Question about Epic Experiment and Variable mana cost
Asked by Dvious 12 years ago
I was play testing and ran across this, and I didn't know how to handle it.
Out of desperation I played Epic Experiment with the variable mana cost of 1. The one card I drew was a Syncopate . Now that cards converted mana cost is 1, therefore I can cast it.
When I do cast it what will it's converted mana cost be on the stack? Since I don't need to pay the mana cost do I decide what the X value is? It seems like it wouldn't be the case as something like card:Devil's Play would just end the game.
Since Syncopate has a variable cost you have to pay that cost in order for it to be effective. You aren't required to pay anything for X during normal play, so if you let it go as-is under Epic Experiment , the effective value for X will be zero. You have to pay extra to make it do anything
October 29, 2012 12:34 a.m.
That makes a lot more sense. Thanks for the quick response.
October 29, 2012 12:34 a.m.
However, if you cast syncopate for X=0, you can target your own spells safely simply to gain the benefits of something like Guttersnipe , Burning Vengeance , etc.
hunter9000 says... Accepted answer #1
When you cast a spell without playing it's mana cost, any X cost is always 0.
When a spell is on the stack, the CMC is the non-X mana cost, plus whatever value of X it was cast for, so the Syncopate would have CMC 1, and your opponent would only have to pay 0 mana to prevent his spell being countered.
If there's no spell on the stack to target, then you can't cast Syncopate, and it goes to the graveyard.
October 29, 2012 12:32 a.m.