Vexing Susher ability question

[SuperProxy]

So I have a Vexing Susher in play and my opponent has a Counterbalance I play a spell and the counterbalance triggers could I wait for the trigger to resolve and if it matches the casting cost of the spell then pay for the susher's ability not be able to counter my spell? or do I have to pay immediately before the trigger resolves off the counterbalance?

[Koby]

You can't activate any non-mana abilities during the resolution of effects or spells. Thus, you would need to pre-empt any Counterbalance effects prior to those triggers resolving.

This is exactly like Regeneration.

[Ryoku]

If you allow your opponent to reveal, then that means you are allowing the trigger to resolve, and it will resolve all at once. This includes both the reveal and the potential countering of your spell. No player receives priority between the reveal and counter, since they are part of the same ability.

In short: If you want the Shusher's protection, you have to respond to the counterbalance trigger, before a card is revealed.

[SuperProxy]

Got it

[Malchar]

The question was already answered, but here's some extra information:
If you play a spell on your own turn, you don't get to wait to see if they're going to use a sensei's divining top, brainstorm, or the like. If you don't use the shusher immediately after the counterbalance triggers, the opponent can also pass and do a blind reveal off counterbalance. However, if you do pass, and the opponent does use a top or other effect, then you can use the shusher before the counterbalance resolves.

[Jacob]

Okay, what everyone here is dancing around is the concept of priority. You need priority to do anything. The exception is that when the game asks you to pay a mana cost, you can activate mana abilities, even though you do not have priority.

When a spell or ability is resolving or being announced, nobody has priority, so nobody can activate an ability like Vexing Shusher's cannot be countered ability. Even triggered abilities wait in limbo until just before someone would get priority. After a spell or ability is announced or resolves; the Active Player (player whose turn it is) receives priority.

After announcing a spell, however, the tournament shortcut is that you pass priority. This is what Malchar was referring to. As soon as you finish announcing the spell, your opponent puts the Counterbalance trigger on the stack. Since it is your turn, you get to respond to Counterbalance first. If you do not respond to Counterbalance before passing priority, your opponent can simply pass priority as well. As soon as both players pass priority in turn, the next object on the stack resolves. If the stack is empty, the turn progresses to the next step or phase.

Now, just a point about priority and shortcuts. We Judges are adamant that Magic is not a game of "Gotcha!" This is an axiom which we always bring up when discussing rulings among ourselves. We are also adamant that we do not make rulings based on what MTGO would do. You don't have to use a Magic formula of "I cast X while retaining priority..." like you have to hold down the ctrl button. You can simply say, "I cast Infernal Tutor and in response crack LED." What you cannot do is fish for a reaction from your opponent. You cannot announce Infernal Tutor, wait to see if your opponent is going to counter it, then announce whether or not you are cracking LED.

The same thing goes here. You cannot wait to see if your opponent is going to activate Top to decide whether or not you are going to use Shusher. You have to announce whether you are using Shusher before you give your opponent a chance to respond.