Jace, the Wielder of Mysteries and Self-Mill
Asked by 9-lives 4 years ago
I don't think this question has been asked before but does Jace, Wielder of Mysteries have to have 8 command points and use that same ability that takes 8 command points of 'Draw 7 cards. If your library has 0 cards in it, you win the game.' to allow me to win the game with 0 cards in my deck? Or is the ability just there and if I have Jace on the field then I can win by having 0 cards in my deck without using his 8 Command Point ability? If the former is true, then it will be very difficult spending 4 turns to get him up to 8 command points. If the latter is true, then I'll use Jace.
Oh wow I didn't even read the Static effect! Nevermind! Thank you!
April 6, 2020 6:03 p.m.
Do bear in mind that only the -8 ability allows for winning just for having 0 cards in your library. The static ability (which is duplicating the static ability of Laboratory Maniac) requires you to draw from an empty library, which would normally result in a game loss.
April 6, 2020 8:44 p.m.
With this static ability:
So, just after casting my cards that make my library 0,wouldn't that make me lose the game after that unless I have Jace and try to draw a card from it? Would I have to use an Opt spell on my library of 0 cards on the turn it becomes 0 cards? Or could I wait until my next turn to draw a card even though I have 0 cards in my library?
April 6, 2020 8:57 p.m.
Raging_Squiggle says... #5
You don’t lose the game for having an empty library, you only lose when an effect, or the turn, attempts to have you draw from it. However, with Jace’s static ability, any attempt to draw from your empty library is replaced by you winning instead.
You can use any draw spell or ability, or simply wait for when you draw at the beginning of your draw step.
April 6, 2020 9:37 p.m.
Yeah, that's a common misconception about the game. You don't lose just because your library has zero cards in it. You only lose when you have to draw a card and can't because there are no cards in your library. Because of that, Jace, Wielder of Mysteries (not counting his -8) and Laboratory Maniac don't cause you to win until you go to draw a card from your empty library. They are replacement effects that replace the event of you losing due to drawing from an empty library to you winning instead.
Jace's -8 adds the text about "if your library has 0 cards in it" because, as mentioned, there's always a chance Jace is no longer on the battlefield after the -8 resolves, and this way you can still win.
Raging_Squiggle says... Accepted answer #1
This Jace has a static effect that applies a replacement effect to the action of drawing from an empty library. Meaning that, while he is on the battlefield, if any effect has you draw from your empty library, you win the game instead.
His ultimate, however, is written the way it is to safeguard the player should they-8 him, in the event that -8 puts him to 0 loyalty counters and subsequently into the graveyard, or someone responds to the -8 by removing him from the battlefield. It's written like that to still let that player win even though Jace's static ability mentioned above is no longer in play.
You do not Need to use his -8 to win from an empty library. He can simply be in play and you can use Opt or something or simply draw for you turn and still win through his replacement effect.
April 6, 2020 5:50 p.m.