<p>Alternative costs such as Madness do not change the mana cost of a spell. The mana cost is not defined as the cost you paid to cast the spell; it is simply defined as the cost in the upper right of the card. Avacyn's Judgement still has a mana cost of {1}{R} even when cast for its Madness cost and Unbound Flourishing won't respond to it.</p>

<p><a href="https://blogs.magicjudges.org/rules/cr202/#1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">From CR 202</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>202.1 A card’s mana cost is indicated by mana symbols near the top of the card. (See rule 107.4.) On most cards, these symbols are printed in the upper right corner.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Nothing in <a href="https://blogs.magicjudges.org/rules/cr601/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the rules for casting spells</a> changes the mana cost of the spell, even when alternative costs are paid. Essentially, what you're finally pay ing when using an alternative cost is the <em>total cost</em> of the spell: that's defined as the mana cost <em>or</em>—if you elected to use one, which you did—the alternative cost, plus any cost increases/decreases.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-13T06:40:38.843Z
It might be worth noting that when casting a spell, there is a thing called the mana cost, and a thing called the total cost, and they are not the same. See CR 601.2f.
Arthur
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-12T22:35:57.643Z
2020-04-14T17:15:09.367Z
2020-04-14T17:15:09.367Z
doppelgreener
<p>The rulings for <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bUnbound%20Flourishing%5d">Unbound Flourishing</a> state</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Spells with additional costs that include X won't be affected by Unbound Flourishing. X must be in the mana cost.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bAvacyn%27s%5d%2b%5bJudgement%5d">Avacyn&#39;s Judgement</a> has a cost of {1}{R}, but has a madness cost of {X}{R}. Am I right that if I pay the madness cost, {X} will be <em>in</em> the mana cost and the spell will be copied? Likewise for Flashback costs and Mutate Costs.</p>

<magic-the-gathering>
Unbound Flourishing and Alternative costs
Soulus101
# Unbound Flourishing and Alternative costs

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-04-12)

The rulings for [Unbound Flourishing](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bUnbound%20Flourishing%5d) state

> Spells with additional costs that include X won't be affected by Unbound Flourishing. X must be in the mana cost.

[Avacyn's Judgement](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bAvacyn%27s%5d%2b%5bJudgement%5d) has a cost of {1}{R}, but has a madness cost of {X}{R}. Am I right that if I pay the madness cost, {X} will be *in* the mana cost and the spell will be copied? Likewise for Flashback costs and Mutate Costs.

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-04-12. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Alternative costs such as Madness do not change the mana cost of a spell. The mana cost is not defined as the cost you paid to cast the spell; it is simply defined as the cost in the upper right of the card. Avacyn's Judgement still has a mana cost of {1}{R} even when cast for its Madness cost and Unbound Flourishing won't respond to it.

[From CR 202](https://blogs.magicjudges.org/rules/cr202/#1):

> 202.1 A card’s mana cost is indicated by mana symbols near the top of the card. (See rule 107.4.) On most cards, these symbols are printed in the upper right corner.

Nothing in [the rules for casting spells](https://blogs.magicjudges.org/rules/cr601/) changes the mana cost of the spell, even when alternative costs are paid. Essentially, what you're finally pay ing when using an alternative cost is the *total cost* of the spell: that's defined as the mana cost *or*—if you elected to use one, which you did—the alternative cost, plus any cost increases/decreases.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: It might be worth noting that when casting a spell, there is a thing called the mana cost, and a thing called the total cost, and they are not the same. See CR 601.2f.  

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