Floodtide Serpent

What does it mean to return an enchantment in Floodtide Serpent's text? It is not a condition when it can be declared to attack (as Arboria), it is the attack cost. It means that it should be paid in an exact moment for an exact creature. Just returning an enchantment into the hand with any other reason won't be considered as a payed cost.

That is what you should firmly know about the attack cost:

• It has to be paid for each creature individually: if you attack with two Floodtide Serpents, you have to return two enchantments.
• It has to be paid every time this creature is declaring attacking.
• It is being paid only of the controller wishes.

When do you exactly have to pay the cost? If you attentively read the rules about declare attackers step, you will notice, that all actions have to be taken in the order. Now we care only about those 5 steps:

• A player chose creatures which are able to attack.
• The check for all requirements and limitations is being held.
• Declared attacking creatures are tapping.
• The attack cost is being identified and fixed. If the cost includes extra mana pay, that player have a chance to activate mana abilities. Then the cost is being payed.
• Creatures are declared attacking. That is where the “whenever the creature attack” type of triggers works.

You pay the attack cost in the declare attackers step, so your opponent won't have a chance to bounce back the chosen enchantment, because no player has priority at that moment.

How does it work?

You return an enchantment you control to its owner hand as the attack cos t for Floodtide Serpent. This permanent can have any other subtypes like: Whip of Erebos, Thassa, God of the Sea or Boon Satyr.

If you decided to return Aura to the hand, you should remember that aura's controller and the enchanted object's controller is not always the same player. You can easily return your Pacifism, enchanting your opponent's creature or your Rancor, which enchanted creature that has been stealed by the cunning opponent. However, you can't return someone else's enchantment which is attached to your permanent.

Enchantments which you return as the attack cost of Floodtide Serpent can have various abilities.

• Static ability effect stops its influence right after the enchantment leaves the battlefield.
• Triggered abilities which triggers when the enchantment leaves the battlefield will be put on the stack right after you declare attackers and all SBA check will be done.
• Triggers with “whenever the creature attack” type won't work. That is because the enchantment will leave the battlefield before the creature becomes attacking.

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1. ⇑ If the attack cost includes paying extra mana, you won't be able to get mana from Food Chain, and the return an enchantment into your hand.

Translated by Aleskandra Ladygina