soulrack
05-04-2009, 02:04 AM
Well guys I figure that I am totally able to talk about how counterbalance work since I have spent many, many hours discussing the way that the card is to be piloted with many judges since GP Chicago. I am the one that scrubbed up on the use of the card in the 3rd round of GP Chicago while playing Patrick Chapin. My name is Carlos Irizarry. Since then I have done alot of research into the way the card works, so that I may never make that mistake again.
Counterbalance reads:
"Whenever an opponent plays a spell, you may reveal the top card of your library. If you do, counter that spell if it has the same converted mana cost as the revealed card."
Of course most players know that "whenever" makes counterbalance a triggered ability beyond that is where players begin to be confused. At the point where the spell is played and counterbalance triggers there are no choices to be made. Also the triggering of counterbalance happens while the player casting the spell still retains priority. That player still has the option to retain priority and continue using instants and abilities as long as the timing rules will permit their casting. Each additional spell will trigger a separate instance of the ability.
Eventually that player will pass priority. The ability does not resolve at this point, nor does it make any effort to resolve itself unless that level of the stack clears. At the point where priority is passed to the controller of the counterbalance, the controller does not have to announce that he is going to play a spell in response to the counterbalance. The stack will automatically assume that it will remain on top. This assumption is based on the guidelines for handling all triggered abilities (example: Demigod, its trigger, and not announcing whether the trigger on demigod was permitted to pass before countering Demigod. It is assumed that the trigger did not resolve, but the counterspell does counnter the demigod, putting it in the graveyard only to comeback as the trigger resolves.).
Now the controller of the counterbalance may cast a spell or use a triggered ability. If he decides not to or attempts to cast a sorcery, artifact, a creature without flash, a planeswalker, play a land, or enchantment it is now assumed that he has decided to allow the stack to clear... though the other player may not permit the entire stack to clear and force him to undo his play so that he may respond to items lower in the stack. Clearing an item from the stack requires that both players pass priority after the previous layer of the stack has been dealt with.
So in summation of how Counterbalance works: 1) the trigger is automatically happens while the player casting the spell still retains priority and the may trigger is not decided here. 2) when that player finally passes priority to the controller of counterbalance, the controller does not have to announce that he is playing a spell in response to counterbalances trigger. (demigod resolution) 3) the only way to fail to use the may ability is to do something that implies that you are ready to clear the stack (doing anything that is not at instant speed or changing steps or changing phases in a turn) 4) At the point where the ability is to resolve, the stack will assume that you will not reveal the card.
Little extras:
1)The CMC (converted mana cost) of the revealed card is 0 if the card has no mana cost on it (lands and some suspend cards such as hypergenesis).
2)The CMC is assumed to be the higher of the possible mana cost (Flame Javelin: 2/r, 2/r, 2/r is assumed to be CMC 6)
3)When revealing a split card, It will allow you to pick the CMC of one half or the other.
4) When counterbalance is triggered by a spell containing X in its CMC, the spell's CMC includes X (Blaze paying 4R will result in a CMC of 5)
5) When counterbalance is triggered by a split card, the CMC is the CMC of the side that is being played. (Research UG /Developement 3UR is cast so that research is being played the CMC is 2)
Well I hope that this helps someone. If you find that there are any problems with this, feel free to comment or message me and I will look into it further, but in the time since GP Chicago I have felt like poop for not knowing better than this and felt that my screw up can be everyones gain.
Counterbalance reads:
"Whenever an opponent plays a spell, you may reveal the top card of your library. If you do, counter that spell if it has the same converted mana cost as the revealed card."
Of course most players know that "whenever" makes counterbalance a triggered ability beyond that is where players begin to be confused. At the point where the spell is played and counterbalance triggers there are no choices to be made. Also the triggering of counterbalance happens while the player casting the spell still retains priority. That player still has the option to retain priority and continue using instants and abilities as long as the timing rules will permit their casting. Each additional spell will trigger a separate instance of the ability.
Eventually that player will pass priority. The ability does not resolve at this point, nor does it make any effort to resolve itself unless that level of the stack clears. At the point where priority is passed to the controller of the counterbalance, the controller does not have to announce that he is going to play a spell in response to the counterbalance. The stack will automatically assume that it will remain on top. This assumption is based on the guidelines for handling all triggered abilities (example: Demigod, its trigger, and not announcing whether the trigger on demigod was permitted to pass before countering Demigod. It is assumed that the trigger did not resolve, but the counterspell does counnter the demigod, putting it in the graveyard only to comeback as the trigger resolves.).
Now the controller of the counterbalance may cast a spell or use a triggered ability. If he decides not to or attempts to cast a sorcery, artifact, a creature without flash, a planeswalker, play a land, or enchantment it is now assumed that he has decided to allow the stack to clear... though the other player may not permit the entire stack to clear and force him to undo his play so that he may respond to items lower in the stack. Clearing an item from the stack requires that both players pass priority after the previous layer of the stack has been dealt with.
So in summation of how Counterbalance works: 1) the trigger is automatically happens while the player casting the spell still retains priority and the may trigger is not decided here. 2) when that player finally passes priority to the controller of counterbalance, the controller does not have to announce that he is playing a spell in response to counterbalances trigger. (demigod resolution) 3) the only way to fail to use the may ability is to do something that implies that you are ready to clear the stack (doing anything that is not at instant speed or changing steps or changing phases in a turn) 4) At the point where the ability is to resolve, the stack will assume that you will not reveal the card.
Little extras:
1)The CMC (converted mana cost) of the revealed card is 0 if the card has no mana cost on it (lands and some suspend cards such as hypergenesis).
2)The CMC is assumed to be the higher of the possible mana cost (Flame Javelin: 2/r, 2/r, 2/r is assumed to be CMC 6)
3)When revealing a split card, It will allow you to pick the CMC of one half or the other.
4) When counterbalance is triggered by a spell containing X in its CMC, the spell's CMC includes X (Blaze paying 4R will result in a CMC of 5)
5) When counterbalance is triggered by a split card, the CMC is the CMC of the side that is being played. (Research UG /Developement 3UR is cast so that research is being played the CMC is 2)
Well I hope that this helps someone. If you find that there are any problems with this, feel free to comment or message me and I will look into it further, but in the time since GP Chicago I have felt like poop for not knowing better than this and felt that my screw up can be everyones gain.