Can you pay Repeat on Hard Bargain to counter two different spells on the same chain?

Question

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you pay Hard Bargain's Repeat cost, its “Counter a spell unless its controller pays :rb_energy_2:” instruction is executed an additional time, and you may choose a different spell for that additional execution (so you can attempt to counter two different spells on the same chain).

You may pay Hard Bargain's Repeat cost to have its effect performed more than once and choose different spells for each execution. Each execution is a separate choice made when you play the card, so you can choose two different spells that are currently on the chain and attempt to counter each (each controller may pay :rb_energy_2: to prevent the respective counter) [820.1.d] [820.2] [820.3].

Decide to play Hard Bargain as a Reaction (you may play it any time, even before spells and abilities resolve). Begin the play process and enter the Make Relevant Choices step [820.2]. When making choices for Hard Bargain, choose the first spell on the chain to attempt to counter. If you will pay Repeat, add the Repeat cost(s) to the costs to be paid now; you may pay one or more Repeat instances separately if applicable [820.3]. For each Repeat instance you paid, you will make the choices for that additional execution at the same Make Relevant Choices step; you may choose a different spell for each execution [820.2] [820.1.d]. Pay the combined costs (including the Repeat cost(s)) during the Pay Costs step; players may use Reaction Add abilities to add Energy if needed to pay those costs [357.1.a] [429.3]. When Hard Bargain resolves, its instruction is executed once for the base effect and once for each Repeat you paid. For each execution, resolve “Counter a spell unless its controller pays :rb_energy_2:,” prompting that spell’s controller to pay :rb_energy_2: or have that execution counter their chosen spell. Each execution resolves independently, so one spell’s controller can pay to avoid being countered while the other might not (or vice versa).

Choosing the same spell for both executions: you may do so when making choices, but if the first execution causes that spell to be countered, the second execution will have no additional effect on a spell that is already countered or otherwise no longer a legal spell to be countered. If a chosen spell becomes illegal between the Make Relevant Choices step and resolution (due to replacement effects or other game actions), that execution may fail to do anything; choices must be legal when made [820.2]. Opponents can use Reaction Add abilities to pay the :rb_energy_2: ransom when each execution resolves; Add reactions finalize immediately when activated in these contexts [429.3]. Paying multiple Repeat instances is optional and each instance must be paid as you play the spell; you cannot retroactively add Repeat after the Make Relevant Choices step [820.3].

The Repeat keyword makes Hard Bargain’s instruction execute additional times if you pay the Repeat cost when playing it. Per the Repeat rules, paying the additional cost causes the spell’s effect to be performed an additional time, and choices for that additional execution are made during the Make Relevant Choices step of playing the card [820.1.d] [820.2]. Multiple Repeat instances can be paid separately, and the spell’s instructions are executed once for each Repeat you paid (but the card is still only played once) [820.3] [820.3.a].

Practically: when you play Hard Bargain as a Reaction, you make the initial choice of which spell to attempt to counter. If you pay the Repeat cost, you make the choice for the additional execution(s) at that same time; those choices may be different from the first choice [820.2] [820.1.d]. That means you can choose two different spells that are on the chain when you play Hard Bargain. After you pay costs (including Repeat costs), Hard Bargain resolves and its instruction is executed once per paid execution: each execution prompts the targeted spell’s controller to pay :rb_energy_2: or have that execution counter their spell. Opponents may use Reaction Add abilities to add energy to pay those ransom payments when they are required [429.3] [357.1.a].

Therefore, so long as the spells you wish to target are legal choices when you make choices while playing Hard Bargain, paying its Repeat cost allows you to attempt to counter two different spells on the same chain. If any chosen spell becomes illegal before resolution or is already countered by a prior execution, that particular execution will not have additional effect.