Mandatory infinite affinity and X spells
Asked by Grix_Rimley 5 months ago
Hey rules people, I was wondering about cases with affinity where you have infinite affinity and therefore infinite cost reduction
Is it mandatory to apply all of it to an X spell? I'm guessing yes? But I don't know, thanks all!
wallisface says... Accepted answer #2
To make things clear:
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players often use the word “infinite” when explaining some loop/combo they can perform, but in magic nothing can be actually done infinite times, they need to specify a number (for a really big number, they could name “graham’s number”). So, there will always be a finite number of permants in play, finite life totals, etc.
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for spells with X, you declare what X is when casting the spell, and THEN pay for it. Because of this, you’re never forced to cast a spell for an X value higher than what you’d like.
April 10, 2026 4:23 p.m.
Short answer is, yes, it's mandatory.
Let's look at a couple of the new Secrets of Strixhaven cards. Molten Note deals damage to a creature "equal to the amount of mana spent to cast this spell." Witherbloom, the Balancer gives instants and sorceries affinity for creatures.
So, let's say you have a million creatures. With Witherbloom out, your instants and sorceries cost less. If you cast Molten Note with X = 1,000,000, you would only actually spend on it, and it would deal 2 damage to a creature. If you chose X = 1,000,005, you would pay and deal 7 damage to a creature.
April 10, 2026 4:52 p.m. Edited.
DragonMaster420 says... #4
are you asking if you have to choose an x value equal to or greater than your affinity, or are you asking if you can pay additional mana anyway?
April 10, 2026 5:04 p.m. Edited.
DragonMaster420 You can choose X to be less than the full discount, but the discount is always applied.
In my example with Witherbloom, the Balancer, Molten Note, and a million creatures, you can cast Molten Note for X = 5. The discount will still be applied, and it will deal 2 damage because you only spent 2 mana.
Let's say you cast Blaze instead of Molten Note, keeping everything else the same. If you choose X = 1,000,000 for Blaze, you pay and it deals 1,000,000 damage. If you choose X = 1,000,005, you pay and it deals 1,000,005 damage. If you choose X = 5, you pay and it deals 5 damage.
That's where I'm coming from when I say the discount is mandatory. It's always applied to whatever value you choose for X. If X is equal to or less than the cost reduction, the cost of paying X is removed. If X is more than the cost reduction, you pay the difference.
(Edit in response to edit) I think the original question is basically, can you choose to ignore the discount.
DragonMaster420 says... #1
how would it be infinite? affinity counts permanents of a certain type in play, and that would always be a finite number. X can be whatever you want, regardless of having affinity.
April 10, 2026 2:33 p.m.