Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge and Overload
Asked by NDR700 9 years ago
When Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge attacks, and i cast a spell with an Overload cost such as Mizzium Mortars , can I play the Overloaded spell without paying its mana cost?
I'm sure this has been asked dozens of times, so sorry if this is plainly obvious to most of you.
FancyTuesday says... Accepted answer #3
DrLitebur is correct. However, it's worth noting that Overload is an alternate cost, not an additional one. Alternate costs cannot be payed by abilities that cast spells, but additional costs can (and sometimes must) be paid.
For example, Tooth and Nail 's entwine is an additional cost, and you can choose to pay it as you cast it regardless of how you are casting it. The same is true of Kicker and Buyback. Then there are cards like Goblin Grenade , with an additional cost that you must pay as part of its casting or you cannot cast it.
From Gatherer:
If you cast a card "without paying its mana cost," you can't pay any alternative costs. You can pay additional costs such as kicker costs. If the card has mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
DrLitebur says... #1
An extra cost, like Overload, is not the basic casting cost of the spell, so it would not be possible to cast it with Jelava, Nephalia's Scourge ability on overload. Now the basic casting, yes.
That is why having a spell with X in its casting cost is also a bad idea in a deck with her.
August 19, 2014 6:26 p.m.