Can costless cards be cast for 1 mana with Thalia?
Asked by Dongolev 13 years ago
Let's say I have a Thalia, Guardian of Thraben on the field. Can I cast my Lotus Bloom from my hand for 1?
KorApprentice says... #2
And here is the ruling from the MTG Comprehensive Rulebook, the Gatherer ruling was just more easily accessible:
117.6. Some mana costs contain no mana symbols. This represents an unpayable cost. An ability can also have an unpayable cost if its cost is based on the mana cost of an object with no mana cost. Attempting to cast a spell or activate an ability that has an unpayable cost is a legal action. However, attempting to pay an unpayable cost is an illegal action.
April 9, 2012 7:45 p.m.
Minousmancer says... #3
KorApprentice hit the head of the nail with a sledgehammer, I once had someone try to because I had all my lands tapped I couldn't cast a Lotus Petal because of some in-game effect like Thalia's we were playing casual and I was annoyed but let it slide, I lost the game to that play.
I later asked about this from a local judge about it back in Winter of 98/99 and he said I should have been able to make the play.
April 9, 2012 8:12 p.m.
KorApprentice says... #4
Actually, if the effect you are referring to is Thorn of Amethyst or something similar, then you do have to pay 1 to cast Lotus Petal. Your friend was correct, because you were tapped out and had no other mana source, you could not have played Lotus Petal. Unless you are saying your friend tried to play it, then you should not have let him.
April 9, 2012 8:40 p.m.
Minousmancer says... #5
I can't remember what the effect was but the way it read just didn't seem to fit. I know I was playing against a Winter Orb deck but that is all I can recall.
April 9, 2012 9:04 p.m.
money on something similar to Sphere of Resistance. My friend plays a brutal Grand Arbiter Augustin IV Stax EDH lock down deck
April 10, 2012 12:08 a.m.
KorApprentice says... #7
Stax as in Smokestack? That card is just too brutal.
KorApprentice says... Accepted answer #1
No. This is from the Gatherer on Lotus Bloom
and other such cards:
10/15/2006 - This has no mana cost, which means it can't normally be cast as a spell. You could, however, cast it via some alternate means, like with Fist of Suns or Minds Desire.
April 9, 2012 7:43 p.m.