Nihil Credo
07-12-2011, 01:30 PM
I control the following:
Keldon Megaliths
Chromatic Sphere
and have no cards in hand. Is it legal for me to activate Keldon Megaliths' ability and pay for it with Chromatic Sphere's mana ability? I satisfy the restriction as I begin activating the ability, but the activation process itself would make me fail the restriction.
And yes, I am aware that Chromatic Star was printed to avoid this kind of issues.
Relevant Oracle text:
602.1b. Some text after the colon of an activated ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activated_ability) states instructions that must be followed while activating that ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability). Such text may state which players (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) can activate (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activate) that ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability), may restrict when a player (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) can activate (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activate) the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability), or may define some aspect of the activation cost (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activation_cost). This text is not part of the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability)'s effect (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#effect). It functions at all times. If an activated ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activated_ability) has any activation instructions, they appear last, after the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability)'s effect (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#effect).
602.2. To activate (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activate) an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) is to put it onto the stack (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#stack) and pay (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#pay) its costs (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#cost), so that it will eventually resolve (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#resolve) and have its effect (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#effect). Only an object (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#object)'s controller (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#control_controller) (or its owner (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#owner), if it doesn't have a controller (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#control_controller)) can activate (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activate) its activated ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activated_ability) unless (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#unless) the object (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#object) specifically says otherwise. Activating an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) follows the steps (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#step) listed below, in order. If, at any point during (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#during) the activation of an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability), a player (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) is unable to comply with any of those steps (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#step), the activation is illegal; the game returns to the moment before that ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) started to be activated (see rule 716 (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#R716), "Handling Illegal Actions (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#illegal_action)"). Announcements and payments can't be altered after they've been made. 602.2a. The player (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) announces that he or she is activating the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability). If an activated ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activated_ability) is being activated from a hidden zone (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#hidden_zone), the card (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#card) that has that ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) is revealed. That ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) is created on the stack (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#stack) as an object (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#object) that's not a card (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#card). It becomes (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#becomes) the topmost object (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#object) on the stack (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#stack). It has the text of the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) that created it, and no other characteristics (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#characteristics). Its controller (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#control_controller) is the player (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) who activated the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability). The ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) remains on the stack (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#stack) until it's countered, it resolves (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#resolve), or an effect (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#effect) moves (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#move) it elsewhere.
602.2b. The remainder of the process for activating an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) is identical to the process for casting a spell (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#spell) listed in rules 601.2b (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#R6012b)-h. Those rules apply to activating an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) just as they apply to casting a spell (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#spell). An activated ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activated_ability)'s analog to a spell (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#spell)'s mana cost (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#mana_cost) (as referenced in rule 601.2e (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#R6012e)) is its activation cost (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activation_cost).
602.5. A player (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) can't begin to activate (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activate) an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) that's prohibited from being activated.
Keldon Megaliths
Chromatic Sphere
and have no cards in hand. Is it legal for me to activate Keldon Megaliths' ability and pay for it with Chromatic Sphere's mana ability? I satisfy the restriction as I begin activating the ability, but the activation process itself would make me fail the restriction.
And yes, I am aware that Chromatic Star was printed to avoid this kind of issues.
Relevant Oracle text:
602.1b. Some text after the colon of an activated ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activated_ability) states instructions that must be followed while activating that ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability). Such text may state which players (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) can activate (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activate) that ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability), may restrict when a player (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) can activate (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activate) the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability), or may define some aspect of the activation cost (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activation_cost). This text is not part of the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability)'s effect (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#effect). It functions at all times. If an activated ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activated_ability) has any activation instructions, they appear last, after the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability)'s effect (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#effect).
602.2. To activate (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activate) an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) is to put it onto the stack (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#stack) and pay (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#pay) its costs (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#cost), so that it will eventually resolve (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#resolve) and have its effect (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#effect). Only an object (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#object)'s controller (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#control_controller) (or its owner (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#owner), if it doesn't have a controller (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#control_controller)) can activate (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activate) its activated ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activated_ability) unless (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#unless) the object (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#object) specifically says otherwise. Activating an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) follows the steps (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#step) listed below, in order. If, at any point during (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#during) the activation of an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability), a player (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) is unable to comply with any of those steps (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#step), the activation is illegal; the game returns to the moment before that ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) started to be activated (see rule 716 (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#R716), "Handling Illegal Actions (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#illegal_action)"). Announcements and payments can't be altered after they've been made. 602.2a. The player (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) announces that he or she is activating the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability). If an activated ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activated_ability) is being activated from a hidden zone (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#hidden_zone), the card (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#card) that has that ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) is revealed. That ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) is created on the stack (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#stack) as an object (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#object) that's not a card (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#card). It becomes (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#becomes) the topmost object (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#object) on the stack (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#stack). It has the text of the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) that created it, and no other characteristics (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#characteristics). Its controller (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#control_controller) is the player (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) who activated the ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability). The ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) remains on the stack (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#stack) until it's countered, it resolves (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#resolve), or an effect (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#effect) moves (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#move) it elsewhere.
602.2b. The remainder of the process for activating an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) is identical to the process for casting a spell (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#spell) listed in rules 601.2b (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#R6012b)-h. Those rules apply to activating an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) just as they apply to casting a spell (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#spell). An activated ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activated_ability)'s analog to a spell (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#spell)'s mana cost (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#mana_cost) (as referenced in rule 601.2e (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#R6012e)) is its activation cost (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activation_cost).
602.5. A player (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#player) can't begin to activate (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#activate) an ability (http://www.yawgatog.com/resources/magic-rules/#ability) that's prohibited from being activated.