Split Cards (2 spells or 1?)
Asked by JasonMB 12 years ago
So something like Turn / Burn - if I pay the 5 to fuse, is it one spell with cmc 5? or is it two separate instants for cmc 2 and cmc 3? Does it count as 2 spells cast for something like Blistercoil Weird ? Or is it one spell and if I cast Reverberate I get to copy both effects?
Also, what's the cmc of the card as it's in your hand, can Appetite for Brains grab it?
Epochalyptik says... Accepted answer #2
This is being asked a lot.
A split card, when not on the stack, has two separate sets of characteristics. If an effect checks one of those characteristics, it checks the information from both halves. Because neither Turn / Burn nor Turn / Burn has CMC 4+, Appetite for Brains can't exile it.
However, when you cast a split card, only the side that was cast exists. If you fuse a split card, then it is a single spell that has the properties of both halves. The CMC of a fused Turn / Burn is 5, and it is one spell. Blistercoil Weird's ability will only trigger once. A Reverberated fuse spell will copy both effects.
May 9, 2013 11:29 a.m.
Yep, you're right. Something you missed is that a split card's converted mana cost in all zones is the combined costs of both halves. For example: Duskmantle Seer makes you reveal Turn / Burn , you lose 5 life.
May 9, 2013 11:29 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
@Skyfolk?!?!: That is incorrect. The CMC of a split card that is not on the stack is not combined. It has the CMC of each side. While this does mean cards like Duskmantle Seer will cause you to lose life equal to both CMCs, it does not mean the split card has a single, combined CMC.
May 9, 2013 11:33 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #5
Apparently I need to specify not to link to the deck. Skyfolk.
May 9, 2013 11:34 a.m.
GreatSword says... #6
A split card has two sets of characteristics (name, cmc, color, etc) everywhere besides the stack. When a split card is on the stack, it has one, the other, or 'combined' characteristics of the two sides. In all cases, it still counts as one spell being cast.
So when you fuse Turn / Burn you get a blue and red spell on the stack that's name is "Turn and Burn", its cmc is 5, with text of both sides. If you Reverberate "Turn and Burn" you'd get another "Turn and Burn".
When you look at your opponent's hand with Appetite for Brains and see Turn / Burn , you won't be able to exile it. Turn / Burn is a card with a cmc of 2 and 3. It's kinda like Schrodinger's Cat; you have to assume it's both until it's put on the stack.
May 9, 2013 11:35 a.m.
Some more scenarios:
Epic Experiment for x=2, revealing a Turn / Burn I could cast Burn, right?x=3, I could cast either Turn or Burn...and x=5 I'd still only be able to cast Turn or Burn since I'm not casting it from my hand.
Erratic Explosion - revealing Turn / Burn - would it deal 5 damage?
May 9, 2013 11:46 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #8
Epic Experiment checks to see if the revealed card has a CMC of X or less. If a split card is revealed, that card returns one answer. If either half of the split card has CMC X or less, the answer is yes. If neither half of the split card has CMC X or less, the answer is no. If the answer is yes, you can cast either half of the split card, regardless of which one has the lower mana cost.
Erratic Explosion sees two converted mana costs and uses both. It would deal 5 damage.
May 9, 2013 11:49 a.m.
Actually....the wording on Epic Experiment has me wondering....
""Exile the top X cards of your library. For each instant and sorcery card with converted mana cost X or less among them, you may cast that card without paying its mana cost. Then put all cards exiled this way that weren't cast into your graveyard.""
So, with x=2, it says reveal 2 cards and for each instant/sorcery card with cmc<3 among them, I can cast that CARD w/o paying its mana cost.
So, if I do an X=2 and reveal Beck / Call , I can play that CARD w/o paying its mana cost. So can I then cast that card for free choosing the Call side?
JasonMB says... #1
ok nevermind, gatherer is my friend.
In every zone except the stack, split cards have two sets of characteristics and two converted mana costs. If anything needs information about a split card not on the stack, it will get two values.
When a fused split spell resolves, follow the instructions of the left half first, then the instructions on the right half.
To cast a fused split spell, pay both of its mana costs. While the spell is on the stack, its converted mana cost is the total amount of mana in both costs.
And another note I didn't consider although it says it from the fuse description: If youre casting a split card with fuse from any zone other than your hand, you cant cast both halves. Youll only be able to cast one half or the other.
So, I think if I copy it, I get whatever effects were paid for, and it's one spell.
May 9, 2013 11:27 a.m.