If you use Baited Hook to play Cruel Patron, do you still have to kill a friendly unit? What happens if Cruel Patron is the only unit you control?

Ruling: When Baited Hook plays Cruel Patron, you must still pay the additional cost of killing a friendly unit because Baited Hook only ignores printed costs, not additional costs. If you cannot pay the additional cost (e.g., Cruel Patron is your only unit), the card is placed on the chain but then returned to banishment since the cost cannot be paid.

Sequence:

• Baited Hook allows you to play the card ignoring its printed cost
• Additional costs (like Cruel Patron's kill effect) must still be paid
• If the additional cost cannot be paid, the card goes onto the chain but returns to its original zone (banishment)

Nuances:

• You are not required to banish a card with Baited Hook if you know you won't be able to pay its additional cost - you can choose nothing instead
• Effects that check or ignore "cost" only refer to printed cost, not additional costs
• Printed cost includes both energy and power costs if both are printed on the card