Elite Arcanist

Text:

When Elite Arcanist enters the battlefield, you may exile an instant card from your hand.
, : Copy the exiled card. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost. X is the mana value of the exiled card.

Rulings:

• 7/1/2013 You don’t choose the value of <img src="/Handlers/Image.ashx?size=small&amp;name=X&amp;type=symbol" alt="Variable Colorless" align="absbottom" /> in the activation cost of Elite Arcanist’s ability. It’s defined by the converted mana cost of the exiled instant card.
• 7/1/2013 The copy is created in and cast from exile. You must still follow any timing restrictions, such as “Cast [this spell] only during combat.”
• 7/1/2013 You can’t pay any alternative costs such as overload costs. You can pay additional costs such as kicker costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
• 7/1/2013 If the copied card has <img src="/Handlers/Image.ashx?size=small&amp;name=X&amp;type=symbol" alt="Variable Colorless" align="absbottom" /> in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value when casting the copy. Don’t confuse that <img src="/Handlers/Image.ashx?size=small&amp;name=X&amp;type=symbol" alt="Variable Colorless" align="absbottom" /> with the <img src="/Handlers/Image.ashx?size=small&amp;name=X&amp;type=symbol" alt="Variable Colorless" align="absbottom" /> in the activation cost of Elite Arcanist’s ability.
• 7/1/2013 If the exiled card is a split card, then X is determined by the combined mana cost of both halves. However, when you cast the copy, you choose only one half to cast. You may cast a different half each time you create and cast a copy.
• 7/1/2013 If Elite Arcanist leaves the battlefield, you will no longer be able to copy the exiled card. If it returns to the battlefield, you’ll be able to exile another instant card from your hand, but Elite Arcanist will be a different permanent with no connection to the first exiled card.