Timing and Stack Issue
My opponent activated an artifact ability targeting one of my permanents. In response to his activation I cast a destroy artifact spell which went onto the stack. My opponent responds by casting a counter targeting my spell. I then respond with another instant targeting his artifact to destroy it.
The stack resolves as follows:
My last spell cast destroys the artifact.
Next, my opponents counter successfully counters my first destroy artifact spell.
The stack should be done because the artifact that started it all has been destroyed. However, the ability activated by the artifact at the beginning still resolved and successfully interacted with my permanent.
That ability, by the rules governing timing should not have resolved because the artifact was destroyed before it could tap and activate the ability.
This error happens all the time. When a player taps a permanent to activate an ability, regardless of any action that happens earlier in the stack, the ability still resolves.
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Tocs Redle#81388 commented
Referencing 113.7a - The problem with your response is this:
Player A wishes to tap a permanent so as to cause a triggered event.
Player B responds with an instant, prior to the object being tapped, destroying the permanent. Since the object is no longer on the battlefield, it cannot be tapped causing the triggered effect.Reverse the stack, Player B casts a spell to destroy a permanent.
In response, Player A taps the permanent resulting in a triggered effect. That effect is on the stack now, independent of the permanent that is pending destruction. The triggered effect will then happen.This is the the reason there is a stack and timing rules. Both players have the option to respond to any intended action, thereby, possibly preventing the intended action from taking place.
Further evidence of the timing issues that plague Arena are as follows:
Electrostatic Infantry gains a +1/+1 if you cast an instant or sorcery. Controlling Player attempts to cast an instant.
Opposing Player cast a Counter spell, negating the instant that was cast.
Electrostatic Infantry still gets the +1/+1 even though the spell was never successfully cast. This all should resolve in order of the stack and the creature should not get the counter. -
[Deleted User] commented
Off the top of my head, only time I can think of where removing the source of the ability stops it are the cards that do something as long as it's on the battlefield, such as exiling the target, as it's already off the battlefield when the ability resolves.
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[Deleted User] commented
Which is correctly handled. Removing the source of an ability, that'already on the stack, does not stop the ability from resolving. It exists independently from its source. You have to counter the ability itself if you want to stop it.
113.7a Once activated or triggered, an ability exists on the stack independently of its source.
Destruction or removal of the source after that time won’t affect the ability. Note that some
abilities cause a source to do something (for example, “Prodigal Pyromancer deals 1 damage to
any target”) rather than the ability doing anything directly. In these cases, any activated or
triggered ability that references information about the source for use while announcing an
activated ability or putting a triggered ability on the stack checks that information when the
ability is put onto the stack. Otherwise, it will check that information when it resolves. In both
instances, if the source is no longer in the zone it’s expected to be in at that time, its last known
information is used. The source can still perform the action even though it no longer exists.