Last night I was playing on MTGonline. I had my opponent down to two life and he/she cast {Sphinx' Revelation} for three cards and life I responded with {lightning Strike} just to use up my mana on his turn and he used all his mana for the Sphinx's Revelation so he couldn't counter it. The lightning strike resolved and I won the match. Is this right? Wouldn't the Sphinx's revelation get a chance to resolve seeing how its already been cast?
You would win since the stack functions as LIFO: Last in, First out. Therefore your {Lightning Strike} resolve before his {Sphinx's Revelation} dropping him to/below 0 life, meaning he loses the game.
104.3b (http://imtgapp.com/forum/index.php?action=imtg;area=rule;number=104.3b): If a player's life total is 0 or less, he or she loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)
704.1. (http://imtgapp.com/forum/index.php?action=imtg;area=rule;number=704.1.): State-based actions are game actions that happen automatically whenever certain conditions (listed below) are met. State-based actions don't use the stack.
So ya you won after your lightning strike since their life total went to 0 or lower, then between every resolution states are checked and they lost.
Really wow I thought that was a glitch. So regardless of whatever else is on the stack if a players life total is reduced to zero everything on the stack prior to that means nothing?
And thanks for the quick response😃
That's correct, state-based actions are automatically checked every time a player receives priority and they don't use the stack. I.E. they can't be responded to.
Something to watch out for here, states are not checked in the middle if a resolution. I can't think of one right now, but if a single spell/ability were to put you to below 0 then back above you would not lose. Not costs or anything like that, it must be part of the resolution.
I don't know if this as been said yet but Damage does not use the stack and is checked as a state-based action (I think).
So say I was at 3 and I use {Absorb Vis} on myself (not that I'd ever do that) but as an example. I don't lose?
Quote from: Mattao19 on October 26, 2013, 11:26:00 AM
So say I was at 3 and I use {Absorb Vis} on myself (not that I'd ever do that) but as an example. I don't lose?
Correct. The first 1/2 of the spell resolves and you lose 4 life going to -1 then the second 1/2 of the spell resolves bringing you back to 3. Then the spell goes to the GY and the active player gets priority, triggering a check of state based actions.
Interesting