Can an Isochron Scepter imprinted with a split card use either side of the split card?
Asked by brianguymtg 14 years ago
The rulings for Isochron Scepter say:
"If the copied card is a split card, you may choose to cast either side of the split card, but not both. The split cards Fire/Ice, Illusion/Reality, Night/Day, Stand/Deliver, and Wax/Wane all have at least one side with converted mana cost 2 or less.)"
So, do you pay the scepter's ability cost, then choose a side to copy, or do you choose as you imprint the card?
MagnorCriol says... #2
On Panoptic Mirror 's oracle text, it says:
"If the copied card is a split card, you choose which one side of it to cast, but you can't cast both sides. You can choose the other side later in the game, though."
I'm guessing based on that that you get to choose it each time, since it's the same mechanic and I don't think it'll change from one card to the next. Isochron's 2 CMC or less clause restricts what card can be Imprinted, but I think that once it's through the gate, so to speak.
November 8, 2010 3:27 a.m.
Well all your doing with speter is you copying the spell then casting it you don't pick what you cast untell the card has played so every time you can pick what you what because your picking what the card does like if you copy counter spell you pick targets for the counter spell you pick what happens and who it targets
November 8, 2010 10:07 a.m.
I have always been under the impression that you could not choose which side to cast whenever you like. I was always under the impression that once you picked a side of a split card you were stuck with that side.
Here is oracle text from Isochron Scepter : "12/1/2004: If the copied card is a split card, you may choose to cast either side of the split card, but not both. The split cards Fire/Ice, Illusion/Reality, Night/Day, Stand/Deliver, and Wax/Wane all have at least one side with converted mana cost 2 or less.)"
Remember, Panoptic Mirror is not the same as isochron-scepeter. And based on the fact that Panoptic Mirror 's explicitly stated that you could use the other side later and Isochron Scepter does not say that, I would say you can't. Also, they have the same time stamp so WoTC said this differently on each card for a reason.
I know that the line "you may not choose both" would imply you cannot use both at the same time, but I'm also implying it means you cannot choose one this turn and the other next turn.
November 8, 2010 11:01 a.m.
brianguymtg says... #5
I am assuming that they only made the text different because the split probably needs to be 2 CMC or less when you imprint it. Since Fire/Ice has two sides that fit the bill, I believe that you can choose each time. If they wanted to say you choose one side to imprint, they would have said that in the oracle ruling.
November 8, 2010 11:50 a.m.
Yes, but if you could choose then I think they would explicitly say that you could choose , like with Panoptic Mirror , and they would have just added oracle text along the lines of, "You can choose so long as the side you choose is cmc 2 or less"
November 8, 2010 3:07 p.m.
I'm not sure the accept answer is wholly correct here. True, one side has to be 2cmc and you can only chose one side, but it can actually be either side.
Epochalyptik in this thread: http://tappedout.net/mtg-questions/split-cards-and-isochron-scepter/
12/1/2004: If the copied card is a split card, you may choose to cast either side of the split card, but not both. The split cards Fire/Ice, Illusion/Reality, Night/Day, Stand/Deliver, and Wax/Wane all have at least one side with converted mana cost 2 or less.)
I will explain. A split card has the properties of both of its halves. For example, the split card Bound/Determined has the mana cost 3BG and the mana cost GU. It has the qualities at all times except when it is on the stack. At that time, the split card has only the properties of the half being cast.
708.2. In every zone except the stack, split cards have two sets of characteristics and two converted mana costs. As long as a split card is a spell on the stack, only the characteristics of the half being cast exist. The other half's characteristics are treated as though they didn't exist.
Because exile is not the stack, a split card imprinted on Isochron Scepter still has both of its sets of qualities. Isochron Scepter doesn't specify that you may only copy the side of a card with CMC 2 or less, even though it is implied that the card has CMC 2 or less to begin with. Bound/Determined does have CMC 2 or less, but it also has a CMC of 5. Because one set of properties satisfies Isochron Scepter 's imprint ability, the card may be imprinted. That doesn't preclude you from casting the other half of the card, though.
May 10, 2013 12:56 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #8
I reselected the correct answer. To clarify, Zylo, I understand why you think that. You are under the impression that Panoptic Mirror 's Oracle ruling means you may cast either half of the split card, and Isochron Scepter doesn't allow you to do that. However, what Panoptic Mirror 's Oracle ruling actually means is that you may choose to copy one half during one resolution and a later half during a later resolution; your first choice doesn't lock you in for all subsequent choices.
Isochron Scepter imprints a card that meets its requirements. After that, you may copy either half of an imprinted split card because you are only instructed to copy and imprinted card, and the split card meets that criteria.
Siegfried says... #1
Since you're copying the card with Scepter, I believe you choose which side as you cast it. It's like having a modal spell (eg. Dawn Charm ) imprinted, you choose the effect as you cast it.
November 8, 2010 3:24 a.m.