L.I.F.O

[Angelfyre143]

hi, I actually need written clarification on the Last in First Out rulings on the stack, please. I keep getting into an argument with the same person at least once a week, due to the fact that L.I.F.O only applies to when it is convenient to him, so if I could get clarification I could show him, it would clear a lot of stress out of my house when he comes over to play. Thank you.

[Playboy514]

So many incorrect terms and such a confusing way to present it that this just had to go, sorry.

 -- Clariax

[Khahan]

I'll use a bit more technical language as an illustration. Especially since, the way playboy worded his, it does not seem possible.


I am active player, I play a spell, lets say Ancestral recall.

It goes on the stack:
ancestral recall targeting me

I pass priority and my opponent responds with misdirection. That goes on the stack which now looks like this:

misdirection targetting ancestral recall
ancestral recall targetting me

I don't like that idea so I cast mana drain targetting the misdirection:
mana drain targetting misdirection
misdirection targetting ancestral recall
ancestral recall targetting me

My opponent has 1 card left in hand and casts his brainstorm. The stack now looks like this:

brainstorm
mana drain targetting misdirection
misdirection targetting ancestral recall
ancestral recall targetting me

As active player, I pass priority to my opponent who also passes priority. This means the top item on the stack resolves. The brainstorm resolves because it is on top of the stack (or it  was the last item placed on the stack so its the first one to be taken out of the stack).

The stack is now:

mana drain targetting misdirection
misdirection targetting ancestral recall
ancestral recall targetting me

He pulls 3, puts back 2 and I regain priority. I pass, he passes.  The mana drain resolves, countering his misdirection and removing it from the stack. The stack is now:

ancestral recall targetting me

We both pass, that resolves getting me 3 cards.  The stack is now empty and I regain priority.

After re-reading playboys post, I see what he is doing. Playboy, generally when referring to the items on the stack, its customary to use a top-down approach. Meaning items are placed on top of the stack and resolves top to bottom. When you put "akroma, angel of wrath - comes into play" on top like you did, generally people will read that as the last spell played.  You then go to the next item and see a counterspell and a counterspell below it but no other spells for those to be targetting.  Also, there is no such thing as 'disolve' in magic.  Spells resolve or are removed from the stack for one reason or another.   Fizzle is ok as an informal term. Its shorthand for 'countered upon resolution...' (usually for lack of a legal target).

[Clariax]

As technical as one can get:

217.6a. When a spell is played, the physical card is put on the stack. When an ability is played, it goes on top of the stack without any card associated with it. (See rule 409.1, "Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.")

217.6b. The stack keeps track of the order that spells and/or abilities were added to it. Each time an object is put on the stack, it's put on top of all objects already there. (See rule 408, "Timing of Spells and Abilities.")

217.6d. When all players pass in succession, the top (last-added) spell or ability on the stack resolves. If the stack is empty when all players pass, the current step or phase ends and the next begins.

[Angelfyre143]

thank you for the clarification, no more arguements on magic night at my house, I can now just pull this up for him