Kicker
Kicker is a keyword ability that allows the player to pay an optional cost when casting a spell to achieve an additional effect.
From the Comprehensive Rules (November 8, 2024—Edge of Eternities)
- 702.33. Kicker
- 702.33a Kicker is a static ability that functions while the spell with kicker is on the stack. “Kicker [cost]” means “You may pay an additional [cost] as you cast this spell.” Paying a spell’s kicker cost(s) follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.
- 702.33b The phrase “Kicker [cost 1] and/or [cost 2]” means the same thing as “Kicker [cost 1], kicker [cost 2].”
- 702.33c Multikicker is a variant of the kicker ability. “Multikicker [cost]” means “You may pay an additional [cost] any number of times as you cast this spell.” A multikicker cost is a kicker cost.
- 702.33d If a spell’s controller declares the intention to pay any of that spell’s kicker costs, that spell has been “kicked.” If a spell has two kicker costs or has multikicker, it may be kicked multiple times. See rule 601.2b.
- 702.33e Objects with kicker or multikicker have additional abilities that specify what happens if they were kicked. These abilities are linked to the kicker or multikicker abilities printed on that object: they can refer only to those specific kicker or multikicker abilities. See rule 607, “Linked Abilities.”
- 702.33f Objects with more than one kicker cost may also have abilities that each correspond to a specific kicker cost. Those abilities contain the phrases “if it was kicked with its [A] kicker” and “if it was kicked with its [B] kicker,” where A and B are the first and second kicker costs listed on the card, respectively. Each of those abilities is linked to the appropriate kicker ability.
- 702.33g If part of a spell’s ability has its effect only if that spell was kicked, and that part of the ability includes any targets, the spell’s controller chooses those targets only if that spell was kicked. Otherwise, the spell is cast as if it did not have those targets. See rule 601.2c.
- 702.33h Sticker kicker is a keyword ability that represents a kicker ability and an ability that imposes an additional cost if the spell is kicked. “Sticker kicker [cost]” means “Kicker [cost]” and “As an additional cost to cast this spell, if it’s kicked, you get a ticket counter and you may put a sticker on this spell.”
History
Kicker was introduced during Invasion block. In this block, the five-colored Coalition Symbol, or at least part of it, is buried in the art of most cards with the kicker ability.[4][5] Being a multicolored set, off-colored kicker costs were immediately implemented, and with Planeshift nonmana kickers and multiple kicker abilities were added.
One design choice that is no longer in use was the granting of abilities to creatures through kicker; while acceptable at the time as +1/+1 counters were rarely granted, with New World Order and more +1/+1 counters used, using the +1/+1 counters as a marker is now less reliable and so not done. Another design choice was that colorless kicker costs were “magnifiers”, in that the spell’s effect numerically increases (creatures could either gain counters or create tokens), but colored kicker costs added a different effect, necessitating a denser color cost. By Zendikar Rising, this was relaxed, with several that are designed opposite to this prior rule.
The basic design premise of Kicker is so simple, many additional-payment mechanics are functionally a form of kicker, making it less desirable to reuse in the aggregate. Nevertheless, Kicker was brought back in the Time Spiral[6][7] and Zendikar blocks.[8] It also appeared in Dominaria[9][10][11], Modern Horizons[12] , Modern Horizons 2, Zendikar Rising[13], the Lord of the Rings Holiday Release and Modern Horizons 3.
Kicker in practice
Kicker is all about possibilities, if you have the extra mana for additional effects it adds value to your strategy.
Burst Lightning is a great example of how a cheap spell can turn into a major threat on late games where it has the possibility to deal more damage given if the Kicker is paid.
