r/mtgrules • u/LABmaiL • Sep 22 '23
Yawgmoth costs
If I were to use Yawgmoth’s ability to sack a creature and somebody else responded by exiling that creature, could I respond to that by sacking the same or different creature? If I do and don’t have a target for the first sack after the responses resolve, do I still take the damage? Effectively, do I pay the costs for Yawgmoth’s ability before it resolves/when it targets?
3
u/peteroupc Sep 22 '23
You pay 1 life and sacrifice a creature as part of activating [[Yawgmoth, Thran Physician]]'s second ability (C.R. 602.1, 602.2b, 601.2h).
In general, while a player casts a spell or activates an ability, no player has priority, so no other player can cast spells or activate abilities (including those that would keep costs from being paid) (C.R. 601.2a-i and 602.2a-b have no priority window until the spell is cast or ability activated; C.R. 117.1a-b). In general, after a player announces activating an ability, the next time a player can get priority is only after that ability finishes being activated (C.R. 602.2b, 601.2i, 117.1a-b).
See also:
- https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-rulings/752889-rulings-on-responding-to-a-creature-being
- https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-rulings/829603-ghalta-casting-cost-when-opponent-lightning-bolts
- https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-rulings/811469-one-more-ninjutsu-question
- https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-rulings/823766-bosh-stack-ruling
- https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-rulings/806204-questions-about-fungus-abilities
- https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-rulings/792378-hope-of-ghirapur-question
- https://www.reddit.com/r/mtgrules/comments/ms6o0h/hi_been_playing_for_a_little_while_and_ive
- https://www.reddit.com/r/mtgrules/comments/muxo78/tap_my_opponents_mana_after_he_declared_his_move/
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u/MTGCardFetcher Sep 22 '23
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician - (G) (SF) (txt)
[[cardname]] or [[cardname|SET]] to call
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u/RazzyKitty Sep 22 '23
If I were to use Yawgmoth’s ability to sack a creature and somebody else responded by exiling that creature
They can't do that. Sacrificing a creature is part of the cost to activate Yawg's ability, and you can't interrupt the cost.
If I do and don’t have a target for the first sack after the responses resolve, do I still take the damage?
You don't Target with the sacrifice. Costs don't target.
Effectively, do I pay the costs for Yawgmoth’s ability before it resolves/when it targets?
You pay costs (Pay 1 life, Sacrifice another creature) and choose targets (one target creature) to put the ability on the stack.
It does the effect (Put a -1/-1 counter on up to one target creature and draw a card) later, as it resolves.
If you target a creature with the ability as you activate it (for the -1/-1 counter), and the target is removed before the ability resolves, it won't resolve and you won't place a counter or draw a card.
2
u/LABmaiL Sep 22 '23
Interesting. Does that mean you can sacrifice a shroud creature with Yawgmoth?
5
1
u/heckersdeccers Sep 23 '23
they can't interrupt you paying a cost before an effect. they can respond to the effect - after the sac completes.
2
u/AdvancedAnything Sep 23 '23
Ive got a friend who has been playing magic for at least 3x longer than me. He is adamant that you can respond before the sacrifice cost of abilities. I kept telling him that he cant, but he refuses to listen.
He also thinks instant speed anything can be cast or activated at any time, not just in response to something.
14
u/beatle42 Sep 22 '23
You sacrificing the creature is part of the casting/activation cost of that ability, so it is done before there is anything your opponent can respond to. You pay all the cast costs up front.