Life from the Loam without returning lands?
Asked by Ryotenchi 9 years ago
Life from the Loam says "up to"; I must take at least one land if there is a legal target, or can I choose to cast it without returning any at all?
Im wanting to use this for Dryad Arbor being pitched to Lotleth Troll, however I dont want to fill my hand full of lands that I can delve to Tasigur, the Golden Fang..
Unforgivn_II says... #2
You can choose 0. Basically, you can choose any non-negative integer less than or equal to 3
February 12, 2015 7:16 p.m.
First of all, rules questions should be asked in Q&A. Someone will probably come along and move this.
As for your question, I believe you must target at least one land, and that land would then be returned to your hand. If you tried to return zero lands, the spell wouldn't have a legal target.
February 12, 2015 7:17 p.m.
kmcree I had a feeling I was posting in the wrong place... Saw a couple questions that made it seem like it fit.
Guess I need to sacrifice a goat token now and pray that the tapped out gods dont smite me off the board. :P
February 12, 2015 7:21 p.m.
No worries. Actually, in looking through the rulebook, it looks like you can cast it without targeting anything, even if there are legal targets.
114.5. Spells and abilities that can have zero or more targets are targeted only if one or more targets have been chosen for them.
February 12, 2015 7:31 p.m.
Ryo attempts to cast Mox Sapphire then Mox Ruby and Black Lotus for 3 black mana, proceeds to put Springjack Pasture into play and tap for 1 goat token and promtly casts Stabbing Pain targeting the goat token after it has resolved.
February 12, 2015 7:31 p.m.
Sweet. Im sure there are times I will want to take those lands, Just so that I can retrieve a something important. Just wanted to make sure it would work. :3
February 12, 2015 7:32 p.m.
canterlotguardian says... #11
Ryotenchi why the fuck would anyone do that complicated of a series of events just to kill off their own creature? lol
February 12, 2015 8:14 p.m.
umm.... That was to avert Epochalyptik's wrath.. :X
February 12, 2015 8:21 p.m.
Sacrificing one's own Goat tokens pleases the TappedOut Gods.
February 12, 2015 8:23 p.m.
canterlotguardian says... #14
February 12, 2015 8:33 p.m.
vampirelazarus says... #16
When cards read "up to" they don't specify a minimum number, so as stated before, you can choose to return nothing.
February 12, 2015 9:01 p.m.
vampirelazarus says... #17
When cards read "up to" they don't specify a minimum number, so as stated before, you can choose to return nothing.
It should be noted that this is also a clever way of getting a loam engine started.
February 12, 2015 9:01 p.m.
That's exactly what I do in my LD 
skullbriar deck if I don't have anything in the yard yet I'll cast it then dredge 3 and hope I hit a land, I also LOVE cycling a cycling land to dredge life from the loam back ;-)
February 12, 2015 10 p.m.
vampirelazarus says... #19
Yeah, it's lots of fun to do out, because it's kind of a unique effect, and it actually helps.
GlistenerAgent says... Accepted answer #1
Often you will want to delve away spells with Tasigur, because there is exactly one that you want on a given board state. Leaving lands in there gives your opponent less options.
But yes, you can choose to return nothing.
February 12, 2015 7:16 p.m.