<p>Ruling</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=420666" rel="nofollow noreferrer">11/8/2016    For spells with Variable Colorless in their mana costs, use
  the value chosen for X to determine the spell’s converted mana
  cost.</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>The <a href="http://media.wizards.com/2018/downloads/MagicCompRules%2020180119.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Comprehensive Rules</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>202.3d When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with an {X} in its mana cost, X is treated as 0 while the object is not on the
  stack, <strong>and X is treated as the number chosen for it while the object
  is on the stack.</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>So..X=5, making CMC 7.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>107.3f If a card in any zone <strong>other than the stack</strong> has an {X} in its mana cost, the value of {X} is treated as 0, even if the value of X is
  defined somewhere within its text.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>Clarification.</strong></p>

<p>In Magic there are no in-between zones. When you cast a spell it goes from your hand (hand zone) to the stack (stack zone). As long as it's in your hand it is not considered cast. When it leaves the zone of your hand it will at the same time enter the zone of the stack making it a spell that at that point will be considered cast.</p>

<p>So whenever you cast anything that has an {X} in it, the X will become the amount you paid for it and move to the stack zone where {X} it will retain its value until it leaves the stack zone.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T09:33:40.287Z
2018-03-13T10:14:44.033Z
2018-03-13T10:14:44.033Z
Rishaal
<p>You cast the spell onto the stack. When the spell is on the stack <code>x=5</code>so the CMC would be 7 when <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bVial%20Smasher%20the%20Fierce%5d">Vial Smasher the Fierce</a> ability triggers.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-04T11:01:19.020Z
2018-03-14T16:26:41.747Z
2018-03-14T16:26:41.747Z
Joshua Duxbury
<p>Suppose I'm running a <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bVial%20Smasher%20the%20Fierce%5d">Vial Smasher the Fierce</a> deck and I cast <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bBlazing%20Shoal%5d">Blazing Shoal</a> with X = 5. I've read in other answers to different problems that the converted mana cost of Blazing Shoal would be 7 while it is on the stack. I assume that then Vial Smasher's ability would trigger. Looking at Blazing Shoal, would the CMC be 7 or 2?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-04T10:40:29.203Z
I'm not clear what the question is here. You read that the converted mana cost of Blazing Shoal would be 7 while it's on the stack. Do you have some reason to doubt that? If so, that would be important information to include in the question.
David Z
<magic-the-gathering><mtg-commander>
How is the CMC of a spell obtained for Vial Smasher?
Arowaaron
# How is the CMC of a spell obtained for Vial Smasher?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-04)

Suppose I'm running a [Vial Smasher the Fierce](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bVial%20Smasher%20the%20Fierce%5d) deck and I cast [Blazing Shoal](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bBlazing%20Shoal%5d) with X = 5. I've read in other answers to different problems that the converted mana cost of Blazing Shoal would be 7 while it is on the stack. I assume that then Vial Smasher's ability would trigger. Looking at Blazing Shoal, would the CMC be 7 or 2?

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

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'm not clear what the question is here. You read that the converted mana cost of Blazing Shoal would be 7 while it's on the stack. Do you have some reason to doubt that? If so, that would be important information to include in the question.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-03-05. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Ruling

> [11/8/2016 For spells with Variable Colorless in their mana costs, use
> the value chosen for X to determine the spell’s converted mana
> cost.](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=420666)

The [Comprehensive Rules](http://media.wizards.com/2018/downloads/MagicCompRules%2020180119.pdf)

> 202.3d When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with an {X} in its mana cost, X is treated as 0 while the object is not on the
> stack, **and X is treated as the number chosen for it while the object
> is on the stack.**

So..X=5, making CMC 7.

> 107.3f If a card in any zone **other than the stack** has an {X} in its mana cost, the value of {X} is treated as 0, even if the value of X is
> defined somewhere within its text.

**Clarification.**

In Magic there are no in-between zones. When you cast a spell it goes from your hand (hand zone) to the stack (stack zone). As long as it's in your hand it is not considered cast. When it leaves the zone of your hand it will at the same time enter the zone of the stack making it a spell that at that point will be considered cast.

So whenever you cast anything that has an {X} in it, the X will become the amount you paid for it and move to the stack zone where {X} it will retain its value until it leaves the stack zone.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2018-03-04. Score: 1

You cast the spell onto the stack. When the spell is on the stack `x=5`so the CMC would be 7 when [Vial Smasher the Fierce](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bVial%20Smasher%20the%20Fierce%5d) ability triggers.


---

