How does exactly works the sylvan library / life from the loam interaction? Do I get to see three cards, dredge the first one and then pay 4 life for each of the other 2 if I want?
With Sylvan Library, you draw one card as your draw step begins, then may draw two cards when Sylvan Library's ability resolves. Any of these card draws may be replaced using the dredge ability, provided you have at least the required number of cards in your library (C.R. 702.51a).
If you replace the first card draw, the others from Sylvan Library will be drawn as normal (as long as no other effect is replacing the card draws, such as another card with dredge in your graveyard).
Even if you replace either or both of the card draws from Sylvan Library, you must still "choose two cards in your hand drawn this turn", which may include the card drawn as the draw step began. (The formulation "... you may draw two additional cards. If you do ..." expresses a cost, which is still considered paid even if part of paying the cost is replaced with something else [C.R. 117.12, 117.11].)
EDIT (Jun. 11, 2017): Added rule citation.
EDIT (Sep. 10, 2018): Clarification after comment 11 was posted.
With Life from the Loam, or any other dredge card, in your graveyard, you can choose to replace any draw with milling some cards from your library instead. Sylvan Library gives you the option of drawing either one card (as usual) or drawing three cards with an extra condition afterward. You can't choose to draw just one extra. If you do take the extra cards, you'll normally need to make a choice between putting two of those three cards back on your library, or paying life for keeping more than one.
The interesting interaction here is to have not just a single Life from the Loam, but three cards with dredge in your graveyard. Then, opt to take the two extra draws from Sylvan Library, and replace all three draws with a dredge effect. Now, there aren't any "cards in your hand drawn this turn", so the latter part of Sylvan Library has no effect, while you've self-milled several cards (and gotten the cards with dredge returned to your hand).
You always perform your normal draw before this ability. The normal draw occurs before anything can be placed on the stack during a player’s draw step.
If you choose to draw two cards, then replace one or more of those draws with some other effect, the rest of Sylvan Library’s ability still happens. If you’ve actually drawn only one card that turn, you must choose that card and either pay 4 life or put it on top of your library. If you haven’t actually drawn any cards that turn, the rest of the ability has no effect.
So you have the card from your normal draw that turn or the LftL in your hand before you even put the Library's trigger on the stack.
And note that when deciding what two cards to put on top of your deck or to pay for, LftL is not a legal choice, since you did not draw it.
If you were to replace all three draws with something else (such as 2 more Dredge cards), there is nothing to put back on top of the deck, since you did not actually draw anything, and you lose no life.
So just to make sure, let's see if I get it correctly:
At the beginning of my draw step, I can:
1. Dredge the first card I draw in the turn, then sylvan library triggers. I can draw 2 additional cards, then put two cards I've already draw that turn on top of my library or pay 4 life for each.
2. Draw the card for my turn. Dredge one additional card and draw another one. If I don't want to pay life, I need to put on top the card I draw for my turn and the last card I draw with sylvan library (assuming no other cards were drawn that turn) . Otherwise, I need to pay 4 life for each.
Exactly correct. The only addendum I'd offer is that Sylvan Library just asks you to return any two cards you've draw this turn. If you ways to draw even more cards at some point in between your untap step and resolving the Library's trigger, any of those cards are valid options for keeping your 4 life.
Sorry for the necro, but there's one option nobody mentioned: 2 dredges. So draw step replace with Dredge, Sylvan for 1 Dredge and 1 draw. I have replaced 2 draws this turn, but Sylvan wants 2 returned. Have I satisfied the Library by returning the single drawn card, or will I now lose 4 life? Thanks!
If you choose to draw two cards, then replace one or more of those draws with some other effect, the rest of Sylvan Library’s ability still happens. If you’ve actually drawn only one card that turn, you must choose that card and either pay 4 life or put it on top of your library. If you haven’t actually drawn any cards that turn, the rest of the ability has no effect.
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How does exactly works the sylvan library / life from the loam interaction? Do I get to see three cards, dredge the first one and then pay 4 life for each of the other 2 if I want?
Thank you!
If you replace the first card draw, the others from Sylvan Library will be drawn as normal (as long as no other effect is replacing the card draws, such as another card with dredge in your graveyard).
Even if you replace either or both of the card draws from Sylvan Library, you must still "choose two cards in your hand drawn this turn", which may include the card drawn as the draw step began. (The formulation "... you may draw two additional cards. If you do ..." expresses a cost, which is still considered paid even if part of paying the cost is replaced with something else [C.R. 117.12, 117.11].)
EDIT (Jun. 11, 2017): Added rule citation.
EDIT (Sep. 10, 2018): Clarification after comment 11 was posted.
The interesting interaction here is to have not just a single Life from the Loam, but three cards with dredge in your graveyard. Then, opt to take the two extra draws from Sylvan Library, and replace all three draws with a dredge effect. Now, there aren't any "cards in your hand drawn this turn", so the latter part of Sylvan Library has no effect, while you've self-milled several cards (and gotten the cards with dredge returned to your hand).
So you have the card from your normal draw that turn or the LftL in your hand before you even put the Library's trigger on the stack.
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If you were to replace all three draws with something else (such as 2 more Dredge cards), there is nothing to put back on top of the deck, since you did not actually draw anything, and you lose no life.
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So just to make sure, let's see if I get it correctly:
At the beginning of my draw step, I can:
1. Dredge the first card I draw in the turn, then sylvan library triggers. I can draw 2 additional cards, then put two cards I've already draw that turn on top of my library or pay 4 life for each.
2. Draw the card for my turn. Dredge one additional card and draw another one. If I don't want to pay life, I need to put on top the card I draw for my turn and the last card I draw with sylvan library (assuming no other cards were drawn that turn) . Otherwise, I need to pay 4 life for each.
3. Dredge 3 cards, and pay no life.
Is that correct?
Thanks!
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