Play vs Cast Semantics Question
Asked by Celestrael 9 years ago
So I'm debating between using Maelstrom Archangel or Elvish Piper to drop Emrakul, the Aeons Torn without having to pay its mana cost. I favored Elvish Piper because it doesn't depend on making contact with the opposing player to trigger its ability... However, an astute observer pointed out to me that playing Emrakul, the Aeons Torn using Elvish Piper isn't considered "casting" and as such, does not trigger the extra turn ability. This perplexed me as I thought "playing" a spell was "casting" it, and that Elvish Piper's ability was just an alternative mana cost like what my Fist of Suns does.
So I guess my question is when exactly is something considered "cast" and when is something considered "played"?
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #2
Elvish Piper's ability does not instruct you to play the card.
Older versions of Elvish Piper, such as the Seventh Edition Elvish Piper, had the wording "Put a creature card from your hand into play." (Note that regardless of written wording, cards are always handled according to their Oracle text.)
"Into Play" means "onto the battlefield." However, "to play" means "to cast" a spell (or to play a land).
Elvish Piper's ability is instructing you to put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield. This process does not involve casting, and will not trigger on-cast abilities.
Maelstrom Archangel's ability, on the other hand, instructs you to play a card without paying its mana cost, meaning that you play the card if it's a land or cast the card if it's a nonland. Because you cast the nonland card, on-cast abilities will trigger accordingly.
JWiley129 says... #1
Functionally, "cast" and "played" are identical except when it comes to lands (you can't cast them, but you can play them). For what you're doing, putting Emrakul into play via Elvish Piper will only get you a 15/15 flier with protection from colored spells. However, if you use Maelstrom Archangel's triggered ability you will be "casting" Emrakul so you will get the "When you cast Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, take an extra turn after this one" trigger.
Also, I would read Maelstrom Archangel's Gatherer page for the Oracle Text :)
April 7, 2015 3:48 p.m.