Discussion Forum

[QUOTE=Seth]Does Mana Drain fizzle and did player C deprive player B from gaining the mana drain benefit (8 mana) by countering Nicol Bolas in response? [/quote]

Yes, that's right.


In that scenario, the Counterspell will resolve first, countering Bolas.

701.5a To counter a spell or ability means to cancel it, removing it from the stack. It doesn’t resolve and none of its effects occur. A countered spell is put into its owner’s graveyard.

Once the Counterspell resolves, Bolas is no longer on the stack.

Then, when the Mana Drain resolves, its one and only target is no longer legal, because it is no longer in the zone it was in when targeted.

608. Resolving Spells and Abilities
...
608.2b If the spell or ability specifies targets, it checks whether the targets are still legal. A target that’s no longer in the zone it was in when it was targeted is illegal. ... The spell or ability is countered if all its targets, for every instance of the word “target,” are now illegal. ...

Since Mana Drain's one and only target is illegal when it resolves, the Mana Drain is countered by the rules and has no effect. In particular, it does not ever add mana its caster's mana pool.


(this means, by the way, that Remand is a pretty sweet counter to Mana Drain)

thanks!

[QUOTE=Aneximines]
(this means, by the way, that Remand is a pretty sweet counter to Mana Drain)[/QUOTE]

sorry for being slow but why does that make Remand special? Would you use it to rescue your own spell (in a one on one game where your opponent mana drains one of your spells)?

Yes, or if the player casting Nicol Bolas is your ally. You counter the spell, save it from being depleted, waste the opp's counter spell, and draw a card. Pretty sweet deal ;) Also why it's a $1-$3 uncommon.

Edit: Although technically a traditional counter spell to their counter spell would be preferable, in some circumstances that would not be feasible, and the :mana1::manau: casting cost and card draw make it desirable. I've also used it against big spells when I have another traditional counter spell in my hand, to stall the opps mana for a turn. There's some nifty uses to it.

[QUOTE=SavajCabbaj]Yes, or if the player casting Nicol Bolas is your ally. You counter the spell, save it from being depleted, waste the opp's counter spell, and draw a card. Pretty sweet deal ;) Also why it's a $1-$3 uncommon.[/QUOTE]

In multiplayer that's actually an interesting play since you missed a 4th aspect. You save your ally's spell but still prevent it from resolving messing up his turn and on top of it all he'll thank you for it, so will the rest of the table for messing up a powerhouse like mana drain. The mana drain guy himself won't be offended to much as he very well knows that playing power like that demands a reaction. It's all part of his strategy + you delayed what he wanted to stop so he still has next turn to react to the threat.
Very political move!! I like it!

thanks guys, maybe I should dig up my set of Remand and start playing it again :)