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Mortician Beetle + Fling

I was playing against my friend the other day and I was unsure about what would happen if I sacrifice Mortician Beetle to play Fling. My thought train was that Mortician Beetle's ability goes on the stack above Fling. But then I second guessed myself. If I am not mistaken, paying a card's casting cost does not use the stack. If I am wrong about this, please correct me. Also, Mortician Beetle's ability triggering also does not use the stack, correct? But even if both of them did, would Fling's ability check the power of the creature at the time it was sacrificed?

I initially thought that Fling would deal Damage equal to Mortician Beetle's power after getting the +1/+1 counter from its ability, but now I am pretty sure I was wrong. Regardless, I just wanted to check with you guys to make sure and avoid confusion in the future. Thank you.
Posted 03 March 2012 at 22:42

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The only type of ability that doesn't use the stack is a mana abillity, Mortician Beetle's ability is a tirggered ability and does use the stack. Paying costs for a spell, additional or otherwise, does not use the stack and is done up front as you cast the spell.

This is how your scenario would work:

You announce that you are casting Fling.
You pay all the costs, add mana to your pool if need be and sac Mortician Beetle as the additional cost.
Mortician Beetle's ability triggers and will be put on the stack on top of Fling.
Mortician Beetle's ability tries to resolve but can not find Mortician Beetle on the battlefield and "fizzles".
Fling tries to resolve, and uses the Last Known Information of the sacrificed creature as it was on the battlefield and deals 1 damage (pending any previously gained counters) to it's target.

Because Mortician Beetle is no longer on the battlefield when it's ability resolves, then it can't have a counter placed on it and Fling will 'see' it has having whatever power it had at the time it was sacrificed.
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Posted 04 March 2012 at 08:27

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Thank you so much. I had looked into it a little further and found out that Mortician Beetle's ability does use the stack, just as you said. Originally, I had thought it did, but doubted myself. Once I learned it does, I thought of the same process you just explained. It's good to know I got it right haha. Once again, thank you.
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Posted 04 March 2012 at 16:01

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