Engineered Explosives and Chalice of the Void

[Zalren]

Lets say that there is a Chalice of the Void out and set to 1.

I want to play Engineered Explosives set to 1.

Will the Engineered Explosives get countered? Or does EE have a converted mana cost of zero?

[cdr]

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.

However, you can pay colorless mana or more of the same color of mana to increase the CMC of Engineered Explosives while still leaving the Sunburst at 1.

[Malchar]

So, yes, it will be countered if you pay 1 for X, but you might be able to pay more than 1 for X and get the same effect since the explosives only care about sunburst and not the actual value of X. For example, if you pay four blue, X = 4, converted mana cost = 4 (while it's on the stack, so it won't be countered by chalice@1), but sunburst = 1.

[Zalren]

Thanks all.

Okay follow up question then.

Chalice of the Void @ 1 and Trinisphere is in play. I go to play Lightning Bolt, I know I have to pay 3 mana. So is the CC of Lightning Bolt 3? Or does it get countered by the Chalice?

[cdr]

Nothing changes the CMC of a spell. The CMC is the colorless equivalent of what's printed in the upper right hand corner of the card.

[mchainmail]

Thanks all.

Okay follow up question then.

Chalice of the Void @ 1 and Trinisphere is in play. I go to play Lightning Bolt, I know I have to pay 3 mana. So is the CC of Lightning Bolt 3? Or does it get countered by the Chalice?

Corner-case follow-up: If they have Trinisphere in play, and you attempt to cast EE, you MUST pay 3, and EE comes in with a charge counter for each color spent to play it.

[Zalren]

Thank you!