Cards And Zones
When Do Triggered Abilities Happen?
The stated event starts the ability; finish the current effect before resolving the trigger.
RiftPal explanation · Answer first
The short answer
A Triggered AbilityAn ability started by a stated event or time, usually introduced by "when" or "at." It goes on the Chain when its condition is met.View in Glossary starts when its stated event happens, such as "When you play me" or "At the end of your turn." Put the ability on the ChainAn off-board zone that holds cards and abilities during the process of playing them. Cards and abilities on it are public information.View in Glossary . If another effect is still resolving, finish that effect first. The trigger does not interrupt it.
RiftPal explanation
How it works
Choose required targets and pay any starting cost before the trigger becomes ready for responses. If its effect begins with "you may" or "they may," decide then whether to perform it. A "may" later in the effect is decided when you reach that instruction during resolution.
You cannot refuse a mandatory trigger just because you dislike the result. If it has no legal choices, remove it from the Chain; you may also decline to pay a cost it requires.
"When you play" abilities trigger when the card resolves, not when you first announce it. A countered spell does not cause those triggers. By contrast, a non-triggered check that you have played a card can count a spell whose costs and choices were completed even if it was later countered.
Once a trigger is on the Chain, removing its source does not by itself cancel it. Its own targets and instructions still have to work.
An "if" condition immediately after the trigger event must be true when the event happens. A condition inside the effect is checked when that instruction resolves.
In practice
Example
Card example
Lecturing Yordle
A unit has "When you play me, draw 1." The unit enters the board, then its draw ability goes on the ChainAn off-board zone that holds cards and abilities during the process of playing them. Cards and abilities on it are public information.View in Glossary . Players can respond to that ability before you draw.
Unit
Lecturing Yordle
[Tank] (I must be assigned combat damage first.) When you play me, draw 1.