Stifle a Decree of Justice and get?

[RoddyVR]

So i ran into this yesterday on MWS.
My opponent cycled Decree of justice (for x=4 iirc).
I stifled it.
He asked me if i'm stifling the draw or the tokens...

Eh?

I was assuming i'm stifling the cycling, which then means he's not cycling, so gets neither of the effects of doing so. I didnt want to get into an argument, so i let him draw the card, dont remember if it made a difference.

I run stifle main deck, so this might acutaly come up again some day...

[RoddyVR]

nvm. Found the answer myself...

502.18c Some cards with cycling have abilities that trigger when they're cycled. "When you cycle [this card]" means "When you discard [this card] to pay a cycling cost." These abilities trigger from the graveyard.

So guess he was right. I did have to chose which ability i stifle.

[Sanguine Voyeur]

When you cycle a Decree, the other effect is triggered and immediately put on the stack. When you attempted to Stifle, there was the cycling activated ability and the triggered ability on the stack at the same time. The stack looked something like this:

[top]
Stifle
Triggered ability
Cycle
[bottom]

You can choose to target either the card draw or the tokens, but not both.

[tivadar]

Another note is that much like genesis, if you stifle DoJ's triggered ability, the one that puts tokens into play, your opponent shouldn't have payed the mana cost. The mana payment is part of the resolution of the triggered ability, not one of the costs. I'm actually not sure how judges handle this if it happens, if the opponent taps the extra then lays down DoJ and you stifle, do they take mana burn or are they allowed to go back? I'd assume they burn.

Also I assume X is declared when the ability is triggered, but paid for when it resolves. This means if you can empty or reduce their mana pool between the time the ability goes on the stack and the time it resolves, if they can't pay the full X then won't get any tokens at all.

Triggered abilities with costs are just so tricky...

[Nihil Credo]

Also I assume X is declared when the ability is triggered, but paid for when it resolves.
It's chosen on resolution. It's neither a target nor a mode.

[Toad]

They mana burn if they have mana left at the end of the current phase. Tapping lands for mana is allowed so nothing wrong ruleswise with tapping X before actually resolving the DOJ trigger. As Nihil said, X is indeed chosen upon resolution, so even if they "announce" a X value, emptying their pool or tapping their lands will not prevent them from getting some soldiers.

[Tacosnape]

I'm actually not sure how judges handle this if it happens, if the opponent taps the extra then lays down DoJ and you stifle, do they take mana burn or are they allowed to go back? I'd assume they burn.

They won't burn. They might get a warning from the judge on how to play Decree of Justice correctly, but they won't take mana burn.

If you tap 8 land and announce you're cycling a Decree of Justice for 5, it's inferred that you're cycling Decree of Justice and, assuming the trigger resolves, paying five upon the resolution for five tokens. If the trigger is stifled, the player couldn't legally pay the X cost. If you plan on Stifling the Decree and somebody does this, though, make sure you get clarified which three land they tapped for the cycle.

From Starcitygames:

Q: My opponent cycles Justice ">Decree of Justice and taps the extra mana he is planning on using for the triggered ability. If I Stifle the ability, he would have that mana still floating in his pool, correct? So the correct way would to just pay for the cycle, and then tap the mana when the ability resolves.

A: While it's technically correct that you don't pay the mana until the triggered ability resolves, "I'll cycle the Decree for X" is an acceptable shortcut. If your opponent plays it that way and then you Stifle, I'd have him untap the extra lands, not take mana burn, because he's paid a cost that he couldn't legally pay. I'd also warn him on how to play it correctly.