Daxos of Meletis stealing Birthing Pod in EDH, is it usable?
Asked by Lazarus 8 years ago
I have a Daxos commander and judging by the title I do have a question on a scenario. Well Daxos of Meletis can actually circumvent's it's own commander colors if it steals other player's cards even if it's not his own colors which the player can cast.
But in the case of Birthing Pod's (or any permanents with an activated cost of which Daxos has no color alignment with) ability. Will I be able to pay and activate using the "Lose teo life" instead of paying green (Which Daxos can't do) to activate the birthing pod?
hyperlocke says... #2
Yes.
107.4f [...]. A Phyrexian mana symbol represents a cost that can be paid either with one mana of its color or by paying 2 life.
The way it is worded allows you to activate Birthing Pod, because paying 2 life doesn't add any mana to your pool, it's an alternative way of paying (part of) the cost.
October 3, 2015 8:09 a.m.
The answer is yes, but here's a more in depth explanation:
The only rule regarding off-color mana in commander is this:
903.9. If mana would be added to a players mana pool of a color that isnt in the color identity of that players commander, that amount of colorless mana is added to that players mana pool instead.
As you can see, nothing about this rule states that you can't pay costs that require off-color mana, it simply prevents you from ever having that mana in your mana pool to pay those costs with. If you were to somehow get green mana into your mana pool when playing your Daxos deck, (You can't, but w/e.) then you would be able to activate Birthing Pod and use that green mana to pay for it, because there's no rule preventing you from doing so. It just so happens that that situation can never happen.
The reason that this works for phyrexian mana, is that the choice of whether or not you are going to pay the 2 life is chosen here, in rule 601.2b:
601.2b If the spell is modal, the player announces the mode choice (see rule 700.2). If the player wishes to splice any cards [...] If a cost that will be paid as the spell is being cast includes Phyrexian mana symbols, the player announces whether he or she intends to pay 2 life or the corresponding colored mana cost for each of those symbols. [...]
(I'm quoting the rule for casting spells because the process is exactly the same as activating abilities, to the point where the rulebook doesn't even bother spelling it out twice.)
Which is a full 5 steps before rules 601.2 g and h, where you activate mana abilities and pay the total cost of the ability, so the choice is made long before you would have to add an off color of mana to your mana pool, and no conflict regarding color identity arises.
Boza says... #1
This is an out-of-left-field case that does not have a clear answer in the rules.
I think you can based on 601.2b: "...If a cost that will be paid as the spell is being cast includes Phyrexian mana symbols, the player announces whether he or she intends to pay 2 life or the corresponding colored mana cost for each of those symbols."
October 3, 2015 4:53 a.m.