#creature spells

[magicjudge]

Do creatures with Backup cost 2 less when Killian is on the field?

No, they don't.

Backup is a triggered ability that triggers once the creature is on the battlefield. A creature spell on the stack never targets anything unless it's a card cast for its mutate cost.

[magicjudge]

MaRo has said a couple of times that the reason Wall of Resurgence and Cyclone Sire didn't have Awaken is that Awaken can only be on Instants and Sorceries, not creatures, and I was wondering if you knew why it's like that? Because to my untrained eye it looks like it should be fine on creatures and other permanents as an alternate casting cost.

The problem with putting Awaken on creatures is you’ll end up with creature spells that have targets, which just isn’t done since you don’t want a creature spell to suddenly be countered because its Awaken target is no longer legal. The only permanent spells that target when they’re cast are auras.

“But,” I hear you saying, “just make it a cast trigger on creature spells...”

Ok, sure... go ask MaRo about how well having an ability work markedly differently on permanents and non-permanents... *cough* Haunt *cough* I’m sure there have never been any problems with that before...

[magicjudge]

If an opponent is casting a creature spell and I cast Reins of Power, does that creature come into play under my control or his until end of turn? Thank you.

Reins of Power only affects creatures that are on the battlefield when it resolves. A creature spell on the stack isn’t a creature on the battlefield, so the creature will enter the battlefield under its owner’s control still.