Spell Snare On My Nourishing Shoal Pitching Autochthon Wurm

[Cavius The Great]

This came up during a game versus Threshold, Can my opponent Spell Snare a Nourishing Shoal pitching an Autochthon Wurm? We were trying to figure out what the converted mana cost to the Shoal was, 17 or 2. This was critical during the game becuase it could have been a loss/win either way. We decided that it was 17 and I won but we weren't quite sure. any help in this matter will be greatly appreciated.

[Tacosnape]

Useful site, Crystal Keep.

203.3b 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.

In short, he can't Spell Snare your Nourishing Shoal. Shoal/Wurm has a CMC of 17 on the stack.

EDIT: This bizarrely makes it completely invincible to Counterbalance, too, as nothing in Magic can be revealed to counter a CMC 17 spell. However, 34 Mana could be used to Chalice for 17 and shut down your combo.

[quicksilver]

Yes!!

I nice well thought out, thouroughly explained answer.

"You may remove a green card with converted mana cost X in your hand from the game rather than pay Nourishing Shoal's mana cost. "

For the shoal you first choose a value for X. Then you may either pay the mana cost or you may remove a creature with converted mana cost equal to X. Either way X has been choosen and when the spell is on the stack X is factored into the converted mana cost, weather you payed mana or pitched a creature.

So you cannot spell snare a nourishing shoal when you pitch a creature with converted mana cost greater than zero.

[HdH_Cthulhu]

So you cannot spell snare a nourishing shoal when you pitch a creature with converted mana cost greater than zero.

Only 2...

[TrialByFire]

Only 2...

Uh, that would make it 2GG which would be 4. So no Spell Snare:wink:

[Cavius The Great]

Thanx for the responses guys. I figured it was 17, and good thing me and my opponent initially thought so while we were playing. I figured it was, but just wanted to make sure. Thanx guys for your input. :wink:


EDIT: This bizarrely makes it completely invincible to Counterbalance, too, as nothing in Magic can be revealed to counter a CMC 17 spell. However, 34 Mana could be used to Chalice for 17 and shut down your combo.

Counterbalance also has a hard time countering Lich to tell you the truth. I casted Lich in a separate game and he had to Daze it. If I would of known I would of casted the Chrome Mox in hand to prevent my Lich from being countered and would of won. Oh well, you live and you learn.

[Pinder]

Counterbalance also has a hard time countering Lich to tell you the truth. I casted Lich in a separate game and he had to Daze it. If I would of known I would of casted the Chrome Mox in hand to prevent my Lich from being countered and would of won. Oh well, you live and you learn.

No guarantees that he wouldn't have CB'd your Mox with a land or something, though :wink:.

[Cavius The Great]

No guarantees that he wouldn't have CB'd your Mox with a land or something, though :wink:.

I guess the wise decision would of been to wait on the fifth land. I also had no idea you could do that with a land card and counterbalance.

[Lego]

I guess the wise decision would of been to wait on the fifth land. I also had no idea you could do that with a land card and counterbalance.

When an effect asks for the CMC of a card with no casting cost, the effect returns 0.

[Media314r8]

Indeed, lands counter cards with CMC 0, learned this the hard way while i was playing 'tog with MB slaughter pacts.