Lion's Eye Diamond

[AceofAllan]

Can someone explain how this works now? I've been out of Magic for a while now and I've heard the ruling changed on this card and I'm having trouble finding out what it means.

I used to run an Ichorid deck that had Lion's Eye Diamond. As I understood it, I could play the LED, announce casting Breakthrough and crack the LED to pay for it. I was told this works because announcing a spell removes it from your hand, so the cost of cracking the LED does not discard the Breakthrough I intend to cast.

I see that the rules on the card states that the ability can be activated only when you are able to cast an instant. Does this interfere with the above scenario?

I'm not sure I understood the card from the very beginning, though. Was it never possible to actually cast a spell with the mana from LED?

[cdr]

LED has always worked how is does currently. You were misinformed - there was never a point at which you could use it to pay for spells.

[AceofAllan]

Ah. Well now I feel stupid, but thanks much for the response. So the ruling never changed on it?

Just to double check then, the correct way to do it is this:

Have some other source to pay for Breakthrough, play it, and while it's on the stack, crack the LED to discard your hand (which includes a dredge card) and then let Breakthrough resolve and begin dredging.

That's the way it should be done, right?

[cdr]

Yep. LED is a pretty old card and if you didn't read the Oracle text you might be confused - LED was printed under 5th edition rules, which worked much differently than modern rules.

[Sims]

Ah. Well now I feel stupid, but thanks much for the response. So the ruling never changed on it?

Just to double check then, the correct way to do it is this:

Have some other source to pay for Breakthrough, play it, and while it's on the stack, crack the LED to discard your hand (which includes a dredge card) and then let Breakthrough resolve and begin dredging.

That's the way it should be done, right?

Yes, but make sure you retain priority after casting the Breakthrough. Much like casting an Infernal Tutor or Burning Wish in a storm deck, if you don't retain priority when casting Breakthrough and your opponent passes priority back, the Breakthrough will have to resolve before you can activate your LED, thus never putting your dredger in the yard.

I believe when you cast a spell it is implied you are passing priority unless you specifically state that you are retaining it. In these situations involving LED, it's key that you state you're retaining priority or you will miss your window to activate the Diamond.

[cdr]

Yes, but make sure you retain priority after casting the Breakthrough. Much like casting an Infernal Tutor or Burning Wish in a storm deck, if you don't retain priority when casting Breakthrough and your opponent passes priority back, the Breakthrough will have to resolve before you can activate your LED, thus never putting your dredger in the yard.

I believe when you cast a spell it is implied you are passing priority unless you specifically state that you are retaining it. In these situations involving LED, it's key that you state you're retaining priority or you will miss your window to activate the Diamond.

This is also true. When you add something to the stack, you automatically pass priority unless you say otherwise.

[AceofAllan]

This is also true. When you add something to the stack, you automatically pass priority unless you say otherwise.

Ok, wow. There's a lot of finer points to this that I've never really learned then.

Looks like I've got some reading to do.

Thanks to both of you for the explanations.