Targets, no matter where they are referenced in an activated ability, are chosen at the time you announce that you are activating ability. So this happens well before the licid turns into an enchantment (which occurs during resolution of the ability)
I always thought that on the stack, X is the value you chose for it, but anywhere else it equals 0.
You are correct, theinsanething is mistaken.
202.3b When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with an {X} in its mana cost, X is treated as 0 while the object is not on the stack, and X is treated as the number chosen for it while the object is on the stack.
and to address the original question: kicker and additional costs are not factored into the mana-cost and therefore not part of the converted-mana-cost
202.3. The converted mana cost of an object is a number equal to the total amount of mana in its mana cost, regardless of color.
...
202.4. Any additional cost listed in an object’s rules text or imposed by an effect isn’t part of the mana cost. (See rule 601, “Casting Spells.”) Such costs are paid at the same time as the spell’s other costs.
Once it changes zones, the trigger will 'lose track of' the card and will not return it to your hand.
The two rules that most come into play in this sort of situation are:
400.7. An object that moves from one zone to another becomes a new object with no memory of, or relation to, its previous existence. There are six exceptions to this rule:...
603.6. Trigger events that involve objects changing zones are called "zone-change triggers." Many abilities with zone-change triggers attempt to do something to that object after it changes zones. During resolution, these abilities look for the object in the zone that it moved to. If the object is unable to be found in the zone it went to, the part of the ability attempting to do something to the object will fail to do anything. The ability could be unable to find the object because the object never entered the specified zone, because it left the zone before the ability resolved, or because it is in a zone that is hidden from a player, such as a library or an opponent's hand. (This rule applies even if the object leaves the zone and returns again before the ability resolves.) The most common zone-change triggers are enters-the-battlefield triggers and leaves-the-battlefield triggers.
Actually both examples are incorrect. Two things to remember:
1) costs are paid as part of playing a spell/ability. The act of playing a spell/ability is completed in full before the opponent has the chance to respond with their own spells/abilities. i.e. Abilities/spells can be responded to, but paying the costs for them can not.
2) once an ability has been played, removing the source of the ability does not counter the ability.
Therefore:
- because removing counters is a cost for the ability, the 4 counters on Grul are already gone (and the game will already have moved him to the graveyard) before the opponent can even cast the lightning bolt.
- destroying the Royal Assassin will not stop the fact that the royal assassin's ability is already on the stack; the common analogy is that the assassin already threw his grenade and you shot him before it landed, but the grenade is still incoming.
Also worth noting that due to the functional change of lifelink, many cards that did not originally use the 'lifelink' keyword and instead used had an ability which triggered upon damage (e.g. spirit link, armadillo cloak, and company), have been errata'd back to their original wording which is still cumulative
bert is correct in that since both abilities trigger on the same event (when this [archon/creature with toughness 4] goes to graveyard from battlefield) and you also control both of them, you decide what order... However, it is worth noting that it doesn't matter which order you choose. There is no intervening clauses or actions of the archon ability that require it to still be in the graveyard when the ability resolves.
Which means (if I am correct) If all he has are 1/1's and 2/2's and you Fallout in response he only has one thing to champion... the Blossom.
In that scenario, he will also have the mistbind clique itself to choose for championing (if he values having the bitterblossom in play more then the clique).
No damage currently uses the stack.
Combat damage was the only damage to ever use the stack (post 6th-ed rules, don't know pre-6th). Damage from spells was/is dealt as part of resolving the spell (during which abilities can not be played).
Yes, you may use any physical card with the same name as a card which appears in a standard legal set (as long as the card is normal-sized and has a regular back).
boggart mob only gives you a token when a goblin you controls does combat damage to a player. While boggart shenanigans is a goblin, it does not do combat damage (unless you animate it into a creature and attack with it...).
State-Based Effects are checked immediately before any time you (or any player) would have the opportunity to play any spells or abilities. Triggered abilities also wait for SBE to be checked before being placed on the stack and subsequently resolving.
So it is DOA unless you have some continuous effect that somehow raises its toughness as it comes into play (SpiderSilk Armor).
My favorite (old school) example which needs only two cards is:
Play Mishra's Factory, then Copy Artifact it when it is animated.
Now when you pay 1 to animate your Copy-Factory (which is an Enchantment Land) you then have a 2/2 Artifact Enchantment Creature Land - Assembly-Worker until end of turn.
The fine print reason that this works is that "It's still a foo" on an effect means that it keeps all previous card-types in addition to the new ones see Comprehensive Rule 212.1c
212.1c Some effects change an object’s type, supertype, or subtype but specify that the object retains a prior type, supertype, or subtype. In such cases, all the object’s prior types, supertypes, and subtypes are retained. This rule applies to effects that use the phrase “in addition to its types” or that state that something is “still a [type].” Some effects state that an object becomes an “artifact creature”; these effects also allow the object to retain all of its prior types and subtypes.
Example: An ability reads, “All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands.” The affected lands now have two types: creature and land. If there were any lands that also had the artifact type before the ability’s effect applied to them, those lands would become “artifact land creatures,” not just “creatures,” or “land creatures.” The effect allows them to retain both the artifact type and the land type.
Example: An ability reads, “All artifacts are 1/1 artifact creatures.” If a permanent is both an artifact and an enchantment, it will become an “artifact enchantment creature.”
Correction, a "copy card/effect" will only copy the base characteristics of a card. This would be the stats/abitlites printed on the card ignoring any other effects (also copies any "copy" effects as those alter the "base" characteristics of the card).
In your situation this causes the following results:
-your shapeshifter will be a non-creature artifact,
-shapshifter is no longer be legal for the Aether Web causing the web to fall off
-it is not a creature, can not be declared as a blocker, and the Totem will be on a collision course with your dome.
I would suggest that, since your morph is wearing a web and that makes it a 3/3, that you use it to block and (baring other tricks) kill the 2/2 first-striking totem.
for reference from the comp rules:
503.2. When copying an object, the copy acquires the copiable values of the original object’s
characteristics (name, mana cost, color, type, supertype, subtype, expansion symbol, rules text,
power, and toughness) and, for an object on the stack, choices made when playing it (mode, targets, the value of X, whether a kicker cost was paid, how it will affect multiple targets, and so on). The “copiable values” are the values that are printed on the object, as modified by other copy effects, plus any values set for face-down spells or permanents. Other effects (including type-changing effects) and counters are not copied.
Example: Chimeric Staff is an artifact that reads “{X}: Chimeric Staff becomes an X/X
artifact creature until end of turn.” Clone is a creature that reads, “As Clone comes into
play, you may choose a creature in play. If you do, Clone comes into play as a copy of that
creature.” After a Staff has become a 5/5 artifact creature, a Clone comes into play as a
copy of it. The Clone is an artifact, not a 5/5 artifact creature. (The copy has the Staff’s
ability, however, and will become a creature if that ability is activated.)
Combat damage is the exception. Combat damage is the only damage that goes on the stack. In this scenario we are just resolving spells/abilities as normal. The only thing special about it is that the spell/ability does not define for us exactly how much damage it will do upon resolution.
310.1. As the combat damage step begins, the active player announces how each attacking creature will assign its combat damage. Then the defending player announces how each blocking creature will assign its combat damage. All assignments of combat damage go on the stack as a single object. Then any abilities that triggered on damage being assigned go on the stack. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.
You are correct, theinsanething is mistaken.
and to address the original question: kicker and additional costs are not factored into the mana-cost and therefore not part of the converted-mana-cost
The two rules that most come into play in this sort of situation are:
emphasis mine
1) costs are paid as part of playing a spell/ability. The act of playing a spell/ability is completed in full before the opponent has the chance to respond with their own spells/abilities. i.e. Abilities/spells can be responded to, but paying the costs for them can not.
2) once an ability has been played, removing the source of the ability does not counter the ability.
Therefore:
- because removing counters is a cost for the ability, the 4 counters on Grul are already gone (and the game will already have moved him to the graveyard) before the opponent can even cast the lightning bolt.
- destroying the Royal Assassin will not stop the fact that the royal assassin's ability is already on the stack; the common analogy is that the assassin already threw his grenade and you shot him before it landed, but the grenade is still incoming.
In that scenario, he will also have the mistbind clique itself to choose for championing (if he values having the bitterblossom in play more then the clique).
Combat damage was the only damage to ever use the stack (post 6th-ed rules, don't know pre-6th). Damage from spells was/is dealt as part of resolving the spell (during which abilities can not be played).
other than those restrictions, you are correct
State-Based Effects are checked immediately before any time you (or any player) would have the opportunity to play any spells or abilities. Triggered abilities also wait for SBE to be checked before being placed on the stack and subsequently resolving.
So it is DOA unless you have some continuous effect that somehow raises its toughness as it comes into play (SpiderSilk Armor).
Play Mishra's Factory, then Copy Artifact it when it is animated.
Now when you pay 1 to animate your Copy-Factory (which is an Enchantment Land) you then have a 2/2 Artifact Enchantment Creature Land - Assembly-Worker until end of turn.
The fine print reason that this works is that "It's still a foo" on an effect means that it keeps all previous card-types in addition to the new ones see Comprehensive Rule 212.1c
212.1c Some effects change an object’s type, supertype, or subtype but specify that the object retains a prior type, supertype, or subtype. In such cases, all the object’s prior types, supertypes, and subtypes are retained. This rule applies to effects that use the phrase “in addition to its types” or that state that something is “still a [type].” Some effects state that an object becomes an “artifact creature”; these effects also allow the object to retain all of its prior types and subtypes.
Example: An ability reads, “All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands.” The affected lands now have two types: creature and land. If there were any lands that also had the artifact type before the ability’s effect applied to them, those lands would become “artifact land creatures,” not just “creatures,” or “land creatures.” The effect allows them to retain both the artifact type and the land type.
Example: An ability reads, “All artifacts are 1/1 artifact creatures.” If a permanent is both an artifact and an enchantment, it will become an “artifact enchantment creature.”
In your situation this causes the following results:
-your shapeshifter will be a non-creature artifact,
-shapshifter is no longer be legal for the Aether Web causing the web to fall off
-it is not a creature, can not be declared as a blocker, and the Totem will be on a collision course with your dome.
I would suggest that, since your morph is wearing a web and that makes it a 3/3, that you use it to block and (baring other tricks) kill the 2/2 first-striking totem.
for reference from the comp rules: