CR / RELEASE 2026-07-24
Rule 383.3.b
If a Triggered Ability contains a cost within instructions at the beginning of the effect or immediately following the “you may” or “they may” that appears as the first part of the effect, that cost is treated as the base cost of the Triggered Ability. Example: Ekko, Recurrent reads “[Deathknell][>] Recycle me to ready your runes.” In this case, “recycle me to ready your runes” is a cost within instructions that appears at the beginning of the effect of the ability, and thus “recycle me” is taken as the base cost of the triggered ability. Example: Insightful Investigator reads “When you play me, choose an opponent. They reveal their hand. You may pay 2 XP to choose a card from their hand. If you do, they discard that card and draw 1.” The “pay 2 XP” is a cost within instructions, but because it does not appear in the first part of the effect, it is not taken as the base cost of the triggered ability. Paying 2 XP is performed on resolution.