Does tapping an artifact for improvise count as mana?

Asked by Yesterday 1 year ago

Pretty sure this doesn't count, but wanna double-check.

I control a Kalain, Reclusive Painter and an Inspiring Statuary. If I tap a Treasure for improvise to pay for a creature spell, does that creature enter the battlefield with a counter?

Also for something hypothetical similar, do the same rules apply for convoke?

Rhadamanthus says... Accepted answer #1

It's not a mana payment. The detailed rules for Improvise make this more clear:

702.126a Improvise is a static ability that functions while the spell with improvise is on the stack. “Improvise” means “For each generic mana in this spell’s total cost, you may tap an untapped artifact you control rather than pay that mana.”

Convoke is written similarly:

702.51a Convoke is a static ability that functions while the spell with convoke is on the stack. “Convoke” means “For each colored mana in this spell’s total cost, you may tap an untapped creature of that color you control rather than pay that mana. For each generic mana in this spell’s total cost, you may tap an untapped creature you control rather than pay that mana.”

May 3, 2022 9:11 a.m.