My question is that Wild Evocation says the player must pay any additional costs (such as Fling) with the exception of mana costs as long as it isn't in their pool. They have the option to pay it if they are able to produce it.
1.) Am I safe to assume the must pay any additional costs except mana (such as life)? I know you can't pay life you don't have, but you can pay exactly your life total.
2.) What about Lightning Axe? It has both a discard or mana additional cost.
In general, a player can't cast a spell unless they have the resources to do so (C.R. 118.3).
If a spell's total cost is within a player's resources (whether the cost includes mana or not), that player must pay that cost as part of casting a spell with Wild Evocation or Omen Machine (C.R. 601.2h). (Thus, for example, if the spell is Fumarole and the player in question has 3 life or more, that player must pay 3 life if possible, assuming that a creature and a land can be targeted with that spell [C.R. 601.2c, 119.4].) An exception is if the spell "has a mandatory cost that includes actions involving cards with a stated quality in a hidden zone" (which is the case for Disaster Radius, but not Lightning Axe), in which case the player need not cast that spell even if such a card is "present in that zone" (C.R. 400.2, 118.8c).
EDIT: Edited after comment 4 was posted; further edited after comment 3 was posted.
1) Yes, you can pay exactly as much life as you have and such cards enforce additional payments if possible so life must be paid.
2) I can't find a definitive answer to whether you can choose the 5 in lightning axe or the Sacrifice an enchantment in Final Payment and then simply not have the resources available despite having access to alternative resources that would allow you to cast the spell.
(Thus, for example, if the spell is Hatred and the player in question has 5 life or more, that player must pay 5 life, assuming that a creature can be targeted with that spell [C.R. 601.2c, 108.1, 119.4]."
For the example of Hatred, they should have the option to choose anywhere from 0 to their current life total for X, unless I am missing something.
2) I can't find a definitive answer to whether you can choose the 5 in lightning axe or the Sacrifice an enchantment in Final Payment and then simply not have the resources available despite having access to alternative resources that would allow you to cast the spell.
I pretty sure since the cards are written as "as an additional cost to this spell, [X] or [Y]," you must perform either action if possible. If the effect was somehow written as a modal ("as an addition cost to the spell choose one of the following: -X -Y"), then they could choose the modal choice for mana and not pay it. I have no idea where this is in the CR though.
For spells with an additional cost of the form "A or B" (e.g., Silvergill Adept, Lightning Axe), note that under C.R. 601.2f, "[t]he total cost of a spell is the mana cost or alternative cost ... plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus cost reductions". Note that the choice to pay A or B is not done when determining the spell's total cost. Thus, in normal cases, Silvergill Adept's total cost is 1U and "reveal a Merfolk card from your hand or pay 3". (A similar situation also applies to the activation cost found in Crystal Shard's ability [C.R. 602.2b, 601.2f]; here, the ability's total cost is normally "3, T or U, T".)
For spells with an additional cost of the form "A or B" (e.g., Silvergill Adept, Lightning Axe), note that under C.R. 601.2f, "[t]he total cost of a spell is the mana cost or alternative cost ... plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus cost reductions". Note that the choice to pay A or B is not done when determining the spell's total cost. Thus, in normal cases, Silvergill Adept's total cost is 1U and "reveal a Merfolk card from your hand or pay 3". (A similar situation also applies to the activation cost found in Crystal Shard's ability (C.R. 602.2b, 601.2f); here, the ability's total cost is normally "3, T or U, T".)
So, you are saying that additional costs that are mana are included in the total cost, and thus, is all free? That doesn't seem to fit the oracle rule of Wild Evocation:
"If casting the revealed card involves paying a mandatory additional cost (such as the one Fling has), the player casting that card must pay that cost if able. If they can’t, the card remains uncast in their hand. If the mandatory additional cost includes a mana payment, the situation is more complex. If the player has enough mana in their mana pool to pay the cost, that player must do so. If the player can’t possibly pay the cost, the card remains uncast in their hand. However, if the player has the means to produce enough mana to pay the cost, then they have a choice: The player may cast the card, produce mana, and pay the cost. Or the player may choose to activate no mana abilities, thus making the card impossible to cast because the additional mana can’t be paid.
An exception is if the spell "has a mandatory cost that includes actions involving cards with a stated quality in a hidden zone" (which is the case for Disaster Radius, but not Lightning Axe), in which case the player need not cast that spell even if such a card is "present in that zone" (C.R. 400.2, 118.8c).
What about if I have Telepathy in play and the fact they have have a creature in hand is no longer hidden?
So, you are saying that additional costs that are mana are included in the total cost, and thus, is all free?
No, that's not what they're saying. Indeed, Wild Evocation doesn't cover additional costs, only the mana cost, which is what's printed in the upper part of the card. The mana cost is the only part of the total cost that you get to not pay, that's how alternative costs work, including "without paying its mana cost" which is consdered an alternative cost even if it's nil. What they're saying is that you don't choose which option of additional cost to pay until the step of the casting process where you pay the total cost, but as I see it, that doesn't change things much here as for the legality of the play.
With Lightning Axe, what happens is that if you have another card in hand, you must either discard that card or pay 5, because you're instructed to cast the card, and you're able to do it without producing mana. The game can't force to activate mana abilities, but it can force you to discard a card if you have one. So you must discard if you don't produce the mana, because you must cast the Axe fully and legally since you are able to without activating outside abilities.
An exception is if the spell "has a mandatory cost that includes actions involving cards with a stated quality in a hidden zone" (which is the case for Disaster Radius, but not Lightning Axe), in which case the player need not cast that spell even if such a card is "present in that zone" (C.R. 400.2, 118.8c).
What about if I have Telepathy in play and the fact they have have a creature in hand is no longer hidden?
The hand is still technically a hidden zone by definition so the rule still applies despite that. They don't have to cast the card.
400.2. Public zones are zones in which all players can see the cards' faces, except for those cards that some rule or effect specifically allow to be face down. Graveyard, battlefield, stack, exile, ante, and command are public zones. Hidden zones are zones in which not all players can be expected to see the cards' faces. Library and hand are hidden zones, even if all the cards in one such zone happen to be revealed.
Note: I've made several edits to my post over a few minutes, sorry if anyone responded based on an earlier version of the post.
I'm a former judge (lapsed), who keeps up to date on rules and policy. Keep in mind that judges' answers aren't necessarily more valid than those of people who aren't judges; what matters is we can quote the rules to back up our answers. When in doubt, ask for such quotes.
All right, so when forced to cast a spell without paying its mana cost, the player cannot be forced to activate mana abilities to pay it or be forced to reveal information in a "hidden zone." Anything else (such as discard, paying life, sacrificing a permanent,etc.) must be done (if possible) as long as the spell has legal target(s) (if necessary.)
Is there anything else besides activating mana abilities or revealing hidden information that cannot be forced?
All right, so when forced to cast a spell without paying its mana cost, the player cannot be forced to activate mana abilities to pay it or be forced to reveal information in a "hidden zone." Anything else (such as discard, paying life, sacrificing a permanent,etc.) must be done (if possible) as long as the spell has legal target(s) (if necessary.)
Is there anything else besides activating mana abilities or revealing hidden information that cannot be forced?
No, those are the only things you're not required to do.
118. Costs
118.3c Activating mana abilities is not mandatory, even if paying a cost is.
Example: A player controls Lodestone Golem, which says “Nonartifact spells cost {1} more to cast.” Another player removes the last time counter from a suspended sorcery card. That player must cast that spell if able, but doing so costs {1}. The player is forced to pay that cost if enough mana is in their mana pool, but the player isn’t forced to
activate a mana ability to produce that mana. If they don’t, the card simply remains exiled.
118.8c If an effect instructs a player to cast a spell “if able,” and that spell has a mandatory additional cost that includes actions involving cards with a stated quality in a hidden zone, the player isn’t required to cast that spell, even if those cards are present in that zone.
Private Mod Note
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Why bother with mere rulings when so many answers can be found in the Rules?
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My question is that Wild Evocation says the player must pay any additional costs (such as Fling) with the exception of mana costs as long as it isn't in their pool. They have the option to pay it if they are able to produce it.
1.) Am I safe to assume the must pay any additional costs except mana (such as life)? I know you can't pay life you don't have, but you can pay exactly your life total.
2.) What about Lightning Axe? It has both a discard or mana additional cost.
If a spell's total cost is within a player's resources (whether the cost includes mana or not), that player must pay that cost as part of casting a spell with Wild Evocation or Omen Machine (C.R. 601.2h). (Thus, for example, if the spell is Fumarole and the player in question has 3 life or more, that player must pay 3 life if possible, assuming that a creature and a land can be targeted with that spell [C.R. 601.2c, 119.4].) An exception is if the spell "has a mandatory cost that includes actions involving cards with a stated quality in a hidden zone" (which is the case for Disaster Radius, but not Lightning Axe), in which case the player need not cast that spell even if such a card is "present in that zone" (C.R. 400.2, 118.8c).
EDIT: Edited after comment 4 was posted; further edited after comment 3 was posted.
2) I can't find a definitive answer to whether you can choose the 5 in lightning axe or the Sacrifice an enchantment in Final Payment and then simply not have the resources available despite having access to alternative resources that would allow you to cast the spell.
For the example of Hatred, they should have the option to choose anywhere from 0 to their current life total for X, unless I am missing something.
I pretty sure since the cards are written as "as an additional cost to this spell, [X] or [Y]," you must perform either action if possible. If the effect was somehow written as a modal ("as an addition cost to the spell choose one of the following: -X -Y"), then they could choose the modal choice for mana and not pay it. I have no idea where this is in the CR though.
For spells with an additional cost of the form "A or B" (e.g., Silvergill Adept, Lightning Axe), note that under C.R. 601.2f, "[t]he total cost of a spell is the mana cost or alternative cost ... plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus cost reductions". Note that the choice to pay A or B is not done when determining the spell's total cost. Thus, in normal cases, Silvergill Adept's total cost is 1U and "reveal a Merfolk card from your hand or pay 3". (A similar situation also applies to the activation cost found in Crystal Shard's ability [C.R. 602.2b, 601.2f]; here, the ability's total cost is normally "3, T or U, T".)
So, you are saying that additional costs that are mana are included in the total cost, and thus, is all free? That doesn't seem to fit the oracle rule of Wild Evocation:
"If casting the revealed card involves paying a mandatory additional cost (such as the one Fling has), the player casting that card must pay that cost if able. If they can’t, the card remains uncast in their hand. If the mandatory additional cost includes a mana payment, the situation is more complex. If the player has enough mana in their mana pool to pay the cost, that player must do so. If the player can’t possibly pay the cost, the card remains uncast in their hand. However, if the player has the means to produce enough mana to pay the cost, then they have a choice: The player may cast the card, produce mana, and pay the cost. Or the player may choose to activate no mana abilities, thus making the card impossible to cast because the additional mana can’t be paid.
Also in regards to:
What about if I have Telepathy in play and the fact they have have a creature in hand is no longer hidden?
With Lightning Axe, what happens is that if you have another card in hand, you must either discard that card or pay 5, because you're instructed to cast the card, and you're able to do it without producing mana. The game can't force to activate mana abilities, but it can force you to discard a card if you have one. So you must discard if you don't produce the mana, because you must cast the Axe fully and legally since you are able to without activating outside abilities.
The hand is still technically a hidden zone by definition so the rule still applies despite that. They don't have to cast the card.
Note: I've made several edits to my post over a few minutes, sorry if anyone responded based on an earlier version of the post.
Is there anything else besides activating mana abilities or revealing hidden information that cannot be forced?
No, those are the only things you're not required to do.