Magic:
The Gathering
Comprehensive Rules
These rules are current
as of February 1, 2008.
Introduction
This
booklet is designed for people who’ve moved beyond the basics of the
Magic: The Gathering® game. If
you’re a beginning Magic™ player,
you’ll probably find these rules intimidating. They’re intended to be the
ultimate authority for the game, and you won’t usually need to refer to them
except in specific cases or during competitive games.
For
casual play and most ordinary situations, you’ll find what you need in the
Magic: The Gathering basic rulebook.
You can download a copy of that rulebook from the Wizards of the Coast®
Magic rules website at
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/rules. If you’re sure this is
where you want to be, keep reading.
This
document includes a series of numbered rules followed by a glossary. Many of the
numbered rules are divided into subrules, and each separate rule and subrule of
the game has its own number. The glossary defines many of the words and phrases
used in these rules, along with a few concepts that don’t really fit anywhere
among the numbered rules. So if you can’t find what you’re looking for, check
the glossary.
We at
Wizards of the Coast recognize that no matter how detailed the rules, situations
will arise in which the interaction of specific cards requires a precise answer.
If you have questions, you can get the answers from us at
www.wizards.com/customerservice.
Additional contact information is on the last page of these rules.
In
response to play issues and to keep these rules as current as possible, changes
may have been made to this document since its publication. See the Wizards of
the Coast website for the current version of the official rules.
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/rules
1. The Game
100. General
101. Starting the Game
102. Winning and Losing
103. The
Magic Golden Rules
104. Numbers and Symbols
2. Parts of the Game
200. General
201. Characteristics
202. Name
203. Mana Cost and Color
204. Illustration
205. Type Line
206. Expansion Symbol
207. Text Box
208. Power/Toughness
209. Loyalty
210. Information Below
the Text Box
212. Card Type,
Supertype, and Subtype
213. Spells
214. Permanents
215. Life
216. Tokens
217. Zones
3. Turn Structure
300. General
301. Beginning Phase
302. Untap Step
303. Upkeep Step
304. Draw Step
305. Main Phase
306. Combat Phase
307. Beginning of Combat
Step
308. Declare Attackers
Step
309. Declare Blockers
Step
310. Combat Damage Step
311. End of Combat Step
312. End Phase
313. End of Turn Step
314. Cleanup Step
4. Spells, Abilities, and
Effects
400. General
401. Spells on the Stack
402. Abilities
403. Activated Abilities
404. Triggered Abilities
405. Static Abilities
406. Mana Abilities
407. Adding and Removing
Abilities
408. Timing of Spells and
Abilities
409. Playing Spells and
Activated Abilities
410. Handling Triggered
Abilities
411. Playing Mana
Abilities
412. Handling Static
Abilities
413. Resolving Spells and
Abilities
414. Countering Spells
and Abilities
415. Targeted Spells and
Abilities
416. Effects
417. One-Shot Effects
418. Continuous Effects
419. Replacement and
Prevention Effects
420. State-Based Effects
421. Handling “Infinite”
Loops
422. Handling Illegal
Actions
423. Drawing a Card
424. Costs
5. Additional Rules
500. Legal Attacks and
Blocks
501. Keyword Actions
502. Keyword Abilities
503. Copying Objects
504. Face-Down Spells and
Permanents
505. Split Cards
506. Subgames
507. Controlling Another
Player’s Turn
508. Flip Cards
509. Ending the Turn
510. Status
511. Flipping a Coin
6. Multiplayer Rules
600. General
601. Limited Range of
Influence Option
602. Attack Multiple
Players Option
603. Deploy Creatures
Option
604. Attack Left and
Attack Right Options
605. Free-for-All Variant
606. Two-Headed Giant
Variant
607. Emperor Variant
608. Grand Melee Variant
609. Teams Variant
Glossary
Credits
Questions?
1. The
Game
100.
General
100.1.
These Magic rules apply to any
Magic game with two or more players,
including two-player games and multiplayer games.
100.1a
A two-player game is a game that begins with only two players.
100.1b
A multiplayer game is a game that begins with more than two players. See section
6, “Multiplayer Rules.”
100.2.
In constructed play, each player needs his or her own deck of at least sixty
cards, small items to represent any tokens and counters, and some way to clearly
track life totals. A constructed deck can have any number of basic land cards
and no more than four of any card with a particular English name other than
basic land cards.
100.3.
For sealed deck or draft play, only forty cards are required in a deck, and a
player may use as many duplicates of a card as he or she has. Each player still
needs small items to represent any tokens and counters, and some way to clearly
track life totals.
100.4.
There is no maximum deck size.
100.5. Most
Magic tournaments have special rules
(not included here) and may limit the use of some cards, including barring all
cards from some older sets. See the most current
Magic: The Gathering DCI® Floor
Rules for more information. They can be found at
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home.
101. Starting the Game
101.1.
At the start of a game, each player shuffles his or her deck so that the cards
are in a random order. Each player may then shuffle his or her opponents’ decks.
The players’ decks become their libraries.
101.2.
After the decks have been shuffled, the players determine who chooses which
player goes first using any mutually agreeable method (flipping a coin, rolling
dice, etc.). In a match of several games, the loser of the previous game decides
who will take the first turn. If the previous game was a draw, the person who
determined who would take the first turn in the previous game decides.
101.3.
Once the starting player has been determined, each player sets his or her life
total to 20 and draws a hand of seven cards.
101.3a
In a Two-Headed Giant game, each team starts with a shared life total of 30
instead.
101.4a In a multiplayer
game, the first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of
seven cards rather than six cards. Subsequent hands decrease by one card as
normal.
101.4b The Two-Headed
Giant variant uses the multiplayer mulligan rule, with some modifications.
First, the starting team takes any mulligans. For a team to take a mulligan,
each player on that team decides whether or not to take a mulligan, then all
players who chose to do so take their mulligans at the same time. The first time
a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of seven cards. After each
player on that team who took a mulligan looks at his or her new hand, the team
repeats the process. (Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal.) Once a
player has decided to keep a hand, those cards become his or her opening hand.
That player can’t take any more mulligans, but his or her teammate may. Once
each player on the starting team decides to keep an opening hand, the other team
may take mulligans.
Example:
Bob and Clare are the
starting team in a Two-Headed Giant game. They each draw seven cards. After
reviewing each other’s hands, both Bob and Clare decide to mulligan. Each
shuffles his or her hand into his or her deck and draws seven cards. Clare isn’t
sure about Bob’s new hand, but he decides to keep it. Clare decides to take
another mulligan. Bob’s hand becomes his opening hand, and Clare shuffles her
hand into her deck and draws six cards. Then only Clare has the option to
mulligan. She decides to keep her hand of six cards and that becomes her opening
hand. After that, the other team decides whether to take mulligans.
101.5. Once all players
have kept their opening hands, if any cards in the starting player’s hand allow
that player to begin the game with those cards in play, he or she may put any or
all of them into play. Then each other player, in turn order, may do the same.
101.6. The starting
player takes his or her first turn.
101.6a
In a two-player game, the player who plays first skips the draw step (see rule
304, “Draw Step”) of his or her first turn.
102. Winning and Losing
102.1.
A game ends immediately when either a player wins or the game is a draw.
102.2.
There are several ways to win the game.
102.2a
A player still in the game wins the game if all of that player’s opponents have
lost the game.
102.2b
An effect may state that a player wins the game. (In certain multiplayer games,
this may not cause the game to end; see rule 102.3g.)
102.2c
In a multiplayer game between teams, a team with at least one player still in
the game wins the game if all other teams have lost the game. Each player on the
winning team wins the game, even if one or more of those players had previously
lost that game.
102.3.
There are several ways to lose the game.
102.3a
A player can concede the game at any time. A player who concedes loses the game
immediately.
102.3b
If a player’s life total is 0 or less, he or she loses the game the next time a
player would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)
102.3c
When a player is required to draw more cards than are left in his or her
library, he or she draws the remaining cards, and then loses the game the next
time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule
420.)
102.3d
If a player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game the next
time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule
420.)
102.3e
If a player would both win and lose simultaneously, he or she loses.
102.3f
In a multiplayer game between teams, a team loses the game if all players on
that team have lost.
102.3g
In a multiplayer game using the limited range of influence option, an effect
that states that a player wins the game instead causes all of that player’s
opponents within his or her range of influence to lose the game.
102.4.
There are several ways to draw the game.
102.4a
If all the players remaining in a game lose simultaneously, the game is a draw.
102.4b
If the game somehow enters a “loop,” repeating a sequence of events with no way
to stop, the game is a draw. Loops that contain an optional action don’t result
in a draw.
102.4c
In a multiplayer game between teams, the game is a draw if all remaining teams
lose at once.
102.5.
If a player loses the game, he or she leaves the game. Likewise, if a player
leaves the game, he or she loses the game. The multiplayer rules handle what
happens when a player leaves the game; see rule 600.4.
103. The
Magic Golden Rules
103.1.
Whenever a card’s text directly contradicts these rules, the card takes
precedence. The card overrides only the rule that applies to that specific
situation. The only exception is that a player can concede the game at any time
(see rule 102.3a).
103.2.
When a rule or effect says something can happen and another effect says it
can’t, the “can’t” effect wins. For example, if one effect reads “You may play
an additional land this turn” and another reads “You can’t play land cards this
turn,” the effect that keeps you from playing lands wins out. Note that adding
abilities to objects and removing abilities from objects don’t fall under this
rule. See rule 407, “Adding and Removing Abilities.”
103.3.
If an instruction requires taking an impossible action, it’s ignored. (In many
cases the card will specify consequences for this; if it doesn’t, there’s no
effect.)
Example:
A card reads “Each player sacrifices a creature.” First, the active player
chooses a creature he or she controls. Then each of the nonactive players
chooses a creature he or she controls. Then all creatures are sacrificed
simultaneously.
103.4a If an effect has
each player choose a card in a hidden zone, such as his or her hand or library,
those cards may remain face down as they’re chosen. However, each player must
clearly indicate which face-down card he or she is choosing.
103.4b A player knows the
choices made by the previous players when he or she makes his or her choice,
except as specified in 103.4a.
103.4c If a player would
make more than one choice at the same time, the player makes the choices in the
order written, or in the order he or she chooses if the choices aren’t ordered.
104. Numbers and Symbols
104.1.
The Magic game uses only integers.
104.1a
You can’t choose a fractional number, deal fractional damage, gain fractional
life, and so on. If a spell or ability could generate a fractional number, the
spell or ability will tell you whether to round up or down.
104.1b
Most of the time, the Magic game
uses only positive numbers. You can’t choose a negative number, deal negative
damage, gain negative life, and so on. However, it’s possible for a game value,
such as a creature’s power, to be less than zero. If a calculation or comparison
that would determine the result of an effect needs to use a negative value, it
does so. If such a calculation yields a negative number, zero is used instead,
unless that effect sets a creature’s power or toughness, changes a creature’s
power or toughness, or sets a player’s life total.
Example:
If a 3/4 creature gets -5/-0, it’s a -2/4 creature. It deals no damage in
combat. Its total power and toughness is 2. You’d have to give it +3/+0 to raise
its power to 1.
Example:
Viridian Joiner is a 1/2 creature that says “{T}: Add an amount of {G} to your
mana pool equal to Viridian Joiner’s power.” An effect gives it -2/-0, then its
ability is activated. The ability adds no mana to your mana pool.
104.2.
If anything needs to use a number that can’t be determined, either as a result
or in a calculation, it uses 0 instead.
104.3.
The mana symbols are {W}, {U}, {B}, {R}, {G}, and {X}; the numerals {0}, {1},
{2}, {3}, {4}, and so on; the hybrid symbols {W/U}, {W/B},
{U/B}, {U/R}, {B/R}, {B/G}, {R/G}, {R/W}, {G/W}, and {G/U}; and the snow symbol
{S}.
104.3a
Each of the colored mana symbols represents one colored mana: {W} is white, {U}
blue, {B} black, {R} red, and {G} green.
104.3b
Numeral symbols (such as {1}) are generic mana costs and represent an amount of
mana that can be paid with any color of, or colorless, mana.
104.3c
The symbol {X} represents an unspecified amount of mana. When playing a spell or
activated ability with {X} in its cost, its controller decides the value of that
variable.
104.3d
Numeral symbols (such as {1}) and variable symbols (such as {X}) can also
represent colorless mana if they appear in the effect of a spell or ability that
reads “add [mana symbol] to your mana pool” or something similar.
104.3e
The symbol {0} represents zero mana and is used as a placeholder when a spell or
activated ability costs nothing to play. A spell or ability whose cost is {0}
must still be played the same way as one with a cost greater than zero; it won’t
play itself automatically.
104.3f
Each of the hybrid mana symbols represents a cost that can be paid with one of
two colors: {W/U} in a cost can be paid with either white or blue mana, {W/B}
white or black, {U/B} blue or black, {U/R} blue or red, {B/R} black or red,
{B/G} black or green, {R/G} red or green, {R/W} red or white, {G/W} green or
white, and {G/U} green or blue. A hybrid mana symbol is each of its component
colors.
Example:
{G/W}{G/W} can be paid by spending {G}{G}, {G}{W}, or {W}{W}.
104.3g
If an effect would add one mana represented by a hybrid mana symbol to a
player’s mana pool, that player chooses either of that symbol’s colors and adds
one mana of that color to his or her mana pool.
104.3h
The snow mana symbol {S} represents a cost that can be paid with one mana
produced by a snow permanent. This is a generic mana cost that can be paid with
any color of, or colorless, mana. Effects that reduce the amount of generic mana
you pay don’t affect {S} costs.
104.4.
The tap symbol is {T}. The tap symbol in an activation cost means “Tap this
permanent.” A permanent that’s already tapped can’t be tapped again to pay the
cost. Creatures that haven’t been under a player’s control continuously since
the beginning of his or her most recent turn can’t use any ability with the tap
symbol in the cost. See rule 212.3f.
104.6.
A type icon appears in the upper left corner of each card from the
Future Sight™ set printed with an
alternate “timeshifted” frame. If the card has a single card type, this icon
indicates what it is: claw marks for creature, a flame for sorcery, a lightning
bolt for instant, a sunrise for enchantment, a chalice for artifact, and a pair
of mountain peaks for land. If the card has multiple card types, that’s
indicated by a black and white cross. This icon has no effect on game play.
104.7.
Each activated ability of a planeswalker has an arrow-shaped loyalty symbol in
its cost. Positive loyalty symbols point upward and feature a plus sign followed
by a number or an X. Negative loyalty symbols point downward and feature a minus
sign followed by a number or an X. [+N] means “Put N loyalty counters on this
permanent,” and [-N] means “Remove N loyalty counters from this permanent.”
2.
Parts of the Game
200. General
200.1.
When a rule or text on a card refers to a “card,” it means a
Magic card with a
Magic card front and the
Magic card back. Tokens aren’t
considered cards—even a card that represents a token isn’t considered a card for
rules purposes.
200.1a
A card’s owner is the player who started the game with it in his or her deck or,
for cards that didn’t start the game in a player’s deck, the player who brought
the card into the game.
200.2.
Use the Oracle™ card reference when determining a card’s wording.
A card’s Oracle text can be found using the Gatherer card
database at
http://gatherer.wizards.com.
200.3.
A player is one of the people in the
game. The active player is the player
whose turn it is. The other players are
nonactive players.
200.3a
In a multiplayer game between teams, a player’s
teammates are the other players on
his or her team, and the player’s opponents are all players not on his or her
team.
200.4.
A token is a marker used to represent
any permanent that isn’t represented by a card. (See rule 216, “Tokens.”)
200.4a
A token’s owner is the player who controlled the spell or ability that put it
into play. A token’s controller is the player who put it into play.
200.5.
A spell is a card, or copy of a spell
or card, that’s on the stack. (See rule 213, “Spells.”)
200.5a
A spell’s owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it. The
owner of a copy of a spell is the controller of the effect that created it. A
spell’s controller is the player who played it.
200.6.
A permanent is a card or token that’s
in play. (See rule 214, “Permanents.”)
200.6a
A nontoken permanent’s owner is the same as the owner of the card that
represents it. A permanent’s controller is the player who put it into play.
200.7.
An ability can be one of two things.
First, it can be an activated or triggered ability on the stack. Second, it can
be text on an object that explains what the object does. (See rule 402,
“Abilities,” and section 4, “Spells, Abilities, and Effects.”)
200.7a
The controller of an activated ability is the player who
played the ability. The controller of a triggered ability is the player who
controlled the ability’s source when it triggered, unless it’s a delayed
triggered ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability is the
player who controlled the spell or ability that created it.
200.8.
An object is an ability on the stack,
a card, a copy of a card, a token, a spell, or a permanent. The term “object” is
used in these rules when a rule applies to abilities on the stack, cards,
tokens, spells, and permanents. Combat damage on the stack is also an object,
although many uses of the term “object” in these rules don’t apply to it.
200.9a
If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word
“card” and the name of a zone, it means a card matching that description in the
stated zone.
200.9b
If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word
“spell,” it means a spell matching that description on the stack.
200.9c
If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word
“source,” it means a source matching that description—either a source of an
ability or a source of damage—in any zone. See rule 419.8 “Sources of Damage.”
200.10.
A counter is a marker placed on an
object or player, either modifying its characteristics or interacting with an
ability. A counter is not a token, and a token is not a counter. Counters with
the same name or description are interchangeable.
200.10a A +X/+Y counter on a permanent, where X and Y are numbers, adds X to
that permanent’s power and Y to that permanent’s toughness. Similarly, -X/-Y
counters subtract from power and toughness.
200.10b The number of loyalty counters on a planeswalker in play indicates how
much loyalty it has.
200.11.
The parts of a card are name, mana cost, illustration, type line, expansion
symbol, text box, power and toughness, loyalty, illustration credit, legal text,
and collector number. Some cards may have more than one of any or all of these
parts.
201. Characteristics
201.1.
An object’s characteristics are name, mana cost, color, card type, subtype,
supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, abilities, power, toughness, and
loyalty. Objects can have some or all of these characteristics. Any other
information about an object isn’t a characteristic. For example, characteristics
don’t include whether a permanent is tapped, a spell’s target, an object’s owner
or controller, what an Aura enchants, and so on.
202. Name
202.1.
The name of a card is printed on its upper left corner.
202.2.
Text that refers to the object it’s on by name means just that particular object
and not any other duplicates of it, regardless of any name changes caused by
game effects.
Example:
An ability reads “Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Destroy that
creature at end of turn.” The ability will destroy the object it gave +2/+2 at
the end of the turn, even if that object isn’t a creature anymore.
202.2b
If an ability of an object grants to another object an ability that refers to
the first object by name, the name refers only to the object whose ability
grants that ability, not to any other object with the same name.
Example:
Saproling Burst has an ability that reads “Remove a fade counter from Saproling
Burst: Put a green Saproling creature token into play. It has ‘This creature’s
power and toughness are each equal to the number of fade counters on Saproling
Burst.’” The ability granted to the token only looks at the Saproling Burst that
created the token, not at any other Saproling Burst in play.
202.3.
Two cards have the same name if the English versions of their names are
identical, regardless of anything else printed on the cards.
203.
Mana Cost and Color
203.1.
The mana cost of a card is indicated by mana symbols near the top of the card.
On most cards, these symbols are printed in the upper right corner. Some cards
from the Future Sight set have
alternate frames in which the mana symbols appear to the left of the art. Paying
an object’s mana cost requires matching the color of any colored mana symbols as
well as paying the generic mana indicated in the cost.
203.1a
A copy of an object copies that object’s mana cost. See rule 503, “Copying
Objects.”
203.1b
Some cards have no mana symbols where their mana cost would appear. This
represents an unpayable cost.
An ability can also have an unpayable cost if its cost is based on the mana cost
of a spell with no mana cost. Attempting to play a spell or ability that has an
unpayable cost is a legal action. However, attempting to pay an unpayable cost
is an illegal action.
If an unpayable cost is increased by an effect or an additional cost is imposed,
the cost is still unpayable. If an alternative cost is applied to an unpayable
cost, including an effect that allows you to play a spell without paying its
mana cost, the alternative cost may be paid.
203.1c
Lands normally have no mana cost. Lands are played without paying any costs.
203.1d
Tokens have no mana cost unless the effect that creates them specifies
otherwise.
203.2.
An object is the color or colors of the mana symbols in its mana cost,
regardless of the color of its frame.
203.2a
Objects with no colored mana symbols in their mana costs are colorless.
203.2b
An object with two or more different colored mana symbols in its mana cost is
each of the colors of those mana symbols. Most multicolored cards are printed
with a gold frame, but this is not a requirement for a card to be multicolored.
203.2c
The five colors are white, blue, black, red, and green. The white mana symbol is
represented by {W}, blue by {U}, black by {B}, red by {R}, and green by {G}.
Example:
An object with a mana cost of {2}{W} is white, an object with a mana cost of {2}
is colorless, and one with a mana cost of {2}{W}{B} is both white and black.
203.2d
If a player is asked to choose a color, he or she must choose one of the five
colors. “Multicolored” is not a color.
203.2e
An object with one or more hybrid mana symbols in its mana cost is each of the
colors of that mana symbol, in addition to any other colors the object might be.
Most cards with hybrid mana symbols in their mana costs are printed in a
two-tone frame. See rule 104.3f.
203.3.
The converted mana cost of an object is a number equal to the total amount of
mana in its mana cost, regardless of color. Some effects ask a player to pay
mana equal to an object’s converted mana cost; this cost may be paid with any
combination of colored and/or colorless mana, regardless of the colors in the
object’s mana cost.
Example:
A mana cost of {3}{U}{U} translates to a converted mana cost of 5.
203.3a
The converted mana cost of an object with no mana cost is 0.
203.3b
When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with an {X} in its mana
cost, X is treated as 0 while the object is not on the stack, and X is treated
as the number chosen for it while the object is on the stack.
203.4.
Any additional cost listed in an object’s rules text or imposed by an effect
isn’t part of the mana cost. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated
Abilities.”) Such costs are paid at the same time as the spell’s other costs.
204. Illustration
204.1.
The illustration is printed on the upper half of a card and has no game
significance. For example, a creature doesn’t have the flying ability unless
stated in its rules text, even if it’s depicted as flying.
205.
Type Line
205.1.
The card type (and subtype and supertype, if applicable) of a card is printed
directly below the illustration. (See rule 212, “Card Type, Supertype, and
Subtype.”)
205.2.
Card Types
205.2a
The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker,
sorcery, and tribal.
205.2b
Some objects have more than one card type (for example, an artifact creature).
Such objects satisfy the criteria for any effect that applies to any of their
card types.
205.3.
Subtypes
205.3a
A card can have one or more subtypes printed on its type line.
205.3b
Subtypes are always single words and are listed after a long dash. Each word
after the dash is a separate subtype.
205.3c
Subtypes of a [card type] object are also called
[card type] types. For example,
creature subtypes are also called creature types. Objects may have multiple
subtypes.
Example:
“Basic Land — Mountain” means the card is a land with the Mountain subtype.
“Creature — Goblin Wizard” means the card is a creature with the subtypes Goblin
and Wizard. “Artifact — Equipment” means the card is an artifact with the
subtype Equipment.
205.3d
Artifact, enchantment, land, and planeswalker each have their own unique set of
possible subtypes. Instant and sorcery share their lists of subtypes; these
subtypes are called spell types.
Creature and tribal also share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are
called creature types. (You can find
complete lists of subtypes in the glossary at the end of this document under
“Creature Types,” “Land Types,” and so on.)
205.3e
If a card with multiple card types has one or more subtypes, each subtype is
correlated to its appropriate card type.
Example:
Dryad Arbor’s type line says “Land Creature — Forest Dryad.” Forest is a land
type, and Dryad is a creature type.
205.4.
Supertypes
205.4a
A card can also have one or more
supertypes. These are printed directly before its card types. If an object’s
card types or subtypes change, any supertypes it has are kept, although they may
not be relevant to the new card type.
205.4b
Any land with the supertype “basic” is a basic land. Any land that doesn’t have
this supertype is a nonbasic land.
Example:
Note that cards printed in sets prior to the
Eighth Edition
core set didn’t use the word “basic” to indicate a basic land. Cards from those
sets with the following names are basic lands: Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains,
Swamp, Snow-Covered Forest, Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Mountain,
Snow-Covered Plains, and Snow-Covered Swamp.
205.4c
Any permanent with the supertype “legendary” is subject to the state-based
effect for legendary permanents, also called the “legend rule” (see rule
420.5e).
205.4d
Any permanent with the supertype “world” is subject to the state-based effect
for world permanents, also called the “world rule” (see rule 420.5i).
205.4e
Any permanent with the supertype “snow” is a snow permanent. Any permanent that
doesn’t have this supertype is a nonsnow permanent, regardless of its name.
206. Expansion Symbol
206.1.
The expansion symbol indicates which
Magic set a card is from. It’s normally printed below the right edge of the
illustration.
206.2.
The color of the expansion symbol indicates the rarity of the card within its
set. A gold symbol indicates the card is rare. A silver expansion symbol
indicates the card is uncommon. A black or white expansion symbol indicates the
card is common or is a basic land. A purple expansion symbol signifies a special
rarity; to date, only the Time Spiral™
“timeshifted” cards, which were rarer than that set’s rare cards, have had
purple expansion symbols. (Prior to the
Exodus™ set, all expansion symbols were black, regardless of rarity. Also,
prior to the Sixth Edition core set,
Magic core sets didn’t have
expansion symbols at all.)
206.3.
A spell or ability that affects cards from a particular set “looks” only for
that set’s expansion symbol. A card reprinted in the core set receives the core
set’s expansion symbol. Any reprinted version of the card no longer counts as
part of its original set unless it was reprinted with that set’s expansion
symbol. The first five editions of the core set had no expansion symbol.
207.
Text Box
207.1.
The text box is printed on the lower half of the card. It usually contains rules
text defining the card’s abilities.
207.2.
The text box may also contain italicized reminder text (in parentheses), which
summarizes a rule that applies to that card, and italicized flavor text, which
has no game function, but like the illustration, adds artistic appeal to the
game.
207.3.
A guild icon appears in the text box of many
Ravnica® block cards. These cards
either have the specified guild’s exclusive mechanic or somehow relate to the
two colors associated with that guild. Guild icons have no effect on game play.
208. Power/Toughness
208.1.
A creature card has two numbers separated by a slash printed in its lower right
corner. The first number is its power (the amount of damage it deals in combat);
the second is its toughness (the amount of damage needed to destroy it). For
example, 2/3 means the object has power 2 and toughness 3. Power and toughness
can be modified or set to particular values by effects.
208.2.
Some creature cards have power and/or toughness represented by a * instead of a
number. The object has a characteristic-defining ability that sets its power
and/or toughness according to some stated condition. This ability functions in
all zones. If the ability needs to use a number that can’t be determined, use 0
instead of that number.
Example:
Lost Order of Jarkeld has power and toughness each equal to 1+*. It says “As
Lost Order of Jarkeld comes into play, choose an opponent” and “Lost Order of
Jarkeld’s power and toughness are each equal to 1 plus the number of creatures
that opponent controls.” While Lost Order of Jarkeld isn’t in play, there won’t
be a chosen opponent. Its power and toughness will each be equal to 1 plus 0, so
it’s a 1/1.
208.3.
A noncreature permanent has no power or toughness, even if it’s a card with a
power and toughness printed on it (such as a Licid that’s become an Aura).
209.
Loyalty
209.1.
Each planeswalker card has a loyalty number printed in its lower right corner.
This indicates its loyalty while it’s not in play, and it also indicates that
the planeswalker comes into play with that many loyalty counters on it.
210. Information Below
the Text Box
210.1.
Each card features text printed below the text box that has no effect on game
play.
210.1a
The illustration credit for a card is printed on the first line below the text
box. It follows the abbreviation “Illus.” or, in more recent years, a paintbrush
icon.
210.1b
Legal text (the fine print at the bottom of the card) lists the trademark and
copyright information.
210.1c
Some card sets feature collector numbers. This information is printed in the
form [card number]/[total cards in the set], immediately following the legal
text.
211.
[This section has been intentionally left blank to preserve the ordering of
other rules.]
212. Card Type,
Supertype, and Subtype
212.1.
General
212.1a
Cards, tokens, permanents, and spells can all have card types, supertypes, and
subtypes. Abilities don’t have card types, supertypes, or subtypes. Instead,
there are various categories of abilities. (See rule 402, “Abilities.”)
212.1b. When an object’s card type changes, the new card type(s) replaces any
existing card types. Counters, effects, and damage affecting the object remain
with it, even if they are meaningless to the new card type. Similarly, when one
or more of an object’s subtypes changes, the new subtype(s) replaces any
existing subtypes from the appropriate set (creature types, land types, artifact
types, enchantment types, planeswalker types, or spell types). If an object’s
card type is removed, the subtypes correlated with that card type will remain if
they are also the subtypes of a card type the object currently has; otherwise,
they are also removed for the entire time the object’s card type is removed.
Removing an object’s subtype doesn’t affect its card types at all.
Example:
An ability reads, “All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands.” The
affected lands now have two card types: creature and land. If there were any
lands that were also artifacts before the ability’s effect applied to them,
those lands would become “artifact land creatures,” not just “creatures,” or
“land creatures.” The effect allows them to retain both the card type “artifact”
and the card type “land.”
Example:
An ability reads, “All artifacts are 1/1 artifact creatures.” If a permanent is
both an artifact and an enchantment, it will become an “artifact enchantment
creature.”
Example:
An ability reads, “All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands.” If any of
the affected lands were legendary, they are still legendary.
212.1e
If an instruction requires choosing a subtype, you must choose one, and only
one, existing subtype, and the subtype you choose must be for the appropriate
card type. For example, you can’t choose a land type if an instruction requires
choosing a creature type. (Use the Oracle card reference to determine whether a
creature type exists; see rule 200.2. You can also find
complete lists of subtypes in the glossary at the end of this document under
“Creature Types,” “Land Types,” etc.)
Example:
When choosing a creature type, “Merfolk” or “Wizard” is acceptable, but “Merfolk
Wizard” is not. Words like “artifact,” “opponent,” “Swamp,” or “truck” can’t be
chosen because they aren’t creature types.
212.2.
Artifacts
212.2a
A player who has priority may play an artifact card from his or her hand during
a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing an artifact as
a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated
Abilities.”)
212.2b
When an artifact spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or
her control.
212.2c
Artifact subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash:
“Artifact — Equipment.” Artifact subtypes are also called
artifact types. Artifacts may have
multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of artifact subtypes under
“Artifact Types” in the glossary at the end of this document.)
212.2d
Artifacts have no characteristics specific to their card type. Most artifacts
have no colored mana symbols in their mana costs, and are therefore colorless.
However, there is no correlation between being colorless and being an artifact:
artifacts may be colored, and colorless objects may be card types other than
artifact.
212.2e
Artifact creatures combine the characteristics of both creatures and artifacts,
and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types.
212.2f
Artifact lands combine the characteristics of both lands and artifacts, and are
subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types. Artifact
lands can only be played as lands. They can’t be played as spells.
212.2g
Some artifacts have the subtype “Equipment.” An Equipment can be attached to a
creature. It can’t legally be attached to an object that isn’t a creature.
212.2h
An Equipment is played and comes into play just like any other artifact. An
Equipment doesn’t come into play attached to a creature. The equip keyword
ability moves the Equipment onto a creature you control (see rule 502.33,
“Equip”). Control of the creature matters only when the equip ability is played
and when it resolves. The creature to which the Equipment is to be moved must be
able to be equipped by it. If it can’t, the Equipment doesn’t move.
212.2i
An Equipment that’s also a creature can’t equip a creature. Equipment that loses
the subtype “Equipment” can’t equip a creature. An Equipment can’t equip itself.
An Equipment that equips an illegal or nonexistent permanent becomes unattached
from that permanent but remains in play. (This is a state-based effect. See rule
420.)
212.2j
The creature an Equipment is attached to is called the “equipped creature.” The
Equipment is attached to, or “equips,” that creature.
212.2k
An Equipment’s controller is separate from the equipped creature’s controller;
the two need not be the same. Changing control of the creature doesn’t change
control of the Equipment, and vice versa. Only the Equipment’s controller can
play its abilities. However, if the Equipment adds an ability to the equipped
creature (with “gains” or “has”), the equipped creature’s controller is the only
one who can play that ability.
212.2m
Some artifacts have the subtype “Fortification.” A Fortification can be attached
to a land. It can’t legally be attached to an object that isn’t a land. Rules
212.2h–k apply to Fortifications in relation to lands just as they apply to
Equipment in relation to creatures. Fortification’s analog to the equip keyword
ability is the fortify keyword ability. (See rule 502.65, “Fortify.”)
212.3.
Creatures
212.3a
A player who has priority may play a creature card from his or her hand during a
main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a creature as a
spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”)
212.3b
When a creature spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or
her control.
212.3c
Creature subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash:
“Creature — Human Soldier,” “Artifact Creature — Golem,” and so on. Creature
subtypes are also called creature types. Creatures may have multiple subtypes.
(You can find the complete list of creature subtypes under “Creature Types” in
the glossary at the end of this document.)
Example:
“Creature — Goblin Wizard” means the card is a creature with the subtypes Goblin
and Wizard.
212.3d
Power and toughness are characteristics only creatures have. A creature’s power
is the amount of damage it deals in combat, and its toughness is the amount of
damage needed to destroy it. To determine a creature’s power and toughness,
start with the numbers printed in its lower right corner, then apply any
applicable continuous effects. (See rule 418.5, “Interaction of Continuous
Effects.”)
212.3e
Creatures can attack and block. (See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step,” and
rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
212.3f
A creature’s activated ability with the tap symbol in its activation cost can’t
be played unless the creature has been under its controller’s control since the
start of his or her most recent turn. A creature can’t attack unless it has been
under its controller’s control since the start of his or her most recent turn.
This rule is informally called the “summoning sickness” rule.
Ignore this rule for creatures with haste (see rule 502.5).
212.3g
Creature lands combine the characteristics of both lands and creatures, and are
subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types. Creature
lands can only be played as lands. They can’t be played as spells.
212.4.
Enchantments
212.4a
A player who has priority may play an enchantment card from his or her hand
during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing an
enchantment as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and
Activated Abilities.”)
212.4b
When an enchantment spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his
or her control.
212.4c
Enchantment subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash:
“Enchantment — Shrine.” Each word after the dash is a separate subtype.
Enchantment subtypes are also called
enchantment types. Enchantments may have multiple subtypes. (You can find
the complete list of enchantment subtypes under “Enchantment Types” in the
glossary at the end of this document.)
212.4d
Some enchantments have the subtype “Aura.” An Aura comes into play attached to
an object or player. What an Aura can be attached to is restricted by its
enchant keyword ability (see rule
502.45, “Enchant”). Other effects can limit what a permanent can be enchanted
by.
212.4e
An Aura spell requires a target, which is restricted by its enchant ability.
212.4f
If an Aura is enchanting an illegal object or player, the object it was attached
to no longer exists, or the player it was attached to has left the game, the
Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard. (This is a state-based effect. See rule
420.)
212.4g
An Aura can’t enchant itself, and an Aura that’s also a creature can’t enchant
anything. If this occurs somehow, the Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard.
(This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)
212.4h
The object or player an Aura is attached to is called enchanted. The Aura
is attached to, or “enchants,” that object or player.
212.4i
An Aura’s controller is separate from the enchanted object’s controller; the two
need not be the same. Changing control of the object doesn’t change control of
the Aura, and vice versa. Only the Aura’s controller can play its abilities.
However, if the Aura adds an ability to the enchanted object (with “gains” or
“has”), the enchanted object’s controller is the only one who can play that
ability.
212.4j
If an Aura is coming into play under a player’s control by any means other than
by being played, and the effect putting it into play doesn’t specify the object
or player the Aura will enchant, that player chooses what it will enchant as the
Aura comes into play. The player must choose a legal object or player according
to the Aura’s enchant ability and any other applicable effects. If the player
can’t make a legal choice, the Aura remains in its current zone, unless that
zone is the stack. In that case, the Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard
instead of coming into play.
212.4k
If an effect attempts to attach an Aura in play to an object or player, that
object or player must be able to be enchanted by it. If the object or player
can’t be, the Aura doesn’t move.
212.5.
Instants
212.5a
A player who has priority may play an instant card from his or her hand. Playing
an instant as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and
Activated Abilities.”)
212.5b
When an instant spell resolves, the actions stated in its rules text are
followed. Then it’s put into its owner’s graveyard.
212.5c
Instant subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash:
“Instant — Arcane.” Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. The set of
instant subtypes is the same as the set of sorcery subtypes; these subtypes are
called spell types. Instants may have
multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of instant subtypes under
“Spell Types” in the glossary at the end of this document.)
212.5d
Instants can’t come into play. If an instant would come into play, it remains in
its previous zone instead.
212.5e
If text states that a player may do something “any time he or she could play an
instant,” it means only that the player must have priority. The player doesn’t
need to have an instant he or she could actually play.
212.6.
Lands
212.6a
Playing a land card is a special action (see 408.2d). To play a land card, the
player simply puts it into play. The land card doesn’t go on the stack, and is
never a spell, so players can’t respond to it with instants or activated
abilities.
212.6b
A player who has priority may choose to play a land card from his or her hand
during a main phase of his or her turn, when the stack is empty. Continuous
effects may allow the player to play land cards from other zones this way, or to
play land cards at other times.
212.6c
A player may normally play only one land card during his or her turn; however,
continuous effects may increase this number. If any such effects exist, the
player announces which effect, or this rule, applies to each land play as it
happens.
212.6d
A player can’t play a land, for any reason, if it isn’t his or her turn. Ignore
any part of an effect that instructs a player to do so. Similarly, a player
can’t play a land, for any reason, if that player has used all of his or her
land plays for that turn. Ignore any part of an effect that instructs a player
to do so.
212.6e
Effects may also allow players to “put” lands into play. This isn’t the same as
“playing a land” and doesn’t count as a player’s one land played during his or
her turn.
212.6f
Land subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash. Land
subtypes are also called land types.
Lands may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of land
subtypes under “Land Types” in the glossary at the end of this document.)
Example:
“Basic Land — Mountain” means the card is a land with the Mountain subtype.
212.6g
The basic land types are Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. If an
object uses the words “basic land type,” it’s referring to one of these
subtypes. A land with a basic land type has an intrinsic ability to produce
colored mana. (See rule 406, “Mana Abilities.”) The land is treated as if its
text box included, “{T}: Add [mana symbol] to your mana pool,” even if the text
box doesn’t actually contain text or the card has no text box. Plains produce
white mana; Islands, blue; Swamps, black; Mountains, red; and Forests, green.
212.6h
If an effect changes a land’s subtype to one or more of the basic land types,
the land no longer has its old land type. It loses all abilities generated from
its rules text and its old land types, and it gains the appropriate mana ability
for each new basic land type. Note that this doesn’t remove any abilities that
were granted to the land by other effects. Changing a land’s subtype doesn’t add
or remove any card types (such as creature) or supertypes (such as basic,
legendary, and snow) the land may have. If a land gains one or more land types
in addition to its own, it keeps its land types and rules text, and it gains the
new land types and mana abilities.
212.6i
Any land with the supertype “basic” is a basic land. Any land that doesn’t have
this supertype is a nonbasic land.
212.6j
If an object is both a land and another card type, it can be played only as a
land. It can’t be played as a spell.
212.7.
Sorceries
212.7a
A player who has priority may play a sorcery card from his or her hand during a
main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a sorcery as a
spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”)
212.7b
When a sorcery spell resolves, the actions stated in its rules text are
followed. Then it’s put into its owner’s graveyard.
212.7c
Sorcery subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash:
“Sorcery — Arcane.” Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. The set of
sorcery subtypes is the same as the set of instant subtypes; these subtypes are
called spell types. Sorceries may
have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of sorcery subtypes
under “Spell Types” in the glossary at the end of this document.)
212.7d
Sorceries can’t come into play. If a sorcery would come into play, it remains in
its previous zone instead.
212.7e
If a spell, ability, or effect states that a player can do something only “any
time he or she could play a sorcery,” it means only that the player must have
priority, it must be during the main phase of his or her turn, and the stack
must be empty. The player doesn’t need to have a sorcery he or she could
actually play.
212.8.
Tribals
212.8a
Each tribal card has another card type. Playing and resolving a tribal card
follows the rules for playing and resolving a card of the other card type.
212.8b
Tribal subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash:
“Tribal Enchantment — Merfolk.” The set of tribal subtypes is the same as the
set of creature subtypes; these subtypes are called
creature types. Tribals may have
multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of tribal subtypes under
“Creature Types” in the glossary at the end of this document.)
212.9.
Planeswalkers
212.9a
A player who has priority may play a planeswalker card from his or her hand
during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a
planeswalker as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and
Activated Abilities.”)
212.9b
When a planeswalker spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his
or her control.
212.9c
Planeswalker subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash:
“Planeswalker — Jace.” Each word after the dash is a separate subtype.
Planeswalker subtypes are also called
planeswalker types. Planeswalkers may have multiple subtypes. (You can find
the complete list of planeswalker subtypes under “Planeswalker Types” in the
glossary at the end of this document.) If two or more planeswalkers that share a
planeswalker type are in play, all are put into their owners’ graveyards as a
state-based effect. See rule 420.5.
212.9d
Loyalty is a characteristic only planeswalkers have. The loyalty of a
planeswalker not in play is equal to the number printed in its lower right
corner. The loyalty of a planeswalker in play is equal to the number of loyalty
counters on it. A planeswalker is treated as if its text box included, “This
permanent comes into play with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to its
printed loyalty number”; this ability creates a replacement effect (see rule
419.1). As a planeswalker gains or loses loyalty, loyalty counters are put on it
or removed from it, respectively. Damage dealt to a planeswalker results in that
many loyalty counters being removed from it. If a planeswalker’s loyalty is 0,
it’s put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based effect. See rule 420.5.
212.9e
Planeswalkers can be attacked. (See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step.”)
212.9f
Each planeswalker has a number of activated abilities. A player may play an
activated ability of a planeswalker only during a main phase of his or her turn,
when he or she has priority and the stack is empty, and only if none of its
activated abilities have been played that turn. The cost to play an activated
ability of a planeswalker is to put on or remove from that planeswalker a
certain number of loyalty counters, as shown by the loyalty symbol in the
ability’s cost. An ability with a negative loyalty cost can’t be played unless
the planeswalker has at least that many loyalty counters on it.
212.9g
If noncombat damage would be dealt to a player by a source controlled by an
opponent, that opponent may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker
the first player controls instead. This is a redirection effect (see rule
419.6c) and is subject to the normal rules for ordering replacement effects (see
rule 419.9). The opponent chooses whether to redirect the damage as the
redirection effect is applied.
213. Spells
213.1.
Every nonland card is a spell while it’s being played (see rule 409, “Playing
Spells and Activated Abilities”) and while it’s on the stack. Once it’s played,
a card remains a spell until it resolves, is countered, or otherwise leaves the
stack. For more information, see rule 401, “Spells on the Stack.”
213.2.
A spell’s card type, supertype, and subtype are the same as those of its card.
213.3.
The term “spell” is used to refer to a card, or a copy of a spell or card, while
it’s on the stack.
213.4.
Every spell has a controller. By default, a spell’s controller is the player who
played it.
213.5.
If an effect changes any characteristics of a spell that becomes a permanent,
the effect continues to apply to the permanent when the spell resolves.
Example:
If an effect changes a black creature spell to white, the creature is white when
it comes into play and remains white for the duration of the effect changing its
color.
214. Permanents
214.1.
A permanent is a card or token in play. Permanents stay in play unless moved to
another zone by an effect or rule. There are five permanent types: artifact,
creature, enchantment, land, and planeswalker. Instant and sorcery cards can’t
come into play. Some tribal cards can come into play and some can’t, depending
on their other card types.
214.1a
The term “permanent card” is used to refer to a card that could be put into
play. Specifically, it means an artifact, creature, enchantment, land, or
planeswalker card.
214.1b
If a permanent somehow loses all its permanent types, it remains in play. It’s
still a permanent.
214.2.
A nontoken permanent’s card types, supertypes, and subtypes are the same as
those printed on its card. A token’s card types, supertypes, and subtypes are
set by the spell or ability that created it.
214.3.
A card or token becomes a permanent when it comes into play and it stops being a
permanent when it leaves play. Permanents come into play untapped. The term
“permanent” is used to refer to a card or token while it’s in play. The term
“card” isn’t used to refer to a card that’s in play as a permanent; rather, it’s
used to refer to a card that’s not in play or on the stack, such as a creature
card in a player’s hand. For more information, see rule 217, “Zones.”
214.4.
Every permanent has a controller. By default, a permanent’s controller is the
player who put it into play.
214.5.
Every permanent has a value in each of three status categories: tapped/untapped,
flipped/unflipped, and face up/face down. By default, a permanent comes into
play untapped, unflipped, and face up. For more information, see rule 510,
“Status.”
215.
Life
215.1.
Each player begins the game with a life total of 20. In a Two-Headed Giant game,
each team begins the game with a shared life total of 30 instead; see rule 606,
“Two-Headed Giant Variant.”
215.2.
Damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life.
215.3.
If an effect causes a player to gain life or lose life, that player’s life total
is adjusted accordingly.
215.4.
If a cost or effect allows a player to pay life, the player may do so only if
his or her life total is equal to or greater than the amount of the payment. If
a player pays life, the payment is subtracted from his or her life total.
215.5.
If an effect sets a player’s life total to a specific number, the player gains
or loses the necessary amount of life to end up with the new total.
215.6.
If a player has 0 or less life, that player loses the game as a state-based
effect. See rule 420.5.
216.
Tokens
216.1.
Some effects put tokens into play. A token is controlled by whomever put it into
play and owned by the controller of the spell or ability that created it. (If no
player controlled the effect that created it, the token is owned by whomever put
it into play.) The spell or ability may define any number of characteristics for
the token. This becomes the token’s “text.” The characteristics defined this way
are functionally equivalent to the characteristics that are printed on a card;
for example, they define the token’s copiable values. A token doesn’t have any
characteristics not defined by the spell or ability that created it.
216.1a
A spell or ability that creates a creature token sets both its name and its
creature type. If the spell or ability doesn’t specify the name of the creature
token, its name is the same as its creature type(s). A “Goblin Scout creature
token,” for example, is named “Goblin Scout” and has the creature subtypes
Goblin and Scout. Once a token is in play, changing its name doesn’t change its
creature type, and vice versa.
216.2.
A token is subject to anything that affects permanents in general or that
affects the token’s card type or subtype. A token isn’t a card (even if
represented by a card that has a Magic
back or that came from a Magic
booster pack).
216.3.
A token in a zone other than the in-play zone ceases to exist. This is a
state-based effect. (Note that a token changing zones sets off triggered
abilities before the token ceases to exist.)
216.4 A
token that has left play can’t come back into play. If such a token would return
to play, it remains in its current zone instead. It ceases to exist the next
time state-based effects are checked.
217. Zones
217.1.
A zone is a place where objects can be during a game. There are normally six
zones: library, hand, graveyard, in play, stack, and removed from the game. Some
older cards also use the ante and phased-out zones. Each player has his or her
own library, hand, and graveyard. The other zones are shared by all players.
217.1a
If an object would go to any library, graveyard, or hand
other than its owner’s, it goes to its owner’s corresponding zone. If an
instant or sorcery card would come into play, it remains in its previous zone.
217.1b
The order of objects in a library, in a graveyard, or on the stack can’t be
changed except when effects or rules allow it. Objects in other zones can be
arranged however their owners wish, although who controls those objects, whether
they’re tapped or flipped, and what other objects are attached to them must
remain clear to all players.
217.1c
An object that moves from one zone to another is treated as a new object.
Effects connected with its previous location will no longer affect it. There are
four exceptions to this rule: (1) Effects from spells, activated abilities, and
triggered abilities that change the characteristics of an artifact, creature,
enchantment, or planeswalker spell on the stack will continue to apply to the
permanent that spell creates. (2) Abilities that trigger when an object moves
from one zone to another (for example, “When Rancor is put into a graveyard from
play”) can find the object in the zone it moved to when the ability triggered.
(3) Prevention effects that apply to damage from an artifact, creature,
enchantment, or planeswalker spell on the stack will continue to apply to damage
from the permanent that spell becomes. (4) Permanents that phase out or in
“remember” their earlier states. See rule 217.8c.
217.1d
If an object would move from one zone to another, first determine what event is
moving the object. Then apply any appropriate replacement effects to that event.
If an effect or rule tries to do two or more contradictory or mutually exclusive
things to a particular object, that object’s controller—or its owner if it has
no controller—chooses what the effect does to the object. Then the event moves
the object.
217.1e
An object is outside the game if it’s
in the removed-from-the-game zone, or if it isn’t in any of the game’s zones.
All other objects are inside the game. Outside the game is not a zone.
217.1f
If an object in the removed-from-the-game zone is removed from the game, it
doesn’t change zones, but it is treated as a new object that has just been
removed from the game.
217.2.
Library
217.2a
When a game begins, each player’s deck becomes his or her library.
217.2b
Each library must be kept in a single face-down pile. Players can’t look at or
change the order of cards in a library.
217.2c
Any player may count the number of cards remaining in any player’s library at
any time.
217.2d
If an effect puts two or more cards on the top or bottom of a library at the
same time, the owner of those cards may arrange them in any order. That
library’s owner doesn’t reveal the order in which the cards go into his or her
library.
217.2f If a spell or
ability causes a card to be drawn while another spell or ability is being
played, the drawn card is kept face down until that spell or ability becomes
played (see rule 409.1i).
217.3.
Hand
217.3a
The hand is where a player holds cards that have been drawn but not yet played.
At the beginning of the game, each player draws a hand of seven cards. (See rule
101, “Starting the Game.”)
217.3b
Each player has a maximum hand size,
which is normally seven cards. A player may have any number of cards in his or
her hand, but as part of his or her cleanup step, the player must discard excess
cards down to the maximum hand size.
217.3c
A player may arrange his or her hand in any convenient fashion and look at it as
much as he or she wishes. A player can’t look at the cards in another player’s
hand but may count those cards at any time.
217.4.
Graveyard
217.4a
A graveyard is a discard pile. Any object that’s countered, discarded,
destroyed, or sacrificed is put on top of its owner’s graveyard, as is any
instant or sorcery spell that’s finished resolving. Each player’s graveyard
starts out empty.
217.4b
Each graveyard is kept in a single face-up pile. A player can examine the cards
in any graveyard at any time but can’t change their order.
217.4c
If an effect or rule puts two or more cards into the same graveyard at the same
time, the owner of those cards may arrange them in any order.
217.5.
In Play
217.5a
Most of the area between the players represents the in-play zone. The in-play
zone starts out empty. Permanents a player controls are normally kept in front
of him or her in the in-play zone, though there are some cases (such as an Aura
attached to another player’s permanent) when a permanent one player controls is
kept closer to a different player.
217.5b
A spell or ability affects and checks only the in-play zone unless it
specifically mentions a player or another zone. Permanents exist only in the
in-play zone.
217.5c
Whenever a permanent enters the in-play zone, it’s considered a brand-new
permanent and has no relationship to any previous permanent represented by the
same object. This is also true for any objects entering any zone (see rule
217.1c).
217.5d
An object not in the in-play zone isn’t “in play” and isn’t considered tapped or
untapped. Objects that aren’t either in play or on the stack aren’t controlled
by any player.
217.6.
Stack
217.6a
When a spell is played, the physical card is put on the stack. When an ability
is played, it goes on top of the stack without any card associated with it(see
rule 409.1a).
217.6b
The stack keeps track of the order that spells and/or abilities were added to
it. Each time an object is put on the stack, it’s put on top of all objects
already there. (See rule 408, “Timing of Spells and Abilities.”)
217.6c
Each spell has all the characteristics of the card associated with it. Each
activated or triggered ability that’s on the stack has the text of the ability
that created it and no other characteristics. The controller of a spell is the
person who played the spell. The controller of an activated ability is the
player who played the ability. The controller of a triggered ability is the
player who controlled the ability’s source when it triggered, unless it’s a
delayed triggered ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability is the
player who controlled the spell or ability that created it.
217.6d
When all players pass in succession, the top (last-added) spell or ability on
the stack resolves. If the stack is empty when all players pass, the current
step or phase ends and the next begins.
217.6e
Combat damage also uses the stack, in the same way as other objects that use the
stack.
217.7.
Removed from the Game
217.7a
Objects can be removed from the game. Some effects may provide a way for a card
to return to a zone and use the term “set aside.” Cards that are set aside this
way are still removed from the game, even though that removal may be temporary.
Objects that aren’t cards that would return to a zone remain removed from the
game instead.
217.7b
Cards in the removed-from-the-game zone are kept face up and may be examined by
any player at any time. Cards “removed from the game face down” can’t be
examined by any player except when instructions allow it.
217.7c
Cards that might return to play should be kept in separate piles to keep track
of their respective ways of returning.
217.7d
A card may have one ability printed on it that removes one or more cards from
the game, and another ability that refers either to “the removed cards” or to
cards “removed from the game with [name].” These abilities are linked: the
second refers only to cards in the removed-from-the-game zone removed as a
result of the first. If another object gains a pair of linked abilities, the
abilities will be similarly linked on that object. They can’t be linked to any
other ability, regardless of what other abilities the object may currently have
or may have had in the past.
Example:
Arc-Slogger has the ability “{R}: Remove the top ten cards of your library from
the game: Arc-Slogger deals 2 damage to target creature or player.” Sisters of
Stone Death has the ability “{B}{G}:
Remove from the game target creature blocking or blocked by Sisters of Stone
Death” and the ability “{2}{B}: Put a creature card removed from the game with
Sisters of Stone Death into play under your control.” Quicksilver Elemental has
the ability “{U}:
Quicksilver Elemental gains all activated abilities of target creature until end
of turn.” If a player has Quicksilver Elemental gain Arc-Slogger’s ability,
plays it, then has Quicksilver Elemental gain Sisters of Stone Death’s
abilities, plays the remove-from-game ability, and then plays the return-to-play
ability, only the creature card Quicksilver Elemental removed from the game with
Sisters of Stone Death’s ability can be returned to play. Creature cards
Quicksilver Elemental removed from the game with Arc-Slogger’s ability can’t be
returned.
217.7e
If an object in the removed-from-the-game zone is removed from the game, it
doesn’t change zones, but it is treated as a new object that has just been
removed from the game.
217.8.
Phased Out
217.8a
Permanents that phase out are placed in the phased-out zone. (See rule 502.15,
“Phasing.”)
217.8b
Face-up objects in the phased-out zone may be examined by any player at any
time. Face-down objects in the phased-out zone are covered by the rules for
face-down permanents. (See rule 502.26, “Morph,” and rule 504, “Face-Down Spells
and Permanents.”)
217.8c
Phased-out objects are not in play, so they do not count as tapped or untapped,
nor are they controlled by anyone. However, an object in this zone “remembers”
the state of the permanent as it phased out and returns to play in the same
state as when it left. (See rule 502.15, “Phasing.”)
217.8d
Tokens in the phased-out zone cease to exist. This is a state-based effect (see
rule 420, “State-Based Effects”). Any phased-out Auras, Equipment, or
Fortifications that were attached to those tokens remain phased out for the rest
of the game.
217.9.
Ante
217.9a
Earlier versions of the Magic rules
included an ante rule as a way of playing “for keeps.” Playing
Magic games for ante is now
considered an optional variation on the game, and it’s allowed only where it’s
not forbidden by law or by other rules. Playing for ante is strictly forbidden
under the DCI Universal Tournament Rules (www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home).
217.9b
When playing for ante, each player puts one random card from his or her deck
into the ante zone at the beginning of the game. Cards in the ante zone may be
examined by any player at any time. At the end of the game, the winner becomes
the owner of all the cards in the ante zone.
217.9c
A few cards have the text “Remove [this card] from your deck before playing if
you’re not playing for ante.” These are the only cards that can add or remove
cards from a player’s ante zone or change a card’s owner.
217.9d
To ante an object is to put that
object into the ante zone from whichever zone it’s currently in. The owner of an
object is the only person who can ante that object.
3. Turn
Structure
300. General
300.1.
A turn consists of five phases, in this order: beginning, precombat main,
combat, postcombat main, and end. Each of these phases takes place every turn,
even if nothing happens during the phase. The beginning, combat, and end phases
are further broken down into steps, which proceed in order.
300.2.
A phase or step in which players receive priority ends when the stack is empty
and all players pass in succession. No game events can occur between turns,
phases, or steps. Simply having the stack become empty doesn’t cause such a
phase or step to end; all players have to pass with the stack empty. Because of
this, each player gets a chance to add new things to the stack before that phase
or step ends.
A step in which no players receive priority ends when all specified
actions that take place during that step are completed. The only such steps are
the untap step (see rule 302) and certain cleanup steps (see rule 314).
300.3.
When a phase ends (but not a step), any unused mana left in a player’s mana pool
is lost. That player loses 1 life for each one mana lost this way. This is
called mana burn. Mana burn is loss of life, not damage, so it can’t be
prevented or altered by effects that affect damage. This game action doesn’t use
the stack. (See rule 406, “Mana Abilities.”)
300.4.
When a phase or step ends, any effects scheduled to last “until end of” that
phase or step expire. When a phase or step begins, any effects scheduled to last
“until” that phase or step expire. Effects that last “until end of combat”
expire at the end of the combat phase, not at the beginning of the end of combat
step. Effects that last “until end of turn” are subject to special rules; see
rule 314.2.
300.5.
When a phase or step begins, any abilities that trigger “at the beginning of”
that phase or step are added to the stack.
300.6.
Some effects can give a player extra turns. They do this by adding the turns
directly after the current turn. If a player gets multiple extra turns or if
multiple players get extra turns during a single turn, the extra turns are added
one at a time. The most recently created turn will be taken first.
300.7.
Some effects can add phases to a turn. They do this by adding the phases
directly after the specified phase. If multiple extra phases are created after
the same phase, the most recently created phase will occur first.
300.8.
Some effects can add steps to a phase. They do this by adding the steps directly
after a specified step (or directly before a specified step). If multiple extra
steps are created after the same step, the most recently created step will occur
first.
300.9.
Some effects can cause a step, phase, or turn to be skipped. To skip a step,
phase, or turn is to proceed past it as though it didn’t exist. See rule 419.6e
and rule 419.6f.
301. Beginning Phase
301.1.
The beginning phase consists of three steps, in this order: untap, upkeep, and
draw.
302.1. First, all
permanents with phasing that the active player controls phase out, and all
phased-out objects that the active player controlled when they phased out
simultaneously phase in (this game action doesn’t use the stack). See rule
217.8, “Phased Out,” and rule 502.15, “Phasing.”
302.2. Next the active
player determines which permanents he or she controls will untap. Then he or she
untaps them all simultaneously (this game action doesn’t use the stack).
Normally, all of a player’s permanents untap, but effects can keep one or more
of a player’s permanents from untapping.
302.3. No player receives
priority during the untap step, so no spells or abilities can be played or
resolved. Any ability that triggers during this step will be held until the next
time a player would receive priority, which is usually during the upkeep step.
(See rule 303, “Upkeep Step.”)
303. Upkeep Step
303.1.
As the upkeep step begins, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of that
upkeep step and any abilities that triggered during the turn’s untap step go on
the stack. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active
player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.
304.
Draw Step
304.1.
First, the active player draws a card. This game action doesn’t use the stack.
Then any abilities that trigger at the beginning of the draw step and any other
abilities that have triggered go on the stack. Then the active player gets
priority and players may play spells and abilities.
305. Main Phase
305.1.
There are two main phases in a turn. In each turn, the first main phase, known
as the precombat main phase, and the second main phase, known as the postcombat
main phase, are separated by the combat phase (see rule 306, “Combat Phase”).
The precombat and postcombat main phases are individually and collectively known
as the main phase.
305.2.
The main phase has no steps, so a main phase ends when all players pass in
succession while the stack is empty. (See rule 300.2.)
305.3.
As the main phase begins, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of that
main phase go on the stack. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then
the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities. (This
is the only phase in which a player can normally play artifact, creature,
enchantment, planeswalker, and sorcery spells, and only the active player may
play these spells.)
305.4.
During either main phase, the active player may play one land card from his or
her hand if the stack is empty, if the player has priority, and if he or she
hasn’t yet taken this special action this turn. (See rule 212.6, “Lands.”) This
action doesn’t use the stack and it isn’t a spell or ability of any kind. It
can’t be countered, and players can’t respond to it with instants or activated
abilities.
306. Combat Phase
306.1.
The combat phase has five steps, which proceed in order: beginning of combat,
declare attackers, declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat. The
declare blockers and combat damage steps are skipped if no creatures are
declared as attackers or put into play attacking (see rule 308.5). There are two
combat damage steps if any attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see
rule 502.2) or double strike (see rule 502.28).
306.2.
During the combat phase, the active player is the attacking player;
creatures that player controls may
attack. As the combat phase starts, the active player chooses one of his
or her opponents. The chosen opponent is the defending player;
that player and planeswalkers he or
she controls may be attacked. Some multiplayer games allow the active
player to attack multiple other players. See rule 602, “Attack Multiple Players
Option,” and rule 606, “Two-Headed Giant Variant.”
306.3.
Only a creature can attack or block. Only a player or a planeswalker can be
attacked.
306.3a
If an effect would put a noncreature permanent into play attacking or blocking,
the permanent does come into play but it’s never considered to be an attacking
or blocking permanent.
306.4.
A creature or planeswalker is removed from combat if it leaves play (such as by
being destroyed or removed from the game); if its controller changes; if it
stops being a creature or planeswalker, respectively; or if an effect removes it
from combat. A creature is also removed from combat if it regenerates (see rule
419.6b). A creature that’s removed from combat stops being an attacking,
blocking, blocked, and/or unblocked creature. A planeswalker that’s removed from
combat stops being attacked.
306.4a
Once a creature has been declared as an attacking or blocking creature, spells
or abilities that would have kept that creature from attacking or blocking don’t
remove the creature from combat.
306.4b
Tapping or untapping a creature that’s already been declared as an attacker or
blocker doesn’t remove it from combat and doesn’t prevent its combat damage.
306.4c
If a creature is attacking a planeswalker, removing that planeswalker from
combat doesn’t remove that creature from combat. It continues to be an attacking
creature, although it is attacking neither a player nor a planeswalker. It may
be blocked. If it is unblocked, it will deal no combat damage.
306.5.
An attacking creature is attacking alone
if no other creatures are attacking. A blocking creature is
blocking alone if no other creatures
are blocking.
307. Beginning of Combat
Step
307.1.
As the beginning of combat step begins, any abilities that trigger at the
beginning of combat go on the stack. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered
Abilities.”) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells
and abilities.
308.
Declare Attackers Step
308.2.
To declare attackers, the active player follows the steps below, in order. If at
any point during the declaration of attackers, the active player is unable to
comply with any of the steps listed below, the declaration was illegal; the game
returns to the moment before the declaration (see rule 422, “Handling Illegal
Actions,” and rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks”).
308.2a
The active player chooses which creatures that he or she controls, if any, will
attack. The chosen creatures must be untapped, and each one must either have
haste or have been controlled by the active player continuously since the
beginning of the turn. For each of the chosen creatures, the active player
chooses an opponent or a planeswalker controlled by an opponent for that
creature to attack. Then he or she determines whether this set of attackers is
legal. (See rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”)
308.2b
If any of the chosen creatures have banding or a
bands with other ability, the active
player announces which creatures, if any, are banded with which. (See rule
502.10, “Banding.”)
308.2c
The active player taps the chosen creatures. Tapping a creature when it’s
declared as an attacker isn’t a cost; attacking simply causes creatures to
become tapped.
308.2d
If any of the creatures require paying costs to attack, the active player
determines the total cost to attack. Costs may include paying mana, tapping
permanents, sacrificing permanents, discarding cards, and so on. Once the total
cost is determined, it becomes “locked in.” If effects would change the total
cost after this time, ignore this change.
308.2e
If any of the costs require mana, the active player then has a chance to play
mana abilities (see rule 411, “Playing Mana Abilities”).
308.2f
Once the player has enough mana in his or her mana pool, he or she pays all
costs in any order. Partial payments are not allowed.
308.2g
Each chosen creature becomes an attacking creature if all costs have been paid,
but only if it’s still controlled by the active player. It remains an attacking
creature until it’s removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever
comes first. See rule 306.4.
308.3.
Abilities that trigger on a creature attacking trigger only at the point the
creature is declared as an attacker. They will not trigger if a creature attacks
and then that creature’s characteristics change to match the ability’s trigger
condition.
Example:
A permanent has the ability “Whenever a green creature attacks, destroy that
creature at end of combat.” If a blue creature attacks and is later turned
green, the ability will not trigger.
308.4.
If a creature is put into play attacking, its controller chooses which defending
player or which planeswalker a defending player controls it’s attacking as it
comes into play (unless the effect that put it into play specifies what it’s
attacking). Such creatures are “attacking” but, for the purposes of trigger
events and effects, they never “attacked.”
308.5.
If no creatures are declared as attackers or put into play attacking, skip the
declare blockers and combat damage steps.
309. Declare Blockers
Step
309.1.
As the declare blockers step begins, the defending player declares blockers
(this game action doesn’t use the stack). Then any abilities that triggered on
blockers being declared go on the stack. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered
Abilities.”) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells
and abilities.
309.2.
To declare blockers, the defending player follows the steps below, in order. If
at any point during the declaration of blockers, the defending player is unable
to comply with any of the steps listed below, the declaration was illegal; the
game returns to the moment before the declaration (see rule 422, “Handling
Illegal Actions,” and rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks”).
309.2a
The defending player chooses which creatures that he or she controls, if any,
will block. The chosen creatures must be untapped. For each of the chosen
creatures, the defending player chooses one creature for it to block that’s
attacking him, her, or a planeswalker he or she controls. Then he or she
determines whether this set of blocks is legal. (See rule 500, “Legal Attacks
and Blocks.”)
309.2b
If any of the creatures require paying costs to block, the defending player
determines the total cost to block. Costs may include paying mana, tapping
permanents, sacrificing permanents, discarding cards, and so on. Once the total
cost is determined, it becomes “locked in.” If effects would change the total
cost after this time, ignore this change.
309.2c
If any of the costs require mana, the defending player then has a chance to play
mana abilities (see rule 411, “Playing Mana Abilities”).
309.2d
Once the player has enough mana in his or her mana pool, he or she pays all
costs in any order. Partial payments are not allowed.
309.2e
Each chosen creature becomes a blocking creature, but only if it’s controlled by
the defending player. Each one is blocking the attacking creature chosen for it.
It remains a blocking creature until it’s removed from combat or the combat
phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 306.4.
309.2f
An attacking creature with one or more creatures declared as blockers for it
becomes a blocked creature; one with no blockers becomes an unblocked creature.
This remains unchanged until the creature is removed from combat or the combat
phase ends, whichever comes first. (Some effects can change whether a creature
is blocked or unblocked.)
309.3.
Abilities that trigger on a creature blocking trigger only at the point the
creature is declared as a blocker. They will not trigger if a creature blocks,
and then that creature’s characteristics change to match the ability’s trigger
condition.
309.4.
Abilities that trigger on a creature becoming blocked trigger only at the first
point the creature becomes blocked that combat. They will trigger if a creature
becomes blocked by a creature declared as a blocker, by a creature that’s put
into play as a blocker, or by an effect, but only if the attacking creature
hadn’t yet been blocked that combat. They will not trigger if a creature becomes
blocked, and then the blocking creature’s characteristics change to match the
ability’s trigger condition.
Example:
A creature has the ability “Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a white
creature, destroy that creature at end of combat.” If that creature is blocked
by a black creature that is later turned white, the ability will not trigger.
309.5.
If a creature is put into play blocking, its controller chooses which attacking
creature it’s blocking as it comes into play (unless the effect that put it into
play specifies what it’s blocking). Such creatures are “blocking” but, for the
purposes of trigger events and effects, they never “blocked.”
310. Combat Damage Step
310.1.
As the combat damage step begins, the active player announces how each attacking
creature will assign its combat damage. Then the defending player announces how
each blocking creature will assign its combat damage. All assignments of combat
damage go on the stack as a single object. Then any abilities that triggered on
damage being assigned go on the stack. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered
Abilities.”) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells
and abilities.
310.2.
A player may divide a creature’s combat damage as he or she chooses among the
legal recipients. Dividing combat damage is subject to the following
restrictions:
310.2a
Each attacking creature and each blocking creature will assign combat damage
equal to its power. Creatures that would assign 0 or less damage this way don’t
assign combat damage at all.
310.2b
An unblocked attacking creature that’s attacking a player will assign all its
combat damage to the defending player. An unblocked attacking creature that’s
attacking a planeswalker will assign all its combat damage to the planeswalker
it’s attacking. If the creature isn’t currently attacking anything (if, for
example, it was attacking a planeswalker that has left play), it will assign no
combat damage.
310.2c
A blocked creature will assign combat damage, divided as its controller chooses,
to the creatures blocking it. If no creatures are currently blocking it (if, for
example, they were destroyed or removed from combat), it will assign no combat
damage.
310.2d
A blocking creature will assign combat damage, divided as its controller
chooses, to the attacking creatures it’s blocking. If it isn’t currently
blocking any creatures (if, for example, they were destroyed or removed from
combat), it will assign no combat damage.
310.2e
An effect that states a creature deals its combat damage in a different manner
than normal affects the assignment of combat damage.
310.3.
Although combat-damage assignments go on the stack as an object, they aren’t
spells or abilities, so they can’t be countered.
310.4.
Combat damage resolves as an object on the stack. When it resolves, it’s all
dealt at once, as originally assigned. The combat damage object is then removed
from the stack and ceases to exist. After combat damage finishes resolving, the
active player gets priority.
310.4a
Combat damage is dealt as it was originally assigned even if the creature
dealing damage is no longer in play, its power has changed, or the creature
receiving damage has left combat.
310.4b
The source of the combat damage is the creature as it currently exists, if it’s
still in play. If it’s no longer in play, its last known information is used.
310.4c
If a creature or planeswalker that was assigned combat damage is no longer in
play, or is neither a creature nor planeswalker, the damage assigned to it isn’t
dealt.
310.5.
At the start of the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking
creature has first strike (see rule 502.2) or double strike (see rule 502.28),
creatures without first strike or double strike don’t assign combat damage.
Instead of proceeding to end of combat, the phase gets a second combat damage
step (see rule 310.1) to handle the remaining creatures. In the second combat
damage step, any attackers and blockers that didn’t assign combat damage in the
first step, plus any creatures with double strike, assign their combat damage.
311. End of Combat Step
311.1.
As the end of combat step begins, all “at end of combat” abilities trigger and
go on the stack. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active
player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.
311.2.
As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are
removed from combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over
and the postcombat main phase begins.
312. End Phase
312.1.
The end phase consists of two steps: end of turn and cleanup.
313.
End of Turn Step
313.1.
As the end of turn step begins, all abilities that trigger “at end of turn” go
on the stack. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active
player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.
313.2.
If “at end of turn”-triggered abilities are created or if cards with “at end of
turn”-triggered abilities come into play after preexisting ones have already
gone on the stack at the beginning of the end of turn step, those abilities
won’t go on the stack until the next turn’s end phase. In other words, the step
doesn’t “back up” so new “at end of turn”-triggered abilities can go on the
stack. This only applies to triggered abilities that say “at end of turn.” It
doesn’t apply to continuous effects whose durations say “until end of turn” or
“this turn.” (See rule 314, “Cleanup Step.”)
314. Cleanup Step
314.1.
If the active player’s hand contains more cards than his or her maximum hand
size (normally seven), he or she discards enough cards to reduce the hand size
to that number (this game action doesn’t use the stack).
314.2.
After discarding, the following actions happen simultaneously: all damage is
removed from permanents and all “until end of turn” and “this turn” effects end
(this game action doesn’t use the stack).
314.3.
If the conditions for any state-based effects exist or if any triggered
abilities are waiting to be put onto the stack, the active player gets priority
and players may play spells and abilities. Once the stack is empty and all
players pass, another cleanup step begins. Otherwise, no player receives
priority and the step ends.
4.
Spells, Abilities, and Effects
400. General
400.1.
An ability is something an object does or can do. Abilities generate effects. An
object’s abilities are defined in the object’s text box (if it has one) or by
the effect that created the object. Abilities can also be granted to objects by
effects or rules. Reminder text and flavor text are not abilities. Reminder text
and flavor text always appear in italics.
400.2.
Spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities generate effects when they
resolve. Static abilities generate continuous effects. Text itself is never an
effect.
401. Spells on the Stack
401.1.
A card on the stack is a spell. As the first step of being played, the card
becomes a spell and goes on the stack from the zone it was played from (usually
the player’s hand). (See rule 217.6, “Stack.”)
401.1a
A copy of a spell is also a spell, even if it has no card associated with it.
401.2.
A spell stops being a spell when it resolves (see rule 413, “Resolving Spells
and Abilities”), is countered (see rule 414, “Countering Spells and Abilities”),
or otherwise leaves the stack.
Example:
A played creature card is a creature spell until it resolves, is countered, or
leaves the stack.
401.3.
Instant and sorcery spells have abilities, just like any other objects. These
abilities are instructions that are followed when the spells resolve, unless the
instructions can only be applied at some other time.
Example:
Some abilities that are not followed when the spell resolves are activated
abilities or triggered abilities, any abilities that define the zone from which
it can be played (see rule 401.4), any abilities that apply while the spell is
in a zone from which it can be played (see rule 401.5), or any abilities that
apply while the spell is on the stack (see rule 401.6).
401.4.
Any object can have static abilities that allow it to be played from a zone
other than a player’s hand. These abilities are active while the object is in
that zone.
401.5.
Any object can have static abilities that apply while the object is in a zone
from which it can be played. These include restrictions on playing the object
and abilities that allow the object to be played at a time that it otherwise
could not or in a manner that it otherwise could not.
401.6.
Any spell can have static abilities that apply while the spell is on the stack.
These include, but are not limited to, additional costs, alternative costs, and
cost reductions. See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”
401.7.
As the final part of an instant or sorcery spell’s resolution, the card is put
into its owner’s graveyard. As the final part of an artifact, creature,
enchantment, or planeswalker spell’s resolution, the card becomes a permanent
and is put into the in-play zone under the control of the spell’s controller.
(See rule 413, “Resolving Spells and Activated Abilities.”) If any spell is
countered, the card is put into its owner’s graveyard as part of the resolution
of the countering spell or ability.
402. Abilities
402.1.
An ability is text on an object that’s not reminder text or flavor text (see
rule 400.1). The result of following such an instruction is an effect. (See rule
416, “Effects.”) Abilities can affect the objects they’re on; they can also
affect other objects and/or players. Abilities can grant abilities to other
objects or to the objects they’re on; they do so when the words “has,” “have,”
“gains,” or “gain” are used.
402.2.
There are three general categories of abilities: activated, triggered, and
static. Activated and triggered abilities can also be mana abilities. Abilities
can generate one-shot effects or continuous effects. Some effects are
replacement effects or prevention effects.
402.3. Abilities can be
beneficial or detrimental.
Example:
“[This creature] can’t block” is an ability.
402.4.
An additional cost or alternative cost to play a card is an ability of the card.
402.5.
An ability isn’t a spell and therefore can’t be countered by anything that
counters only spells. Abilities can be countered by effects that specifically
counter abilities, as well as by the rules (for example, an ability with one or
more targets is countered if all its targets become illegal).
402.6.
Once activated or triggered, an ability exists independently of its source as an
ability on the stack. Destruction or removal of the source after that time won’t
affect the ability. Note that some abilities cause a source to do something (for
example, “Prodigal Sorcerer deals 1 damage to target creature or player”) rather
than the ability doing anything directly. In these cases, any activated or
triggered ability that references information about the source because the
effect needs to be divided checks that information when the ability is put onto
the stack. Otherwise, it will check that information when it resolves. In both
instances, if the source is no longer in play, its last known information is
used.
402.7.
An object may have multiple abilities. Aside from certain defined abilities that
may be strung together on a single line (see rule 502, “Keyword Abilities”),
each paragraph break in a card’s text marks a separate ability. An object may
also have multiple instances of the same ability. Each instance functions
independently. This may or may not produce more effects than a single instance;
refer to the specific ability for more information.
402.8a
Characteristic-defining abilities function in all zones. (See rule 405.2.)
402.8b An ability that
states which zones it functions in functions only from those zones.
402.8c An ability of an
object that modifies what it costs to play functions on the stack.
402.8d An object’s
ability that restricts or modifies how that object can be played functions in
any zone from which it could be played.
402.8e An object’s
ability that modifies how it comes into play functions as that object is coming
into play. See rule 419.6i.
402.8f An object’s
activated ability that has a cost that can’t be paid while the object is in play
functions from any zone in which its cost can be paid.
402.8g A trigger
condition that can trigger only in a zone other than the in-play zone triggers
from that zone. Other trigger conditions of the same triggered ability may
function in different zones.
Example:
Absolver Thrull has the ability “When Absolver Thrull comes into play or the
creature it haunts is put into a graveyard, destroy target enchantment.” The
first trigger condition triggers from the in-play zone and the second trigger
condition functions from the removed-from-the-game zone. (See rule 502.51,
“Haunt.”)
402.8h An ability whose
cost or effect specifies that it moves the object it’s on out of a particular
zone functions only in that zone, unless that ability’s trigger condition, or a
previous part of that ability’s cost or effect, specifies that the object is put
into that zone.
Example:
Necrosavant says “{3}{B}{B}, Sacrifice a creature: Return Necrosavant from your
graveyard to play. Play this ability only during your upkeep.” A player may play
this ability only if Necrosavant is in his or her graveyard.
403.
Activated Abilities
403.1.
An activated ability is written as “[cost]: [effect].” The activation cost is
everything before the colon (:). An ability’s activation cost must be paid by
the player who is playing it.
403.2.
Only an object’s controller (or its owner, if it doesn’t have a controller) can
play its activated ability unless the object specifically says otherwise.
403.3.
If an activated ability has a restriction on its use (for example, “Play this
ability only once each turn”), the restriction continues to apply to that object
even if its controller changes.
403.4.
A creature’s activated ability with the tap symbol ({T}) in its activation cost
can’t be played unless the creature has been under its controller’s control
since the start of his or her most recent turn. Ignore this rule for creatures
with haste (see rule 502.5).
403.5.
Activated abilities that read “Play this ability only any time you could play a
sorcery” mean the player must follow the timing rules for playing a sorcery
spell, though the ability isn’t actually a sorcery. Activated abilities that
read “Play this ability only any time you could play an instant” mean the player
must follow the timing rules for playing an instant spell, though the ability
isn’t actually an instant.
404. Triggered Abilities
404.1.
A triggered ability begins with the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” The phrase
containing one of these words is the trigger condition, which defines the
trigger event.
404.2.
Triggered abilities aren’t played. Instead, a triggered ability automatically
“triggers” each time its trigger event occurs. Once an ability has triggered, it
goes on the stack the next time a player would receive priority. See rule 408.1,
“Timing, Priority, and the Stack,” and rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”
404.3.
A triggered ability may read “When/Whenever/At . . . , if [condition],
[effect].” The ability checks for the stated condition to be true when the
trigger event occurs. If it is, the ability triggers. On resolution, the ability
rechecks the condition. If the condition isn’t true at either of those times,
the ability does nothing. This rule is referred to as the “intervening ‘if’
clause” rule. Note that the word “if” has only its normal English meaning
anywhere else in the text of a card; this rule only applies to an “if” that
immediately follows a trigger condition.
404.4.
An effect may create a delayed triggered ability that can do something at a
later time. A delayed triggered ability will contain “when,” “whenever,” or
“at,” although that word won’t usually begin the ability.
404.4a
Delayed triggered abilities come from spells or other abilities that create them
on resolution. That means a delayed triggered ability won’t trigger until it has
actually been created, even if its trigger event occurred just beforehand. Other
events that happen earlier may make the trigger event impossible.
Example:
Part of an effect reads “When this creature leaves play,” but the creature in
question leaves play before the spell or ability creating the effect resolves.
In this case, the delayed ability never triggers.
Example:
If an effect reads “When this creature becomes untapped” and the named creature
becomes untapped before the effect resolves, the ability waits for the next time
that creature untaps.
404.4b
A delayed triggered ability will trigger only once—the next time its trigger
event occurs—unless it has a stated duration, such as “this turn.”
404.4c
A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular object still affects it
even if the object changes characteristics.
Example:
An ability that reads “Destroy that creature at end of turn” will destroy the
permanent even if it’s no longer a creature during the end of turn step.
404.4d
A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular permanent will fail if
the permanent leaves play (even if it returns again before the specified time).
Similarly, abilities that create a one-shot effect that applies to an object in
a particular zone will fail if the object leaves that zone.
Example:
An ability that reads “Remove this creature from the game at end of turn” won’t
do anything if the creature leaves play before the end of turn step.
404.4e
The source of a delayed triggered ability created by a spell is that spell. The
source of a delayed triggered ability created by another ability is the same as
the source of that other ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability
is the same as the controller of the spell or ability that created it, even if
that player no longer controls its source.
404.5.
Some objects have a static ability that’s linked to a triggered ability. These
objects combine both abilities into one paragraph, with the static ability
first, followed by the triggered ability. A very few objects have triggered
abilities which are written with the trigger condition in the middle of the
ability, rather than at the beginning.
Example:
An ability that reads “Reveal the first card you draw each turn. Whenever you
reveal a basic land card this way, draw a card” is a static ability linked to a
triggered ability.
Example:
An ability that reads “The controller of enchanted creature sacrifices it at the
end of his or her turn” is a triggered ability.
405.
Static Abilities
405.1.
A static ability does something all the time rather than being activated or
triggered. The ability isn’t played—it just “exists.” Such abilities apply only
while the ability is on a permanent in play, unless the ability is covered by
rule 402.8.
405.2a A static
ability is a characteristic-defining ability if it meets the following criteria:
1) It defines an object’s colors, subtypes, power, or toughness; 2) It is
printed on the card it affects, it was granted to the token it affects by the
effect that created the token, or it was acquired by the object it affects as
the result of a copy effect; 3) It does not directly affect the characteristics
of any other objects; 4) It is not an ability that an object grants to itself;
and 5) It does not set the values of such characteristics only if certain
conditions are met.
406. Mana Abilities
406.1.
A mana ability is either (a) an
activated ability without a target that could put mana into a player’s mana pool
when it resolves or (b) a triggered
ability without a target that triggers from a mana ability and could produce
additional mana. A mana ability can generate other effects at the same time it
produces mana.
406.2.
Spells that put mana into a player’s mana pool aren’t mana abilities. They’re
played and resolved exactly like any other spells.
406.3.
A mana ability remains a mana ability even if the game state doesn’t allow it to
produce mana.
Example:
A permanent has an ability that reads “{T}: Add {G} to your mana pool for each
creature you control.” This is still a mana ability even if you control no
creatures or if the permanent is already tapped.
406.4.
A mana ability can be activated or triggered. Mana abilities are played and
resolved like other abilities, but they don’t go on the stack, so they can’t be
countered or responded to. See rule 411, “Playing Mana Abilities,” and rule
408.2, “Actions That Don’t Use the Stack.”
406.5.
Abilities that produce mana but trigger from events other than playing mana
abilities do use the stack. So do abilities that don’t produce mana but trigger
on playing mana abilities.
406.6.
If a mana ability would produce one or more mana of an undefined type, it
produces no mana instead.
Example:
If you control no lands, an ability that reads “{T}: Add to your mana pool one
mana of any type that a land you control could produce” will not produce any
mana.
407. Adding and Removing
Abilities
407.1.
Effects can add or remove abilities of objects. An effect that adds an ability
will state that the object “gains” or “has” that ability. An effect that removes
an ability will state that the object “loses” that ability. If two or more
effects add and remove the same ability, in general the most recent one
prevails. (See rule 418.5, “Interaction of Continuous Effects.”)
407.2.
An effect that sets an object’s characteristic, or simply states a quality of
that object, is different from an ability granted by an effect. When an object
“gains” or “has” an ability, that ability can be removed by another effect. If
an effect defines a characteristic of the object (“[permanent] is
[characteristic value]”), it’s not granting an ability. (See rule 405.2.)
Example:
An effect reads, “Enchanted creature has ‘This creature is an artifact
creature.’” This effect grants an ability to the creature that can be removed by
other effects. Another effect reads, “Enchanted creature is an artifact
creature.” This effect simply defines a characteristic of the creature. It
doesn’t grant an ability, so effects that would cause the creature to lose its
abilities wouldn’t cause the enchanted creature to stop being an artifact.
407.3.
Effects that remove an ability remove all instances of it.
Example:
If a creature with flying is enchanted with Flight, it has two instances of the
flying ability. A single effect that reads “Target creature loses flying” will
remove both.
408.
Timing of Spells and Abilities
408.1.
Timing, Priority, and the Stack
408.1a
Spells and activated abilities can be played only at certain times and follow a
set of rules for doing so.
408.1b
Spells and activated abilities are played by players (if they choose) using a
system of priority, while other kinds of abilities and effects are automatically
generated by the game rules. Each time a player would get priority, all
applicable state-based effects resolve first as a single event (see rule 420,
“State-Based Effects”). Then, if any new state-based effects have been
generated, they resolve as a single event. This process repeats until no more
applicable state-based effects are generated. Then triggered abilities are added
to the stack (see rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities”). These steps repeat
in order until no further state-based effects or triggered abilities are
generated. Then the player who would have received priority does so and may play
a spell or ability, take a special action (such as playing a land), or pass, as
governed by the rules for that phase or step.
408.1c
The active player gets priority at the beginning of most phases and steps, after
any game actions are dealt with and abilities that trigger at the beginning of
that phase or step go on the stack. No player gets priority during the untap
step and players usually don’t get priority during the cleanup step (see rule
314.3). The player with priority may play a spell or ability, take a special
action, or pass. If he or she plays a spell or ability, or takes a special
action, the player again receives priority; otherwise, the next player in turn
order receives priority. If all players pass in succession (that is, if all
players pass without taking any actions in between passing), the top object on
the stack resolves, then the active player receives priority. If the stack is
empty when all players pass in succession, the phase or step ends and the next
one begins.
408.1d
A player may play an instant spell or an activated ability any time he or she
has priority. Spells other than instants may be played during a player’s main
phase, when that player has priority and the stack is empty.
408.1e
When a spell is played, it goes on top of the stack. When an activated ability
is played, it goes on top of the stack.
408.1f
Triggered abilities can trigger at any time, including during the playing or
resolution of a spell or another ability. However, nothing actually happens at
the time the abilities trigger. Each time a player would receive priority, each
ability that has triggered is put on the stack (if it hasn’t already been put on
the stack). Then the player gets priority and may play spells or abilities. (See
rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”)
408.1g
Combat damage goes on the stack once it’s been assigned. For more information,
see rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.”
408.1h
Static abilities aren’t played—they continuously affect the game. Priority
doesn’t apply to them. (See rule 405, “Static Abilities,” rule 418, “Continuous
Effects,” and rule 419, “Replacement and Prevention Effects.”)
408.1i
Special actions don’t use the stack. The special actions are playing a land (see
rule 408.2d), turning a face-down creature face up (see rule 408.2h), ending
continuous effects or stopping delayed triggered abilities (see rule 408.2i),
ignoring continuous effects (see rule 408.2j), and removing a card with suspend
in your hand from the game (see rule 408.2k).
408.2.
Actions That Don’t Use the Stack
408.2a
Effects don’t go on the stack; they’re the result of spells and abilities
resolving. Effects may create delayed triggered abilities, however, and these
may go on the stack when they trigger (see rule 404.4).
408.2b
Static abilities continuously generate effects and don’t go on the stack.
408.2c
State-based effects (see rule 420) resolve whenever a player would receive
priority as long as the required game condition is true.
408.2d
Playing a land is a special action consisting of putting that land into play.
(See rule 212.6, “Lands.”) A player can choose to perform this special action
only during a main phase of his or her turn, when he or she has priority and the
stack is empty. If a player had priority before playing a land, that player gets
priority after this special action.
408.2e
Mana abilities resolve immediately. If a mana ability produces both mana and
another effect, both the mana and the other effect happen immediately. If a
player had priority before a mana ability was played, that player gets priority
after it resolves. (See rule 406, “Mana Abilities.”)
408.2f
Characteristic-defining abilities, such as “[This object] is red,” are simply
read and followed as applicable. (See also rule 405.2.)
408.2g
Game actions don’t use the stack. The game actions are phasing in and out at the
start of the untap step (see rule 302.1), untapping at the start of the untap
step (see rule 302.2), drawing a card at the start of the draw step (see rule
304.1), declaring attackers at the start of the declare attackers step (see rule
308.1), declaring blockers at the start of the declare blockers step (see rule
309.1), the active player discarding down to his or her maximum hand size at the
start of the cleanup step (see rule 314.1), removing damage from permanents and
ending “until end of turn effects during the cleanup step (see rule 314.2), and
mana burn as each phase ends (see rule 300.3).
408.2h
The controller of a face-down permanent may turn it face up. This is a special
action. (See rule 504, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents.”) A player can turn a
face-down permanent face up only when he or she has priority. That player gets
priority after this special action.
408.2i
Some effects allow a player to take an action at a later time, usually to end a
continuous effect or to stop a delayed triggered ability. This is a special
action. A player can end a continuous effect or stop a delayed triggered ability
only if the effect or ability allows it and only when he or she has priority.
The player who took the action gets priority after this special action.
408.2j
Some effects from static abilities allow a player to take an action to ignore
the effect from that ability for a duration. This is a special action. A player
can take an action to ignore an effect only when he or she has priority. The
player who took the action gets priority after this special action.
408.2k
A player who has a card with suspend in his or her hand may remove that card
from the game. This is a special action. (See rule 502.59, “Suspend.”) A player
can remove a card with suspend in his or her hand from the game only when he or
she has priority. That player gets priority after this special action.
409. Playing Spells and
Activated Abilities
409.1.
Playing a spell or activated ability follows the steps listed below, in order.
If, at any point during the playing of a spell or ability, a player is unable to
comply with any of the steps listed below, the spell was played illegally; the
game returns to the moment before that spell or ability was played (see rule
422, “Handling Illegal Actions”). Announcements and payments can’t be altered
after they’ve been made.
409.1a
The player announces that he or she is playing the spell or activated ability.
If a spell is being played, that card (or that copy of a card) physically moves
from the zone it’s in to the stack. It has all the characteristics of the card
(or the copy of a card) associated with it, and its controller is the player who
played it. If an activated ability is being played, it’s created on the stack as
an object that’s not a card. If an activated ability is being played from a
hidden zone, the card that has that ability is revealed. On the stack, the
ability has the text of the ability that created it, and no other
characteristics. Its controller is the player who played the ability. The spell
or ability remains on the stack until it’s countered or resolves.
409.1b
If the spell or ability is modal (uses the phrase “Choose one —,” “Choose two
—,”or “[specified player] chooses one —”), the player announces the mode choice.
If the player wishes to splice any cards onto the spell (see rule 502.40), he or
she reveals those cards in his or her hand. If the spell or ability has a
variable mana cost (indicated by {X}) or some other variable cost, the player
announces the value of that variable at this time. If the spell or ability has
alternative, additional, or other special costs (such as buyback, kicker, or
convoke costs), the player announces his or her intentions to pay any or all of
those costs (see rule 409.1f). You can’t apply two alternative methods of
playing or two alternative costs to a single spell or ability. Previously made
choices (such as choosing to play a spell with flashback from his or her
graveyard or choosing to play a creature with morph face down) may restrict the
player’s options when making these choices.
409.1c
If the spell or ability requires any targets, the player first announces how
many targets he or she will choose (if the spell or ability has a variable
number of targets), then announces the targets themselves. A player can’t play a
spell or ability unless he or she chooses the required number of legal targets.
The same target can’t be chosen multiple times for any one instance of the word
“target” on the spell or ability. If the spell or ability uses the word “target”
in multiple places, the same object, player, or zone can be chosen once for each
instance of the word “target” (as long as it fits the targeting criteria).
Example:
If an ability reads “Tap two target creatures,” then the same target can’t be
chosen twice; the ability requires two different legal targets. An ability that
reads “Destroy target artifact and target land,” however, can target the same
artifact land twice because it uses the word “target” in multiple places.
409.1d
If the spell or ability targets one or more targets only if an alternative,
additional, or special cost (such as a buyback or kicker cost) is paid for it,
or if a particular mode is chosen for it, its controller chooses those targets
only if he or she announced the intention to pay that cost or chose that mode.
Otherwise, the spell or ability is played as though it did not have those
targets.
409.1e
If the spell or ability affects several targets in different ways, the player
announces how it will affect each target. If the spell or ability requires the
player to divide or distribute an effect (such as damage or counters) among one
or more targets, or any number of untargeted objects or players, the player
announces the division. Each of these targets, objects, or players must receive
at least one of whatever is being divided.
409.1f
The player determines the total cost of the spell or ability. Usually this is
just the mana cost (for spells) or activation cost (for abilities). Some cards
list additional or alternative costs in their text. Some effects may increase or
reduce the cost to pay, or may provide other alternative costs. Costs may
include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing permanents, discarding
cards, and so on. The total cost is the mana cost, activation cost, or
alternative cost, plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus all
cost reductions. If the mana component of the total cost is reduced to nothing
by cost reduction effects, it is considered to be {0}. It can’t be reduced to
less than {0}. Once the total cost is determined, it becomes “locked in.” If
effects would change the total cost after this time, they have no effect.
409.1g
If the total cost includes a mana payment, the player then has a chance to play
mana abilities (see rule 411, “Playing Mana Abilities”). Mana abilities must be
played before costs are paid.
409.1h
The player pays the total cost in any order. Partial payments are not allowed.
Unpayable costs can’t be paid.
Example:
You play Death Bomb, which costs {3}{B} and has an additional cost of
sacrificing a creature. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes
your black spells cost {1} less to play. Because a spell’s total cost is “locked
in” before payments are actually made, you pay {2}{B}, not {3}{B}, even though
you’re sacrificing the Familiar.
409.1i
Once the steps described in 409.1a–h are completed, the spell or ability becomes
played. Any abilities that trigger on a spell or ability being played or put
onto the stack trigger at this time. If the spell or ability’s controller had
priority before playing it, he or she gets priority.
409.2.
Some spells and abilities specify that one of their controller’s opponents does
something the controller would normally do while it’s being played, such as
choose a mode, choose targets, or choose how the spell or ability will affect
its targets. In these cases, the opponent does so when the spell or ability’s
controller normally would do so.
409.2a
If there is more than one opponent who could make such a choice, the spell or
ability’s controller decides which of those opponents will make the choice.
409.2b
If the spell or ability instructs its controller and another player to do
something at the same time as the spell or ability is being played, the spell’s
controller goes first, then the other player. This is an exception to rule
103.4.
409.3.
Playing a spell or ability that alters costs won’t do anything to spells and
abilities that are already on the stack.
409.4.
A player can’t begin to play a spell or activated ability that’s prohibited from
being played by an effect.
409.4a
If an effect allows a card that’s prohibited from being played to be played face
down, and the face-down spell would not be prohibited, that spell can be played
face down. See rule 504, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents.”
410. Handling Triggered
Abilities
410.1.
Because they aren’t played, triggered abilities can trigger even when it isn’t
legal to play spells and abilities, and effects that prevent abilities from
being played don’t affect them.
410.2.
Whenever a game event or game state matches a triggered ability’s trigger event,
that ability triggers. When a phase or step begins, all abilities that trigger
“at the beginning of” that phase or step trigger. The ability is controlled by
the player who controlled its source at the time it triggered, unless it’s a
delayed triggered ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability is the
player who controlled the spell or ability that created it. The ability doesn’t
do anything when it triggers, but it’s automatically put on the stack by its
controller as soon as a player would receive priority. Each triggered ability on
the stack has the text of the ability that created it, and no other
characteristics.
410.2a
If a triggered ability’s trigger condition is met, but the object with that
triggered ability is at no time visible to all players, the ability does not
trigger.
410.3.
If multiple abilities have triggered since the last time a player received
priority, each player, in APNAP order, puts triggered abilities he or she
controls on the stack in any order he or she chooses. (See rule 103.4.) Then
players once again check for and resolve state-based effects until none are
generated, then abilities that triggered during this process go on the stack.
This process repeats until no new state-based effects are generated and no
abilities trigger. Then the appropriate player gets priority.
410.4.
When a triggered ability goes on the stack, the controller of the ability makes
any choices that would be required while playing an activated ability, following
the same procedure (see rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities”). If
no legal choice can be made (or if a rule or a continuous effect otherwise makes
the ability illegal), the ability is simply removed from the stack.
410.4a
If a triggered ability is modal (that is, it uses the phrase “Choose one —” or
“[specified player] chooses one —”), its controller announces the mode choice
when he or she puts the ability on the stack. If one of the modes would be
illegal to play (due to an inability to choose legal targets, for example), that
mode can’t be chosen. If no mode can be chosen, the ability is removed from the
stack.
410.5.
Some triggered abilities’ effects are optional (they contain “may,” as in “At
the beginning of your upkeep, you may draw a card”). These abilities go on the
stack when they trigger, regardless of whether their controller intends to
exercise the ability’s option or not. The choice is made when the ability
resolves. Likewise, triggered abilities that have an effect “unless” something
is true or a player chooses to do something will go on the stack normally; the
“unless” part of the ability is dealt with when the ability resolves.
410.6.
An ability triggers only once each time its trigger event occurs. However, it
can trigger repeatedly if one event contains multiple occurrences. See also rule
410.9.
Example:
A permanent has an ability whose trigger condition reads, “Whenever a land is
put into a graveyard from play, . . . .” If someone plays a spell that destroys
all lands, the ability will trigger once for each land put into the graveyard
during the spell’s resolution.
410.7.
An ability triggers only if its trigger event actually occurs. An event that’s
prevented or replaced won’t trigger anything.
Example:
An ability that triggers on damage being dealt won’t trigger if all the damage
is prevented.
410.9.
Some abilities trigger when creatures block or are blocked in combat. (See rules
306–311 and rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”) They may trigger once or
repeatedly, depending on the wording of the ability.
410.9a
An ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] blocks, . . .” triggers only
once each combat for that creature, even if it blocks multiple creatures. It
triggers only if the creature is declared as a blocker.
410.9b
An ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] blocks a creature, . . .”
triggers once for each attacking creature the creature with the ability blocks.
It triggers only if the creature is declared as a blocker.
410.9c
An ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] becomes blocked, . . .” triggers
only once each combat for that creature, even if it’s blocked by multiple
creatures. It will also trigger if an effect causes a creature to block the
attacking creature, but only if it hadn’t already been blocked that combat. It
will trigger if the creature becomes blocked by an effect rather than a
creature.
410.9d
An ability that reads “Whenever a creature blocks [this creature], . . .”
triggers once for each creature that blocks the named creature. It will also
trigger if an effect causes a creature to block the attacking creature, even if
it had already been blocked that combat. It won’t trigger if the creature
becomes blocked by an effect rather than a creature.
410.9e
If an ability triggers when a creature blocks or becomes blocked by a particular
number of creatures, the ability triggers if the creature blocks or is blocked
by that many creatures when blockers are declared. Effects that add or remove
blockers can also cause such abilities to trigger. This applies to abilities
that trigger on a creature blocking or being blocked by at least a certain
number of creatures as well.
410.10.
Trigger events that involve objects changing zones are called “zone-change
triggers.” Many abilities with zone-change triggers attempt to do something to
that object after it changes zones. During resolution, these abilities look for
the object in the zone that it moved to. If the object is unable to be found in
the zone it went to, the part of the ability attempting to do something to the
object will fail to do anything. The ability could be unable to find the object
because the object never entered the specified zone, because it left the zone
before the ability resolved, or because it is in a zone that is hidden from a
player, such as a library or an opponent’s hand. (This rule applies even if the
object leaves the zone and returns again before the ability resolves.) The most
common zone-change triggers are comes-into-play triggers and leaves-play
triggers.
410.10a Comes-into-play abilities trigger when a permanent enters the in-play
zone. These are written, “When [this object] comes into play, . . . “ or
“Whenever a [type] comes into play, . . .” Each time an event puts one or more
permanents into play, all permanents in play (including the newcomers) are
checked for any comes-into-play triggers that match the event.
410.10b Continuous effects that modify characteristics of a permanent do so the
moment the permanent is in play (and not before then). The permanent is never in
play with its unmodified characteristics. Continuous effects don’t apply before
the permanent is in play, however (see rule 410.10e).
Example:
If an effect reads “All lands are creatures” and a land card is played, the
effect makes the land card into a creature the moment it enters play, so it
would trigger abilities that trigger when a creature comes into play.
Conversely, if an effect reads “All creatures lose all abilities” and a creature
card with a comes-into-play triggered ability enters play, that effect will
cause it to lose its abilities the moment it enters play, so the comes-into-play
ability won’t trigger.
410.10c Leaves-play abilities trigger when a permanent leaves the in-play zone.
These are written as, but aren’t limited to, “When [this object] leaves play, .
. .” or “Whenever [something] is put into a graveyard from play, . . . .” An
ability that attempts to do something to the card that left play checks for it
only in the first zone that it went to.
410.10d Normally, objects that exist immediately after an event are checked to
see if the event matched any trigger conditions. Continuous effects that exist
at that time are used to determine what the trigger conditions are and what the
objects involved in the event look like. However, some triggered abilities must
be treated specially because the object with the ability may no longer be in
play, may have moved to a hand or library, or may no longer be controlled by the
appropriate player. The game has to “look back in time” to determine if these
abilities trigger. Abilities that trigger specifically when an object leaves
play, when an object is put into a hand or library, or when a player loses
control of an object will trigger based on their existence, and the appearance
of objects, prior to the event rather than afterward.
Example:
Two creatures are in play along with an artifact that has the ability “Whenever
a creature is put into a graveyard from play, you gain 1 life.” Someone plays a
spell that destroys all artifacts, creatures, and enchantments. The artifact’s
ability triggers twice, even though the artifact goes to its owner’s graveyard
at the same time as the creatures.
410.10f Some Auras have triggered abilities that trigger on the enchanted
permanent leaving play. These triggered abilities can track the Aura to its
owner’s graveyard in addition to tracking the enchanted permanent to whatever
zone it moved to.
410.11.
Some triggered abilities trigger on a game state, such as a player controlling
no permanents of a particular card type, rather than triggering when an event
occurs. These abilities trigger as soon as the game state matches the condition.
They’ll go onto the stack at the next available opportunity. These are called
state triggers. (Note that state triggers aren’t the same as state-based
effects.) A state-triggered ability doesn’t trigger again until the ability has
resolved, has been countered, or has otherwise left the stack. Then, if the
object with the ability is still in the same zone and the game state still
matches its trigger condition, the ability will trigger again.
Example:
A permanent’s ability reads, “Whenever you have no cards in hand, draw a card.”
If its controller plays the last card from his or her hand, the ability will
trigger once and won’t trigger again until it has resolved. If its controller
plays a spell that reads “Discard your hand, then draw that many cards,” the
ability will trigger during the spell’s resolution because the player’s hand was
momentarily empty.
411.
Playing Mana Abilities
411.1.
To play a mana ability, the player announces that he or she is playing it and
pays the activation cost, following the steps in rules 409.1b–i. It resolves
immediately after it is played and doesn’t go on the stack. (See rule 408.2e.)
411.2.
A player may play an activated mana ability whenever he or she has priority, or
whenever he or she is playing a spell or activated ability that requires a mana
payment. A player may also play one whenever a rule or effect asks for a mana
payment, even in the middle of playing or resolving a spell or ability.
411.3.
Triggered mana abilities trigger when an activated mana ability is played. These
abilities resolve immediately after the mana ability that triggered them,
without waiting for priority. If an activated or triggered ability produces both
mana and another effect, both the mana and the other effect resolve immediately.
Example:
An enchantment reads, “Whenever
a player taps a land for mana, that player adds one mana of that type to his or
her mana pool.” If
a player taps lands for mana while playing a spell, the additional mana is added
to the player’s mana pool immediately and can be used to pay for the spell.
411.3a
If a triggered mana ability adds mana “of the same type” or “of the same color”
to a player’s mana pool and the mana ability that triggered it produced more
than one type or color of mana, the player to whose mana pool the mana is being
added chooses which type or color of mana the triggered ability adds.
412. Handling Static
Abilities
412.1.
A static ability may generate a continuous effect or a prevention or replacement
effect. These effects last as long as the object with the static ability remains
in the appropriate zone.
412.2.
Many Auras, Equipment, and Fortifications have static abilities that modify the
object they’re attached to, but those abilities don’t target that object. If an
Aura, Equipment, or Fortification is moved to a different object, the ability
stops applying to the original object and starts modifying the new one.
412.3.
Some static abilities apply while a spell is on the stack. These are often
abilities that refer to countering the spell. Also, abilities that say “As an
additional cost to play . . . ,” “You may pay [cost] rather than pay [this
object]’s mana cost,” and “You may play [this object] without paying its mana
cost” work while a spell is on the stack.
412.5.
Unlike spells and other kinds of abilities, static abilities can’t use an
object’s last known information for purposes of determining how their effects
are applied.
413.
Resolving Spells and Abilities
413.1.
Each time all players pass in succession, the object (a spell, an ability, or
combat damage) on top of the stack resolves. (See rule 416, “Effects.”)
413.2.
Resolution of a spell or ability may involve several steps. These steps are
followed in the order listed below.
413.2a
If the spell or ability specifies targets, it checks whether the targets are
still legal. A target that’s moved out of the zone it was in when it was
targeted is illegal. Other changes to the game state may cause a target to no
longer be legal; for example, its characteristics may have changed or an effect
may have changed the text of the spell. If the source of an ability has left the
zone it was in, its last known information is used during this process. The
spell or ability is countered if all its targets, for every instance of the word
“target,” are now illegal. If the spell or ability is not countered, it will
resolve normally, affecting only the targets that are still legal. If a target
is illegal, the spell or ability can’t perform any actions on it or make the
target perform any actions.
Example:
Aura Blast is a white instant that reads, “Destroy target enchantment. Draw a
card.” If the enchantment isn’t a legal target during Aura Blast’s resolution
(say, if it has gained protection from white or left play), then Aura Blast is
countered. Its controller doesn’t draw a card.
Example:
Plague Spores reads,
“Destroy target nonblack creature and target land. They can’t be regenerated.”
Suppose the same animated land is chosen both as the nonblack creature and as
the land, and the color of the creature land is changed to black before Plague
Spores resolves. Plagues Spores isn’t countered because the black creature land
is still a legal target for the “target land” part of the spell.
413.2b
The controller of the spell or ability follows its instructions in the order
written. However, replacement effects may modify these actions. In some cases,
later text on the card may modify the meaning of earlier text (for example,
“Destroy target creature. It can’t be regenerated” or “Counter target spell. If
that spell is countered this way, put it on top of its owner’s library instead
of into its owner’s graveyard.”) Don’t just apply effects step by step without
thinking in these cases—read the whole text and apply the rules of English to
the text.
413.2c
If an effect offers any choices other than choices already made as part of
playing the spell or ability, the player announces these while applying the
effect. The player can’t choose an option that’s illegal or impossible. (For
example, if a player can’t meet all the immediate requirements of an optional
action, then he or she can’t take that action, regardless of the consequences
for not doing it.) Note that as an exception, having an empty library doesn’t
make drawing a card an impossible action. See rule 423.3.
Example:
A spell’s instruction reads, “You may sacrifice a creature. If you don’t, you
lose 4 life.” A player who controls no creatures can’t choose the sacrifice
option.
413.2d
Some spells and abilities have multiple steps or actions, denoted by separate
sentences or clauses, that involve multiple players. In these cases, the choices
for the first action are made in APNAP order, and then the first action is
processed simultaneously. Then the choices for the second action are made in
APNAP order, and then that action is processed simultaneously, and so on. See
rule 103.4.
413.2e
If an effect gives a player the option to pay mana, he or she may play mana
abilities before taking that action. If an effect specifically instructs or
allows a player to play a spell during resolution, he or she does so by putting
that spell on top of the stack, then continuing to play it by following the
steps in rules 409.1a–i, except no player receives priority after it’s played.
The currently resolving spell or ability then continues to resolve, which may
include playing other spells this way. No other spells or abilities can normally
be played during resolution.
413.2f
If an effect requires information from the game (such as the number of creatures
in play), the answer is determined only once, when the effect is applied. If the
effect requires information from a specific object, including the source of the
ability itself, the effect uses the current information of that object if it
hasn’t changed zones; otherwise, the effect uses the last known information the
object had before leaving the zone it was expected to be in. There are two
exceptions: (1) if an effect deals damage divided among some number of creatures
or players, the amount and division were determined as the spell or ability was
put into the stack (see rule 402.6), and (2) static abilities can’t use last
known information (see rule 412.5). If the ability text states that an object
does something, it’s the object as it exists—or as it most recently existed—that
does it, not the ability.
413.2g
If an effect refers to certain characteristics, it checks only for the value of
the specified characteristics, regardless of any related ones an object may also
have.
Example:
An effect that reads “Destroy all black creatures” destroys a white-and-black
creature, but one that reads “Destroy all nonblack creatures” doesn’t.
413.2h
If an ability’s effect refers to a specific untargeted object that has been
previously referred to by that ability’s cost or trigger condition, it still
affects that object even if the object has changed characteristics.
Example:
Wall of Tears says “Whenever Wall of Tears blocks a creature, return that
creature to its owner’s hand at end of combat.” If Wall of Tears blocks a
creature, then that creature ceases to be a creature before the triggered
ability resolves, the permanent will still be returned to its owner’s hand.
413.2i
A spell is put into play from the stack under the control of the spell’s
controller (for permanents) or is put into its owner’s graveyard from the stack
(for instants and sorceries) as the final step of the spell’s resolution. An
ability is removed from the stack and ceases to exist as the final step of its
resolution.
413.2j
If an effect could result in a tie, the text of the spell or ability that
created the effect will specify what to do in the event of a tie. The
Magic game has no default for ties.
414. Countering Spells
and Abilities
414.1.
To counter a spell is to move the spell from the stack to its owner’s graveyard.
Countering an ability removes it from the stack. Spells and abilities that are
countered don’t resolve and none of their effects occur.
414.2.
The player who played the countered spell or ability doesn’t get a “refund” of
any costs that were paid.
415. Targeted Spells and
Abilities
415.1.
An instant or sorcery spell is targeted if the text that will be followed when
it resolves uses the phrase “target [something],” where the “something” is a
phrase that describes an object, player, or zone. (If an activated or triggered
ability of an instant or sorcery uses the word target, that ability is targeted,
but the spell is not.)
Example:
A sorcery card has the ability “When you cycle this card, target creature gets
-1/-1 until end of turn.” This triggered ability is targeted, but that doesn’t
make the card it’s on targeted.
415.2.
An activated or triggered ability is targeted if it uses the phrase “target
[something],” where the “something” is a phrase that describes an object,
player, or zone.
415.3.
Aura spells are always targeted. An Aura’s target is specified by its enchant
keyword ability (see rule 502.45, “Enchant”). An Aura permanent doesn’t target
anything; only the spell is targeted. An activated or triggered ability of an
Aura permanent can be targeted.
Neither Equipment spells nor Equipment permanents target anything. The
equip ability is targeted; see rule 502.33, “Equip.” An activated or triggered
ability of an Equipment permanent can be targeted.
Neither Fortification spells nor Fortification permanents target
anything. The fortify ability is targeted; see rule 502.65, “Fortify.” An
activated or triggered ability of a Fortification permanent can be targeted.
415.4.
Spells and abilities that can have zero or more targets are targeted only if one
or more targets have been chosen for them.
415.5.
Only permanents are legal targets for spells and abilities, unless a spell or
ability (a) specifies that it can
target an object in another zone or a player or
(b) targets an object that can’t
exist in the in-play zone, such as a spell or ability.
415.6.
A spell or ability on the stack is an illegal target for itself.
415.7.
Changing Targets
415.7a
The target of a spell or ability can change only to another legal target. If the
target can’t be changed to another legal target, the original target is
unchanged.
415.7b
Modal spells and abilities may have different targeting requirements for each
mode. Changing a spell or ability’s target can’t change its mode.
415.7c
The word “you” in an object’s text isn’t a target.
416.
Effects
416.1.
When a spell or ability resolves, it may create one or more one-shot or
continuous effects. Static abilities may create one or more continuous effects.
Some effects are replacement effects or prevention effects. State-based effects
are not created by spells or abilities; they are generated by specific rules of
the game (see rule 420).
416.2.
Effects apply only to permanents unless the instruction’s text states otherwise
or they clearly can apply only to objects in one or more other zones.
Example:
An effect that changes all lands into creatures won’t alter land cards in
players’ graveyards. But an effect that says spells cost more to play will apply
only to spells on the stack, since a spell is always on the stack while you are
playing it.
416.3.
If an effect attempts to do something impossible, it does only as much as
possible.
Example:
If a player is holding only one card, an effect that reads “Discard two cards”
causes him or her to discard only that card. If an effect moves cards out of the
library (as opposed to drawing), it moves as many as possible.
417. One-Shot Effects
417.1.
A one-shot effect does something just once and doesn’t have a duration. Examples
include damage dealing, destruction of permanents, and moving objects between
zones.
417.2.
Some one-shot effects instruct a player to do something later in the game
(usually at a specific time) rather than when they resolve. This kind of effect
actually creates a new ability that waits to be triggered. (See rule 404.4.)
418. Continuous Effects
418.1.
A continuous effect modifies characteristics of objects, modifies control of
objects, or affects players or the rules of the game, for a fixed or indefinite
period. A continuous effect may be generated by the resolution of a spell or
ability or by a static ability of an object.
418.2.
Continuous effects that modify characteristics of permanents do so
simultaneously with the permanent coming into play. They don’t wait until the
permanent is in play and then change it. Because such effects apply as the
permanent comes into play, apply them before determining whether the permanent
will cause an ability to trigger when it comes into play.
418.3.
Continuous Effects from Spells or Abilities
418.3a
A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability lasts as
long as stated by the spell or ability creating it (such as “until end of
turn”). If no duration is stated, it lasts until the end of the game.
418.3b
The set of objects that are affected by continuous effects from spells,
activated abilities, and triggered abilities that modify the characteristics or
change the controller of those objects is determined when that continuous effect
begins. After that point, the set won’t change. Note that these work differently
than continuous effects from static abilities. Continuous effects that don’t
modify characteristics or change the controller of objects modify the rules of
the game, so they can affect objects that weren’t affected when the continuous
effect began.
Example:
An effect that reads “All white creatures get +1/+1 until end of turn” gives the
bonus to all permanents that are white creatures when the spell or ability
resolves—even if they change color later—and doesn’t affect those that come into
play or turn white afterward.
Example:
An effect that reads “Prevent all damage creatures would deal this turn” doesn’t
modify any object’s characteristics, so it’s modifying the rules of the game.
That means the effect will apply even to damage from creatures that weren’t in
play when the continuous effect began. It also affects damage from permanents
that become creatures later in the turn.
418.3c
If a resolving spell or ability that creates a continuous effect contains a
variable, the value of that variable is determined only once, on resolution. See
rule 413.2f.
418.3d
Some effects from activated or triggered abilities have durations worded “as
long as . . . .” If the “as long as” duration ends before the moment the effect
would first be applied, the effect does nothing. It doesn’t start and
immediately stop again, and it doesn’t last forever.
Example:
Endoskeleton is an artifact with an activated ability that reads “{2}, {T}:
Target creature gets +0/+3 as long as Endoskeleton remains tapped.” If you play
this ability and then Endoskeleton becomes untapped before the ability resolves,
it does nothing, because its duration—remaining tapped—was over before the
effect began.
418.4.
Continuous Effects from Static Abilities
418.4a
A continuous effect generated by a static ability isn’t “locked in”; it applies
at any given moment to whatever its text indicates.
418.4b
The effect applies at all times that the permanent generating it is in play or
the object generating it is in the appropriate zone.
Example:
A permanent with the static ability “All white creatures get +1/+1” generates an
effect that continuously gives +1/+1 to each white creature in play. If a
creature becomes white, it gets this bonus; a creature that stops being white
loses it. A creature spell that would normally create a 1/1 white creature
instead creates a 2/2 white creature. The creature doesn’t come into play as 1/1
and then change to 2/2.
418.5.
Interaction of Continuous Effects
418.5a
The values of an object’s characteristics are determined by starting with the
actual object, then applying continuous effects in a series of layers in the
following order: (1) copy effects (see rule 503, “Copying Objects”); (2)
control-changing effects; (3) text-changing effects; (4) type-changing effects
(which includes effects that change an object’s card type, subtype, and/or
supertype); (5) all other continuous effects, except those that change power
and/or toughness; and (6) power- and/or toughness-changing effects.
Inside each layer from 1 through 5, apply effects from
characteristic-defining abilities first, then all other effects in timestamp
order. Inside layer 6, apply effects in a series of sublayers in the following
order: (6a) effects from characteristic-defining abilities; (6b) all other
effects not specifically applied in 6c, 6d, or 6e; (6c) changes from counters;
(6d) effects from static abilities that modify power and/or toughness but don’t
set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value; and (6e) effects that
switch a creature’s power and toughness. Within each sublayer, apply effects in
timestamp order. Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are
applied within a layer or sublayer. See also the rules for timestamp order and
dependency (rules 418.5b–418.5g).
Example:
Crusade is an enchantment that reads “White creatures get +1/+1.” Crusade and a
2/2 black creature are in play. If an effect then turns the creature white
(layer 5), it gets +1/+1 from Crusade (layer 6d), becoming 3/3. If the
creature’s color is later changed to red (layer 5), Crusade’s effect stops
applying to it, and it will return to being a 2/2.
Example: Gray
Ogre, a 2/2 creature, is in play. An effect puts a +1/+1 counter on it (layer
6c), making it 3/3. An effect that says “Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of
turn” is applied to it (layer 6b), making it 7/7. An enchantment that says
“Creatures you control get +0/+2” enters play (layer 6d), making it a 7/9. An
effect that says “Target creature becomes 0/1 until end of turn” is applied to
it (layer 6b), making it a 1/4 (0/1, plus +1/+1 from the counter, plus +0/+2
from the enchantment).
418.5b
If an effect should be applied in different layers, the parts of the effect each
apply in their appropriate layers. If an effect starts to apply in one layer, it
will continue to be applied to the same set of objects in each other applicable
layer, even if the ability generating the effect is removed during this process.
Example:
An effect that reads “Wild Mongrel gets +1/+1 and becomes the color of your
choice until end of turn” is both a power- and toughness-changing effect and an
“other” kind of effect. The “becomes the color of your choice” part is applied
in layer 5, and then the “gets +1/+1” part is applied in layer 6.
Example:
Grab the Reins has an effect that reads “Until end of turn, you gain control of
target creature and it gains haste.” This is both a control-changing effect and
an “other” effect. The “you gain control” part is applied in layer 2, and then
the “it gains haste” part is applied in layer 5.
Example: An
effect that reads “All noncreature artifacts become 2/2 artifact creatures until
end of turn” is both a type-changing effect and a power- and toughness-setting
effect. The type-changing effect is applied to all noncreature artifacts in
layer 4 and the power- and toughness-setting effect is applied to those same
permanents in layer 6, even though those permanents aren’t noncreature artifacts
by then.
Example:
Svogthos, the Restless Tomb, is in play. An effect that says “Until
end of turn, target land becomes a 3/3 creature that’s still a land”
is applied to it (layers 4 and 6b). An effect that says “Target creature gets
+1/+1 until end of turn” is applied to it (layer 6b), making it a 4/4 land
creature. Then you activate Svogthos’s ability (“Until
end of turn, Svogthos, the Restless Tomb becomes a black and green Plant Zombie
creature with ‘This creature’s power and toughness are each equal to the number
of creature cards in your graveyard.’ It’s still a land.”)
while you have ten creature cards in your graveyard (layers 4, 5, and 6b). It
becomes a 10/10 land creature. If a creature card enters or leaves your
graveyard, Svogthos’s power and toughness will be modified accordingly. If the
first effect is applied to it again, it will become a 3/3 land creature again.
418.5c
An effect is said to “depend on” another if
(a) it’s applied in the same layer
(and, if applicable, sublayer) as the other effect (see rule 418.5a);
(b) applying the other would change
the text or the existence of the first effect, what it applies to, or what it
does to any of the things it applies to; and
(c) neither effect is from a
characteristic-defining ability. Otherwise, the effect is considered to be
independent of the other effect.
418.5d
An effect dependent on one or more other effects waits to apply until just after
all of those effects have been applied. If multiple dependent effects would
apply simultaneously in this way, they’re applied in “timestamp order” relative
to each other. If several dependent effects form a dependency loop, then this
rule is ignored and the effects in the dependency loop are applied in timestamp
order.
418.5e
An object’s timestamp is the time it entered the zone it’s currently in, with
three exceptions: (a) If two or more
objects enter a zone (or zones) simultaneously, the active player determines
their timestamp order at the time they enter that zone.
(b) Whenever an Aura, Equipment, or
Fortification becomes attached to an object or player, the Aura, Equipment, or
Fortification receives a new timestamp.
(c) Permanents that phase in keep the same timestamps they had when they
phased out.
418.5f
A continuous effect generated by a static ability has the same timestamp as the
object the static ability is on, or the timestamp of the effect that created the
ability, whichever is later.
418.5g
A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability receives a
timestamp at the time it’s created.
418.5h
One continuous effect can override another. Sometimes the results of one effect
determine whether another effect applies or what another effect does.
Example:
Two Auras are played on the same creature: “Enchanted creature gains flying” and
“Enchanted creature loses flying.” Neither of these depends on the other, since
nothing changes what they affect or what they’re doing to it. Applying them in
timestamp order means the one that was generated last “wins.” It’s irrelevant
whether an effect is temporary (such as “Target creature loses flying until end
of turn”) or global (such as “All creatures lose flying”).
Example:
One effect reads, “White creatures get +1/+1,” and another, “Enchanted creature
is white.” The enchanted creature gets +1/+1 from the first effect, regardless
of its previous color.
418.5i
Some effects switch a creature’s power and toughness. When they’re applied, they
take the value of power and apply it to the object’s toughness, and take the
object’s toughness and apply it to the object’s power. These effects are applied
after all other effects that affect power and toughness. (See rule 418.5a.)
Example:
A 1/3 creature is given +0/+1 by an effect. Then another effect switches the
creature’s power and toughness. Its new power and toughness is 4/1. A new effect
gives the creature +5/+0. Its “unswitched” power and toughness would be 6/4, so
its actual power and toughness is 4/6.
Example:
A 1/3 creature is given +0/+1 by an effect. Then another effect switches the
creature’s power and toughness. Its new power and toughness is 4/1. If the +0/+1
effect ends before the switch effect ends, the creature becomes a 3/1.
418.5j
Some continuous effects affect players rather than objects. For example, an
effect might give a player protection from red. All such effects are applied in
timestamp order after the determination of objects’ characteristics. See also
the rules for timestamp order and dependency (rules 418.5b–418.5g).
418.5k
Some continuous effects affect game rules rather than objects. For example,
effects may modify a player’s maximum hand size. These effects are applied after
all other continuous effects have been applied. Continuous effects that affect
the costs of spells or abilities are applied according to the order specified in
rule 409.1f. All other such effects are applied in timestamp order. See also the
rules for timestamp order and dependency (rules 418.5b–g).
418.6.
Text-Changing Effects
418.6a
An effect that changes the text of an object changes only those words that are
used in the correct way (for example, a
Magic color word being used as a color word, a land type word used as a land
type, or a creature type word used as a creature type). The effect can’t change
a proper noun, such as a card name, even if that proper noun contains a word or
a series of letters that is the same as a
Magic color word, basic land type,
or creature type.
418.6b
Effects that add or remove abilities don’t change the text of the objects they
affect, so any abilities that are granted to an object can’t be changed by
effects that change the text of that object.
418.6c
Most spells and abilities that create creature tokens use creature types to
define both the creature types and the names of the tokens. These words can be
changed, because they are being used as creature types, even though they’re also
being used as names.
418.6d
A creature token’s creature type and rules text are defined by the spell or
ability that created the token. These characteristics can be changed by
text-changing effects.
419. Replacement and
Prevention Effects
419.1.
Replacement and prevention effects are continuous effects that watch for a
particular event to happen and then completely or partially replace that event.
These effects act like “shields” around whatever they’re affecting.
419.1a
Effects that use the word “instead” are replacement effects. Most replacement
effects use the word “instead” to indicate what events will be replaced with
other events and use the word “skip” to indicate what events, steps, phases, or
turns will be replaced with nothing.
419.1b
Effects that read “[This permanent] comes into play with . . . ,” “As [this
permanent] comes into play . . . ,” or “[This permanent] comes into play as . .
. ” are replacement effects.
419.1c
Continuous effects that read “[This permanent] comes into play . . .” or
“[Objects] come into play . . .” are replacement effects.
419.1d
Effects that use the word “prevent” are prevention effects. Prevention effects
use “prevent” to indicate what events will not occur.
419.1e
Effects that read “As [this permanent] is turned face up . . . ,” are
replacement effects.
419.2.
Replacement and prevention effects apply continuously as events happen—they
aren’t locked in ahead of time.
419.3.
There are no special restrictions on playing a spell or ability that generates a
replacement or prevention effect. Such effects last until they’re used up or
their duration has expired.
419.4.
Replacement or prevention effects must exist before the appropriate event
occurs—they can’t “go back in time” and change something that’s already
happened. Usually spells and abilities that generate these effects are played in
response to whatever would produce the event and thus resolve before that event
would occur.
Example:
A player can play a regeneration ability in response to a spell that would
destroy a creature he or she controls.
419.5.
If an event is prevented or replaced, it never happens. A modified event occurs
instead, which may in turn trigger abilities. Note that the modified event may
contain instructions that can’t be carried out, in which case the player simply
ignores the impossible instruction.
419.5a
If a source would deal 0 damage, it does not deal damage at all. That means
abilities that trigger on damage being dealt won’t trigger. It also means that
replacement effects that increase damage dealt have no event to replace, so they
have no effect.
419.5b
Some abilities read, “you may [X]. If you do, [Y].” An “if you do” clause that
follows a “you may [X]” clause refers to choosing to do the event X, regardless
of what events actually occur as a result of that decision. If X is replaced
entirely or in part by a different event, the “if you do” clause refers to the
event that replaced X.
419.6.
Replacement Effects
419.6a
A replacement effect doesn’t invoke itself repeatedly and gets only one
opportunity for each event.
Example:
A player controls two permanents, each with an ability that reads “If a creature
you control would deal damage to a creature or player, it deals double that
damage to that creature or player instead.” A creature that normally deals 2
damage will deal 8 damage—not just 4, and not an infinite amount.
419.6b
Regeneration is a destruction-replacement effect. The word “instead” doesn’t
appear on the card but is implicit in the definition of regeneration.
“Regenerate [permanent]” means “The next time [permanent] would be destroyed
this turn, instead remove all damage from it, tap it, and (if it’s in combat)
remove it from combat.” Abilities that trigger from damage being dealt still
trigger even if the permanent regenerates.
419.6d
Some spells and abilities replace part or all of their own effect(s) when they
resolve. Such effects are called
self-replacement effects. When applying replacement effects to an event,
apply self-replacement effects first, then apply other replacement effects.
419.6e
Skipping an action, step, phase, or turn is a replacement effect. “Skip
[something]” is the same as “Instead of doing [something], do nothing.” Once a
step, phase, or turn has started, it can no longer be skipped—any skip effects
will wait until the next occurrence.
419.6f
Anything scheduled for a skipped step, phase, or turn won’t happen. Anything
scheduled for the “next” occurrence of something waits for the first occurrence
that isn’t skipped. If two effects each cause a player to skip his or her next
occurrence, that player must skip the next two; one effect will be satisfied in
skipping the first occurrence, while the other will remain until another
occurrence can be skipped.
419.6g Some replacement effects say “instead choose one —.” Such effects are
called modal replacement effects. The
mode is chosen as the replacement effect is applied. If a modal replacement
effect would apply to multiple events, a different mode may be chosen for each
event. A modal replacement effect doesn’t invoke itself repeatedly, regardless
of which mode was chosen. You may not choose modes that are impossible.
419.6h
Some effects replace card draws. These effects are applied even if no cards
could be drawn because there are no cards in the affected player’s library. If
an effect replaces a draw within a sequence of card draws, all actions required
by the replacement are completed, if possible, before resuming the sequence. If
an effect would have a player both draw a card and perform an additional action
on that card, and the draw is replaced, the additional action is not performed
on any cards that are drawn as a result of that replacement effect.
419.6i Some replacement effects modify how a permanent comes
into play. (See rules 419.1b-c.) Such effects may come from the permanent itself
if they affect only that permanent (as opposed to a general subset of permanents
that includes it). They may also come from other sources. To determine how and
whether these replacement effects apply, check the characteristics of the
permanent as it would exist in play, taking into account replacement effects
that have already modified how it comes into play, continuous effects generated
by the resolution of spells or abilities that changed the permanent’s
characteristics on the stack (see rule 217.1c), and continuous effects from the
permanent’s own static abilities, but ignoring continuous effects from any other
source that would affect it.
Example:
Voice of All says “As Voice of All comes into play, choose a color” and “Voice
of All has protection from the chosen color.” An effect creates a token that’s a
copy of Voice of All. As that token is put into play, its controller chooses a
color for it.
Example:
Yixlid Jailer says “Cards
in graveyards have no abilities.” Scarwood Treefolk says “Scarwood Treefolk is
put into play tapped.” A Scarwood Treefolk that’s put into play from a graveyard
is put into play tapped.
Example:
Orb of Dreams is an artifact that says “Permanents come into play tapped.” It
will not affect itself, so Orb of Dreams is put into play untapped.
419.7.
Prevention Effects
419.7a
Prevention effects usually apply to damage that would be dealt.
419.7b
Some prevention effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability refer
to a specific amount of damage—for example, “Prevent the next 3 damage that
would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.” These work like shields.
Each 1 damage that would be dealt to the “shielded” creature or player is
prevented. Preventing 1 damage reduces the remaining shield by 1. If damage
would be dealt to the shielded creature or player by two or more applicable
sources at the same time, the player or the controller of the creature chooses
which damage the shield prevents first. Once the shield has been reduced to 0,
any remaining damage is dealt normally. Such effects count only the amount of
damage; the number of events or sources dealing it doesn’t matter.
419.7c
Some prevention effects generated by static abilities refer to a specific amount
of damage—for example, “If a source would deal damage to you, prevent 1 of that
damage.” Such an effect prevents only the indicated amount of damage from any
applicable source at any given time. It will apply separately to damage from
other applicable sources, or to damage that would be dealt by the same source at
a different time.
419.7d
Some prevention effects prevent the next N damage that would be dealt to each of
a number of untargeted creatures. Such an effect creates a prevention shield for
each applicable creature when the spell or ability that generates that effect
resolves.
Example:
Wojek Apothecary has an
ability that says “{T}: Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to target
creature and each other creature that shares a color with it this turn.”
When the ability resolves, it gives the target creature and each other creature
in play that shares a color with it at that time a shield preventing the next 1
damage that would be dealt to it. Changing creatures’ colors after the ability
resolves doesn’t add or remove shields, and creatures that come into play later
in the turn don’t get the shield.
419.8.
Sources of Damage
419.8a
Some effects apply to damage from a source—for example, “The next time a red
source of your choice would deal damage to you this turn, prevent that damage.”
If an effect requires a player to choose a source, he or she may choose a
permanent; a spell on the stack (including an artifact, creature, enchantment,
planeswalker spell); any card or permanent referred to by an object on the
stack; or a creature that assigned combat damage on the stack, even if the
creature is no longer in play or is no longer a creature. The source is chosen
when the effect is created. If the player chooses a permanent, the effect will
apply to the next damage from that permanent, regardless of whether it’s from
one of that permanent’s abilities or combat damage dealt by it. If the player
chooses an artifact, creature, enchantment, planeswalker spell, the effect will
apply to any damage from that spell and from the permanent that it becomes when
it resolves.
419.8b
Some effects from spells and abilities prevent or replace damage from sources
with certain properties, such as a creature or a source of a particular color.
When the source would deal damage, the “shield” rechecks the source’s
properties. If the properties no longer match, the damage isn’t prevented or
replaced. If for any reason the shield prevents no damage or replaces no damage,
the shield isn’t used up.
419.8c
Some effects from static abilities prevent or replace damage from sources with
certain properties. For these effects, the prevention or replacement applies to
sources that are permanents with that property and to any sources that aren’t in
play that have that property.
419.9.
Interaction of Replacement or Prevention Effects
419.9a
If two or more replacement or prevention effects are attempting to modify the
way an event affects an object or player, the affected object’s controller (or
its owner if it has no controller) or the affected player chooses one to apply.
Then the other effect applies if it is still appropriate. If one or more of the
applicable replacement effects is a self-replacement effect (see rule 419.6d),
that effect is applied before any other replacement effects. If two or more
players have to make these choices at the same time, choices are made in APNAP
order (see rule 103.4).
Example:
Two permanents are in play. One is an enchantment that reads “If a card would be
put into a graveyard, instead remove it from the game,” and the other is a
creature that reads “If [this creature] would be put into a graveyard from play,
instead shuffle it into its owner’s library.” The controller of the creature
that would be destroyed decides which replacement to apply first; the other does
nothing.
419.9b
A replacement effect can become applicable to an event as the result of another
replacement effect that modifies the event.
Example:
One effect reads “For each 1 life you would gain, instead draw a card,” and
another reads “If you would draw a card, return a card from your graveyard to
your hand instead.” Both effects combine (regardless of the order they came into
existence): Instead of gaining 1 life, the player puts a card from his or her
graveyard into his or her hand.
420. State-Based Effects
420.1.
State-based effects are a special category that apply only to those conditions
listed below. Abilities that watch for a specified game state are triggered
abilities, not state-based effects. (See rule 404, “Triggered Abilities.”)
420.2.
State-based effects are always active and are not controlled by any player.
420.3.
Whenever a player would get priority (see rule 408, “Timing of Spells and
Abilities”), the game checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based
effects. All applicable effects resolve as a single event, then the check is
repeated. Once no more state-based effects have been generated, triggered
abilities go on the stack, and then the appropriate player gets priority. This
check is also made during the cleanup step (see rule 314); if any of the listed
conditions apply, the active player receives priority.
420.4. Unlike triggered
abilities, state-based effects pay no attention to what happens during the
resolution of a spell or ability.
Example:
A player controls a creature with the ability “This creature’s power and
toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand” and plays a spell
whose effect is “Discard your hand, then draw seven cards.” The creature will
temporarily have toughness 0 in the middle of the spell’s resolution but will be
back up to toughness 7 when the spell finishes resolving. Thus the creature will
survive when state-based effects are checked. In contrast, an ability that
triggers when the player has no cards in hand goes on the stack after the spell
resolves, because its trigger event happened during resolution.
420.5.
The state-based effects are as follows:
420.5a
A player with 0 or less life loses the game.
420.5b
A creature with toughness 0 or less is put into its owner’s graveyard.
Regeneration can’t replace this event.
420.5c
A creature with lethal damage, but greater than 0 toughness, is destroyed.
Lethal damage is an amount of damage greater than or equal to a creature’s
toughness. Regeneration can replace this event.
420.5d
An Aura attached to an illegal object or player, or not attached to an object or
player, is put into its owner’s graveyard.
420.5e
If two or more legendary permanents with the same name are in play, all are put
into their owners’ graveyards. This is called the “legend rule.” If only one of
those permanents is legendary, this rule doesn’t apply.
420.5f
A token in a zone other than the in-play zone ceases to exist.
420.5g
A player who attempted to draw a card from an empty library since the last time
state-based effects were checked loses the game.
420.5h
A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game.
420.5i
If two or more permanents have the supertype world, all except the one that has
been a permanent with the world supertype in play for the shortest amount of
time are put into their owners’ graveyards. In the event of a tie for the
shortest amount of time, all are put into their owners’ graveyards. This is
called the “world rule.”
420.5j
If a copy of a spell is in a zone other than the stack, it ceases to exist. If a
copy of a card is in any zone other than the stack or the in-play zone, it
ceases to exist.
420.5k
An Equipment or Fortification attached to an illegal permanent becomes
unattached from that permanent. It remains in play.
420.5m
A permanent that’s neither an Aura, an Equipment, nor a Fortification, but is
attached to another permanent, becomes unattached from that permanent. It
remains in play.
420.5n
If a permanent has both a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter on it, N +1/+1 and N
-1/-1 counters are removed from it, where N is the smaller of the number of
+1/+1 and -1/-1 counters on it.
420.5p
A planeswalker with loyalty 0 is put into its owner’s graveyard.
420.5q
If two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type are in play, all are
put into their owners’ graveyards.
421. Handling “Infinite”
Loops
421.1.
Occasionally the game can get into a state in which a set of actions could be
repeated forever. These rules (sometimes called the “infinity rules”) govern how
to break such loops.
421.2.
If the loop contains one or more optional actions and one player controls them
all, that player chooses a number. The loop is treated as repeating that many
times or until another player intervenes, whichever comes first.
Example:
In a two-player game, one player controls a creature with the ability “{0}:
[This creature] gains flying,” and another player controls a permanent with the
ability “{0}: Target creature loses flying.” The “infinity rule” ensures that
regardless of which player initiated the gain/lose flying ability, the nonactive
player will always have the final choice and therefore be able to determine
whether the creature has flying. (Note that this assumes that the first player
attempted to give the creature flying at least once.)
421.4.
If the loop contains only mandatory actions, the game ends in a draw. (See rule
102.4b.)
421.5.
If the loop contains optional actions controlled by different players and these
actions don’t depend on one another, the active player chooses a number. In
APNAP order, the nonactive players can each either agree to that number or
choose a higher number. Note that this rule applies even if the actions could
exist in separate loops rather than in a single loop.
422.
Handling Illegal Actions
422.1.
If a player realizes that he or she can’t legally take an action after starting
to do so, the entire action is reversed and any payments already made are
canceled. No abilities trigger and no effects apply as a result of an undone
action. If the action was playing a spell, the spell returns to the zone it came
from. The player may also reverse any legal mana abilities played while making
the illegal play, unless mana from them or from any triggered mana abilities
they triggered was spent on another mana ability that wasn’t reversed. Players
may not reverse actions that moved cards to a library or from a library to any
zone other than the stack.
422.2.
When reversing illegal spells and abilities, the player who had priority retains
it and may take another action or pass. The player may redo the reversed action
in a legal way or take any other action allowed by the rules.
423.
Drawing a Card
423.1.
A player draws a card by putting the top card of his or her library into his or
her hand. This is done as a game action during each player’s draw step. It may
also be done as part of a cost or effect of a spell or ability.
423.2.
Cards may only be drawn one at a time. If a player is instructed to draw
multiple cards, that player performs that many individual card draws.
423.2a
If an effect instructs more than one player to draw cards, the active player
performs all of his or her draws first, then each other player in turn order
does the same.
423.2b
If an effect instructs more than one player to draw cards in a Two-Headed Giant
game, first the primary player (seated on the right) on the active team performs
all of his or her draws, then the secondary player on that team performs all of
his or her draws, then the nonactive team does the same.
423.3.
If there are no cards in a player’s library and an effect offers that player the
choice to draw a card, that player may choose to do so.
423.4.
A player who attempts to draw a card from an empty library loses the game the
next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See
rule 420.5g.)
423.5.
If an effect moves cards from a player’s library to that player’s hand without
using the word “draw,” the player has not drawn those cards. This makes a
difference for abilities that trigger on drawing cards or that replace card
draws, as well as if the player’s library is empty.
423.6.
Some effects replace card draws.
423.6a
An effect that replaces a card draw is applied even if no cards could be drawn
because there are no cards in the affected player’s library.
423.6b
If an effect replaces a draw within a sequence of card draws, the replacement
effect is completed before resuming the sequence.
423.6c
Some effects perform additional actions on a card after it’s drawn. If the draw
is replaced, the additional action is not performed on any cards that are drawn
as a result of that replacement effect or any subsequent replacement effects.
424.
Costs
424.1.
A cost is an action or payment necessary to take another action or to stop
another action from taking place.
424.2.
A player can’t pay a cost unless he or she has the necessary resources to pay it
fully. For example, a player with only 1 life can’t pay a cost of 2 life, and a
permanent that’s already tapped can’t be tapped to pay a cost. See rule 203,
“Mana Cost and Color,” and rule 403, “Activated Abilities.”
424.3.
Unpayable costs can’t be paid. (See rule 203.1b.)
424.4.
What a player actually needs to do to pay a cost may be changed or reduced by
effects. If the mana component of a cost is reduced to nothing by cost reduction
effects, it is considered to be {0}. Paying a cost changed or reduced by an
effect counts as paying the original cost.
Example:
You play a spell with mana cost {W} that has kicker {1}. You choose to pay the
kicker, but a cost reduction effect means you spend only {W} when paying for the
spell. The spell’s “if the kicker cost was paid” effect will be applied.
424.5.
If a cost includes a mana payment, the player paying the cost has a chance to
play mana abilities. Paying the cost to play a spell or activated ability
follows the steps in rules 409.1f–h.
5. Additional Rules
500.
Legal Attacks and Blocks
500.1.
Some effects restrict declaring attackers or blockers in combat or require
certain creatures to be declared as attackers or blockers. (See rule 308,
“Declare Attackers Step,” and rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”) A
restriction is an effect that says a
creature can’t block (or attack) or it can’t block (or attack) unless some
condition is met. A requirement is an
effect that says a creature must block (or attack) or it must block (or attack)
if some condition is met.
500.2.
As part of declaring attackers, the active player checks each creature he or she
controls to see whether it must attack, can’t attack, or is affected by some
other attacking restriction or requirement. If such a restriction or requirement
conflicts with the proposed attack, the attack is illegal, and the active player
must then propose another set of attacking creatures. (Tapped creatures and
creatures with unpaid costs to attack are exempt from effects that would require
them to attack.)
Example:
A player controls two creatures, each with a restriction that states “[This
creature] can’t attack alone.” It’s legal to declare both as attackers.
Example:
A player controls two creatures: one that “attacks if able” and one with no
abilities. An effect states, “No more than one creature can attack each turn.”
The only legal attack is for just the creature that “attacks if able” to attack.
It’s illegal to attack with the other creature, attack with both, or attack with
neither.
500.3.
As part of declaring blockers, the defending player checks each creature he or
she controls to see whether it must block, can’t block, or is affected by some
other blocking restriction or requirement. If such a restriction or requirement
conflicts with the proposed set of blocking creatures, the block is illegal, and
the defending player must then propose another set of blocking creatures.
(Tapped creatures and creatures with unpaid costs to block are exempt from
effects that would require them to block.)
500.3a
An evasion ability is an ability an
attacking creature has that restricts what can block it. Evasion abilities are
static abilities that modify the declare blockers step of the combat phase. If a
creature gains or loses an evasion ability after a legal block has been
declared, it doesn’t affect that block. Evasion abilities are cumulative.
Example:
A creature with flying and shadow can’t be blocked by a creature with flying but
without shadow.
500.4.
A restriction conflicts with a proposed set of attackers or blockers if it isn’t
being followed. A requirement conflicts with a proposed set of attackers or
blockers if it isn’t being followed and (1) the requirement could be obeyed
without violating a restriction and (2) doing so will allow the total number of
requirements that the set obeys to increase. If there are multiple scenarios in
which all restrictions are being followed and the maximum possible number of
requirements are being followed (even if not all of them are), then any of those
scenarios are legal.
Example:
A player controls one creature that “blocks if able” and another creature with
no abilities. An effect states, “Creatures can’t be blocked except by two or
more creatures.” Having only the first creature block violates the restriction.
Having neither creature block fulfills the restriction but not the requirement.
Having both creatures block the same attacking creature fulfills both the
restriction and the requirement, so that’s the only option.
501.
Keyword Actions
501.1.
Most actions described in a card’s rules text use the standard English
definitions of the verbs within, but some specialized verbs are used whose
meanings may not be clear. These “keywords” are game terms; sometimes reminder
text summarizes their meanings.
501.2.
Attach
501.2a
To attach an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification to an object means to take it
from where it currently is and put it onto that object. If something is attached
to a permanent in play, it’s customary to place it so that it’s physically
touching the permanent. An Aura, Equipment, or Fortification can’t be attached
to an object it couldn’t enchant, equip, or fortify, respectively.
501.2b
If an effect tries to attach an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification to the object
it’s already attached to, the effect does nothing.
501.2c
Attaching an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification in play to a different object
causes the Aura, Equipment, or Fortification to receive a new timestamp.
501.2d
To “unattach” an Equipment from a creature means to move it away from that
creature so the Equipment is in play but is not equipping anything. It should no
longer be physically touching any creature. If an Aura, Equipment, or
Fortification that was attached to something ceases to be attached to it, that
counts as “becoming unattached.”
501.3.
Counter
501.3a
To counter a spell or ability means to cancel it, removing it from the stack. It
doesn’t resolve and none of its effects occur. A countered spell is put into its
owner’s graveyard. See rule 414, “Countering Spells and Abilities.”
501.4.
Destroy
501.4a
To destroy a permanent, move it from the in-play zone to its owner’s graveyard.
501.5.
Regenerate
501.5a
If the effect of a resolving spell or ability regenerates a permanent, it
creates a replacement effect that protects the permanent the next time it would
be destroyed this turn. In this case, “Regenerate [permanent]” means “The next
time [permanent] would be destroyed this turn, instead remove all damage from
it, tap it, and (if it’s in combat) remove it from combat.”
501.5b
If the effect of a static ability regenerates a permanent, it replaces
destruction with an alternate effect each time that permanent would be
destroyed. In this case, “Regenerate [permanent]” means “Instead remove all
damage from [permanent], tap it, and (if it’s in combat) remove it from combat.”
501.6.
Sacrifice
501.6a
To sacrifice a permanent, its controller moves it from the in-play zone directly
to its owner’s graveyard. A player can’t sacrifice something that isn’t a
permanent, or something that’s a permanent he or she doesn’t control.
Sacrificing a permanent doesn’t destroy it, so regeneration or other effects
that replace destruction can’t affect this action.
501.7.
Tap
501.7a
To tap a permanent, turn it sideways from an upright position.
501.7b
To untap a permanent, rotate it back to the upright position from a sideways
position.
501.8.
Scry
501.8a
To “scry N” means to look at the top N cards of your library, put any number of
them on the bottom of your library in any order, and put the rest on top of your
library in any order.
501.9.
Fateseal
501.9a
To “fateseal N” means to look at the top N cards of an opponent’s library, put
any number of them on the bottom of that library in any order, and put the rest
on top of that library in any order.
501.10.
Clash
501.10a To clash, a player reveals the top card of his or her library. That
player may then put that card on the bottom of his or her library.
501.10b “Clash with an opponent” means “Choose an opponent. You and that
opponent each clash.”
501.10c A player wins a clash if that player revealed a card with a higher
converted mana cost than all other cards revealed in that clash.
502. Keyword Abilities
502.1.
Most abilities describe exactly what they do in the card’s rules text. Some,
though, are very common or would require too much space to define on the card.
In these cases, the object lists only the name of the ability as a “keyword”;
sometimes reminder text summarizes the game rule.
502.2.
First Strike
502.2a
First strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage
step. (See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.”)
502.2b
At the start of the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking
creature has first strike or double strike (see rule 502.28), creatures without
first strike or double strike don’t assign combat damage. Instead of proceeding
to end of combat, the phase gets a second combat damage step to handle the
remaining creatures. In the second combat damage step, surviving attackers and
blockers that didn’t assign combat damage in the first step, plus any creatures
with double strike, assign their combat damage.
502.2c
Adding or removing first strike any time after combat damage has been put on the
stack in the first combat damage step won’t prevent a creature from dealing
combat damage or allow it to deal combat damage twice.
502.2d
Multiple instances of first strike on the same creature are redundant.
502.3.
Flanking
502.3a
Flanking is a triggered ability that triggers during the declare blockers step.
(See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”) “Flanking” means “Whenever this
creature becomes blocked by a creature without flanking, the blocking creature
gets -1/-1 until end of turn.”
502.3b
If a creature has multiple instances of flanking, each triggers separately.
502.4.
Flying
502.4a
Flying is an evasion ability.
502.4b
A creature with flying can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying and/or
reach. A creature with flying can block a creature with or without flying. (See
rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step,” and rule 502.70, “Reach.”)
502.4c
Multiple instances of flying on the same creature are redundant.
502.5.
Haste
502.5a
Haste is a static ability.
502.5b
A creature with haste can attack or use activated abilities whose cost includes
the tap symbol even if it hasn’t been controlled by its controller continuously
since the start of his or her most recent turn. (See rule 212.3f.)
502.5c
Multiple instances of haste on the same creature are redundant.
502.6.
Landwalk
502.6a
Landwalk and snow landwalk are generic terms; a card’s rules text will give a
specific subtype or supertype (such as in “islandwalk,” “snow swampwalk,” or
“legendary landwalk”).
502.6b
Landwalk and snow landwalk are evasion abilities. A creature with landwalk is
unblockable as long as the defending player controls at least one land with the
specified subtype and/or supertype. (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.6c
Snow landwalk is a special kind of landwalk. A creature with snow landwalk is
unblockable as long as the defending player controls at least one snow land with
the specified subtype. If a player is allowed to choose any landwalk ability,
that player may choose a snow landwalk ability. If an effect causes a permanent
to lose all landwalk abilities, snow landwalk abilities are removed as well.
502.6d
Landwalk or snow landwalk abilities don’t “cancel” one another.
Example:
If a player controls a snow Forest, that player can’t block an attacking
creature with snow forestwalk even if he or she also controls a creature with
snow forestwalk.
502.6e
Multiple instances of the same kind of landwalk or snow landwalk on the same
creature are redundant.
502.7.
Protection
502.7a
Protection is a static ability, written “Protection from [quality].” This
quality is usually a color (as in “protection from black”) but can be any
characteristic value. If the quality is a card type, subtype, or supertype, the
protection applies to sources that are permanents with that card type, subtype,
or supertype and to any sources not in play that are of that card type, subtype,
or supertype. This is an exception to rule 200.9.
502.7b
A permanent or player with protection can’t be targeted by spells with the
stated quality and can’t be targeted by abilities from a source with the stated
quality.
502.7c
A permanent or player with protection can’t be enchanted by Auras that have the
stated quality. Such Auras attached to the permanent or player with protection
will be put into their owners’ graveyards as a state-based effect. (See rule
420, “State-Based Effects.”)
502.7d
A permanent with protection can’t be equipped by Equipment that have the stated
quality or fortified by Fortifications that have the stated quality. Such
Equipment or Fortifications become unattached from that permanent, but remain in
play. (See rule 420, “State-Based Effects.”)
502.7e
Any damage that would be dealt by sources that have the stated quality to a
permanent or player that has protection is prevented.
502.7f
Attacking creatures with protection can’t be blocked by creatures that have the
stated quality.
502.7g
Multiple instances of protection from the same quality on the same permanent or
player are redundant.
502.8.
Shadow
502.8a
Shadow is an evasion ability.
502.8b
A creature with shadow can’t be blocked by creatures without shadow, and a
creature without shadow can’t be blocked by creatures with shadow. (See rule
309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.8c
Multiple instances of shadow on the same creature are redundant.
502.9.
Trample
502.9a
Trample is a static ability that modifies the rules for assigning an attacking
creature’s combat damage. A creature with trample has no special abilities when
blocking or dealing noncombat damage. (See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.”)
502.9b
The controller of an attacking creature with trample first assigns damage to the
creature(s) blocking it. If all those blocking creatures are assigned lethal
damage, any remaining damage is assigned as its controller chooses among those
blocking creatures and the player or planeswalker the creature is attacking.
When checking for assigned lethal damage, take into account damage already on
the creature and damage from other creatures that will be assigned at the same
time (see rule 502.9e). The controller need not assign lethal damage to all
those blocking creatures but in that case can’t assign any damage to the player
or planeswalker it’s attacking.
502.9c
If an attacking creature with trample is blocked, but there are no creatures
blocking it when damage is assigned, all its damage is assigned to the player or
planeswalker it’s attacking.
502.9d
Assigning damage from a creature with trample considers only the actual
toughness of a blocking creature, not any abilities or effects that might change
the final amount of damage dealt.
Example:
A 6/6 green creature with trample is blocked by a 2/2 creature with protection
from green. The attacking creature’s controller must assign at least 2 damage to
the blocker, even though that damage will be prevented by the blocker’s
protection ability. The attacking creature’s controller can then choose to
assign the rest of the damage to the defending player.
502.9e
When there are several attacking creatures, it’s legal to assign damage from
those without trample so as to maximize the damage of those with trample.
Example:
A 2/2 creature with an ability that enables it to block multiple attackers
blocks two attackers: a 1/1 with no special abilities a 3/3 with trample. The
attacking player could assign 1 damage from the first attacker and 1 damage from
the second to the blocking creature, and 2 damage to the defending player from
the creature with trample.
502.9f
Multiple instances of trample on the same creature are redundant.
502.10.
Banding
502.10a Banding is a static ability that modifies the rules for declaring
attackers and assigning combat damage.
502.10b As a player declares attackers, he or she may declare that any number of
those creatures with banding, and up to one of those creatures without banding,
are all in a “band.” All of those creatures must attack the same player or
planeswalker. (Defending players can’t declare bands but may use banding in a
different way; see rule 502.10h.)
502.10c A player may declare as many attacking bands as he or she wants, but
each creature may be a member of only one of them.
502.10d Once an attacking band has been announced, it lasts for the rest of
combat, even if something later removes the banding ability from one or more
creatures. However, creatures in a band that are removed from combat are also
removed from the band.
502.10e If an attacking creature becomes blocked by a creature, each other
creature in the same band as the attacking creature becomes blocked by that same
blocking creature.
Example:
A player attacks with a band consisting of a creature with flying and a creature
with swampwalk. The defending player, who controls a Swamp, can block the flying
creature if able. If he or she does, then the creature with swampwalk will also
become blocked by the blocking creature(s).
502.10f Banding doesn’t cause attacking creatures to share abilities, nor does
it remove any abilities. The attacking creatures in a band are separate
permanents.
502.10g If one member of a band would become blocked due to an effect, the
entire band becomes blocked.
502.10h A player who controls an attacking creature with banding chooses how
combat damage is assigned by creatures blocking that creature. A player who
controls a blocking creature with banding chooses how combat damage is assigned
by creatures it blocks. If the creature had banding when it attacked or blocked
but the ability was removed before the combat damage step, damage is assigned
normally.
502.10i Multiple instances of banding on the same creature are redundant.
502.11.
Bands with Other
502.11a Bands with other is a special form of banding. If an effect causes a
permanent to lose banding, the permanent loses all bands with other abilities as
well.
502.11b An attacking creature with “bands with other [quality]” can form an
attacking band with other creatures that have the same “bands with other
[quality]” ability. Creatures with banding can also join this band, but
creatures without banding can’t. The creatures in this band don’t have to have
the creature type specified in the “bands with other [quality]” ability.
Blocking this band follows the same general rules as for banding.
502.11c If an attacking creature is blocked by at least two creatures with the
same “bands with other [quality]” ability, the defending player chooses how the
attacking creature’s damage is assigned. Similarly, if a blocking creature
blocks at least two attacking creatures with the same “bands with other
[quality]” ability, the attacking player chooses how the blocking creature’s
damage is assigned.
502.11d Multiple instances of bands with other of the same kind on the same
creature are redundant.
502.12.
Rampage
502.12a Rampage is a triggered ability. “Rampage N” means “Whenever this
creature becomes blocked, it gets +N/+N until end of turn for each creature
blocking it beyond the first.” (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.12b The rampage bonus is calculated only once per combat, when the triggered
ability resolves. Adding or removing blockers later in combat won’t change the
bonus.
502.12c If a creature has multiple instances of rampage, each triggers
separately.
502.13.
Cumulative Upkeep
502.13a Cumulative upkeep is a triggered ability that imposes an increasing cost
on a permanent. “Cumulative upkeep [cost]” means “At the beginning of your
upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent. Then you may pay [cost] for each
age counter on it. If you don’t, sacrifice it.” If [cost] has choices associated
with it, each choice is made separately for each age counter, then either the
entire set of costs is paid, or none of them is paid. Partial payments aren’t
allowed.
Example:
A creature has “Cumulative upkeep {W} or {U}” and two age counters on it. When
its ability next triggers and resolves, the creature’s controller puts an age
counter on it and then may pay {W}{W}{W}, {W}{W}{U}, {W}{U}{U}, or {U}{U}{U} to
keep the creature in play.
Example:
A creature has “Cumulative upkeep—Sacrifice a creature” and one age counter on
it. When its ability next triggers and resolves, its controller can’t choose the
same creature to sacrifice twice. Either two different creatures must be
sacrificed, or the creature with cumulative upkeep must be sacrificed.
502.13b If a permanent has multiple instances of cumulative upkeep, each
triggers separately. However, the age counters are not linked to any particular
ability; each cumulative upkeep ability will count the total number of age
counters on the permanent at the time that ability resolves.
Example:
A creature has two instances of “Cumulative upkeep—Pay 1 life.” The creature
currently has no counters but both cumulative upkeep abilities trigger. When the
first ability resolves, the controller adds a counter and then chooses to pay 1
life. When the second ability resolves, the controller adds another counter and
then chooses to pay an additional 2 life.
502.14.
Vigilance
502.14a Vigilance is a static ability that modifies the rules for the declare
attackers step.
502.14b Attacking doesn’t cause creatures with vigilance to tap. (See rule 308,
“Declare Attackers Step.”)
502.14c Multiple instances of vigilance on the same creature are redundant.
502.15.
Phasing
502.15a Phasing is a static ability that modifies the rules of the untap step.
502.15b During each player’s untap step, before the active player untaps his or
her permanents, all permanents with phasing the player controls phase out.
Simultaneously, all objects that had phased out under that player’s control
phase in. (See rule 217.8, “Phased Out,” and rule 302.1.)
502.15c If an effect causes a player to skip his or her untap step, the phasing
event simply doesn’t occur that turn.
502.15d Permanents phasing in or out don’t trigger any comes-into-play or
leaves-play abilities, and effects that modify how a permanent comes into play
are ignored. Abilities and effects that specifically mention phasing can modify
or trigger on these events, however. (Because no player receives priority during
the untap step, any abilities triggering off of the phasing event won’t go onto
the stack until the upkeep step begins.)
502.15e When a permanent phases out, all damage dealt to it is removed.
502.15f A card that returns to play from the phased-out zone is considered the
same permanent it was when it left. This is an exception to rule 217.1c, which
stipulates that a permanent “forgets” its previous existence when it changes
zones.
502.15g Effects with limited duration and delayed triggered abilities that
specifically reference a permanent will be unable to further affect that
permanent if it phases out. However, other effects that reference the permanent
(including effects with unlimited duration) can affect the permanent when it
returns to play.
Example:
A creature is affected by Giant Growth and then phases out during the same turn.
If the creature phases back in somehow before the turn is over, it won’t get the
+3/+3 bonus from the Giant Growth because its effect has a limited duration.
502.15h Phased-out cards “remember” their past histories and will return to play
in the same state. They “remember” any counters they had on them, any choices
made when they first came into play, whether they were flipped when they left
play, and whether they were tapped or untapped when they left play. They also
“remember” who controlled them when they phased out, although they may phase in
under the control of a different player if a control effect with limited
duration has expired.
Example:
Diseased Vermin reads, in part, “At the beginning of your upkeep, Diseased
Vermin deals X damage to target opponent previously dealt damage by it, where X
is the number of infection counters on it.” If Diseased Vermin phases out, it
“remembers” how many counters it has and also which opponents it has previously
damaged. When it phases back in, it will still be able to target those opponents
with its upkeep-triggered ability.
502.15i When a permanent phases out, any Auras, Equipment, or Fortifications
attached to that permanent phase out at the same time. This alternate way of
phasing out is known as phasing out “indirectly.” An Aura, Equipment, or
Fortification that phased out indirectly won’t phase in by itself, but instead
phases in along with the card it’s attached to.
502.15j If an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification phased out directly (rather than
phasing out along with the permanent it’s attached to), then it “remembers” the
permanent it was attached to and returns to play attached to that permanent. If
an Aura phases in but it’s no longer legal for it to be attached to the object
or player it was attached to, the Aura returns to play and then is placed in its
owner’s graveyard. This is a state-based effect; see rule 420. If an Equipment
or Fortification phases in but it’s no longer legal for it to be attached to the
permanent it was attached to, the Equipment or Fortification returns to play and
then stays in play, not attached to anything. This is a state-based effect; see
rule 420.
502.15k Permanents that phase in keep the same timestamps (see rules 418.5d and
418.5e) they had when they phased out. This doesn’t change the fact that the
permanents phase in simultaneously, however.
502.15n A spell or ability that targets a permanent will resolve normally with
respect to that permanent if the permanent phases out and back in before the
spell or ability resolves.
502.15p Multiple instances of phasing on the same permanent are redundant.
502.16a Buyback appears
on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities that function
while the spell is on the stack. “Buyback [cost]” means “You may pay an
additional [cost] as you play this spell” and “If the buyback cost was paid, put
this spell into its owner’s hand instead of into that player’s graveyard as it
resolves.” Paying a spell’s buyback cost follows the rules for paying additional
costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.
502.17.
Horsemanship
502.17a Horsemanship is an evasion ability that appeared in the
Portal Three Kingdoms™ set.
502.17b A creature with horsemanship can’t be blocked by creatures without
horsemanship. A creature with horsemanship can block a creature with or without
horsemanship. (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.17c Multiple instances of horsemanship on the same creature are redundant.
502.18.
Cycling
502.18a Cycling is an activated ability that functions only while the card with
cycling is in a player’s hand. “Cycling [cost]” means “[Cost], Discard this
card: Draw a card.”
502.18b Although the cycling ability is playable only if the card is in a
player’s hand, it continues to exist while the object is in play and in all
other zones. Therefore objects with cycling will be affected by effects that
depend on objects having one or more activated abilities.
502.18c Some cards with cycling have abilities that trigger when they’re cycled.
“When you cycle [this card]” means “When you discard [this card] to pay a
cycling cost.” These abilities trigger from the graveyard.
502.18d Typecycling is a variant of the cycling ability. “[Subtype]cycling
[cost]” means “[Cost], Discard this card: Search your library for a [subtype]
card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.”
502.18e Any cards that trigger when a player cycles a card will trigger when a
card is discarded to pay a typecycling cost. Any effect that stops players from
cycling cards will stop players from playing cards’ typecycling abilities.
502.19.
Echo
502.19a Echo is a triggered ability. “Echo [cost]” means “At the beginning of
your upkeep, if this permanent came under your control since the beginning of
your last upkeep, sacrifice it unless you pay [cost].”
502.20.
Fading
502.20a Fading is a keyword that represents two abilities.
“Fading N” means “This permanent comes into play with N fade counters on it” and
“At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a fade counter from this permanent. If
you can’t, sacrifice the permanent.”
502.21.
Kicker
502.21a Kicker is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the
stack. “Kicker [cost]” means “You may pay an additional
[cost] as you play this spell.” The phrase “Kicker [cost 1] and/or [cost 2]”
means the same thing as “Kicker [cost 1], kicker [cost 2].” Paying a spell’s
kicker cost(s) follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and
409.1f–h.
502.21b Objects with kicker have additional abilities that specify what happens
if the kicker cost is paid. Objects with more than one kicker cost have
abilities that correspond to each kicker cost.
502.21c If the text that depends on a kicker cost being paid targets one or more
permanents and/or players, the spell’s controller chooses those targets only if
he or she declared the intention to pay the appropriate kicker cost. Otherwise,
the targets aren’t chosen at all.
502.21d A card with kicker may contain the phrases “if the [A] kicker cost was
paid” and “if the [B] kicker cost was paid,” where A and B are the first and
second kicker costs listed on the card, respectively. This text just refers to
one kicker cost or the other, regardless of what the spell’s controller actually
spent when paying the cost. In other words, read “if the [A] kicker cost was
paid” as “if the first kicker cost listed was paid,” and read “if the [B] kicker
cost was paid” as “if the second kicker cost listed was paid.”
502.22.
Flashback
502.22a Flashback appears on some instants and sorceries.
It represents two static abilities: one functions while the card is in a
player’s graveyard and the other functions while the card is on the stack.
“Flashback [cost]” means “You may play this card from your graveyard by paying
[cost] rather than paying its mana cost” and “If the flashback cost was paid,
remove this card from the game instead of putting it anywhere else any time it
would leave the stack.” Playing a spell using its flashback ability follows
the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
502.23.
Threshold
502.23a Threshold used to be a keyword ability. It is now an ability word and
has no rules meaning. All cards printed with the threshold keyword have received
errata. Updated wordings are available in the Oracle card reference.
502.24.
Madness
502.24a Madness is a keyword that represents two abilities. The first is a
static ability that functions while the card with madness is in a player’s hand.
The second is a triggered ability that functions when the first ability is
applied. “Madness [cost]” means “If a player would discard this card, that
player discards it, but may remove it from the game instead of putting it into
his or her graveyard” and “When this card is removed from the game this way, its
owner may play it by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost. If that
player doesn’t, he or she puts this card into his or her graveyard.”
502.24b Playing a spell using its madness ability follows the rules for paying
alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
502.25.
Fear
502.25a Fear is an evasion ability.
502.25b A creature with fear can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures
and/or black creatures. (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.25c Multiple instances of fear on the same creature are redundant.
502.26.
Morph
502.26a Morph is a static ability that functions in any zone from which you
could play the card it’s on, and the morph effect works any time the card is
face down. “Morph [cost]” means “You may play this card as a 2/2 face-down
creature, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana
cost by paying {3} rather than its mana cost.” Any time you could play an
instant, you may show all players the morph cost for any face-down permanent you
control, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. This action does not
use the stack. (See rule 504, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents.”)
502.26b To play a card using its morph ability, turn it face down. It becomes a
2/2 face-down creature card, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion
symbol, and no mana cost. Any effects or prohibitions that would apply to
playing a card with these characteristics (and not the face-up card’s
characteristics) are applied to playing this card. These values are the copiable
values of that object’s characteristics. (See rule 418.5, “Interaction of
Continuous Effects,” and rule 503, “Copying Objects.”) Put it onto the stack (as
a face-down spell with the same characteristics), and pay {3} rather than pay
its mana cost. This follows the rules for paying alternative costs. You can use
morph to play a card from any zone from which you could normally play it. When
the spell resolves, it comes into play with the same characteristics the spell
had. The morph effect applies to the face-down object wherever it is, and it
ends when the permanent is turned face up.
502.26c You can’t play a card face down if it doesn’t have morph.
502.26d Any time you could play an instant, you may turn a face-down permanent
you control face up. To do this, show all players what the permanent’s morph
cost will be when the effect ends, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face
up. The morph effect on it ends, and it regains its normal characteristics. Any
abilities relating to the permanent coming into play don’t trigger when it’s
turned face up and don’t have any effect, because the permanent has already come
into play.
502.26e If a face-up permanent is turned face down by a spell or ability, it
becomes a 2/2 face-down creature, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no
expansion symbol, and no mana cost. These values are the copiable values of that
object’s characteristics. (See rule 418.5, “Interaction of Continuous Effects,”
and rule 503, “Copying Objects.”) The rules for morph and face-down permanents
apply to it normally.
502.26f See rule 504, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents,” for more information on
how to play cards with morph.
502.27.
Amplify
502.27a Amplify is a static ability. “Amplify N” means “As this object comes
into play, reveal any number of cards from your hand that share a creature type
with it. This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it for each
card revealed this way. You can’t reveal this card or any other cards that are
coming into play at the same time as this card.”
502.27b If a creature has multiple instances of amplify, each one works
separately.
502.28.
Double Strike
502.28a Double strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat
damage step. (See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.”)
502.28b At the start of the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or
blocking creature has double strike or first strike, creatures without double
strike or first strike (see rule 502.2, “First Strike”) don’t assign combat
damage. Instead of proceeding to end of combat, the phase gets a second combat
damage step to handle the remaining creatures. In the second combat damage step,
surviving attackers and blockers that didn’t assign combat damage in the first
step, plus any creatures with double strike, assign their combat damage.
502.28c Removing double strike from a creature during the first combat damage
step will stop it from assigning combat damage in the second combat damage step.
502.28d Giving double strike to a creature with first strike after it has
already put first strike combat damage onto the stack in the first combat damage
step will allow the creature to assign combat damage in the second combat damage
step.
502.28e Multiple instances of double strike on the same creature are redundant.
502.29.
Provoke
502.29a Provoke is a triggered ability. “Provoke” means “Whenever this creature
attacks, you may choose to have target creature defending player controls block
this creature this combat if able. If you do, untap that creature.”
502.29b If a creature has multiple instances of provoke, each triggers
separately.
502.30.
Storm
502.30a Storm is a triggered ability that functions on the stack. “Storm” means
“When you play this spell, put a copy of it onto the stack for each other spell
that was played before it this turn. If the spell has any targets, you may
choose new targets for any of the copies.”
502.30b If a spell has multiple instances of storm, each triggers separately.
502.31.
Affinity
502.31a Affinity is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the
stack. “Affinity for [text]” means “This spell costs you {1} less to play for
each [text] you control.”
502.31b The affinity ability reduces only generic mana costs; it doesn’t reduce
how much colored mana you have to pay for a spell.
502.31c If a spell has multiple instances of affinity, each of them applies.
502.32.
Entwine
502.32a Entwine is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the
stack. “Entwine [cost]” means “You may choose to use all modes of this spell
instead of just one. If you do, you pay an additional [cost].” Using the entwine
ability follows the rules for choosing modes and paying additional costs in
rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
502.32b If the entwine cost was paid, follow the text of each of the modes in
the order written on the card when the spell resolves.
502.33.
Equip
502.33a Equip is an activated ability of Equipment cards. “Equip [cost]” means
“[Cost]: Attach this Equipment to target creature you control. Play this ability
only any time you could play a sorcery.”
502.33b For more information about Equipment, see rule 212.2, “Artifacts.”
502.33c If an Equipment
has multiple instances of equip, any of its equip abilities may be used.
502.34.
Imprint
502.34a Imprint is an activated or triggered ability, written “Imprint —
[text],” where “[text]” is a triggered or activated ability. Cards that are in
the removed-from-the-game zone because they were removed from the game by an
imprint ability are imprinted on the source of that ability.
502.34b The phrase “imprinted [quality] card” means the card with that quality
that’s imprinted on the permanent. If a permanent has more than one card with
that quality imprinted on it, each of those cards is an “imprinted [quality]
card.”
502.35.
Modular
502.35a Modular represents both a static ability and a triggered ability.
“Modular N” means “This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it”
and “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1
counter on target artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter on this permanent.”
502.35b If a creature has multiple instances of modular, each one works
separately.
502.36.
Shroud
502.36a Shroud is a static ability. “Shroud” means "This permanent or player
can’t be the target of spells or abilities."
502.36b Multiple instances of shroud on the same permanent or player are
redundant.
502.37.
Sunburst
502.37a Sunburst is a static ability that functions as an object is coming into
play from the stack. “Sunburst” means “If this object is coming into play from
the stack as a creature, it comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each
color of mana used to pay its cost. If this object is coming into play from the
stack and isn’t coming into play as a creature, it comes into play with a charge
counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost.”
502.37b Sunburst applies only as the spell is resolving and only if one or more
colored mana was paid for its costs. Mana paid for additional or alternative
costs applies.
502.37c Sunburst can also be used to set a variable number for another ability.
If the keyword is used in this way, it doesn’t matter whether the ability is on
a creature spell or on a noncreature spell.
Example:
The ability
“Modular—Sunburst” means “This permanent comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on
it for each color of mana used to pay its cost” and “When this permanent is put
into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact
creature for each +1/+1 counter on this permanent.”
502.37d If an object has multiple instances of sunburst, each one works
separately.
502.38.
Bushido
502.38a Bushido is a triggered ability. “Bushido N” means “Whenever this
creature blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +N/+N until end of turn.” (See rule
309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.38b If a creature has multiple instances of bushido, each triggers
separately.
502.39.
Soulshift
502.39a Soulshift is a triggered ability. “Soulshift N” means “When this
permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card
with converted mana cost N or less from your graveyard to your hand.”
502.39b If a permanent has multiple instances of soulshift, each triggers
separately.
502.40.
Splice
502.40a Splice is a static ability that functions while a card is in your hand.
“Splice onto [subtype] [cost]” means “You may reveal this card from your hand as
you play a [subtype] spell. If you do, copy this card’s text box onto that spell
and pay [cost] as an additional cost to play that spell.” Paying a card’s splice
cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
Example:
Since the card with splice remains in the player’s hand, it can later be played
normally or spliced onto another spell. It can even be discarded to pay a
“discard a card” cost of the spell it’s spliced onto.
502.40b You can’t choose to use a splice ability if you can’t make the required
choices (targets, etc.) for that card’s instructions. You can’t splice any one
card onto the same spell more than once. If you’re splicing more than one card
onto a spell, reveal them all at once and choose the order in which their
instructions will be followed. The instructions on the main spell have to be
followed first.
502.40c The spell has the characteristics of the main spell, plus the text boxes
of each of the spliced cards. The spell doesn’t gain any other characteristics
(name, mana cost, color, supertypes, card types, subtypes, etc.) of the spliced
cards. Text copied onto the spell that refers to a card by name refers to the
spell on the stack, not the card from which the text was copied.
Example:
Glacial Ray is a red card with splice onto Arcane that reads, “Glacial Ray deals
2 damage to target creature or player.” Suppose Glacial Ray is spliced onto
Reach Through Mists, a blue spell. The spell is still blue, and Reach Through
Mists deals the damage. This means that the ability can target a creature with
protection from red and deal 2 damage to that creature.
502.40d Choose targets for the added text normally (see rule 409.1c). Note that
a spell with one or more targets will be countered if all of its targets are
illegal on resolution.
502.40e The spell loses any splice changes once it leaves the stack (for
example, when it’s countered, it’s removed from the game, or it resolves).
502.41.
Defender
502.41a Defender is a static ability.
502.41b A creature with defender can’t attack.
502.41c Multiple instances of defender on the same creature are redundant.
502.42. Offering
502.42a
Offering is a static
ability of a card that functions in any zone from which the card can be played.
“[Text] offering” means “You may play this card any time you could play an
instant by sacrificing a [text] permanent. If you do, the total cost to play
this card is reduced by the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost.”
502.42b The permanent is
sacrificed at the same time the spell is announced (see rule 409.1a). The total
cost of the spell is reduced by the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost (see rule
409.1f).
502.42c Generic mana in
the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost reduces generic mana in the total cost to
play the card with offering. Colored mana in the sacrificed permanent’s mana
cost reduces mana of the same color in the total cost to play the card with
offering. Colored mana in the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost that doesn’t
match colored mana in the colored mana cost of the card with offering, or is in
excess of the card’s colored mana cost, reduces that much generic mana in the
total cost.
502.43. Ninjutsu
502.43a Ninjutsu is an
activated ability that functions only while the card with ninjutsu is in a
player’s hand. “Ninjutsu [cost]” means “[Cost], Reveal this card from your hand,
Return an unblocked creature you control to its owner’s hand: Put this card into
play from your hand tapped and attacking.”
502.43b The card with
ninjutsu remains revealed from the time the ability is announced until the
ability leaves the stack.
502.43c A ninjutsu
ability may be played only while a creature in play is unblocked (see rule
309.2f). The creature with ninjutsu is put into play unblocked. It will be
attacking the same player or planeswalker as the creature that was returned to
its owner’s hand.
502.44. Epic
502.44a Epic represents
both a static ability and a delayed triggered ability. “Epic” means, “For the
rest of the game, you can’t play spells,” and “At the beginning of each of your
upkeeps, copy this spell except for its epic ability. If the spell has any
targets, you may choose new targets for the copy.” See rule 503.10.
502.44b A player can’t
play spells once a spell with epic he or she controls resolves, but effects
(such as the epic ability itself) can still put copies of spells onto the stack.
502.45. Enchant
502.45a Enchant is a
static ability, written “Enchant [object or player].” The enchant ability
restricts what an Aura spell can target and what an Aura can enchant.
502.45b For more
information on Auras, see rule 212.4, “Enchantments.”
502.45c If an Aura has
multiple instances of enchant, all of them apply. The Aura’s target must follow
the restrictions from all the instances of enchant. The Aura can enchant only
objects or players that match all of its enchant abilities.
502.45d Auras that can
enchant a player can target and be attached to players. Such Auras can’t target
permanents and can’t be attached to permanents.
502.46.
Convoke
502.46a Convoke is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the
stack. “Convoke” means “As an additional cost to play this spell, you may tap
any number of untapped creatures you control. Each creature tapped this way
reduces the cost to play this spell by {1} or by one mana of any of that
creature’s colors.” Using the convoke ability follows the rules for paying
additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
Example:
You play Guardian of Vitu-Ghazi, a spell with convoke that costs {6}{G}{W}. You
announce that you’re going to tap a colorless creature, a red creature, and a
green-and-white creature to help pay for it. The colorless creature and the red
creature each reduce the spell’s cost by {1}. You choose whether the green-white
creature reduces the spell’s cost by {1}, {G}, or {W}. Then the creatures become
tapped as you pay Guardian of Vitu-Ghazi’s cost.
502.46b Multiple instances of convoke on the same spell are redundant.
502.47.
Dredge
502.47a Dredge is a static ability that functions only while the card with
dredge is in a player’s graveyard. “Dredge N” means “As long as you have at
least N cards in your library, if you would draw a card, you may instead put N
cards from the top of your library into your graveyard and return this card from
your graveyard to your hand.”
502.47b A player with fewer cards in his or her library than the number required
by a dredge ability can’t put any of them into his or her graveyard this way.
502.48.
Transmute
502.48a Transmute is an activated ability that functions only while the card
with transmute is in a player’s hand. “Transmute [cost]” means “[Cost], Discard
this card: Search your library for a card with the same converted mana cost as
the discarded card, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle
your library. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.”
502.48b Although the transmute ability is playable only if the card is in a
player’s hand, it continues to exist while the object is in play and in all
other zones. Therefore objects with transmute will be affected by effects that
depend on objects having one or more activated abilities.
502.49.
Substance
502.49a Substance is a static ability with no effect.
502.50.
Bloodthirst
502.50a Bloodthirst is a static ability. “Bloodthirst N” means “If an opponent
was dealt damage this turn, this permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters
on it.”
502.50b “Bloodthirst X” is a special form of bloodthirst. “Bloodthirst X” means
“This permanent comes into play with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the
total damage your opponents have been dealt this turn.”
502.50c If an object has multiple instances of bloodthirst, each applies
separately.
502.51.
Haunt
502.51a Haunt is a triggered ability. “Haunt” on a permanent means “When this
permanent is put into a graveyard from play, remove it from the game haunting
target creature.” “Haunt” on an instant or sorcery spell means “When this spell
is put into a graveyard during its resolution, remove it from the game haunting
target creature.”
502.51b Cards that are in the removed-from-the-game zone as the result of a
haunt ability “haunt” the creature targeted by that ability. The phrase
“creature it haunts” refers to the object targeted by the haunt ability,
regardless of whether or not that object is still a creature.
502.51c Triggered abilities of cards with haunt that refer to the haunted
creature can trigger in the removed-from-the-game zone.
502.52.
Replicate
502.52a Replicate is a keyword that represents two abilities. The first is a
static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. The second is a
triggered ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Replicate
[cost]” means “As an additional cost to play this spell, you may pay [cost] any
number of times” and “When you play this spell, if a replicate cost was paid for
it, copy it for each time its replicate cost was paid. If the spell has any
targets, you may choose new targets for any number of the copies.” Paying a
spell’s replicate cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules
409.1b and 409.1f–h.
502.52b If a spell has multiple instances of replicate, each is paid separately
and triggers based on the payments made for it, not any other instance of
replicate.
502.53.
Forecast
502.53a A forecast ability is a special kind of activated ability that can be
played only from a player’s hand. It’s written “Forecast — [Activated ability].”
502.53b A forecast ability may be played only during the upkeep step of the
card’s owner and only once each turn. The controller of the forecast ability
reveals the card with that ability from his or her hand as the ability is
played. That player plays with that card revealed in his or her hand until the
upkeep step ends or until it leaves the player’s hand, whichever comes first.
502.54.
Graft
502.54a Graft represents both a static ability and a triggered ability. “Graft
N” means “This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it” and
“Whenever another creature comes into play, if this permanent has a +1/+1
counter on it, you may move a +1/+1 counter from this permanent onto that
creature.”
502.54b If a creature has multiple instances of graft, each one works
separately.
502.55.
Recover
502.55a
Recover is a
triggered ability that functions only while the card with recover is in a
player’s graveyard. “Recover [cost]” means “When
a creature is put into your graveyard from play, you may pay [cost]. If you do,
return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, remove this card
from the game.”
502.56.
Ripple
502.56a Ripple is a triggered ability that functions only while the card with
ripple is on the stack. “Ripple N” means “When you play this spell, you may
reveal the top N cards of your library, or, if there are fewer than N cards in
your library, you may reveal all the cards in your library. If you reveal cards
from your library this way, you may play any of those cards with the same name
as this spell without paying their mana costs, then put all revealed cards not
played this way on the bottom of your library in any order.”
502.56b If a spell has multiple instances of ripple, each triggers separately.
502.57.
Flash
502.57a Flash is a static ability that functions in any zone from which you
could play the card it’s on. “Flash” means “You may play this card any time you
could play an instant.”