<p>Yes, if you choose a value for X that is less than or equal to the amount of life your opponents have lost this turn, you can cast Endless One for free.</p>

<p>While <a href="https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Casting_spells" rel="noreferrer">casting a spell</a>, one of the first steps involves making choices, including the value of X. Then, later, the cost is calculated, including cost increases and cost reductions. So, in this situation, you first choose the number you want for X, then you calculate the cost after Rakdos reduces it. Then you pay that much mana (note that it can't go below {0}).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-19T17:36:04.457Z
Great! Now I wonder if there's something similar in Orzhov colours that reduces sorcery costs...
TheThirdMage
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-21T09:02:16.230Z
@TheThirdMage You will be pretty hard pushed to find anything of that description in Orzhov. for Instant and sorcery cheating your only port of call is Izzet or mono-blue.
ThunderToes
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-23T04:46:21.927Z
Curses. There goes even more powerful Debt to the Deathless.
TheThirdMage
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-19T17:28:00.530Z
2017-08-19T17:28:00.530Z
murgatroid99
<p>As the cost reduction is generic mana (the numbered grey symbol in a cost) Rakdos' ability allows you to cast any creatures with only generic symbols in their mana cost for free, provided you have dealt that amount of damage to your opponents this turn.</p>

<p>With <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bEndless%20One%5d">Endless One</a> having only the generic component {X} in its mana cost, this can be cast for free with any amount of damage that has been dealt to your opponents. It stands to reason, that the more damage dealt the better as <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bEndless%20One%5d">Endless One</a> will grow to unprecedented amounts.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-21T09:38:26.850Z
I've made some corrections here. In a cost, the numbered grey symbol isn't colorless mana, it's what we call a [generic mana cost](https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Generic_mana_cost), which is a cost that can be paid with any type of mana (including colorless). Colorless mana in a mana cost is represented by the new colorless mana symbol, though it was exclusively used as a cost [in the Oath of the Gatewatch set](https://scryfall.com/search?q=mana%3A%7BC%7D+or+re%3A%22%7BC%7D*%3A%22) such as on [Kozilek, the Great Distortion](https://scryfall.com/card/ogw/4).
doppelgreener
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-21T11:12:01.923Z
@doppelgreener Oh! my bad yes... rookie mistake on my part haha.
ThunderToes
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-21T11:16:23.317Z
Easy mistake to make! The generic mana cost symbol did used to mean both colorless *and* generic mana and the designers decided it needed to be differentiated because  of mixups. :) (compare [Theros Unknown Shores](https://scryfall.com/card/ths/229) vs [OGW Unknown Shores](https://scryfall.com/card/ogw/181))
doppelgreener
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-21T11:22:21.703Z
I realized it changed in OGW as it was one of the first blocks I got back into when I started magic again. I completely forgot about it. :P
ThunderToes
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-21T08:26:06.280Z
2017-08-21T09:32:15.850Z
2017-08-21T09:32:15.850Z
ThunderToes
<p>I have a commander / EDH deck running <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=253532" rel="noreferrer">Rakdos, Lord of Riots</a> as my commander. (This isn't a tournament legal deck by the way, just for casual play with friends) I've got <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=401871" rel="noreferrer">Endless One</a> in the deck as well. My question is, though: With Rakdos out, could I be able to get Endless One out, for free, with as much +1/+1 counters in it as there was damage dealt to opponents that turn? Or would I have to pay even one mana for it?</p>

<magic-the-gathering><mtg-commander>
Would Rakdos, Lord of Riots allow a free Endless One cast?
TheThirdMage
# Would Rakdos, Lord of Riots allow a free Endless One cast?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-19)

I have a commander / EDH deck running [Rakdos, Lord of Riots](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=253532) as my commander. (This isn't a tournament legal deck by the way, just for casual play with friends) I've got [Endless One](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=401871) in the deck as well. My question is, though: With Rakdos out, could I be able to get Endless One out, for free, with as much +1/+1 counters in it as there was damage dealt to opponents that turn? Or would I have to pay even one mana for it?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering, mtg-commander


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-08-19. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

Yes, if you choose a value for X that is less than or equal to the amount of life your opponents have lost this turn, you can cast Endless One for free.

While [casting a spell](https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Casting_spells), one of the first steps involves making choices, including the value of X. Then, later, the cost is calculated, including cost increases and cost reductions. So, in this situation, you first choose the number you want for X, then you calculate the cost after Rakdos reduces it. Then you pay that much mana (note that it can't go below {0}).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Great! Now I wonder if there's something similar in Orzhov colours that reduces sorcery costs...  
> **username_2**: @username_0 You will be pretty hard pushed to find anything of that description in Orzhov. for Instant and sorcery cheating your only port of call is Izzet or mono-blue.  
> **username_0**: Curses. There goes even more powerful Debt to the Deathless.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-08-21. Score: 2

As the cost reduction is generic mana (the numbered grey symbol in a cost) Rakdos' ability allows you to cast any creatures with only generic symbols in their mana cost for free, provided you have dealt that amount of damage to your opponents this turn.

With [Endless One](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bEndless%20One%5d) having only the generic component {X} in its mana cost, this can be cast for free with any amount of damage that has been dealt to your opponents. It stands to reason, that the more damage dealt the better as [Endless One](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bEndless%20One%5d) will grow to unprecedented amounts.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I've made some corrections here. In a cost, the numbered grey symbol isn't colorless mana, it's what we call a [generic mana cost](https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Generic_mana_cost), which is a cost that can be paid with any type of mana (including colorless). Colorless mana in a mana cost is represented by the new colorless mana symbol, though it was exclusively used as a cost [in the Oath of the Gatewatch set](https://scryfall.com/search?q=mana%3A%7BC%7D+or+re%3A%22%7BC%7D*%3A%22) such as on [Kozilek, the Great Distortion](https://scryfall.com/card/ogw/4).  
> **username_2**: @username_3 Oh! my bad yes... rookie mistake on my part haha.  
> **username_3**: Easy mistake to make! The generic mana cost symbol did used to mean both colorless *and* generic mana and the designers decided it needed to be differentiated because  of mixups. :) (compare [Theros Unknown Shores](https://scryfall.com/card/ths/229) vs [OGW Unknown Shores](https://scryfall.com/card/ogw/181))  
> **username_2**: I realized it changed in OGW as it was one of the first blocks I got back into when I started magic again. I completely forgot about it. :P  

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