Casualty

Casualty
Keyword Ability
Introduced	Streets of New Capenna
Last used	Streets of New Capenna
Reminder Text	Casualty N (As you cast this spell, you may sacrifice a creature with power N or greater. When you do, copy this spell.)
Statistics	5 cards 20% 60% 20%
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keyword:"Casualty"

Casualty is a keyword ability introduced in Streets of New Capenna as the signature Maestros mechanic. Casualty is an optional additional cost.

Description

Casualty is the mechanic for the Maestros, the family on New Capenna. The members of this elite society appreciate no finer art than the art of the kill.

As an additional cost to cast a spell with casualty, you may sacrifice a creature with power N or greater, where N is the number that appears after the keyword. If you choose to do so, a triggered ability triggers that copies the spell. If the original spell required any targets, you'll get to choose new targets for the copy. The copy is created directly on the stack, so it's not "cast," meaning its casualty ability won't do anything, and you can't copy it again. The copy is still a spell on the stack though, so it can be responded to and countered as normal, and it will actually resolve before the original spell.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Casualty

A keyword ability that allows you to sacrifice a creature to create a copy of a spell. See 702.153, “Casualty.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

• 702.153. Casualty
  • 702.153a Casualty is a keyword that represents two abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the spell with casualty is on the stack. The second is a triggered ability that functions while the spell with casualty is on the stack. Casualty N means “As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may sacrifice a creature with power N or greater,” and “When you cast this spell, if a casualty cost was paid for it, copy it. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for the copy.” Paying a spell’s casualty cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.
  • 702.153b If a spell has multiple instances of casualty, each is paid separately and triggers based on the payments made for it, not any other instance of casualty.

Rulings

• You may sacrifice only one creature to any one casualty ability. If a spell has casualty 2, for example, you can't sacrifice two 1/1 creatures.

Examples

Example

A Little Chat
Instant
Casualty 1 (As you cast this spell, you may sacrifice a creature with power 1 or greater. When you do, copy this spell.)
Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the other on the bottom of your library.

Cards that grant Casualty

• Anhelo the Painter