Sacrifice Question

MagicPlayer1997 · Guest

This is probably I stupid question, but just in case noone has thought of it before, I figured I'd ask anyway.

Some cards require you to sacrifice something as a cost and some require you to sacrifice something at certain times, or when certain conditions apply.

First example, Blood Funnel tells me if I play a noncreature spell it is countered unless I sacrifice a creature.
Can I sacrifice a Bottle Gnomes at this time for 3 life and have my spell not be countered?
The text doesn't tell me I'm sacrificing to the Blood Funnel, it only tells me I have to sacrifice a creature at this time.

Second example, Oni Possession. Same story, it tells me I have to sacrifice a creature during my upkeep. It does not state it as a cost of the enchantment. It simply says I have to perform the action at this time.

Yes, I might be twisting the text to try and gain some advantage, but at least I'm not doing it in game and am checking beforehand :p I'm assuming for now that you can't use a different sacrifice to fulfill the conditions, but I'd love to be told it works!

djww19 · Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 396

First example - No. You can only sacrifice for one effect. The Blood Funnel doesn't see the earlier sacrifice for 3 life, then asks for one for itself when you cast the creature spell.

2nd Example - It's an upkeep cost of Oni Possession that you sacrifice a creature each of your upkeeps.

End Result: you cannot sac a creature you allready sac'd. If you want to go into timing, it's because it ain't there no more.

Wink

scurvy · Joined: 01 Sep 2004 Posts: 119

Think of it just like mana. If you put one mana in your pool, can you play all your activated abilities that cost one mana? No, you can only put that mana into one spell or ability at a time. Similarly, you can only pay the cost of one ability at a time by sacrificing a creature, like sacrificing gave you 1 "creature-sacrificed" mana instead of red or blue.

Guest · Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:07 am Post subject:

That's what I figured. I was just trying really hard to see it so that blood funnel wasn't asking FOR something, it was just asking you to DO something.

Thanks for confirmation.