Will it come back after the enchantment resolves or does it come back when cloudshift resolves but before the enchantment?

What if you cloud shift while the creature has an oppentents enchantment on it will it remove the chant or will the chant flicker out with the creature?

The enchantment would go to the grave and stay there

So complicated you have to use paper!? I mean I've been in a game with several strong Dimir decks and nothing ever got that haywire!

That just sounds horrifying!!

These types of things usually happen explicitly in non standard formats, such as commander. And sometimes it gets crazy and I've been in situations much crazier( for your sake, don't EVER play warp world, the whole table will rage) , just know what the rulings would be with cards that you play with and you should be fine

You betcha!

Older players, or players returning to the game, might get tripped up on this because combat damage actually used to use the stack.

There was a time where you could attack with a Ball Lightning, put the combat damage on the stack, and fling it for another 6 damage. It only changed fairly recently too. (Recent is pretty subjective, anyone have the rules change date?)

I don't know the date, but I believe it was in tenth edition when they made changes like that

I happened to read about this yesterday; they changed it in Magic 2010.

www.wizards....../feature/42a

What helped me finally understand the stack was DOTFP with the visualizations, once I saw the actual stack I understood

So, say I play a card like  Browbeat . Can I wait till after the opponent chooses to either, pay the 5 life or let me make a target player draw three cards, to play  Increasing Vengeance ? So the opponent takes the 5 life because he doesn't want me to gain the cards then I copy it to lay on the pressure to let me draw 3. Or, will the opponent be able to chose for both cards after I copy it even after he decides on the 5 life?

So, say I play a card like  Browbeat . Can I wait till after the opponent chooses to either, pay the 5 life or let me make a target player draw three cards, to play  Increasing Vengeance ? So the opponent takes the 5 life because he doesn't want me to gain the cards then I copy it to lay on the pressure to let me draw 3. Or, will the opponent be able to chose for both cards after I copy it even after he decides on the 5 life?

I believe you must copy before the opponet decides, because the decision would be made upon resolution. The spell must be copied on the stack so you could copy browbeat and have your opponent make 2 decisions but they must be on the stack together before either is decided upon.

^ this is correct. The decision of taking damage or allowing the draw is the result of Browbeat's resolution. By the time a player gets priority after the decision is made, the spell will be fully resolved and too late to be copied, as it is no longer on the stack. You'll have to copy it before it begins to resolve!

Ok, hopefully this is not a stupid question. Ran into a situation today that roused questions. The active player attacks me and I chose to not block and take the damage even though I do have creatures that have the ability to block (stupid deathtouch). After I declare no blockers he casts  multiple Titanic Growth potentially dealing enough damage to end the game. Do I have the ability to declare a blocker a second time to stop the attack or is blocking a one shot deal? (I do understand I can cast instants to counter it but I had none available at the time)

Ok, hopefully this is not a stupid question. Ran into a situation today that roused questions. The active player attacks me and I chose to not block and take the damage even though I do have creatures that have the ability to block (stupid deathtouch). After I declare no blockers he casts  multiple Titanic Growth potentially dealing enough damage to end the game. Do I have the ability to declare a blocker a second time to stop the attack or is blocking a one shot deal? (I do understand I can cast instants to counter it but I had none available at the time)

I'm afraid once you pass up blockers, you're done. You say no blockers, and the opponent (active player) receives priority, and it goes to the combat damage step.

That was my understanding also, I just wasn't sure if I then had another opportunity as he had cast more instants. I am correct in saying that I could have then cast an instant (if I had them available) to counter or would I have been completely finished? Lets say  Safe Passage,  Murder, or the likes.