Rule evolution

Rule 601.2h

Previously numbered 601.2g.

Earliest archived Rules release: 2009-10-01 · 3 wording revisions · 1 renumbering

  1. Earliest archived Rules release601.2gDetails
    The player pays the total cost in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. Unpayable costs can't be paid. Example: You cast Death Bomb, which costs {3}{B} and has an additional cost of sacrificing a creature. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes your black spells cost {1} less to cast. Because a spell's total cost is "locked in" before payments are actually made, you pay {2}{B}, not {3}{B}, even though you're sacrificing the Familiar.
  2. Wording changed601.2gDetails
    The player pays the total cost in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. Unpayable costs can't be paid. Example: You cast DeathAltar's BombReap, which costs {31}{B} and has an additional cost of sacrificing a creature. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes your black spells cost {1} less to cast. Because a spell's total cost is "locked in" before payments are actually made, you pay {2}{B}, not {31}{B}, even though you're sacrificing the Familiar.
  3. Renumbered601.2g → 601.2hDetails

    Previously
    6. Spells, Abilities, and Effects
    601. Casting Spells

    Then
    6. Spells, Abilities, and Effects
    601. Casting Spells

    The player pays the total cost in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. Unpayable costs can’t be paid. Example: You cast Altar’s Reap, which costs {1}{B} and has an additional cost of sacrificing a creature. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes your black spells cost {1} less to cast. Because a spell’s total cost is “locked in” before payments are actually made, you pay {B}, not {1}{B}, even though you’re sacrificing the Familiar.
  4. Wording changed601.2hDetails
    The player pays the total cost in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. First, they pay all costs that do not involve random elements or moving objects from hidden zones to public zones in any order. Unpayable costs can't be paid. Then they pay all remaining costs in any order. Example: You cast Altar's Reap, which costs {1}{B} and has an additional cost of sacrificing a creature. Partial payments are not allowed. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes your black spells cost {1} less to cast. Unpayable costs can't be paid. Because a spell's total cost is "locked in" before payments are actually made, you pay {B}, not {1}{B}, even though you're sacrificing the Familiar.Example: You cast Altar's Reap, which costs {1}{B} and has an additional cost of sacrificing a creature. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes your black spells cost {1} less to cast. Because a spell's total cost is "locked in" before payments are actually made, you pay {B}, not {1}{B}, even though you're sacrificing the Familiar.
  5. Wording changed601.2hDetails
    The player pays the total cost. First, they pay all costs that dodon't not involve random elements or moving objects from hiddenthe zoneslibrary to a public zoneszone, in any order. Then they pay all remaining costs in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. Unpayable costs can't be paid. Example: You cast Altar's Reap, which costs {1}{B} and has an additional cost of sacrificing a creature. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes your black spells cost {1} less to cast. Because a spell's total cost is "locked in" before payments are actually made, you pay {B}, not {1}{B}, even though you're sacrificing the Familiar.

Current in the latest available Rules
Unchanged since 2026-08-07.