AI DraftFeb 26, 2026
Etherium Sculptor + Forensic Gadgeteer + Sensei's Divining Top + Urza, Lord High Artificer
Overview
If Urza’s 
ability exiles Sensei’s Divining Top and you choose to play it without paying its mana cost, you are still casting an artifact spell (see and Ruling [2022-12-08]); that will cause Forensic Gadgeteer’s “Whenever you cast an artifact spell, investigate.” trigger to trigger (see and ). Etherium Sculptor’s static reduction (“Artifact spells you cast cost 
less to cast.”) affects the total cost of artifact spells while determining the cost to pay , but when you play a card without paying its mana cost there is no mana payment to reduce (it can still reduce any additional costs you choose to pay) (see Ruling [2008-10-01] and Ruling [2022-12-08]). Forensic Gadgeteer’s other static ability reduces activated abilities of artifacts you control by but can’t reduce the mana in that cost to less than one mana, so it does not let you pay 
for Sensei’s ability (see Ruling [2024-02-02]); Sensei’s and 
can be used in response to each other per Ruling [2016-06-08].
ability exiles Sensei’s Divining Top and you choose to play it without paying its mana cost, you are still casting an artifact spell (see and Ruling [2022-12-08]); that will cause Forensic Gadgeteer’s “Whenever you cast an artifact spell, investigate.” trigger to trigger (see and ). Etherium Sculptor’s static reduction (“Artifact spells you cast cost less to cast.”) affects the total cost of artifact spells while determining the cost to pay , but when you play a card without paying its mana cost there is no mana payment to reduce (it can still reduce any additional costs you choose to pay) (see Ruling [2008-10-01] and Ruling [2022-12-08]). Forensic Gadgeteer’s other static ability reduces activated abilities of artifacts you control by but can’t reduce the mana in that cost to less than one mana, so it does not let you pay for Sensei’s ability (see Ruling [2024-02-02]); Sensei’s and can be used in response to each other per Ruling [2016-06-08].Step 1
Activate Urza’s ability; shuffle your library and exile the top card of your library. Urza’s ability gives you permission to play that card without paying its mana cost for the turn (this is an effect that lets you play a card without paying its mana cost) [601.2; Ruling [2022-12-08]].
ability; shuffle your library and exile the top card of your library. Urza’s ability gives you permission to play that card without paying its mana cost for the turn (this is an effect that lets you play a card without paying its mana cost) [601.2; Ruling [2022-12-08]].Step 2
If the exiled card is Sensei’s Divining Top and you choose to play it, you are casting that artifact spell (placing it on the stack) even though you’re not paying its mana cost; casting follows the steps in .
Step 3
When determining the total cost to cast Top, the mana component is not being paid because you chose to play it without paying its mana cost; cost reductions like Etherium Sculptor reduce the total cost you pay but cannot force a negative payment and can only affect costs you actually pay (see and Ruling [2008-10-01] and Ruling [2022-12-08]).
Step 4
Because Top is being cast as a spell, Forensic Gadgeteer sees 'Whenever you cast an artifact spell' and its triggered ability triggers and is put on the stack (see and ). That triggered ability will create a Clue when it resolves.
Step 5
When the Top spell resolves it is put onto the battlefield under your control per . At that point it can be used as an artifact permanent; Forensic Gadgeteer’s static activated-cost reduction then applies to activated abilities of artifacts you control on the battlefield (Ruling [2024-02-02]).
Step 6
Forensic Gadgeteer’s activated-cost reduction reduces the mana component of artifact activated abilities by but can’t reduce the mana portion of a cost to less than one mana, so Top’s : look at top three remains a activation (Ruling [2024-02-02]). Top’s ability is an activated ability that doesn’t require mana; Gadgeteer does not change tap costs into mana or remove tap costs (Ruling [2024-02-02]).
but can’t reduce the mana portion of a cost to less than one mana, so Top’s : look at top three remains a activation (Ruling [2024-02-02]). Top’s ability is an activated ability that doesn’t require mana; Gadgeteer does not change tap costs into mana or remove tap costs (Ruling [2024-02-02]).Step 7
You can use Top’s abilities in the interaction described by its ruling: for example, you may activate in response to or vice versa as allowed by Ruling [2016-06-08].
in response to or vice versa as allowed by Ruling [2016-06-08].Resolution
If Urza exiles Sensei’s Divining Top and you play it without paying its mana cost, you cast the artifact spell (it goes on the stack per and is put onto the battlefield when it resolves per ). Forensic Gadgeteer’s “Whenever you cast an artifact spell, investigate.” triggers when you cast that spell (). Etherium Sculptor’s cost reduction is relevant only to the total cost you actually pay (it can reduce additional costs but cannot make a zero mana payment become negative) (; Ruling [2008-10-01]; Ruling [2022-12-08]). Forensic Gadgeteer’s activated-ability-cost reduction only applies to activated abilities of artifacts you control on the battlefield and can’t reduce the mana portion of those costs below one mana, so it won’t let you pay for Top’s ability (Ruling [2024-02-02]). Sensei’s Divining Top’s abilities can be ordered/resolved in the way described in Ruling [2016-06-08].
for Top’s ability (Ruling [2024-02-02]). Sensei’s Divining Top’s abilities can be ordered/resolved in the way described in Ruling [2016-06-08].Feedback