Things with triggered abilities going to the graveyard at the same time.

[AceofAllan]

When things go to the graveyard at the same time, do they really go to the graveyard all at once or in some sort of order?

Example: I have two Rotlung Reanimators in play and Dark Supplicant. I use the Dark Supplicant's ability, which costs "Sacrifice three clerics." In my understanding, all three creatures are going to the graveyard at the same time as each other so each Rotlung's ability gets triggered three times for a total of six zombie tokens.

The reason I ask is because I was recently told that I have to decide the order that each creature goes to the graveyard. In this case, I'd send the Dark Supplicant first, then one Rotlung, then the other, giving me a total of five zombies.

I was later told that same day when my opponent played a Wrath of God that he got to decide the order of my creatures going to the graveyard. I had a Rotlung and two other clerics, and the claim was that my opponent could put the Rotlung in the graveyard first, then the two other clerics, meaning I'd only get one zombie token.

Which, if any, of these examples is right?

[luma]

All the creatures go into the graveyard simultaneously. Both Rotlung Reanimators trigger three times, and you get six Zombie tokens. You do decide the order that the cards end up in the graveyard (ie. which one is on top and so on), but the creatures still go there simultaneously.

[AceofAllan]

Thank you very much!

[ScatmanX]

All the creatures go into the graveyard simultaneously. Both Rotlung Reanimators trigger three times, and you get six Zombie tokens. You do decide the order that the cards end up in the graveyard (ie. which one is on top and so on), but the creatures still go there simultaneously.
I understood that this is the way it works, but for me it does not make sense.
Would you (or someone) mind pasting a paragraph of the Comprehensive Rules that says why this happens the way it does?
Thanks.

[cdr]

I understood that this is the way it works, but for me it does not make sense.
Would you (or someone) mind pasting a paragraph of the Comprehensive Rules that says why this happens the way it does?
Thanks.

There's three relevant parts to this.

One, each sentence on something that's resolving is an atomic action. If a card says "Destroy all creatures.", that's a single atomic action - all of those creatures are leaving play at the same time. Paying a cost is also an atomic action.

Two, leaves-the-battlefield triggers are checked by looking back at each event, rather than looking at the game state after an event like most triggers. If you sacrifice two Rotlung Reanimators and another cleric for "sacrifice three clerics", the game looks back to see if any clerics went to the graveyard in that event - and three did, so each Rotlung will trigger three times. Permanents that leave the battlefield will essentially 'see' everything else that's leaving the battlefield at the same time. 603.6d (http://yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#R6036d).

Three, whenever cards go to an ordered zone (like the library or the graveyard) at the same time, the owner of the cards gets to decide the order they end up in. 404.3 (http://yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#R4043).

[ScatmanX]

@cdr: Thanks. That's exactly what I was looking for.

[HdH_Cthulhu]

And if 2 player control triggers, who gets the trigger first? I always confuse that.

[cdr]

If triggers controlled by more than one player are waiting to go on the stack, they go on the stack in APNAP (Active Player, Non-Active Player) order. "Active player" is shorthand for "the player whose turn it is".

Since the active player's triggers are going on the stack first, they will be the last to resolve - the NAP's triggers went on the stack last, so they will resolve first.

In multiplayer, it goes in turn order, starting of course with the active player.