Illusionary Mask

[Bozo_Law]

Can someone help me figure out Illusionary Mask?

[Double-O-Scotch]

{illusionary mask}

[Double-O-Scotch]

Lol, brain pain...

[Double-O-Scotch]

The oracle text is more confusing...the actual print makes sense...

[MisterJH]

Ok so here it is. You take a creature and you pay its ACTUAL MANA COST

If its mana cost is {B}{G}, you must pay {B}{G}

The catch is, you may pay any amount of mana(0 included) and play said creature FACE DOWN, so your opponent has no clue what you jus played, similar to playing a creature you intend to morph. The {X} value of {illusionary mask} simply is to hide the actual mana cost of the creature. If you do not care tht your opponent knows your creatures mana cost, then pay 0 for {X}

Then, for your creature to turn face up it must either
1) deal damage
2) be dealt damage
Or 3) become tapped some way

Get it now?

[Double-O-Scotch]

You can play virtually any creature from your hand for any mana cost you can think of in an attempt to confuse your opponent as to the creatures true identity. It's face down and a 2/2. If its tapped or deals/dealt damage, POOF it goes face up. Crazy.

[MisterJH]

You can pay any mana cost, as long as it includes the original mana cost of the creature. You can only pay more than the actual cost, not less

[Paraluke]

So if the creature has hexproof, does that mean the spell fizzles if it targets the creature, say a  {Lightning Bolt}?

[MisterJH]

From how i interpret it, No, lightning bolt would deal damage, causing it to flip to its true form. If the true form had less than 3 toughness itd die. The thing is the card is already targeted so its a too late thing. Idk though. Goshthis card is unecessary

[Paraluke]

Gracious me, I have not woke up. Yea I think hexproof may not prevent it...

[NyghtHawk]

It would die. Flipping it only shows its true p/t. Abilities are too late to take affect.

[MisterJH]

Someone please post every ruling ever about this card, its so ridiculous.

[NyghtHawk]

Specifically note the ruling about {terror}.


10/4/2004    The creature enters the battlefield face down, so none of its "enters the battlefield" abilities will trigger or have any effect. Also none of its "As this enters the battlefield" abilities apply.
10/4/2004    The creature's "enters the battlefield" abilities (and any other abilities relating to the creature entering the battlefield) do not trigger when it turns face up.
10/4/2004    Only the controller of the face down creature can look at it.
4/1/2008       A "creature card" is any card with the type Creature, even if it has other types such as Artifact, Enchantment, or Land. Older cards of type Summon are also Creature cards.
10/1/2009    If you use the ability to cast a creature card face down, you must keep track of the amount and types of mana you spent on {X}. If that creature spell is moved from the stack to anywhere other than the battlefield, the resulting creature leaves the battlefield, or the game ends, the face-down card is revealed. If its mana cost couldn't be paid by some amount of, or all of, the mana you spent on {X}, all applicable penalties for casting a card illegally are assessed.
10/1/2009    You actually cast the card face-down, much as when playing a spell with Morph. It can be responded to and countered.
10/1/2009    The effect that turns it face-up is a replacement effect. It doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.
10/1/2009    You may not turn a face-down spell face up. You may not turn a face-down permanent face up unless it would have morph while face up or an effect specifically allows you to turn it face up. Illusionary Mask's ability has you turn a face-down creature face up if it would assign damage, deal damage, be dealt damage, or become tapped, but not for any other reason. For example, if you use Illusionary Mask's ability to cast a black creature face down, you can't turn it face up just because it's being targeted by Terror.
10/1/2009    Both the amount and types of mana you spend on {X} are taken into account while you're choosing a creature card from your hand. For example, if you spent {U}{U} on {X}, you can choose a creature card with mana cost {U}{U}, {1}{U}, {2}, or {W/U}{W/U}, among other possibilities, but not one that costs {2}{U} or one that costs {G}.
10/1/2009    While the creature card is face down, it's a 2/2 creature with no name, mana cost, color, creature type, abilities, or expansion symbol. Since it has no mana cost, its converted mana cost is 0.
10/1/2009    You may look at a face-down spell or permanent you control at any time.
10/1/2009    You can turn a face-down permanent face up if it would have morph while face up. This applies to creatures you cast face down as a result of Illusionary Mask's effect. The rest of Illusionary Mask's effect applies to it as well.
10/1/2009    Illusionary Mask's ability will continue to apply to creatures cast face down with it, even if Illusionary Mask has left the battlefield.

[Double-O-Scotch]

{illusionary mask} + {eater of days} = fun

[Firemind]

If {knowledge pool} was in play would the card be exiled face down? If so you could force opponents to gamble at wether or not they drop a spell for yours.