Overload

Asked by rache 12 years ago

Quick question, if I copy an overloaded spell is the copy overloaded?

KrazyCaley says... Accepted answer #1

Overload was ruled to be a text-changing effect, which means that copying an overloaded spell will only get you the original version of the spell.

February 20, 2013 1:16 a.m.

Jimhawk says... #2

Overload is an alternate casting cost. Copying a spell copies all decisions made and modes of the original, including alternative costs. So actually, the copy of the overloaded spell will also be overloaded.

706.10. To copy a spell or activated ability means to put a copy of it onto the stack; a copy of a spell isnt cast and a copy of an activated ability isnt activated. A copy of a spell or ability copies both the characteristics of the spell or ability and all decisions made for it, including modes, targets, the value of X, and additional or alternative costs.

The reason this occurs is because of the interaction of continuous effects, known commonly as layers. Layer 1 applies copy effects, then Layer 3 applies text-changing effects on top of the copy.

613.1a Layer 1: Copy effects are applied. See rule 706, Copying Objects.

613.1c Layer 3: Text-changing effects are applied. See rule 612, Text-Changing Effects.

February 20, 2013 2:02 a.m.

Rhadamanthus says... #3

Jimhawk has the correct answer. It's true that Overload is a text-changing effect, and text-changing effects aren't carried over by copy effects, but the quoted 706.10 tells us why this case turns out differently. Because the copy of the spell gets to keep the "knowledge" of the alternative Overload cost being paid, that generates its own text-changing effect for the characteristics of the copy, and the copy is also Overloaded.

February 20, 2013 9:51 a.m.