CR / RELEASE 2026-07-24
Rule 206.1
Effects that need to determine an ability’s cost for any purpose use its base cost, ignoring any alterations to that base cost unless otherwise specified. Example: A card reads “When you play an activated ability with Energy cost [7] or more, you may exhaust me to ready up to 2 runes.” A gear has an activated ability that reads “[12], Banish this: Choose an opponent. Banish all units they control. This ability costs [1] less for each point the chosen opponent has.” The ability of the first card will trigger when the activated ability is played, even if the chosen opponent has 6 or more points. Example: An equipment has an ability that reads “Equip [4][A]. This ability costs [1] less for each occupied enemy battlefield.” If its controller plays a unit with Weaponmaster, the Weaponmaster trigger will refer to the cost including the alterations. This is because Weaponmaster specifies that it includes modifications to the cost.
Rule hierarchy
Parent206Effects that need to determine a card’s cost for any purpose always use its printed or copied cost, even if that cost is increased, decreased, or ignored as the card is played. Example: Sky Splitter is a spell that costs [8] and says in part “This spell's Energy cost is reduced by the highest Might among units you control.” Lux, Illuminated is a unit that says “When you play a spell that costs 5 or more, give me +3 [M] this turn.” If a player who controls Lux plays Sky Splitter, Lux’s ability will trigger, regardless of how much was actually paid for Sky Splitter. Example: Defy is a spell which reads “Counter a spell that costs no more than [4] and no more than [A].” Rocket Barrage is a spell that costs [4][C] and has a Repeat cost of [4][C]. Rocket Barrage is a legal target for Defy even if Rocket Barrage’s Repeat cost is paid, because Defy only checks the printed or copied cost of its target. Example: Atakhan is a unit that reads in part “You may kill a friendly unit as an additional cost to play me. If you do, I cost [1] less for each Energy it costs and [Y] less for each Power it costs.” If a player plays Atakhan and chooses to kill a Reflection token that is currently a copy of Noxus Hopeful, Atakhan will cost [4] less.