Vexing Sphinx

Creature - Sphinx 4/4, 1UU (3)
Flying

Cumulative upkeep-Discard a card. (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)

When Vexing Sphinx is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card for each age counter on it.¹
Illus. Lars Grant-West

Gatherer Card Rulings [Nov 2009]

• 7/15/2006: If Vexing Sphinx has more age counters on it than you have cards in your hand, you can't pay the upkeep and you must sacrifice it.
• 10/1/2008: Paying cumulative upkeep is always optional. If it's not paid, the permanent with cumulative upkeep is sacrificed. Partial payments of the total cumulative upkeep cost can't be made. For example, if a permanent with "cumulative upkeep {1}" has three age counters on it when its cumulative upkeep ability triggers, it gets another age counter and then its controller chooses to either pay {4} or sacrifice the permanent.

Format Legality	Legal in Vintage, Legacy, Extended, MTGO Classic Banned in Standard
Printings (1/9)	Coldsnap (Rare)