Mox Amber + Tidespout Tyrant

AI draft — not yet human-reviewed. Check citations and flag anything that looks wrong. How pages are reviewed.

Overview

Tapping Mox Amber’s ability chooses a color from the legendary creatures and/or planeswalkers you currently control; if you control none, you may activate the ability but it won’t add mana (Ruling [2018-04-27]). Casting a spell using mana produced (or from any other source) will cause Tidespout Tyrant’s triggered ability to trigger; when that triggered ability resolves it returns the chosen target permanent to its owner’s hand. State-based actions (including the legend rule) are checked normally [704.3] and [704.5k].

The StackRules & CitationsDetails & Edge Cases

Step 1

Starting position: you control Mox Amber and Tidespout Tyrant (and any other permanents you may have).

Step 2

Activate Mox Amber’s : ability. As part of that activation you choose one mana color among legendary creatures and planeswalkers you control; if you control none you may activate but will add no mana (Ruling [2018-04-27]).

Step 3

If Mox Amber added mana, that mana is now available to spend to cast spells this turn (you may combine it with other mana sources).

Step 4

Cast the spell you intend to cast, paying its costs (possibly using mana from Mox Amber). Casting that spell causes Tidespout Tyrant’s triggered ability (“Whenever you cast a spell…”) to trigger and be put on the stack.

Step 5

State-based actions are checked as normal between steps where priority would be given [704.3].

Step 6

When the Tidespout Tyrant trigger resolves, it returns the targeted permanent to its owner’s hand. The ability can target any permanent that is a legal target when the ability was put on the stack (including Mox Amber or Tidespout Tyrant itself, subject to normal targeting rules).

Step 7

If the returned permanent was the source that determined Mox Amber’s available colors, that does not retroactively change mana that was already added to the mana pool or already spent on the spell.

Resolution

You may tap Mox Amber and add mana of a color among legendary creatures and planeswalkers you control; if you control no such permanents you may still activate Mox Amber but you won't add mana (Ruling [2018-04-27]). Casting a spell will cause Tidespout Tyrant’s triggered ability to trigger and later return the targeted permanent to its owner’s hand when that trigger resolves. Returning a permanent after mana has been added or spent does not retroactively change mana already in the pool. State-based checks (including the legend rule) occur as normal [704.3] and [704.5k].