Madness
Madness is a keyword ability on spells that allows a player to cast that spell for an alternate cost if the card is discarded. It is primary in black and red, secondary in blue, and tertiary in white and green.
From the Comprehensive Rules (November 8, 2024—Edge of Eternities)
- 702.35. Madness
- 702.35a Madness is a keyword that represents two abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the card with madness is in a player’s hand. The second is a triggered ability that functions when the first ability is applied. “Madness [cost]” means “If a player would discard this card, that player discards it, but exiles it instead of putting it into their graveyard” and “When this card is exiled this way, its owner may cast it by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost. If that player doesn’t, they put this card into their graveyard.”
- 702.35b Casting a spell using its madness ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.
- 702.35c After resolving a madness triggered ability, if the exiled card wasn’t cast and was moved to a public zone, effects referencing the discarded card can find that card. See rule 400.7k.
- Cards are discarded in a Magic game only from a player’s hand. Effects that put cards into a player’s graveyard from anywhere else do not cause those cards to be discarded.
- Madness works independently of why you’re discarding the card. You could discard it to pay a cost, because a spell or ability tells you to, or because you have too many cards in your hand during your cleanup step. You can’t discard a card with madness just because you want to, though.
- A card with madness that’s discarded counts as having been discarded even though it’s put into exile rather than a graveyard. If it was discarded to pay a cost, that cost is still paid. Abilities that trigger when a card is discarded will still trigger.
- A spell cast for its madness cost is put onto the stack like any other spell. It can be countered, copied, and so on. As it resolves, it’s put onto the battlefield if it’s a permanent card or into its owner’s graveyard if it’s an instant or sorcery card.
- Casting a spell with madness ignores the timing rules based on the card’s card type. For example, you can cast a sorcery with madness if you discard it during an opponent’s turn.
History
Madness was introduced in the Odyssey block in Torment,[3][4] and has been featured in Time Spiral block[5] and Shadows over Innistrad.[6] In the latter set, it is tied to the Vampire tribe. Madness also appeared in Commander 2019 and Modern Horizons 2.[7]
Torment’s madness cards inspired a deck known as “Wild Mongrel”, or “UG Madness“, which, using the signature card Wild Mongrel, enabled instant-speed discard, allowing cards with Madness to be played at instant-speed. Wild Mongrel also enabled other abilities such as flashback and the seven-card Incarnations (Anger, Brawn, Filth, Genesis, Glory, Valor, and Wonder).
Each reprinting of the mechanic has brought minor updates to the rules for the keyword. The Time Spiral update was part of a sweeping cleanup to the formatting of the Comprehensive Rules, and did not change the gameplay of the ability.[8]
Madness in practice
Madness leans into the idea of adding value when losing something in this case when you lose a card from your hand in that moment there is opportunity.
You could make yourself discard cards to take advantage from Madness alternate costs.
