Prove your worth to the viking gods, Kaldheim, Magic: the Gathering There are rules, and then there are gods
You can also double up on your abilities since Thousand-Year Elixir can also untap a creature you control, letting you keep up blockers or tapping it for a second activation of an ability
To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you're paying (such as a flashback cost), add any cost increases (such as kicker costs), then apply any cost reductions (such as that of The Fire Crystal's first ability)
Notably, opponents can't remove creatures from combat to try to change Sentry Bot's total cost
Heliod, Sun-Crowned | Illustration by Lius Lasahido +1/+1 counters are game objects or markers that go onto creatures and increase their power and toughness for as long as though counters remain