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."
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 Mystic Remora 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 {4} or sacrifice it.
This printing is one of 3 catalogued treatments from ME1 — the lineup includes Foil and Nonfoil alongside the standard finish. Across our catalog the Rarix library tracks every variant in the same family so collectors can compare price, scarcity and demand inside a single lineage.
Card #42 of *Masters Edition*, the set that shipped alongside the September 2007 Masters Edition release.
Card type: Enchantment, color identity blue, printed at uncommon. Uncommons fill the middle-tier slots in a standard booster configuration. Mana cost: {U} (1 converted). Keyword abilities: Cumulative upkeep.
Legal across the major constructed formats — Modern, Legacy, Vintage, and Commander — plus Standard rotation play.
EDHrec ranks this card #96 in Commander, putting it in the format-staple tier of the format's playable pool.
Illustrated by Ken Meyer, Jr..
Magic: The Gathering · ™ & © Wizards of the Coast · Illus. Ken Meyer, Jr.
Card data via Scryfall. Rarix is fan-made; not endorsed by the rights holders.
