Essential Magic > Forums Homepage > Rules Questions > Tap before Tap
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Pshel
Joined: 10/28/2003 Quote: [none]
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Tap before Tap | 2/29/2020 8:16:40 AM |
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I was tapping my Witch Hunter Buy to return her creature to her hand and in response she tapped my Witch Hunter Buy. Can I tap my Witch Hunter Buy and return her card in response to her tapping my card as my Witch Hunter Buy is not yet tapped?
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Mallys
Joined: 5/21/2004 Quote: [none]
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RE: Tap before Tap | 3/11/2020 4:52:25 AM |
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Magic works on a system of priority, that is, during each step and phase (and whenever players cast spells or activate abilities), each player has an opportunity to do something in turn. Most of the time, the detailed mechanics are unnecessary, but it's helpful to understand how it works for situations like yours. A brief explanation can be found here in this article. Very little instantly happens in Magic, and you can't really "interrupt" what someone is doing. Assuming you have priority, you can activate the ability in question on Witch Hunter Buy. You go through a list of steps detailed in the comprehensive rules (boiled down to simply saying you're doing it, paying costs, and then waiting for it to resolve). Assuming you have nothing else you want to do (since you immediately regain priority after putting something on the stack), your opponent gains priority. At this point, they may cast spells or activate abilities of their own. It's also worth noting that costs and effects are separate things - you pay the costs (like mana, or tapping a permanent) when you declare you're doing something, and then you get the effects later when it resolves. Now that they can do things of their own, they may use a spell or ability to tap your Witch Hunter Buy, but unfortunately for them, it's already tapped (by you, paying for its ability), so they won't get much out of it, nor can they prevent you from activating its ability. Were this the other way around (them trying to tap it preemptively), you could simply respond by activating its ability, bringing us back around to how it unfolds above. The phrases, "I respond with," or "in response, I," colloquially refer to "responding," that is, casting a spell or activating an ability while another is already on the stack. As above, you can't step in and do something "before" what someone has already done. Once they do their thing, then you get a chance to do something as well. While you can prevent effects from happening via counterspells or other tomfoolery, interceding in paying costs isn't something readily doable. -------------------- Comprehensive Rules --- Gatherer --- Tournament Rules
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Pshel
Joined: 10/28/2003 Quote: [none]
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RE: RE: Tap before Tap | 3/13/2020 3:45:51 PM |
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Thanks for explaining it clearly 'once it is payed what happens"
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