Flame Jab and DRS

if opponent has an active death rite shaman and I cast flame jab on it, Will I be able to flame jab it again before he ever has an opportunity to remove it from the game with DRS's ability, or any other ability for that matter?


601.2. To cast a spell is to take it from where it is (usually the hand), put it on the stack, and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect. Casting a spell follows the steps listed below, in order. If, at any point during the casting of a spell, a player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the casting of the spell is illegal; the game returns to the moment before that spell started to be cast (see rule 717, “Handling Illegal Actions”). Announcements and payments can’t be altered after they’ve been made.

608.2k As the final part of an instant or sorcery spell’s resolution, the spell is put into its owner’s graveyard. As the final part of an ability’s resolution, the ability is removed from the stack and ceases to exist.

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


What I'm gathering from the above rules is that opponent will not have an opportunity to remove flame jab in between multiple castings of flame jab.

is the sequence of events below accurate?

cast flame jab targeting DRS
opponent gets priority (flame jab is on stack and not in grave)
Flame jab resolves and leave the stack and enters graveyard
active player (being me) maintains priority
cast flame jab from the graveyard targeting DRS
opponent gets priority (flame jab is on stack and not in grave)
Flame jab resolves and leave the stack and enters graveyard

You will have priority to cast Flame Jab from the graveyard prior to the opponent gaining priority to remove it with DRS.

The above is correct. A little more explicitly the steps will be this:

• After the flame jab is done resolving it is put in the graveyard.
• Since that was your spell resolving, you retain priority after the fact (this is regardless of whose turn it is). It's probably best that you explicitly mention that you're retaining priority just to be very clear about what's happening.
• While you have priority you may cast flame jab again through retrace.
• Since through retrace you are still casting the spell, it gets moved from the graveyard to the stack. Note that this whole time your opponent has not had priority, so they have had no chances to activate deathrite shaman thus far.
• If they have no responses, flame jab resolves dealing the second point of damage to deathrite shaman and flame jab is put into the graveyard.
• Immediately, before any players get priority again, state based effects are checked. As a result of this, deathrite shaman is put into the graveyard because it has lethal damage.

So, as you can see (a bit more explicitly), there is no chance for deathrite shaman to remove the flame jab. It didn't matter that it was deathrite shaman either, at no point in this sequence does your opponent have a chance to do anything until the retraced flame jab is on the stack.

EDIT: Mana abilities won't work either. I didn't realize deathrite targeted for lands too.

605.3a doesn't apply here since DRS doesn't have any mana abilities (the ability that adds mana requires a target, which prevents it from being a "mana ability".)

Additionally, there's not really a need to mention that you're retaining priority after a spell resolves since the accepted shortcut is to pass priority after a spell is cast. That said, I suppose it never hurts to be explicit.

Even if it were a mana ability that used exiling a card in a graveyard as part of the cost (instead of the effect, as in Deathrite Shaman's ability), DRS still wouldn't be able to nab the Jab. Even mana abilities require priority to play -- what makes them unique when it comes time to pay costs for spells is that the rules specifically cite that you can play mana abilities during this time (and state it again under 605, Mana Abilities).

In other words, if you the player are not being specifically prompted to create mana, mana abilities still have the timing restriction of any other activated ability. That they resolve without going on the stack or passing priority has nothing to do with the ability to respond to spells; apart from times when a player is prompted to play a mana ability, they follow the same timing restrictions as any activated ability.

It's kind of besides the point anyway, seeing as how the relevant ability on DRS isn't even a mana ability, so it's not as though they could jib you with some other mana ability or Split Second nonsense assuming you forget to cast before passing priority. I only bring it up because the same question could be asked of other cards which trade yard cards for manas.. not that I can think of one off the top of my head that would grab Flame Jab, but oh well.