The Dawning Archaic
Secrets of Strixhaven (SOS)
Legendary Creature — Avatar
This spell costs
less to cast for each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard.
Reach
Whenever The Dawning Archaic attacks, you may cast target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard without paying its mana cost. If that spell would be put into your graveyard, exile it instead.Constructed
Commander
Arena
Other
Versions
3 printings · from $1.24
Rulings
3 · latest Mar 20, 2026
- WotCMar 20, 2026
If the target of The Dawning Archaic's last ability has
in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost. - WotCMar 20, 2026
To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions (such as that of The Dawning Archaic's first ability). The mana value of the spell is determined by only its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast that spell was.
- WotCMar 20, 2026
You cast the spell while The Dawning Archaic's last ability is resolving and still on the stack. You can't wait to cast it later in the turn. Timing restrictions based on the card's types are ignored. If you cast a spell "without paying its mana cost," you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast the spell.