Can I Kill Myself With Nectopotence?

Asked by Zerafiall 9 years ago

So... I'm pretty sure you can't pay 2 life to, say, a shock land like Godless Shrine , but can you play life if you have the exact life total you need?

If I have 1 life, can I play 1 life to Necropotence ?

If I have 0 life (and something like Platinum Angel or Phyrexian Rebirth ) can I still pay life?

quesobueno123 says... #1

No you can't pay life when you have none to pay.

August 14, 2014 8:12 a.m.

Draugo says... #2

You cannot pay with with life you don't have but nothing stops you from paying all the life you have so you can kill yourself with Necropotence but even if you have something that stops you from losing you still can't pay if paying would take you to less than 0 life.
This is only for paying costs though, it you loose life as an effect of something, like Ad Nauseam for example then that's not a problem (if you can keep yourself from losing).

August 14, 2014 8:16 a.m.

Zerafiall says... #3

Draugo, would you be able to quote the rule for that?

August 14, 2014 9:06 a.m.

Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #4

This rule covers the cost-paying part of the situation:

117.3. A player can't pay a cost unless he or she has the necessary resources to pay it fully. For example, a player with only 1 life can’t pay a cost of 2 life, and a permanent that’s already tapped can't be tapped to pay a cost. See rule 202, "Mana Cost and Color," and rule 602, "Activating Activated Abilities."

There's no rule saying you can't take an action that would drop you to 0 life (in most situations, this is generally regarded as a "Bad Idea").

August 14, 2014 10:13 a.m.

RussischerZar says... #5

Having 2 Mana Confluence and 2 life brings the phrase tap, tap, concede to a new level though :P

August 15, 2014 9:41 a.m.

Owlteeth says... #6

couldnt you use Angel's Grace to not drop below 1?

January 12, 2016 4:06 p.m.

Rhadamanthus says... #7

Angel's Grace specifically says it works on "damage" that would drop you to less than 1, and paying life for a cost isn't the same as taking damage. Angel's Grace doesn't do anything for this situation.

For future reference: If you have a new rules question post a new topic in the Rules Q&A instead of adding to an old thread (this one is well over a year since the last reply). With the way the forum system works on this site, only users who have previously posted in the topic and haven't unsubscribed from it will be able to see your post. It's much more likely that you'll get an answer if you post a new topic.

January 12, 2016 7:54 p.m.

This discussion has been closed