I only have 6 available mana in total. {Champion of Stray Souls} and 6 1/1 white human tokens on the field. Can I use the champion's first ability and sac all 6 tokens and return 6 creatures from my graveyard to the battlefield?
If that's how it works, can I instead sac creatures on the field and return those same creatures that I sac'd to the field? (Implying they aren't tokens.) For example: {Liliana's Shade}
To the first one, yes. You pay your six mana and sacrifice any number of creatures to get that many back.
To the second, no. Targets are chosen before costs are paid, so your creatures aren't in the graveyard to be targeted.
Quote from: Remillo on May 28, 2014, 02:30:27 AM
To the first one, yes. You pay your six mana and sacrifice any number of creatures to get that many back.
To the second, no. Targets are chosen before costs are paid, so your creatures aren't in the graveyard to be targeted.
The effect states:
"{3}{B}{B}, {T}, Sacrifice X other creatures: Return X target creature cards from your graveyard to the battlefield."
I thought that the semicolon means anything before it has to be done before the rest of the spell/ability can carry out. So I would have to pay it, tap it, annnnd sac creatures, so they would be in the graveyard before I chose what creatures to return.
Otherwise, I would have to choose which creatures I wanted to sac as well as show my opponent which creature(s) I would bring back before my opponent can choose if they want to counter the activated ability.
Quote from: Avodroc13 on May 28, 2014, 02:40:16 AM
Quote from: Remillo on May 28, 2014, 02:30:27 AM
To the first one, yes. You pay your six mana and sacrifice any number of creatures to get that many back.
To the second, no. Targets are chosen before costs are paid, so your creatures aren't in the graveyard to be targeted.
The effect states:
"{3}{B}{B}, {T}, Sacrifice X other creatures: Return X target creature cards from your graveyard to the battlefield."
I thought that the semicolon means anything before it has to be done before the rest of the spell/ability can carry out. So I would have to pay it, tap it, annnnd sac creatures, so they would be in the graveyard before I chose what creatures to return.
Otherwise, I would have to choose which creatures I wanted to sac as well as show my opponent which creature(s) I would bring back before my opponent can choose if they want to counter the activated ability.
from the gatherer on {champion of stray souls}:
2/1/2014 You choose the targets of the first ability as you activate that ability, before you pay any costs. You can't target any of the creatures you sacrifice.
you always choose targets before paying costs.
1. Choose targets
2. Pass priority
3. Pay costs and continue activation and the sac/return.
4. Pass priority again?
I'm confused on when priority is passed. Is it anytime something is put on the stack?
Quote from: Avodroc13 on May 28, 2014, 02:50:27 AM
1. Choose targets
2. Pass priority
3. Pay costs and continue activation and the sac/return.
4. Pass priority again?
I'm confused on when priority is passed. Is it anytime something is put on the stack?
you dont pass priority after choosing targets. you just choose targets before paying costs when casting a spell. you may want to refer here for the steps to casting a spell:
http://www.gatheringmagic.com/do-you-really-know-how-to-cast-spells/
if you have priority and are casting a spell, an opponent will not recieve priority until you have completely finished all steps of casting said spell.
The (simplified) order of casting a spell or activating an ability is this:
1) Announcing the Spell or Ability and putting it on to the stack
2) Targets are selected and announced
3) Costs are calculated and paid
Then the object waits on the stack until it resolves or otherwise leaves. No one gets priority from when you announce it to when costs are paid.
See rules 601.2a-g to see all the required steps (in order) to cast a spell