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Hybrid mana (also known as half-half mana) is a type of mana first introduced in Ravnica: City of Guilds and featured throughout the Ravnica[1][2] and Shadowmoor blocks.[3][4][5] Also, it was featured in Alara Reborn as an easier way to play three-colored cards, as was the theme of the block. It returned in Return to Ravnica and again in a much smaller role in Fate Reforged.

Description

Each hybrid mana symbol represents a cost which can be paid with one of two colors. The hybrid mana symbol can be of any combination of two colors, or any color of mana and two generic mana. In textual terms hybrid mana symbols are represented as:

  • {W/U} = White or Blue
  • {U/B} = Blue or Black
  • {B/R} = Black or Red
  • {R/G} = Red or Green
  • {G/W} = Green or White
  • {W/B} = White or Black
  • {U/R} = Blue or Red
  • {B/G} = Black or Green
  • {R/W} = Red or White
  • {G/U} = Green or Blue
  • {2/W} = 2 generic mana or White
  • {2/U} = 2 generic mana or Blue
  • {2/B} = 2 generic mana or Black
  • {2/R} = 2 generic mana or Red
  • {2/G} = 2 generic mana or Green

Monocolored Hybrid

Shadowmoor introduced Monocolored Hybrid cards. Monocolored hybrid mana symbols represent a cost that can be paid in either of two ways. For example, {2/B} can be paid with either {B} or with two mana of any type. It's a black mana symbol.

  • A card with a monocolored hybrid mana symbol in its mana cost is each of the colors that appears in its mana cost, regardless of what mana was spent to play it. It is not colorless. For example, Beseech the Queen above is black, even if you spend six red mana to play it.
  • A card with monocolored hybrid mana symbols in its mana cost has a converted mana cost equal to the highest possible cost it could be played for. Its converted mana cost never changes. For example, Beseech the Queen above has a converted mana cost of 6, even if you spend {B}{B}{B} to play it.
  • If a cost includes more than one monocolored hybrid mana symbol, you can choose a different way to pay for each symbol. For example, you can play Beseech the Queen by spending {B}{B}{B}, {2}{B}{B}, {4}{B}, or {6}.
  • If an effect reduces the cost to play a spell by an amount of generic mana, it applies to a monocolored hybrid spell only if you've chosen a method of paying for it that includes generic mana.
  • Unlike other hybrid cards, which appear in two-tone frames, the Shadowmoor monocolored hybrid cards appear in monocolored frames because they're just a single color.[6]

Alara Reborn

In the 2009 set Alara Reborn, hybrid symbols were featured alongside the "normal" mana symbols for the first time. For example, Jund Hackblade was given the cost {B/G}{R} for the reason of it being a card with a converted mana cost of 2 that was needed to be tri-colored. The mana cost of {B/G}{R} is representative of the allied colors of red, black, and green. Black and green are enemies, though they both are allied to the main color, red, or {R}. All the hybrid cards in the set follow this patterning, thus all hybrid symbols were of enemy colors.

Rulings

  • Hybrid mana symbols appear only in costs, such as the mana cost in the upper right corner of a card or the cost to activate an activated ability.
  • A card with hybrid mana symbols in its mana cost is each color that appears in its mana cost, regardless of what mana was spent to cast it. For example, the Deathcult Rogue is blue and black, even if you cast it with only blue mana.
  • As you cast a spell or activate an activated ability with hybrid mana symbols in its cost, you choose which color of mana you will spend for each hybrid mana symbol. You do this at the same time you would choose modes or choose a value for an X in a mana cost. For example, you choose whether you'll cast Deathcult Rogue by paying {1}{U}{U}, {1}{U}{B}, or {1}{B}{B}.

Trivia

  • Hybrid mana symbols were featured as rules card 3 of 6 in the Shadowmoor set and 2 of 8 in the Eventide set and 1 of 3 in the Alara Reborn set.
  • The design for the hybrid mana symbols was chosen after careful consideration of other possibilities.[7]
  • Three-color hybrid, or "tri-brid" is deemed too close to colorless, ugly and confusing.[8]
  • Hybrid mana is considered to be a deciduous mechanic.[9]

See also

References

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  9. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (March 09, 2016). "". Tumblr.

External links

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