Madness states that if you discard a card with Madness, you may pay an alternative cost to cast it.
However, you can only discard cards from your hands in certain situations. For example, when you have more than 7 cards in hand. And some cards give you permission to discard them (such as cards with Bloodrush). However, the way Madness rules text is worded, it makes it seem like you need an external force that prompts you to discard in order to activate Madness.
I guess my question is this - can you discard a Madness card of your own volition? Or do you need something that MAKES you discard?
W may only be paid with white mana. U may only be paid with blue mana. B may only be paid with black mana. R may only be paid with red mana. G may only be paid with green mana. C may only be paid with colorless mana. 1 may be paid with white, blue, black, red, green, or clolorless mana.
I guess my question is this - can you discard a Madness card of your own volition? Or do you need something that MAKES you discard?
Something else must cause the card to be discarded, whether that's due to maximum hand size or a discarding effect. You can't just discard a card because you feel like it.
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How to use card tags (please use them for everybody's sanity)
[c]Lightning Bolt[/c] -> Lightning Bolt
[c=Lightning Bolt]Apple Pie[/c] -> Apple Pie
Vowels-Only Format Minimum deck size: 60 Maximum number of identical cards: 4 Ban list: Cards whose English names begin with a consonant, Unglued and Unhinged cards, cards involving ante, Ancestral Recall
Then when you discard the card, it goes to exile for a short time instead of the graveyard (if you want, this part is optional).
Then, if you exile it this way, a trigger is put on the stack to cast the card for its Madness cost. When the trigger resolves, you choose whether or not to cast it for its Madness cost. If you do, it goes on the stack like any spell. If you decline, it goes to the grave.
(This does mean that an instant-speed processing could eat the Madness card while it's in exile and deny you the chance to cast it for Madness.
I guess my question is this - can you discard a Madness card of your own volition?
No, Magic uses what it known as a "permissive" rule set. You cannot take any action unless the rules explicitly say that you can. Basically you can't discard a card whenever you like for the same reason you can't decide to increase your life total whenever you like.
So Madness is very combo-reliant. What's a common card used to trigger Madness costs?
That is strategy information which we're not allowed to give in order to avoid cluttering the forum. Try asking in Magic General or the forum of the format you prefer.
However Gatherer is a good resource for this kind of thing. Since abilities are worded in a consistent way you can look for "discard a card" which is used whenever an ability or a cost asks you to discard your own cards.
However, you can only discard cards from your hands in certain situations. For example, when you have more than 7 cards in hand. And some cards give you permission to discard them (such as cards with Bloodrush). However, the way Madness rules text is worded, it makes it seem like you need an external force that prompts you to discard in order to activate Madness.
I guess my question is this - can you discard a Madness card of your own volition? Or do you need something that MAKES you discard?
Something else must cause the card to be discarded, whether that's due to maximum hand size or a discarding effect. You can't just discard a card because you feel like it.
[c]Lightning Bolt[/c] -> Lightning Bolt
[c=Lightning Bolt]Apple Pie[/c] -> Apple Pie
Vowels-Only Format
Minimum deck size: 60
Maximum number of identical cards: 4
Ban list: Cards whose English names begin with a consonant, Unglued and Unhinged cards, cards involving ante, Ancestral Recall
Then, if you exile it this way, a trigger is put on the stack to cast the card for its Madness cost. When the trigger resolves, you choose whether or not to cast it for its Madness cost. If you do, it goes on the stack like any spell. If you decline, it goes to the grave.
(This does mean that an instant-speed processing could eat the Madness card while it's in exile and deny you the chance to cast it for Madness.
No, Magic uses what it known as a "permissive" rule set. You cannot take any action unless the rules explicitly say that you can. Basically you can't discard a card whenever you like for the same reason you can't decide to increase your life total whenever you like.
Edit: I suppose it could also be used as retaliation - opponent makes you discard, you get a cheaper way to smack them back.
That is strategy information which we're not allowed to give in order to avoid cluttering the forum. Try asking in Magic General or the forum of the format you prefer.
However Gatherer is a good resource for this kind of thing. Since abilities are worded in a consistent way you can look for "discard a card" which is used whenever an ability or a cost asks you to discard your own cards.
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&text= [%22discard%20a%20card%22]
Wild Mongrel Was the most common one back on the day in U/G Madness. Aquamoeba also for a while.
http://www.cubetutor.com/visualspoiler/20765