Footlight Fiend vs. Rising Populace Trigger order
603.3b If multiple abilities have triggered since the last time a player received priority, each player, in APNAP order, puts triggered abilities they control on the stack in any order they choose. (See rule 101.4.) Then the game once again checks for and resolves state-based actions until none are performed, then abilities that triggered during this process go on the stack. This process repeats until no new state-based actions are performed and no abilities trigger. Then the appropriate player gets priority.


The attacking player is the active player, so Rising Populace's trigger is put on the stack first, followed by Footlight Fiend's trigger, which will resolve first. After the ability resolves, state-based actions will see a 2/2 with 2 damage, and kill the Rising Populace before its own ability can come to the rescue.