Can you manipulate your library in response to opponent casting to make Counterbalance work?

Asked by ALX 7 years ago

Can you manipulate your library in response to your opponent casting (say with Reclaim) to ensure your top card allows Counterbalance to counter their spell? Or is there no opportunity to do anything between them casting and the Counterbalance trigger going off?

Example: You have Counterbalance in play, they cast Lightning Bolt then you cast Reclaim and put a Spell Snare from your graveyard to the top of your library and then Counterbalance resolves and you reveal Spell Snare countering the Bolt.

Boza says... Accepted answer #1

Yes.

Provided you act in response to the trigger of Counterbalance, you can do above sequence. The stack will look like this:

Top
Reclaim
Counterbalance trigger
Opponent's spell
Bottom

June 2, 2016 6:23 a.m.

Rhadamanthus says... #2

For a practical example: the interaction between Sensei's Divining Top and Counterbalance is what makes the "Miracles" deck one of the top-tier decks for the Legacy format.

June 2, 2016 11:56 a.m.

Epochalyptik says... #3

Remember that abilities don't do anything until they resolve. It doesn't matter that the ability triggers as soon as your opponent casts the spell; it matters that you can respond to the ability because it doesn't resolve immediately.

June 2, 2016 2:08 p.m.