Glacial Chasm Oracle Update

[Michael Keller]

I was just sifting through the July Oracle updates on Wizards' website, and I noticed something on the change to Glacial Chasm:

New Oracle wording:
Cumulative upkeep—Pay 2 life. (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)
When Glacial Chasm comes into play, sacrifice a land.
Creatures you control can't attack.
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to you.

Not that it really matters, but could you pull of a neat trick by putting Glacial Chasm's CIP ability on the stack, Crop Rotation it, grab Riftstone Portal, the triggered ability resolves, then you sacrifice Rifstone? You couldn't do this before, but here was Wizards' explanation for the original wording:

Also, Glacial Chasm was printed with the ability "When Glacial Chasm comes into play, sacrifice a land." This was changed in Oracle to the same kind of "As [this] comes into play" replacement used on Kjeldoran Outpost and other lands of this era. This was done to mimic their functionality under the rules when they were printed (long before Sixth Edition): You couldn't put Kjeldoran Outpost into play, tap it for mana, and then sacrifice it. Glacial Chasm doesn't need the same fix, however, because it doesn't tap for mana!

[yggdrasil]

Not that it really matters, but could you pull of a neat trick by putting Glacial Chasm's CIP ability on the stack, Crop Rotation it, grab Riftstone Portal, the triggered ability resolves, then you sacrifice Rifstone? You couldn't do this before, but here was Wizards' explanation for the original wording:

I don't see anything that prevents you from doing what you want.
But then, why so complicated? Play Crop Rotation, sac a land, get Portal, play Chasm, sac portal. I don't really see why you would have to play Crop Rotation in response to the CiP-Trigger.

[Michael Keller]

I don't see anything that prevents you from doing what you want.
But then, why so complicated? Play Crop Rotation, sac a land, get Portal, play Chasm, sac portal. I don't really see why you would have to play Crop Rotation in response to the CiP-Trigger.

Because getting the Riftstone Portal in the graveyard turns your lands into Savannahs. Of course, you could play Chasm and do that, but you're saying "play" it as if you have it in hand. I'm referring to engaging yourself in a position where you need to find a way to get your lands to produce mana on the fly.

Like, instant speed on the fly (your opponent's turn).

[Nightmare]

The interesting thing here is that for the first time in a long time, you can do this trick by saccing the Chasm to Crop Rotation.

[RoddyVR]

Not that it really matters, but could you pull of a neat trick by putting Glacial Chasm's CIP ability on the stack, Crop Rotation it, grab Riftstone Portal, the triggered ability resolves, then you sacrifice Rifstone? You couldn't do this before, but here was Wizards' explanation for the original wording:


Like, instant speed on the fly (your opponent's turn).

Doesnt that mean you tried playing Glacial Chasm during your opponent's turn?

[Michael Keller]

What I originally meant was:

1.) Play Glacial Chasm.
2.) CIP on stack.
3.) Rotation it.
4.) Get Portal.
5.) CIP on stack resolves, Sac Portal.

Yeah, I had conceded the point where he said it would be easier to just sacrifice the Portal to Glacial Chasm, but that's no fun now, is it?

[Nightmare]

It's not really easier, since in order for you to sac the Portal, you actually played the Portal, which is usually the wrong call. In your version, you basically Entomb it.

[freakish777]

Doesnt that mean you tried playing Glacial Chasm during your opponent's turn?

Burgeoning would allow this...