[ Assumption: If I have one Gemstone Caverns in my opener and no other cards, I can still begin the game with it on the battlefield; I'm not choosing an impossible action, I'm choosing an action with an impossible consequence. If this is incorrect, my question is moot. ]
I have at least two Gemstone Caverns in my opening hand, and the rest of my hand is other cards that say "you may begin the game with ~ on the battlefield". Can I begin the game with all of them on the battlefield and fail to exile a card to both of the Caverns, or do I need to pick the cards one at a time, and therefore have (at least) a Caverns to exile to the other Caverns?
The way the rules are worded, I think I can just drop them all:
Quote from Rules »
103.5. Once all players have kept their opening hands, if any cards in the starting player's hand allow that player to begin the game with those cards on the battlefield, he or she may put any or all of them onto the battlefield. Then each other player in turn order may do the same.
EDIT: ... this is me forgetting that Gemstone Caverns is Legendary so I really have no idea why you'd want to do this. Sometimes I forget how many drawbacks that first ability really has
The stack still exists at this point so each card you play is on the stack and will resolve in order that it's placed. So you can play your entire hand but an additional cost to playing Gemstone Caverns from your hand is to exile a card. So you would have to keep one, or if your playing more, that many cards in your hand to exile.
[ Assumption: If I have one Gemstone Caverns in my opener and no other cards, I can still begin the game with it on the battlefield; I'm not choosing an impossible action, I'm choosing an action with an impossible consequence. If this is incorrect, my question is moot. ]
I have at least two Gemstone Caverns in my opening hand, and the rest of my hand is other cards that say "you may begin the game with ~ on the battlefield". Can I begin the game with all of them on the battlefield and fail to exile a card to both of the Caverns, or do I need to pick the cards one at a time, and therefore have (at least) a Caverns to exile to the other Caverns?
The way the rules are worded, I think I can just drop them all:
Your assumption is correct. You would attempt to exile a card from your hand but would be unable to do so. Fortunately, the Caverns would remain on the battlefield regardless.
And for your example, yes, you would be able to put all of those cards out onto the battlefield (I assume the other cards are Leylines and the like). With no cards left in your hand, you would, attempt to exile two cards from your hand, but you would have no cards in hand, so nothing gets exiled.
However, the Caverns, due to the legendary rule, won't survive long. From the rulings on gatherer:
9/25/2006: If multiple Gemstone Caverns are put onto the battlefield before the game begins, the "legend rule" won't put them all into the graveyard until just before the first player gets priority during his or her first upkeep step. There's no opportunity to tap them for mana.
The stack still exists at this point so each card you play is on the stack and will resolve in order that it's placed. So you can play your entire hand but an additional cost to playing Gemstone Caverns from your hand is to exile a card. So you would have to keep one, or if your playing more, that many cards in your hand to exile.
This is untrue. Again, from the rulings on gatherer:
9/25/2006After all players have decided not to take any more mulligans, players choose whether to put Leylines and/or Gemstone Caverns onto the battlefield, starting with the player who will be going first and proceeding in turn order. Each player may choose any number of Leylines and/or Gemstone Caverns. The cards are revealed and put onto the battlefield at the same time.
The player exiles the cards after he puts the Caverns on the field. Besides, even if this weren't a bizarre corner case, lands are not spells and do not use the stack.
I have at least two Gemstone Caverns in my opening hand, and the rest of my hand is other cards that say "you may begin the game with ~ on the battlefield". Can I begin the game with all of them on the battlefield and fail to exile a card to both of the Caverns, or do I need to pick the cards one at a time, and therefore have (at least) a Caverns to exile to the other Caverns?
The way the rules are worded, I think I can just drop them all:
EDIT: ... this is me forgetting that Gemstone Caverns is Legendary so I really have no idea why you'd want to do this. Sometimes I forget how many drawbacks that first ability really has
Remember, kids: Never fight with Flashback, 'cause Flashback always wins.
EDH:
GRWMayael, the AnimaWRG
GUBDamia, Sage of StoneBUG
"A man is defined by his sacrifices rather than his gifts"
Your assumption is correct. You would attempt to exile a card from your hand but would be unable to do so. Fortunately, the Caverns would remain on the battlefield regardless.
And for your example, yes, you would be able to put all of those cards out onto the battlefield (I assume the other cards are Leylines and the like). With no cards left in your hand, you would, attempt to exile two cards from your hand, but you would have no cards in hand, so nothing gets exiled.
However, the Caverns, due to the legendary rule, won't survive long. From the rulings on gatherer:
***
This is untrue. Again, from the rulings on gatherer:
The player exiles the cards after he puts the Caverns on the field. Besides, even if this weren't a bizarre corner case, lands are not spells and do not use the stack.
My LinkedIn profile... thing (I have one of those now!).
My research team's webpage.
The mtg-rnn repo and the mtg-encode repo.
Yep, I had forgotten about this completely. Thanks for answering despite this being even more corner-case-y than I thought
Remember, kids: Never fight with Flashback, 'cause Flashback always wins.