Stacking spells with split second

[galeng]

I was in a situation where my opponent activated and attacked with mishra's factory. After I activated my own factory, he casted swords to plowshares (targeting my factory) before blockers. I responded with counterspell (targeting swords) and krosan grip (targeting his sensei's divining top) before passing priority. He argues that you can't stack spells without passing priority and that he can still counter the counterspell. There was no real judge at that point but most people agreed with him that krosan grip cannot "protect" another spell. Who's right here?

[Filth]

You can retain priority to cast the Krosan Grip before your opponent can respond to your Counterspell. However, this doesn't prevent the opponent from responding to your Counterspell, because both players still get priority after Krosan Grip, the top object on the stack, has resolved.

[sunshine]

Split second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't cast spells or activate abilities that aren't mana abilities.)

Your opponent (or anyone else) is not allowed to cast spells as long as a spell with split second is on the stack. So, while it is legal for you to cast a series of spells without passing priority, the split second effect is only relevant while your grip is on the stack.

In your example the stack looks like this at the time you cast kgrip:

[top]
Krosan Grip (targetting SDT)
Counterspell (targetting StP)
StP (targetting Factory)
[bottom]

Notice that your kgrip is on top of the stack and will be first to resolve - once it has resolved your opponent will be able to cast spells and play activated abilities again (i.e. counter your Counterspell with one of his own).

So... while it's fine for your to cast kgrip before passing priority after casting your Counterspell. This will not protect your Counterspell from being countered once kgrip resolves.

[Julian23]

There was no real judge at that point but most people agreed with him that krosan grip cannot "protect" another spell. Who's right here?

Common misconception: Once players are done adding objects to the stack it doesn't resolve all at once (anymore). People receive priority before/after each object on the stack resolves. From what I know this USED to be different way back in time.

[Offler]

Just ...

If i play Krosan Grip there is no way to add Activated ability or play a card while is on stack...

If I wish to add anything on stack I can do it before i play the Grip or right after it resolves..., but not at time it is currently on stack.

I know about the principle of "resolve one by one" and the change since "resolve the stack at once", but I never thought that any split second spell could previously work as protection against counterspelling if someone stack 3 instants and splits the second with the last one.

[DerFern]

You can retain priority to cast the Krosan Grip before your opponent can respond to your Counterspell.
Really? In the above mentioned scenario, he was the non-active player. I thought you could only retain priority as the active player!?

[Offler]

He can cast any number of spells or activate any number of ablities while he has the priority before he passes it back. Even as the nonactive player. therefore while the opponent casts Swords he can respond with both Krosan grip (targetting factory) and counterspell (targetting swords) at the same time.

Am I right?

[luma]

Yes, you can cast any number of spells or activate abilities while you have priority. However, you still have to do it one by one: if you first cast Krosan Grip (targeting Factory), you can't cast the Counterspell anymore (even though you still have priority), because there's a Split Second spell on the stack.

[Julian23]

116.3b The active player receives priority after a spell or ability (other than a mana ability) resolves.

BUT

116.3c If a player has priority when he or she casts a spell, activates an ability, or takes a special
action, that player receives priority afterward.

Read: The active player receives once an object on the stack resolves but not when something gets added to the stack by the non-active player.