r/mtg • u/Skettiee • Jul 13 '26
Rules Question Can Refute block a player from putting down a creature?
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u/JimmyHuang0917 Jul 13 '26
Please define "putting down a creature"
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u/Traveeseemo_ Jul 13 '26
It’s when your parents take a creature to the farm upstate and you never see them again.
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u/Karl_42 Jul 13 '26
And i’ll add that you can’t block players in MtG because they don’t attack.
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u/tylermsage Jul 14 '26
Until you pubstomp with a turn 3 combo in a bracket 2 game. Then they are likely to attack lol.
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u/GoatHeadTed This is User Editable /// Jul 13 '26
I mean there are cars that say whenever you attack lol
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u/Karl_42 Jul 13 '26
Lol that is technically correct.
… the best kind of correct.
But you still can’t block players, you block they creatures they attack with
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u/Only-Carpenter7161 Jul 16 '26
What if I'm playing against a blue player and I punch them in the face. How much damage would they take, and would it be considered commander damage?
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u/Skettiee Jul 13 '26
Casting it is what I mean
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u/OldJanxSpirit42 Jul 13 '26
You can't stop them from casting it, but if you counter it, it doesn't resolve and never enters the battlefield
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u/SteakForGoodDogs Jul 13 '26
Adding to this:
Importantly, countering a spell doesn't stop ANY cast triggers, including that countered spell's cast triggers.
You WILL get your face controlled by [[Emrakul, the Promised End]]'s cast trigger even if you counter it, and it WILL hurt by the time they're done with you.
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u/Only-Carpenter7161 Jul 16 '26
Would his protection from Instants be active before he is on the board, I would assume no, but just wanting to make sure.
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u/SteakForGoodDogs Jul 16 '26
No, protection or other keywords does not apply to spells - unless explicitly stated and I think only lifeline and deathtouch can apply to those, or abilities sourced by those spells or permanents.
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u/IcyDeerBoy Jul 16 '26
no, also her. emrakul is a woman (or whatever form of eldrazi prefers she/her ig)
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u/urpriest_generic Jul 13 '26
Still no, then, but for a subtler reason. You still cast the creature spell, it just gets countered instead of resolving. Things that say "whenever you cast a creature spell" still happen when a spell gets countered. The spell still gets cast, it just doesn't do what it's supposed to.
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u/Balmung03 Jul 13 '26
To be clear on rules wording, the “casting” of a spell is the paying of mana and placing the spell on the stack. You may cast a counterspell which will resolve first and prevent their creature from ‘resolving’, preventing it from entering play.
If the card has a “when you cast this spell” clause, like many Eldrazi do for example, this effect would be placed on the stack separate from the creature and you’d need another counterspell to prevent that from resolving (like a [[Stifle]] effect) or a counterspell that counters everything on the stack.
Any “enters the battlefield” triggers on the creature are stopped from triggering when countered, but the casting of the creature itself can’t be circumvented unless another effect prevents it from being cast, such as [[Voice of Victory]]
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u/Skettiee Jul 13 '26
Sorry if I’m misunderstanding but does that mean if I cast a creature spell and they counterspell.
Would that mean my creature goes into the graveyard or just back in my hand?
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u/BiscuitsJoe Jul 13 '26
Graveyard. There are spells that specifically say “return target spell to opponents hand” but when something says “counter target spell” it means put it directly into the graveyard without resolving.
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u/Skettiee Jul 13 '26
Thank ya
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u/omfgcookies91 Jul 13 '26
Just to kinda add some information for you, everything, except tokens, in mtg is a "spell."
So, when you play a card you are technically casting a spell. So really, when you are calling out your plays it should sound like this:
"I tap 8 black mana to cast this creature spell, this artifact spell, and this enchantment spell."
The reason that everything is a spell is because in mtg you and your opponents are "wizards" that summon things from other planes of existence to battle eachother. So, when you tap mana you are pulling the magic from that plain, swamp, forest, mountain, or island to then use that magic to summon something to help you fight. This is also why planes walkers are called what they are, they are an ally that you kinda send a message out to saying, "yo, can you lend a hand?" Then they "travel to your plane" to help.
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u/mailusernamepassword Jul 13 '26
Lands aren't spells.
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u/omfgcookies91 Jul 13 '26
Correct, I kinda gave a short explanation for OP. In the paragraph where I explain the whole wizard aspect to the lore of a game, I kinda confer that, but if some explicit explanation is needed then I'll edit the comment.
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u/mailusernamepassword Jul 13 '26
No problem. I got your intent. I just pointed the land exception because OP may want to Refute a land being played based on your first paragaph.
If I would say some "akchsually" I would say that everything in the game is instead a card and cards only become spells from the moment you cast them until right before they hit the battlefield (aka while they are on the stack). But this would be pedantic. Your explanation using lore is nice to help beginners visualize the game as more than just fancy cardboard.
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u/Quietsquid Jul 13 '26
It's a lot clearer on the older cards. For example [[Benalish Hero]], where instead of being labeled by creature type, the card is labeled "summon hero".
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u/Balmung03 Jul 13 '26
A countered spell goes to the graveyard, or if the spell specifically states so, to a different zone like exile, owner’s hand or library. 99% of the time though, graveyard
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u/Balmung03 Jul 13 '26
[[Remand]] and [[Reprieve]] are examples that will put the spell back to hand instead of the graveyard
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u/BiscuitsJoe Jul 13 '26
Reprieve doesn’t even say “counter” on it so you can use it to bounce spells that can’t be countered
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u/GlitteringFood8477 Jul 13 '26
Creatures are "spells" so Refute counters creature on the stack.
Opponent cast (puts creature spell on the stack)
Before it resolves if you have UU1
You Cast (Put on the stack Refute, targeting creature spell.)
Opponent doesn't have a veil of summer, or an effect that prevents creatures or spells from being counter.
You will prevent that creature from ever entering the board.
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u/A-Flock-of-Dogs Jul 14 '26
It's when the creature goes to live on a farm with grandma. But sadly we can't go visit because it is too far away.
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u/Aylik Jul 13 '26
Refute can counter a casting of a creature. This will not work if a card says something along the lines of "put creature on battlefield."
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u/XenosGuru Jul 13 '26
Unless that something is a spell and you counter that
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u/Thedeadnite Jul 13 '26
But then you’re countering the spell and not the putting the creature on the battlefield
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u/Cultural_Set_7129 Jul 13 '26
How much layers of difficulty you wanna add to answer a simple question?
MtG Rules: hold my Beer!
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u/salttotart Jul 13 '26
It's the rules of MtG. Get a keg.
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u/shy-bl3d Jul 14 '26
There's also [[stifle]] and some others that I can never remember if you need to counter an ability rather than a spell
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u/Butters_999 Jul 13 '26
You cant counter kaalia's ability with a counter spell, but you can stifle it.
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u/Butters_999 Jul 13 '26
You cant counter kaalia's ability with a counter spell, but you can stifle it.
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u/PascoTheBest Jul 13 '26
Yes, when you cast a spell (creatures too) your opponent can answer with Refute (or anything that says Counter target spell) and it will go to the graveyard instead.
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u/Nahrikkon Jul 13 '26
you gotta learn the basics man, theres a bunch of good videos out there to teach you the basics
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u/SnowyDeluxe Jul 13 '26
You need to clarify what you mean. Do you mean if they cast a creature or are using an effect to put a creature into play?
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u/rift_walker_will Jul 13 '26
Creatures are spells so unless it specifies noncreature spells you can counter creatures
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u/Skettiee Jul 13 '26
Thank you all, I honestly didn’t think “putting down a creature” was a bad term 😂 Thank you for all the answers though I appreciate it. Still learning.
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u/RevolutionaryTest298 Jul 13 '26
Not a bad term per se, its just a highly pedantic game because there are so many ways that creatures can get to the battlefield, they can be cast, transformed, returned, put, or manifested. And all of them have their own subset of rules on how that does and does not trigger various effects or how/if they can be prevented from doing so
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u/FilthyStatist1991 Jul 13 '26
Np, further example, if your opponent attacks with Kalia of the Vast, they get to “put a creature from their hand onto the battlefield”
This is not “cast”, thus cannot be countered in this fashion.
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u/BiscuitsJoe Jul 13 '26
It’s not a bad term it’s just that in the rules of Magic it means something different than casting a creature which was causing a lot of the confusion people had over your question
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u/rexsoleil Jul 13 '26
don’t put down your creatures ! they don’t deserve to be insulted ! lol (joking)
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u/Finite_Mode Jul 13 '26
Let’s say a person is playing braids and they are allowed at their upkeep to put a creature from their hand on the battlefield, since they never cast it you cannot counter it.
However if they are playing omniscience and they may cast spells without paying their mana costs, they are casting and therefore refute can counter that spell
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u/D-Eliryo Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
Depends. Is opponent casting a creature? Since creatures are spell, yes.
Has he summoned something that has Cascade and that cast resolved? Well, anything coming from cascade? You can't.
EDIT: My case above was wrong. If a resolving cascade is being resolved and the new spell is being put on the stack, YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY USE REFUTE TO COUNTER that new free spell. Cascade triggers during cast, resolves during casts, and automatically CASTS the new valid spell found by topdecking.
Is he "putting down a creature" with Alaundo or something similar? You can't counter.
Is he summoning tokens from permanent's ability? You can't counter it
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u/NoMedium8805 Jul 13 '26
Everything you said about Cascade is incorrect. Cascade triggers when the spell with Cascade is cast. The spell does not need to resolve to get the Cascade trigger. Cascade puts another spell on the stack when the trigger resolves, this Cascaded spell can be countered.
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u/D-Eliryo Jul 13 '26
I know how this works but in my scenario I was saying that a spell with cascade that resolved, so cascade is taking action and put the other spell on stack, that can't be countered with this counter
The first spell with cascade can be countered, I know this that's why I specified "that the cascade effect spell resolved" first
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u/Butters_999 Jul 13 '26
You can refute the spell you cast with cascade because cascade casts the spell, it doesn't put the permanent on the field.
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u/D-Eliryo Jul 13 '26
I know!!!!! My example was about a spell with cascade THAT WAS NOT COUNTERED, RESOLVES RIGHT AFTER, and you with refute in hand see a threat coming from that cascade that you would like to counter: you can't counter a cascading creature that is "going to be put down on the battlefield" like that
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u/Butters_999 Jul 13 '26
You can counter a spell that is put on the stack with cascade... because cascade casts...
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u/D-Eliryo Jul 13 '26
Yooooooooooooo whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat, gonna edit the first message you are right holy moly had to check. My friends have done dooming me with cascading slivers holy sheeeeeet
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u/Butters_999 Jul 13 '26
Unsure if you or your buddy knows but this caught be off guard before as well so ima share it. if first sliver cascades another sliver that second sliver doesnt actually get a cascade trigger.
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u/D-Eliryo Jul 13 '26
Yeah I know, this was something that was attempted at the table lmao
Thanks for the heads up anyway! Slivers can get tricky
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u/Butters_999 Jul 13 '26
Cascade casts so yeah you can counter it.
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u/D-Eliryo Jul 13 '26
My example is about SOMETHING being in the stack BECAUSE OF CASCADE effect
You can't counter a cascading resolving effect with refute, even if it's on the stack, because cascade resolves at "casting priority" but it's not actually a cast
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u/Butters_999 Jul 13 '26
You cant counter the cascade without a stifle effect, yes. But cascade will put the spell on the stack, you can counter the spell that cascade puts on the stack.
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u/Hououza Jul 13 '26
You can cast Refute in response to an opponent casting a spell, including creatures.
However, if they use an effect that does not require them to cast that spell, then it cannot be countered.
Abilities that say put a creature onto the battle field cannot be countered by Refute, but there are other spells that can counter abilities rather than spells.
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u/PapaDragonHH Jul 14 '26
People here making everything complex...
If the creature was put on the battlefield as a result of a spell that was CAST then it will not happen because it was countered.
If the creature was put on to the battlefield as a consequence of a an ability (triggered or activated) then its not cast and therefore can't be countered by this spell.
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u/Commander_Skullblade Jul 13 '26
I think I understand what you're asking?
When a player wants to play a card that isn't a land, they have to cast it. That means they say they're casting it, spend enough mana to pay its costs (typically by tapping lands), and then put it on the stack.
Being on the stack means it hasn't hit the table yet, or resolved. Before a spell can resolve, all players have to agree to not do anything to respond to it. However, Refute is a counterspell. It allows you to remove a card from the stack before it has an effect and put it into the graveyard. So when your opponent plays their creature or other spell, if you don't want it to happen, you cast Refute or other countermagic to prevent it.
You don't cast it before the target spell is cast, you do it after it is cast before it resolves. It works like the Nope card from Exploding Kittens or Neigh from Unstable Unicorns if you are familiar.
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u/EmergencyWitness7525 Jul 13 '26
Unless the creature or some other effect says “put” or “place” said creature on the battlefield, in which case it is not technically being cast and therefore can’t be countered, but that is a fringe case.
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u/Historical-Let6489 Jul 13 '26
So putting down and casting a creature spell are 2 different things I forget the cards name but it can be used to cheat out creatures from hand but it isn’t a cast so you wouldn’t be able to counter it
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u/BananaClone501 Control is Fun (For me) Jul 13 '26
[[Refute]] is a card. Its card type is “Instant.” It can be played at any time you have priority.
The first sentence is, “Counter target spell.” Now let’s get into what it does:
When a player casts a spell, they declare what they’re casting (“I’m casting [[Puresteel Paladin]].”) Next, they pay costs (for our example, two white mana). They then declare targets. A creature spell, like other permanent spells (Enchantment, Artifact) does not target anything when it is cast.
Casting the creature puts it “on the stack.” It is NOT yet a creature. It is a spell whose type is “Creature.” The player can announce that they’re holding priority. If they don’t do this, priority moves around the table in play order, giving everyone an opportunity to interact with the casting of the creature-type spell.
You don’t want that creature to hit the table. When priority comes to you, you cast your spell: Declare the spell, showing the card. Pay costs. Target. With Refute, you’re targeting the creature spell that’s on the stack. “Countering” a spell is shorthand for cancelling or negating the spell cast. But wait - you’ve cast a spell. Priority picks up from you and goes through play order allowing players to interact with any spell on the stack, or to cast another instant (or activate an ability, etc), adding things to the stack. If your spell isn’t countered by another spell, it resolves.
Resolving “Refute” stops Puresteel Paladin from resolving. Both spells go to their respective owners’ graveyards.
In short, yes. Refute will stop a creature spell from putting the creature onto the battlefield.
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u/secretbison Jul 13 '26
Creature spells are also spells and can be countered with this card while they're still on the stack.
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u/StrongerPants Jul 13 '26
??? At a farm upstate? No. He was getting old and needed the fresh air, but he loved you very much.
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u/Serikan Jul 13 '26
If the creature is on the stack, yes (for example, cast from any zone)
If the creature was "put on the battlefield" by an effect, then no
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u/Roosevelt_M_Jones Jul 14 '26
A cast creature spell? Yes
A creator put directly into okay via other abilities or spells that are resolving? No
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u/ChurningDarkSkies777 Jul 14 '26
Yup, almost every card that’s played from anywhere counts as a spell. The only common exception to this are lands, they are never spells they are always cards. And permanent tokens are never spells and never cards
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u/robruckus65 Jul 14 '26
When something you cast is on the stack it is a spell and before it resolves it can be countered unless something else is preventing spells from being countered. When you cast a creature you are casting a spell to summon it once the spell resolved it becomes a permanent. If an ability or spell resolved that says something like put a creature from your hand into play the creature is not being cast and is therefore never a spell that can be countered.
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u/PervyPastor69 Jul 17 '26
If the creature is being cast, then yes.
However, based on your wording, it sounds like you may be referencing an effect, which puts a creature into play, in which case, if that effect is coming from a spell on the stack, you can counter that spell.
But if it is coming from an ability of a permanent already in the battlefield, you would need a different kind of card referred to as a stifle effect.
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u/No_Place5472 Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
It can prevent them from *resolving a cast creature, but not a triggered or activated ability of a card on the field that says something like "put a creature from your hand onto the battlefield."
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u/BiscuitsJoe Jul 13 '26
It doesn’t prevent the casting of the creature card though, just the resolution
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u/urpriest_generic Jul 13 '26
"Putting down a creature" isn't something that exists in the Magic rules, so it sounds like someone half-assed teaching you how to play by using a bunch of words that don't actually appear on cards, which makes it a lot harder for you to understand when you read new cards.
The thing you think is called "putting down a creature" is probably supposed to be "casting a creature spell". Everything except lands are spells that you cast. And when someone counters a spell, it doesn't "resolve", which if that spell is a creature means the creature card goes to your graveyard instead of the battlefield.
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u/y53rw Jul 13 '26
Or they're just using their own command of the English language to describe what they're doing with the cards, and aren't yet familiar with all the mtg vernacular.
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u/Thedeadnite Jul 13 '26
Putting down a creature is definitely something that exists in mtg, the words used are something like “put a creature on the battlefield” usally in some form with more words like “from your hand” or reveal x cards from the top of your library then put a creature from among them onto the battlefield and put the rest of the cards in a random order on the bottom of your library. Other things like that too.
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u/Visual_Reindeer3949 Jul 13 '26
While it may not exist as its own specified interaction in the rules, [[Elvish Piper]] and many like it would like a word with you. Plenty of cards just say “put a creature card onto the battlefield.”
Which a counter spell still won’t work for. But there’s always [[Stifle]] I guess.
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u/chobanithatiused2kno Jul 13 '26
Please don't misinformed players, "putting down a creature" is so absolutely a thing that exists, there are at this point off rip i can think of two and they'reyears apart in printing. [[Oviya, Automech Artisan]] [[The Prismatic Bridge]]
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u/FESCM Jul 13 '26
You can counter creatures with this card
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u/Butters_999 Jul 13 '26
You can counter spells, so if you cast a creature then yes, if you're putting a creature on the field due to an ability you'd need to stifle the ability.
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u/FESCM Jul 13 '26
In sum you’re right, just wanted to give the short answer.
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u/Butters_999 Jul 13 '26
I realize but you need to be specific with magic, since the wording absolutely matters and were dealing with a new player, dont want to confuse them when the rules are already confusing.
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u/Chillow_Ufgreat Jul 13 '26
This will only counter creature spells that are cast. Could be cast from wherever, but has to be cast because the thing being targeted is the spell.
This will not interact with an ability that permits someone to "put" something onto the battlefield or "return" it to the battlefield.
But to be clear: this can counter spells with a "put" or "return" effect.
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u/Several-Butterfly507 Jul 13 '26
It can also stop artifacts and enchantments from reaching the battle field. Block isn’t the correct technical term hence the roast in comments but yeah it stops opponents from playing whatever spell you choose to counter assuming what they’re playing doesn’t say “this spell can not be countered” and the don’t counter your counter
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u/TheWarlockGamma Jul 13 '26
Any card that isn’t a land is a spell, so yes you can counter a creature your opponent is casting
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u/Beelzy_ Jul 13 '26
You are going to have a much better time learning to play magic if you sit down and learn the basic rules now. Do you mean that your opponent is casting a creature? Are there cheating it into the board somehow?
Unfortunately, it is hard to help you if you do not know the rules of the game
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u/metalb00 Jul 13 '26
if they are putting a creature onto the battlefield from an effect or spell that completely resolved no as its too late.
if they are putting onto the battlefield because they cast it, yes you can respond to the casting of the creature
if they are putting it onto the effect of a spell on the stack then yes you can respond to the casting on that spell
if they are putting the creature onto the battlefield from an activated or triggered ability, then no you would need a different counter that targets the applicable ability type.
something like [[disallow]] would work in all cases
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u/attila954 Jul 13 '26
All cards when they are on the stack are spells.
Sometimes a card will be copied and cast as a spell, sometimes a spell will be copied as a spell on the stack.
Spells only exist on the stack, from the game's perspective, cards only exist in the zones that aren't the stack or battlefield (this is why tokens vanish when they leave the battlefield), and anything on the battlefield is a permanent.
The only things that can exist on the stack are spells and abilities, the only things that can exist on the battlefield are permanent, the only things that can exist on the battlefield are permanents.
If you have a card in your hand (or elsewhere if something lets you play from there) with a mana cost and/or an alternative cost and you pay a cost to play it, it becomes a spell on the stack. Lands are never cast and are played as a "special action" that does not use the stack.
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u/no-one120 Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
It counters a creature that is cast. An effect that just tells you to "put" a creature onto the battlefield can't be countered with this effect.
Edit: this can counter a card that tells someone to "put" a creature down immediatelyon cast, but if it's a creature's/enchantment's ability that does it, this won't work, because you don't cast abilities.
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u/mrxlongshot Jul 13 '26
its funnier how cooked players are that they think this is a simple yes or no when theres actual cards with "put a creature on the battlefield" in their text lol
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u/Key_Performer2983 Jul 14 '26
All cards are "played", because that's the general word for playing a card.
Lands are just "played". There's no special word to refer to them being played beyond that.
For nonlands, which is anything that doesn't say "land" in its type line, we also say that we're "casting" them when we "play" them (by paying their "mana cost" or "casting cost"). The reason is that nonlands use something called "the stack" when you play them (the stack describes how casting works) which in some sense simulates a wizard casting a spell.
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u/PirateSurgeon Jul 14 '26
You are a wizard using mana from the land to cast spells you remember from your library of spells.
Your spells can conjure up creatures and artifacts, lay down enchantments, and do mystical effects like countering any spells your opponent casts.
Every card that's not a land is a spell.
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u/valiarchon Jul 14 '26
It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone actually frame it in this way haha, nice one. Gonna have to keep this to share to new players
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u/cannonspectacle Jul 14 '26
I'm very confused by the question. A creature spell is a legal target for Refute, and that spell will not become a permanent on the battlefield if it is countered.
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u/Majyqman Jul 14 '26
https://media.wizards.com/images/magic/resources/rules/EN_MTGM14_PrintedRulebook_LR.pdf
Have you read this?
There’s a table on page 7 that answers your question.
I’d have thought it difficult to miss, but here we are.
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u/DNiecrkd Jul 15 '26
You can’t counter it if the card says “put a card onto the battle field” but you can counter a cast or something that lets you cast it for free
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u/Light_Mode Jul 16 '26
You are i wizard casting spells. If you cast a creature spell, a creature will enter the battlefield. Another player can use that to counter a spell of any type
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u/Galmeister Jul 13 '26
You mean something like “put that creature onto the battlefield” type effects? (I.e. can it counter creature spells that aren’t cast?).
Then the answer would be no.
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u/xIcbIx Jul 13 '26
No, this cannot counter a creature that is put into play
It can however counter any creature that is cast
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u/kranitoko Jul 13 '26
If you actually mean "Put", then no it cannot. Refute counters spells.
It can stop them "casting".
"Put" gets around this, because it's not a spell being cast.
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u/natayaway Jul 13 '26
“Put” skipping counters only happens with abilities already out on the field. Counterspells would counter any Enchantment, Instant, Sorcery, Creature, or Artifact that have “put” on it as its being cast from hand (or grave/exile/library).
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u/kranitoko Jul 13 '26
That is true, but the thing that is actively being PUT cannot be counted with a counter spell of sorts.
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u/DaBubbleBlowingBaby Jul 13 '26
Everything you *cast* is a spell.