Omniscience and Aura Silence. Is it an alternate cost?

Asked by Pheardemons 8 years ago

If I already have Omniscience on the battlefield and my opponent plays an Aura of Silence (and for whatever reason doesn't destroy my Omniscience), when I cast my enchantment for free, can I pay the additional two by just tapped two lands? Does Aura of Silence make all of my enchantments and/or artifacts have an alternate cost that can't be paid by Omniscience so that I have to pay the entire cost with my lands?

For those wondering I went to gatherer and could not find my answer, nor in the "Similar Questions" links.

Raging_Squiggle says... Accepted answer #1

No. It is an additional cost. The equation below is a good foundation for determining what to pay for spells and/or abilities:

Mana Cost(Or alternate cost) + Additional Costs - Cost Reductions.

Via Omniscience, casting nonland cards for free is an alternate cost to casting the spells. Aura of Silence gives an additional cost that must be met.

SO:

FREE (Via Omniscience) + (Via Aura of Silence(For artifacts and enchantments)) - Any cost reductions in play = A total of to be payed.

December 15, 2015 4:23 p.m.

Gidgetimer says... #2

Omniscience is an alternative cost, and Aura of Silence is an additional cost. You can still play your cards for the alternative cost of "without paying their mana cost", but you will need to pay more for artifacts and enchantments.

December 15, 2015 4:23 p.m.

Also, it doesn't matter how you pay that additional whether it be from tapping lands for mana, or by some other means.

Something to keep in mind: Omniscience doesn't negate additional costs that are applied from other sources.

December 15, 2015 4:25 p.m.

Pheardemons says... #4

Thanks guys! I knew Omniscience couldn't do anything about alternate costs (i.e. flashback) and stuff like that. I just didn't know if Aura of Silence became alternate or additional. Thanks for clearing that up!

December 15, 2015 4:34 p.m.

koylucumert says... #5

I may be wrong but Omniscience doesnt say as they have mana cost 0 but it says without paying the mana cost. so the Aura of Silence increases the cost by 2 but because Omniscience is on the battlefield, you arent going to pay the cost anyway. tell me if im wrong just guessing

December 17, 2015 11:10 a.m.

The mana cost is the symbols printed on the top right corner of cards. For Omniscience, it would be .

Cards that provide/force additonal costs do not alter the mana cost itself, they just provide something extra that must be done. For example, Turbulent Dreams and Altar's Reap both have unique additional costs.

Even though Omniscience is on the battlefield, you would still have to discard cards from your hand to cast Turbulent Dreams and sacrifice a creature to cast Altar's Reap.

This is the same for additional costs like Aura of Silence. Omniscience provides an alternate casting cost of "Free" but the Aura of Silence forces you to pay an extra to legally cast an enchantment or artifact.

December 17, 2015 12:47 p.m.

Gidgetimer says... #7

601.2f The player determines the total cost of the spell. Usually this is just the mana cost. Some spells have additional or alternative costs. Some effects may increase or reduce the cost to pay, or may provide other alternative costs. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing permanents, discarding cards, and so on. The total cost is the mana cost, or alternative cost (as determined in rule 601.2b), plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus all cost reductions. If multiple cost reductions apply, the player may apply them in any order. If the mana component of the total cost is reduced to nothing by cost reduction effects, it is considered to be 0. It cant be reduced to less than 0. Once the total cost is determined, any effects that directly affect the total cost are applied. Then the resulting total cost becomes locked in. If effects would change the total cost after this time, they have no effect.

December 17, 2015 7:06 p.m.

This discussion has been closed