Light-Paws vs Disturb
Asked by Coward_Token 2 years ago
I have Light-Paws, Emperor's Voice on the battlefield. I cast and resolve Katilda's Rising Dawn. Is it correct that Rising Dawn has a mana value of 0 for the purpose of Light-Paws' ability?
Coward_Token says... #2
Polaris: Thanks for the confirmation.
Bonus question: Hypothetically, if Light-Paws instead said "Whenever you cast an Aura spell...", Katilda's Rising Dawn would still only let you fetch a (non-Disturb) Aura with a mana value of <= 3, because it'd use the MV of Katilda, Dawnhart Martyr Flip?
February 20, 2022 12:48 p.m.
Coward_Token I'll paste the relevant part from the Crimson Vow release notes here:
"Disturb [cost]" means "You may cast this card transformed from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than its mana cost."
When you cast a spell using a card's disturb ability, the card is put onto the stack with its back face up. The resulting spell has all the characteristics of that face.
To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a disturb cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of a spell cast using disturb is determined by the mana cost on the front face of the card, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was. (This is a special rule that applies only to transforming double-faced cards, including ones with disturb.)
In this situation, you're correct. In using the disturb ability of Katilda, Dawnhart Martyr Flip, you're casting a Legendary Enchantment - Aura spell with a mana value of 3. That hypothetical version of Light-Paws would be able to search for an Aura card in your library with a mana value of 3 or less.
Note that while the spell has a mana value of 3 due to this special rule, the permanent still has a mana value of 0 when it is on the battlefield.
February 20, 2022 5:21 p.m.
Coward_Token says... #4
Yep, as I expected, thanks.
(All in all, the execution of Disturb feels like a mistake, especially since Light-Paws appeared in the set right after the Innistrad ones. Would have made more sense if they were just MDFCs with a tweaked Aftermath on the back, or something.)
February 20, 2022 5:32 p.m.
I see where you're going with that, but one thing they REALLY don't want to do is put MDFCs and TDFCs in the same set. The mechanics are complex enough without putting two similar-looking but very different mechanics in the same booster pack.
February 20, 2022 6:43 p.m.
Coward_Token says... #6
Ah, so you're saying Disturb was a complete mistake
:' )
Anyway, thanks for the time and attention
February 21, 2022 12:56 a.m.
Light-Paws is one card, not a set or mechanic. Disturb is a cool value mechanic that also lets you get creatures modified and ups enchantment counts late-game without requiring you to skimp on creature cards. The mechanic is fine.
Polaris says... Accepted answer #1
Short answer: Light-Paws, Emperor's Voice doesn't work with disturb.
Long answer: You're correct. Katilda's Rising Dawn doesn't have a mana cost. Because of this, its mana value is zero.
This means that you could only find a zero mana Aura, of which there aren't any. Katilda's Rising Dawn and other disturb Auras don't count because they're the back faces of transforming double-faced cards (TDFCs), which means that you can't search for them (a DFC only has the characteristics of its front face in your graveyard, hand, library, and exile for the purposes of other effects finding it).
Unlike modal double-faced cards such as the ones from Strixhaven, you can only cast the front side of a TDFC. Katilda's Radiant Dawn can only be put into play by its disturb cost that puts it into play transformed.
February 20, 2022 10:55 a.m.