#mana value

[magicjudge]

Hi Judge!!

If I control something like Maelstron Nexus and cast a creature from my hand for its Mutate cost, how does the cascade works?

Additionally, if I end up cascading into another creature with Mutate, can I cast it for its mutate cost?

A spell's mana value on the stack is always equal to the total value of what's printed in its upper right-hand corner, with any value of X substituted in as appropriate. There are a couple of exceptions, such as with transforming double-faced card being cast transformed or with the Prototype mechanic, but they're rare.

Alternate costs like Mutate or Flashback don't affect a spell's mana value. For example, if you cast Pouncing Shoreshark for its mutate cost, it still has a mana value of 5, not 4, and its cascade from Maelstrom Nexus will look for cards with a mana value of 4 or less. When you cast a spell without paying its mana cost, such as with cascade, you're already paying an alternate cost of nothing to cast the spell so you can't choose to pay a different alternate cost like mutate or overload instead.

[incorrect-mtg-theories]

Converted Mana Cost was changed to Mana Value in anticipation of the release of the Transformers cards, whose reminder text for More Than Meets The Eye needs to refer to a cost to cast them converted, and to avoid any confusion between mana costs of converted cards and converted mana costs. Since they already had too much text, the only solution they found was to change the magic terminology.

[magicjudge]

Welcome back Charlotte. Hope you are doing well. If I had an Iron-Claw Crusher which I had cast for its prototype cost, and I then sacrificed it to birthing pod, would I get to go and get a 5-drop or an 8-drop?

You would go and get a mana value 5 creature from your library. When you cast a card for its prototype cost, that mana cost and P/T stay with it for as long as it's on the stack and battlefield. In the case of Birthing Pod, this means that Pod will see it as 4-MV when you sacrifice it, even though it immediately goes back to having an MV of 7 in the graveyard.

[magicjudge]

Hello, if I use Gilanra, Caller of Wirewood mana to evoke a Spitebellows, does it still draw me a card?

Yes.

Evoke is an alternate cost to cast the spell, and choosing to pay it doesn't change Spitebellows actual mana value of 6. This means that Gilanra's ability will trigger and you'll draw a card.

Other than X costs, the only exception to the "alternate cost doesn't change the mana value" rule is with Prototype cards from the Brothers' War. These cards actually have two separate mana costs and P/T values and the one you choose when you cast it is considered to be the printed value of the characteristic.

So, for example, if you cast Cradle Clearcutter for its prototype cost of 2G, its mana value will be 3 while it's on the stack and the battlefield and thus won't trigger Gilanra.