iMtG Server: Gathering

I was playing in a legacy match the other day and was embarrassed to ask. Someone {pithing needle} my wasteland. Is it possible to pithing needle, a pithing needle. So can pithing needles ability be stopped by its own? Alittle confusing!

A {pithing needle} may target another pithing needle, but it will not affect anything as pithing needle is a static ability, not an activated ability.




112.3. There are four general categories of abilities: #

112.3a Spell abilities are abilities that are followed as instructions while an instant or sorcery spell is resolving. Any text on an instant or sorcery spell is a spell ability unless it’s an activated ability, a triggered ability, or a static ability that fits the criteria described in rule 112.6. #

112.3b Activated abilities have a cost and an effect. They are written as "[Cost]: [Effect.] [Activation instructions (if any).]" A player may activate such an ability whenever he or she has priority. Doing so puts it on the stack, where it remains until it’s countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. See rule 602, "Activating Activated Abilities." #

112.3c Triggered abilities have a trigger condition and an effect. They are written as "[Trigger condition], [effect]," and include (and usually begin with) the word "when," "whenever," or "at." Whenever the trigger event occurs, the ability is put on the stack the next time a player would receive priority and stays there until it’s countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. See rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities." #

112.3d Static abilities are written as statements. They’re simply true. Static abilities create continuous effects which are active while the permanent with the ability is on the battlefield and has the ability, or while the object with the ability is in the appropriate zone. See rule 604, "Handling Static Abilities." #

Quote from: Tmuy on August 11, 2014, 12:31:30 AM
I was playing in a legacy match the other day and was embarrassed to ask. Someone {pithing needle} my wasteland. Is it possible to pithing needle, a pithing needle. So can pithing needles ability be stopped by its own? Alittle confusing!

No, a {Pithing Needle} cannot stop another {Pithing Needle}'s ability from working.  The second ability is static, but I'm not sure what the first ability is exactly, because it uses the word "as."  Either way, neither is an activated ability, and therefore cannot be affected by a Pithing needle.

Also, there is a Rules section for questions like this.

Thanks

Quote from: Gleemax on August 11, 2014, 12:41:41 AM
The second ability is static, but I'm not sure what the first ability is exactly, because it uses the word "as."

The follow up, here - Pithing Needle has what's known as a Replacement Effect, specifically one that changes how a permanent enters the battlefield.  Naming a Card or an Opponent ({Meddling Mage}, {True-Name Nemesis}), entering tapped (Guildgates), clone effects, or entering the battlefield with counters (Hydras, Planeswalkers) all fall under this category.  Since they apply (or start applying) as the permanent is moving to the battlefield, they don't use the stack and there's never a point while the permanent is on the field that it doesn't apply (if it's linked to a static ability, like Meddling Mage or Pithing Needle).