Forum:Summoning Curse, is it optional or mandatory cost and why?

I have scoured the wikia pages on Summoning Curse, Cost, Mandatory Cost and cannot find a description of what makes some costs mandatory and others forced.

Specifically, from reading Summoning Curse and card's like it, the upkeep cost at the end would not be optional. There is no "you can" or "if", it tells a mandatory thing to do.

However, the Tips section (not a part of explaining Cost, or even cost related area)says that Summoning Curse cost is optional.

How do we as duelists tell from what cards say that they are/not optional/mandatory.

If there is an update to the card errata, then plz update the Summoning Curse page so we can judge better and have more fun playing, else explain this. — This unsigned comment was made by 173.172.72.149 (talk • contribs) 17:29, March 12, 2011

You should pay the cost no matter what, we do what it told. Think "Imperial Order", it has same cost way as this card does. --FredCat 17:34, March 12, 2011 (UTC)

"During each of your End Phases, pay 500 Life Points or destroy this card". Is this what you are referring to? It seems straightforward to me:

• Scenario 1: You pay the cost. Summoning Curse remains on the field.
• Scenario 2: You destroy Summoning Curse.

I fail to see where your confusion stems from. (On an unrelated note, thank you for taking the time to search the wiki before posting your question. Many people fail to do this, which really annoys me. So much so that I created the sticky thread for it.) Lappyzard (talk • contribs) 18:10, March 12, 2011 (UTC)

I am glad he gave out a good resolutions. I also give a point that it's same way with Imperial Order, pay 700 or watch it blow. --FredCat 18:12, March 12, 2011 (UTC)

First, thank you for the quick response. Second, I just checked the link to Imperial Order, and from reading the text I am lead to believe it may be optional "pay...if you do not", which i kinda see as optional

im not saying i think it is, or should be, or understand why it would yet.

Isn't the "if you do not" simply conditioned on whether or not you "could or can" it doesn't say you "can pay life points to" it just says "if you do not".

I have allways believed that means its mandatory to pay, and conditioned that if you can not pay then the card is destroyed.

Why would that be wrong? If I am, will anyone patetion to have the erratta updated so its clear and doesnt cause these arguments?

When will cards say what we need them to say, so that judges don't have to waste time on stupid arguments

It's quite simple. Cards that say "If you do not, this card is destroyed" are optional. Cards that say "if you cannot, this card is destroyed" are mandatory. Lappyzard (talk • contribs) 22:10, March 12, 2011 (UTC)

The Card_Rulings:Summoning_Curse#OCG_Rulings say that it was mistranslated and that it should have said "During each of your End Phases, destroy this card unless you pay 500 Life Points."

Which would mean that it is Optional (just like the KKMs)

Also, WC11 says it's Optional as well. -Falzar FZ- (talk page|useful stuff) 22:37, March 12, 2011 (UTC)

Hey I'm still a little confused, so much so that I'm stuck on this one. How sure are you that doing one thing "unless" you do something else, doesn't make the first thing mandatory? So, playing summoning curse is supposed to be destroyed during the end phase, unless a cost is somehow paid? and if its "pay "" life points.. if you dont..." still mandatory, forcing players to pay an upkeep cost? What part of that wording is optional? IF the card does say to pay..if not then the if not only would apply when the condition to pay could not be met, your life points would have to be too low to have paid, right? (seriously, this point has been made and argued for this long) "During the endphase you can pay 500 life points, or destroy this card." would have solved this argument. Unfortunately, the card errata does not give an option. it tells us to do something, and what happens if we dont.

Oh so your trying to say, that the unless part "you pay 500 life points" isnt optional, but the condition it is destroyed in? so as long as you have 500 to pay, it would stay on the field? And when you have 499 or less, it would be.

Ignore the unless part. TCG says the last effect has a cost, and costs, defined by Wiki are allways paid before activating an effect. so thats a no brainer. however the OCG, says its a maintanace cost, which wiki says "are mostly optional". Since you obviously speak English, I'm assuming you play by the TCG so pay that cost or else! and will someone please update the maintanace page with WHY some effects would be optional and other's not? PLEASE—This unsigned comment was made by 173.172.72.149 (talk • contribs) 08:50, 2011 April 6

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Pretty sure that all Maintenance Costs are Optional; unless the card says it is not (e.g. Mind Protector, The Regulation of Tribe).

and Imperial Order is Optional. -Falzar FZ- (talk page|useful stuff) 09:38, April 6, 2011 (UTC)