Cipher vs. awakened lands

Asked by LPEDRYS 6 years ago

cipher states that if the ciphered card deals damage you may cast a copy of that card without paying its mana cost.

if I ciphered an awakened island and deal damage would I just put an island into play?

Epochalyptik says... #1

I think you're misunderstanding what cipher does. From the Comprehensive Rules:

702.98a Cipher appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two abilities. The first is a spell ability that functions while the spell with cipher is on the stack. The second is a static ability that functions while the card with cipher is in the exile zone. "Cipher" means "If this spell is represented by a card, you may exile this card encoded on a creature you control" and "For as long as this card is encoded on that creature, that creature has 'Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, you may copy the encoded card and you may cast the copy without paying its mana cost.'"

When the spell with cipher resolves, you exile it "encoded" onto a creature you control. When the creature deals combat damage, you copy the exiled instant or sorcery. You do not copy the creature.

August 17, 2017 9:51 p.m.

LPEDRYS says... #2

Epochalyptik Alright I think I understand now. say I cast hidden strings and cipher a creature I control exiling hidden strings. whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player I would copy hidden strings without paying its mana cost?

August 17, 2017 10:13 p.m.

Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #3

Correct. You can use cipher's reminder text to help you: you exile Hidden Strings encoded on a creature you control, and you copy the encoded card when the creature deals damage. The spell with cipher is what's being encoded.

August 17, 2017 10:42 p.m.

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