My group is trying to nail down this detail without much luck. When I've played Mass Manipulation I was told that I can only pay 1 per X, and so can only gain control of 2 creatures. But some of us interpret it as any amount can be paid per each X equally. How do we play this?
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-MadMage
When you cast a spell with an X in its mana cost, you choose a value for X. Then you treat every instance of X as that value, for calculating the number of targets, calculating the total cost, calculating the damage in its effect, calculating number of counters etc. Every X on the card is that one chosen value!
Now, there are two Xs in the cost of Mass Manipulation. This means, that you have to pay X twice when paying the spell's cost. So
If you choose X=1, the spell will target 1 creature/planeswalker and the cost will be 11UUUU, 6 mana total.
If you choose X=2, the spell will target 2 creatures/planeswalkers and the cost will be 22UUUU, 8 mana total.
If you choose X=3, the spell will target 3 creatures/planeswalkers and the cost will be 33UUUU, 10 mana total.
etc.
Essentially, you have to pay 2 more mana per additional target. There is no inherrent limit on the number of targets for the spell. The only limits are from your available mana and the overall number of legal targets on the battlefield (since you can't target the same creature/planeswalker more than once with this spell).
If Wizards wanted X to be 1 they would have printed it that way and wouldn't have printed it with X at all.
X denotes a variable which the player gets to choose the value of. If you want to steal 1 creatures/walkers, X=1. If you want to steal 4 creatures/walkers, X=4. You make the choice of what they value of X is when you cast it.
Now, a quick clarification though: Manipulation has *two* X's in the mana cost and both need to be the same value. This value of X is also used for the text of the spell. So, if you want X to be 4, you declare X=4. Then, you add that in where you want to so now the Total cost of the spell is {4} + {4} (since there are 2 X's) + UUUU. In all, to steal 4 permanents you need to pay 8UUUU or 12 mana total. Your summary of "1 per X to steal 2 things" seems to have this backwards.
These were my thoughts exactly. It's one of the few cards any of us have like it and couldn't find anything in the basic card rulings. Thanks for the help guys!
Rule 107.3: Many objects use the letter X as a placeholder for a number that needs to be determined. [most cards will let] their controller choose the value of X.
Using card tags is mandatory in the Magic Rulings forum. Please check your private messages to learn how to use them. I've added them for this post.
-MadMage
When you cast a spell with an X in its mana cost, you choose a value for X. Then you treat every instance of X as that value, for calculating the number of targets, calculating the total cost, calculating the damage in its effect, calculating number of counters etc. Every X on the card is that one chosen value!
Now, there are two Xs in the cost of Mass Manipulation. This means, that you have to pay X twice when paying the spell's cost. So
If you choose X=1, the spell will target 1 creature/planeswalker and the cost will be 11UUUU, 6 mana total.
If you choose X=2, the spell will target 2 creatures/planeswalkers and the cost will be 22UUUU, 8 mana total.
If you choose X=3, the spell will target 3 creatures/planeswalkers and the cost will be 33UUUU, 10 mana total.
etc.
Essentially, you have to pay 2 more mana per additional target. There is no inherrent limit on the number of targets for the spell. The only limits are from your available mana and the overall number of legal targets on the battlefield (since you can't target the same creature/planeswalker more than once with this spell).
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Mass Manipulation
If Wizards wanted X to be 1 they would have printed it that way and wouldn't have printed it with X at all.
X denotes a variable which the player gets to choose the value of. If you want to steal 1 creatures/walkers, X=1. If you want to steal 4 creatures/walkers, X=4. You make the choice of what they value of X is when you cast it.
Now, a quick clarification though: Manipulation has *two* X's in the mana cost and both need to be the same value. This value of X is also used for the text of the spell. So, if you want X to be 4, you declare X=4. Then, you add that in where you want to so now the Total cost of the spell is {4} + {4} (since there are 2 X's) + UUUU. In all, to steal 4 permanents you need to pay 8UUUU or 12 mana total. Your summary of "1 per X to steal 2 things" seems to have this backwards.
These were my thoughts exactly. It's one of the few cards any of us have like it and couldn't find anything in the basic card rulings. Thanks for the help guys!
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