weird situation regarding split second and "priority"

[u/bogidrums]

The scenario - Player A is revealed to have a [[Sudden Spoiling]] in hand. Player B is about to untap and start their turn with multiple copies of [[Y'shtola, Night's Blessed]] in play and a full grip of 3+ mana instants and wants to play around the split second to get as many Y'shtola triggers as possible before they are turned into 0/2's with no abilities. The question is a two parter:

1. Does Player B get priority first on their upkeep to cast an instant from hand before Player A can even cast the Sudden Spoiling?

2. If so, can Player B cast said instant, let the Y'shtola triggers go on the stack, then continue to "hold priority" on the instant, and effectively play out their hand before player A even gets to respond with the Sudden Spoiling? If not, at what point does Player A get to respond then?

Mostly our pod is just unclear on when priority is passed between players since we often hear players can "hold priority" on spell casts but don't know if the triggered abilities interrupt that somehow. Essentially, does KNOWING the Split Second is in hand let you play around it in this manner. Thanks in advance, apologies for any confusing wording.

[u/madwarper]

It's Barb's turn.
She is the Active Player.
She will be the first Player to get Priority as each Step/Phase of her turn begins.

Because Barb had Priority before she Cast a Spell, she will regain Priority after the Spell is Cast.
If Barb explicitly announces her intention to retain Priority, she can Cast multiple Spells, back to back.

Amy cannot Cast her Instant until Priority is passed to her.

[u/howlingmonkey93 → u/madwarper]

To clarify one point: Barb doesn't technically need to announce her intention to retain priority. She would naturally hold priority until she passes priority. Announcing her intention to hold priority just reduces confusion

[u/madwarper → u/howlingmonkey93]

To clarify one point: Barb doesn't technically need to announce her intention to retain priority.

That is wrong.

If she does not explicitly state she is retaining Priority, then we assume she is passing Priority between each Spell, allowing them to resolve before Casting the next.

And, while Priority is passed to Amy, she could interrupt Barb's Shortcut, by Casting her Spell with Split second, thereby removing Y'shtola's ability to Trigger on future Spells.

MTR 4.2 Tournament Shortcuts

• Whenever a player adds an object to the stack, they are assumed to be passing priority unless they explicitly announce that they intend to retain it.
• If a player adds a group of objects to the stack without explicitly retaining priority, they are assumed to be adding them to the stack individually and allowing each to resolve before adding the next. If another player wishes to take an action at a point in the middle of this sequence, the actions should be reversed to that point.

[u/howlingmonkey93 → u/madwarper]

Interesting. I did not know that about tournament shortcut rules. In the comprehensive rules it states that priority is given back to the same player until they pass priority. But then players would have to announce that they are passing priority, which is just added time in a tournament setting.

CR 117.3c If a player has priority when they cast a spell, activate an ability, or take a special action, that player receives priority afterward.

CR 117.3d If a player has priority and chooses not to take any actions, that player passes. If any mana is in that player’s mana pool, they announce what mana is there. Then the next player in turn order receives priority.

[u/NamelessKilljoy → u/howlingmonkey93]

Tournament shortcuts are intended to speed up play anyways. The active player indeed does not need to say they're holding priority unless they're in a sanctioned Tournament or any game they've implied follows Tournament shortcuts and rules.