Vexing Sphinx

one generic mana one blue mana Creature — SphinxPower and toughness4/4

Flying

Cumulative upkeep—Discard a card. (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)

When this creature dies, draw a card for each age counter on it.

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0.35 $

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24 printings

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Vexing Sphinx rulings

2022-12-08
Paying cumulative upkeep is always optional. If it’s not paid, the permanent with cumulative upkeep is sacrificed. Partial payments of the total cumulative upkeep cost can’t be made. For example, if Vexing Sphinx has three age counters on it when its cumulative upkeep ability triggers, it gets another age counter and then its controller chooses to either discard four cards or sacrifice it.
2008-10-01
Paying cumulative upkeep is always optional. If it's not paid, the permanent with cumulative upkeep is sacrificed. Partial payments of the total cumulative upkeep cost can't be made. For example, if a permanent with “cumulative upkeep ” has three age counters on it when its cumulative upkeep ability triggers, it gets another age counter and then its controller chooses to either pay or sacrifice the permanent.

Vexing Sphinx keyword rules

Cumulative upkeep Rule 702.24

Cumulative upkeep is a triggered ability that imposes an increasing cost on a permanent. “Cumulative upkeep [cost]” means “At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent is on the battlefield, put an age counter on this permanent. Then you may pay [cost] for each age counter on it. If you don’t, sacrifice it.” If [cost] has choices associated with it, each choice is made separately for each age counter, then either the entire set of costs is paid, or none of them is paid. Partial payments aren’t allowed.

If a permanent has multiple instances of cumulative upkeep, each triggers separately. However, the age counters are not connected to any particular ability; each cumulative upkeep ability will count the total number of age counters on the permanent at the time that ability resolves.

Flying Rule 702.9

Flying is an evasion ability.

A creature with flying can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying and/or reach. A creature with flying can block a creature with or without flying. (See rule , “Declare Blockers Step,” and rule , “Reach.”)

Multiple instances of flying on the same creature are redundant.