The Stack and its Peculiarities by Consultant Andy Jones
The stack has been an integral part of Magic: The Gathering since the Sixth edition. Before then, spells were played is whatever way seemed logical, but they vagaries inherent in that system made judging difficult. Thus, the need for a systematic method to the casting and resolving of spells gave birth to the stack.
The stack is used whenever a spell is played or ability is activated. It is where those spells and abilities “go” to resolve. The key things to know about the stack are threefold: The stack can hold as many spells or abilities as you can play in one moment, only instants and abilities can be used after the first spell goes in to the stack, and the order of spells being placed in the stack determines the order in which they resolve.
Once you play a spell, it goes to the top of the stack. It stays on the stack until it resolves. Once a spell goes to the stack, each player is given a chance to respond with an instant or ability that goes on top of the last spell played. Those in turn can be responded to until nobody chooses to respond with a spell or ability. The stack is then closed until the top spell resolves. The last spell played, or the first one on the stack, resolves first. Once it resolves, it is removed from the stack and the second to last spell can be responded to before it resolves. The process continues until the last spell in the stack resolves.
There are several mechanics that influence the stack. First is the countering mechanism. As a spell counters another that is cast, it targets one of those spells on the stack. When the counter resolves, the spell is removed from the stack before it resolves and therefore has no effect. Another mechanic that affects the stack is split second spells. When a split second spell is cast, the stack immediately closes and no further spells can be played. The stack then begins to resolve in the normal manner.
Let’s finish with an example of the stack and its functions. The first spell is cast, and therefore enters the stack. This is Assault Probe, a sorcery that gives a creature double strike. Before it resolves, another player decides to use Counterspell on it, which, unsurprisingly, counters a spell. Before the counter resolves, the first player uses the Instant Reverberate spell, which adds a copy of target instant or sorcery spell to the top of the stack, on the Assault Probe. Nobody decides to respond to this and the stack begins to resolve. As the Reverberate was the last spell played, it resolves first, and so adds another copy of Assault Probe to the top of the stack. The copy then resolves and gives target creature double strike. Despite being a sorcery, it was not actually played but instead was ADDED to the stack, therefore countering all rules about when sorceries can be played. The next spell resolves, which was the Counterspell, which targets the original Assault Probe. Once it resolves, the original Assault Probe is removed from the stack, therefore meaning that the stack is now empty and effectively goes away until the next spell is cast.
The stack has been an integral part of Magic: The Gathering since the Sixth edition. Before then, spells were played is whatever way seemed logical, but they vagaries inherent in that system made judging difficult. Thus, the need for a systematic method to the casting and resolving of spells gave birth to the stack.
The stack is used whenever a spell is played or ability is activated. It is where those spells and abilities “go” to resolve. The key things to know about the stack are threefold: The stack can hold as many spells or abilities as you can play in one moment, only instants and abilities can be used after the first spell goes in to the stack, and the order of spells being placed in the stack determines the order in which they resolve.
Once you play a spell, it goes to the top of the stack. It stays on the stack until it resolves. Once a spell goes to the stack, each player is given a chance to respond with an instant or ability that goes on top of the last spell played. Those in turn can be responded to until nobody chooses to respond with a spell or ability. The stack is then closed until the top spell resolves. The last spell played, or the first one on the stack, resolves first. Once it resolves, it is removed from the stack and the second to last spell can be responded to before it resolves. The process continues until the last spell in the stack resolves.
There are several mechanics that influence the stack. First is the countering mechanism. As a spell counters another that is cast, it targets one of those spells on the stack. When the counter resolves, the spell is removed from the stack before it resolves and therefore has no effect. Another mechanic that affects the stack is split second spells. When a split second spell is cast, the stack immediately closes and no further spells can be played. The stack then begins to resolve in the normal manner.
Let’s finish with an example of the stack and its functions. The first spell is cast, and therefore enters the stack. This is Assault Probe, a sorcery that gives a creature double strike. Before it resolves, another player decides to use Counterspell on it, which, unsurprisingly, counters a spell. Before the counter resolves, the first player uses the Instant Reverberate spell, which adds a copy of target instant or sorcery spell to the top of the stack, on the Assault Probe. Nobody decides to respond to this and the stack begins to resolve. As the Reverberate was the last spell played, it resolves first, and so adds another copy of Assault Probe to the top of the stack. The copy then resolves and gives target creature double strike. Despite being a sorcery, it was not actually played but instead was ADDED to the stack, therefore countering all rules about when sorceries can be played. The next spell resolves, which was the Counterspell, which targets the original Assault Probe. Once it resolves, the original Assault Probe is removed from the stack, therefore meaning that the stack is now empty and effectively goes away until the next spell is cast.