All the tricks of Jitte

[KillemallCFH]

After the declare blockers step, each player has a chance to play abilities. So once no blockers are declared, you have a chance to pump him. And you're pretty much correct about him being bolted. If you just declare "Pump him 4 times" without passing priority then your opponent can bolt him in response. The best way to avoid this is to just let each pump activation resolve before adding another one to the stack.

[Versus]

After the declare blockers step, each player has a chance to play abilities. So once no blockers are declared, you have a chance to pump him. And you're pretty much correct about him being bolted. If you just declare "Pump him 4 times" without passing priority then your opponent can bolt him in response. The best way to avoid this is to just let each pump activation resolve before adding another one to the stack.

Really? So I can attack for 2 wait opp to pass, then pump to 3...pass, 4...pass, ect? That's not gonna annoy the crap outta people? LOL

Man, maybe I should unlearn what I "know" and start over. I've been reading the Comprehensive rules, but only about 30% of the the way through.

[Iranon]

You'd probably just say 'pumping once at a time'... and slowly tap your swamps, waiting for an opponent to do anything.

It's impractical and unfun to announce every pass of priority. Unfortunately, there are situations where it makes sense to require your opponent to do so. Chess clocks would solve the issue, as well as greatly simplify dealing with time constraints... but I think most people would regard that as overkill.

[Versus]

Will do. I guess I'll also learn which decks out now will even be able to respond to doing something like that and won't have to be as cautious.

Another Jitte question popped into me head if anyone is game:

I understand that dealing damage and generating counters is a triggered ability, but using the counters would be considered "activated", yes? That would lead me to conclude that Jitte would be basically usless if named with Pithing Needle by your opponent?

[KillemallCFH]

Will do. I guess I'll also learn which decks out now will even be able to respond to doing something like that and won't have to be as cautious.

Another Jitte question popped into me head if anyone is game:

I understand that dealing damage and generating counters is a triggered ability, but using the counters would be considered "activated", yes? That would lead me to conclude that Jitte would be basically usless if named with Pithing Needle by your opponent?

Yup. Just remember that if it has any counters on it when they play Pithing Needle, you should use those counters in response so they don't sit there useless, unless of course you have another needle target out and you don't think that they are going to name Jitte.

[Versus]

Yup. Just remember that if it has any counters on it when they play Pithing Needle, you should use those counters in response so they don't sit there useless, unless of course you have another needle target out and you don't think that they are going to name Jitte.

Okay, I would have most likely made that mistake thinking I could still use them being they were already there, thanks.

In the same vein, as long as it was still equipped to a creature when it got needled I could continue to swing with it and accumulate counters while I find a solution to remove the needle, assuming the deck has one that is?

I should have probably asked first if the named cards ability can be used again after the needle leaves play?

[KillemallCFH]

Okay, I would have most likely made that mistake thinking I could still use them being they were already there, thanks.

In the same vein, as long as it was still equipped to a creature when it got needled I could continue to swing with it and accumulate counters while I find a solution to remove the needle, assuming the deck has one that is?

I should have probably asked first if the named cards ability can be used again after the needle leaves play?

Yes to the first question.

Once the Pithing Needle is destroyed, the named card's activated abilities can be played.

[Phantom]

And just an fyi, read the card Sword of Fire and Ice. The only activated ability it has is equipping, so needling it after it has been equipped won't stop it from activating when you hit with said creature.

[Versus]

Thanks Killemall.

Phantom: I just took a guess that equipping would be an activated abilty. Thanks for conforming, I wasn't 100% on that.

[Versus]

Just in case anyone else is a retard like I am and didn't know, apparently Jitte does NOT get counters if you bounce the equipped creature even WITH damage on the stack. It took 3 Judges to come to this conclusion and they all vacilated on an answer before making a final decision. I was under the impression that it fell under last know information of the creature. I guess not.

[Anusien]

After the declare blockers step, each player has a chance to play abilities. So once no blockers are declared, you have a chance to pump him. And you're pretty much correct about him being bolted. If you just declare "Pump him 4 times" without passing priority then your opponent can bolt him in response. The best way to avoid this is to just let each pump activation resolve before adding another one to the stack.

This changed. Now if you say "pump him 4 times" you're assumed to pump and pass, pump and pass. If your opponent interrupts, they say when they interrupt and all future pumps haven't happened yet.

[nitewolf9]

This changed. Now if you say "pump him 4 times" you're assumed to pump and pass, pump and pass. If your opponent interrupts, they say when they interrupt and all future pumps haven't happened yet.

Yep, and that makes things alot less annoying. You would have to explicitly hold priority in order for all activations to go on the stack at once, although I'm not sure why you'd want to do that (situations could come up I suppose).