Help with Infernal Darkness rules
Deck Help forum
Posted on Oct. 27, 2014, 12:02 p.m. by SpaceDuck64
Okay, so my friend has an EDH/Commander Deck, and his commander is Mikaeus, the Unhollwed. He runs Infernal Darkness , now how does the cumulative upkeep work on it? He says that he only pays 1 black and 1 life every upkeep(meaning he says that the upkeep does not increase), and that since it doesn't say on the card to sacrifice it if the upkeep isn't paid he can keep it on the field passively(meaning its still on the field, but it's effect is not active) and when ever he wants to pay the upkeep the effect becomes active. I'm pretty sure he is wrong, and this doesn't make sense, so if anyone can provide an answer, I would appreciate it.
Think this would go into rules, but your friend is wrong. Cumulative upkeep adds an age counter each turn. If it has one age counter, he pays 1 black and 1 life. If he has 7, he pays 7 black and 7 life. And if you can't/Don't want to pay it, it goes to the grave. At least I think you can end it of your own free will, on that part i'm not sure of.
October 27, 2014 12:08 p.m.
This should be posted in the MTG Q&A so that others can see the answer.
That said, Cumulative upkeep is optional, with the consequence being sacrifice this permanent. Also Cumulative upkeep means that you much add the upkeep cost every turn so that it goes higher and higher, thus being cumulative.
What should happen is this: He plays Infernal Darkness , the effect happens. At the beginning of his next turn, he pays B and 1 life. The effect happens until his next upkeep. He must now pay BB and 2 life. Next turn BBB and 3 life, 4 life, 5 life. He decides that the enchantment now costs too much to maintain, so he doesn't pay the upkeep cost. The permanent is now sacrificed, not "turned off".
The way this is tracked by putting an "age" counter (another wonderful and strange counter mtg picked up over the years) and the cumulative cost is according to the amount of these counters are on it at the beginning of turn.
Here is a link with the definitive rules on Cumulative Upkeep: http://wizards.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/234/~/magic%3A-the-gathering%3A-cumulative-upkeep
October 27, 2014 12:11 p.m.
SpaceDuck64 says... #5
Thank you guys so much, normally I would have thought he was wrong, but I have had like no experience with cumulative upkeep, so i wasn't sure.
October 27, 2014 12:33 p.m.
superkamiguru7506 says... #6
Didn't Know that card existed, thanks even with cumulative upkeep that looks super annoying
cklise says... #2
I can't provide a link to the official rules for cumulative upkeep, but essentially, the oracle wording for cumulative upkeep was updated to read 'put an age counter on * card * at the beginning of your upkeep', then you have to pay the upkeep cost for each age counter or you sacrifice the card. So, the upkeep cost gets more and more expensive (ie, cumulative), and if you don't pay, the card is sacrificed.. simple as that.
October 27, 2014 12:07 p.m.