Exile a creature from YOUR graveyard?
Asked by rammiehamster 5 years ago
I have the Havengul Runebinder creature card. It says I need to use additional mana to "exile a creature from your graveyard". This seems strange to me and I have 2 questions
1/ do I HAVE to do this if I play the card 2/ what is the advantage of exiling a creature from MY graveyard? surely this is a disadvantage to me?
Thanks in advance for any help :-)
rammiehamster says... #2
wow, thanks so much for the awesome answer. This game is really so much more complex than I thought. wow.
May 16, 2019 8:34 a.m.
I wanted to build on Neotrup's answer some since your follow-up post indicated you are a bit new to Magic.
Havengul Runebinder 's ability is what is known as an "Activated Ability." In order for an Activated Ability to be used, its controller* has to pay a cost to use the ability.
The cost is everything that comes before the colon (:) on the card. So, in this case, there are three parts of paying the creature's cost: (1) paying ; (2) tapping the creature; and (3) exiling a creature from your graveyard. You have to pay the entire cost or you cannot use the ability. The effect is everything that comes after the colon, and will be what occurs if the ability resolves.
Also, one important piece of information that was not mentioned--unless specified otherwise, activated abilities can be used at the same speed as instants. To provide one example where that would be relevant: your opponent attacks with a creature--you could activate this ability after they have declared attackers, but before you have declared blockers, and suddenly you have a surprise 3/3 on the battlefield ready to block.
Also, unless my post generated any follow-up questions, please hit the "Mark as Answer" button on Neotrup's post to let others know your question has been resolved.
Footnote
- Some permanents, like Xantcha, Sleeper Agent , allow players other than their controller to activate the abilities. These exceptions are a bit rare, and each and every one will explicitly state on the card that other players can use the ability.
May 16, 2019 9:48 a.m.
rammiehamster says... #4
thanks so much for the clarification - suddenly makes a whole lot more sense. And yes, very new to mtg so appreciate all the help I can get - learning with my little girl which is pretty fun :-)
May 19, 2019 5:34 p.m.
GreatSword says... #5
rammiehamster, remember to pick an answer to clear the que please.
May 19, 2019 5:35 p.m.
rammiehamster says... #6
sorry, one more thing cdkime. If I was to play the card as an instant, would the creature need to have been already cast (i.e. already on the battlefield)? or would I first need to cast it, then activate the ability. As it is functioning as an instant, would it then need to be sent to the graveyard after use?
Is there an easier way to learn how to play :-))))?
May 19, 2019 5:40 p.m.
GreatSword says... #7
A creature with the symbol in its activated ablity cannot use its ability when it has summoning sickness, which is cleared at the beginning of your turn. You would not be able to flash in a Havengul Runebinder and then use its ability until the beginning of your turn.
Play a lot of Magic, either IRL or on Magic: Arena, or read the entirety of the Comprehensive Rules:
http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/tcg/resources/rules/MagicCompRules_21031101.pdf
Learning the whole rules is part of every player's journey. Feel free to ask anything else.
Neotrup says... #1
1: You don't have to pay that cost to cast the card, but you do have to pay the cost to activate the ability.
2: Exiling the card from your graveyard is a cost, similar to tapping the creature or paying . If you tap the creature it won't be able to attack, if you spend the mana you won't be able to use it for something else. Similarly exiling the card from your graveyard will generally enact a toll for you. The advantage of doing so is to get the effect (the part that comes after the colon): Creating a 2/2 black zombie and putting +1/+1 counters on all your zombies, including the one you just made. At it's worst it's paying 3 mana, tapping a creature, and getting rid of a card in your graveyard to make a 3/3.
As for what could possibly be an advantage to paying the cost: Tapping the creature can be helpful for cards like Throne of the God-Pharaoh and not being forced to block a creature with Lure . Similarly exiling a card from your graveyard can make it no longer a valid target for Surgical Extraction or an opponent's Beacon of Unrest .
May 15, 2019 10:33 p.m.