Archived from groups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.rules (
More info?)
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:48:24 +1000, Tim <XXshade@tusc.com.au> wrote:
>If I have two Spawning Pits in play and I sacrifice a creature, do I get a
>charge counter on one spawning pit or a chage counter on both spawning pits?
Only one.
>We've always played it that you sacrifice a creature to a particular
>spawning pit, but I figure I'd ask.
You were correct. Now: why?
Spawning Pit 2 Artifact
Sacrifice a creature: Put a charge counter on ~. / 1,Remove two charge
counters from ~: Put a 2/2 Spawn artifact creature token into play.
Spawning Pit has two abilities. (Because they're separated by a blank space
line.)
Both are activated. (Because both have a cost listed, then a colon, then an
effect; neither one starts with the words "When", "Whenever" or "At" so
neither is triggered. Both have the colon, so both are activated, so neither
one is a static ability either.)
To use ("play") an activated ability, you start by announcing you'll use
it, then go through a series of steps that starts by putting the ability on
the stack, and ends up with paying the "activation cost": the part before
the colon. Activated abilities do not "go off by themselves" in any way, even
if their activation cost is "0:"; you -always- have to announce you're using
it, and furthermore at a time when you, not opponent, has priority.
Each Pit's activated abilities are separate; each Pit has two abilities,
separate from any other Pit that may be in play.
Since the Pit's abilities aren't triggered, they don't "go off whenever a
creature gets sacrificed" in any way; you specifically have to use a
particular activated ability. And since there's no way to announce two
abilities simultaneously ■, you can't use _both_ Pits' abilities at once.
Even if you could, they would still have separate activation costs, and
_both_ would want their costs to be paid, each separate from the other.
Since you can't be announcing both Pits' abilities at once, there's no way
to even think about "sacrificing one creature and having it pay the cost
for both abilities" - this is, in general, Not Possible. Each activation
cost, mana cost, or additional cost has to be paid with resources not being
used to pay any other cost (and not being told to be used in a similar way
by an effect, either; if you get Diabolic Edict cast on you, the creature
you have to sacrifice because its effect tells you to CANNOT be used 'at
the same time' to pay any sort of cost. It can -trigger- abilities that
trigger off creature-goes-to-graveyard-from-play just fine... but Spawning
Pit has no triggered abilities).
To have all the Pits in play "go off" whenever a creature got sacrificed,
they'd have to be worded "Whenenver a creature is sacrificed, put a charge
counter on ~."... and worded like that, the Pit -itself- would not have
any particular way to -let- you sacrifice a creature, it would just "go off"
(trigger) anytime one -did- get sacrificed for some other reason.
Dave
--
\/David DeLaney posting from dbd@vic.com "It's not the pot that grows the flower
It's not the clock that slows the hour The definition's plain for anyone to see
Love is all it takes to make a family" - R&P. VISUALIZE HAPPYNET VRbeable<BLINK>
http://www.vic.com/~dbd/ - net.legends FAQ & Magic / I WUV you in all CAPS! --K.
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