Dies to Removal

So this one you cats are unlikely to know but eh, you might

Suppose I have a counterbalance and my opponent casts shardless agent?

If I let the cascade trigger resolve, does shardless resolve, am I allowed to counter Shardless after I see what s/he cascades into or do I have to counter Shardless before cascade resolves?

[cards]Counterbalance

Shardless Agent[/cards]

I don't know this because I'm a rules guru, but because I play a lot of MODO.

When your opponent casts a spell with cascade, the cascade trigger goes on the stack on top of Shardless Agent in this case. You recieve priority then, but you can let the cascade effect resolve and see what he casts. Once they choose to cast the spell, you get priority again, and you can decide whether to counter one spell or the other.

EDs: Reading is tech. The above applies to instant spells like Counterspell

Stack effects go by Active Player - Non-active Player order, so your opponent places his Agent, then Cascade on the stack, then you place your Counterbalance trigger on the stack.

You have an opportunity to counter his Agent with the Counterbalance trigger, but the Cascade trigger won't resolve until finish with your Counterbalance trigger.

Counterbalance will trigger again if your opponent Cascades and chooses to cast that spell, so you'll have another chance to counter it if you have some way to manipulate your library at instant speed.

That ^^