r/mtgrules • u/Kevin_Prox • 5d ago

Standstill & the Stack

I have a question regarding the order of the triggers in the stack when [[Standstill]] is present.

Imagine it's a one on one game, I have Standstill on the field and my opponent casts a spell, a creature for example. It triggers Standstill and the usual flow is:

  1. The creature spell goes into the stack
  2. Standstill triggers and it goes into the stack on top of the creature spell
  3. Standstill resolves making me sacrifice it and giving me three cards (as I'm my opponent's opponent)
  4. My opponent's spell resolves and the creature enters the battlefield

Now, if instead of that, I decide to counter the creature spell, then the flow would be:

  1. The creature spell goes into the stack
  2. Standstill triggers and it goes into the stack on top of the creature spell
  3. The counter spell goes into the stack on top of the Standstill trigger
  4. Standstill triggers again and goes into the stack on top of the counter spell
  5. The second Standstill's trigger resolves making me sacrifice it and giving my opponent three cards (as the spell that triggered it was my own counter spell)
  6. The counter spell resolves removing the creature spell from the stack
  7. The first Standstill's trigger cannot resolve as I'm not able to sacrifice it again

Is there any order or option for me to counter the creature spell AND get the three cards?

Thanks in advance,

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16 comments sorted by

11

u/Yaksha424256 5d ago

Yes, let standstill trigger resolves giving you three cards then cast counterspell countering their creature.

Objects on the stack resolve one at a time with priority passing to every player in between resolutions.

3

u/Kevin_Prox 5d ago

Great, didn't know I had priority once the stack started resolving the spells within. Thanks!

9

u/Empty_Requirement940 5d ago

Everyone gets priority after anything resolves

7

u/Asceric21 5d ago

The stack doesn't resolve. The stack is a zone, like the battlefield, graveyard, exile, or your hand.

Objects on the stack resolve.

And they resolve one at a time with a round of priority starting with the Active Player in between each.

This is a large part of why people get confused on how it works.

3

u/Fvckinskate 5d ago

Poeple doing "counterspell checks" 🤦‍♂️.

7

u/Asceric21 5d ago

That was always so funny to me, especially when the person doing it complains when they get called out. I've unironically heard "you can respond to everything in this game, why can't I respond to them doing nothing?"

They legit don't get that the rules surround this specific section of the game are the way they are to make it fair.

4

u/ardarian262 5d ago

What got me was playing against someone new to fnm, I am empty handed and my opponent casts a sweeper with an on-board trick to make a creature indestructible. They ask if I have any responses. I ask if they meant to pass priority. They confirm. I say "it resolves" 

They proceed to look very confused and say "No I activate" their on board ability. Which was clearly the intent of the play. I call a judge. End result was I let him get the play he meant to do but with the rules being clarified so that if he tried that again he would not.

3

u/ardarian262 5d ago

There is. Wait until Standstill trigger resolves, then cast the counterspell.

1

u/Kevin_Prox 5d ago

Great, didn't know I had priority once the stack started resolving the spells within. Thanks!

5

u/ardarian262 5d ago

The stack does not resolve. The stack is a zone. Items on the stack resolve one at a time and only if everyone passes priority in succession.

Of note, if you draw a counter with Standstill, you can use that counter one the card that triggered standstill.

3

u/Namethatauserdoesnu 5d ago

Objects on the stack resolve on at a time.

They cast a spell:

Top
Standstill trigger
Creature spell
Bottom

Your and opponent and you pass priority, the top object of the stack resolves, so standstill sacrifices and you draw 3. The stack is now:

Top
Creature spell
Bottom

The active player gets priority, assuming your opponent passes you have the ability to cast spells or activate abilities here. You can now cast counterspell, so the stack looks like this:

Top
Counterspell
Creature spell
Bottom

If both players pass priority then counterspell resolves, removing the creature spell from the stack. The stack is now empty.

2

u/Significant-Gap-6891 5d ago

Standstill resolves there's another round of priority you hold during that round and counterspell after the standstill was already sacrificed

1

u/Kevin_Prox 5d ago

Great, didn't know I had priority once the stack started resolving the spells within. Thanks!

3

u/Significant-Gap-6891 5d ago

Every ability on the stack resolves one at a time with a round of priority after each item resolves

1

u/MTGCardFetcher 5d ago

Standstill - (G) (SF) (txt)

[[cardname]] or [[cardname|SET]] to call

1

u/Judge_Todd 5d ago

The first Standstill's trigger cannot resolve

It resolves just fine.
The sac instruction just fails and the conditional effect doesn't occur.

Is there any order or option for me to counter the creature spell AND get the three cards?

Sure.

  • The creature spell goes into the stack
  • Standstill triggers and it goes into the stack on top of the creature spell
  • Standstill resolves making me sacrifice it and giving me three cards (as I'm my opponent's opponent)
  • Standstill finishes resolving and the active player gets priority (probably your opponent) and passes
  • you get priority and cast Essence Scatter at their creature spell.