Discussion Forum

No, you do not need to steal a artifact to play Master Thief, it does not say as an addition to casting...

I do not know the rules on using the artifact before its take, but I believe that goes into the "Stack" Rules. Where he plays the card and is entitled to the artifact, you can not use its abilities as a counter, unless the cards states it. But I believe you can use a counter card to remove the thief from the game and not let him take the artifact.
So no, my understanding is you can not tap the card and spend the mana before he takes it.

Almost every single ability uses the stack. (The only ones I know of that don't are mana abilities but I'm sure there's probably a few others). You can respond to ANY ability put on the stack unless it has split-second. You can even wait til after Master Thief resolves and enters the battlefield. At this point, his ability to steal one of your artifacts goes on the stack. He targets your Elixer, and in response to that ability going on the stack, you can activate your elixer to gain 5 life and shuffle your grave into your library. This is the ideal time to do it as he's already selected the Elixer and therefore cannot re-target anything else.

I take that back then, I guess you can use it.

[QUOTE=dhitchner]If my opponent casts Master Thief and tries to take my only artifact, the Elixir of Immortality, can I spend 2 mana and tap the elixir in response to them trying to steal it to activate its ability first? Also, does there have to be an artifact on the battlefield in order for the Master Thief to be cast?

Basically, can any artifact be activated before it is destroyed or stolen by an opponent?

Thank you[/QUOTE]

Yes, in response to your opponent declaring your Elixir of Immortality as the target of Master Thief, you can tap sac the elixir. You will gain the life and shuffle, and the opponent will not gain control of the elixir.

In response to any ability or spell, can cast any instant or activate any ability and your spell/ability will resolve first.

Does that mean, if say a creature has a thing like "Any time a creature dies put a +1/+1 token on another creature" and like 4 creatures die including that creature. Can you put those tokens on to another creature even though he is going into the graveyard?

Yes that is what happens depending on the texy of the card of course though...

this is slightly unrelated, but if the player with master theif does gain control of exilier of immortality. Can he then use its abillity and shuffle the exiliar (along with his graveyard) into his own library? if so there may be sleave problems.:eek:

[QUOTE]{2}, {T}: You gain 5 life. Shuffle Elixir of Immortality and your graveyard into their owner's library.[/QUOTE]

When he triggers the ability his graveyard will be shuffled back into his library and the elixir will be shuffled back into it's owner's library.

ok thanks, i must heve missred it