Does Emerald Medallion reduce Sprout Swarm's buyback cost?

Asked by brianguymtg 14 years ago

I want to know if the buyback, if I choose to pay it, is discounted from the effect of, say, four Emerald Medallions. It costs 4G with buyback normally, so would four medallions make it cost G?

xeratheenigma says... #1

no

the buy back is an additional cost for sprout swarm but is not part of sprout swarms cost so the buyback would not be reduced

its basically an activated ability for spells such as kicker and cycling

October 17, 2010 8:17 p.m.

xeratheenigma says... #2

sorry correction buyback is an additional cost so it would be reduced by emerald medallion

sorry for any confusion i may have caused i misread buyback and kicker lol

October 17, 2010 8:28 p.m.

$ªmHεiπ says... Accepted answer #3

Nice question - I'm pretty sure that buyback counts as a cost, and can thus be reduced.

702.24a Buyback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities that function while the spell is on the stack. "Buyback [cost]" means "You may pay an additional [cost] as you cast this spell" and "If the buyback cost was paid, put this spell into its owner's hand instead of into that player's graveyard as it resolves." Paying a spell's buyback cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2e-g.

601.2e The player determines the total cost of the spell. Usually this is just the mana cost. Some spells have additional or alternative costs. Some effects may increase or reduce the cost to pay, or may provide other alternative costs. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing permanents, discarding cards, and so on. The total cost is the mana cost or alternative cost (as determined in rule 601.2b), plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus all cost reductions. If the mana component of the total cost is reduced to nothing by cost reduction effects, it is considered to be 0. It can't be reduced to less than 0. Once the total cost is determined, any effects that directly affect the total cost are applied. Then the resulting total cost becomes "locked in." If effects would change the total cost after this time, they have no effect.

October 17, 2010 8:31 p.m.

brianguymtg says... #4

Thanks for the rule quotes, the wording actually makes it pretty clear. It all becomes a total cost, which can be reduced by the Medallion.

October 17, 2010 8:58 p.m.