Ischron Scepter
Asked by -Logician 9 years ago
The rulings on this card listed on Gatherer express that both acts of creating a copy of the imprinted spell and casting said copy are optional "you may".
Say I choose to copy the spell, but choose not to cast the copy. Where does the copy exist? Is the copy just an imaginary card that exists on the stack, or is it just an idea written in the AEther, existing in no zone, with the ability to be cast and put onto the stack? Is there in way a tactical advantage to copying the spell and then not casting the copy, other than stalling?
My prediction is that the imaginary copy is made and put onto the stack, then I can choose not to cast it. Then there may be a state based action that removes all spells off the stack that aren't being cast.
filledelanuit says... Accepted answer #2
You're close. The copy is created in the exile zone and you may choose to cast it from there. If you choose to cast it then it goes onto the stack and if you don't then when state based actions are next checked it will cease to exist. There is a state based actions that causes copies of spells that are not on the stack to cease to exist.
EDIT: When a copy is made it enters in the same zone as the original was in unless something says otherwise.
July 29, 2015 9:31 p.m. Edited.
lordoftheshadows Thanks man. Any idea of whether or not I can give the copied spell replicate with Djinn Illuminatus?
July 29, 2015 9:44 p.m.
filledelanuit says... #4
Please ask new questions in a new thread.
The copied spell will have replicate. The question you want to know the answer to is if you are able to pay the replicate cost. You can pay the replicate cost because Isochron Scepter lets you cast the copied spell and as part of the casting process you can pay the replicate if you have the mana.
July 29, 2015 9:52 p.m.
Thanks again. I will ask a new question for supplementary questions in the future.
nobu_the_bard says... #1
I don't think the copy exists in a defined game zone when it is created and before it is cast, but choosing to cast it is part of the Isochron Scepter's ability. The game won't check states during the resolution of the Scepter so nothing can act on it until it's already cast as far as I'm aware.
You won't be able to cast it later if you choose not to cast it (because the choice is part of the ability), and the Oracle rulings explicitly state the copy will cease to exist once the ability resolves in this case, so it's not on the stack uncast.
July 29, 2015 9:30 p.m. Edited.