Trinisphere and cycling

Asked by itsdip30 7 years ago

Title explains all, if Trinisphere is on the battlefield, and I try to cycle with say Igneous Pouncer, will I pay 2 Mana to cycle or three. Consequently if let's say Defense Grid is on the battlefield, will that affect cycling as well, or no?

TheVectornaut says... Accepted answer #1

Here is the basic rule on cycling:

"702.28a Cycling is an activated ability that functions only while the card with cycling is in a players hand. 'Cycling [cost]' means '[Cost], Discard this card: Draw a card.'"

This means that cycling a card is treated as an activated ability from the hand, not as casting a spell. Therefore, cards like Trinisphere that mention casting a spell will have no effect when cycling something. Cards that interact with activated abilities (without specifying permanent types) like Suppression Field will actually interact with cycling.

March 14, 2017 8:20 p.m.

Raging_Squiggle says... #2

Cycling is an activated ability. Therefore neither Trinisphere nor Defense Grid interact with it at all.

March 14, 2017 8:20 p.m.