Does Giant Growth save a creature from Lightning Bolt?

The scenario

Your unmodified Grizzly Bears is a 2/2. An opponent casts Lightning Bolt targeting it. You respond with Giant Growth on the Bears. With no other effects or responses, does it survive?

Short answer

Yes. Giant Growth resolves first, making the Bears 5/5 until end of turn. Lightning Bolt then deals 3 damage to it. A 5/5 with 3 damage marked does not have lethal damage.

Step by step

1. Lightning Bolt waits on the stack. Before it resolves, players have an opportunity to act with priority; you cast Giant Growth targeting the same creature.
2. When everyone passes in succession, only the top object resolves. Giant Growth gives the Bears +3/+3. The stack does not resolve all at once: players receive priority again before Bolt resolves.
3. After everyone passes again, Bolt deals 3 damage to the now-5/5 Bears. Damage is marked on a creature; it is not a reduction to toughness. The Bears survives the state-based-action check.

What changes the answer?

Reverse the spell order

If you cast Giant Growth first and the opponent responds with Bolt, Bolt resolves while the Bears is still 2/2. Lethal damage destroys it before Giant Growth can resolve; Growth then has an illegal target.

Another response changes the answer

A counterspell, another damage spell, or a toughness-changing effect may change the outcome. This case assumes no other effects. The temporary +3/+3 and marked damage both end during cleanup, so this sequence alone does not kill the Bears at end of turn.

Rules and verification

Checked against the Comprehensive Rules effective 2026-09-25. Read the dated official source. Rule-browser links may use an older site snapshot; the dated official document is this scenario's verification source.

• CR 117.4: All players passing resolves only the top object.
• CR 117.3c: The player taking an action with priority receives priority afterward.
• CR 704.5g: Damage is lethal when marked damage meets or exceeds positive toughness.

Card sources

Oracle text snapshot checked 2026-10-15. These quotations are card reference material, not original MtG-RC explanations.

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