My opponent plays Torrential Gearhulk and chooses Vraska's Contempt. Can I use Negate to counter Vraska's Contempt?
-
3Why would you think you cannot counter it? – Neil Meyer Nov 3 '17 at 8:47
-
Cast is cast, it doesn't matter if it was cast from suspend, rebound, Spell Queller leaving the battlefield, or gearhulk, once it is cast and put on the stack how it got there does not matter. – Andrew Dec 21 '17 at 16:24
Yes.
Torrential Gearhulk's ability says the following (emphasis mine):
When Torrential Gearhulk enters the battlefield, you may cast target instant card from your graveyard without paying its mana cost.
From the comprehensive rules, casting a card means (in part) "to take it from the zone it's in [and] put it on the stack".701.4 After your opponent selects the card Vraska's Contempt, it is put on the stack as a spell.
Negate reads:
Counter target noncreature spell.
Again, from the comprehensive rules, countering a spell means "to cancel it, removing it from the stack."701.5
Since Vraska's Contempt is on the stack, is a noncreature spell, and nothing else prohibits it, you are allowed to counter it using Negate.
