The Trigger in the Response Chain
Judge Level 1The Bolt gets countered — but the Guttersnipe trigger reached the stack first.
Cards involved
Bolt + Guttersnipe
You control Guttersnipe and cast Lightning Bolt targeting your opponent. The Guttersnipe trigger fires on casting and is put on the stack above the Bolt.
603.3Once an ability has triggered, its controller puts it on the stack as an object that’s not a card the next time a player would receive priority. See rule 117, “Timing and Priority.” The ability becomes the topmost object on the stack. It has the text of the ability that created it, and no other characteristics. It remains on the stack until it’s countered, it resolves, a rule causes it to be removed from the stack, or an effect moves it elsewhere.
Your opponent counters the Bolt
Your opponent casts Counterspell — targeting the Bolt at the bottom. The stack from the top: Counterspell, Guttersnipe trigger, Bolt.
What happens?
Counterspell is about to resolve.
The Bolt will be countered. Does your opponent still take the 2 trigger damage?
Pick an answer to continue.
The casting itself is the triggering event — it can't be undone by countering the spell later. The same logic powers the storm scenario.
113.7aOnce activated or triggered, an ability exists on the stack independently of its source. Destruction or removal of the source after that time won’t affect the ability. Note that some abilities cause a source to do something (for example, “This creature deals 1 damage to any target”) rather than the ability doing anything directly. In these cases, any activated or triggered ability that references information about the source for use while announcing an activated ability or putting a triggered ability on the stack checks that information when the ability is put onto the stack. Otherwise, it will check that information when it resolves. In both instances, if the source is no longer in the zone it’s expected to be in at that time, its last known information is used. The source can still perform the action even though it no longer exists.
Counterspell resolves
The Bolt is countered and goes to the graveyard without effect.
701.6aTo counter a spell or ability means to cancel it, removing it from the stack. It doesn’t resolve and none of its effects occur. A countered spell is put into its owner’s graveyard.
The trigger hits
The Guttersnipe trigger resolves: 2 damage to your opponent. Your Bolt got countered — but the damage happened anyway.
Stack
Opponent's life:
Guttersnipe
Whenever you cast an instant/sorcery: 2 damage to each opponent
Lightning Bolt
Target: your opponent
Counterspell
Target: the Bolt
Triggered ability: Guttersnipe
Guttersnipe trigger: 2 damage to each opponent
The stack is empty.
Battlefield
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In short
Does a cast trigger still resolve if the spell that triggered it gets countered?
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The casting itself is the triggering event — it can't be undone by countering the spell later. The same logic powers the storm scenario.
603.3Once an ability has triggered, its controller puts it on the stack as an object that’s not a card the next time a player would receive priority. See rule 117, “Timing and Priority.” The ability becomes the topmost object on the stack. It has the text of the ability that created it, and no other characteristics. It remains on the stack until it’s countered, it resolves, a rule causes it to be removed from the stack, or an effect moves it elsewhere.
113.7aOnce activated or triggered, an ability exists on the stack independently of its source. Destruction or removal of the source after that time won’t affect the ability. Note that some abilities cause a source to do something (for example, “This creature deals 1 damage to any target”) rather than the ability doing anything directly. In these cases, any activated or triggered ability that references information about the source for use while announcing an activated ability or putting a triggered ability on the stack checks that information when the ability is put onto the stack. Otherwise, it will check that information when it resolves. In both instances, if the source is no longer in the zone it’s expected to be in at that time, its last known information is used. The source can still perform the action even though it no longer exists.
701.6aTo counter a spell or ability means to cancel it, removing it from the stack. It doesn’t resolve and none of its effects occur. A countered spell is put into its owner’s graveyard.
608.1Each time all players pass in succession, the spell or ability on top of the stack resolves. (See rule 609, “Effects.”)