Does the Abundance and Sylvan Library combo really work?
Asked by dalton345 6 years ago
I know that the Abundance + Sylvan Library combo is pretty well known and accepted. I know that the premise is that since Abundance causes a replacement effect that you actually haven't drawn cards and therefore don't need to put them back, but I was reading the gatherer rulings on Sylvan Library and I fail to understand how the combo can work.
In the gatherer rulings for Sylvan Library it states:
If you choose to draw two cards, then replace one or more of those draws with some other effect, the rest of Sylvan Librarys ability still happens. If youve actually drawn only one card that turn, you must choose that card and either pay 4 life or put it on top of your library. If you havent actually drawn any cards that turn, the rest of the ability has no effect.To me that reads that if you choose to activate Sylvan Library's ability, that the remainder of the text occurs even if you use a replacement effect on the card draw actions. This would mean that you would need to either pay the 4 life, or put back the card you drew due to your normal draw step. Can anyone provide clarification on this?
Okay but if you don't use abundance on your normal draw then you would have to put that card back wouldn't you?
September 15, 2017 11 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #4
Yes, if for some reason you choose to only use Abundance on one or two of the draws then you will have to put the cards back that you actually drew or pay four life. However the synergy is that you replace all of your draws with choosing, revealing, and putting into your hand; so the synergy works to answer your original question.
Tyrant-Thanatos says... #2
The ruling you quoted literally says right at the end "If you havent actually drawn any cards that turn, the rest of the ability has no effect."
Abundance replaces all of your draws. You haven't actually drawn any cards that turn.
September 15, 2017 9:58 p.m.