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.
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.
If the target of The Dawning Archaic's last ability has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.
Last observed on Scryfall 2 months ago at $5.93. Over the trailing 90 days the price moved between $0.25 and $7.59 across 83 observations. Cross-checked across TCGplayer, eBay sold, Cardmarket EU, and Star City.
This printing is one of 2 catalogued treatments from SOS — the lineup includes Showcase 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 #289 of *Secrets of Strixhaven*, the set that shipped alongside the April 2026 Secrets of Strixhaven release.
Card type: Legendary Creature — Avatar, printed at mythic. Mythic rares historically land in roughly one out of every eight boosters at standard print densities. Mana cost: {10} (10 converted). Keyword abilities: Reach.
Legal across the major constructed formats — Modern, Legacy, Vintage, and Commander — plus Standard rotation play.
EDHrec ranks this card #11,169 in Commander, putting it in the fringe-play tier of the format's playable pool.
Illustrated by Mintautas Šukys. Rarix catalogs 12 other cards credited to this artist.
Magic: The Gathering · ™ & © Wizards of the Coast · Illus. Mintautas Šukys
Card data via Scryfall. Rarix is fan-made; not endorsed by the rights holders.
