If I have a Yavimaya Elder and I attach a Skullclamp to him, can I get all three effects off? Once I attach Skullclamp do I have a chance to sac the elder while he is clamped to get that additional draw?
If Skullclamp is attached to Yavimaya Elder (but Yavimaya Elder's toughness is still 1 or greater) and you sacrifice Yavimaya Elder with its activated ability, both Yavimaya Elder's first ability and Skullclamp's triggered ability will trigger (C.R. 700.4, 603.2, 701.16a). Assuming you control both permanents, the triggered abilities will go on the stack, in the order you choose, above the activated ability and get to resolve before that ability (C.R. 602.2b, 601.2i, 117.5, 603.3b, 117.4, 113.8).
EDIT: Correctness edit after comment 4 was posted.
Follow-Up: When does state-based actions check to see that [a creature] dies to SKs +1/-1? Why doesn't he die right as SK is attached? I'm trying to get a deeper understanding.
Follow-Up: When does state-based actions check to see that [a creature] dies to SKs +1/-1? Why doesn't he die right as SK is attached? I'm trying to get a deeper understanding.
I forgot to take that point into account when I started writing comment 2. In normal cases, if you attach Skullclamp to Yavimaya Elder, Skullclamp will immediately reduce Yavimaya Elder's toughness from 1 to 0, so that Yavimaya Elder will go to the graveyard as a state-based action (and Skullclamp's triggered ability and Yavimaya Elder's first ability, in turn, trigger and go on the stack) before any player gets priority to activate abilities, including Yavimaya Elder's last ability (C.R. 703.3, 704.5f, 613.1g, 613.3c, 613.4, 117.1b, 700.4, 603.3, 603.3b; see also C.R. 117.5). In general, state-based actions are checked whenever a player would get priority (C.R. 703.3).
Follow-Up: When does state-based actions check to see that [a creature] dies to SKs +1/-1? Why doesn't he die right as SK is attached? I'm trying to get a deeper understanding.
I forget to take that point into account when I started writing comment 2. In normal cases, if you attach Skullclamp to Yavimaya Elder, Skullclamp will immediately reduce Yavimaya Elder's toughness from 1 to 0, so that Yavimaya Elder will go to the graveyard as a state-based action before any player gets priority to activate abilities, including Yavimaya Elder's last ability (C.R. 703.3, 704.5f, 613.1g, 613.3c, 613.4, 117.1b). In general, state-based actions are checked whenever a player would get priority (C.R. 703.3).
So the answer is no... I cannot get all three triggers. I can get the SK Draw 2 and YE 2 Lands or I can just use the YE ability.
So the answer is no... I cannot get all three triggers. I can get the SK Draw 2 and YE 2 Lands or I can just use the YE ability.
There are only two triggered abilities involved in this scenario — Yavimaya Elder's first ability and Skullclamp's second ability (C.R. 603.1). Yavimaya Elder's last ability is not a triggered ability, since it doesn't begin with "when", "whenever", or "at" (C.R. 603.1; compare with C.R. 602.1). In normal cases, you can either—
activate Yavimaya Elder's last ability without attaching Skullclamp to Yavimaya Elder, or
attach Skullclamp to Yavimaya Elder, but then without being able to activate Yavimaya Elder's last ability.
EDIT: Correctness edit after comment 4 was posted.
Follow-Up: When does state-based actions check to see that [a creature] dies to SKs +1/-1? Why doesn't he die right as SK is attached? I'm trying to get a deeper understanding.EDIT: Comment 2 was edited voiding this.
So the answer is no... I cannot get all three triggers. I can get the SK Draw 2 and YE 2 Lands or I can just use the YE ability.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
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