If I have a card, like eye of ugin, that makes the cost of creatures (or any spell) cost a certain amount less to cast, does this also apply to x costing spells? IE eye of ugin and endless one?
Asked by cheesewizcheesewiz 8 years ago
I was playing against a commander deck that had a commander that for each emblem counter all instant and sorceries cost 1 less. So the player played x costing spells and used the less cost to apply to the x of the spell played. This allowed him to play something like burn from within with 20 emblems on the field and he hit me with 20 damage. Is this correct?
Yes, this is correct.
You seem to be referencing Mizzix of the Izmagnus here. The order goes that you declare the value of X in a spell, then apply effects that increase or decrease the cost. So, if I have 5 experience counters while playing Mizzix, and I want to play Blue Sun's Zenith, for example, I can declare the value of X to be 5, pay three blue mana, and then draw 5 cards.
Not asked, but important to note in case you ever play this commander, of if the question ever comes up; Mizzix check the CMC of the spell while it is still on the stack, so in the scenario above, while Blue Sun's Zenith is on the stack, it has a CMC of 8, even though you only had to pay three blue to play it, and you would get a sixth experience counter from playing the spell.
August 31, 2016 1:31 p.m.
@wereotter: Mizzix doesn't check anything, it's static ability imposes a cost reduction on spells. What you probably wanted to express is that 
is considered 0 in order to calculate the converted mana cost anywhere but on the stack, where the actual value of X is used to calculate the CMC.
September 1, 2016 2:34 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
@BlueScope: I think wereotter's last paragraph was meant to address Mizzix of the Izmagnus's first ability, which does need to check the CMC of the spell you cast in order to determine whether it triggers.
September 1, 2016 7:35 a.m.
@ Epochalyptik/wereotter: Ah, that makes sense - I read that wrong!
BlueScope says... Accepted answer #1
Please link all relevant cards: Eye of Ugin, Mizzix of the Izmagnus
That works. Spells with
in their cost work by first choosing a value for X, then paying the approriate cost. If you choose 3, and spells' costs are reduced by 
, you need to pay 
for this portion of the cost. However, Mizzix or other cards with this functionality only reduce the generic mana cost - you still have to pay colored mana or 
as normal.
Also, there's no such thing as "Emblem Counters" to my knowledge. You're likely talking about experience counters.
August 31, 2016 1:08 p.m.