Leonin Arbiter, Stifle, and Fetchlands (SOM Spoiler alert)

[jrsthethird]

Just spoiled today in Latest Developments:

http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/daily/twtw/ojihcterdtfghnmsdg.jpg

From the FAQ:


Paying 2 Mana to ignore Leonin Arbiter's effect is a special action. Any players may take this special action any time he or she has priority. It doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.

I'm pretty sure I'm reading this correctly, but correct me if I'm wrong:

If my opponent activates his fetchland during his turn, he has to pay the 2 mana before I have a chance to Stifle it.

If he activates the fetchland during my turn, I get priority first and have to choose whether to Stifle or not before he pays the 2, and if he decides to pay the 2, I can't respond with Stifle.

[Brushwagg]

It refers to the ability on Leonin Arbiter. You only pay the 2 once per turn and not per activation. I'm guessing they included that little bit of rule text there so that the opponent of the person paying the 2 can't get the paying of the 2 Stifled etc..

You are still free to Stifle the Fetch Lands if you so choose.

[luma]

Whichever player's turn it is, your opponent will get priority first after activating his fetchland. If he hasn't yet paid for the Arbiter, this is the last possibility to do so if you do not respond to the activation (he passes priority to you, you pass back, the ability resolves).

Also, in any case, you will be able to respond to the fetchland activation after he has paid 2 to the Arbiter. Even if paying for the ability doesn't use the stack, it's still "doing something", and both players have to pass priority after that for the top item of the stack to resolve.

[cdr]

Here's what it would look like step-by-step:
Active player passes priority.
Opponent activates fetchland and it goes on the stack.
Active player gets priority. Let's assume that he passes.
Opponent gets priority. He pays 2. This does not use the stack. The active player cannot respond. Then the opponent passes.
Since both players passed in succession, the top item on the stack resolves, which is the fetchland. Someone paid 2 for the arbiter so the opponent gets to search.
Active player gets priority.

This is wrong. As luma said, if the NAP does anything at all, including using a special action (paying to ignore an effect), he did not pass, so both players did not pass in succession. The AP gets priority again after the NAP passes.

116.4. If all players pass in succession (that is, if all players pass without taking any actions in between passing), the spell or ability on top of the stack resolves or, if the stack is empty, the phase or step ends.

115.2d. Some effects from static abilities allow a player to take an action to ignore the effect from that ability for a duration. Doing so is a special action. A player can take such an action any time he or she has priority.

[Justin]

So, in other words, you may stifle your opponent's fetchland after he/she pays 2 mana regardless of whose turn it is.

[jrsthethird]

Thanks cdr; maybe I should have read luma's post more thoroughly.

[obituary 95]

question, if my opponent cracks a fetch land and i vial the arbitor in with the fetch land trigure on the stack does my opponent still have to pay.

[Malchar]

question, if my opponent cracks a fetch land and i vial the arbitor in with the fetch land trigure on the stack does my opponent still have to pay.

Yes, someone will still have to pay 2 for the opponent to be able to search. For the arbiter to work, it merely has to be in play at the time that a search would happen.