Emblazoned Golem X Cost

[fern]

I've looked around a bit and really haven't had too much success in answering this question. Either that, or the caffienum isn't allowing me to concentrate enough.

If I have an emblazoned golem, which costs 2 colorless, can I declare it's kicker cost, which is X, as 0? If so, then does it count as kicked, and thus (I bet you didn't see this one coming) triggers Hallar, the firefletcher?

I've seen the x cost rules, but it feels as if I'm missing some definitive answer on this.

107.3a If a spell or activated ability has a mana cost, alternative cost, additional cost, and/or activation cost with an {X}, [-X], or X in it, and the value of X isn’t defined by the text of that spell or ability, the controller of that spell or ability chooses and announces the value of X as part of casting the spell or activating the ability. (See rule 601, “Casting Spells.”) While a spell is on the stack, any X in its mana cost or in any alternative cost or additional cost it has equals the announced value. While an activated ability is on the stack, any X in its activation cost equals the announced value.

[ApothecaryGeist]

Normally you could pay zero for an X cost.  But because of the text that only colored mana can be spent on X, this particular cost cannot be paid with zero mana.  Colorless is not a color of mana.  No mana is not a color of mana.  No mana has no color.  So it must be a minimum payment of one mana of any color.

[Red_Wyrm]

Well if we look at a card like Crimson Hellkite, you're saying we cant tap it with x=0? I would think we can. You choose a value of x and pay that much mana, with the restriction of the mana must be, in this case, red. You can choose 0 and pay 0 red mana. Usually x cards specify when x cannot be 0. If it doesnt explicitly state x cannot be 0, then it usually can be.

[ApothecaryGeist]

This is very much a corner case.  Usually X spells or abilities do state that X cannot be zero.  However we are looking at cards that have other text restricting X.  All of them are from old sets.  At the time of their printing, it did not matter if X could be zero.  It is only with interactions with cards printed many years later that it matters. 


There are only 7 cards that specify that only a specific color of mana may be used for X. 


Three have the X in their mana cost.  Mana costs (printed in the upper right corner) always permit X to be cast for 0 because there are many effects that let you cast spells without paying their mana cost.  - Consume Spirit, Drain Life, Soul Burn


Another three are creatures with activated abilities that have such text. - Atalya, Samite Master; Crimson Hellkite; Crypt Rats


And the seventh is Emblazoned Golem with this text tied to the kicker ability.  Kicker is not an activated ability.  It is a static ability that lets you pay an additional cost when casting the spell. 


To be honest ... after much research and pouring through the Comprehensive Rules ... I am stumped.


I am 100% certain that Drain Life and the like can be cast for an X of zero.  This is because there many effects in Magic that permit you to cast spells without paying their mana costs, and so this contingency is accounted for in the rules.


For Crimson Hellkite, I am 50/50 on it.  Mana costs (in the upper right hand of the card) and activation costs are treated differently by the rules.  They do not let you pay resources that you do not have.  Since zero mana can't be red, you can't pay zero red mana.  But I can see the argument both ways.  Here's where I'm really stumped.


Because of this, I'm only 75% certain that you can't announce kicking Emblazoned Golem for zero.  My gut still says that because it is an additional cost, you can only opt into it if you can actually pay it.  Zero mana can't be of a specific color, so it cannot be paid.


If you have access to some judges, I would ask a few.  Because this is such a corner case involving such an old card (and truly only ONE card), I would seek multiple opinions from judges.

[Red_Wyrm]

I found something. Well this was a judge on reddit, not me.

118.3a Paying mana is done by removing the indicated mana from a player’s mana pool. (Players can always pay 0 mana.) If excess mana remains in that player’s mana pool after making that payment, the player announces what mana is still there.

So from that it is pretty solid we can conclude you can pay 0 red mana or black mana or even purple mana (okay maybe not purple mana).

702.32d If a spell’s controller declares the intention to pay any of that spell’s kicker costs, that spell has been “kicked.”

If we can agree that you can pay 0 mana, then this seems pretty straightforward, it would trigger Hallar, the firefletcher.

I've never seen ApothecaryGeist stumped. Nicely done, fern.