My academy rector vs opponent's mimic vat
Asked by WiredTiger 5 years ago
This happened last week, but I like to know the specifics so I can have a better understanding of the game. The other day, my friend and I, were playing each other one on one with our commander decks. I was using my Teysa, Orzhov Scion deck and he was using his Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire deck.
My board state had Teysa, Orzhov Scion, Weathered Wayfarer, and Academy Rector in play. During my friends turn he had Mimic Vat and Greater Good in play, he casted Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire, and then past the turn. In response I sacked my three creatures to Teysa's ability to exile his commander. He says that everything should've gone on the stack in a way where he could put the Academy Rector under the Mimic Vat and then sac his commander to the Greater Good so that he prevents the Academy trigger and have his commander imprinted on the Mimic Vat. I've looked into it, but couldn't find a direct answer, but I believe the stack should've been put on the stack like this:
Then I would've had priority to play any instants then pass, my friend could do something, and then the Academy's ability would resolve first. Do I have a proper understanding or is my friend right?
Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #1
Because this was during your opponent's turn, you're right. The Rector trigger would have resolved before the Vat trigger.
When multiple triggered abilities are trying to go onto the stack at the same time, the active player (the player whose turn it is) puts all the triggers they control on to the stack first, then the non-active player puts their triggers onto the stack on top of those. If there are multiple non-active players then it goes around the table in turn order.
In your example: you activate Teysa, and when the Rector goes to the graveyard both the Rector trigger and Vat trigger are trying to go onto the stack at the same time. Since it's your opponents turn, the Vat trigger goes onto the stack first on top of the Teysa activation, and then the Rector trigger goes onto the stack on top of the others. Like you said in your explanation, everyone gets an opportunity to make additional responses, but the Rector trigger will always resolve before the Vat trigger (as long as it's still in the graveyard, of course).
If you had done this during your own turn then your opponent would be right, and the Vat trigger would end up resolving before the Rector trigger.
September 15, 2018 12:57 p.m.