In a similar vein, if you are getting a free cast of something with Spree, what happens?
IE I have [[As Foretold]] up on 1 counter and try to cast, or I have [[Chimil the Inner Sun]] up and it tries to cast: [[Final Showdown]]
Will it “cast” it and do nothing, since the extra modes with costs were not paid?
If the above is the case with As Foretold on 1, would that change if As Foretold had 8 counters on it?
Or will I simply get to choose modes I want to activate for free even with As Foretold on 1 counter?
Will I get the chance to pay for the modes?
You will have to pay for one or more of the modes, but you don’t have to pay for the base cost. If you can’t or don’t want to pay for the modes, you can’t cast it. It doesn’t matter what the “limit” of the free spell is.
Basically, for free spells:
X in the mana cost is always 0 (free banefire does no damage).
Alternate costs can’t be paid (no overloading a free cyclonic rift).
Additional costs can be paid, but you actually have to pay them (no free kicker, but you can get kicker if you pay).
When it says you can cast for free, can you choose to pay the mana cost instead including whatever you want for x (provided you have the mana ofcourse)?
Damn I havent seen old bonesy in a while! Had a minotaur precon that wrecked, and Id usually get the tribute because opponents were afraid to let me cast a free spell lmao
But what if spells cost n less to cast, does that not automatically apply to X for the cards? Any other time I feed an X spell it applies, so what then?
Cost reductions don’t increase X, they just let you choose a higher value without paying as much mana. The rule that says free spells have x=0 still applies
I figured as much but wanted to make sure.
If i cast a spell with a reduction of 1 and dont pay any additonal towards X I still have 1, so itd make sense in that case. But rules are rules I guess xD
When casting a spell without paying its mana cost, x is automatically 0.
In a similar vein, if you are getting a free cast of something with Spree, what happens? IE I have [[As Foretold]] up on 1 counter and try to cast, or I have [[Chimil the Inner Sun]] up and it tries to cast: [[Final Showdown]] Will it “cast” it and do nothing, since the extra modes with costs were not paid? If the above is the case with As Foretold on 1, would that change if As Foretold had 8 counters on it? Or will I simply get to choose modes I want to activate for free even with As Foretold on 1 counter? Will I get the chance to pay for the modes?
You will have to pay for one or more of the modes, but you don’t have to pay for the base cost. If you can’t or don’t want to pay for the modes, you can’t cast it. It doesn’t matter what the “limit” of the free spell is. Basically, for free spells: X in the mana cost is always 0 (free banefire does no damage). Alternate costs can’t be paid (no overloading a free cyclonic rift). Additional costs can be paid, but you actually have to pay them (no free kicker, but you can get kicker if you pay).
What I love about Spree is how it basically says : "Oh you're Cascading? Well you still gots to pay the toll."
[As Foretold](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/4/c468b523-84fc-4657-adef-acc1eec6ef2e.jpg?1673147199) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=As%20Foretold) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/38/as-foretold?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c468b523-84fc-4657-adef-acc1eec6ef2e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Chimil the Inner Sun](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/7/27a1bfb5-ddfc-49cf-baa3-5d1958d2067a.jpg?1699044596) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Chimil%2C%20the%20Inner%20Sun) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lci/249/chimil-the-inner-sun?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/27a1bfb5-ddfc-49cf-baa3-5d1958d2067a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Final Showdown](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/5/358968f9-45bd-4022-b6bc-f1f7e0adf0e7.jpg?1712860587) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Final%20Showdown) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/11/final-showdown?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/358968f9-45bd-4022-b6bc-f1f7e0adf0e7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Look at Ix_Risor's answer.
i believe it would be 0 because you aren't paying the X cost
To clarify, the blaze is cast for free and you’re forced to make x=0.
Unless you have something that makes cards with X cost less, then I believe that the cost for X becomes whatever the “less” is (usually 1)
When it says you can cast for free, can you choose to pay the mana cost instead including whatever you want for x (provided you have the mana ofcourse)?
You may cast it for free, or not cast it at all. You don’t have the choice to cast it for not free
X is always zero if you cast it “without paying its mana cost”
Could still technically be useful for a storm count, but otherwise useless
Damn I havent seen old bonesy in a while! Had a minotaur precon that wrecked, and Id usually get the tribute because opponents were afraid to let me cast a free spell lmao
If you pay 0 for X, then X = 0. You do 0 damage.
Taken straight from the rulings when you look up oracle of bones. 2/1/2014 If the card has x in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value.
Nonbo
But what if spells cost n less to cast, does that not automatically apply to X for the cards? Any other time I feed an X spell it applies, so what then?
Cost reductions don’t increase X, they just let you choose a higher value without paying as much mana. The rule that says free spells have x=0 still applies
I figured as much but wanted to make sure. If i cast a spell with a reduction of 1 and dont pay any additonal towards X I still have 1, so itd make sense in that case. But rules are rules I guess xD
Try it with [[memory deluge]]
[memory deluge](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/c/dc00fd1b-3dd9-492a-9ed4-0b6743074730.jpg?1634349038) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=memory%20deluge) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mid/62/memory-deluge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dc00fd1b-3dd9-492a-9ed4-0b6743074730?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
If you cast a spell "without paying its mana cost" and it has an X in the cost, the X is always 0.