heh, the original wording does infinite damage with no drawback for .
Mode
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Right, Ice Age's original Hecatomb was pretty awesome since you didn't have to worry about its cip/etb trigger if you didn't have any creatures anyways, and an activated ability like this would indeed easily cause infinite damage with only one swamp these days.
Ritius
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(6 votes)
Lol, now here's a proper use for R&D's Secret Lair :D
Kryptnyt
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I like the art.
longwinded
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
The wording "X to Y" always meant "X:Y." Or, in an activated ability with a mana component"as an additional cost do X. Then do Y." If it had said "X and Y" ("tap a swamp and deal 1 damage") then X would be an effect and not part of the cost. The little word "to" makes all the difference, which is why they stopped wording it that way.
I'll just hurt myself while playing Pestilence, thanks.
Lord_of_Tresserhorn
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I don't remember the exact circumstances, but I think the errata to "or sacrifice Hecatomb" came very fast, they had made an actual mistake by leaving it off the card. It was no errata'd to reduce the power level (something which ***es me off).
undergroundmonorail
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In what situation is "Tap an untapped swamp you control:" preferable to ":"?
such ***. the card doesn't say anywhere that you have to sacrifice hecatomb. get it right the first time or ban it, but don't *** with the card, wizards. bunch of assholes.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Thats why they made oracle text, to represent what the developers wanted more clearly in todays MTG.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You can use this as a simple 3-mana removal spell if you have enough swamps. Simply cast it; while the trigger is on the stack you can tap your untapped swamps for damage. It becomes a very expensive but out-of-the-blue Forked Bolt or similar.
Comments (14)