Casting vs. Playing

Asked by TrollNtrample 8 years ago

If I use Maelstrom Archangel to play Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, does that count as "casting" for Emrakul's extra turn?

TheRedMage says... Accepted answer #1

Yes. "Playing" and "casting" are not exactly the same thing, but remember that a card's oracle text, that you can find on gatherer, always supercedes what is actually printed on the card. The oracle text for Maelstrom Archangel is:

Flying

Whenever Maelstrom Archangel deals combat damage to a player, you may cast a nonland card from your hand without paying its mana cost.

So as you can see Emrakul, the Aeons Torn is being cast and you can get your extra turn.

December 1, 2015 12:22 a.m. Edited.

TrollNtrample says... #2

Ty booboo

December 1, 2015 12:30 a.m.

Note:

Some cards do state "play cards" and not "cast cards". Example: Djinn of Wishes (Same text in Oracle).

This is because "playing" a card encompasses playing a spell and playing a land (So long as you haven't played a land for turn already).

Casting, (Narset, Enlightened Master) does not include the usage of lands because you can't "cast" a land.

December 1, 2015 12:45 a.m.

TheRedMage says... #4

Historical note (and fair note that this might end up in a third "We Have to go Deeper" article after the second one that is coming along soon):

In July 2009 the core set called Magic 2010 came out. It came packaged with what was probably the second biggest rule overhaul in the history of the game (the first one being the Sixth Edition rules update). One of the things that this did was changing a lot of the terminology the game used.

The word "play" was traditionally one of the most ambiguous. Not only you could play Magic, but within a game, you could play a land, play spells (which worked differently than playing spells). Playing a land would allow it to go into the "in-play" zone.

You can see how that would make communication complicated.

M10 changed that as it follows:

  • the zone that played cards go to is now the "battlefield", because "in-play zone" honestly sounds stupid.
  • the action that allows a land to go to the battlefield is called playing a land
  • the process of putting nonland cards on the stack is called casting a spell
  • if you are instructed to play a card (a la Abbot of Keral Keep) then you play it as a land if it's a land, and you cast is as a spell otherwise.

Maelstrom Archangel comes from a time before this rules update, so it uses the world "play" to mean something that today is called "casting". At the time, you would play spells. This is why the Oracle card reference exists, so that the actual text on cards can be updated to reflect these changes.

December 1, 2015 12:55 a.m. Edited.

xnick_uy says... #5

Hi. I don't know if it's ok to ask another question here, but this seems related .Concerning Maelstrom Archangel, can you actually cast a creature (like OP asked) regardless of the step?

In principle I would have said, since it would trigger after the combat has been dealt, you can only play at instant speed... but if that were the case, the text would just said "(...) you may cast an instant spell without paying its mana cost".

What happens then? Do the cards in your hand gain flash, thus enabling casting Emrakul, the Aeons Torn before the next step? What if something gave Maelstrom Archangel double strike, could you cast a sorcery spell after the first combat phase and before the next?

I suddenly realise that this question might already have been answered elsewhere... sorry if that's the case, but thanks in advance if you care to answer here.

December 1, 2015 1:57 p.m.

RussischerZar says... #6

@xnick_uy: Any ability that states "cast [spell] without paying its mana cost" will put [spell] on the stack right then and there, regardless of the step or phase and ignoring regular timing restrictions.

The only timing restrictions these abilities have to follow is when the spell specifically states that it can only be cast in certain steps or phases (e.g. Berserk or Delirium) or when something is preventing you from casting spells under certain circumstances (e.g. Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir or Curse of Exhaustion if you've already cast a spell that turn).

December 3, 2015 9:30 a.m. Edited.

This discussion has been closed