405 The Stack
Rules by topic
The stack is the zone where spells and abilities wait to resolve. It's the heart of how Magic handles "I do X" -> "I respond Y" -> "I respond Z" sequences.
Plain-English version
- When you cast a spell or activate an ability, or an ability triggers, it goes on top of the stack (405.1, 405.2).
- Each player in turn order gets priority, and whoever has it can put something else on top.
- When everyone passes priority in succession with the stack non-empty, the top spell or ability resolves -- the most recently added thing.
- Repeat until the stack is empty.
This is last in, first out. The last thing put on the stack resolves first.
Things that don't use the stack
- Mana abilities (e.g. tapping a basic land for {G}) -- they resolve immediately. See 605.
- Static abilities -- they're always on, no stack needed.
- Replacement effects -- "if a card would be put into a graveyard, exile it instead." They change events as they happen. See 614.
- Special actions like playing a land. See 116.
- Turn-based and state-based actions, like the draw step's draw and a creature dying to lethal damage. See 703 and 704.
Why this matters
Understanding the stack is the difference between "I cast my spell, did it work?" and being able to plan multi-step interactions. Most of Magic's depth lives here.
The Stack Examples article in the wiki has worked examples.