Timing with Eternal Witness

[dahcmai]

Eternal Witness is in play and you Momentary blink it. Can you return the original Blink you just used?

Seems like you can because you have to resolve the blink first putting the blink card itself into the graveyard and have a Witness trigger on the stack when it finishes which then resolves.

It seems awkward to cast blink, then have a witness trigger go on the stack which you must resolve first.

Am I missing something here?

[Anusien]

Yes. The last part of a spell resolving is putting it into the graveyard. So you play Momentary Blink, it removes Witness from the game and bring it back. Eternal Witness triggers. Momentary Blink is put into the graveyard. Eternal Witness's ability is put on the stack and at this point you choose targets.

[dahcmai]

That's what I thought, but it sure seemed cheesy. It's kind of an infinite loop making Witness virtually impossible to kill.

Thanks by the way for confirming that.

[matelml]

Yes. The last part of a spell resolving is putting it into the graveyard. So you play Momentary Blink, it removes Witness from the game and bring it back. Eternal Witness triggers. Momentary Blink is put into the graveyard. Eternal Witness's ability is put on the stack and at this point you choose targets.

Isn't this the same thing and shouldn't you declare the target the moment the Witness triggers?

[Raider Bob]

the witness trigger resolves after momentary blink has already resolved and is put in the yard.

[Sigar]

Yes, but you have to choose target when the ability is PUT on the stack, not when it resolves. So his question is whether or not Blink has reached the yard before Witness trigger goes on the stack. I don't know.

[bigbear102]

Nothing can go onto the stack while a spell is resolving. Therefore, the witness trigger can't actually hit the stack until the Blink has resolved (and is in the GY).

[Nightmare]

Nothing can go onto the stack while a spell is resolving. Not true. See: Fork, Twincast.

[Pinder]

Not true. See: Fork, Twincast.

In any case, abilities that trigger during the resolution of a spell or another ability are put onto the stack immediately following that spell or ability. So Witness will hit the table as part of the resolution of Momentary Blink, and will trigger, but the ability won't be put on the stack until after Blink is done resolving (which includes it hitting the graveyard).

edit - Rules quote:



404.2. Triggered abilities aren't played. Instead, a triggered ability automatically "triggers" each time its trigger event occurs. Once an ability has triggered, it goes on the stack the next time a player would receive priority.


So, it's more accurate to say that players can't receive priority while a spell is resolving, so triggered abilities aren't put on the stack while spells are resolving.

[Anusien]

Isn't this the same thing and shouldn't you declare the target the moment the Witness triggers?
No. Triggering is the game recognizing the ability wants to happen. All the abilities that have triggered will be put on the stack at the same time the next time a player would receive priority.

[C.P.]

Another Question.

If I sac Witness when the trigger is on the stack, can I return the same Witness?

[Nihil Credo]

Another Question.

If I sac Witness when the trigger is on the stack, can I return the same Witness?
No. You already chose the target card to be returned to your hand when the trigger went on the stack in the first place.