In a recent national qualifiers tournament I came across an issue that I wasn't sure about. My opponent and I both had a tumble magnet on the field. When I used my tumble magnet to tap a creature he wanted to respond by tapping my tumble magnet. The game was won regardless so I didn't look into calling a judge since time was tight. However, can you respond to a tapping effect by tapping the card? I was under the assumption that tapping it was part of the cost, so you couldn't respond to it in that fashion.
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It's a legal play, his magnet is tapped and loses a counter. It's just not going to do anything useful since, as you say, yours was already tapped to pay its own cost.
(The difference being it's a mistake on his part to make a play that does nothing useful and he doesn't get to take it back, as opposed to an impossible action.)
Your opponent can respond by targeting your Tumble Magnet with his. This is a legal play.
However, it will not "cancel" or "counter" your activation of your Tumble Magnet. This is because you have already paid the cost to activate Tumble Magnet when you played the ability, so it's already tapped by the time he can activate his.
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I am no longer on MTGS staff, so please don't contact me asking me to do staff things. :|
You would both tap your magnets. Tapping your Tumble Magnet put your ability on the stack, same with the opponent's.
The tap abilities are both on the stack at this point, so they would target the opposing magnet ... but they're already both tapped now since you activated the ability.
Tapping your magnet and targeting the opponent's magnet only put the ability on the stack. Your opponent can respond by doing the same before the stack resolves.
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Thanks for the quick response, I also wanted to clarify something else about the card since I've been gone from magic for a while. At what points can you legally use the effect of tumble magnet during your opponent's turn? You can do it any time they use an effect or play a spell in response, but if they go straight to attack phase do you get an opportunity to tap a creature? In all table games I've played when a situation is visible that this could be done 'declare attackers' is announced and that's when you tap. However on MTGO you're not given this option before attack step, thus my confusion. I just want to clarify it so I don't majorly botch a game in a serious situation.
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Thanks for the quick response, I also wanted to clarify something else about the card since I've been gone from magic for a while. At what points can you legally use the effect of tumble magnet during your opponent's turn? You can do it any time they use an effect or play a spell in response, but if they go straight to attack phase do you get an opportunity to tap a creature. In all table games I've played when a situation is visible that this could be done 'declare attackers' is announced and that's when you tap.
You can activate any time you have priority and you will receive priority at least once during each step/phase of the game except Untap and Cleanup(most of the time).
When an opponent says, 'declare attackers' or similar he is implementing a shortcut where he passes priority to you during the Beginning of Combat step. You can activate your tumble magnet here to tap a creature.
However on MTGO you're not given this option before attack step, thus my confusion. I just want to clarify it so I don't majorly botch a game in a serious situation.
Yes you are, you just have to set a stop on your opponent's beginning of combat step.
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Ah I see. I figured it was a legal action I just didn't know HOW on mtgo. Thanks for the calrification, always enjoyed how responsive and helpful the rulings section is on salvation
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Before leaving the current step or phase, each player needs to pass priority in succession while the stack is empty. You don't only have the right to do something in response to him doing something on his turn. You can also take actions if he chooses to do nothing.
Your opponent can respond by targeting your Tumble Magnet with his. This is a legal play.
However, it will not "cancel" or "counter" your activation of your Tumble Magnet. This is because you have already paid the cost to activate Tumble Magnet when you played the ability, so it's already tapped by the time he can activate his.
So, since the original magnet is not countered, does that mean that you can still target a creature or other object with the first magnet ? Which would effectively waste ur opponents tap of his magnet?
So, since the original magnet is not countered, does that mean that you can still target a creature or other object with the first magnet ? Which would effectively waste ur opponents tap of his magnet?
I'm unclear as to what you are asking.
By the time your opponent gets a chance to activate his tumble magnet you have already chosen a target for yours and the ability is on the stack. You don't get to re-choose targets.
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The target of the first magnet activation was chosen as part of putting the ability on the stack. It was locked in before the opponent ever had a chance to respond with his own ability.
You activate Tumble Magnet, tapping it to pay its cost and putting the ability on the stack with his creature as the target. Then you pass priority.
He activates his own Tumble Magnet, tapping it to pay its cost and putting the ability on the stack with your Tumble Magnet as the target. We assume that everyone passes priority until the stack is empty from now on.
His activation starts resolving. It attempts to tap your Tumble Magnet, but can't since it is already tapped.
Your activation starts resolving, tapping his creature.
As you can see, him attempting to tap your Tumble Magnet did nothing to stop it from tapping his guy, as the ability tapping his creature was already on the stack by the time he activated his Tumble Magnet.
Even if he attempted to use his Tumble Magnet to tap your Tumble Magnet before you had activated it you could still just activate your magnet in response, tapping his creature.
so I didn't look into calling a judge since time was tight
If you are unsure about an interaction, you should always call a judge. If you're worried about time, a time extension can be given of a length equal to the time it took for the judge to respond to the call and answer your question.
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(The difference being it's a mistake on his part to make a play that does nothing useful and he doesn't get to take it back, as opposed to an impossible action.)
However, it will not "cancel" or "counter" your activation of your Tumble Magnet. This is because you have already paid the cost to activate Tumble Magnet when you played the ability, so it's already tapped by the time he can activate his.
The tap abilities are both on the stack at this point, so they would target the opposing magnet ... but they're already both tapped now since you activated the ability.
Tapping your magnet and targeting the opponent's magnet only put the ability on the stack. Your opponent can respond by doing the same before the stack resolves.
UWR UWR Mid-Range
GBW Junk
Legacy
RBG Punishing Jund
Vintage
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X MUD
You can activate any time you have priority and you will receive priority at least once during each step/phase of the game except Untap and Cleanup(most of the time).
When an opponent says, 'declare attackers' or similar he is implementing a shortcut where he passes priority to you during the Beginning of Combat step. You can activate your tumble magnet here to tap a creature.
Yes you are, you just have to set a stop on your opponent's beginning of combat step.
Ever wanted to know what guidelines Judges use to make rulings? Find out at the DCI Document Center.
You can also find the latest Comprehensive Rules here.
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RBG Punishing Jund
Vintage
0 Ichorid
X MUD
So, since the original magnet is not countered, does that mean that you can still target a creature or other object with the first magnet ? Which would effectively waste ur opponents tap of his magnet?
I'm unclear as to what you are asking.
By the time your opponent gets a chance to activate his tumble magnet you have already chosen a target for yours and the ability is on the stack. You don't get to re-choose targets.
Ever wanted to know what guidelines Judges use to make rulings? Find out at the DCI Document Center.
You can also find the latest Comprehensive Rules here.
As you can see, him attempting to tap your Tumble Magnet did nothing to stop it from tapping his guy, as the ability tapping his creature was already on the stack by the time he activated his Tumble Magnet.
Even if he attempted to use his Tumble Magnet to tap your Tumble Magnet before you had activated it you could still just activate your magnet in response, tapping his creature.
If you are unsure about an interaction, you should always call a judge. If you're worried about time, a time extension can be given of a length equal to the time it took for the judge to respond to the call and answer your question.
Remember, kids: Never fight with Flashback, 'cause Flashback always wins.