When do I need to reveal how I'm casting a face-down card?
Asked by legendofa 1 year ago
In the past, I've generally been able to say I cast "this creature" face down. With disguise, though, the face-down creature has an added ability with ward .
I have both Skirk Marauder and Pyrotechnic Performer, and no other face-down-cast cards, in my deck. Am I allowed to say "I cast this creature face down," and then state whether or not it has the ward ability when it becomes targeted? Or do I have to specify at the time of casting whether it's morph-cast or disguise-cast, and reveal which card it is (assuming my opponent knows those are the two options)?
Gidgetimer says... Accepted answer #2
I just realized I didn't explicitly state the answer. You announce what ability you are using to cast the spell when you cast it. Your opponents will know at all times what ability caused something to be facedown, and if you only have one card with each ability and they will be able to deduce what card it is.
January 22, 2024 10:23 p.m.
Well, there goes that idea... I figured that was it, but was hoping for something different. Thanks again, Gidgetimer!
Gidgetimer says... #1
Sorry about the CR quote spam and rambling. But since Disguise isn't out yet I feel that my answer should be proven multiple ways.
Morph (and I assume Disguise, but the rules for it aren't out yet) follows the rules for paying alternative costs, which includes announcing what alternative cost you intend to pay. There is also the fact that boardstate must be maintained and so your opponents have to know any abilities on spells or permanents. And 708.6 mentions that if multiple cards are face down you have to have distinguished what rule or ability is causing each card to be a face-down permanent, so it follows that it is free information what spell or ability is causing something to be face down and they just specified that you have to differentiated when there are multiple.
601.2b If the spell is modal, the player announces the mode choice (see rule 700.2). If the player wishes to splice any cards onto the spell (see rule 702.47), they reveal those cards in their hand. If the spell has alternative or additional costs that will be paid as it’s being cast such as buyback or kicker costs (see rules 118.8 and 118.9), the player announces their intentions to pay any or all of those costs (see rule 601.2f). A player can’t apply two alternative methods of casting or two alternative costs to a single spell. If the spell has a variable cost that will be paid as it’s being cast (such as an {X} in its mana cost; see rule 107.3), the player announces the value of that variable. If the value of that variable is defined in the text of the spell by a choice that player would make later in the announcement or resolution of the spell, that player makes that choice at this time instead of that later time. If a cost that will be paid as the spell is being cast includes hybrid mana symbols, the player announces the nonhybrid equivalent cost they intend to pay. If a cost that will be paid as the spell is being cast includes Phyrexian mana symbols, the player announces whether they intend to pay 2 life or a corresponding colored mana cost for each of those symbols. Previously made choices (such as choosing to cast a spell with flashback from a graveyard or choosing to cast a creature with morph face down) may restrict the player’s options when making these choices.
702.37c To cast a card using its morph ability, turn it face down. It becomes a 2/2 face-down creature card with no text, no name, no subtypes, and no mana cost. Any effects or prohibitions that would apply to casting a card with these characteristics (and not the face-up card’s characteristics) are applied to casting this card. These values are the copiable values of that object’s characteristics. (See rule 613, “Interaction of Continuous Effects,” and rule 707, “Copying Objects.”) Put it onto the stack (as a face-down spell with the same characteristics), and pay {3} rather than pay its mana cost. This follows the rules for paying alternative costs. You can use a morph ability to cast a card from any zone from which you could normally play it. When the spell resolves, it enters the battlefield with the same characteristics the spell had. The morph effect applies to the face-down object wherever it is, and it ends when the permanent is turned face up.
708.6. If you control multiple face-down spells or face-down permanents, you must ensure at all times that your face-down spells and permanents can be easily differentiated from each other. This includes, but is not limited to, knowing what ability or rules caused the permanents to be face down, the order spells were cast, the order that face-down permanents entered the battlefield, which creature(s) attacked last turn, and any other differences between face-down spells or permanents. Common methods for distinguishing between face-down objects include using counters or dice to mark the different objects, or clearly placing those objects in order on the table.
January 22, 2024 10:20 p.m.