diff --git a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/AiController.java b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/AiController.java
index d9c5907f2a5..64abbaa520d 100644
--- a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/AiController.java
+++ b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/AiController.java
@@ -911,21 +911,8 @@ public class AiController {
             }
         }
 
-        int oldCMC = -1;
-        boolean xCost = sa.costHasX() || host.hasKeyword(Keyword.STRIVE) || sa.getApi() == ApiType.Charm;
-        if (!xCost) {
-            if (!ComputerUtilCost.canPayCost(sa, player, sa.isTrigger())) {
-                // for most costs, it's OK to check if they can be paid early in order to avoid running a heavy API check
-                // when the AI won't even be able to play the spell in the first place (even if it could afford it)
-                return AiPlayDecision.CantAfford;
-            }
-            // TODO check for Reduce too, e.g. Battlefield Thaumaturge could make it castable
-            if (!sa.getAllTargetChoices().isEmpty()) {
-                oldCMC = CostAdjustment.adjust(sa.getPayCosts(), sa, false).getTotalMana().getCMC();
-            }
-        }
-
-        AiPlayDecision canPlay = canPlaySa(sa); // this is the "heaviest" check, which also sets up targets, defines X, etc.
+        // this is the "heaviest" check, which also sets up targets, defines X, etc.
+        AiPlayDecision canPlay = canPlaySa(sa);
 
         if (canPlay != AiPlayDecision.WillPlay) {
             return canPlay;
@@ -940,9 +927,6 @@ public class AiController {
                     // TODO some older cards don't use the keyword, so check for trigger instead
                     if (tgt.hasKeyword(Keyword.WARD) && tgt.isInPlay() && tgt.getController().isOpponentOf(host.getController())) {
                         Cost wardCost = ComputerUtilCard.getTotalWardCost(tgt);
-                        if (wardCost.hasManaCost()) {
-                            xCost |= wardCost.getTotalMana().getCMC() > 0;
-                        }
                         SpellAbilityAi topAI = new SpellAbilityAi() {};
                         if (!topAI.willPayCosts(player, sa, wardCost, host)) {
                             return AiPlayDecision.CostNotAcceptable;
@@ -952,15 +936,7 @@ public class AiController {
             }
         }
 
-        // check if some target raised cost
-        if (!xCost && oldCMC > -1) {
-            int finalCMC = CostAdjustment.adjust(sa.getPayCosts(), sa, false).getTotalMana().getCMC();
-            if (finalCMC > oldCMC) {
-                xCost = true;
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (xCost && !ComputerUtilCost.canPayCost(sa, player, sa.isTrigger())) {
+        if (!ComputerUtilCost.canPayCost(sa, player, sa.isTrigger())) {
             // for dependent costs with X, e.g. Repeal, which require a valid target to be specified before a decision can be made
             // on whether the cost can be paid, this can only be checked late after canPlaySa has been run (or the AI will misplay)
             return AiPlayDecision.CantAfford;
@@ -973,8 +949,6 @@ public class AiController {
             return AiPlayDecision.CantAfford;
         }
 
-        // if we got here, looks like we can play the final cost and we could properly set up and target the API and
-        // are willing to play the SA
         return AiPlayDecision.WillPlay;
     }
 
diff --git a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilMana.java b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilMana.java
index acac8b4dada..3fdf95ef66c 100644
--- a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilMana.java
+++ b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilMana.java
@@ -666,6 +666,7 @@ public class ComputerUtilMana {
             return true;
         }
 
+        int phyLifeToPay = 2;
         boolean purePhyrexian = cost.containsOnlyPhyrexianMana();
         boolean hasConverge = sa.getHostCard().hasConverge();
         ListMultimap<ManaCostShard, SpellAbility> sourcesForShards = getSourcesForShards(cost, sa, ai, test, checkPlayable, hasConverge);
@@ -693,13 +694,12 @@ public class ComputerUtilMana {
             }
 
             if (sourcesForShards == null && !purePhyrexian) {
-                break;    // no mana abilities to use for paying
+                // no mana abilities to use for paying
+                break;
             }
 
             toPay = getNextShardToPay(cost, sourcesForShards);
 
-            boolean lifeInsteadOfBlack = toPay.isBlack() && ai.hasKeyword("PayLifeInsteadOf:B");
-
             Collection<SpellAbility> saList = null;
             if (hasConverge &&
                     (toPay == ManaCostShard.GENERIC || toPay == ManaCostShard.X)) {
@@ -752,9 +752,14 @@ public class ComputerUtilMana {
             }
 
             if (saPayment == null) {
-                if ((!toPay.isPhyrexian() && !lifeInsteadOfBlack) || !ai.canPayLife(2, false, sa)
-                        || (ai.getLife() <= 2 && !ai.cantLoseForZeroOrLessLife())) {
-                    break; // cannot pay
+                boolean lifeInsteadOfBlack = toPay.isBlack() && ai.hasKeyword("PayLifeInsteadOf:B");
+                if ((!toPay.isPhyrexian() && !lifeInsteadOfBlack) || !ai.canPayLife(phyLifeToPay, false, sa)
+                        || (ai.getLife() <= phyLifeToPay && !ai.cantLoseForZeroOrLessLife())) {
+                    // cannot pay
+                    break;
+                }
+                if (test) {
+                    phyLifeToPay += 2;
                 }
 
                 if (sa.hasParam("AIPhyrexianPayment")) {
diff --git a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/mana/ManaCostBeingPaid.java b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/mana/ManaCostBeingPaid.java
index 677b11f8709..130c288720f 100644
--- a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/mana/ManaCostBeingPaid.java
+++ b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/mana/ManaCostBeingPaid.java
@@ -551,10 +551,10 @@ public class ManaCostBeingPaid {
                 // The generic portion of a 2/Colored mana, should be lower priority than generic mana
                 return !ColorSet.fromMask(bill.getColorMask() & paymentColor).isColorless() ? 9 : 1;
             }
-            if (!bill.isPhyrexian()) {
-                return 10;
+            if (bill.isPhyrexian()) {
+                return 8;
             }
-            return 8;
+            return 10;
         }
         return 5;
     }
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/match/input/InputPayManaOfCostPayment.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/match/input/InputPayManaOfCostPayment.java
index 253c1d3992c..73926b484fe 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/match/input/InputPayManaOfCostPayment.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/match/input/InputPayManaOfCostPayment.java
@@ -47,11 +47,9 @@ public class InputPayManaOfCostPayment extends InputPayMana {
                 if (manaCost.payPhyrexian()) {
                     saPaidFor.setSpendPhyrexianMana(true);
                     this.phyLifeToLose += 2;
-                } else {
-                    if (player.hasKeyword("PayLifeInsteadOf:B") && manaCost.hasAnyKind(ManaAtom.BLACK)) {
-                        manaCost.decreaseShard(ManaCostShard.BLACK, 1);
-                        this.phyLifeToLose += 2;
-                    }
+                } else if (player.hasKeyword("PayLifeInsteadOf:B") && manaCost.hasAnyKind(ManaAtom.BLACK)) {
+                    manaCost.decreaseShard(ManaCostShard.BLACK, 1);
+                    this.phyLifeToLose += 2;
                 }
             }