Is a copied spell still cast?

Is a Copied Spell Still Cast?

In the world of Magic: The Gathering, the concept of copying spells can be a bit confusing. When a spell is copied, does it still count as a cast? The answer to this question is crucial for understanding how copied spells work in the game.

Direct Answer

A copy of a spell is not considered a cast. When a spell is copied, it is merely duplicated, and the copy takes on the same characteristics as the original spell. The copy is not an actual cast of the spell, but rather a temporary representation of the spell on the stack.

Key Points

• Mana value: The mana value of a copied spell is the same as the original spell.
• Cast trigger: A copied spell does not trigger cast triggers.
• Additional costs: A copied spell does not require additional costs, unless specified otherwise.
• Mana cost: The mana cost of a copied spell is the same as the original spell, but it does not require mana to be paid.
• Target: The target of a copied spell is the same as the original spell.

How Does This Work?

Here’s an example to illustrate how copying a spell works:

• Original spell: Fireball, which deals 3 damage to any target.
• Copied spell: You copy Fireball using a spell like Echoing Truth.
• Result: The copied Fireball is placed on the stack, with the same mana value, cast trigger, and target as the original Fireball. However, the mana cost of the copied spell is not paid, as it is a copy of the original spell.

Additional Costs

When a spell is copied, any additional costs associated with the spell are not paid. However, if the original spell had additional costs, those costs are still applied to the copy.

• Original spell: Lion’s Eye Diamond which has an additional cost of 2 life.
• Copied spell: You copy Lion’s Eye Diamond using a spell like Echoing Truth.
• Result: The copied Lion’s Eye Diamond has the same mana value and cast trigger as the original Lion’s Eye Diamond, but the additional cost of 2 life is not paid.

Target

The target of a copied spell is the same as the original spell.

• Original spell: Fireball targeting an opponent’s creature.
• Copied spell: You copy Fireball using a spell like Echoing Truth.
• Result: The copied Fireball targets the same creature as the original Fireball.

In Conclusion

In Magic: The Gathering, a copy of a spell is not considered a cast. It is a temporary representation of the spell on the stack, with the same characteristics as the original spell. While a copied spell may share some similarities with the original spell, it is an entirely separate entity with its own unique properties.

Summary

I hope this article helps clarify the concept of copied spells in Magic: The Gathering. Remember, when a spell is copied, it is not considered a cast, and its properties and effects are separate from the original spell.