Decoding ETB Triggers: A Comprehensive Guide to Responding in Magic: The Gathering
Yes, you can respond to an Enter the Battlefield (ETB) trigger in Magic: The Gathering. When a permanent with an ETB ability enters the battlefield, that ability is placed on the stack. Players then have the opportunity to respond with instants or activated abilities before the ETB trigger resolves. This fundamental aspect of the game allows for complex interactions and strategic plays, making it essential for players to understand.
Understanding the Stack and Priority
To truly grasp the concept of responding to ETB triggers, it’s crucial to understand the stack and the concept of priority.
The stack is a game zone where spells and abilities wait to resolve. Think of it like a queue where the last item added is the first one processed. When a permanent with an ETB ability enters the battlefield, its triggered ability goes onto the stack.
After a spell or ability (like an ETB trigger) is put on the stack, players receive priority. Priority is the right to cast spells or activate abilities. The player with priority can either take an action (play a spell or ability) or pass priority to the next player. If all players pass priority in succession, the top object on the stack resolves.
Responding to the ETB Trigger: A Practical Example
Let’s illustrate with an example. Imagine your opponent plays a creature like “Baleful Strix,” which has the ETB trigger “When Baleful Strix enters the battlefield, draw a card.”
- Baleful Strix enters the battlefield.
- Its ETB trigger (draw a card) goes on the stack.
- Your opponent, as the active player, initially has priority.
- Before they can draw a card, you, as the non-active player, can respond. You could cast “Lightning Bolt” targeting Baleful Strix.
- Lightning Bolt goes on the stack, above the ETB trigger.
- Players pass priority.
- Lightning Bolt resolves, destroying Baleful Strix.
- Players get priority again.
- Baleful Strix’s ETB trigger now resolves (Even though the creature is gone, triggered abilities function independently).
What Happens if You Don’t Respond?
If you choose not to respond and pass priority, your opponent then has the option to respond or pass priority. If they also pass priority, the ETB trigger resolves, and they draw a card. Once the trigger resolves, the active player gets priority again and play continues.
Why Respond to ETB Triggers?
Responding to ETB triggers is a crucial strategic element in Magic. You might respond to:
- Remove the source of the trigger: As demonstrated above, removing the creature with the trigger.
- Disrupt the trigger’s effect: Counterspells, for example, can negate the effect of the trigger if it’s a spell-like ability.
- Gain an advantage: Play a spell or ability that benefits you before the opponent can take advantage of their ETB trigger.
ETB Triggers and State-Based Actions
It’s crucial to remember that certain game actions, like the Legend Rule, happen before ETB triggers are put on the stack. The Legend Rule requires a player to sacrifice all but one legendary permanent they control with the same name. This happens before any ETB triggers from the legendary permanent can go on the stack. So, the choice of which legendary permanent to keep is made before the ETB’s even trigger.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Responding to ETB Triggers
Can I respond to a land entering the battlefield?
No, you cannot directly respond to a land entering the battlefield. Playing a land is a special action that doesn’t use the stack. However, if the land has a landfall trigger, you can respond to that triggered ability as it goes on the stack.
Can you respond to a triggered ability?
Yes, absolutely! When a triggered ability goes on the stack, it creates an instance of priority for each player, allowing responses just as if a spell were cast.
Can you respond to a creature entering the battlefield without an ETB trigger?
No. If a creature enters the battlefield without an ETB trigger and nothing else occurs, you don’t get a chance to respond. Priority dictates that the active player gets priority after anything resolves.
Can I cast an instant in response to a triggered ability?
Yes, you can cast an instant spell (or activate an activated ability) in response to any spell or ability on the stack, including triggered abilities.
Can I use an instant before an ETB triggers?
No, triggered abilities don’t trigger until after a permanent enters the battlefield. However, you can respond to the trigger before it resolves.
What is the rule 603.6 in Magic?
Rule 603.6 defines zone-change triggers. It explains how abilities that trigger when an object changes zones (e.g., enters or leaves the battlefield) function, including how they track the object as it moves.
Do ETB triggers happen before the Legend Rule?
No. The Legend Rule is a state-based action that is checked before triggered abilities are placed on the stack. You must choose which legendary permanent to keep before any ETB triggers of the sacrificed ones are put on the stack.
Does the Legend Rule stop ETB effects from the permanent I sacrifice?
No, it does not. The legend rule triggers before the ETB effects are put on the stack. The ETB effects of the sacrificed permanent are put on the stack and resolve as normal.
Can you cast an instant between when a creature enters the battlefield and when its ETB ability triggers?
No. You cannot cast an instant before the ETB ability triggers, as the game state hasn’t reached a point where you receive priority.
Can I respond to a landfall trigger?
Yes, you can! While playing a land doesn’t use the stack, any ability that triggers from the land being played (like landfall) does use the stack and can be responded to.
Can you respond to the Legend Rule?
No, you cannot respond to the Legend Rule. It’s a state-based action that happens automatically, without using the stack or giving players priority.
Can you respond to a Bojuka Bog trigger?
Yes. Bojuka Bog has an enters-the-battlefield trigger. While lands do not use the stack, triggered abilities always do (except mana abilities), and since Bojuka Bog has an enters-the-battlefield trigger, your opponent has a chance to respond at instant speed before it resolves.
Does copying a permanent count as an ETB trigger?
Creating a token copy of a permanent is different from a permanent entering the battlefield. In the scenario of copying, the token is created on the battlefield, so ETB triggers are activated.
Do tokens trigger ETB effects?
Yes, a token “enters the battlefield” when it’s created. Therefore, creating a token can trigger ETB abilities.
Is Soulbond an ETB trigger?
Yes, Soulbond is a triggered ability that goes on the stack when a creature with Soulbond enters the battlefield, allowing players to respond before the creatures are paired.
Mastering the intricacies of ETB triggers and responding to them effectively is vital for success in Magic: The Gathering. Understanding the stack, priority, and the timing of triggered abilities will give you a significant edge in gameplay. Expand your knowledge and join the Games Learning Society to find valuable resources. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to delve deeper into the world of gaming and education.