Gakekeeper - Two quick questions about Kicker

[Bardo]

1. Does Spell Snare counter a kicked Gatekeeper of Malakir? (I think it does, with the kicker cost not adding to the CMC, but rather an additional cost to be paid on announcement.)

2. Does a Chalice of the Void with two counters counter a kicked Gatekeeper? (Pretty much the same question.)

[Nidd]

1. Yes

2. Yes

[jthanatos]

03.1. The mana cost of a card is indicated by mana symbols printed on its upper right corner. Tokens and lands have a mana cost of 0. Paying a card's mana cost requires matching the color of any colored mana symbols as well as paying the generic mana cost indicated.

203.3. The converted mana cost of a card is the total amount of mana in the mana cost, regardless of color (For example, a mana cost of 3UU translates to a converted mana cost of 5). The converted mana cost is a generic mana cost-it may be paid with any combination of colored and/or colorless mana, regardless of the colors in the spell's mana cost.

203.4. Any additional cost listed in a card's rules text isn't part of the mana cost. (See rule 409, "Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.") Such costs are paid at the same time as the spell's other costs.

502.21a Kicker is a static ability that functions while the card is on the stack (that is, while it's a spell). The phrase "Kicker [cost]" means "You may pay an additional [cost] as you play this spell." The phrase "Kicker [cost 1] and/or [cost 2]" means the same thing as "Kicker [cost 1], kicker [cost 2]." Paying a spell's kicker cost(s) follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f.




1. Yes

2. Yes

[Bardo]

Great. Thanks.

[Illissius]

It's X spells which have a CMC of 1 (or whichever) when not on the stack, but whose CMC is a function of X when they are on the stack. This is because the X is part of their mana cost in the top right corner. I'm not sure how the Beseech the Queen cycle works in this respect.

Also, you have the option/requirement to pay "additional costs" such as Kicker when you cast something "without paying its mana cost" (e.g. Mind's Desire), but you don't have the option to pay X. For pretty much the same reason.

[mchainmail]

It's X spells which have a CMC of 1 (or whichever) when not on the stack, but whose CMC is a function of X when they are on the stack. This is because the X is part of their mana cost in the top right corner. I'm not sure how the Beseech the Queen cycle works in this respect.

Also, you have the option/requirement to pay "additional costs" such as Kicker when you cast something "without paying its mana cost" (e.g. Mind's Desire), but you don't have the option to pay X. For pretty much the same reason.


Beseech the Queen (and every other 2/X card) have cmc 6. (2/X counts as 2, regardless of what is paid.)

[Malchar]

It's X spells which have a CMC of 1 (or whichever) when not on the stack, but whose CMC is a function of X when they are on the stack. This is because the X is part of their mana cost in the top right corner. I'm not sure how the Beseech the Queen cycle works in this respect.

Also, you have the option/requirement to pay "additional costs" such as Kicker when you cast something "without paying its mana cost" (e.g. Mind's Desire), but you don't have the option to pay X. For pretty much the same reason.

When something with X in the mana cost is not on the stack, as far as converted mana cost is concerned, X is equal to zero. If it's on the stack, X is equal to the chosen/paid value.