can i cast an overloaded Cyclonic Rift from an Isochron Scepter?
Asked by firemanefruitcake 9 years ago
The CMC of Cyclonic Rift is 2, and the overload is only an alternate cost. so i dont see why it wouldnt work, but i need to make sure
Right in the rulings for the Isochron Scepter :
"You don't pay the spell's mana cost. If the spell has X in its mana cost, X is 0. You do pay any additional costs for that spell. You can't use any alternative costs."
June 23, 2014 8:15 a.m.
firemanefruitcake says... #3
so if i exile Cyclonic Rift onto Isochron Scepter would i still be able to pay the overload cost?
June 23, 2014 8:20 a.m.
....No
The scepter provides the alternative cost of "free" which forbids you from paying another alternative cost, such as that from Overload.
June 23, 2014 8:31 a.m.
Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #5
With the way the game is put together, the only reason you're able to take any action is because a rule or effect specifically gives you permission to do so.
Normally you're not allowed to make copies of cards in exile and cast them, because there's no game rule saying you can. Isochron Scepter 's ability gives you special permission to cast a copy of the imprinted card, but only in the specific way it tells you to: "without paying its mana cost". Because "without paying its mana cost" is an alternative cost, you can't apply any other alternative costs (like Overload) to the casting.
Optional additional costs are fine to pay if you want to (like kicker, which is why Scepter + Orim's Chant is a deck), and mandatory additional costs (like Shrapnel Blast ) must be paid if you want to cast the spell at all.
Devonin says... #1
The ability to pay for a spell "without paying its mana cost" is an alternate casting cost. Overload is also an alternate casting cost.
You can't pay two alternate costs for the same thing.
June 23, 2014 8:15 a.m.