General Rulings Summary Updated 2009/10/23
Rulings are collected from many sources. See credits and disclaimer at theend of the file for details.
This release is under rules used by Magic 2010.
These rulings have been updated monthly with the most recent version available on the web as the following:
http://www.crystalkeep.com/magic/rules
This document contains the complete text of the Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules document published by Wizards of the Coast. These rulesare noted with numbered entries. It also contains additional rulings toclarify or explain some rules. These are marked with the word "Ruling".
A '+' is used to mark changes since the 2009/08/20 release.
Thanx,
Stephen.
Stephen D'Angelo (dangelo@crystalkeep.com)
Crystal Keep Editor and Former Wizards of the Coast NetRep
Table of Contents:
1 - Game Concepts
2 - Parts of a Card
3 - Card Types
4 - Zones
5 - Turn Structure
6 - Spells, Abilities, and Effects
7 - Additional Rules
8 - Multiplayer Rules
9 - Casual Variants and Tournaments
G - Glossary
1 - Game Concepts
100 - General
- 100.1 - These Magic rules apply to any Magic game with two or more players, including two-player games and multiplayer games. [CompRules 2005/08/01]
- 100.1a - A two-player game is a game that begins with only two players. [CompRules 2005/08/01]
- 100.1b - A multiplayer game is a game that begins with more than two players. See Section 8, "Multiplayer Rules." [CompRules 2005/08/01]
- 100.2 - To play, each player needs his or her own deck of traditional Magic cards, small items to represent any tokens and counters, and some way to clearly track life totals. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 100.2a - In constructed play (a way of playing in which each player creates his or her own deck ahead of time), each deck must contain at least sixty cards. A constructed deck may contain any number of basic land cards and no more than four of any card with a particular English name other than basic land cards. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 100.2b - In limited play (a way of playing in which each player gets a quantity of unopened Magic product and creates his or her own deck on the spot), each deck must contain at least forty cards. A limited deck may contain as many duplicates of a card as a player has. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 100.3 - Some casual variants (either constructed or limited) require additional items, such as specially designated cards, nontraditional Magic cards, and dice. See Section 9, "Casual Variants." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 100.4 - Each player may also have a sideboard, which is a group of additional cards the player may use to modify his or her deck between games of a match. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 100.4a - In constructed play, a sideboard (if used) must contain exactly fifteen cards. The four-card limit (see Rule 100.2a) applies to the combined deck and sideboard. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 100.4b - In limited play involving individual players, all cards a player opens but doesn't include in his or her deck are in that player's sideboard. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 100.4c - In limited play involving the Two-Headed Giant multiplayer variant, all cards a team opens but doesn't include in either player's deck are in that team's sideboard. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 100.4d - In limited play involving other multiplayer team variants, each card a team opens but doesn't include in any player's deck is assigned to the sideboard of one of those players. Each player has his or her own sideboard; cards may not be transferred between players. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 100.5 - There is no maximum deck size. [CompRules 2003/10/01]
- 100.6 - Most Magic tournaments (organized play activities where players compete against other players to win prizes) have additional rules covered in the Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules (found at <-http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx?x=dci/doccenter/home->). These rules may limit the use of some cards, including barring all cards from some older sets. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 100.6a - Tournaments usually consist of a series of matches. A two-player match usually consists of the best two of three games, or sometimes the best three of five. A multiplayer match usually consists of only one game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 100.6b - Players can use the Magic Locator at <-http://locator.wizards.com-> to find tournaments in their area by selecting "Events" and typing in the name of their city. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
101 - The Magic Golden Rules
- 101.1 - 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 104.3a). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 101.2 - When a rule or effect says something can happen and another effect says it can't, the "can't" effect wins. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 precludes you from playing lands wins. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 101.2a - Adding abilities to objects and removing abilities from objects don't fall under this rule; see Rule 112.10. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 101.3 - Any part of an instruction that's impossible to perform is ignored. (In many cases the card will specify consequences for this; if it doesn't, there's no effect.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 101.4 - If multiple players would make choices and/or take actions at the same time, the active player (the player whose turn it is) makes any choices required, then the next player in turn order (usually the player seated to the active player's left) makes any choices required, followed by the remaining nonactive players in turn order. Then the actions happen simultaneously. This rule is often referred to as the "Active Player, Nonactive Player (APNAP) order" rule. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 101.4a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 101.4b - A player knows the choices made by the previous players when he or she makes his or her choice, except as specified in Rule 101.4a. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 101.4c - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 101.4d - If a choice made by a nonactive player causes the active player, or a different nonactive player earlier in the turn order, to have to make a choice, APNAP order is restarted for all outstanding choices. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
102 - Players
- 102.1 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 102.2 - In a two-player game, a player's opponent is the other player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 102.3 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
103 - Starting the Game
- 103.1 - 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 or cut his or her opponents' decks. The players' decks become their libraries. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 103.2 - After the decks have been shuffled, the players determine which one of them will choose who takes the first turn. In an individual game, or in the first game of a match, the players may use any mutually agreeable method (flipping a coin, rolling dice, etc.) to do so. In a match of several games, the loser of the previous game chooses who takes the first turn. If the previous game was a draw, the player who made the choice in that game gets to make the choice in this game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 103.3 - Once the starting player has been determined, each player sets his or her life total to 20 and draws a hand of seven cards. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 103.3a - In a Two-Headed Giant game, each team starts with a shared life total of 30 instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 103.3b - In a Vanguard game, each player sets his or her life total to 20, as modified by the life modifier of his or her vanguard card, and draws a hand of seven cards, as modified by the hand modifier of his or her vanguard card. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 103.3c - In an EDH game, each player sets his or her life total to 40. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 103.4 - A player who is dissatisfied with his or her initial hand may take a mulligan. First, the starting player declares whether or not he or she will take a mulligan. Then each other player in turn order does the same. Once each player has made a declaration, all players who decided to take mulligans do so at the same time. To take a mulligan, a player shuffles his or her hand back into his or her library, then draws a new hand of one fewer cards than he or she had before. If a player kept his or her hand of cards, those cards become the player's opening hand, and that player may not take any further mulligans. This process is then repeated until no player takes a mulligan. (Note that if a player's hand size reaches zero cards, that player must keep that hand.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 103.4a - If an effect allows a player to perform an action "any time <-that player-> could mulligan," the player may perform that action at a time he or she would declare whether or not he or she will take a mulligan. This need not be in the first round of mulligans. Other players may have already made their mulligan declarations by the time the player has the option to perform this action. If the player performs the action, he or she then declares whether or not he or she will take a mulligan. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 103.4b - In a multiplayer game, the first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of as many cards as he or she had before. Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 103.4c - The Two-Headed Giant variant uses the multiplayer mulligan rule, with a slight modification. First, each player on the starting team declares whether or not he or she will take a mulligan. Then the players on each other team in turn order do the same. Then all mulligans are taken at the same time. A player may take a mulligan even after his or her teammate has decided to keep his or her opening hand. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 103.4d - The EDH casual variant uses an alternate mulligan rule. Each time a player takes a mulligan, rather than shuffling his or her entire hand of cards into his or her library, that player exiles any number of cards from his or her hand. Then the player draws a number of cards equal to one less than the number of cards he or she exiled this way. Once a player keeps an opening hand, that player shuffles all cards he or she exiled this way into his or her library. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 103.5 - 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 on the battlefield, he or she may put any or all of them onto the battlefield. Then each other player in turn order may do the same. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 103.6 - In a Planar Magic game, the starting player moves the top card of his or her planar deck off that planar deck and turns it face up. (See Rule 901, "Planar Magic.") [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 103.7 - The starting player takes his or her first turn. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 103.7a - In a two-player game, the player who plays first skips the draw step (see Rule 504, "Draw Step") of his or her first turn. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 103.7b - In a Two-Headed Giant game, the team who plays first skips the draw step of their first turn. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 103.7c - In all other multiplayer games, no player skips the draw step of his or her first turn. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 103.Ruling.1 - The Leyline cards from Guildpact are put into the battlefield after players are satisfied with their hands, but before the first player takes his or her turn. Each player chooses, in turn order, which Leylines to put into play, then they all reveal their choices simultaneously and put the cards into play simultaneously. These are put into play directly without playing them. They cannot be countered. The player who will be going first determines the timestamp order among Leylines that start the game in play. [Guildpact FAQ 2005/12/22]
104 - Winning and Losing
- 104.1 - A game ends immediately when a player wins or when the game is a draw. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.2 - There are several ways to win the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.2a - A player still in the game wins the game if all of that player's opponents have left the game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 104.2b - An effect may state that a player wins the game. (In certain multiplayer games, this may not cause the game to end; see Rule 104.3h.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.2c - 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 left the game. Each player on the winning team wins the game, even if one or more of those players had previously lost that game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 104.3 - There are several ways to lose the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.3a - A player can concede the game at any time. A player who concedes leaves the game immediately. He or she loses the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.3b - 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 action. See Rule 704.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.3c - If 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 action. See Rule 704.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.3d - 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 action. See Rule 704.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.3e - An effect may state that a player loses the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.3f - If a player would both win and lose simultaneously, he or she loses. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.3g - In a multiplayer game between teams, a team loses the game if all players on that team have lost. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.3h - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.3i - In an Emperor game, a team loses the game if its emperor loses the game. (See Rule 807.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 104.3j - In an EDH game, a player that's been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same general over the course of the game loses the game. (This is a state-based action. See Rule 704. Also see Rule 903.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 104.3k - In a tournament game, a player can be awarded a Game Loss or a Match Loss by a judge. See Rule 100.6. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 104.4 - There are several ways to draw the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.4a - If all the players remaining in a game lose simultaneously, the game is a draw. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.4b - If the game somehow enters a "loop" of mandatory actions, 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.4c - An effect may state that the game is a draw. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 104.4d - In a multiplayer game between teams, the game is a draw if all remaining teams lose simultaneously. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 104.4e - In a multiplayer game using the limited range of influence option, the effect of a spell or ability that states that the game is a draw causes the game to be a draw for that spell or ability's controller and all players within his or her range of influence. Only those players leave the game; the game continues for all other players. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 104.4f - In a multiplayer game between teams, the game is a draw for a team if the game is a draw for all remaining players on that team. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 104.4g - In the Emperor variant, the game is a draw for a team if the game is a draw for its emperor. See Rule 807.5. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 104.5 - If a player loses the game, he or she leaves the game. If the game is a draw for a player, he or she leaves the game. The multiplayer rules handle what happens when a player leaves the game; see Rule 800.4. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
105 - Colors
- 105.1 - There are five colors in the Magic game: white, blue, black, red, and green. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 105.2 - An object can be one or more of the five colors, or it can be no color at all. An object is the color or colors of the mana symbols in its mana cost, regardless of the color of its frame. See Rule 202.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 105.2a - A monocolored object is exactly one of the five colors. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 105.2b - A multicolored object is two or more of the five colors. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 105.2c - A colorless object has no color. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 105.3 - Effects may change an object's color or give a color to a colorless object. If an effect gives an object a new color, the new color replaces all previous colors the object had (unless the effect said the object became that color "in addition" to its other colors). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 105.4 - If a player is asked to choose a color, he or she must choose one of the five colors. "Multicolored" is not a color. Neither is "colorless." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
106 - Mana
- 106.1 - Mana is the primary resource in the game. Players spend mana to pay costs, usually when casting spells and activating abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 106.1a - There are five colors of mana: white, blue, black, red, and green. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 106.1b - There are six types of mana: white, blue, black, red, green, and colorless. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 106.2 - Mana is represented by mana symbols (see Rule 107.4). Mana symbols also represent mana costs (see Rule 202). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 106.3 - Mana is produced by the effects of mana abilities (see Rule 605). It may also be produced by the effects of spells, as well as by the effects of abilities that aren't mana abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 106.4 - When an effect produces mana, that mana goes into a player's mana pool. From there, it can be used to pay costs immediately, or it can stay in the player's mana pool. Each player's mana pool empties at the end of each step and phase. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 106.4a - If a player passes priority (see Rule 115) while there is mana in his or her mana pool, that player announces what mana is there. If any mana remains in a player's mana pool after he or she spends mana to pay a cost, that player announces what mana is still there. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 106.5 - If an ability would produce one or more mana of an undefined type, it produces no mana instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Meteor Crater has the ability "{Tap}: Choose a color of a permanent you control. Add one mana of that color to your mana pool." If you control no colored permanents, activating Meteor Crater's mana ability produces no mana. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 106.6 - Some spells or abilities that produce mana restrict how that mana can be spent, or have an additional effect that affects the spell or ability that mana is spent on. This doesn't affect the mana's type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A player's mana pool contains {1}{U} which can be spent only to pay cumulative upkeep costs. That player activates Doubling Cube's ability, which reads "{3},{Tap},Double the amount of each type of mana in your mana pool." The player's mana pool now has {2}{U}{U} in it, {1}{U} of which can be spent on anything. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 106.7 - Some abilities produce mana based on the type of mana another permanent or permanents "could produce." The type of mana a permanent could produce at any time includes any type of mana that an ability of that permanent would produce if the ability were to resolve at that time, taking into account any applicable replacement effects in any possible order. Ignore whether any costs of the ability could or could not be paid. If that permanent wouldn't produce any mana under these conditions, or no type of mana can be defined this way, there's no type of mana it could produce. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Exotic Orchard has the ability "{Tap}: Add to your mana pool one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce." If your opponent controls no lands, activating Exotic Orchard's mana ability will produce no mana. The same is true if you and your opponent each control no lands other than Exotic Orchards. However, if you control a Forest and an Exotic Orchard, and your opponent controls an Exotic Orchard, then each Exotic Orchard could produce {G}. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 106.8 - If an effect would add mana represented by a hybrid mana symbol to a player's mana pool, that player chooses one half of that symbol. If a colored half is chosen, one mana of that color is added to that player's mana pool. If a colorless half is chosen, an amount of colorless mana represented by that half's number is added to that player's mana pool. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 106.9 - To "tap a permanent for mana" is to activate a mana ability of that permanent that includes the {Tap} symbol in its activation cost. See Rule 605, "Mana Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
107 - Numbers and Symbols
- 107.1 - The only numbers the Magic game uses are integers. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.1a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.1b - Most of the time, the Magic game uses only positive numbers and zero. 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 player's life total to a specific value, sets a creature's power or toughness to a specific value, or otherwise modifies a creature's power or toughness. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: If a 3/4 creature gets -5/-0, it's a -2/4 creature. It assigns 0 damage in combat. Its total power and toughness is 2. You'd have to give it +3/+0 to raise its power to 1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Viridian Joiner is a 1/2 creature that says "{Tap}: 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.2 - If anything needs to use a number that can't be determined, either as a result or in a calculation, it uses 0 instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.3 - Many objects use the letter X as a placeholder for a number that needs to be determined. Some objects have abilities that define the value of X; the rest let their controller choose the value of X. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.3a - If a spell or activated ability has a mana cost, alternative cost, additional cost, and/or activation cost with an {X}, <--X->, or X in it, and the value of X isn't defined by the text of that spell or ability, the controller of that spell or ability chooses and announces the value of X as part of casting the spell or activating the ability. (See Rule 601, "Casting Spells.") While a spell is on the stack, any X in its mana cost equals the announced value. While an activated ability is on the stack, any X in its activation cost equals the announced value. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 107.3b - If a player is casting a spell that has an {X} in its mana cost, the value of X isn't defined by the text of that spell, and an effect lets that player cast that spell while paying neither its mana cost nor an alternative cost that includes X, then the only legal choice for X is 0. This doesn't apply to effects that only reduce a cost, even if they reduce it to zero. See Rule 601, "Casting Spells." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.3c - If a spell or activated ability has an {X}, <--X->, or X in its cost and/or its text, and the value of X is defined by the text of that spell or ability, then that's the value of X while that spell or ability is on the stack. The controller of that spell or ability doesn't get to choose the value. Note that the value of X may change while that spell or ability is on the stack. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 107.3d - If a cost associated with a special action, such as a suspend cost or a morph cost, has an {X} or an X in it, the value of X is chosen by the player taking the special action as he or she pays that cost. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.3e - Sometimes X appears in the text of a spell or ability but not in a mana cost, alternative cost, additional cost, or activation cost. If the value of X isn't defined, the controller of the spell or ability chooses the value of X at the appropriate time (either as it's put on the stack or as it resolves). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.3f - If a card in any zone other than the stack has an {X} in its mana cost, the value of {X} is treated as 0, even if the value of X is defined somewhere within its text. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.3g - All instances of X on an object have the same value at any given time. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.3h - Some objects use the letter Y in addition to the letter X. Y follows the same rules as X. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.4 - 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}; the monocolored hybrid symbols {2/W}, {2/U}, {2/B}, {2/R}, and {2/G}; and the snow symbol {S}. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.4a - There are five primary colored mana symbols: {W} is white, {U} blue, {B} black, {R} red, and {G} green. These symbols are used to represent colored mana, and also to represent colored mana in costs. Colored mana in costs can be paid only with the appropriate color of mana. See Rule 202, "Mana Cost and Color." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.4b - Numeral symbols (such as {1}) and variable symbols (such as {X}) represent generic mana in costs. Generic mana in costs can be paid with any type of mana. For more information about {X}, see Rule 107.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.4c - 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. (See Rule 107.3e.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.4d - The symbol {0} represents zero mana and is used as a placeholder for a cost that can be paid with no resources. (See Rule 116.5.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.4e - Hybrid mana symbols are also colored mana symbols. Each one represents a cost that can be paid in one of two ways, as represented by the two halves of the symbol. A hybrid symbol such as {W/U} can be paid with either white or blue mana, and a monocolored hybrid symbol such as {2/B} can be paid with either one black mana or two mana of any type. A hybrid mana symbol is all of its component colors. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: {G/W}{G/W} can be paid by spending {G}{G}, {G}{W}, or {W}{W}. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.4f - The snow mana symbol {S} represents one generic mana in a cost. This generic mana can be paid with one mana of any type produced by a snow permanent (see Rule 204.4f). Effects that reduce the amount of generic mana you pay don't affect {S} costs. (There is no such thing as "snow mana"; "snow" is not a type of mana.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.5 - The tap symbol is {Tap}. 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. A creature's activated ability with the tap symbol in its activation cost can't be activated unless the creature has been under its controller's control continuously since his or her most recent turn began. See Rule 302.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.6 - The untap symbol is {Untap}. The untap symbol in an activation cost means "Untap this permanent." A permanent that's already untapped can't be untapped again to pay the cost. A creature's activated ability with the untap symbol in its activation cost can't be activated unless the creature has been under its controller's control continuously since his or her most recent turn began. See Rule 302.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.7 - 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." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.8 - A tombstone icon appears to the left of the name of many Odyssey block cards with abilities that are relevant in a player's graveyard. The purpose of the icon is to make those cards stand out when they're in a graveyard. This icon has no effect on game play. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.9 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 107.10 - The planeswalker symbol is {P}. It appears on one face of the planar die used in the Planar Magic casual variant. See Rule 901, "Planar Magic." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 107.11 - The chaos symbol is {C}. It appears on one face of the planar die used in the Planar Magic casual variant, as well as in triggered abilities that refer to the results of rolling the planar die. See Rule 901, "Planar Magic." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
108 - Cards
- 108.1 - 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->. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 108.2 - 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. This includes both traditional Magic cards, which measure approximately 2.5 inches (6.3 cm) by 3.5 inches (8.8 cm) and have a "Deckmaster" back, and nontraditional Magic cards, which are oversized and have different backs. Tokens aren't considered cards--even a card that represents a token isn't considered a card for rules purposes. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 108.2a - In the text of spells or abilities, the term "card" is used only to refer to a card that's not on the battlefield or on the stack, such as a creature card in a player's hand. For more information, see Section 4, "Zones." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 108.3 - A card's owner is the player who started the game with it in his or her deck. If a card is brought into the game from outside the game rather than starting in a player's deck, its owner is the player who brought it into the game. If a card starts the game in the command zone, its owner is the player who put it into the command zone at the start of the game. (Legal ownership of a card is irrelevant to the game rules except for the rules for ante; see Rule 407.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 108.3a - In a Planar Magic game using the single planar deck option, the planar controller is considered to be the owner of all the plane cards. See Rule 901.6. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 108.4 - A card doesn't have a controller unless that card represents a permanent or spell; in those cases, its controller is determined by the rules for permanents or spells. See Rule 110.2 and Rule 111.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 108.4a - If anything asks for the controller of a card that doesn't have one (because it's not a permanent or spell), use its owner instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 108.5 - Nontraditional Magic cards can't start the game in any zone other than the command zone (see Rule 408). If an effect would bring a nontraditional Magic card into the game from outside the game, it doesn't; that card remains outside the game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 108.6 - For more information about cards, see Section 2, "Parts of a Card." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
109 - Objects
- 109.1 - An object is an ability on the stack, a card, a copy of a card, a token, a spell, or a permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 109.2 - If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes a card type or subtype, but doesn't include the word "card," "spell," or "source," it means a permanent of that card type or subtype on the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 109.2a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 109.2b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 109.2c - 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 609.7. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 109.3 - An object's characteristics are name, mana cost, color, card type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, abilities, power, toughness, loyalty, hand modifier, and life modifier. 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 109.4 - Only objects on the stack or on the battlefield have a controller. Objects that are neither on the stack nor on the battlefield aren't controlled by any player. See Rule 108.4. There are two exceptions to this rule: [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 109.4a - In a Planar Magic game, a face-up plane card is controlled by the player designated as the planar controller. This is usually the active player. See Rule 901.6. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 109.4b - In a Vanguard game, each vanguard card is controlled by its owner. See Rule 902.6. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 109.5 - The words "you" and "your" on an object refer to the object's controller, its would-be controller (if a player is attempting to cast or activate it), or its owner (if it has no controller). For a static ability, this is the current controller of the object it's on. For an activated ability, this is the player who activated the ability. For a triggered ability, this is the controller of the object when the ability triggered, unless it's a delayed triggered ability. For a delayed triggered ability, this is the controller of the spell or ability that created it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
110 - Permanents
- 110.1 - A permanent is a card or token on the battlefield. A permanent remains on the battlefield indefinitely. A card or token becomes a permanent as it enters the battlefield and it stops being a permanent as it's moved to another zone by an effect or rule. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.2 - A permanent's owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it (unless it's a token; see Rule 110.5a). A permanent's controller is, by default, the player under whose control it entered the battlefield. Every permanent has a controller. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.2a - If an effect instructs a player to put an object onto the battlefield, that object enters the battlefield under that player's control unless the effect states otherwise. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.3 - A nontoken permanent's characteristics are the same as those printed on its card, as modified by any continuous effects. See Rule 613, "Interaction of Continuous Effects." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.4 - There are five permanent types: artifact, creature, enchantment, land, and planeswalker. Instant and sorcery cards can't enter the battlefield and thus can't be permanents. Some tribal cards can enter the battlefield and some can't, depending on their other card types. See Section 3, "Card Types." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.4a - The term "permanent card" is used to refer to a card that could be put onto the battlefield. Specifically, it means an artifact, creature, enchantment, land, or planeswalker card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.4b - The term "permanent spell" is used to refer to a spell that will enter the battlefield as a permanent as part of its resolution. Specifically, it means an artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.4c - If a permanent somehow loses all its permanent types, it remains on the battlefield. It's still a permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.5 - Some effects put tokens onto the battlefield. A token is a marker used to represent any permanent that isn't represented by a card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.5a - A token is both owned and controlled by the player under whose control it entered the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.5b - The spell or ability that creates a token may define the values of any number of characteristics for the token. This becomes the token's "text." The characteristic values defined this way are functionally equivalent to the characteristic values 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Sprout is an instant that says "Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token onto the battlefield." The resulting token has no mana cost, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, or abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.5c - 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 on the battlefield, changing its name doesn't change its creature type, and vice versa. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.5d - 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). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.5e - A token that's phased out, or that's in a zone other than the battlefield, ceases to exist. This is a state-based action; see Rule 704. (Note that if a token changes zones, applicable triggered abilities will trigger before the token ceases to exist.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.5f - A token that has left the battlefield can't come back onto the battlefield. If such a token would return to the battlefield, it remains in its current zone instead. It ceases to exist the next time state-based actions are checked; see Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.6 - A permanent's status is its physical state. There are four status categories, each of which has two possible values: tapped/untapped, flipped/unflipped, face up/face down, and phased in/phased out. Each permanent always has one of these values for each of these categories. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.6a - Status is not a characteristic, though it may affect a permanent's characteristics. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.6b - Permanents enter the battlefield untapped, unflipped, face up, and phased in unless a spell or ability says otherwise. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 110.6c - A permanent retains its status until a spell, ability, or turn-based action changes it, even if that status is not relevant to it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Dimir Doppelganger says "{1}{U}{B}: Exile target creature card from a graveyard. Dimir Doppelganger becomes a copy of that card and gains this ability." It becomes a copy of Jushi Apprentice, a flip card. Through use of Jushi Apprentice's ability, this creature flips, making it a copy of Tomoya the Revealer with the Dimir Doppelganger ability. If this permanent then becomes a copy of Ruleclaw Bear, it will retain its flipped status even though that has no relevance to Runeclaw Bear. If its copy ability is activated again, this time targeting a Nezumi Shortfang card (another flip card), this permanent's flipped status means it will have the characteristics of Stabwhisker the Odious (the flipped version of Nezumi Shortfang) with the Dimir Doppelganger ability. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 110.6d - Only permanents have status. Cards not on the battlefield do not. Although an exiled card may be face down, this has no correlation to the face-down status of a permanent. Similarly, cards not on the battlefield are neither tapped nor untapped, regardless of their physical state. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
111 - Spells
- 111.1 - A spell is a card on the stack. As the first step of being cast (see Rule 601, "Casting Spells"), the card becomes a spell and is moved to the top of the stack from the zone it was in, which is usually its owner's hand. (See Rule 405, "Stack.") A spell remains on the stack as a spell until it resolves (see Rule 608, "Resolving Spells and Abilities"), is countered (see Rule 701.5), or otherwise leaves the stack. For more information, see Section 6, "Spells, Abilities, and Effects." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 111.1a - A copy of a spell is also a spell, even if it has no card associated with it. See Rule 706.9. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 111.1b - Some effects allow a player to cast a copy of a card; if the player does, that copy is a spell as well. See Rule 706.11. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 111.2 - A spell's owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it, unless it's a copy. In that case, the owner of the spell is the player under whose control it was put on the stack. A spell's controller is, by default, the player under whose control it was put on the stack. (For noncopy spells, that's the player who cast it.) Every spell has a controller. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 111.3 - A noncopy spell's characteristics are the same as those printed on its card, as modified by any continuous effects. See Rule 613, "Interaction of Continuous Effects." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 111.4 - If an effect changes any characteristics of a permanent spell, the effect continues to apply to the permanent when the spell resolves. See Rule 400.7. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: If an effect changes a black creature spell to white, the creature is white when it enters the battlefield and remains white for the duration of the effect changing its color. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
112 - Abilities
- 112.1 - An ability can be one of two things: [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.1a - An ability is a characteristic an object has that lets it affect the game. An object's abilities are defined by its rules text or by the effect that created it. Abilities can also be granted to objects by rules or effects. (Effects that do so use the words "has," "have," "gains," or "gain.") Abilities generate effects. (See Rule 609, "Effects.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.1b - An ability can be an activated or triggered ability on the stack. This kind of ability is an object. (See Section 6, "Spells, Abilities, and Effects.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.2 - Abilities can affect the objects they're on. They can also affect other objects and/or players. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.2a - Abilities can be beneficial or detrimental. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: "<-This creature-> can't block" is an ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.2b - An additional cost or alternative cost to cast a card is an ability of the card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.2c - An object may have multiple abilities. If the object is represented by a card, then aside from certain defined abilities that may be strung together on a single line (see Rule 702, "Keyword Abilities"), each paragraph break in a card's text marks a separate ability. If the object is not represented by a card, the effect that created it may have given it multiple abilities. An object may also be granted additional abilities by a spell or ability. If an object has 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.2d - Abilities can generate one-shot effects or continuous effects. Some continuous effects are replacement effects or prevention effects. See Rule 609, "Effects." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.3 - There are four general categories of abilities: [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.3a - Spell abilities are abilities that are followed as instructions while an instant or sorcery spell is resolving. Any text on an instant or sorcery spell is a spell ability unless it's an activated ability, a triggered ability, or a static ability that fits the criteria described in Rules 112.5a through Rule 112.5j. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.3b - Activated abilities have a cost and an effect. They are written as "<-Cost->: <-Effect.-> <-Activation restriction (if any).->" A player may activate such an ability whenever he or she has priority. Doing so puts it on the stack, where it remains until it's countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. See Rule 602, "Activating Activated Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.3c - Triggered abilities have a trigger condition and an effect. They are written as "<-Trigger condition->, <-effect->," and begin with the word "when," "whenever," or "at." Whenever the trigger event occurs, the ability is put on the stack the next time a player would receive priority and stays there until it's countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.3d - Static abilities are written as statements. They're simply true. Static abilities create continuous effects which are active while the permanent with the ability is on the battlefield and has the ability, or while the object with the ability is in the appropriate zone. See Rule 604, "Handling Static Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.4 - Some activated abilities and some triggered abilities are mana abilities. Mana abilities follow special rules: They don't use the stack, and, under certain circumstances, a player can activate mana abilities even if he or she doesn't have priority. See Rule 605, "Mana Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.5 - Some activated abilities are loyalty abilities. Loyalty abilities follow special rules: A player may activate a loyalty ability of a permanent he or she controls any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty during a main phase of his or her turn, but only if none of that permanent's loyalty abilities have been activated that turn. See Rule 606, "Loyalty Abilities." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.6 - Abilities of an instant or sorcery spell usually function only while that object is on the stack. Abilities of all other objects usually function only while that object is on the battlefield. The exceptions are as follows: [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.6a - Characteristic-defining abilities function everywhere, even outside the game. (See Rule 604.3.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.6b - An ability that states which zones it functions in functions only from those zones. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.6c - An object's ability that modifies what that particular object costs to cast functions on the stack. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.6d - An object's ability that restricts or modifies how that particular object can be played or cast functions in any zone from which it could be played or cast. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.6e - An object's ability that restricts or modifies what zones that particular object can be played or cast from functions in all zones. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.6f - An object's ability that modifies how that particular object enters the battlefield functions as that object is entering the battlefield. See Rule 613.12. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.6g - An object's activated ability that has a cost that can't be paid while the object is on the battlefield functions from any zone in which its cost can be paid. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.6h - A trigger condition that can't trigger from the battlefield functions in all zones it can trigger from. Other trigger conditions of the same triggered ability may function in different zones. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Absolver Thrull has the ability "When Absolver Thrull enters the battlefield or the creature it haunts is put into a graveyard, destroy target enchantment." The first trigger condition triggers from the battlefield and the second trigger condition functions from the exile zone. (See Rule 702.52, "Haunt.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.6i - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Necrosavant says "{3}{B}{B}, Sacrifice a creature: Return Necrosavant from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate this ability only during your upkeep." A player may activate this ability only if Necrosavant is in his or her graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 112.6j - An ability that modifies the rules for deck construction functions before the game begins. Such an ability modifies not just the Comprehensive Rules, but also the Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules and any other documents that set the deck construction rules for a specific Constructed format. However, such an ability can't affect the format legality of a card, including whether it's banned or restricted. The current Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules can be found at <-http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx?x=dci/doccenter/home->. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.6k - Abilities of plane cards and vanguard cards function in the command zone. See Rule 901, "Planar Magic," and Rule 902, "Vanguard." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.7 - The source of an ability on the stack is the object that generated that ability. For an activated ability, it's the object whose ability was activated. For a triggered ability (other than a delayed triggered ability), it's the object whose ability triggered. For a delayed triggered ability created by another ability, it's the source of that other ability. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.7a - Once activated or triggered, an ability exists on the stack independently of its source. 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 the zone it's expected to be in at that time, its last known information is used. The source can still perform the action even though it no longer exists. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.8 - The controller of an activated ability on the stack is the player who activated it. The controller of a triggered ability on the stack (other than a delayed triggered ability) is the player who controlled the ability's source when it triggered, or, if it had no controller, the player who owned the ability's source when it triggered. The controller of a delayed triggered ability on the stack is the player who controlled the spell or ability that created it. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.9 - Activated and triggered abilities on the stack aren't spells, and therefore can't be countered by anything that counters only spells. Activated and triggered abilities on the stack 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). Static abilities don't use the stack and thus can't be countered at all. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.10 - 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. Effects that remove an ability remove all instances of it. If two or more effects add and remove the same ability, in general the most recent one prevails. (See Rule 613, "Interaction of Continuous Effects.") [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 112.11 - 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 604.3.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Muraganda Petroglyphs reads, "Creatures with no abilities get +2/+2." A Runeclaw Bear (a creature with no abilities) enchanted by an Aura that says "Enchanted creature has flying" would not get +2/+2. A Runeclaw Bear enchanted by an Aura that says "Enchanted creature is red" or "Enchanted creature is indestructible" would get +2/+2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
113 - Targets
- 113.1 - Some spells and abilities require their controller to choose one or more targets for them. The targets are object(s), player(s), and/or zone(s) the spell or ability will affect. These targets are declared as part of the process of putting the spell or ability on the stack. The targets can't be changed except by another spell or ability that explicitly says it can do so. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.1a - An instant or sorcery spell is targeted if its spell ability identifies something it will affect by using the phrase "target <-something->," where the "something" is a phrase that describes an object, player, or zone. The target(s) are chosen as the spell is cast; see Rule 601.2c. (If an activated or triggered ability of an instant or sorcery uses the word target, that ability is targeted, but the spell is not.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.1b - Aura spells are always targeted. These are the only permanent spells with targets. An Aura's target is specified by its enchant keyword ability (see Rule 702.5, "Enchant"). The target(s) are chosen as the spell is cast; see Rule 601.2c. An Aura permanent doesn't target anything; only the spell is targeted. (An activated or triggered ability of an Aura permanent can also be targeted.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.1c - An activated ability is targeted if it identifies something it will affect by using the phrase "target <-something->," where the "something" is a phrase that describes an object, player, or zone. The target(s) are chosen as the ability is activated; see Rule 602.2b. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.1d - A triggered ability is targeted if it identifies something it will affect by using the phrase "target <-something->," where the "something" is a phrase that describes an object, player, or zone. The target(s) are chosen as the ability is put on the stack; see Rule 603.3d. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.1e - Some keyword abilities, such as equip and provoke, represent targeted activated or triggered abilities. In those cases, the phrase "target <-something->" appears in the rule for that keyword ability rather than in the ability itself. (The keyword's reminder text will often contain the word "target.") See Rule 702, "Keyword Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.2 - 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, (b) targets an object that can't exist on the battlefield, such as a spell or ability, or (c) targets a zone. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 113.3 - The same target can't be chosen multiple times for any one instance of the word "target" on a 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). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.4 - A spell or ability on the stack is an illegal target for itself. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.5 - Spells and abilities that can have zero or more targets are targeted only if one or more targets have been chosen for them. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.6 - Some effects allow a player to change the target of a spell or ability. If so, the target can be changed only to another legal target. If the target can't be changed to another legal target, the original target is unchanged, even if the original target is itself illegal by then. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.6a - Modal spells and abilities may have different targeting requirements for each mode. An effect that allows a player to change the target of a modal spell or ability doesn't allow that player to change its mode. (See Rule 700.2.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.7 - Some objects check what another spell or ability is targeting. Depending on the wording, these may check the current state of the targets, the state of the targets at the time they were selected, or both. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.7a - An object that looks for a "<-spell or ability-> that targets <-something->" checks the current state of that spell or ability's targets. If an object it targets is still in the zone it's expected to be in or a player it targets is still in the game, that target's current information is used, even if it's not currently legal for that spell or ability. If an object it targets is no longer in the zone it's expected to be in or a player it targets is no longer in the game, that target is ignored; its last known information is not used. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.7b - An object that looks for a "<-spell or ability-> with a single target" checks the number of times any objects, players, or zones became the target of that spell or ability when it was put on the stack, not the number of its targets that are currently legal. If the same object, player, or zone became a target more than once, each of those instances is counted separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.7c - An object that looks for a "<-spell or ability-> that targets only <-something->" checks the number of different objects or players that became the target of that spell or ability when it was put on the stack (as modified by effects that changed those targets), not the number of those objects or players that are currently legal targets. If that number is one (even if the spell or ability targets that object or player multiple times), the current state of that spell or ability's target is checked as described in Rule 113.7a. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.9 - Spells and abilities can affect objects and players they don't target. In general, those objects and players aren't chosen until the spell or ability resolves. See Rule 608, "Resolving Spells and Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.9a - Just because an object or player is being affected by a spell or ability doesn't make that object or player a target of that spell or ability. Unless that object or player is identified by the word "target" in the text of that spell or ability, or the rule for that keyword ability, it is not a target. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 113.9b - In particular, the word "you" in an object's text doesn't indicate a target. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
114 - Special Actions
- 114.1 - Special actions are actions a player may take when he or she has priority that don't use the stack. These are not to be confused with turn-based actions and state-based actions, which the game generates automatically. (See Rule 703, "Turn-Based Actions," and Rule 704, "State-Based Actions.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 114.2 - There are six special actions: [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 114.2a - Playing a land is a special action. To play a land, a player puts that land onto the battlefield from the zone it was in (usually that player's hand). A player can take this action any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty during a main phase of his or her turn, but only if he or she hasn't yet played a land that turn. See Rule 305, "Lands." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 114.2b - Turning a face-down creature face up is a special action. A player can take this action any time he or she has priority. See Rule 707, "Face-Down Spells and Permanents." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 114.2c - 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 from triggering. Doing so is a special action. A player can take such an action any time he or she has priority, but only if the ability or effect allows it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 114.2d - Some effects from static abilities allow a player to take an action to ignore the effect from that ability for a duration. Doing so is a special action. A player can take such an action any time he or she has priority. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 114.2e - A player who has a card with suspend in his or her hand may exile that card. This is a special action. A player can take this action any time he or she has priority, but only if he or she could begin to cast that card by putting it onto the stack. See Rule 702.59, "Suspend." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 114.2f - In a Planar Magic game, rolling the planar die is a special action. A player can take this action any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty during a main phase of his or her turn. Taking this action costs a player an amount of mana equal to the number of times he or she has previously taken this action on that turn. See Rule 901, "Planar Magic." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 114.3 - If a player takes a special action, that player receives priority afterward. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
115 - Timing and Priority
- 115.1 - Unless a spell or ability is instructing a player to take an action, which player can take actions at any given time is determined by a system of priority. The player with priority may cast spells, activate abilities, and take special actions. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 115.1a - A player may cast an instant spell any time he or she has priority. A player may cast a noninstant spell during his or her main phase any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.1b - A player may activate an activated ability any time he or she has priority. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.1c - A player may take some special actions any time he or she has priority. A player may take other special actions during his or her main phase any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty. See Rule 114, "Special Actions." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.1d - A player may activate a mana ability whenever he or she has priority, whenever he or she is casting a spell or activating an ability that requires a mana payment, or whenever a rule or effect asks for a mana payment (even in the middle of casting or resolving a spell or activating or resolving an ability). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.2 - Other kinds of abilities and actions are automatically generated or performed by the game rules, or are performed by players without receiving priority. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 115.2a - Triggered abilities can trigger at any time, including while a spell is being cast, an ability is being activated, or a spell or ability is resolving. (See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") However, nothing actually happens at the time an ability triggers. Each time a player would receive priority, each ability that has triggered but hasn't yet been put on the stack is put on the stack. See Rule 115.5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.2b - Static abilities continuously affect the game. Priority doesn't apply to them. (See Rule 604, "Handling Static Abilities," and Rule 611, "Continuous Effects.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.2c - Turn-based actions happen automatically when certain steps or phases begin. They're dealt with before a player would receive priority. See Rule 115.3a. Turn-based actions also happen automatically when each step and phase ends; no player receives priority afterward. See Rule 703, "Turn-Based Actions." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.2d - State-based actions happen automatically when certain conditions are met. See Rule 704. They're dealt with before a player would receive priority. See Rule 115.5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.2e - Resolving spells and abilities may instruct players to make choices or take actions, or may allow players to activate mana abilities. Even if a player is doing so, no player has priority while a spell or ability is resolving. See Rule 608, "Resolving Spells and Abilities." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 115.3 - Which player has priority is determined by the following rules: [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.3a - The active player receives priority at the beginning of most steps and phases, after any turn-based actions (such as drawing a card during the draw step; see Rule 703) have been dealt with and abilities that trigger at the beginning of that phase or step have been put on the stack. No player receives priority during the untap step. Players usually don't get priority during the cleanup step (see Rule 514.3). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.3b - The active player receives priority after a spell or ability (other than a mana ability) resolves. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.3c - If a player has priority when he or she casts a spell, activates an ability, or takes a special action, that player receives priority afterward. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.3d - If a player has priority and chooses not to take any actions, that player passes. If any mana is in that player's mana pool, he or she announces what mana is there. Then the next player in turn order receives priority. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.4 - If all players pass in succession (that is, if all players pass without taking any actions in between passing), the spell or ability on top of the stack resolves or, if the stack is empty, the phase or step ends. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.5 - Each time a player would get priority, the game first performs all applicable state-based actions as a single event (see Rule 704, "State-Based Actions"), then repeats this process until no state-based actions are performed. Then triggered abilities are put on the stack (see Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities"). These steps repeat in order until no further state-based actions are performed and no abilities trigger. Then the player who would have received priority does so. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.6 - In the Two-Headed Giant multiplayer variant, teams rather than individual players have priority. See Rule 806, "Two-Headed Giant Variant." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 115.7 - If a player with priority casts an spell or activates an activated ability while another spell or ability is already on the stack, the new spell or ability has been cast or activated "in response to" the earlier spell or ability. The new spell or ability will resolve first. See Rule 608, "Resolving Spells and Abilities." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
116 - Costs
- 116.1 - A cost is an action or payment necessary to take another action or to stop another action from taking place. To pay a cost, a player carries out the instructions specified by the spell, ability, or effect that contains that cost. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.2 - If a cost includes a mana payment, the player paying the cost has a chance to activate mana abilities. Paying the cost to cast a spell or activate an activated ability follows the steps in Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.3 - 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 202, "Mana Cost and Color," and Rule 602, "Activating Activated Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.3a - Paying mana is done by removing the indicated mana from a player's mana pool. (Players can always pay 0 mana.) If excess mana remains in that player's mana pool after making that payment, the player announces what mana is still there. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.3b - Paying life is done by subtracting the indicated amount of life from a player's life total. (Players can always pay 0 life.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.4 - Some costs include an {X} or an X. See Rule 107.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.5 - Some costs are represented by {0}, or are reduced to {0}. The action necessary for a player to pay such a cost is the player's acknowledgment that he or she is paying it. Even though such a cost requires no resources, it is not automatically paid. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.5a - A spell whose mana cost is {0} must still be cast the same way as one with a cost greater than zero; it won't cast itself automatically. The same is true for an activated ability whose cost is {0}. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.6 - Some mana costs contain no mana symbols. 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 cast a spell or activate an ability that has an unpayable cost is a legal action. However, attempting to pay an unpayable cost is an illegal action. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.6a - 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 a player to cast a spell without paying its mana cost, the alternative cost may be paid. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.7 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.7a - If a cost would be reduced by an amount of mana represented by a hybrid mana symbol, the player paying that cost chooses one half of that symbol at the time the cost reduction is applied (see Rule 601.2e). If a colored half is chosen, the cost is reduced by one mana of that color (or, if the cost can't be reduced by one mana of that color, the cost is reduced by one generic mana). If a colorless half is chosen, the cost is reduced by an amount of generic mana equal to that half's number. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.8 - Some spells and abilities have additional costs. An additional cost is a cost listed in a spell's rules text, or applied to a spell or ability from another effect, that its controller must pay at the same time that player pays the spell's mana cost or the ability's activation cost. A cost is an additional cost only if it is phrased using the word "additional." Note that some additional costs are listed in keywords; see Rule 702. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.8a - Any number of additional costs may be applied to a spell as it's being cast or to an ability as it's being activated. The controller of the spell or ability announces his or her intentions to pay any or all of those costs as described in Rule 601.2b. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.8b - Some additional costs are optional. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.8c - Additional costs don't change a spell's mana cost, only what its controller has to pay to cast it. Spells and abilities that ask for that spell's mana cost still see the original value. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.8d - Some effects increase the cost to cast a spell or activate an ability without using the word "additional." Those are not additional costs, and are not considered until determining the total cost of a spell or ability as described in Rule 601.2e. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.9 - Some spells have alternative costs. An alternative cost is a cost listed in a spell's text, or applied to it from another effect, that its controller may pay rather than paying the spell's mana cost. Alternative costs are usually phrased, "You may <-action-> rather than pay <-this object's-> mana cost," or "You may cast <-this object-> without paying its mana cost." Note that some alternative costs are listed in keywords; see Rule 702. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.9a - Only one alternative cost can be applied to any one spell as it's being cast. The controller of the spell announces his or her intentions to pay that cost as described in Rule 601.2b. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 116.9b - Alternative costs are always optional. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.9c - An alternative cost doesn't change a spell's mana cost, only what its controller has to pay to cast it. Spells and abilities that ask for that spell's mana cost still see the original value. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.9d - If an alternative cost is being paid to cast a spell, any additional costs, cost increases, and cost reductions that affect that spell are applied to that alternative cost. (See Rule 601.2e.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.10 - Each payment of a cost applies to only one spell, ability, or effect. For example, a player can't sacrifice just one creature to activate the activated abilities of two permanents that each require sacrificing a creature as a cost. Also, the resolution of a spell or ability doesn't pay another spell or ability's cost, even if part of its effect is doing the same thing the other cost asks for. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.11 - The actions performed when paying a cost may be modified by effects. Even if they are, meaning the actions that are performed don't match the actions that are called for, the cost has still been paid. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A player controls Psychic Vortex, an enchantment with a cumulative upkeep cost of "Draw a card," and Obstinate Familiar, a creature that says "If you would draw a card, you may skip that draw instead." The player may decide to pay Psychic Vortex's cumulative upkeep cost and then draw no cards instead of drawing the appropriate amount. The cumulative upkeep cost has still been paid. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.12 - Some spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities read, "<-Do something->. If <-a player-> <-does or doesn't->, <-effect->." or "<-A player-> may <-do something->. If <-that player-> <-does or doesn't->, <-effect->." The action <-do something-> is a cost, paid when the spell or ability resolves. The "If <-a player-> <-does or doesn't->" clause checks whether the player chose to pay an optional cost or started to pay a mandatory cost, regardless of what events actually occurred. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: You control Hesitation, an enchantment that says "When a player casts a spell, sacrifice Hesitation. If you do, counter that spell." A spell is cast, causing Hesitation's ability to trigger. Then an ability is played that exiles Hesitation. When Hesitation's ability resolves, you're unable to pay the "sacrifice Hesitation" cost. The spell is not countered. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Your opponent has cast Gather Specimens, a spell that says "If a creature would enter the battlefield under an opponent's control this turn, it enters the battlefield under your control instead." You control a face-down Dermoplasm, a creature with morph that says "When Dermoplasm is turned face up, you may put a creature card with morph from your hand onto the battlefield face up. If you do, return Dermoplasm to its owner's hand." You turn Dermoplasm face up, and you choose to put a creature card with morph from your hand onto the battlefield. Due to Gather Specimens, it enters the battlefield under your opponent's control instead of yours. However, since you chose to pay the cost, Dermoplasm is still returned to its owner's hand. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 116.12a - Some spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities read, "<-Do something-> unless you <-do something else->." This means the same thing as "You may <-do something else->. If you don't, <-do something->." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
117 - Life
- 117.1 - Each player begins the game with a life total of 20. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 117.1a - In a Two-Headed Giant game, each team begins the game with a shared life total of 30 instead; see Rule 806, "Two-Headed Giant Variant." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 117.1b - In a Vanguard game, each player begins the game with a starting life total of 20, as modified by his or her vanguard card's life modifier. See Rule 902, "Vanguard." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 117.1c - In an EDH game, each player begins the game with a starting life total of 40 instead; see Rule 903, "EDH." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 117.2 - Damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 117.3 - If an effect causes a player to gain life or lose life, that player's life total is adjusted accordingly. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 117.4 - If a cost or effect allows a player to pay an amount of life greater than 0, the player may do so only if his or her life total is greater than or equal to the amount of the payment. If a player pays life, the payment is subtracted from his or her life total. (Players can always pay 0 life.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 117.4a - If a cost or effect allows a player to pay an amount of life greater than 0 in a Two-Headed Giant game, the player may do so only if his or her team's life total is greater than or equal to the total amount of life both team members are paying for that cost or effect. If a player pays life, the payment is subtracted from his or her team's life total. (Players can always pay 0 life.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 117.5 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 117.6 - If a player has 0 or less life, that player loses the game as a state-based action. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 117.7 - If an effect says that a player can't gain life, that player can't exchange life totals with a player who has a higher life total; in that case, the exchange won't happen. In addition, a cost that involves having that player gain life can't be paid, and a replacement effect that would replace a life gain event affecting that player won't do anything. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
118 - Damage
- 118.1 - Objects can deal damage to creatures, planeswalkers, and players. This is generally detrimental to the object or player that receives that damage. An object that deals damage is the source of that damage. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 118.1a - Damage can't be dealt to an object that's neither a creature nor a planeswalker. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.2 - Any object can deal damage. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.2a - Damage may be dealt as a result of combat. Each attacking and blocking creature deals combat damage equal to its power during the combat damage step. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.2b - Damage may be dealt as an effect of a spell or ability. The spell or ability will specify which object deals that damage. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.3 - Damage may have one or more of the following results, depending on whether the recipient of the damage is a player or permanent, the characteristics of the damage's source, and the characteristics of the damage's recipient (if it's a permanent). [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 118.3a - Damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.3b - Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from that planeswalker. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.3c - Damage dealt to a creature by a source with wither causes that many -1/-1 counters to be put on that creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.3d - Damage dealt to a creature by a source without wither causes that much damage to be marked on that creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.3e - Damage dealt to an object or player by a source with lifelink causes that source's controller to gain that much life, in addition to the damage's other results. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.4 - Damage is processed in a three-part sequence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.4a - First, damage is dealt, as modified by replacement and prevention effects that interact with damage. (See Rule 614, "Replacement Effects," and Rule 615, "Prevention Effects.") Abilities that trigger when damage is dealt trigger now and wait to be put on the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.4b - Next, damage that's been dealt is transformed into its results, as modified by replacement effects that interact with those results (such as life loss or counters). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.4c - Finally, the damage event occurs. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A player who controls Boon Reflection, an enchantment that says "If you would gain life, you gain twice that much life instead," attacks with a 3/3 creature with wither and lifelink. It's blocked by a 2/2 creature, and the defending player casts a spell that prevents the next 2 damage that would be dealt to the blocking creature. The damage event starts out as "3 damage is dealt to the 2/2 creature, 2 damage is dealt to the 3/3 creature". The prevention effect is applied, so the damage event becomes "1 damage is dealt to the 2/2 creature, 2 damage is dealt to the 3/3 creature". That's transformed into its results, so the damage event is now "one -1/-1 counter is put on the 2/2 creature, the active player gains 1 life, 2 damage is marked on the 3/3 creature". Boon Reflection's effect is applied, so the damage event becomes "one -1/-1 counter is put on the 2/2 creature, the active player gains 2 life, 2 damage is marked on the 3/3 creature". Then the damage event occurs. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The defending player controls a creature and Worship, an enchantment that says "If you control a creature, damage that would reduce your life total to less than 1 reduces it to 1 instead." That player is at 2 life, and is being attacked by two unblocked 5/5 creatures. The player casts Awe Strike, which says "The next time target creature would deal damage this turn, prevent that damage. You gain life equal to the damage prevented this way," targeting one of the attackers. The damage event starts out as "10 damage is dealt to the defending player". Awe Strike's effect is applied, so the damage event becomes "5 damage is dealt to the defending player, the defending player gains 5 life". That's transformed into its results, so the damage event is now "the defending player loses 5 life, the defending player gains 5 life". Worship's effect sees that the damage event would not reduce the player's life total to less than 1, so it is not applied. Then the damage event occurs. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.5 - Damage dealt to a creature or planeswalker doesn't destroy it. Likewise, the source of that damage doesn't destroy it. Rather, state-based actions may destroy a creature or planeswalker, or otherwise put it into its owner's graveyard, due to the results of the damage dealt to that permanent. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A player casts Lightning Bolt, an instant that says "Lightning Bolt deals 3 damage to target creature or player," targeting a 2/2 creature. After Lightning Bolt deals 3 damage to that creature, the creature is destroyed as a state-based action. Neither Lightning Bolt nor the damage dealt by Lightning Bolt destroyed that creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.6 - Damage marked on a creature remains until the cleanup step, even if that permanent stops being a creature. If the total damage marked on a creature is greater than or equal to its toughness, that creature has been dealt lethal damage and is destroyed as a state-based action (see Rule 704). All damage marked on a permanent is removed when it regenerates (see Rule 701.11, "Regenerate") and during the cleanup step (see Rule 514.2). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 118.7 - The source of damage is the object that dealt it. If an effect requires a player to choose a source of damage, he or she may choose a permanent; a spell on the stack (including a permanent spell); any object referred to by an object on the stack, by a prevention or replacement effect that's waiting to apply, or by a delayed triggered ability that's waiting to trigger (even if that object is no longer in the zone it used to be in); or, in certain casual variant games, a face-up card in the command zone. A source doesn't need to be capable of dealing damage to be a legal choice. See Rule 609.7, "Sources of Damage." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 118.8 - 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 would increase the damage dealt by that source, or would have that source deal that damage to a different object or player, have no event to replace, so they have no effect. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
119 - Drawing a Card
- 119.1 - 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 turn-based action during each player's draw step. It may also be done as part of a cost or effect of a spell or ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 119.2 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 119.2a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 119.2b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 119.3 - If there are no cards in a player's library and an effect offers that player the choice to draw a card, that player can choose to do so. However, if an effect says that a player can't draw cards and another effect offers that player the choice to draw a card, that player can't choose to do so. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 119.4 - 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 action. See Rule 704.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 119.5 - 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 and effects that replace card draws, as well as if the player's library is empty. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 119.6 - Some effects replace card draws. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 119.6a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 119.6b - If an effect replaces a draw within a sequence of card draws, the replacement effect is completed before resuming the sequence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 119.6c - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 119.7 - Some replacement effects result in multiple card draws. In such a case, any parts of the original event that haven't been replaced by the effect occur first, then the card draws happen one at a time. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
120 - Counters
- 120.1 - A counter is a marker placed on an object or player that modifies its characteristics and/or interacts with a rule, ability, or effect. Counters are not objects and have no characteristics. Notably, a counter is not a token, and a token is not a counter. Counters with the same name or description are interchangeable. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 120.1a - 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. See Rule 613.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 120.1b - The number of loyalty counters on a planeswalker on the battlefield indicates how much loyalty it has. A planeswalker with 0 loyalty is put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based action. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 120.1c - If a player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game as a state-based action. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 120.2 - 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 as a state-based action, where N is the smaller of the number of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters on it. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 120.3 - If a permanent with an ability that says it can't have more than N counters of a certain kind on it has more than N counters of that kind on it, all but N of those counters are removed from it as a state-based action. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 120.4 - If an effect says to "move" a counter, it means to take that counter from the object it's currently on and put it onto a second object. If the first and second objects are the same object, nothing happens. If the first object has no counters, nothing happens; the second object doesn't get a counter put on it. If the second object (or any possible second objects) are no longer in the correct zone when the effect would move the counter, nothing happens; a counter isn't removed from the first object. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 120.5 - If a spell or ability refers to a counter being "placed" on a permanent, it means putting a counter on that permanent while it's on the battlefield, or that permanent entering the battlefield with a counter on it. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
2 - Parts of a Card
200 - General
- 200.1 - The parts of a card are name, mana cost, illustration, type line, expansion symbol, text box, power and toughness, loyalty, hand modifier, life modifier, illustration credit, legal text, and collector number. Some cards may have more than one of any or all of these parts. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 200.2 - Some parts of a card are also characteristics of the object that has them. See Rule 109.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 200.3 - Objects that aren't cards (tokens, copies of cards, and copies of spells) may have some of the parts of a card, but only the ones that are also characteristics. See Rule 110.5 and Rule 706. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
201 - Name
- 201.1 - The name of a card is printed on its upper left corner. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 201.2 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 201.2a - If an ability of an object uses a phrase such as "this <-something->" to identify an object, where <-something-> is a characteristic, it is referring to that particular object, even if it isn't the appropriate characteristic at the time. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: An ability reads "Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Destroy that creature at the beginning of the next end step." The ability will destroy the object it gave +2/+2 even if that object isn't a creature at the beginning of the next end step. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 201.2b - If an ability of an object grants to an 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Saproling Burst has an ability that reads "Remove a fade counter from Saproling Burst: Put a green Saproling creature token onto the battlefield. 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 on the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 201.3 - Two cards have the same name if the English versions of their names are identical, regardless of anything else printed on the cards. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
202 - Mana Cost and Color
- 202.1 - A card's mana cost is indicated by mana symbols near the top of the card. (See Rule 107.4.) 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.1a - The mana cost of an object represents what a player must spend from his or her mana pool to cast that card. 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.1b - Some objects have no mana cost. This normally includes all land cards, any other cards that have no mana symbols where their mana cost would appear, tokens (unless the effect that creates them specifies otherwise), and nontraditional Magic cards. Having no mana cost represents an unpayable cost (see Rule 116.6). Note that lands are played without paying any costs (see Rule 305, "Lands"). [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 202.2 - An object is the color or colors of the mana symbols in its mana cost, regardless of the color of its frame. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.2a - 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}. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.2b - Objects with no colored mana symbols in their mana costs are colorless. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.2c - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.2d - An object with one or more hybrid mana symbols in its mana cost is all of the colors of those mana symbols, 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 107.4e. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.2e - Effects may change an object's color or give a color to a colorless object; see Rule 105.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.3 - The converted mana cost of an object is a number equal to the total amount of mana in its mana cost, regardless of color. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A mana cost of {3}{U}{U} translates to a converted mana cost of 5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.3a - The converted mana cost of an object with no mana cost is 0. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.3b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.3c - When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with a hybrid mana symbol in its mana cost, use the largest component of each hybrid symbol. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The converted mana cost of a card with mana cost {1}{W/U}{W/U} is 3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The converted mana cost of a card with mana cost {2/B}{2/B}{2/B} is 6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 202.4 - Any additional cost listed in an object's rules text or imposed by an effect isn't part of the mana cost. (See Rule 601, "Casting Spells.") Such costs are paid at the same time as the spell's other costs. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
203 - Illustration
- 203.1 - The illustration is printed on the upper half of a card and has no effect on game play. For example, a creature doesn't have the flying ability unless stated in its rules text, even if it's depicted as flying. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
204 - Type Line
- 204.1 - The type line is printed directly below the illustration. It contains the card's card type(s). It also contains the card's subtype(s) and supertype(s), if applicable. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.1a - When an object's card type changes, the new card type(s) replaces any existing card types. Counters, effects, and damage marked on 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 204.1b - Some effects change an object's card type, supertype, or subtype but specify that the object retains a prior card type, supertype, or subtype. In such cases, all the object's prior card types, supertypes, and subtypes are retained. This rule applies to effects that use the phrase "in addition to its types" or that state that something is "still a <-card type->." Some effects state that an object becomes an "artifact creature"; these effects also allow the object to retain all of its prior card types and subtypes. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.2 - Card Types [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.2a - The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, plane, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal. See Section 3, "Card Types." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 204.2b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.2c - Tokens have card types even though they aren't cards. The same is true of copies of spells and copies of cards.
- 204.3 - Subtypes [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.3a - A card can have one or more subtypes printed on its type line. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.3b - Subtypes of each card type except plane are always single words and are listed after a long dash. Each word after the dash is a separate subtype; such objects may have multiple types. Subtypes of planes are also listed after a long dash, but may be multiple words. Each word after the dash is, collectively, a single subtype. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: "Basic Land - Mountain" means the card is a land with the subtype Mountain. "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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 204.3c - If a card with multiple card types has one or more subtypes, each subtype is correlated to its appropriate card type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Dryad Arbor's type line says "Land Creature -- Forest Dryad." Forest is a land type, and Dryad is a creature type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.3d - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.3e - Many cards were printed with subtypes that are now obsolete. Many cards have retroactively received subtypes. Use the Oracle card reference to determine what a card's subtypes are. (See Rule 108.1.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.3f - Artifacts have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called artifact types. The artifact types are Contraption, Equipment (see Rule 301.7), and Fortification (see Rule 301.8). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.3g - Enchantments have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called enchantment types. The enchantment types are Aura (see Rule 303.4), and Shrine. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.3h - Lands have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called land types. The land types are Desert, Forest, Island, Lair, Locus, Mine, Mountain, Plains, Power-Plant, Swamp, Tower, and Urza's. Of that list, Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains, and Swamp are the basic land types. See Rule 305.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.3i - Planeswalkers have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called planeswalker types. The planeswalker types are Ajani, Bolas, Chandra, Elspeth, Garruk, Jace, Liliana, Sarkhan, and Tezzeret. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
If two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type are on the battlefield, all are put into their owners' graveyards. This "planeswalker uniqueness rule" is a state-based action. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.3j - Instants and sorceries share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. The spell type are Arcane and Trap. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 204.3k - Creatures and tribals share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types. The creature types are Advisor, Ally, Angel, Anteater, Antelope, Ape, Archer, Archon, Artificer, Assassin, Assembly-Worker, Atog, Aurochs, Avatar, Badger, Barbarian, Basilisk, Bat, Bear, Beast, Beeble, Berserker, Bird, Blinkmoth, Boar, Bringer, Brushwagg, Camarid, Camel, Caribou, Carrier, Cat, Centaur, Cephalid, Chimera, Citizen, Cleric, Cockatrice, Construct, Coward, Crab, Crocodile, Cyclops, Dauthi, Demon, Deserter, Devil, Djinn, Dragon, Drake, Dreadnought, Drone, Druid, Dryad, Dwarf, Efreet, Egg, Elder, Elemental, Elephant, Elf, Elk, Eye, Faerie, Ferret, Fish, Flagbearer, Fox, Frog, Fungus, Gargoyle, Giant, Gnome, Goat, Goblin, Golem, Gorgon, Graveborn, Griffin, Hag, Harpy, Hellion, Hippo, Homarid, Homunculus, Horror, Horse, Hound, Human, Hydra, Hyena, Illusion, Imp, Incarnation, Insect, Jellyfish, Juggernaut, Kavu, Kirin, Kithkin, Knight, Kobold, Kor, Kraken, Lammasu, Leech, Leviathan, Lhurgoyf, Licid, Lizard, Manticore, Masticore, Mercenary, Merfolk, Metathran, Minion, Minotaur, Monger, Mongoose, Monk, Moonfolk, Mutant, Myr, Mystic, Nautilus, Nephilim, Nightmare, Nightstalker, Ninja, Noggle, Nomad, Octopus, Ogre, Ooze, Orb, Orc, Orgg, Ouphe, Ox, Oyster, Pegasus, Pentavite, Pest, Phelddagrif, Phoenix, Pincher, Pirate, Plant, Prism, Rabbit, Rat, Rebel, Reflection, Rhino, Rigger, Rogue, Salamander, Samurai, Sand, Saproling, Satyr, Scarecrow, Scorpion, Scout, Serf, Serpent, Shade, Shaman, Shapeshifter, Sheep, Siren, Skeleton, Slith, Sliver, Slug, Snake, Soldier, Soltari, Spawn, Specter, Spellshaper, Sphinx, Spider, Spike, Spirit, Splinter, Sponge, Squid, Squirrel, Starfish, Surrakar, Survivor, Tetravite, Thalakos, Thopter, Thrull, Treefolk, Triskelavite, Troll, Turtle, Unicorn, Vampire, Vedalken, Viashino, Volver, Wall, Warrior, Weird, Whale, Wizard, Wolf, Wolverine, Wombat, Worm, Wraith, Wurm, Yeti, Zombie, and Zubera. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 204.3m - Planes have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called planar types. The planar types are Alara, Arkhos, Bolas's Meditation Realm, Dominaria, Equilor, Iquatana, Ir, Kaldheim, Kamigawa, Lorwyn, Mercadia, Mirrodin, Moag, Muraganda, Phyrexia, Rabiah, Rath, Ravnica, Segovia, Serra's Realm, Shadowmoor, Shandalar, Ulgrotha, Valla, Wildfire, and Zendikar. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 204.3n - Vanguard cards have no subtypes. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 204.4 - Supertypes [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.4a - A card can also have one or more supertypes. These are printed directly before its card types. The supertypes are basic, legendary, snow, and world. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.4b - An object's supertype is independent of its card type and subtype, even though some supertypes are closely identified with specific card types. Changing an object's card types or subtypes won't change its supertypes. Changing an object's supertypes won't change its card types or subtypes. When an object gains or loses a supertype, it retains any other supertypes it had. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.4c - Any land with the supertype "basic" is a basic land. Any land that doesn't have this supertype is a nonbasic land, even if it has a basic land type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 and have received errata in the Oracle card reference accordingly: Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains, Swamp, Snow-Covered Forest, Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Mountain, Snow-Covered Plains, and Snow-Covered Swamp. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.4d - Any permanent with the supertype "legendary" is subject to the state-based action for legendary permanents, also called the "legend rule" (see Rule 704.5k). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.4e - Any permanent with the supertype "world" is subject to the state-based action for world permanents, also called the "world rule" (see Rule 704.5m). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 204.4f - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
205 - Expansion Symbol
- 205.1 - The expansion symbol indicates which Magic set a card is from. It's a small icon normally printed below the right edge of the illustration. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 205.2 - The color of the expansion symbol indicates the rarity of the card within its set. A red-orange symbol indicates the card is mythic rare. A gold symbol indicates the card is rare. A silver symbol indicates the card is uncommon. A black or white symbol indicates the card is common or is a basic land. A purple 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, with the exception of the Chinese Fifth Edition core set, Magic core sets didn't have expansion symbols at all.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 205.3 - A spell or ability that affects cards from a particular set checks only for that set's expansion symbol. A card reprinted in the core set or another expansion receives that 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 205.4 - Players may include cards from any printing in their constructed decks if those cards appear in sets allowed in that format (or those cards are specifically allowed by the Magic Tournament Rules). See the Magic Tournament Rules for the current definitions of the constructed formats (http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx? x=dci/doccenter/home). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 205.5 - The full list of expansions and expansion symbols can be found in the Magic Products section of the Wizards of the Coast website (http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Article.aspx? x=mtg/tcg/products/allproducts). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
206 - Text Box
- 206.1 - The text box is printed on the lower half of the card. It usually contains rules text defining the card's abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 206.2 - The text box may also contain italicized text that has no game function. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 206.2a - Reminder text is italicized text within parentheses that summarizes a rule that applies to that card. It usually appears on the same line as the ability it's relevant to, but it may appear on its own line if it applies to an aspect of the card other than an ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 206.2b - Flavor text is italicized text that, like the illustration, adds artistic appeal to the game. It appears below the rules text. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 206.2c - An ability word appears in italics at the beginning of some abilities on cards. Ability words are similar to keywords in that they tie together cards that have similar functionality, but they have no special rules meaning and no individual entries in the Comprehensive Rules. The ability words are channel, chroma, domain, grandeur, hellbent, imprint, kinship, landfall, radiance, sweep, and threshold. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 206.3 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 206.4 - The chaos symbol {C} appears in the text box of each plane card to the left of a triggered ability that triggers whenever {C} is rolled on the planar die. The symbol itself has no special rules meaning. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
207 - Power/Toughness
- 207.1 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 207.2 - Some creature cards have power and/or toughness represented by a * instead of a number. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 207.2a - The card may have a characteristic-defining ability that sets its power and/or toughness according to some stated condition. (See Rule 604.3.) Such an ability is worded "<-This creature's-> <-power or toughness-> is equal to ..." or "<-This creature's-> power and toughness are each equal to ..." This ability functions everywhere, even outside the game. If the ability needs to use a number that can't be determined, use 0 instead of that number. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Lost Order of Jarkeld has power and toughness each equal to 1+*. It says "As Lost Order of Jarkeld enters the battlefield, 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 on the battlefield, there won't be a chosen opponent. Its power and toughness will each be equal to 1 plus 0, so it's 1/1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 207.2b - The card may have a static ability that creates a replacement effect that sets the creature's power and toughness to one of a number of specific choices as it enters the battlefield or is turned face up. (See Rule 614, "Replacement Effects.") Such an ability is worded "As <-this creature-> enters the battlefield ... ," "As <-this creature-> is turned face up ... ," or "<-This creature-> enters the battlefield as ..." and lists two or more specific power and toughness values (and may also list additional characteristics). The characteristics chosen with these effects affect the creature's copiable values; see Rule 706.2. While the card isn't on the battlefield, its power and toughness are each considered to be 0. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 207.3 - 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). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
208 - Loyalty
- 208.1 - Each planeswalker card has a loyalty number printed in its lower right corner. This indicates its loyalty while it's not on the battlefield, and it also indicates that the planeswalker enters the battlefield with that many loyalty counters on it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 208.2 - An activated ability with a loyalty symbol in its cost is a loyalty ability. Loyalty abilities follow special rules: A player may activate a loyalty ability of a permanent he or she controls any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty during a main phase of his or her turn, but only if none of that permanent's loyalty abilities have been activated that turn. See Rule 606, "Loyalty Abilities." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
209 - Hand Modifier
- 209.1 - Each vanguard card has a hand modifier printed in its lower left corner. This is a number preceded by a plus sign, a number preceded by a minus sign, or a zero. This modifier is applied to the maximum hand size of the vanguard card's owner (normally seven) to determine both how many cards that player draws at the beginning of the game and his or her maximum hand size. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
210 - Life Modifier
- 210.1 - Each vanguard card has a life modifier printed in its lower right corner. This is a number preceded by a plus sign, a number preceded by a minus sign, or a zero. This modifier is applied to the starting life total of the vanguard card's owner (normally 20) to determine how much life that player begins the game with. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
211 - Information Below the Text Box
- 211.1 - Each card features text printed below the text box that has no effect on game play. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 211.1a - The illustration credit for a card is printed on the first line below the text box. It follows the paintbrush icon or, on older cards, the abbreviation "Illus." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 211.1b - Legal text (the fine print at the bottom of the card) lists the trademark and copyright information. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 211.1c - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
3 - Card Types
300 - General
- 300.1 - The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, plane, planeswalker, sorcery, tribal, and vanguard. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 300.2 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
301 - Artifacts
- 301.1 - A player who has priority may cast an artifact card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Casting an artifact as a spell uses the stack. (See Rule 601, "Casting Spells.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 301.2 - When an artifact spell resolves, its controller puts it onto the battlefield under his or her control. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 301.3 - 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. See Rule 204.3f for the complete list of artifact types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 301.4 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 301.5 - Artifact creatures combine the characteristics of both creatures and artifacts, and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 301.6 - 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 cast as spells. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 301.7 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 301.7a - An Equipment is cast and enters the battlefield just like any other artifact. An Equipment doesn't enter the battlefield attached to a creature. The equip keyword ability moves the Equipment onto a creature you control (see Rule 702.6, "Equip"). Control of the creature matters only when the equip ability is activated 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 301.7b - 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 on the battlefield. (This is a state-based action. See Rule 704.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 301.7c - The creature an Equipment is attached to is called the "equipped creature." The Equipment is attached to, or "equips," that creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 301.7d - 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 activate its abilities. However, if the Equipment grants an ability to the equipped creature (with "gains" or "has"), the equipped creature's controller is the only one who can activate that ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 301.8 - 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. Rule 301.7a through Rule 301.7d apply to Fortifications in relation to lands just as they apply to Equipment in relation to creatures, with one clarification relating to Rule 301.7b: a Fortification that's also a creature (not a land) can't equip a land. Fortification's analog to the equip keyword ability is the fortify keyword ability. (See Rule 702.64, "Fortify.") [CompRules 2009/10/01]
302 - Creatures
- 302.1 - A player who has priority may cast a creature card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Casting a creature as a spell uses the stack. (See Rule 601, "Casting Spells.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 302.2 - When a creature spell resolves, its controller puts it onto the battlefield under his or her control. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 302.3 - 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. See Rule 204.3k for the complete list of creature types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: "Creature -- Goblin Wizard" means the card is a creature with the subtypes Goblin and Wizard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 302.4 - Power and toughness are characteristics only creatures have. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 302.4a - A creature's power is the amount of damage it deals in combat. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 302.4b - A creature's toughness is the amount of damage needed to destroy it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 302.4c - 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 613, "Interaction of Continuous Effects.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 302.5 - Creatures can attack and block. (See Rule 508, "Declare Attackers Step," and Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 302.6 - A creature's activated ability with the tap symbol or the untap symbol in its activation cost can't be activated unless the creature has been under its controller's control continuously since his or her most recent turn began. A creature can't attack unless it has been under its controller's control continuously since his or her most recent turn began. This rule is informally called the "summoning sickness" rule. Ignore this rule for creatures with haste (see Rule 702.10). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 302.7 - Damage dealt to a creature by a source without wither is marked on that creature. If the total damage marked on that creature is greater than or equal to its toughness, that creature has been dealt lethal damage and is destroyed as a state-based action (see Rule 704). All damage marked on a creature is removed when it regenerates (see Rule 701.11, "Regenerate") and during the cleanup step (see Rule 514.2). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 302.8 - 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 cast as spells. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
303 - Enchantments
- 303.1 - A player who has priority may cast an enchantment card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Casting an enchantment as a spell uses the stack. (See Rule 601, "Casting Spells.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 303.2 - When an enchantment spell resolves, its controller puts it onto the battlefield under his or her control. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 303.3 - 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. See Rule 204.3g for the complete list of enchantment types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 303.4 - Some enchantments have the subtype "Aura." An Aura enters the battlefield attached to an object or player. What an Aura can be attached to is restricted by its enchant keyword ability (see Rule 702.5, "Enchant"). Other effects can limit what a permanent can be enchanted by. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 303.4a - An Aura spell requires a target, which is restricted by its enchant ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 303.4b - 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 action. See Rule 704.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 303.4c - An Aura can't enchant itself. If this occurs somehow, the Aura is put into its owner's graveyard. An Aura that's also a creature can't enchant anything. If this occurs somehow, the Aura becomes unattached, then is put into its owner's graveyard. (These are a state-based actions. See Rule 704.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 303.4d - The object or player an Aura is attached to is called enchanted. The Aura is attached to, or "enchants," that object or player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 303.4e - An Aura's controller is separate from the enchanted object's controller or the enchanted player; the two need not be the same. If an Aura enchants and object, changing control of the object doesn't change control of the Aura, and vice versa. Only the Aura's controller can activate its abilities. However, if the Aura grants an ability to the enchanted object (with "gains" or "has"), the enchanted object's controller is the only one who can activate that ability. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 303.4f - If an Aura is entering the battlefield under a player's control by any means other than by resolving as an Aura spell, and the effect putting it onto the battlefield doesn't specify the object or player the Aura will enchant, that player chooses what it will enchant as the Aura enters the battlefield. The player must choose a legal object or player according to the Aura's enchant ability and any other applicable effects. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 303.4g - If an Aura is entering the battlefield and there is no legal object or player for it to enchant, 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 entering the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 303.4h - If an effect attempts to attach an Aura on the battlefield 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
304 - Instants
- 304.1 - A player who has priority may cast an instant card from his or her hand. Casting an instant as a spell uses the stack. (See Rule 601, "Casting Spells.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 304.2 - When an instant spell resolves, the actions stated in its rules text are followed. Then it's put into its owner's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 304.3 - 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. See Rule 204.3j for the complete list of spell types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 304.4 - Instants can't enter the battlefield. If an instant would enter the battlefield, it remains in its previous zone instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 304.5 - If text states that a player may do something "any time he or she could cast 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 cast. Effects that would prevent that player from casting a spell or casting an instant don't affect the player's capability to perform that action (unless the action is actually casting a spell or casting an instant). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
305 - Lands
- 305.1 - A player who has priority may play a land card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a land is a special action; it doesn't use the stack (see Rule 114). Rather, the player simply puts the land onto the battlefield. Since the land doesn't go on the stack, it is never a spell, and players can't respond to it with instants or activated abilities. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 305.2 - A player may normally play only one land 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 305.3 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 305.4 - Effects may also allow players to "put" lands onto the battlefield. 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 305.5 - 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. See Rule 204.3h for the complete list of land types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: "Basic Land -- Mountain" means the card is a land with the Mountain subtype. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 305.6 - 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 basic land type implies an intrinsic ability to produce colored mana. (See Rule 605, "Mana Abilities.") An object with a basic land type is treated as if its text box included "{Tap}: Add <-mana symbol-> to your mana pool," even if the text box doesn't actually contain text or the object has no text box. Plains produce white mana; Islands, blue; Swamps, black; Mountains, red; and Forests, green. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 305.7 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 305.8 - Any land with the supertype "basic" is a basic land. Any land that doesn't have this supertype is a nonbasic land, even if it has a basic land type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 305.9 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
306 - Planeswalkers
- 306.1 - A player who has priority may cast a planeswalker card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Casting a planeswalker as a spell uses the stack. (See Rule 601, "Casting Spells.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 306.2 - When a planeswalker spell resolves, its controller puts it onto the battlefield under his or her control. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 306.3 - 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. See Rule 204.3i for the complete list of planeswalker types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 306.4 - If two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type are on the battlefield, all are put into their owners' graveyards as a state-based action. This is called the "planeswalker uniqueness rule." See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 306.5 - Loyalty is a characteristic only planeswalkers have. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 306.5a - The loyalty of a planeswalker not on the battlefield is equal to the number printed in its lower right corner. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 306.5b - A planeswalker is treated as if its text box included, "This permanent enters the battlefield with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to its printed loyalty number." This ability creates a replacement effect (see Rule 614.1c). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 306.5c - The loyalty of a planeswalker on the battlefield is equal to the number of loyalty counters on it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 306.5d - Each planeswalker has a number of loyalty abilities, which are activated abilities with loyalty symbols in their costs. Loyalty abilities follow special rules: A player may activate a loyalty ability of a permanent he or she controls any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty during a main phase of his or her turn, but only if none of that permanent's loyalty abilities have been activated that turn. See Rule 606, "Loyalty Abilities." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 306.6 - Planeswalkers can be attacked. (See Rule 508, "Declare Attackers Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 306.7 - 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 614.9) and is subject to the normal rules for ordering replacement effects (see Rule 616). The opponent chooses whether to redirect the damage as the redirection effect is applied. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 306.8 - Damage dealt to a planeswalker results in that many loyalty counters being removed from it. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 306.9 - If a planeswalker's loyalty is 0, it's put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based action. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
307 - Sorceries
- 307.1 - A player who has priority may cast a sorcery card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Casting a sorcery as a spell uses the stack. (See Rule 601, "Casting Spells.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 307.2 - When a sorcery spell resolves, the actions stated in its rules text are followed. Then it's put into its owner's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 307.3 - 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. See Rule 204.3j for the complete list of spell types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 307.4 - Sorceries can't enter the battlefield. If a sorcery would enter the battlefield, it remains in its previous zone instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 307.5 - If a spell, ability, or effect states that a player can do something only "any time he or she could cast 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 cast. Effects that would prevent that player from casting a spell or casting a sorcery don't affect the player's capability to perform that action (unless the action is actually casting a spell or casting a sorcery). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 307.5a - Similarly, if an effect checks to see if a spell was cast "any time a sorcery couldn't have been cast," it's checking only whether the spell's controller cast it without having priority, during a phase other than his or her main phase, or while another object was on the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
308 - Tribals
- 308.1 - Each tribal card has another card type. Casting and resolving a tribal card follows the rules for casting and resolving a card of the other card type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 308.2 - 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. See Rule 204.3k for the complete list of creature types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
309 - Planes
- 309.1 - Plane is a card type seen only on nontraditional Magic cards. Only the Planar Magic casual variant uses plane cards. See Section 901, "Planar Magic." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 309.2 - Plane cards remain in the command zone throughout the game, both while they're part of a planar deck and while they're face up. They're not permanents. They can't be cast. If a plane card would leave the command zone, it remains in the command zone. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 309.3 - Plane subtypes are listed after a long dash, and may be multiple words: "Plane - Serra's Realm." Each word after the dash is, collectively, a single subtype. Planar subtypes are called planar types. A plane can have only one subtype. See Rule 204.3m for the complete list of planar types. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 309.4 - A plane card may have any number of static, triggered, and/or activated abilities. As long as a plane card is face up in the command zone, its static abilities affect the game, its triggered abilities may trigger, and its activated abilities may be activated. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 309.5 - The controller of a face-up plane card is the player designated as the planar controller. Normally, the planar controller is whoever the active player is. However, if the current planar controller would leave the game, instead the next player in turn order that wouldn't leave the game becomes the planar controller, then the old planar controller leaves the game. The new planar controller retains that designation until he or she leaves the game or a different player becomes the active player, whichever comes first. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 309.6 - A plane card is treated as if its text box included "When you roll {P}, put this card on the bottom of its owner's planar deck face down, then move the top card of your planar deck face up." This is called the "planeswalking ability." A face-up plane card that's turned face down becomes a new object. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 309.7 - Each plane card has a triggered ability that triggers "Whenever you roll {C}." These are called "chaos abilities." Each one is indicated by a {C} to its left, though the symbol itself has no special rules meaning. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
310 - Vanguards
- 310.1 - Vanguard is a card type seen only on nontraditional Magic cards. Only the Vanguard casual variant uses vanguards. See Section 902, "Vanguard." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 310.2 - Vanguard cards remain in the command zone throughout the game. They're not permanents. They can't be cast. If a vanguard card would leave the command zone, it remains in the command zone. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 310.3 - Vanguard cards have no subtypes. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 310.4 - A vanguard card may have any number of static, triggered, and/or activated abilities. As long as a vanguard card is in the command zone, its static abilities affect the game, its triggered abilities may trigger, and its activated abilities may be activated. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 310.5 - The owner of a vanguard card is the player who started the game with it in the command zone. The controller of a face-up vanguard card is its owner. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 310.6 - Each vanguard card has a hand modifier printed in its lower left corner. This is a number preceded by a plus sign, a number preceded by a minus sign, or a zero. This modifier is applied to the maximum hand size of the vanguard card's owner (normally seven) to determine both how many cards that player draws at the beginning of the game and his or her maximum hand size. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 310.7 - Each vanguard card has a life modifier printed in its lower right corner. This is a number preceded by a plus sign, a number preceded by a minus sign, or a zero. This modifier is applied to the starting life total of the vanguard card's owner (normally 20) to determine how much life that player begins the game with. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
4 - Zones
400 - General
- 400.1 - A zone is a place where objects can be during a game. There are normally six zones: library, hand, battlefield, graveyard, stack, and exile. Some older cards also use the ante zone. Some casual variants use the command zone. (See Section 9, "Casual Variants.") Each player has his or her own library, hand, and graveyard. The other zones are shared by all players. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 400.2 - Public zones are zones in which all players can see the cards' faces, except for those cards that some rule or effect specifically allow to be face down. Graveyard, battlefield, stack, exile, ante, and command are public zones. Hidden zones are zones in which not all players can be expected to see the cards's faces. Library and hand are hidden zones, even if all the cards in one such zone happen to be revealed. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 400.3 - If an object would go to any library, graveyard, or hand other than its owner's, it goes to its owner's corresponding zone. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 400.4 - Cards with certain card types can't enter certain zones. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 400.4a - If an instant or sorcery card would enter the battlefield, it remains in its previous zone. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 400.4b - If a plane card would leave the command zone, it remains in the command zone. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 400.5 - 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. The same is true for objects arranged in face-down piles in other zones. Other 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 400.6 - If an object would move from one zone to another, determine what event is moving the object. If the object is moving to a public zone, its owner looks at it to see if it has any abilities that would affect the move. Then any appropriate replacement effects, whether they come from that object or from elsewhere, are applied to that event. If any effects or rules try 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 which effect to apply, and what that effect does. (Note that multiple instances of the same thing may be mutually exclusive; for example, two simultaneous "destroy" effects.) Then the event moves the object. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 400.7 - An object that moves from one zone to another becomes a new object with no memory of, or relation to, its previous existence. There are six exceptions to this rule: [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 400.7a - Effects from spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities that change the characteristics of a permanent spell on the stack continue to apply to the permanent that spell becomes. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 400.7b - Prevention effects that apply to damage from a permanent spell on the stack continue to apply to damage from the permanent that spell becomes. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 400.7c - Abilities of a permanent that require information about choices made when that permanent was cast use information about the spell that became that permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 400.7d - Abilities that trigger when an object moves from one zone to another (for example, "When Rancor is put into a graveyard from the battlefield") can find the new object that it became in the zone it moved to when the ability triggered. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 400.7e - Abilities of Auras that trigger when the enchanted permanent leaves the battlefield can find the new object that Aura became in its owner's graveyard as a result of being put there as a state-based action for not being attached to a permanent. (See Rule 704.5n.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 400.7f - If an effect grants a nonland card an ability that allows it to be cast, that ability will continue to apply to the new object that card became after it moved to the stack as a result of being cast this way. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 400.8 - If an object in the exile zone is exiled, it doesn't change zones, but it becomes a new object that has just been exiled. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 400.9 - If a face-up object in the command zone is turned face down, it becomes a new object. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 400.10 - An object is outside the game if it isn't in any of the game's zones. Outside the game is not a zone. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 400.10a - Cards in a player's sideboard are outside the game. See Rule 100.2 and Rule 100.4. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 400.11 - Some effects instruct a player to do something to a zone (such as "Shuffle your hand into your library.") That action is performed on all cards in that zone. The zone itself is not affected. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
401 - Library
- 401.1 - When a game begins, each player's deck becomes his or her library. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 401.2 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 401.3 - Any player may count the number of cards remaining in any player's library at any time. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 401.4 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 401.5 - If a spell or ability causes a card to be drawn while another spell is being cast, the drawn card is kept face down until that spell becomes cast (see Rule 601.2h). The same is true with relation to another ability being activated. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 401.6 - Some effects tell a player to play with the top card of his or her library revealed, or say that a player may look at the top card of his or her library. If the top card of the player's library changes while a spell is being cast, the new top card won't be revealed and can't be looked at until the spell becomes cast (see Rule 601.2). The same is true with relation to an ability being activated. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 401.7 - If an effect causes a player to play with the top card of his or her library revealed, and that particular card stops being revealed for any length of time before being revealed again, it becomes a new object. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
402 - Hand
- 402.1 - 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 103, "Starting the Game.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 402.2 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 402.3 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
403 - Battlefield
- 403.1 - Most of the area between the players represents the battlefield. The battlefield starts out empty. Permanents a player controls are normally kept in front of him or her on the battlefield, 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 403.2 - A spell or ability affects and checks only the battlefield unless it specifically mentions a player or another zone. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 403.3 - Permanents exist only on the battlefield. Every object on the battlefield is a permanent. See Rule 110, "Permanents." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 403.4 - Whenever a permanent enters the battlefield, it becomes a new object and has no relationship to any previous permanent represented by the same card, except for the cases listed in Rule 400.7. (This is also true for any objects entering any zone.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 403.5 - For many years, the battlefield was called the "in-play zone." Cards that were printed with text that contains the phrases "in play," "from play," "into play," or the like are referring to the battlefield. Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
404 - Graveyard
- 404.1 - A player's graveyard is his or her 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 404.2 - Each graveyard is kept in a single face-up pile. A player can examine the cards in any graveyard at any time but normally can't change their order. Additional rules applying to DCI-sanctioned tournaments may allow a player to change the order of cards in his or her graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 404.3 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
405 - Stack
- 405.1 - When a spell is cast, the physical card is put on the stack (see Rule 601.2a). When an ability is activated or triggers, it goes on top of the stack without any card associated with it (see Rule 602.2a and Rule 603.3). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.2 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.3 - If an effect puts two or more objects on the stack at the same time, those controlled by the active player are put on lowest, followed by each other player's objects in APNAP order (see Rule 101.4). If a player controls more than one of these objects, that player chooses their relative order on the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.4 - 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 cast the spell. The controller of an activated ability is the player who activated 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.5 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.6 - Some things that happen during the game don't use the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.6a - 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 603.7). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.6b - Static abilities continuously generate effects and don't go on the stack. (See Rule 604, "Handling Static Abilities.") This includes characteristic-defining abilities such as "<-This object-> is red" (see Rule 604.3). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.6c - 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 activated, that player gets priority after it resolves. (See Rule 605, "Mana Abilities.") [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 405.6d - Special actions don't use the stack; they happen immediately. See Rule 114, "Special Actions." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.6e - Turn-based actions don't use the stack; they happen automatically when certain steps or phases begin. They're dealt with before a player would receive priority (see Rule 115.3a). Turn-based actions also happen automatically when each step and phase ends; no player receives priority afterward. See Rule 703. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.6f - State-based actions don't use the stack; they happen automatically when certain conditions are met. See Rule 704. They are dealt with before a player would receive priority. See Rule 115.5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.6g - A player may concede the game at any time. That player leaves the game immediately. See Rule 104.3a. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 405.6h - If a player leaves a multiplayer game, objects may leave the game, cease to exist, change control, or be exiled as a result. These actions happen immediately. See Rule 800.4a. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
406 - Exile
- 406.1 - The exile zone is essentially a holding area for objects. Some spells and abilities exile an object without any way to return that object to another zone. Other spells and abilities exile an object only temporarily. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 406.2 - To exile an object is to put it into the exile zone from whatever zone it's currently in. An exiled card is a card that's been put into the exile zone. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 406.3 - Exiled cards are, by default, kept face up and may be examined by any player at any time. Cards "exiled face down" can't be examined by any player except when instructions allow it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 406.4 - Exiled cards that might return to the battlefield or any other zone should be kept in separate piles to keep track of their respective ways of returning. Exiled cards that may have an impact on the game due to their own abilities (such as cards with haunt) or the abilities of the cards that exiled them should likewise be kept in separate piles. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 406.5 - An object may have one ability printed on it that causes one or more cards to be exiled, and another ability that refers either to "the exiled cards" or to cards "exiled with <-this object->." These abilities are linked: the second refers only to cards that have been exiled due to the first. See Rule 607, "Linked Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 406.6 - If an object in the exile zone becomes exiled, it doesn't change zones, but it becomes a new object that has just been exiled. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 406.7 - For many years, the exile zone was called the "removed-from-the-game zone." Cards that were printed with text that "removes <-an object-> from the game" exiles that object. The same is true for cards printed with text that "sets <-an object-> aside." Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
407 - Ante
- 407.1 - 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 Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules (http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx?x=dci/doccenter/home). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 407.2 - When playing for ante, each player puts one random card from his or her deck into the ante zone after determining which player goes first but before players draw any cards. 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 407.3 - 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 the ante zone or change a card's owner. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 407.4 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
408 - Command
- 408.1 - In certain casual variants, nontraditional Magic cards and/or specially designated cards start the game in the command zone. Each variant has its own rules regarding such cards. See Section 9, "Casual Variants." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
5 - Turn Structure
500 - General
- 500.1 - A turn consists of five phases, in this order: beginning, precombat main, combat, postcombat main, and ending. Each of these phases takes place every turn, even if nothing happens during the phase. The beginning, combat, and ending phases are further broken down into steps, which proceed in order. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 500.2 - A phase or step in which players receive priority ends when the stack is empty and all players pass in succession. Simply having the stack become empty doesn't cause such a phase or step to end; all players have to pass in succession 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 500.3 - 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 502) and certain cleanup steps (see Rule 514). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 500.4 - When a step or phase ends, any unused mana left in a player's mana pool empties. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 500.5 - 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 514.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 500.6 - When a phase or step begins, any abilities that trigger "at the beginning of" that phase or step are added to the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 500.7 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 500.8 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 500.9 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 500.10 - 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 614.10. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 500.11 - No game events can occur between turns, phases, or steps. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
501 - Beginning Phase
- 501.1 - The beginning phase consists of three steps, in this order: untap, upkeep, and draw. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
502 - Untap Step
- 502.1 - First, all phased-in permanents with phasing that the active player controls phase out, and all phased-out permanents that the active player controlled when they phased out phase in. This all happens simultaneously. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. See Rule 702.23, "Phasing." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 502.2 - Second, the active player determines which permanents he or she controls will untap. Then he or she untaps them all simultaneously. This turn-based 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 502.3 - No player receives priority during the untap step, so no spells can be cast or resolve and no abilities can be activated 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 503, "Upkeep Step.") [CompRules 2009/10/01]
503 - Upkeep Step
- 503.1 - First, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of the upkeep step and any abilities that triggered during the turn's untap step go on the stack. (See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 503.2 - Second, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
504 - Draw Step
- 504.1 - First, the active player draws a card. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 504.2 - Second, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of the draw step and any other abilities that have triggered go on the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 504.3 - Third, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
505 - Main Phase
- 505.1 - There are two main phases in a turn. In each turn, the first main phase (also known as the precombat main phase) and the second main phase (also known as the postcombat main phase) are separated by the combat phase (see Rule 506, "Combat Phase"). The precombat and postcombat main phases are individually and collectively known as the main phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 505.1a - If an effect causes a turn to have an additional combat phase and an additional main phase, the additional main phase is also a postcombat main phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 505.2 - The main phase has no steps, so a main phase ends when all players pass in succession while the stack is empty. (See Rule 500.2.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 505.3 - First, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of the main phase go on the stack. (See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 505.4 - Second, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. The active player may play a land. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 505.4a - The main phase is the only phase in which a player can normally cast artifact, creature, enchantment, planeswalker, and sorcery spells. Only the active player may cast these spells. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 505.4b - 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 305, "Lands.") This action doesn't use the stack. Neither the land nor the action of playing the land is a spell or ability, so it can't be countered, and players can't respond to it with instants or activated abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
506 - Combat Phase
- 506.1 - 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 onto the battlefield attacking (see Rule 508.5). There are two combat damage steps if any attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see Rule 702.7) or double strike (see Rule 702.4). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 506.2 - During the combat phase, the active player is the attacking player; creatures that player controls may attack. During the combat phase of a two-player game, the nonactive player is the defending player; that player and planeswalkers he or she controls may be attacked. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 506.2a - During the combat phase of a multiplayer game, there may be one or more defending players, depending on the variant being played and the options chosen for it. Unless all the attacking player's opponents automatically become defending players during the combat phase, the attacking player chooses one of his or her opponents as a turn-based action during the beginning of combat step. (Note that the choice may be dictated by the variant being played or the options chosen for it.) That player becomes the defending player. See Rule 802, "Attack Multiple Players Option," Rule 803, "Attack Left and Attack Right Options," and Rule 807, "Emperor Variant." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 506.2b - In the Two-Headed Giant multiplayer variant, the nonactive team is the defending team. See Rule 806, "Two-Headed Giant Variant." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 506.3 - Only a creature can attack or block. Only a player or a planeswalker can be attacked. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 506.3a - If an effect would put a noncreature permanent onto the battlefield attacking or blocking, the permanent does enter the battlefield but it's never considered to be an attacking or blocking permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 506.3b - If an effect would put a creature onto the battlefield attacking under the control of any player except an attacking player, that creature does enter the battlefield, but it's never considered to be an attacking creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 506.3c - If an effect would put a creature onto the battlefield blocking but the creature it would block isn't attacking either the first creature's controller or a planeswalker that player controls, that creature does enter the battlefield, but it's never considered to be a blocking creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 506.4 - A permanent is removed from combat if it leaves the battlefield, if its controller changes, if an effect specifically removes it from combat, if it's a planeswalker that's being attacked and stops being a planeswalker, or if it's an attacking or blocking creature that regenerates (see Rule 701.11) or stops being a creature. 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 506.4a - 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.
- 506.4b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 506.4c - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 506.4d - A permanent that's both a blocking creature and a planeswalker that's being attacked is partially removed from combat if it stops being either a creature or a planeswalker (but not both). It's not removed from the portion of combat that's relevant to the card type it still is. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 506.5 - A creature attacks alone if it's the only creature declared as an attacker during the declare attackers step. A creature is attacking alone if it's attacking but no other creatures are. A creature blocks alone if it's the only creature declared as a blocker during the declare blockers step. A creature is blocking alone if it's blocking but no other creatures are. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
507 - Beginning of Combat Step
- 507.1 - First, if the game being played is a multiplayer game in which the active player's opponent's don't all automatically become defending players, the active player chooses one of his or her opponents. That player becomes the defending player. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. (See Rule 506.2.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 507.2 - Second, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of combat go on the stack. (See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 507.3 - Third, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
508 - Declare Attackers Step
- 508.1 - First, the active player declares attackers. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. 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 714, "Handling Illegal Actions"). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.1a - 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 turn began. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.1b - If the defending player controls any planeswalkers, or the game allows the active player to attack multiple other players, the active player announces which player or planeswalker each of the chosen creatures is attacking. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.1c - The active player checks each creature he or she controls to see whether it's affected by any restrictions (effects that say a creature can't attack, or that it can't attack unless some condition is met). If any restrictions are being disobeyed, the declaration of attackers is illegal. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.1d - The active player checks each creature he or she controls to see whether it's affected by any requirements (effects that say a creature must attack, or that it must attack if some condition is met). If the number of requirements that are being obeyed is fewer than the maximum possible number of requirements that could be obeyed without disobeying any restrictions, the declaration of attackers is illegal. Tapped creatures and creatures with unpaid costs to attack are exempt from effects that would require them to attack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.1e - 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 702.19, "Banding.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.1f - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.1g - If any of the chosen 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.1h - If any of the costs require mana, the active player then has a chance to activate mana abilities (see Rule 605, "Mana Abilities"). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.1i - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.1j - Each chosen creature still controlled by the active player becomes an attacking creature. It remains an attacking creature until it's removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See Rule 506.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.2 - Second, any abilities that triggered on attackers being declared go on the stack. (See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.2a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.3 - Third, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.4 - Effects from a creature that refer to a defending player refer only to the defending player it's attacking (if it's attacking a player) or the controller of the planeswalker it's attacking (if it's attacking a planeswalker). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.5 - If a creature is put onto the battlefield attacking, its controller chooses which defending player or which planeswalker a defending player controls it's attacking as it enters the battlefield (unless the effect that put it onto the battlefield specifies what it's attacking). Such creatures are "attacking" but, for the purposes of trigger events and effects, they never "attacked." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 508.6 - If no creatures are declared as attackers or put onto the battlefield attacking, skip the declare blockers and combat damage steps. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
509 - Declare Blockers Step
- 509.1 - First, the defending player declares blockers. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. 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 714, "Handling Illegal Actions"). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.1a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.1b - The defending player checks each creature he or she controls to see whether it's affected by any restrictions (effects that say a creature can't block, or that it can't block unless some condition is met). If any restrictions are being disobeyed, the declaration of blockers is illegal. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
A restriction may be created by an evasion ability (a static ability an attacking creature has that restricts what can block it). If an attacking creature gains or loses an evasion ability after a legal block has been declared, it doesn't affect that block. Different evasion abilities are cumulative. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: An attacking creature with flying and shadow can't be blocked by a creature with flying but without shadow. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.1c - The defending player checks each creature he or she controls to see whether it's affected by any requirements (effects that say a creature must block, or that it must block if some condition is met). If the number of requirements that are being obeyed is fewer than the maximum possible number of requirements that could be obeyed without disobeying any restrictions, the declaration of blockers is illegal. Tapped creatures and creatures with unpaid costs to block are exempt from effects that would require them to block. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.1d - If any of the chosen 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.1e - If any of the costs require mana, the defending player then has a chance to activate mana abilities (see Rule 605, "Mana Abilities"). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.1f - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.1g - Each chosen creature still controlled by the defending player becomes a blocking creature. Each one is blocking the attacking creatures chosen for it. It remains a blocking creature until it's removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See Rule 506.4. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 509.1h - An attacking creature with one or more creatures declared as blockers for it becomes a blocked creature; one with no creatures declared as blockers for it becomes an unblocked creature. This remains unchanged until the creature is removed from combat, an effect says that it becomes blocked or unblocked, or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. A creature remains blocked even if all the creatures blocking it are removed from combat. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 509.2 - Second, for each attacking creature that's become blocked by multiple creatures, the active player announces its damage assignment order among the blocking creatures. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. (During the combat damage step, an attacking creature can't assign combat damage to a creature that's blocking it unless each creature ahead of that blocking creature in its order is assigned lethal damage.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Craw Wurm is blocked by Llanowar Elves, Runeclaw Bear, and Serra Angel. The Craw Wurm's controller announces the Craw Wurm's damage assignment order as Serra Angel, then Runeclaw Bear, then Llanowar Elves. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 509.2a - During the declare blockers step, if a blocking creature is removed from combat or a spell or ability causes it to stop blocking an attacking creature, the blocking creature is removed from all relevant damage assignment orders. The relative order among the remaining blocking creatures is unchanged. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 509.3 - Third, for each creature that's blocking multiple creatures (because some effect allows it to), the defending player announces its damage assignment order among the attacking creatures. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. (During the combat damage step, a blocking creature can't assign combat damage to a creature it's blocking unless each creature ahead of that blocked creature in its order is assigned lethal damage.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.3a - During the declare blockers step, if an attacking creature is removed from combat or a spell or ability causes it to stop being blocked by a blocking creature, the attacking creature is removed from all relevant damage assignment orders. The relative order among the remaining attacking creatures is unchanged. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 509.4 - Fourth, any abilities that triggered on blockers being declared go on the stack. (See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.4a - An ability that reads "Whenever <-this creature-> blocks, ..." generally triggers only once each combat for that creature, even if it blocks multiple creatures. It triggers if the creature is declared as a blocker. It will also trigger if that creature becomes a blocker as the result of an effect, but only if it wasn't a blocking creature at that time. (See Rule 509.1g.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.4b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.4c - An ability that reads "Whenever <-this creature-> becomes blocked, ..." generally triggers only once each combat for that creature, even if it's blocked by multiple creatures. It will trigger if that creature becomes blocked by at least one creature declared as a blocker. It will also trigger if that creature becomes blocked by an effect or by a creature that's put onto the battlefield as a blocker, but only if the attacking creature was an unblocked creature at that time. (See Rule 509.1h.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.4d - An ability that reads "Whenever <-this creature-> becomes blocked by a 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 509.4e - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.4f - If an ability triggers when a creature with certain characteristics blocks, it will trigger only if the creature has those characteristics at the point blockers are declared. If an ability triggers when a creature with certain characteristics becomes blocked, it will trigger only if the creature has those characteristics at the point it becomes a blocked creature. If an ability triggers when a creature becomes blocked by a creature with certain characteristics, it will trigger only if the latter creature has those characteristics at the point becomes a blocking creature. None of those abilities will trigger if the relevant creature's characteristics change to match the ability's trigger condition later on. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A creature has the ability "Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a white creature, destroy that creature at end of combat." If the creature becomes blocked by a black creature that is later turned white, the ability will not trigger. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.4g - An ability that reads "Whenever <-this creature-> attacks and isn't blocked, ..." triggers if no creatures are declared as blockers for that creature. It won't trigger if the attacking creature is blocked and then all its blockers are removed from combat. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.5. - Fifth, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 509.6. - If a spell or ability causes a creature on the battlefield to block an attacking creature, the active player announces the blocking creature's placement in the attacking creature's damage assignment order. The relative order among the remaining blocking creatures is unchanged. Then the defending player announces the attacking creature's placement in the blocking creature's damage assignment order. The relative order among the remaining attacking creatures is unchanged. This is done as part of the blocking effect. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 509.7. - If a creature is put onto the battlefield blocking, its controller chooses which attacking creature it's blocking as it enters the battlefield (unless the effect that put it onto the battlefield specifies what it's blocking), then the active player announces the new creature's placement in the blocked creature's damage assignment order. The relative order among the remaining blocking creatures is unchanged. A creature put onto the battlefield this way is "blocking" but, for the purposes of trigger events and effects, it never "blocked." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Lumengrid Warden is blocked by Runeclaw Bear. The defending player casts Flash Foliage, which puts a Saproling token onto the battlefield blocking the Lumengrid Warden. Lumengrid Warden's controller announces the Lumengrid Warden's damage assignment order as the Saproling token, then Runeclaw Bear. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
510 - Combat Damage Step
- 510.1 - First, the active player announces how each attacking creature assigns its combat damage, then the defending player announces how each blocking creature assigns its combat damage. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. A player assigns a creature's combat damage according to the following rules: [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 510.1a - Each attacking creature and each blocking creature assigns combat damage equal to its power. Creatures that would assign 0 or less damage this way don't assign combat damage at all. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 510.1b - An unblocked creature assigns its combat damage to the player or planeswalker it's attacking. If it isn't currently attacking anything (if, for example, it was attacking a planeswalker that has left the battlefield), it assigns no combat damage. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 510.1c - A blocked creature assigns its combat damage to the creatures blocking it. If no creatures are currently blocking it (if, for example, they were destroyed or removed from combat), it assigns no combat damage. If exactly one creature is blocking it, it assigns all its combat damage to that creature. If two or more creatures are blocking it, it assigns its combat damage to those creatures according to the damage assignment order announced for it. This may allow the blocked creature to divide its combat damage. However, it can't assign combat damage to a creature that's blocking it unless each creature that precedes that blocking creature in its order is assigned lethal damage. When checking for assigned lethal damage, take into account damage already marked on the creature and damage from other creatures that's being assigned during the same combat damage step, but not any abilities or effects that might change the amount of damage that's actually dealt. An amount of damage that's greater than a creature's lethal damage may be assigned to it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Craw Wurm (a 6/4 creature) is Wall of Wood (a 0/3 creature) then Eager Cadet (a 1/1 creature). Craw Wurm can assign 3 damage to the Wall and 3 damage to the Cadet, 4 damage to the Wall and 2 damage to the Cadet, 5 damage to the Wall and 1 damage to the Cadet, or 6 damage to the Wall. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Craw Wurm (a 6/4 creature) is Wall of Wood (a 0/3 creature) then Eager Cadet (a 1/1 creature). During the declare blockers step, the defending player casts Giant Growth targeting Wall of Wood, which gives it +3/+3 until end of turn. Craw Wurm must assign its 6 damage to the Wall. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Craw Wurm (a 6/4 creature) is Wall of Wood (a 0/3 creature) then Eager Cadet (a 1/1 creature). During the declare blockers step, the defending player casts Mending Hands targeting Wall of Wood, which prevents the next 4 damage that would be dealt to it. Craw Wurm can assign 3 damage to the Wall and 3 damage to the Cadet, 4 damage to the Wall and 2 damage to the Cadet, 5 damage to the Wall and 1 damage to the Cadet, or 6 damage to the Wall. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The damage assignment order of an attacking Enormous Baloth (a 7/7 creature) is Trained Armodon (a 3/3 creature) that already has 2 damage marked on it, then Foriysian Brigade (a 2/4 creature that can block an additional creature), then Silverback Ape (a 5/5 creature). The damage assignment order of an attacking Durkwood Boars (a 4/4 creature) is the same Foriysian Brigade, then Goblin Piker (a 2/1 creature). Among other possibilities, the active player may have the Baloth assign 1 damage to the Armodon, 1 damage to the Brigade, and 5 damage to the Ape, and have the Boars assign 3 damage to the Brigade and 1 damage to the Piker. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 510.1d - A blocking creature assigns combat damage to the creatures it's blocking. If it isn't currently blocking any creatures (if, for example, they were destroyed or removed from combat), it assigns no combat damage. If it's blocking exactly one creature, it assigns all its combat damage to that creature. If it's blocking two or more creatures, it assigns its combat damage to those creatures according to the damage assignment order announced for it. This may allow the blocking creature to divide its combat damage. However, it can't assign combat damage to a creature that it's blocking unless each creature that precedes that blocked creature is assigned lethal damage. When checking for assigned lethal damage, take into account damage already marked on the creature and damage from other creatures that's being assigned during the same combat damage step, but not any abilities or effects that might change the amount of damage that's actually dealt. An amount of damage that's greater than a creature's lethal damage may be assigned to it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 510.1e - Each creature's damage must be assigned fully before another creature's damage may be assigned. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 510.1f - Once a player has assigned combat damage from each attacking or blocking creature he or she controls, the total damage assignment is checked to see if it complies with the above rules. If it doesn't, the combat damage assignment was illegal; the game returns to the moment before that player began to assign combat damage. (See Rule 714, "Handling Illegal Actions"). [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 510.2 - Second, all combat damage that's been assigned is dealt simultaneously. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. No player has the chance to cast spells or activate abilities between the time combat damage is assigned and the time it's dealt. This is a change from previous rules. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Suntail Hawk (a 1/1 creature with flying) and Goblin Piker (a 2/1 creature) are attacking. Mogg Fanatic (a 1/1 creature with the ability "Sacrifice Mogg Fanatic: Mogg Fanatic deals 1 damage to target creature or player) blocks the Goblin Piker. The defending player sacrifices Mogg Fanatic during the declare blockers step to deal 1 damage to the Suntail Hawk. The Hawk is destroyed. The Piker deals and is dealt no combat damage this turn. If the defending player instead left Mogg Fanatic on the battlefield, the Fanatic and the Piker would have dealt lethal damage to one another, but the Suntail Hawk couldn't have been dealt damage. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 510.3 - Third, any abilities that triggered on damage being assigned or dealt go on the stack. (See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 510.4 - Fourth, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 510.5 - If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see Rule 702.7) or double strike (see Rule 702.4) as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
511 - End of Combat Step
- 511.1 - First, all "at end of combat" abilities trigger and go on the stack. (See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 511.2 - Second, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 511.3 - As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers (including those that are phased out) are removed from combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase begins (see Rule 505). [CompRules 2009/10/01]
512 - Ending Phase
- 512.1 - The ending phase consists of two steps: end and cleanup. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
513 - End Step
- 513.1 - First, all abilities that trigger "at the beginning of the end step" or "at the beginning of the next end step" go on the stack. (See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 513.1a - For many years, abilities that trigger at the beginning of the end step were printed with the trigger condition "at end of turn." Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference to say "at the beginning of the end step" or "at the beginning of the next end step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 513.2 - Second, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 513.3 - If a permanent with an ability that triggers "at the beginning of the end step" enters the battlefield during this step, that ability won't trigger until the next turn's end step. Likewise, if a delayed triggered ability that triggers "at the beginning of the next end step" is created during this step, that ability won't trigger until the next turn's end step. In other words, the step doesn't "back up" so those abilities can go on the stack. This rule applies only to triggered abilities; it doesn't apply to continuous effects whose durations say "until end of turn" or "this turn." (See Rule 514, "Cleanup Step.") [CompRules 2009/10/01]
514 - Cleanup Step
- 514.1 - First, 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 his or her hand size to that number. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 514.2 - Second, the following actions happen simultaneously: all damage marked on permanents (including phased-out permanents) is removed and all "until end of turn" and "this turn" effects end. This turn-based action doesn't use the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 514.3 - Normally, no player receives priority during the cleanup step, so no spells can be cast and no abilities can be activated. However, this rule is subject to the following exception: [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 514.3a - At this point, the game checks to see if any state-based actions would be performed and/or any triggered abilities are waiting to be put onto the stack (including those that trigger "at the beginning of the next cleanup step"). If so, those state-based actions are performed, then those triggered abilities are put on the stack, then the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. Once the stack is empty and all players pass in succession, another cleanup step begins. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
6 - Spells, Abilities, and Effects
600 - General
601 - Casting Spells
- 601.1 - For many years, the action of casting a spell, or casting a card as a spell, was referred to on cards as "playing" that spell or that card. Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference so they now refer to "casting" that spell or that card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.1a - Some effects still refer to "playing" a card. "Playing a card" means playing that card as a land or casting that card as a spell, whichever is appropriate. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.2 - To cast a spell is to take it from the zone it's in (usually the hand), put it on the stack, and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect. Casting a spell follows the steps listed below, in order. If, at any point during the casting of a spell, a player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the spell was cast illegally; the game returns to the moment before that spell started to be cast (see Rule 714, "Handling Illegal Actions"). Announcements and payments can't be altered after they've been made. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.2a - The player announces that he or she is casting the spell. That card (or that copy of a card) moves from the zone it's in to the stack. It becomes the topmost object on the stack. It has all the characteristics of the card (or the copy of a card) associated with it, and that player becomes its controller. The spell remains on the stack until it's countered or resolves. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 601.2b - If the spell is modal the player announces the mode choice (see Rule 700.2). If the player wishes to splice any cards onto the spell (see Rule 702.44), he or she reveals those cards in his or her hand. If the spell has alternative, additional, or other special costs that will be paid as it's being cast such as buyback, kicker, or convoke costs (see Rule 116.8 and Rule 116.9), the player announces his or her intentions to pay any or all of those costs (see Rule 601.2e). A player can't apply two alternative methods of casting or two alternative costs to a single spell. If the spell has a variable cost that will be paid as it's being cast (such as an {X} in its mana cost; see Rule 107.3), the player announces the value of that variable. If a cost that will be paid as the spell is being cast includes hybrid mana symbols, the player announces the nonhybrid equivalent cost he or she intends to pay. Previously made choices (such as choosing to cast a spell with flashback from a graveyard or choosing to cast a creature with morph face down) may restrict the player's options when making these choices. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.2c - The player announces his or her choice of an appropriate player, object, or zone for each target the spell requires. A spell may require some targets only if an alternative, additional, or special cost (such as a buyback or kicker cost), or a particular mode, was chosen for it; otherwise, the spell is cast as though it did not have those targets. If the spell has a variable number of targets, the player announces how many targets he or she will choose before he or she announces those targets. The same target can't be chosen multiple times for any one instance of the word "target" on the spell. However, if the spell 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). If any effects say that an object or player must be chosen as a target, the player chooses targets so that he or she obeys the maximum possible number of such effects without violating any rules or effects that say that an object or player can't be chosen as a target. The chosen players, objects, and/or zones each become a target of that spell. (Any abilities that trigger when those players, objects, and/or zones become the target of a spell trigger at this point; they'll wait to be put on the stack until the spell has finished being cast.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: If a spell says "Tap two target creatures," then the same target can't be chosen twice; the spell requires two different legal targets. A spell that says "Destroy target artifact and target land," however, can target the same artifact land twice because it uses the word "target" in multiple places. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.2d - If the spell requires the player to divide or distribute an effect (such as damage or counters) among one or more targets, the player announces the division. Each of these targets must receive at least one of whatever is being divided. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.2e - The player determines the total cost of the spell. Usually this is just the mana cost. Some spells have additional or alternative costs. 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 or alternative cost (as determined in Rule 601.2b), 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, any effects that directly affect the total cost are applied. Then the resulting total cost becomes "locked in." If effects would change the total cost after this time, they have no effect. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.2f - If the total cost includes a mana payment, the player then has a chance to activate mana abilities (see Rule 605, "Mana Abilities"). Mana abilities must be activated before costs are paid. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.2g - The player pays the total cost in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. Unpayable costs can't be paid. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: You cast 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 cast. 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.2h - Once the steps described in Rule 601.2a through Rule 601.2g are completed, the spell becomes cast. Any abilities that trigger on a spell being cast or put onto the stack trigger at this time. If the spell's controller had priority before casting it, he or she gets priority. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.3 - Some spells specify that one of their controller's opponents does something the controller would normally do while it's being cast, such as choose a mode or choose targets. In these cases, the opponent does so when the spell's controller normally would do so. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.3a - If there is more than one opponent who could make such a choice, the spell's controller decides which of those opponents will make the choice. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.3b - If the spell instructs its controller and another player to do something at the same time as the spell is being cast, the spell's controller goes first, then the other player. This is an exception to Rule 101.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.4 - Casting a spell that alters costs won't affect spells and abilities that are already on the stack. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 601.5 - A player can't begin to cast a spell that's prohibited from being cast. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 601.5a - If an effect allows a card that's prohibited from being cast to be cast face down, and the face-down spell would not be prohibited, that spell can be cast face down. See Rule 707, "Face-Down Spells and Permanents." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
602 - Activating Activated Abilities
- 602.1 - Activated abilities have a cost and an effect. They are written as "<-Cost->: <-Effect.-> <-Activation restriction (if any).->" The activation cost is everything before the colon (:). An ability's activation cost must be paid by the player who is activating it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The activation cost of an ability that reads "{2},{Tap}: You gain 1 life" is two mana of any type plus tapping the permanent that has the ability. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 602.1a - An activated ability is the only kind of ability that can be activated. If an object or rule refers to activating an ability without specifying what kind, it must be referring to an activated ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.1b - For many years, the action of using an activated ability was referred to on cards as "playing" that ability. Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference so they now refer to "activating" that ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.2 - To activate an ability is to put it onto the stack and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect. Only an object's controller (or its owner, if it doesn't have a controller) can activate its activated ability unless the object specifically says otherwise. Activating an ability follows the steps listed below, in order. If, at any point during the activation of an ability, a player is unable to comply with any of those steps, the ability was activated illegally; the game returns to the moment before that ability started to be activated (see Rule 714, "Handling Illegal Actions"). Announcements and payments can't be altered after they've been made. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.2a - The player announces that he or she is activating the ability. If an activated ability is being activated from a hidden zone, the card that has that ability is revealed. That ability is created on the stack as an object that's not a card. It becomes the topmost object on the stack. It has the text of the ability that created it, and no other characteristics. Its controller is the player who activated the ability. The ability remains on the stack until it's countered or resolves. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 602.2b - The remainder of the process for activating an ability is identical to the process for casting a spell listed in Rule 601.2b through Rule 601.2h. Those rules apply to activating an ability just as they apply to casting a spell. An activated ability's analog to a spell's mana cost (as referenced in Rule 601.2e) is its activation cost. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.3 - Some abilities specify that one of their controller's opponents does something the controller would normally do while it's being activated, such as choose a mode or choose targets. In these cases, the opponent does so when the ability's controller normally would do so. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.3a - If there is more than one opponent who could make such a choice, the ability's controller decides which of those opponents will make the choice. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.3b - If the ability instructs its controller and another player to do something at the same time as the ability is being activated, the ability's controller goes first, then the other player. This is an exception to Rule 101.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.4 - Activating an ability that alters costs won't affect spells and abilities that are already on the stack. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 602.5 - A player can't begin to activate an ability that's prohibited from being activated. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.5a - A creature's activated ability with the tap symbol ({Tap}) or the untap symbol ({Untap}) in its activation cost can't be activated 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 702.10). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.5b - If an activated ability has a restriction on its use (for example, "Activate this ability only once each turn"), the restriction continues to apply to that object even if its controller changes. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.5c - If an object acquires an activated ability with a restriction on its use from another object, that restriction applies only to that ability as acquired from that object. It doesn't apply to other, identically worded abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.5d - Activated abilities that read "Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery" mean the player must follow the timing rules for casting a sorcery spell, though the ability isn't actually a sorcery. The player doesn't actually need to have a sorcery card that he or she could cast. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 602.5e - Activated abilities that read "Activate this ability only any time you could cast an instant" mean the player must follow the timing rules for casting an instant spell, though the ability isn't actually an instant. The player doesn't actually need to have an instant card that he or she could cast. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
603 - Handling Triggered Abilities
- 603.1 - Triggered abilities have a trigger condition and an effect. They are written as "<-Trigger condition->, <-effect->," and begin with the word "when," "whenever," or "at." They can also be expressed as "<-When/Whenever/At-> <-trigger event->, <-effect->." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.2 - Whenever a game event or game state matches a triggered ability's trigger event, that ability automatically triggers. The ability doesn't do anything at this point. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.2a - Because they aren't cast or activated, triggered abilities can trigger even when it isn't legal to cast spells and activate abilities. Effects that prevent abilities from being activated don't affect them. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.2b - When a phase or step begins, all abilities that trigger "at the beginning of" that phase or step trigger. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.2c - 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 509.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A permanent has an ability whose trigger condition reads, "Whenever a land is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, ... ." If someone casts a spell that destroys all lands, the ability will trigger once for each land put into the graveyard during the spell's resolution. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.2d - Some trigger events use the word "becomes" (for example, "becomes tapped" or "becomes blocked"). These trigger only at the time the named event happens--they don't trigger if that state already exists or retrigger if it persists. Similarly, they don't trigger if an object enters a zone in that state. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: An ability that triggers when a permanent "becomes tapped" triggers only when the status of a permanent that's already on the battlefield changes from untapped to tapped. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.2e - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.2f - An ability triggers only if its trigger event actually occurs. An event that's prevented or replaced won't trigger anything. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: An ability that triggers on damage being dealt won't trigger if all the damage is prevented. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.3 - Once an ability has triggered, its controller puts it on the stack as an object that's not a card the next time a player would receive priority. See Rule 115, "Timing and Priority." The ability becomes the topmost object on the stack. It has the text of the ability that created it, and no other characteristics. It remains on the stack until it's countered, it resolves, or an effect moves it elsewhere. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 603.3a - A triggered 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.3b - 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 101.4.) Then the game once again checks for and resolve state-based actions until none are performed, then abilities that triggered during this process go on the stack. This process repeats until no new state-based actions are performed and no abilities trigger. Then the appropriate player gets priority. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.3c - If a triggered ability is modal, its controller announces the mode choice when he or she puts the ability on the stack. If one of the modes would be illegal (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. (See Rule 700.2.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.3d - The remainder of the process for putting a triggered ability on the stack is identical to the process for casting a spell listed in Rule 601.2c through Rule 601.2d. If a choice is required when the triggered ability goes on the stack but no legal choices can be made for it, or if a rule or a continuous effect otherwise makes the ability illegal, the ability is simply removed from the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.4 - A triggered ability may read "When/Whenever/At <-trigger event->, if <-condition->, <-effect->." When the trigger event occurs, the ability checks whether the stated condition is true. The ability triggers only if it is; otherwise it does nothing. If the ability triggers, it checks the stated condition again as it resolves. If the condition isn't true at that time, the ability is removed from the stack and does nothing. Note that this mirrors the check for legal targets. This rule is referred to as the "intervening 'if' clause" rule. (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.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.5 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.6 - 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 enters-the-battlefield triggers and leaves-the-battlefield triggers. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.6a - Enters-the-battlefield abilities trigger when a permanent enters the battlefield. These are written, "When <-this object-> enters the battlefield, ..." or "Whenever a <-type-> enters the battlefield, ..." Each time an event puts one or more permanents onto the battlefield, all permanents on the battlefield (including the newcomers) are checked for any enters-the-battlefield triggers that match the event. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.6b - Continuous effects that modify characteristics of a permanent do so the moment the permanent is on the battlefield (and not before then). The permanent is never on the battlefield with its unmodified characteristics. Continuous effects don't apply before the permanent is on the battlefield, however (see Rule 603.6e). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 the battlefield, so it would trigger abilities that trigger when a creature enters the battlefield. Conversely, if an effect reads "All creatures lose all abilities" and a creature card with an enters-the-battlefield triggered ability enters the battlefield, that effect will cause it to lose its abilities the moment it enters the battlefield, so the enters-the-battlefield ability won't trigger. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.6c - Leaves-the-battlefield abilities trigger when a permanent moves from the battlefield to another zone, or when a phased-in permanent leaves the game because its owner leaves the game. These are written as, but aren't limited to, "When <-this object-> leaves the battlefield, ..." or "Whenever <-something-> is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, ... ." An ability that attempts to do something to the card that left the battlefield checks for it only in the first zone that it went to. An ability that triggers when a card is put into a certain zone "from anywhere" is never treated as a leaves-the-battlefield ability, even if an object is put into that zone from the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.6d - 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 on the battlefield, 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. Leaves-the-battlefield abilities, abilities that trigger when a permanent phases out, abilities that trigger when an object that all players can see is put into a hand or library, abilities that trigger specifically when an object becomes unattached, abilities that trigger when a player loses control of an object, and abilities that trigger when a player planeswalks away from a plane will trigger based on their existence, and the appearance of objects, prior to the event rather than afterward. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Two creatures are on the battlefield along with an artifact that has the ability "Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.6e - Some permanents have text that reads "<-This permanent-> enters the battlefield with ...," "As <-this permanent-> enters the battlefield ...," "<-This permanent-> enters the battlefield as ...," or "<-This permanent-> enters the battlefield tapped." Such text is a static ability--not a triggered ability--whose effect occurs as part of the event that puts the permanent onto the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.6f - Some Auras have triggered abilities that trigger on the enchanted permanent leaving the battlefield. These triggered abilities can find the new object that permanent card became in the zone it moved to; they can also find the new object the Aura card became in its owner's graveyard after state-based actions have been checked. See Rule 400.7. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.7 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.7a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Part of an effect reads "When this creature leaves the battlefield," but the creature in question leaves the battlefield before the spell or ability creating the effect resolves. In this case, the delayed ability never triggers. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.7b - 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." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.7c - A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular object still affects it even if the object changes characteristics. However, if that object is no longer in the zone it's expected to be in at the time the delayed triggered ability resolves, the ability won't affect it. (Note that if that object left that zone and then returned, it's a new object and thus won't be affected. See Rule 400.7.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: An ability that reads "Exile this creature at the beginning of the next end step" will exile the permanent even if it's no longer a creature during the next end step. However, it won't do anything if the permanent left the battlefield before then. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.7d - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.8 - Some triggered abilities trigger when a game state (such as a player controlling no permanents of a particular card type) is true, 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 actions.) 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 casts 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 603.9 - Some triggered abilities trigger specifically when a player loses the game. These abilities trigger when a player loses or leaves the game, regardless of the reason, unless that player leaves the game as the result of a draw. See Rule 104.3. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 603.10 - Some objects have a static ability that's linked to a triggered ability. (See Rule 607, "Linked Abilities.") 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
604 - Handling Static Abilities
- 604.1 - Static abilities do something all the time rather than being activated or triggered. They are written as statements, and they're simply true. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 604.2 - Static abilities create continuous effects, some of which are prevention effects or replacement effects. These effects are active as long as the permanent with the ability remains on the battlefield and has the ability, or as long as the object with the ability remains in the appropriate zone, as described in Rule 112.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 604.3 - Some static abilities are characteristic-defining abilities. A characteristic-defining ability conveys information about an object's characteristics that would normally be found elsewhere on that object (such as in its mana cost, type line, or power/toughness box). Characteristic-defining abilities function in all zones. They also function outside the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 604.3a - 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 or text-changing 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 604.4 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 604.5 - 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 cast ...," "You may pay <-cost-> rather than pay <-this object->'s mana cost," and "You may cast <-this object-> without paying its mana cost" work while a spell is on the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 604.6 - Some static abilities apply while a card is in any zone that you could cast or play it from (usually your hand). These are limited to those that read, "You may <-cast/play-> <-this card-> ...," "You can't <-cast/play-> <-this card-> ...," and "<-Cast/Play-> <-this card-> only ... ." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 604.7 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
605 - Mana Abilities
- 605.1 - Some activated abilities and some triggered abilities are mana abilities, which are subject to special rules. Only abilities that meet either of the following two sets of criteria are mana abilities, regardless of what other effects they may generate or what timing restrictions (such as "Activate this ability only any time you could cast an instant") they may have. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 605.1a - An activated ability without a target that could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves is a mana ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 605.1b - A triggered ability without a target that triggers from activating a mana ability and could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves is a mana ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 605.2 - A mana ability remains a mana ability even if the game state doesn't allow it to produce mana. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A permanent has an ability that reads "{Tap}: 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 605.3 - Activating an activated mana ability follows the rules for activating any other activated ability (see Rule 602.2), with the following exceptions: [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 605.3a - A player may activate an activated mana ability whenever he or she has priority, whenever he or she is casting a spell or activating an ability that requires a mana payment, or whenever a rule or effect asks for a mana payment, even if it's in the middle of casting or resolving a spell or activating or resolving an ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 605.3b - An activated mana ability doesn't go on the stack, so it can't be targeted, countered, or otherwise responded to. Rather, it resolves immediately after it is activated. (See Rule 405.6c.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 605.4 - Triggered mana abilities follow all the rules for other triggered abilities (see Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities"), with the following exception: [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 605.4a - A triggered mana ability doesn't go on the stack, so it can't be targeted, countered, or otherwise responded to. Rather, it resolves immediately after the mana ability that triggered it, without waiting for priority. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 casting a spell, the additional mana is added to the player's mana pool immediately and can be used to pay for the spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 605.5 - Abilities that don't meet the criteria specified in Rule 605.1a and Rule 605.1b and spells aren't mana abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 605.5a - An ability with a target is not a mana ability, even if it could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves. The same is true for a triggered ability that could produce mana but triggers from an event other than activating a mana ability, or a triggered ability that triggers from activating a mana ability but couldn't produce mana. These follow the normal rules for activated or triggered abilities, as appropriate. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 605.5b - A spell can never be a mana ability, even if it could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves. It's cast and resolves just like any other spell. Some older cards were printed with the card type "mana source"; these cards have received errata in the Oracle card reference and are now instants. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
606 - Loyalty Abilities
- 606.1 - Some activated abilities are loyalty abilities, which are subject to special rules. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 606.2 - An activated ability with a loyalty symbol in its cost is a loyalty ability. Normally, only planeswalkers have loyalty abilities. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 606.3 - A player may activate a loyalty ability of a permanent he or she controls any time he or she has priority and the stack is empty during a main phase of his or her turn, but only if none of its loyalty abilities have been activated that turn. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 606.4 - The cost to activate a loyalty ability of a permanent is to put on or remove from that permanent a certain number of loyalty counters, as shown by the loyalty symbol in the ability's cost. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 606.5 - A loyalty ability with a negative loyalty cost can't be activated unless the permanent has at least that many loyalty counters on it. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
607 - Linked Abilities
- 607.1 - An object may have two abilities printed on it such that one of them causes actions to be taken or objects to be affected and the other one directly refers to those actions or objects. If so, these two abilities are linked: the second refers only to actions that were taken or objects that were affected by the first, and not by any other ability. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 607.1a - An ability printed on an object within another ability that grants that ability to that object is still considered to be "printed on" that object for these purposes. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 607.2 - There are different kinds of linked abilities. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 607.2a - If an object has an activated or triggered ability printed on it that exiles one or more cards, and another ability printed on it that refers either to "the exiled cards" or to cards "exiled with <-this object->," these abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to cards in the exile zone that were put there as a result of the first ability. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 607.2b - If an object has an ability printed on it that generates a replacement effect which causes one or more cards to be exiled, and another ability printed on it that refers either to "the exiled cards" or to cards "exiled with <-this object->," these abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to cards in the exile zone that were put there as a direct result of a replacement event caused by the first ability. See Rule 614, "Replacement Effects." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 607.2c - If an object has an activated or triggered ability printed on it that puts one or more objects onto the battlefield, and another ability printed on it that refers to objects "put onto the battlefield with <-this object->," those abilities are linked. The second can refer only to objects put onto the battlefield as a result of the first. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 607.2d - If an object has an ability printed on it that causes a player to "choose a <-value->" or "name a card," and another ability printed on it that refers to "the chosen <-value->," "the last chosen <-value->," or "the named card," these abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to a choice made as a result of the first ability. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 607.2e - If an object has both a static ability and a triggered ability printed on it in the same paragraph, those abilities are linked. The triggered ability refers only to actions taken as a result of the static ability. See Rule 603.10. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 607.2f - If an object has a kicker ability printed on it, and another ability printed on it that refers to whether that object was kicked, those abilities are linked. The second refers only to whether the intent to pay the kicker cost listed in the first was declared as the object was cast as a spell. If a kicker ability lists multiple costs, it will have multiple abilities linked to it. Each of those abilities will specify which kicker cost it refers to. See Rule 702.30, "Kicker." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 607.2g - The two abilities represented by the champion keyword are linked abilities. See Rule 702.69, "Champion." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 607.3 - An ability may be part of more than one pair of linked abilities. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Paradise Plume has the following three abilities: "As Paradise Plume enters the battlefield, choose a color," "Whenever a player casts a spell of the chosen color, you may gain 1 life," and "{Tap}: Add one mana of the chosen color to your mana pool." The first and second abilities are linked. The first and third abilities are linked. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 607.4 - If an object acquires a pair of linked abilities as part of the same effect, the abilities will be similarly linked to one another on that object even though they weren't printed 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Arc-Slogger has the ability "{R}: Exile the top ten cards of your library: Arc-Slogger deals 2 damage to target creature or player." Sisters of Stone Death has the ability "{B}{G}: Exile target creature blocking or blocked by Sisters of Stone Death" and the ability "{2}{B}: Put a creature card exiled with Sisters of Stone Death onto the battlefield 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, activates it, then has Quicksilver Elemental gain Sisters of Stone Death's abilities, activates the exile ability, and then activates the return-to-the-battlefield ability, only the creature card Quicksilver Elemental exiled with Sisters of Stone Death's ability can be returned to the battlefield. Creature cards Quicksilver Elemental exiled with Arc-Slogger's ability can't be returned. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
608 - Resolving Spells and Abilities
- 608.1 - Each time all players pass in succession, the spell or ability on top of the stack resolves. (See Rule 609, "Effects.") [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 608.2 - If the object that's resolving is an instant spell, a sorcery spell, or an ability, its resolution may involve several steps. The steps described in Rule 608.2a and Rule 608.2b are followed first. The steps described in Rule 608.2c through Rule 608.2i are then followed as appropriate, in no specific order. The step described in Rule 608.2j is followed last. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 608.2a - If a triggered ability has an intervening "if" clause, it checks whether the clause's condition is true. If it isn't, the ability is removed from the stack and does nothing. Otherwise, it continues to resolve. See Rule 603.4. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 608.2b - If the spell or ability specifies targets, it checks whether the targets are still legal. A target that's no longer in 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
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 the battlefield), then Aura Blast is countered. Its controller doesn't draw a card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 608.2c - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 608.2d - If an effect of a spell or ability offers any choices other than choices already made as part of casting the spell, activating the ability, or otherwise putting the spell or ability on the stack, the player announces these while applying the effect. The player can't choose an option that's illegal or impossible, with the exception that having an empty library doesn't make drawing a card an impossible action (see Rule 119.3). [CompRules 2009/10/01]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 608.2e - 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 101.4. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 608.2f - If an effect gives a player the option to pay mana, he or she may activate mana abilities before taking that action. If an effect specifically instructs or allows a player to cast a spell during resolution, he or she does so by putting that spell on top of the stack, then continuing to cast it by following the steps in Rule 601.2a through Rule 601.2h, except no player receives priority after it's cast. The currently resolving spell or ability then continues to resolve, which may include casting other spells this way. No other spells can normally be cast and no other abilities can normally be activated during resolution. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 608.2g - If an effect requires information from the game (such as the number of creatures on the battlefield), 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 or a target that's become illegal, the effect uses the current information of that object if it's in the zone it was expected to be in; otherwise, the effect uses the object's last known information. See Rule 112.7a. (Note that if an effect divides or distributes something, such as damage or counters, as a player chooses among some number of creatures or players, the amount and division were determined as the spell or ability was put onto the stack rather than at this time; see Rule 601.2d). 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 608.2h - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 608.2i - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 608.2j - If an instant spell, sorcery spell, or ability that can legally resolve leaves the stack once it starts to resolve, it will continue to resolve fully. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 608.2k - As the final part of an instant or sorcery spell's resolution, the spell is put into its owner's graveyard. As the final part of an ability's resolution, the ability is removed from the stack and ceases to exist. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 608.3 - If the object that's resolving is a permanent spell, its resolution involves a single step (unless it's an Aura). The spell card becomes a permanent and is put onto the battlefield under the control of the spell's controller. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 608.3a - If the object that's resolving is an Aura spell, its resolution involves two steps. First, it checks whether the target specified by its enchant ability is still legal, as described in Rule 608.2b. (See Rule 702.5, "Enchant.") If so, the spell card becomes a permanent and is put onto the battlefield under the control of the spell's controller attached to the object it was targeting. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 608.3b - If a permanent spell resolves but its controller can't put it onto the battlefield, that player puts it into its owner's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Worms of the Earth says "If a land would enter the battlefield, instead it doesn't." Clone says "You may have Clone enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield." If a player casts Clone and chooses to copy Dryad Arbor (a land creature) while Worms of the Earth is on the battlefield, Clone can't enter the battlefield from the stack. It's put into its owner's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
609 - Effects
- 609.1 - An effect is something that happens in the game as a result of a spell or ability. When a spell, activated ability, or triggered ability resolves, it may create one or more one-shot or continuous effects. Static abilities may create one or more continuous effects. Text itself is never an effect. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 609.2 - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
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 cast will apply only to spells on the stack, since a spell is always on the stack while a player is casting it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 609.3 - If an effect attempts to do something impossible, it does only as much as possible. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 609.4 - Some effects state that a player may do something "as though" some condition were true or a creature can do something "as though" some condition were true. This applies only to the stated effect. For purposes of that effect, treat the game exactly as if the stated condition were true. For all other purposes, treat the game normally. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 609.4a - If two effects state that a player may (or a creature can) do the same thing "as though" different conditions were true, both conditions could apply. If one "as though" effect satisfies the requirements for another "as though" effect, then both effects will apply. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: A player controls Vedalken Orrery, an artifact that says "You may cast nonland cards as though they had flash." That player casts Shaman's Trance, an instant that says, in part, "You may play cards from other players' graveyards as though they were in your graveyard." The player may cast a sorcery with flashback from another player's graveyard as though it were in that player's graveyard and as though it had flash. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 609.5 - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 609.6 - Some continuous effects are replacement effects or prevention effects. See Rule 614 and Rule 615. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 609.7 - 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." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 609.7a - If an effect requires a player to choose a source of damage, he or she may choose a permanent; a spell on the stack (including a permanent spell); any object referred to by an object on the stack, by a replacement or prevention effect that's waiting to apply, or by a delayed triggered ability that's waiting to trigger (even if that object is no longer in the zone it used to be in); or, for certain casual variant games, a face-up card in the command zone. A source doesn't need to be capable of dealing damage to be a legal choice. The source is chosen when the effect is created. If the player chooses a permanent, the effect will apply to the next damage dealt by that permanent, regardless of whether it's combat damage or damage dealt as the result of a spell or ability. If the player chooses a permanent spell, the effect will apply to any damage dealt by that spell and any damage dealt by the permanent that spell becomes when it resolves. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 609.7b - Some effects from resolved 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 609.7c - 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 on the battlefield that have that property. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
610 - One-Shot Effects
- 610.1 - A one-shot effect does something just once and doesn't have a duration. Examples include dealing damage, destroying a permanent, putting a token onto the battlefield, and moving an object from one zone to another. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 610.2 - Some one-shot effects create a delayed triggered ability, which instructs a player to do something later in the game (usually at a specific time) rather than as the spell or ability that's creating the one-shot effect resolves. See Rule 603.7. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
611 - Continuous Effects
- 611.1 - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 611.2 - A continuous effect may be generated by the resolution of a spell or ability. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 611.2a - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 611.2b - Some continuous effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability have durations worded "for as long as ... ." If the "for as long as" duration never starts, or it 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Endoskeleton is an artifact with an activated ability that reads "{2},{Tap}: Target creature gets +0/+3 for as long as Endoskeleton remains tapped." If you activate 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 611.2c - If a continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability modifies the characteristics or changes the controller of any objects, the set of objects it affects is determined when that continuous effect begins. After that point, the set won't change. (Note that this works differently than a continuous effect from a static ability.) A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability that doesn't modify the characteristics or change the controller of any objects modifies the rules of the game, so it can affect objects that weren't affected when that continuous effect began. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 enter the battlefield or turn white afterward. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
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 on the battlefield when the continuous effect began. It also affects damage from permanents that become creatures later in the turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 611.2d - If a resolving spell or ability that creates a continuous effect contains a variable such as X, the value of that variable is determined only once, on resolution. See Rule 608.2g. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 611.3 - A continuous effect may be generated by the static ability of an object. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 611.3a - A continuous effect generated by a static ability isn't "locked in"; it applies at any given moment to whatever its text indicates. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 611.3b - The effect applies at all times that the permanent generating it is on the battlefield or the object generating it is in the appropriate zone. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
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 on the battlefield. If a creature becomes white, it gets this bonus; a creature that stops being white loses it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 611.3c - Continuous effects that modify characteristics of permanents do so simultaneously with the permanent entering the battlefield. They don't wait until the permanent is on the battlefield and then change it. Because such effects apply as the permanent enters the battlefield, they are applied before determining whether the permanent will cause an ability to trigger when it enters the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: A permanent with the static ability "All white creatures get +1/+1" is on the battlefield. A creature spell that would normally create a 1/1 white creature instead creates a 2/2 white creature. The creature doesn't enter the battlefield as 1/1 and then change to 2/2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
612 - Text-Changing Effects
- 612.1 - Some continuous effects change an object's text. This can apply to any words or symbols printed on that object, but generally affects only that object's rules text (which appears in its text box) and/or the text that appears in its type line. Such an effect is a text-changing effect. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 612.2 - A text-changing effect 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). An effect that changes a color word or a subtype can't change a card name, even if that name contains a word or a series of letters that is the same as a Magic color word, basic land type, or creature type. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 612.2a - Most spells and abilities that create creature tokens use creature types to define both the creature types and the names of the tokens. A text-changing effect that affects such a spell or an object with such an ability can change these words because they're being used as creature types, even though they're also being used as names. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 612.3 - 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 modified by text-changing effects that affect that object. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 612.4 - A token's subtypes and rules text are defined by the spell or ability that created the token. A text-changing effect that affects a token can change these characteristics. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 612.5 - One card (Volrath's Shapeshifter) states that an object has the "full text" of another object. This changes not just the text that appears in the object's text box and type line, but also changes the text that represents its name, mana cost, expansion symbol, power, and toughness. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
613 - Interaction of Continuous Effects
- 613.1 - The values of an object's characteristics are determined by starting with the actual object. For a card, that means the values of the characteristics printed on that card. For a token or a copy of a spell or card, that means the values of the characteristics defined by the effect that created it. Then all applicable continuous effects are applied in a series of layers in the following order: [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.1a - Layer 1: Copy effects are applied. See Rule 706, "Copying Objects." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.1b - Layer 2: Control-changing effects are applied. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.1c - Layer 3: Text-changing effects are applied. See Rule 612, "Text-Changing Effects." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.1d - Layer 4: Type-changing effects are applied. This includes effects that change an object's card type, subtype, and/or supertype. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.1e - Layer 5: Color-changing effects are applied. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.1f - Layer 6: Ability-adding and ability-removing effects are applied. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.1g - Layer 7: Power- and/or toughness-changing effects are applied. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.2 - Within layers 1-6, apply effects from characteristic-defining abilities first (see Rule 604.3), then all other effects in timestamp order (see Rule 613.6). Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are applied within a layer or sublayer. (See Rule 613.7.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.3 - Within layer 7, apply effects in a series of sublayers in the order described below. Within each sublayer, apply effects in timestamp order. (See Rule 613.6.) Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are applied within a layer or sublayer. (See Rule 613.7.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.3a - Layer 7a: Effects from characteristic-defining abilities are applied. See Rule 604.3. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.3b - Layer 7b: Effects that set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value are applied. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.3c - Layer 7c: Effects that modify power and/or toughness (but don't set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value) are applied. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.3d - Layer 7d: Power and/or toughness changes from counters are applied. See Rule 120. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.3e - Layer 7e: Effects that switch a creature's power and toughness are applied. Such effects take the value of power and apply it to the creature's toughness, and take the value of toughness and apply it to the creature's power. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 3/1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 613.4 - The application of continuous effects as described by the layer system is continually and automatically performed by the game. All resulting changes to an object's characteristics are instantaneous. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Crusade is an enchantment that reads "White creatures get +1/+1." Crusade and a 2/2 black creature are on the battlefield. If an effect then turns the creature white (layer 5), it gets +1/+1 from Crusade (layer 7c), 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 2/2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Gray Ogre, a 2/2 creature, is on the battlefield. An effect puts a +1/+1 counter on it (layer 7d), making it 3/3. A spell targeting it that says "Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn" resolves (layer 7c), making it 7/7. An enchantment that says "Creatures you control get +0/+2" enters the battlefield (layer 7c), making it 7/9. An effect that says "Target creature becomes 0/1 until end of turn" is applied to it (layer 7b), making it 5/8 (0/1, plus +4/+4 from the resolved spell, plus +0/+2 from the enchantment, plus +1/+1 from the counter). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 613.5 - If an effect should be applied in different layers and/or sublayers, the parts of the effect each apply in their appropriate ones. If an effect starts to apply in one layer and/or sublayer, it will continue to be applied to the same set of objects in each other applicable layer and/or sublayer, even if the ability generating the effect is removed during this process. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
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 a color-changing 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 7. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 effect that adds an ability to an object. The "you gain control" part is applied in layer 2, and then the "it gains haste" part is applied in layer 6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 7, even though those permanents aren't noncreature artifacts by then. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Svogthos, the Restless Tomb, is on the battlefield. 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 7b). An effect that says "Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn" is applied to it (layer 7c), making it a 4/4 land creature. Then while you have ten creature cards in your graveyard, 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." (layers 4, 5, and 7b). It becomes an 11/11 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 4/4 land creature again. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 613.6 - Within a layer or sublayer, determining which order effects are applied in is usually done using a timestamp system. An effect with an earlier timestamp is applied before an effect with a later timestamp. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.6a - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.6b - A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability receives a timestamp at the time it's created. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.6c - An object's timestamp is the time it entered the zone it's currently in, unless it's an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification that's attached to another object or player, or it's a face-up plane card. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.6d - If an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification becomes attached to an object or player, the Aura, Equipment, or Fortification receives a new timestamp at that time. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.6e - A face-up plane card receives a timestamp at the time it's turned face up. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.6f - A face-up vanguard card receives a timestamp at the beginning of the game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.6g - If two or more objects would receive a timestamp simultaneously, such as by entering a zone simultaneously or becoming attached simultaneously, the active player determines their timestamp order at that time. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.7 - Within a layer or sublayer, determining which order effects are applied in is sometimes done using a dependency system. If a dependency exists, it will override the timestamp system. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.7a - 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 613.1 and Rule 613.3); (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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.7b - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.8 - One continuous effect can override another. Sometimes the results of one effect determine whether another effect applies or what another effect does. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Two Auras are enchanting the same creature: one that says "Enchanted creature gains flying" and one that says "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"). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: One effect reads, "White creatures get +1/+1," and another reads, "Enchanted creature is white." The enchanted creature gets +1/+1 from the first effect, regardless of its previous color. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 613.9 - 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 (Rule 613.6 and Rule 613.7). [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 613.10 - Some continuous effects affect game rules rather than objects. For example, effects may modify a player's maximum hand size, or say that a creature is indestructible. 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 601.2e. All other such effects are applied in timestamp order. See also the rules for timestamp order and dependency (Rule 613.6 and Rule 613.7). [CompRules 2009/10/01]
614 - Replacement Effects
- 614.1 - Some continuous effects are replacement effects. Like prevention effects (see Rule 615), replacement effects apply continuously as events happen--they aren't locked in ahead of time. Such effects watch for a particular event that would happen and completely or partially replace that event with a different event. They act like "shields" around whatever they're affecting. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.1a - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.1b - Effects that use the word "skip" are replacement effects. These replacement effects use the word "skip" to indicate what events, steps, phases, or turns will be replaced with nothing. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.1c - Effects that read "<-This permanent-> enters the battlefield with ...," "As <-this permanent-> enters the battlefield ...," or "<-This permanent-> enters the battlefield as ..." are replacement effects. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.1d - Continuous effects that read "<-This permanent-> enters the battlefield ..." or "<-Objects-> enter the battlefield ..." are replacement effects. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.1e - Effects that read "As <-this permanent-> is turned face up ...," are replacement effects. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.2 - Some replacement effects apply to damage from a source. See Rule 609.7. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.3 - There are no special restrictions on casting a spell or activating an ability that generates a replacement effect. Such effects last until they're used up or their duration has expired. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.4 - Replacement effects must exist before the appropriate event occurs--they can't "go back in time" and change something that's already happened. Spells or abilities that generate these effects are often cast or activated in response to whatever would produce the event and thus resolve before that event would occur. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: A player can activate an ability to regenerate a creature in response to a spell that would destroy it. Once the spell resolves, though, it's too late to regenerate the creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 614.5 - A replacement effect doesn't invoke itself repeatedly and gets only one opportunity for each event. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 614.6 - If an event is 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 impossible instruction is simply ignored. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.7 - If a replacement effect would replace an event, but that event never happens, the replacement effect simply doesn't do anything. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.7a - If a source would deal 0 damage, it does not deal damage at all. Replacement effects that would increase the damage dealt by that source, or would have that source deal that damage to a different object or player, have no event to replace, so they have no effect. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.8 - 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 marked on it and tap it. If it's an attacking or blocking creature, remove it from combat." Abilities that trigger from damage being dealt still trigger even if the permanent regenerates. See Rule 701.11. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.9 - Some effects replace damage dealt to one creature, planeswalker, or player with the same damage dealt to another creature, planeswalker, or player; such effects are called redirection effects. If either creature or planeswalker is no longer on the battlefield when the damage would be redirected, or is no longer a creature or planeswalker when the damage would be redirected, the effect does nothing. If damage would be redirected to or from a player who has left the game, the effect does nothing. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.10 - An effect that causes a player to skip an event, 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.10a - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.10b - Some effects cause a player to skip a step, phase, or turn, then take another action. That action is considered to be the first thing that happens during the next step, phase, or turn to actually occur. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.11 - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.11a - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.11b - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.12 - Some replacement effects modify how a permanent enters the battlefield. (See Rule 614.1c and Rule 614.1d.) 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 on the battlefield, taking into account replacement effects that have already modified how it enters the battlefield, continuous effects generated by the resolution of spells or abilities that changed the permanent's characteristics on the stack (see Rule 400.7a), and continuous effects from the permanent's own static abilities, but ignoring continuous effects from any other source that would affect it. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Voice of All says "As Voice of All enters the battlefield, 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 onto the battlefield, its controller chooses a color for it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Yixlid Jailer says "Cards in graveyards have no abilities." Scarwood Treefolk says "Scarwood Treefolk enters the battlefield tapped." A Scarwood Treefolk that's put onto the battlefield from a graveyard enters the battlefield tapped. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Orb of Dreams is an artifact that says "Permanents enter the battlefield tapped." It will not affect itself, so Orb of Dreams enters the battlefield untapped. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 614.13 - An object may have one ability printed on it that generates a replacement effect which causes one or more cards to be exiled, and another ability that refers either to "the exiled cards" or to cards "exiled with <-this object->." These abilities are linked: the second refers only to cards in the exile zone that were put there as a direct result of the replacement event caused by 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. See Rule 607, "Linked Abilities." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 614.14 - Some replacement effects are not continuous effects. Rather, they are an effect of a resolving spell or ability that replace part or all of that spell or ability's own effect(s). Such effects are called self-replacement effects. When applying replacement effects to an event, self-replacement effects are applied before other replacement effects. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
615 - Prevention Effects
- 615.1 - Some continuous effects are prevention effects. Like replacement effects (see Rule 614), prevention effects apply continuously as events happen--they aren't locked in ahead of time. Such effects watch for a damage event that would happen and completely or partially prevent the damage that would be dealt. They act like "shields" around whatever they're affecting. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 615.1a - Effects that use the word "prevent" are prevention effects. Prevention effects use "prevent" to indicate what damage will not be dealt. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 615.2 - Many preventions effects apply to damage from a source. See Rule 609.7. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 615.3 - There are no special restrictions on casting a spell or activating an ability that generates a prevention effect. Such effects last until they're used up or their duration has expired. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 615.4 - Prevention effects must exist before the appropriate damage event occurs--they can't "go back in time" and change something that's already happened. Spells or abilities that generate these effects are often cast or activated in response to whatever would produce the event and thus resolve before that event would occur. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: A player can activate an ability that prevents damage in response to a spell that would deal damage. Once the spell resolves, though, it's too late to prevent the damage. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 615.5 - Some prevention effects also include an additional effect, which may refer to the amount of damage that was prevented. The prevention takes place at the time the original event would have happened; the rest of the effect takes place immediately afterward. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 615.6 - If damage that would be dealt is prevented, it never happens. A modified event may occur 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 impossible instruction is simply ignored. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 615.7 - 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. 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 615.8 - Some prevention effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability refer to the next time a specific source would deal damage. These effects prevent the next instance of damage from that source, regardless of how much damage that is. Once an instance of damage from that source has been prevented, any subsequent instances of damage that would be dealt by that source are dealt normally. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 615.9 - 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 damage event at any given time. It will apply separately to damage from other applicable events that would happen at the same tmie, or at a different time. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Daunting Defender says "If a source would deal damage to a Cleric creature you control, prevent 1 of that damage." Pyroclasm says "Pyroclasm deals 2 damage to each creature." Pyroclasm will deal 1 damage to each Cleric creature controlled by Daunting Defender's controller. It will deal 2 damage to each other creature that player controls. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 615.10 - 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. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Wojek Apothecary has an ability that says "{Tap}: 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 on the battlefield 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 enter the battlefield later in the turn don't get the shield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 615.11 - Some effects state that damage "can't be prevented." If unpreventable damage would be dealt, any applicable prevention effects are still applied to it. Those effects won't prevent any damage, but any additional effects they have will take place. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 615.11a - A prevention effect is applied to any particular unpreventable damage event just once. It won't invoke itself repeatedly trying to prevent that damage. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
616 - Interaction of Replacement and/or Prevention Effects
- 616.1 - If two or more replacement and/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, following the steps listed below. If two or more players have to make these choices at the same time, choices are made in APNAP order (see Rule 101.4). [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 616.1a - If any of the replacement and/or prevention effects are self-replacement effects (see Rule 614.14), one of them must be chosen. If not, proceed to Rule 616.1b. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 616.1b - If any of the replacement and/or prevention effects would modify under whose control an object would enter the battlefield, one of them must be chosen. If not, proceed to Rule 616.1c. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 616.1c - Any of the applicable replacement and/or prevention effects may be chosen. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 616.1d - Once the chosen effect has been applied, this process is repeated (taking into account only replacement or prevention effects that would now be applicable) until there are no more left to apply. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Two permanents are on the battlefield. One is an enchantment that reads "If a card would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, instead exile it," and the other is a creature that reads "If <-this creature-> would be put into a graveyard from the battlefield, 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 616.2 - A replacement or prevention effect can become applicable to an event as the result of another replacement or prevention effect that modifies the event. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: One effect reads "If you would gain life, draw that many cards instead," 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
7 - Additional Rules
700 - General
- 700.1 - Anything that happens in a game is an event. Multiple events may take place during the resolution of a spell or ability. The text of triggered abilities and replacement effects defines the event they're looking for. One "happening" may be treated as a single event by one ability and as multiple events by another. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: If an attacking creature is blocked by two defending creatures, this is one event for a triggered ability that reads "Whenever <-this creature-> becomes blocked" but two events for a triggered ability that reads "Whenever <-this creature-> becomes blocked by a creature." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.2 - A spell or ability is modal if it has two or more options preceded by "Choose one --," "Choose two --," "Choose one or both --," or "<-a specified player-> chooses one --." Each of those options is a mode. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.2a - The controller of a modal spell or activated ability chooses the mode(s) as part of casting that spell or activating that ability. If one of the modes would be illegal (due to an inability to choose legal targets, for example), that mode can't be chosen. (See Rule 601.2b.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.2b - The controller of a modal triggered ability chooses the mode(s) as part of putting that ability on the stack. If one of the modes would be illegal (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. (See Rule 603.3c.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.2c - If a spell or ability targets one or more targets only if a particular mode is chosen for it, its controller will need to choose those targets only if he or she chose that mode. Otherwise, the spell or ability is treated as though it did not have those targets. (See Rule 601.2c.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.2d - Some spells and abilities specify that a player other than their controller chooses a mode for it. In that case, the other player does so when the spell or ability's controller normally would do so. If there is more than one other player who could make such a choice, the spell or ability's controller decides which of those players will make the choice. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 700.2e - Modal spells and abilities may have different targeting requirements for each mode. Changing a spell or ability's target can't change its mode. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.2f - A copy of a modal spell or ability copies the mode(s) chosen for it. The controller of the copy can't choose a different mode. (See Rule 706.9.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.3 - Sometimes an effect will cause objects to be temporarily grouped into two or more piles. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.3a - Each object in a pile is still an individual object. The pile is not an object. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.3b - Objects grouped into piles don't leave the zone they're currently in. If cards in a graveyard are split into piles, the order of the graveyard must be maintained. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Fact or Fiction reads, "Reveal the top five cards of your library. An opponent separates those cards into two piles. Put one pile into your hand and the other into your graveyard." While an opponent is separating the revealed cards into piles, they're still in their owner's library. They don't leave the library until they're put into their owner's hand or graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.3c - A pile can contain zero or more objects. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.4 - If a permanent is indestructible, rules and effects can't destroy it. (See Rule 701.6, "Destroy.") Such permanents are not destroyed by lethal damage, and they ignore the lethal-damage state-based action (see Rule 704.5g). Rules or effects may cause an indestructible permanent to be sacrificed, put into a graveyard, or exiled. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.4a - Although the text "<-This permanent-> is indestructible" is an ability, actually being indestructible is neither an ability nor a characteristic. It's just something that's true about a permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.5 - If an attacking creature is unblockable, no creature can legally block it. (See Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step.") Spells or abilities may still cause it to become blocked. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 700.5a - Although the text "<-This permanent-> is unblockable" is an ability, actually being unblockable is neither an ability nor a characteristic. It's just something that's true about a creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701 - Keyword Actions
- 701.1 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.2 - Activate
- 701.2a - To activate an activated ability is to put it onto the stack and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect. Only an object's controller (or its owner, if it doesn't have a controller) can activate its activated ability unless the object specifically says otherwise. A player may activate an ability if he or she has priority. See Rule 602, "Activating Activated Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.3 - Attach
- 701.3a - 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 on the battlefield, 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.3b - If an effect tries to attach an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification to the object it's already attached to, the effect does nothing. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.3c - Attaching an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification on the battlefield to a different object causes the Aura, Equipment, or Fortification to receive a new timestamp. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.3d - To "unattach" an Equipment from a creature means to move it away from that creature so the Equipment is on the battlefield 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"; this includes if that object and/or that Aura, Equipment, or Fortification leaves the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.4 - Cast
- 701.4a - To cast a spell is to take it from the zone it's in (usually the hand), put it on the stack, and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect. A player may cast a spell if he or she has priority. See Rule 601, "Casting Spells." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.4b - To cast a card is to cast it as a spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.5 - Counter
- 701.5a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.5b - The player who cast a countered spell or activated a countered ability doesn't get a "refund" of any costs that were paid. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.6 - Destroy
- 701.6a - To destroy a permanent, move it from the battlefield to its owner's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.6b - The only ways a permanent can be destroyed are as a result of an effect that uses the word "destroy" or as a result of the state-based actions that check for lethal damage (see Rule 704.5g) or damage from a source with deathtouch (see Rule 704.5h). If a permanent is put into its owner's graveyard for any other reason, it hasn't been "destroyed." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.6c - A regeneration effect replaces a destruction event. See Rule 701.11, "Regenerate." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.7 - Discard
- 701.7a - To discard a card, move it from its owner's hand to that player's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.7b - By default, effects that cause a player to discard a card allow the affected player to choose which card to discard. Some effects, however, require a random discard or allow another player to choose which card is discarded. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.8 - Exchange
- 701.8a - A spell or ability may instruct players to exchange something (for example, life totals or control of two permanents) as part of its resolution. When such a spell or ability resolves, if the entire exchange can't be completed, no part of the exchange occurs. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: If a spell attempts to exchange control of two target creatures but one of those creatures is destroyed before the spell resolves, the spell does nothing to the other creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.8b - When control of two permanents is exchanged, if those permanents are controlled by different players, each of those players simultaneously gains control of the permanent that was controlled by the other player. If, on the other hand, those permanents are controlled by the same player, the exchange effect does nothing. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.8c - When life totals are exchanged, each player gains or loses the amount of life necessary to equal the other player's previous life total. Replacement effects may modify these gains and losses, and triggered abilities may trigger on them. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.8d - Some spells or abilities may instruct a player to exchange cards in one zone with cards in a different zone (for example, exiled cards and cards in a player's hand). These spells and abilities work the same as other "exchange" spells and abilities, except they can exchange the cards only if all the cards are owned by the same player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.8e - If a card in one zone is exchanged with a card in a different zone, and either of them is attached to an object, that card stops being attached to that object and the other card becomes attached to that object. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.8f - If a spell or ability instructs a player to simply exchange two zones, and one of the zones is empty, the cards in the zones are still exchanged. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.9 - Exile
- 701.9a - To exile an object, move it to the exile zone from wherever it is. See Rule 406, "Exile." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.10 - Play
- 701.10a - To play a land means to put it onto the battlefield from the zone it's in (usually the hand). A player may play a land if he or she has priority, it's the main phase of his or her turn, the stack is empty, and he or she hasn't yet played a land this turn. Playing a land is a special action (see Rule 114), so it doesn't use the stack; it simply happens. Putting a land onto the battlefield as the result of a spell or ability isn't the same as playing a land. See Rule 305, "Lands." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.10b - To play a card means to play that card as a land or to cast that card as a spell, whichever is appropriate. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.10c - Some effects instruct a player to "play" with a certain aspect of the game changed, such as "Play with the top card of your library revealed." "Play" in this sense means to play the Magic game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.10d - For many years, the action of casting a spell, or casting a card as a spell, was referred to on cards as "playing" that spell or that card. Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference so they now refer to "casting" that spell or that card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.10e - For many years, the action of using an activated ability was referred to on cards as "playing" that ability. Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference so they now refer to "activating" that ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.11 - Regenerate
- 701.11a - 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 marked on it and tap it. If it's an attacking or blocking creature, remove it from combat." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.11b - 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 marked on <-permanent-> and tap it. If it's an attacking or blocking creature, remove it from combat." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.11c - Neither activating an ability that creates a regeneration shield nor casting a spell that creates a regeneration shield is the same as regenerating a permanent. Effects that say that a permanent can't be regenerated don't prevent such abilities from being activated or such spells from being cast; rather, they prevent regeneration shields from having any effect. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
701.12 - Reveal
- 701.12a - To reveal a card, show that card to all players for a brief time. If an effect causes a card to be revealed, it remains revealed for as long as necessary to complete the parts of the effect that card is relevant to. If the cost to cast a spell or activate an ability includes revealing a card, the card remains revealed from the time the spell or ability is announced until it the time it leaves the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.12b - Revealing a card doesn't cause it to leave the zone it's in. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.13 - Sacrifice
- 701.13a - To sacrifice a permanent, its controller moves it from the battlefield 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.14 - Search
- 701.14a - To search for a card in a zone, look at all cards in that zone (even if it's a hidden zone) and find a card that matches the given description. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.14b - If a player is searching a hidden zone for cards with a stated quality, such as a card with a certain card type or color, that player isn't required to find some or all of those cards even if they're present in that zone. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Splinter says "Exile target artifact. Search its controller's graveyard, hand, and library for all cards with the same name as that artifact and exile them. That player then shuffles his or her library." A player casts Splinter targeting Howling Mine (an artifact). Howling Mine's controller has another Howling Mine in her graveyard and two more in her library. Splinter's controller must find the Howling Mine in the graveyard, but may choose to find zero, one, or two of the Howling Mines in the library. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.14c - If a player is searching a hidden zone simply for a quantity of cards, such as "a card" or "three cards," that player must find that many cards (or as many as possible, if the zone doesn't contain enough cards). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.14d - If the effect that contains the search instruction doesn't also contain instructions to reveal the found card(s), then they're not revealed. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.15 - Tap and Untap
- 701.15a - To tap a permanent, turn it sideways from an upright position. Only untapped permanents can be tapped. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 701.15b - To untap a permanent, rotate it back to the upright position from a sideways position. Only tapped permanents can be untapped. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
701.16 - Scry
- 701.16a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.17 - Fateseal
- 701.17a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.18 - Clash
- 701.18a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.18b - "Clash with an opponent" means "Choose an opponent. You and that opponent each clash." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 701.18c - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
701.19 - Planeswalk
- 701.19a - A player may planeswalk only during a Planar Magic game. Only the planar controller may planeswalk. See Rule 901, "Planar Magic." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 701.19b - To planeswalk is to put the face-up plane card on the bottom of its owner's planar deck face down, then move the top card of your planar deck off that planar deck and turn it face up. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 701.19c - A player may planeswalk as the result of the "planeswalking ability" (see Rule 309.6) or because the owner of the face-up plane card leaves the game (see Rule 901.9). [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 701.19d - The plane card that's turned face up is the plane the player planeswalks to. The plane card that's turned face down, or that leaves the game, is the plane the player planeswalks away from. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
702 - Keyword Abilities
- 702.1 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.2 - Deathtouch
- 702.2a - Deathtouch is a static ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.2b - A player assigning combat damage from a creature with deathtouch can divide that damage as he or she chooses among any number of creatures blocking or blocked by it. This is an exception to the procedures described in Rule 510.1c through Rule 510.1d. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.2c - A creature that's been dealt damage by a source with deathtouch since the last time state-based actions were checked is destroyed as a state-based action. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.2d - If a permanent leaves the battlefield before an effect causes it to deal damage, its last known information is used to determine whether it had deathtouch. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.2e - The deathtouch rules function no matter what zone an object with deathtouch deals damage from. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.2f - Multiple instances of deathtouch on the same object are redundant. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
702.3 - Defender
- 702.3a - Defender is a static ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.3b - A creature with defender can't attack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.3c - Multiple instances of defender on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.4 - Double Strike
- 702.4a - Double strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See Rule 510, "Combat Damage Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.4b - If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see Rule 702.7) or double strike as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike or double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.4c - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.4d - Giving double strike to a creature with first strike after it has already dealt combat damage in the first combat damage step will allow the creature to assign combat damage in the second combat damage step. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.4e - Multiple instances of double strike on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.5 - Enchant
- 702.5a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.5b - For more information on Auras, see Rule 303, "Enchantments." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.5c - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.5d - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.6 - Equip
- 702.6a - Equip is an activated ability of Equipment cards. "Equip <-cost->" means "<-Cost->: Attach this Equipment to target creature you control. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.6b - For more information about Equipment, see Rule 301, "Artifacts." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.6c - If an Equipment has multiple instances of equip, any of its equip abilities may be used. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.7 - First Strike
- 702.7a - First strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See Rule 510, "Combat Damage Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.7b - If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike or double strike (see Rule 702.4) as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.7c - Giving first strike to a creature without it after combat damage has already been dealt in the first combat damage step won't prevent that creature from assigning combat damage in the second combat damage step. Removing first strike from a creature after it has already dealt combat damage in the first combat damage step won't allow it to also assign combat damage in the second combat damage step (unless the creature has double strike). [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.7d - Multiple instances of first strike on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.8 - Flash
- 702.8a - 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 cast an instant." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.8b - Multiple instances of flash on the same object are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.9 - Flying
- 702.9a - Flying is an evasion ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.9b - 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 509, "Declare Blockers Step," and Rule 702.15, "Reach.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.9c - Multiple instances of flying on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.10 - Haste
- 702.10a - Haste is a static ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.10b - If a creature has haste, it can attack even if it hasn't been controlled by its controller continuously since his or her most recent turn began. (See Rule 302.6.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.10c - If a creature has haste, its controller can activate its activated abilities whose cost includes the tap symbol or the untap symbol even if that creature hasn't been controlled by that player continuously since his or her most recent turn began. (See Rule 302.6.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.10d - Multiple instances of haste on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.11 - Intimidate
- 702.11a - Intimidate is an evasion ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.11b - A creature with intimidate can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it. (See Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.11c - Multiple instances of intimidate on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.12 - Landwalk
- 702.12a - Landwalk is a generic term that appears within an object's rules text as "<-type->walk," where <-type-> is usually a subtype, but can be the card type land, any land type, any supertype, or any combination thereof. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.12b - Landwalk is an evasion ability. A creature with landwalk is unblockable as long as the defending player controls at least one land with the specified subtype (as in "islandwalk"), with the specified supertype (as in "legendary landwalk"), without the specified supertype (as in "nonbasic landwalk"), or with both the specified supertype and the specified subtype (as in "snow swampwalk"). (See Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step.") [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.12c - If a player is allowed to choose any landwalk ability, that player chooses a landwalk ability that includes one land subtype and/or one supertype. The chosen ability doesn't need to have been printed on a card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.12d - Landwalk abilities don't "cancel" one another. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.12e - Multiple instances of the same kind of landwalk on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.13 - Lifelink
- 702.13a - Lifelink is a static ability. Damage dealt by a source with lifelink causes that source's controller, or its owner if it has no controller, to gain that much life (in addition to any other results that damage causes). See Rule 118.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.13b - If a permanent leaves the battlefield before an effect causes it to deal damage, its last known information is used to determine whether it had lifelink. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.13c - The lifelink rules function no matter what zone an object with lifelink deals damage from. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.13d - Multiple instances of lifelink on the same object are redundant. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
702.14 - Protection
- 702.14a - 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 happens to be a card name, it is treated as such only if the protection ability specifies that the quality is a name. If the quality is a card type, subtype, or supertype, the ability applies to sources that are permanents with that card type, subtype, or supertype and to any sources not on the battlefield that are of that card type, subtype, or supertype. This is an exception to Rule 109.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.14b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.14c - 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 action. (See Rule 704, "State-Based Actions.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.14d - 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 as a state-based action, but remain on the battlefield. (See Rule 704, "State-Based Actions.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.14e - Any damage that would be dealt by sources that have the stated quality to a permanent or player with protection is prevented. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.14f - Attacking creatures with protection can't be blocked by creatures that have the stated quality. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.14g - "Protection from <-quality A-> and from <-quality B->" is shorthand for "protection from <-quality A->" and "protection from <-quality B->"; it behaves as two separate protection abilities. If an effect causes an object with such an ability to lose protection from <-quality A->, for example, that object would still have protection from <-quality B->. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.14h - "Protection from all <-characteristic->" is shorthand for "protection from <-quality A->," "protection from <-quality B->," and so on for each possible quality the listed characteristic could have; it behaves as multiple separate protection abilities. If an effect causes an object with such an ability to lose protection from <-quality A->, for example, that object would still have protection from <-quality B->, <-quality C->, and so on. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.14i - "Protection from everything" is a variant of the protection ability. A permanent with protection from everything has protection from each object regardless of that object's characteristic values. Such a permanent can't be targeted by spells or abilities, enchanted by Auras, equipped by Equipment, fortified by Fortifications, or blocked by creatures, and all damage that would be dealt to it is prevented. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.14j - Multiple instances of protection from the same quality on the same permanent or player are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.15 - Reach
- 702.15a - Reach is a static ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.15b - A creature with flying can't be blocked except by creatures with flying and/or reach. (See Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step," and Rule 702.9, "Flying.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.15c - Multiple instances of reach on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.16 - Shroud
- 702.16a - Shroud is a static ability. "Shroud" means "This permanent or player can't be the target of spells or abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.16b - Multiple instances of shroud on the same permanent or player are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.17 - Trample
- 702.17a - Trample is a static ability that modifies the rules for assigning an attacking creature's combat damage. The ability has no effect when a creature with trample is blocking or is dealing noncombat damage. (See Rule 510, "Combat Damage Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.17b - The controller of an attacking creature with trample first assigns damage to the creature(s) blocking it. Once 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 marked on the creature and damage from other creatures that's being assigned during the same combat damage step, but not any abilities or effects that might change the amount of damage that's actually dealt. The attacking creature's 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A 2/2 creature with an ability that enables it to block multiple attackers blocks two attackers: a 1/1 with no abilities a 3/3 with trample. The active 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 divide the rest of the damage as he or she chooses between the blocking creature and the defending player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.17c - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.17d - If a creature with trample is attacking a planeswalker, none of its combat damage can be assigned to the defending player, even if that planeswalker has been removed from combat or the damage the attacking creature could assign to that planeswalker exceeds its loyalty. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.17e - Multiple instances of trample on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.18 - Vigilance
- 702.18a - Vigilance is a static ability that modifies the rules for the declare attackers step. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.18b - Attacking doesn't cause creatures with vigilance to tap. (See Rule 508, "Declare Attackers Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.18c - Multiple instances of vigilance on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.19 - Banding
- 702.19a - Banding is a static ability that modifies the rules for combat. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.19b - "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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.19c - As a player declares attackers, he or she may declare that one or more attacking creatures with banding and up to one attacking creature without banding (even if it has "bands with other") are all in a "band." He or she may also declare that one or more attacking <-quality-> creatures with "bands with other <-quality->" and any number of other attacking <-quality-> creatures are all in a band. 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. (Defending players can't declare bands but may use banding in a different way; see Rule 702.19j.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.19d - All creatures in an attacking band must attack the same player or planeswalker. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.19e - Once an attacking band has been announced, it lasts for the rest of combat, even if something later removes banding or "bands with other" from one or more of the creatures in the band. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.19f - An attacking creature that's removed from combat is also removed from the band it was in. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.19g - Banding doesn't cause attacking creatures to share abilities, nor does it remove any abilities. The attacking creatures in a band are separate permanents. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.19h - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.19i - If one member of a band would become blocked due to an effect, the entire band becomes blocked. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.19j - During the combat damage step, if an attacking creature is being blocked by a creature with banding, or by both a <-quality-> creature with "bands with other <-quality->" and another <-quality-> creature, the defending player (rather than the active player) chooses how the attacking creature's damage is assigned. That player can divide that creature's combat damage as he or she chooses among any number of creatures blocking it. This is an exception to the procedure described in Rule 510.1c. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.19k - During the combat damage step, if a blocking creature is blocking a creature with banding, or both a <-quality-> creature with "bands with other <-quality->" and another <-quality-> creature, the active player (rather than the defending player) chooses how the blocking creature's damage is assigned. That player can divide that creature's combat damage as he or she chooses among any number of creatures it's blocking. This is an exception to the procedure described in Rule 510.1d. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.19m - Multiple instances of banding on the same creature are redundant. Multiple instances of bands with other of the same kind on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.20 - Rampage
- 702.20a - 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 509, "Declare Blockers Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.20b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.20c - If a creature has multiple instances of rampage, each triggers separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.21 - Cumulative Upkeep
- 702.21a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 on the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.21b - If a permanent has multiple instances of cumulative upkeep, each triggers separately. However, the age counters are not connected 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.22 - Flanking
- 702.22a - Flanking is a triggered ability that triggers during the declare blockers step. (See Rule 509, "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." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.22b - If a creature has multiple instances of flanking, each triggers separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.23 - Phasing
- 702.23a - Phasing is a static ability that modifies the rules of the untap step. During each player's untap step, before the active player untaps his or her permanents, all phased-in permanents with phasing that player controls "phase out." Simultaneously, all phased-out permanents that had phased out under that player's control "phase in." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.23b - If a permanent phases out, its status changes to "phased out." Except for rules and effects that specifically mention phased-out permanents, a phased-out permanent is treated as though it does not exist. It can't affect or be affected by anything else in the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: You control three creatures, one of which is phased out. You cast a spell that says "Draw a card for each creature you control." You draw two cards. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: You control a phased-out creature. You cast Wrath of God, which says "Destroy all creatures. They can't be regenerated." The phased-out creature is not destroyed. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.23c - If a permanent phases in, its status changes to "phased in." The game once again treats it as though it exists. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.23d - The phasing event doesn't actually cause a permanent to change zones or control, even though it's treated as though it's not on the battlefield and not under its controller's control while it's phased out. Zone-change triggers don't trigger when a permanent phases in or out. Counters remain on a permanent while it's phased out. Effects that check a phased-in permanent's history won't treat the phasing event as having caused the permanent to leave or enter the battlefield or its controller's control. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.23e - Continuous effects that affect a phased-out permanent may expire while that permanent is phased out. If so, they will no longer affect that permanent once it's phased in. In particular, effects with "for as long as" durations that track that permanent (see Rule 611.2b) end when that permanent phases out because they can no longer see it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.23f - 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 permanent it's attached to. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.23g - If an object would simultaneously phase out directly and indirectly, it just phases out indirectly. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.23h - An Aura, Equipment, or Fortification that phased out directly will phase in attached to the object or player it was attached to when it phased out, if that object is still in the same zone or that player is still in the game. If not, that Aura, Equipment, or Fortification phases in unattached. State-based actions apply as appropriate. (See Rule 704.5n and Rule 704.5p.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.23i - Phased-out permanents owned by a player who leaves the game also leave the game. This doesn't trigger zone-change triggers. See Rule 800.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.23j - Phased-out tokens cease to exist as a state-based action. See Rule 704.5d. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.23k - If an effect causes a player to skip his or her untap step, the phasing event simply doesn't occur that turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.23m - Multiple instances of phasing on the same permanent are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.24 - Buyback
- 702.24a - 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 cast 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 Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.25 - Shadow
- 702.25a - Shadow is an evasion ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.25b - 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 509, "Declare Blockers Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.25c - Multiple instances of shadow on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.26 - Cycling
- 702.26a - 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." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.26b - Although the cycling ability can be activated only if the card is in a player's hand, it continues to exist while the object is on the battlefield and in all other zones. Therefore objects with cycling will be affected by effects that depend on objects having one or more activated abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.26c - 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 whatever zone the card winds up in after it's cycled. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.26d - Typecycling is a variant of the cycling ability. "<-Type->cycling <-cost->" means "<-Cost->, Discard this card: Search your library for a <-type-> card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library." This type is usually a subtype (as in "mountaincycling") but can be any card type, subtype, supertype, or combination thereof (as in "basic landcycling"). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.26e - 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 activating cards' typecycling abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.27 - Echo
- 702.27a - 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->." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.27b - Urza block cards with the echo ability were printed without an echo cost. These cards have been given errata in the Oracle card reference; each one now has an echo cost equal to its mana cost. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.28 - Horsemanship
- 702.28a - Horsemanship is an evasion ability that appeared in the Portal Three Kingdoms set. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.28b - 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 509, "Declare Blockers Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.28c - Multiple instances of horsemanship on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.29 - Fading
- 702.29a - Fading is a keyword that represents two abilities. "Fading N" means "This permanent enters the battlefield 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." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.30 - Kicker
- 702.30a - 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 cast 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 Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.30b - If a spell's controller declares the intention to pay any of that spell's kicker costs, that spell has been "kicked." See Rule 601.2b. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.30c - Objects with kicker have additional abilities that specify what happens if it was kicked. These abilities are linked to the kicker abilities printed on that object: they can refer only to those specific kicker abilities. See Rule 607, "Linked Abilities." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.30d - Objects with more than one kicker cost have abilities that each correspond to a specific kicker cost. They contain the phrases "if it was kicked with its [A] kicker" and "if it was kicked with its [B] kicker," where A and B are the first and second kicker costs listed on the card, respectively. Each of those abilities is linked to the appropriate kicker ability. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.30e - If part of a spell's ability has its effect only if that spell was kicked, and that part of the ability includes any targets, the spell's controller chooses those targets only if that spell was kicked. Otherwise, the spell is cast as if it did not have those targets. See Rule 601.2c. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
702.31 - Flashback
- 702.31a - Flashback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities: one that functions while the card is in a player's graveyard and the other that functions while the card is on the stack. "Flashback <-cost->" means "You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying <-cost-> rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack." Casting a spell using its flashback ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.32 - Madness
- 702.32a - 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 exile it instead of putting it into his or her graveyard" and "When this card is exiled this way, its owner may cast 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." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.32b - Casting a spell using its madness ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in Rules 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.33 - Fear
- 702.33a - Fear is an evasion ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.33b - A creature with fear can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures. (See Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.33c - Multiple instances of fear on the same creature are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.34 - Morph
- 702.34a - 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 cast 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 paying its mana cost." (See Rule 707, "Face-Down Spells and Permanents.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.34b - To cast 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 casting a card with these characteristics (and not the face-up card's characteristics) are applied to casting this card. These values are the copiable values of that object's characteristics. (See Rule 613, "Interaction of Continuous Effects," and Rule 706, "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 cast a card from any zone from which you could normally play it. When the spell resolves, it enters the battlefield 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.34c - You can't cast a card face down if it doesn't have morph. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.34d - If you have priority, you may turn a face-down permanent you control face up. This is a special action; it doesn't use the stack (see Rule 114). To do this, show all players what the permanent's morph cost would be if it were face up, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. (If the permanent wouldn't have a morph cost if it were face up, it can't be turned face up this way.) The morph effect on it ends, and it regains its normal characteristics. Any abilities relating to the permanent entering the battlefield don't trigger when it's turned face up and don't have any effect, because the permanent has already entered the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.34e - See Rule 707, "Face-Down Spells and Permanents," for more information on how to cast cards with morph. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.35 - Amplify
- 702.35a - Amplify is a static ability. "Amplify N" means "As this object enters the battlefield, reveal any number of cards from your hand that share a creature type with it. This permanent enters the battlefield 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 entering the battlefield at the same time as this card." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.35b - If a creature has multiple instances of amplify, each one works separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.36 - Provoke
- 702.36a - 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." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.36b - If a creature has multiple instances of provoke, each triggers separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.37 - Storm
- 702.37a - Storm is a triggered ability that functions on the stack. "Storm" means "When you cast this spell, put a copy of it onto the stack for each other spell that was cast before it this turn. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for any of the copies." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.37b - If a spell has multiple instances of storm, each triggers separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.38 - Affinity
- 702.38a - 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 cast for each <-text-> you control." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.38b - The affinity ability reduces only the amount of generic mana a spell's controller has to pay; it doesn't reduce how much colored mana that player has to pay. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.38c - If a spell has multiple instances of affinity, each of them applies. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.39 - Entwine
- 702.39a - Entwine is a static ability of modal spells (see Rule 700.2) that functions while the spell is on the stack. "Entwine <-cost->" means "You may choose 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 Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.39b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.40 - Modular
- 702.40a - Modular represents both a static ability and a triggered ability. "Modular N" means "This permanent enters the battlefield with N +1/+1 counters on it" and "When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter on this permanent." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.40b - If a creature has multiple instances of modular, each one works separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.41 - Sunburst
- 702.41a - Sunburst is a static ability that functions as an object is entering the battlefield from the stack. "Sunburst" means "If this object is entering the battlefield from the stack as a creature, it enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana spent to cast it. If this object is entering the battlefield from the stack and isn't entering the battlefield as a creature, it enters the battlefield with a charge counter on it for each color of mana spent to cast it." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.41b - Sunburst applies only as the spell is resolving and only if one or more colored mana was spent on its costs. Mana paid for additional or alternative costs applies. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.41c - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The ability "Modular--Sunburst" means "This permanent enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana spent to cast it" and "When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter on this permanent." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.41d - If an object has multiple instances of sunburst, each one works separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.42 - Bushido
- 702.42a - 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 509, "Declare Blockers Step.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.42b - If a creature has multiple instances of bushido, each triggers separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.43 - Soulshift
- 702.43a - Soulshift is a triggered ability. "Soulshift N" means "When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost N or less from your graveyard to your hand." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.43b - If a permanent has multiple instances of soulshift, each triggers separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.44 - Splice
- 702.44a - 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 cast a <-subtype-> spell. If you do, copy this card's text box onto that spell and pay <-cost-> as an additional cost to cast that spell." Paying a card's splice cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Since the card with splice remains in the player's hand, it can later be cast 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.44b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.44c - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.44d - Choose targets for the added text normally (see Rule 601.2c). Note that a spell with one or more targets will be countered if all of its targets are illegal on resolution. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.44e - The spell loses any splice changes once it leaves the stack (for example, when it's countered, it's exiled, or it resolves). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.45 - Offering
- 702.45a - Offering is a static ability of a card that functions in any zone from which the card can be cast. "<-Subtype-> offering" means "You may cast this card any time you could cast an instant by sacrificing a <-subtype-> permanent. If you do, the total cost to cast this card is reduced by the sacrificed permanent's mana cost." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.45b - The permanent is sacrificed at the same time the spell is announced (see Rule 601.2a). The total cost of the spell is reduced by the sacrificed permanent's mana cost (see Rule 601.2e). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.45c - Generic mana in the sacrificed permanent's mana cost reduces generic mana in the total cost to cast the card with offering. Colored mana in the sacrificed permanent's mana cost reduces mana of the same color in the total cost to cast 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.46 - Ninjutsu
- 702.46a - 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 onto the battlefield from your hand tapped and attacking." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.46b - The card with ninjutsu remains revealed from the time the ability is announced until the ability leaves the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.46c - A ninjutsu ability may be activated only while a creature on the battlefield is unblocked (see Rule 509.1h). The creature with ninjutsu is put onto the battlefield unblocked. It will be attacking the same player or planeswalker as the creature that was returned to its owner's hand. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.47 - Epic
- 702.47a - Epic represents both a static ability and a delayed triggered ability. "Epic" means "For the rest of the game, you can't cast spells," and "At the beginning of each of your upkeeps for the rest of the game, copy this spell except for its epic ability. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for the copy." See Rule 706.9. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.47b - A player can't cast 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.48 - Convoke
- 702.48a - Convoke is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. "Convoke" means "As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may tap any number of untapped creatures you control. Each creature tapped this way reduces the cost to cast 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 Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: You cast 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.48b - Multiple instances of convoke on the same spell are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.49 - Dredge
- 702.49a - 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." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.49b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.50 - Transmute
- 702.50a - 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. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.50b - Although the transmute ability can be activated only if the card is in a player's hand, it continues to exist while the object is on the battlefield and in all other zones. Therefore objects with transmute will be affected by effects that depend on objects having one or more activated abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.51 - Bloodthirst
- 702.51a - Bloodthirst is a static ability. "Bloodthirst N" means "If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this permanent enters the battlefield with N +1/+1 counters on it." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.51b - "Bloodthirst X" is a special form of bloodthirst. "Bloodthirst X" means "This permanent enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the total damage your opponents have been dealt this turn." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.51c - If an object has multiple instances of bloodthirst, each applies separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.52 - Haunt
- 702.52a - Haunt is a triggered ability. "Haunt" on a permanent means "When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, exile it haunting target creature." "Haunt" on an instant or sorcery spell means "When this spell is put into a graveyard during its resolution, exile it haunting target creature." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.52b - Cards that are in the exile 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.52c - Triggered abilities of cards with haunt that refer to the haunted creature can trigger in the exile zone. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.53 - Replicate
- 702.53a - 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 cast this spell, you may pay <-cost-> any number of times" and "When you cast 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 Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.53b - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.54 - Forecast
- 702.54a - A forecast ability is a special kind of activated ability that can be activated only from a player's hand. It's written "Forecast -- <-Activated ability->." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.54b - A forecast ability may be activated 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 activated. That player plays with that card revealed in his or her hand until it leaves the player's hand or until a step or phase that isn't an upkeep step begins, whichever comes first. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.55 - Graft
- 702.55a - Graft represents both a static ability and a triggered ability. "Graft N" means "This permanent enters the battlefield with N +1/+1 counters on it" and "Whenever another creature enters the battlefield, if this permanent has a +1/+1 counter on it, you may move a +1/+1 counter from this permanent onto that creature." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.55b - If a creature has multiple instances of graft, each one works separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.56 - Recover
- 702.56a - 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 the battlefield, you may pay <-cost->. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, exile this card." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.57 - Ripple
- 702.57a - Ripple is a triggered ability that functions only while the card with ripple is on the stack. "Ripple N" means "When you cast 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 cast any of those cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs, then put all revealed cards not cast this way on the bottom of your library in any order." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.57b - If a spell has multiple instances of ripple, each triggers separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.58 - Split Second
- 702.58a - Split second is a static ability that functions only while the spell with split second is on the stack. "Split second" means "As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't cast other spells or activate abilities that aren't mana abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.58b - Players may activate mana abilities and take special actions while a spell with split second is on the stack. Triggered abilities trigger and are put on the stack as normal while a spell with split second is on the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.58c - Multiple instances of split second on the same spell are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.59 - Suspend
- 702.59a - Suspend is a keyword that represents three abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the card with suspend is in a player's hand. The second and third are triggered abilities that function in the exile zone. "Suspend N--<-cost->" means "If you could begin to cast this card by putting it onto the stack from your hand, you may pay <-cost-> and exile it with N time counters on it. This action doesn't use the stack," and "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this card is suspended, remove a time counter from it," and "When the last time counter is removed from this card, if it's exiled, play it without paying its mana cost if able. If you can't, it remains exiled. If you cast a creature spell this way, it gains haste until you lose control of the spell or the permanent it becomes." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.59b - A card is "suspended" if it's in the exile zone, has suspend, and has a time counter on it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.59c - Casting a spell as an effect of its suspend ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.60 - Vanishing
- 702.60a - Vanishing is a keyword that represents three abilities. "Vanishing N" means "This permanent enters the battlefield with N time counters on it," "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent has a time counter on it, remove a time counter from it," and "When the last time counter is removed from this permanent, sacrifice it." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.60b - Vanishing without a number means "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent has a time counter on it, remove a time counter from it" and "When the last time counter is removed from this permanent, sacrifice it." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.60c - If a permanent has multiple instances of vanishing, each works separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.61 - Absorb
- 702.61a - Absorb is a static ability. "Absorb N" means "If a source would deal damage to this creature, prevent N of that damage." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.61b - Each absorb ability can prevent only N damage from any one source at any one time. It will apply separately to damage from other sources, or to damage dealt by the same source at a different time. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.61c - If an object has multiple instances of absorb, each applies separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.62 - Aura Swap
- 702.62a - Aura swap is an activated ability of some Aura cards. "Aura swap <-cost->" means "<-Cost->: You may exchange this permanent with an Aura card in your hand." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.62b - If either half of the exchange can't be completed, the ability has no effect. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: You activate the aura swap ability of an Aura. The only Aura card in your hand can't enchant the permanent that's enchanted by the Aura with aura swap. The ability has no effect. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: You activate the aura swap ability of an Aura that you control but you don't own. The ability has no effect. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.63 - Delve
- 702.63a - Delve is a static ability that functions while the spell that has it is on the stack. "Delve" means "As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may exile any number of cards from your graveyard. Each card exiled this way reduces the cost to cast this spell by {1}." Using the delve ability follows the rules for paying additional costs in Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.63b - Multiple instances of delve on the same spell are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.64 - Fortify
- 702.64a - Fortify is an activated ability of Fortification cards. "Fortify <-cost->" means "<-Cost->: Attach this Fortification to target land you control. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.64b - For more information about Fortifications, see Rule 301, "Artifacts." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.64c - If a Fortification has multiple instances of fortify, any of its fortify abilities may be used. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.65 - Frenzy
- 702.65a - Frenzy is a triggered ability. "Frenzy N" means "Whenever this creature attacks and isn't blocked, it gets +N/+0 until end of turn." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.65b - If a creature has multiple instances of frenzy, each triggers separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.66 - Gravestorm
- 702.66a - Gravestorm is a triggered ability that functions on the stack. "Gravestorm" means "When you cast this spell, put a copy of it onto the stack for each permanent that was put into a graveyard from the battlefield this turn. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for any of the copies." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.66b - If a spell has multiple instances of gravestorm, each triggers separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.67 - Poisonous
- 702.67a - Poisonous is a triggered ability. "Poisonous N" means "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player gets N poison counters." (For information about poison counters, see Rule 104.3d.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.67b - If a creature has multiple instances of poisonous, each triggers separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.68 - Transfigure
- 702.68a - Transfigure is an activated ability. "Transfigure <-cost->" means "<-Cost->, Sacrifice this permanent: Search your library for a creature card with the same converted mana cost as this permanent and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.69 - Champion
- 702.69a - Champion represents two triggered abilities. "Champion an <-object->" means "When this permanent enters the battlefield, sacrifice it unless you exile another <-object-> you control" and "When this permanent leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner's control." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.69b - The two abilities represented by champion are linked. See Rule 607, "Linked Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.69c - A permanent is "championed" by another permanent if the latter exiles the former as the direct result of a champion ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.70 - Changeling
- 702.70a - Changeling is a characteristic-defining ability. "Changeling" means "This object is every creature type." This ability works everywhere, even outside the game. See Rule 604.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.70b - Multiple instances of changeling on the same object are redundant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.71 - Evoke
- 702.71a - Evoke represents two abilities: a static ability that functions in any zone from which the card can be cast and a triggered ability that functions on the battlefield. "Evoke <-cost->" means "You may cast this card by paying <-cost-> rather than paying its mana cost" and "When this permanent enters the battlefield, if its evoke cost was paid, its controller sacrifices it." Paying a card's evoke cost follows the rules for paying alternative costs in Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.72 - Hideaway
- 702.72a - Hideaway represents a static ability and a triggered ability. "Hideaway" means "This permanent enters the battlefield tapped" and "When this permanent enters the battlefield, look at the top four cards of your library. Exile one of them face down and put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. The exiled card gains 'Any player who has controlled the permanent that exiled this card may look at this card in the exile zone.'" [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.73 - Prowl
- 702.73a - Prowl is a static ability that functions on the stack. "Prowl <-cost->" means "You may pay <-cost-> rather than pay this spell's mana cost if a player was dealt combat damage this turn by a source that, at the time it dealt that damage, was under your control and had any of this spell's creature types." Paying a spell's prowl cost follows the rules for paying alternative costs in Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.74 - Reinforce
- 702.74a - Reinforce is an activated ability that functions only while the card with reinforce is in a player's hand. "Reinforce N--<-cost->" means "<-Cost->, Discard this card: Put N +1/+1 counters on target creature." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.74b - Although the reinforce ability can be activated only if the card is in a player's hand, it continues to exist while the object is on the battlefield and in all other zones. Therefore objects with reinforce will be affected by effects that depend on objects having one or more activated abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.75 - Conspire
- 702.75a - Conspire 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. "Conspire" means "As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may tap two untapped creatures you control that each share a color with it" and "When you cast this spell, if its conspire cost was paid, copy it. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for the copy." Paying a spell's conspire cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.75b - If a spell has multiple instances of conspire, each is paid separately and triggers based on its own payment, not any other instance of conspire. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.76 - Persist
- 702.76a - Persist is a triggered ability. "Persist" means "When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a -1/-1 counter on it." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.77 - Wither
- 702.77a - Wither is a static ability. Damage dealt to a creature by a source with wither isn't marked on that creature. Rather, it causes that many -1/-1 counters to be put on that creature. See Rule 118.3. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.77b - If a permanent leaves the battlefield before an effect causes it to deal damage, its last known information is used to determine whether it had wither. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.77c - The wither rules function no matter what zone an object with wither deals damage from. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 702.77d - Multiple instances of wither on the same object are redundant. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
702.78 - Retrace
- 702.78a - Retrace appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents a static ability that functions while the card is in a player's graveyard. "Retrace" means "You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card as an additional cost to cast it." Casting a spell using its retrace ability follows the rules for paying additional costs in Rule 601.2b and Rule 601.2e through Rule 601.2g. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.79 - Devour
- 702.79a - Devour is a static ability. "Devour N" means "As this object enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This permanent enters the battlefield with N +1/+1 counters on it for each creature sacrificed this way." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.79b - Some objects have abilities that refer to the number of creatures the permanent devoured. "It devoured" means "sacrificed as a result of its devour ability as it entered the battlefield." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.80 - Exalted
- 702.80a - Exalted is a triggered ability. "Exalted" means "Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.80b - A creature "attacks alone" if it's the only creature declared as an attacker in a given combat phase. See Rule 506.5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.81 - Unearth
- 702.81a - Unearth is an activated ability that functions while the card is in a graveyard. "Unearth <-cost->" means "<-Cost->: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. If it would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
702.82 - Cascade
- 702.82a - Cascade is a triggered ability that functions only while the spell with cascade is on the stack. "Cascade" means "When you cast this spell, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card whose converted mana cost is less than this spell's converted mana cost. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost. Then put all cards exiled from the game this way that weren't cast on the bottom of your library in a random order." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 702.82b - If a spell has multiple instances of cascade, each triggers separately. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
703 - Turn-Based Actions
- 703.1 - Turn-based actions are game actions that happen automatically when certain steps or phases begin, or when each step and phase ends. Turn-based actions don't use the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.1a - Abilities that watch for a specified step or phase to begin are triggered abilities, not turn-based actions. (See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.2 - Turn-based actions are not controlled by any player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.3 - Whenever a step or phase begins, if it's a step or phase that has any turn-based action associated with it, those turn-based actions are automatically dealt with first. This happens before state-based actions are checked, before triggered abilities are put on the stack, and before players receive priority. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4 - The turn-based actions are as follows: [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4a - Immediately after the untap step begins, all phased-in permanents with phasing that the active player controls phase out, and all phased-out permanents that the active player controlled when they phased out phase in. This all happens simultaneously. See Rule 502.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4b - Immediately after the phasing action has been completed during the untap step, the active player determines which permanents he or she controls will untap. Then he or she untaps them all simultaneously. See Rule 502.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4c - Immediately after the draw step begins, the active player draws a card. See Rule 504.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4d - Immediately after the beginning of combat step begins, if the game being played is a multiplayer game in which the active player's opponent's don't all automatically become defending players, the active player chooses one of his or her opponents. That player becomes the defending player. See Rule 507.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4e - Immediately after the declare attackers step begins, the active player declares attackers. See Rule 508.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4f - Immediately after the declare blockers step begins, the defending player declares blockers. See Rule 509.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4g - Immediately after blockers have been declared during the declare blockers step, for each attacking creature that's become blocked by multiple creatures, the active player announces the damage assignment order among the blocking creatures. See Rule 509.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4h - Immediately after the active player has announced damage assignment orders (if necessary) during the declare blockers step, for each creature that's blocking multiple creatures, the defending player announces the damage assignment order among the attacking creatures. See Rule 509.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4i - Immediately after the combat damage step begins, each player in APNAP order announces how each attacking or blocking creature he or she controls assigns its combat damage. See Rule 510.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4j - Immediately after combat damage has been assigned during the combat damage step, all combat damage is dealt simultaneously. See Rule 510.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4k - Immediately after the cleanup step begins, 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 his or her hand size to that number. See Rule 514.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4m - Immediately after the active player has discarded cards (if necessary) during the cleanup step, all damage is removed from permanents and all "until end of turn" and "this turn" effects end. These actions happen simultaneously. See Rule 514.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 703.4n - When each step or phase ends, any unused mana left in a player's mana pool empties. See Rule 500.4. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
704 - State-Based Actions
- 704.1 - State-based actions are game actions that happen automatically whenever certain conditions (listed below) are met. State-based actions don't use the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.1a - Abilities that watch for a specified game state are triggered abilities, not state-based actions. (See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.2 - State-based actions are checked throughout the game and are not controlled by any player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.3 - Whenever a player would get priority (see Rule 115, "Timing and Priority"), the game checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based actions, then performs all applicable state-based actions simultaneously as a single event. If any state-based actions are performed as a result of a check, the check is repeated; otherwise all triggered abilities that are waiting to be put on the stack are put on the stack, then the check is repeated. Once no more state-based actions have been performed as the result of a check and no triggered abilities are waiting to be put on the stack, the appropriate player gets priority. This process also occurs during the cleanup step (see Rule 514), except that if no state-based actions are performed as the result of the step's first check and no triggered abilities are waiting to be put on the stack, then no player gets priority and the step ends. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.4 - Unlike triggered abilities, state-based actions pay no attention to what happens during the resolution of a spell or ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
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 casts 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 actions 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5 - The state-based actions are as follows: [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5a - If a player has 0 or less life, he or she loses the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5b - If a player attempted to draw a card from an empty library since the last time state-based actions were checked, he or she loses the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5c - If a player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5d - If a token is phased out, or is in a zone other than the battlefield, it ceases to exist. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5e - 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 battlefield, it ceases to exist. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5f - If a creature has toughness 0 or less, it's put into its owner's graveyard. Regeneration can't replace this event. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5g - If a creature has toughness greater than 0, and the total damage marked on it is greater than or equal to its toughness, that creature has been dealt lethal damage and is destroyed. Regeneration can replace this event. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5h - If a creature has been dealt damage by a source with deathtouch since the last time state-based actions were checked, that creature is destroyed. Regeneration can replace this event. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5i - If a planeswalker has loyalty 0, it's put into its owner's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5j - If two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type are on the battlefield, all are put into their owners' graveyards. This is called the "planeswalker uniqueness rule." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5k - If two or more legendary permanents with the same name are on the battlefield, 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5m - If two or more permanents have the supertype world, all except the one that has been a permanent with the world supertype on the battlefield 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." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5n - If an Aura is attached to an illegal object or player, or is not attached to an object or player, that Aura is put into its owner's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5p - If an Equipment or Fortification is attached to an illegal permanent, it becomes unattached from that permanent. It remains on the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5q - If a creature is attached to an object or player, it becomes unattached and remains on the battlefield. Similarly, if a permanent that's neither an Aura, an Equipment, nor a Fortification is attached to an object or player, it becomes unattached and remains on the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 704.5r - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 704.5s - If a permanent with an ability that says it can't have more than N counters of a certain kind on it has more than N counters of that kind on it, all but N of those counters are removed from it. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 704.5t - In a Two-Headed Giant game, if a team has 0 or less life, that team loses the game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 704.5u - In an EDH game, a player that's been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same general over the course of the game loses the game. (See Rule 903.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 704.6 - If multiple state-based actions would have the same result at the same time, a single replacement effect will replace all of them. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: You control Lich's Mirror, which says "If you would lose the game, instead shuffle your hand, your graveyard, and all permanents you own into your library, then draw seven cards and your life total becomes 20." There's one card in your library and your life total is 1. A spell causes you to draw two cards and lose 2 life. The next time state-based actions are checked, you'd lose the game due to Rule 704.5a and Rule 704.5b. Instead, Lich's Mirror replaces that game loss and you keep playing. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
705 - Flipping a Coin
- 705.1 - To flip a coin for an object that cares whether a player wins or loses the flip, the affected player flips the coin and calls "heads" or "tails." If the call matches the result, that player wins the flip. Otherwise, the player loses the flip. Only the player who flips the coin wins or loses the flip; no other players are involved. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 705.2 - To flip a coin for an object that cares whether the coin comes up heads or tails, each affected player flips a coin without making a call. No player wins or loses this kind of flip. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 705.3 - A coin used in a flip must be a two-sided object with easily distinguished sides and equal likelihood that either side lands face up. If the coin that's being flipped doesn't have an obvious "heads" or "tails," designate one side to be "heads," and the other side to be "tails." Other methods of randomization may be substituted for flipping a coin as long as there are two possible outcomes of equal likelihood and all players agree to the substitution. For example, the player may roll an even-sided die and call "odds" or "evens," or roll an even-sided die and designate that "odds" means "heads" and "evens" means "tails." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
706 - Copying Objects
- 706.1 - Some objects become or turn another object into a "copy" of a spell, permanent, or card. Some effects put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of another object. (Certain older cards were printed with the phrase "search for a copy." This section doesn't cover those cards, which have received new text in the Oracle card reference.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.2 - When copying an object, the copy acquires the copiable values of the original object's characteristics and, for an object on the stack, choices made when casting or activating it (mode, targets, the value of X, whether it was kicked, how it will affect multiple targets, and so on). The "copiable values" are the values derived from the text printed on the object (that text being name, mana cost, card type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, power, toughness, and/or loyalty), as modified by other copy effects, by "as ... enters the battlefield" and "as ... is turned face up" abilities that set characteristics, and by abilities that caused the object to be face down. Other effects (including type-changing and text-changing effects), status, and counters are not copied. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Chimeric Staff is an artifact that reads "{X}: Chimeric Staff becomes an X/X artifact creature until end of turn." Clone is a creature that reads, "You may have Clone enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield." After a Staff has become a 5/5 artifact creature, a Clone enters the battlefield as a copy of it. The Clone is an artifact, not a 5/5 artifact creature. (The copy has the Staff's ability, however, and will become a creature if that ability is activated.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Clone enters the battlefield as a copy of a face-down Grinning Demon (a creature with morph {2}{B}{B}). The Clone is a colorless 2/2 creature with no name, no types, no abilities, and no mana cost. It will still be face up. Its controller can't pay {2}{B}{B} to turn it face up. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.2a - A copy acquires the color of the object it's copying because that value is derived from its mana cost. A copy acquires the abilities of the object it's copying because those values are derived from its rules text. A copy doesn't wind up with two values of each ability (that is, it doesn't copy the object's abilities and its rules text, then have that rules text define a new set of abilities). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.3 - The copy's copiable values become the copied information, as modified by the copy's status (see Rule 110.6). Objects that copy the object will use the new copiable values. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Vesuvan Doppelganger reads, "You may have Vesuvan Doppelganger enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield except it doesn't copy that creature's color and it gains 'At the beginning of your upkeep, you may have this creature become a copy of target creature except it doesn't copy that creature's color. If you do, this creature gains this ability.'" A Vesuvan Doppelganger enters the battlefield as a copy of Runeclaw Bear (a 2/2 green Bear creature with no abilities). Then a Clone enters the battlefield as a copy of the Doppelganger. The Clone is a 2/2 blue Bear named Runeclaw Bear that has the Doppelganger's upkeep-triggered ability. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Tomoya the Revealer (a flipped flip card) becomes a copy of Nezumi Shortfang (an unflipped flip card). Tomoya's characteristics become the characteristics of Stabwhisker the Odious, which is the flipped version of Nezumi Shortfang. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A face-down Grinning Demon (a creature with morph) becomes a copy of a face-up Branchsnap Lorian (a 4/1 green creature with trample and morph {G}). The Demon's characteristics become the characteristics of Branchsnap Lorian. However, since the creature is face down, it remains a 2/2 colorless creature with no name, types, or abilities, and no mana cost. It can be turned face up for {G}. If it's turned face up, it will have the characteristics of Branchsnap Lorian. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A face-down Grinning Demon (a creature with morph) becomes a copy of Wandering Ones (a 1/1 blue Spirit creature that doesn't have morph). It will be a face-down Wandering Ones. It remains a 2/2 colorless creature with no name, types, or abilities, and no mana cost. Its controller can't turn it face up as a special action. If an effect turns it face up, it will have the characteristics of Wandering Ones. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.4 - Some effects cause a permanent that's copying a permanent to copy a different object while remaining on the battlefield. The change doesn't trigger enters-the-battlefield or leaves-the-battlefield abilities. This also doesn't change any noncopy effects presently affecting the permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Unstable Shapeshifter reads, "Whenever a creature enters the battlefield, Unstable Shapeshifter becomes a copy of that creature and gains this ability." It's affected by Giant Growth, which reads "Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn." If a creature enters the battlefield later this turn, Unstable Shapeshifter will become a copy of that creature, but it will still get +3/+3 from the Giant Growth. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.5 - An object that enters the battlefield "as a copy" or "that's a copy" of another object becomes a copy as it enters the battlefield. It doesn't enter the battlefield, and then become a copy of that permanent. If the text that's being copied includes any abilities that replace the enters-the-battlefield event (such as "enters the battlefield with" or "as <-this-> enters the battlefield" abilities), those abilities will take effect. Also, any enters-the-battlefield triggered abilities of the copy will have a chance to trigger. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Skyshroud Behemoth reads, "Fading 2 (This creature enters the battlefield with two fade counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a fade counter from it. If you can't, sacrifice it.)" and "Skyshroud Behemoth enters the battlefield tapped." A Clone that enters the battlefield as a copy of a Skyshroud Behemoth will also enter the battlefield tapped with two fade counters on it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Striped Bears reads, "When Striped Bears enters the battlefield, draw a card." A Clone enters the battlefield as a copy of Striped Bears. The Clone has the Bears' enters-the-battlefield triggered ability, so the Clone's controller draws a card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.6 - When copying a permanent, any choices that have been made for that permanent aren't copied. Instead, if an object enters the battlefield as a copy of another permanent, the object's controller will get to make any "as <-this-> enters the battlefield" choices for it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A Clone enters the battlefield as a copy of Chameleon Spirit. Chameleon Spirit reads, in part, "As Chameleon Spirit enters the battlefield, choose a color." The Clone won't copy the color choice of the Spirit; rather, the controller of the Clone will get to make a new choice. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.7 - If a pair of linked abilities are copied, those abilities will be similarly linked to one another on the object that copied them. One ability refers only to actions that were taken or objects that were affected by the other. They can't be linked to any other ability, regardless of what other abilities the copy may currently have or may have had in the past. See Rule 607, "Linked Abilities." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.7a - If an ability causes a player to "choose a <-value->" or "name a card," and a second, linked ability refers to that choice, the second ability is the only ability that can refer to that choice. An object doesn't "remember" that choice and use it for other abilities it may copy later. If an object copies an ability that refers to a choice, but either (a) doesn't copy that ability's linked ability or (b) does copy the linked ability but no choice is made for it, then the choice is considered to be "undefined." If an ability refers to an undefined choice, that part of the ability won't do anything. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Voice of All enters the battlefield and Unstable Shapeshifter copies it. Voice of All reads, in part, "As Voice of All enters the battlefield, choose a color." and "Voice of All has protection from the chosen color." Unstable Shapeshifter never had a chance for a color to be chosen for it, because it didn't enter the battlefield as a Voice of All card, so the protection ability doesn't protect it from anything at all. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A Vesuvan Doppelganger enters the battlefield as a copy of Chameleon Spirit, and the Doppelganger's controller chooses blue. Later, the Doppelganger copies Quirion Elves. The Elves has the ability, "{Tap}: Add one mana of the chosen color to your mana pool." Even though a color was chosen for the Doppelganger, it wasn't chosen for the ability linked to the mana ability copied from the Elves. If that mana ability of the Doppelganger is activated, it will not produce mana. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.8 - Some copy effects give an ability to the copy as part of the copying process. This ability becomes part of the copiable values for the copy, along with any other abilities that were copied. Also, some copy effects specifically state that they don't copy certain characteristics; they retain their original values instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Quirion Elves enters the battlefield and an Unstable Shapeshifter copies it. The copiable values of the Shapeshifter now match those of the Elves, except that the Shapeshifter also has the ability "Whenever a creature enters the battlefield, Unstable Shapeshifter becomes a copy of that creature and gains this ability." Then a Clone enters the battlefield as a copy of the Unstable Shapeshifter. The Clone copies the new copiable values of the Shapeshifter, including the ability that the Shapeshifter gave itself when it copied the Elves. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.9 - To copy a spell or activated ability means to put a copy of it onto the stack; a copy of a spell isn't cast and a copy of an activated ability isn't activated. A copy of a spell or ability copies both the characteristics of the spell or ability and all decisions made for it, including modes, targets, the value of X, and additional or alternative costs. (See Rule 601, "Casting Spells.") Choices that are normally made on resolution are not copied. If an effect of the copy refers to objects used to pay its costs, it uses the objects used to pay the costs of the original spell or ability. A copy of a spell is owned by the player under whose control it was put on the stack. A copy of a spell or ability is controlled by the player under whose control it was put on the stack. A copy of a spell is itself a spell, even though it has no spell card associated with it. A copy of an ability is itself an ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A player casts Fork, targeting an Emerald Charm. Fork reads, "Copy target instant or sorcery spell, except that the copy is red. You may choose new targets for the copy." Emerald Charm is a green instant that reads, "Choose one -- Untap target permanent; or destroy target non-Aura enchantment; or target creature loses flying until end of turn." When the Fork resolves, it puts a copy of the Emerald Charm on the stack except the copy is red, not green. The copy has the same mode that was chosen for the original Emerald Charm. It does not necessarily have the same target, but only because Fork allows choosing of new targets. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Fling is an instant that reads, "As an additional cost to cast Fling, sacrifice a creature" and "Fling deals damage equal to the sacrificed creature's power to target creature or player." When determining how much damage a copy of Fling deals, it checks the power of the creature sacrificed to pay for the original Fling. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.9a - 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 battlefield, it ceases to exist. These are state-based actions. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.9b - A copy of an ability has the same source as the original ability. If the ability refers to its source by name, the copy refers to that same object and not to any other object with the same name. The copy is considered to be the same ability by effects that count how many times that ability has resolved during the turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.9c - Some effects copy a spell or ability and state that its controller may choose new targets for the copy. The player may leave any number of the targets unchanged, even if those targets would be illegal. If the player chooses to change some or all of the targets, the new targets must be legal. Once the player has decided what the copy's targets will be, the copy is put onto the stack with those targets. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.10 - If an effect refers to a permanent by name, the effect still tracks that permanent even if it changes names or becomes a copy of something else. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: An Unstable Shapeshifter copies a Crazed Armodon. Crazed Armodon reads, "{G}: Crazed Armodon gets +3/+0 and gains trample until end of turn. Destroy Crazed Armodon at the beginning of the next end step. Activate this ability only once each turn." If this ability of the Shapeshifter is activated, the Shapeshifter will be destroyed at the beginning of the next end step, even if it's no longer a copy of Crazed Armodon at that time. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 706.11 - An effect that instructs a player to "cast a copy" of an object follows the rules for casting spells, except that the copy is cast while another spell or ability is resolving. Casting a copy of an object follows Rule 601.2a through Rule 601.2g, "Casting Spells," then the copy becomes cast. The cast copy is a spell on the stack, and just like any other spell it can resolve or be countered. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
707 - Face-Down Spells and Permanents
- 707.1 - Two cards (Illusionary Mask and Ixidron) and the morph ability (see Rule 702.34) allow spells and permanents to be face down. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 707.2 - Face-down spells and face-down permanents have no characteristics other than those listed by the ability or rules that allowed the spell or permanent to be face down. Any listed characteristics are the copiable values of that object's characteristics. (See Rule 613, "Interaction of Continuous Effects," and Rule 706, "Copying Objects.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 707.2a - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 707.3 - Objects that are put onto the battlefield face down are turned face down before they enter the battlefield, so the permanent's enters-the-battlefield abilities won't trigger (if triggered) or have any effect (if static). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 707.4 - Objects that are cast face down are turned face down before they are put onto the stack, so effects that care about the characteristics of a spell will see only the face-down spell's characteristics. Any effects or prohibitions that would apply to casting an object with these characteristics (and not the face-up object's characteristics) are applied to casting this object. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 707.5 - At any time, you may look at a face-down spell you control on the stack or a face-down permanent you control (even if it's phased out). You can't look at face-down cards in any other zone or face-down spells or permanents controlled by another player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 707.6 - If you control multiple face-down spells or face-down permanents, you must ensure at all times that your face-down spells and permanents can be easily differentiated from each other. This includes, but is not limited to, knowing the order spells were cast, the order that face-down permanents entered the battlefield, which creature attacked last turn, and any other differences between face-down spells or permanents. Common methods for distinguishing between face-down objects include using counters or dice to mark the different objects, or clearly placing those objects in order on the table. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 707.7 - The ability or rules that allow a permanent to be face down may also allow the permanent's controller to turn it face up. Spells normally can't be turned face up. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 707.8 - As a face-down permanent is turned face up, its copiable values revert to its normal copiable values. Any effects that have been applied to the face-down permanent still apply to the face-up permanent. Any abilities relating to the permanent entering the battlefield don't trigger and don't have any effect, because the permanent has already entered the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 707.9 - If a face-down permanent moves from the battlefield to any other zone, its owner must reveal it to all players as he or she moves it. If a face-down spell moves from the stack to any zone other than the battlefield, its owner must reveal it to all players as he or she moves it. At the end of each game, all face-down permanents and spells must be revealed to all players. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 707.10 - If a face-down permanent becomes a copy of another permanent, its copiable values become the copiable values of that permanent, as modified by its face-down status. Its characteristics therefore remain the same: the characteristics listed by the ability or rules that allowed it to be turned face down. However, if it is turned face up, its copiable values become the values it copied from the other permanent. See Rule 706.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 707.11 - If a face-down permanent would have an "As <-this permanent-> is turned face up..." ability after it's turned face up, that ability is applied while that permanent is being turned face up, not afterward. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
708 - Split Cards
- 708.1 - Split cards have two card faces on a single card. The back of a split card is the normal Magic: The Gathering card back. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 708.2 - In every zone except the stack, split cards have two sets of characteristics and two converted mana costs. As long as a split card is a spell on the stack, only the characteristics of the half being cast exist. The other half's characteristics are treated as though they didn't exist. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 708.3 - Each split card that consists of two halves with different colored mana symbols in their mana costs is a multicolored card while it's not a spell on the stack. While it's a spell on the stack, it's only the color or colors of the half being cast. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 708.4 - Although split cards have two castable halves, each split card is only one card. For example, a player who has drawn or discarded a split card has drawn or discarded one card, not two. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 708.5 - An effect that asks for a particular characteristic of a split card while it's in a zone other than the stack gets two answers (one for each of the split card's two halves). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Infernal Genesis has an ability that reads, "At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player puts the top card from his or her library into his or her graveyard. He or she then puts X 1/1 black Minion creature tokens onto the battlefield, where X is that card's converted mana cost." If the top card of your library is Assault (Assault/Battery) when this ability resolves, the game sees its converted mana cost as "1, and 4." You get five creature tokens. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 708.6 - Some effects perform comparisons involving characteristics of one or more split cards in a zone other than the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 708.6a - An effect that performs a positive comparison (such as asking if a card is red) or a relative comparison (such as asking if a card's converted mana cost is less than 2) involving characteristics of one or more split cards in any zone other than the stack gets only one answer. This answer is "yes" if either side of each split card in the comparison would return a "yes" answer if compared individually. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 708.6b - An effect that performs a negative comparison (such as asking if cards have different names) involving characteristics of one or more split cards in any zone other than the stack also gets only one answer. This answer is "yes" if performing the analogous positive comparison would return a "no" answer. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 708.6c - If an effect performs a comparison involving multiple characteristics of one or more split cards in any zone other than the stack, each characteristic is compared separately. If each of the individual comparisons would return a "yes" answer, the whole comparison returns a "yes" answer. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Void reads, "Choose a number. Destroy all artifacts and creatures with converted mana cost equal to that number. Then target player reveals his or her hand and discards all nonland cards with converted mana cost equal to the number." If a player casts Void and chooses 1, his or her opponent would discard Assault (Assault/Battery) because the game sees its converted mana cost as "1, and 4." The same is true if the player chooses 4. If the player chooses 5, however, Assault/Battery would be unaffected. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 708.7 - If an effect instructs a player to name a card and the player wants to name a split card, the player must name both halves of the split card. An object has the chosen name if it has at least one of the two names chosen this way. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
709 - Flip Cards
- 709.1 - Flip cards have a two-part card frame on a single card. The text that appears right side up on the card defines the card's normal characteristics. Additional alternative characteristics appear upside down on the card. The back of a flip card is the normal Magic: The Gathering card back. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 709.1a - The top half of a flip card contains the card's normal name, text box, type line, power, and toughness. The text box usually contains an ability that causes the permanent to "flip" if certain conditions are met. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 709.1b - The bottom half of a flip card contains an alternative name, text box, type line, power, and toughness. These characteristics are used only if the permanent is on the battlefield and only if the permanent is flipped. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 709.1c - A flip card's color, mana cost, expansion symbol, illustration credit, and legal text don't change if the permanent is flipped. Also, any changes to it by external effects will still apply. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 709.2 - In every zone other than the battlefield, and also on the battlefield before the permanent flips, a flip card has only the normal characteristics of the card. Once a permanent is flipped, its normal name, text box, type line, power, and toughness don't apply and the alternative versions of those characteristics apply instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Akki Lavarunner is a nonlegendary creature that flips into a legendary creature named Tok-Tok, Volcano Born. An effect that says "search your library for a legendary card" can't find this flip card. An effect that says "legendary creatures get +2/+2" doesn't affect Akki Lavarunner, but it does affect Tok-Tok. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 709.3 - You must ensure that it's clear at all times whether a permanent you control is flipped or not, both when it's untapped and when it's tapped. Common methods for distinguishing between flipped and unflipped permanents include using coins or dice to mark flipped objects. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 709.4 - Flipping a permanent is a one-way process. Once a permanent is flipped, it's impossible for it to become unflipped. However, if a flipped permanent leaves the battlefield, it retains no memory of its status. See Rule 110.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 709.5 - If an effect instructs a player to name a card and the player wants to name a flip card's alternative name, the player may do so. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
710 - Controlling Another Player's Turn
- 710.1 - Two cards (Mindslaver and Sorin Markov) allow a player's turn to be controlled by another player. This effect applies to the next turn that the affected player actually takes. The entire turn is controlled; the effect doesn't end until the beginning of the next turn. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 710.1a - Multiple turn-controlling effects that affect the same player overwrite each other. The last one to be created is the one that works. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 710.1b - If a turn is skipped, any pending turn-controlling effects wait until the player who would be affected actually takes a turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 710.1c - Only the control of the turn changes. All objects are controlled by their normal controllers. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 710.2 - The player whose turn is being controlled is still the active player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 710.3 - If information about an object would be visible to the player whose turn is controlled, it's visible to both that player and the controller of the turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The controller of a player's turn can see that player's hand and the identity of any face-down creatures he or she controls. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 710.4 - The controller of another player's turn makes all choices and decisions that player is allowed to make or is told to make during that turn by the rules or by any objects. This includes choices and decisions about what to play, and choices and decisions called for by spells and abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The controller of the turn decides which spells the active player casts and what those spells target, and makes any required decisions when those spells resolve. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The controller of the turn decides which of active player's creatures attack, which player or planeswalker each one attacks, what the damage assignment order the creatures that block them is, and how those attacking creatures assign their combat damage. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 710.4a - The controller of another player's turn can use only that player's resources (cards, mana, and so on) to pay costs for that player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: If the controller of the turn decides that the active player will cast a spell with an additional cost of discarding cards, the cards are discarded from the active player's hand. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 710.4b - The controller of another player's turn can't make choices or decisions for that player that aren't called for by the rules or by any objects. The controller also can't make any choices or decisions for the player that would be called for by the tournament rules. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The player whose turn is being controlled still chooses whether he or she leaves to visit the restroom, trades a card to someone else, takes an intentional draw, or calls a judge about an error or infraction. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 710.5 - The controller of another player's turn can't make that player concede. A player may concede the game at any time, even if his or her turn is controlled by another player. See Rule 104.3a. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 710.6 - A player who controls another player's turn also continues to make his or her own choices and decisions. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
711 - Ending the Turn
- 711.1 - One card (Time Stop) ends the turn when it resolves. When an effect ends the turn, follow these steps in order, as they differ from the normal process for resolving spells and abilities (see Rule 608, "Resolving Spells and Abilities"). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 711.1a - Exile every object on the stack, including the object that's resolving. Remove all creatures and planeswalkers (including those that are phased out) from combat. All objects not on the battlefield that aren't represented by cards will cease to exist the next time state-based actions are checked (see Rule 704, "State-Based Actions"). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 711.1b - Check state-based actions. No player gets priority, and no triggered abilities are put onto the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 711.1c - The current phase and/or step ends. The game skips straight to the cleanup step. Skip any phases or steps between this phase or step and the cleanup step. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 711.2 - No player gets priority during this process, so triggered abilities are not put onto the stack. If any triggered abilities have triggered between the spell or ability resolving and the cleanup step ending, those abilities are put onto the stack during the cleanup step, then the active player gets priority and players can cast spells and activate abilities. Then there will be another cleanup step before the turn finally ends. If no triggered abilities have triggered during this process, no player gets priority during the cleanup step. See Rule 514, "Cleanup Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 711.3 - Even though the turn ends, "at the beginning of the end step" triggered abilities don't trigger because the end step is skipped. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
712 - Subgames
- 712.1 - One card (Shahrazad) allows players to play a Magic subgame. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 712.1a - A "subgame" is a completely separate Magic game created by an effect. Essentially, it's a game within a game. The "main game" is the game in which the spell or ability that created the subgame was cast or activated. The main game is temporarily discontinued while the subgame is in progress. It resumes when the subgame ends. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 712.1b - No effects or definitions created in either the main game or the subgame have any meaning in the other, except as defined by the effect that created the subgame. For example, the effect may say that something happens in the main game to the winner or loser of the subgame. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 712.2 - As the subgame starts, an entirely new set of game zones is created. Each player takes all the cards in his or her main-game library, moves them to his or her subgame library, and shuffles them. No other cards in a main-game zone are moved to their corresponding subgame zone. Randomly determine which player goes first. The subgame proceeds like a normal game, following all other rules in Rule 103, "Starting the Game." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 712.3 - Any rules regarding the size of a player's deck are ignored for the subgame. However, because each player draws seven cards when a game begins, any player with fewer than seven cards in his or her deck will lose the subgame when state-based actions are checked during the upkeep step of the first turn, regardless of any mulligans that player takes. (See Rule 704, "State-Based Actions.") [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 712.4 - All objects in the main game and all cards outside the main game are considered outside the subgame (except those specifically brought into the subgame). All players not currently in the subgame are considered outside the subgame. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 712.4a - Some effects can bring cards into a game from outside of it. If a card is brought into a subgame from a main game, abilities in the main game that trigger on objects leaving a main-game zone will trigger, but they won't be put onto the stack until the main game resumes. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 712.5 - At the end of a subgame, each player puts all cards he or she owns that are in the subgame into his or her library in the main game, then shuffles them. This includes cards in the subgame's exile zone. All other objects in the subgame cease to exist, as do the zones created for the subgame. The main game continues from the point at which it was discontinued: First, the spell or ability that created the subgame finishes resolving, even if it was created by a spell card that's no longer on the stack. Then, if any main-game abilities triggered while the subgame was in progress due to cards being removed from the main game, those abilities are put onto the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: If a card was brought into the subgame either from the main game or from outside the main game, that card will be put into its owner's main-game library when the subgame ends. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 712.6 - A subgame can be created within a subgame. The existing subgame becomes the main game in relation to the new subgame. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
713 - Taking Shortcuts
- 713.1 - When playing a game, players typically make use of mutually understood shortcuts rather than explicitly identifying each game choice (either taking an action or passing priority) a player makes. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 713.1a - The rules for taking shortcuts are largely unformalized. As long as each player in the game understands the intent of each other player, any shortcut system they use is acceptable. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 713.1b - Occasionally the game gets into a state in which a set of actions could be repeated indefinitely (thus creating a "loop"). In that case, the shortcut rules can be used to determine how many times those actions are repeated without having to actually perform them, and how the loop is broken. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 713.2 - Taking a shortcut follows the following procedure. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 713.2a - At any point in the game, the player with priority may suggest a shortcut by describing a sequence of game choices, for all players, that may be legally taken based on the current game state and the predictable results of the sequence of choices. This sequence may be a non-repetitive series of choices, a loop that repeats a specified number of times, multiple loops, or nested loops, and may even cross multiple turns. It can't include conditional actions, where the outcome of a game event determines the next action a player takes. The ending point of this sequence must be a place where a player has priority, though it need not be the player proposing the shortcut. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A player controls a creature enchanted by Presence of Gond, which grants the creature the ability "{Tap}: Put a 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature token onto the battlefield," and another player controls Intruder Alarm, which reads, in part, "Whenever a creature enters the battlefield, untap all creatures." When the player has priority, he may suggest "I'll create a million tokens," indicating the sequence of activating the creature's ability, all players passing priority, letting the creature's ability resolve and put a token onto the battlefield (which causes Intruder Alarm's ability to trigger), Intruder Alarm's controller putting that triggered ability on the stack, all players passing priority, Intruder Alarm's triggered ability resolving, all players passing priority until the player proposing the shortcut has priority, and repeating that sequence 999,999 more times, ending just after the last token-creating ability resolves. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 713.2b - Each other player, in turn order starting after the player who suggested the shortcut, may either accept the proposed sequence, or shorten it by naming a place where he or she will make a game choice that's different than what's been proposed. (The player doesn't need to specify at this time what the new choice will be.) This place becomes the new ending point of the proposed sequence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: The active player draws a card during her draw step, then says, "Go." The nonactive player is holding Into the Fray (an instant that says "Target creature attacks this turn if able") and says, "I'd like to cast a spell during your beginning of combat step." The current proposed shortcut is that all players pass priority at all opportunities during the turn until the nonactive player has priority during the beginning of combat step. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 713.2c - Once the last player has either accepted or shortened the shortcut proposal, the shortcut is taken. The game advances to the last proposed ending point, with all game choices contained in the shortcut proposal having been taken. If the shortcut was shortened from the original proposal, the player who now has priority must make a different game choice than what was originally proposed for that player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 713.3 - Sometimes a loop can be fragmented, meaning that each player involved in the loop performs an independent action that results in the same game state being reached multiple times. If that happens, the active player (or, if the active player is not involved in the loop, the first player in turn order who is involved) must then make a different game choice so the loop does not continue. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: In a two-player game, the active player controls a creature with the ability "{0}: <-This creature-> gains flying," the nonactive player controls a permanent with the ability "{0}: Target creature loses flying," and nothing in the game cares how many times an ability has been activated. Say the active player activates his creature's ability, it resolves, then the nonactive player activates her permanent's ability targeting that creature, and it resolves. This returns the game to a game state it was at before. The active player must make a different game choice (in other words, anything other than activating that creature's ability again). The creature doesn't have flying. Note that the nonactive player could have prevented the fragmented loop simply by not activating her permanent's ability, in which case the creature would have had flying. The nonactive player always has the final choice and is therefore able to determine whether the creature has flying. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 713.4 - If a loop contains only mandatory actions, the game ends in a draw. (See Rule 104.4b.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 713.5 - No player can be forced to perform an action that would end a loop other than actions called for by objects involved in the loop. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A player controls Seal of Cleansing, an enchantment that reads, "Sacrifice Seal of Cleansing: Destroy target artifact or enchantment." A mandatory loop that involves an artifact begins. The player is not forced to sacrifice Seal of Cleansing to destroy the artifact and end the loop. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 713.6 - If a loop contains an effect that says "<-A-> unless <-B->," where <-A-> and <-B-> are each actions, no player can be forced to perform <-B-> to break the loop. If no player chooses to perform <-B->, the loop will continue as though <-A-> were mandatory. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
714 - Handling Illegal Actions
- 714.1 - 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 casting a spell, the spell returns to the zone it came from. The player may also reverse any legal mana abilities activated 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 714.2 - 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
715 - Unglued & Unhinged
- 715.1 - Unglued and Unhinged are unusual Magic expansions.
- 715.Ruling.1 - Unglued and Unhinged were designed to be funny. Keep that in mind. [D'Angelo 2006/02/01]
- 715.Ruling.2 - It is very unlikely that you'll manage to get the NetReps or Customer Service to agree on some rulings for these cards. So, if there are two or more rulings from official people out there, use the one that you think will be funniest. In Arena, the Arena judge chooses. In friendly play, agree amongst yourselves, or toss a coin. [Barclay 1998/08/13]
- 715.Ruling.3 - Some cards in Unglued have a picture and no text. These are intended for use to represent token creatures for you so you don't have use coins, glass beads, kittens, pick-up trucks, or other handy objects. [QAS 1998/09/09]
When using one of these to represent a token creature, they count as tokens, not cards. [QAS 1998/09/09]
- 715.Ruling.4 - A teammate is a player who shares a victory condition with you. In other words, you both work together to win and win as a team. [QAS 1998/09/09]
Partnership and Emperor formats have teammates. Grand Melee and normal two-player games do not.
- 715.Ruling.5 - When judging if a person performed a subjective task correctly, use your best judgment. An honest attempt which falls a little short should not be penalized. [QAS 1998/09/09]
Subjective tasks include rhyming, doing an action for Bureaucracy, complimenting an opponent, etc.
- 715.Ruling.6 - Any random source with the same odds can replace a coin toss or die roll. [QAS 1998/09/09]
But the replacement still counts as its original type. For example, rolling a die to simulate a coin counts as a coin flip and not a die roll. [D'Angelo 1998/09/09]
- 715.Ruling.7 - You cannot target a player in a different game. [QAS 1998/09/09]
- 715.Ruling.8 - If you rip up or mark a card in a tournament because you are required to do so by a spell or ability, your deck is not made illegal. Instead, before the next game, you must bring your deck back up to 60 cards by borrowing from your sideboard (if your sideboard has any more cards and if your deck fell below 60). [QAS 1998/09/09]
- 715.Ruling.9 - If you are required to remove cards from your deck or sideboard for the duration of a match a tournament, your deck is not made illegal. Instead, before the next game, you must bring your deck back up to 60 cards by borrowing from your sideboard (if your sideboard has any more cards and if your deck fell below 60). [QAS 1998/09/09]
- 715.Ruling.10 - You cannot use a coin with two heads (or tails) or a die which does not have values that can clearly be divided into the right number of equal sets, as per Rule 715.Ruling.6. [D'Angelo 1998/10/23]
- 715.Ruling.11 - When asked to choose an artist, you can only choose one that has illustrated at least one Magic card. [Unhinged FAQ 2004/11/15]
- 715.Ruling.12 - Use the artist name printed on the card, even if the name is not correct or if some other version of the card has different art. A typo does not count as a different artist, but a pseudonym does. Nicknames are also ignored, as with "Pete 'Fear Me' Venters" being the same as "Pete Venters". Any card illustrated by more than one artist is considered to be illustrated by both artists. [Unhinged FAQ 2004/11/15]
- 715.Ruling.13 - When playing with silver bordered cards, all numbers in Magic that would normally be restricted to whole numbers as per Rule 104.1 are now allowed to be whole numbers or half numbers, such as "2.5". This applies to power, toughness, mana, life, damage, and so on. [Unhinged FAQ 2004/11/15]
For example, if you have 20 life and take 3.5 damage, you now have 16.5 life. And if you end a phase with 0.5 unspent mana points in your pool, you lose 0.5 life. As another example, you can use Pyrotechnics to deal 0.5 damage to each of 8 creatures. [Unhinged FAQ 2004/11/15]
It does not apply to the number of counters. You can't have half a counter. [Unhinged FAQ 2004/11/15]
- 715.Ruling.14 - Gotcha cards trigger if the opponent says the word exactly. Plurals count ("guys" and "guy" are equivalent). Homophones do not count ("eye" and "I" are not equivalent). Homographs and homonyms do count ("contract" as a verb or noun). Parts of a word do not count ("lifeline" does not trigger if the word is "life"). [Unhinged FAQ 2004/11/15]
- 715.Ruling.15 - Some cards require a mini game, such as Eye to Eye's staring contest. You have to win the game honestly. No blowing in their face, for example. A player can always concede the game instead of playing it. [Unhinged FAQ 2004/11/15]
- 715.Ruling.16 - When playing with silver bordered cards, all color choices that would normally be restricted are open to any color choices you want. You can choose brown, for example. [Unhinged FAQ 2004/11/15]
716 - Licids
- 716.1 - A Licid is a type of creature that can become a creature enchantment, reside on other creatures for a while, and then revert back to being a creature. [Tempest, Page 7]
- 716.Ruling.1 - When a Licid becomes a creature enchantment, it loses all abilities and gains whatever ability is listed in the card text. It also stops being whatever kind of permanent it was and becomes a local creature enchantment. It retains all other characteristics including name, color, and so on. [Tempest, Page 8]
[WotC Rules Team 1997/12/18]
- 716.Ruling.2 - The Licid ability targets the creature it will be enchanting. If the target becomes illegal before the ability starts to resolve, then the ability is countered and the Licid will remain unchanged. [Tempest, Page 9]
- 716.Ruling.3 - When a Licid changes form, any counters, effects, and damage on it remain on it until they would normally be removed (if ever). If the counters or effects make no sense when applied to the current card type, then they do not do anything. But if the Licid returns to being of the proper card type, they may take effect again. [D'Angelo 1998/07/24]
For example, a +1/+1 counter from Dwarven Weaponsmith would remain, the effect of Giant Growth will wear off at end of turn, and damage will be removed at end of turn.
- 716.Ruling.4 - Generally, the cost of using a Licid's ability includes tapping it. This means that when it moves onto the creature, it will be a tapped local enchantment. The enchantment's ability will work normally, though, and the card will untap during your next untap step. [Tempest, Page 9]
- 716.Ruling.5 - A Licid will not get summoning sickness by enchanting an opponent's permanent. You are still controlling the Licid. [D'Angelo 1997/10/15]
- 716.Ruling.6 - If a Licid is enchanting a creature that phases out, the Licid phases out with the creature, and when it phases back in it will phase in still as a local enchantment. [D'Angelo 2000/04/04]
- 716.Ruling.7 - When in creature enchantment form, it can be moved onto another creature with an enchantment moving spell or ability. It stays as an enchantment. [WotC Rules Team 1998/02/01]
- 716.Ruling.8 - If a Licid tries to enchant a creature that cannot be enchanted, it will still move through to resolution because the Licid's text does not require the thing it will enchant to be a legal thing to enchant. During resolution it will then turn into an enchantment and try to enchant the chosen permanent. Since the permanent cannot be enchanted, the Licid is placed into the graveyard. [WotC Rules Team 2003/12/01]
- 716.Ruling.9 - If a Licid tries to enchant itself, it will see itself as a legal place to go at the beginning of resolution. It will then turn into an enchantment and enchant itself. Since it is not legal to enchant itself, the Licid is placed into the graveyard. [Jordan 2002/01/11]
717 - Keyword Abilities
- 717.1 - Radiance is a keyword ability written as "Radiance - [ability]".
".
- 717.1.Ruling.1 - Radiance has no meaning in itself and has no game effect in itself. The ability listed following the keyword is the actual effect. Radiance is simply used to show that the card has a similar ability to other cards that use this keyword. [D'Angelo 2005/11/01]
- 717.2 - Sweep is a keyword ability written as "Sweep - [ability]".
".
- 717.2.Ruling.1 - Sweep has no meaning in itself and has no game effect in itself. The ability listed following the keyword is the actual effect. Sweep is simply used to show that the card has a similar ability to other cards that use this keyword. [D'Angelo 2005/12/01]
- 717.3 - Channel is a keyword ability written as "Channel - [ability]".
".
- 717.3.Ruling.1 - Channel has no meaning in itself and has no game effect in itself. The ability listed following the keyword is the actual effect. Channel is simply used to show that the card has a similar ability to other cards that use this keyword. [D'Angelo 2005/12/01]
- 717.3.Ruling.2 - Channel abilities are always activated abilities that are played while the card is in your hand. The cost of playing the ability always includes discarding the card. This makes playing the ability look similar to playing a spell, except the card goes to the graveyard when playing the ability instead of when a spell would resolve. [D'Angelo 2005/12/01]
- 717.3.Ruling.3 - Since Channel abilities are abilities and not spells, they are more difficult to counter than spells are. [D'Angelo 2005/12/01]
- 717.4 - Hellbent is a keyword ability written as "Hellbent - [ability]".
".
- 717.4.Ruling.1 - Hellbent has no meaning in itself and has no game effect in itself. The ability listed following the keyword is the actual effect. Hellbent is simply used to show that the card has a similar ability to other cards that use this keyword. [D'Angelo 2006/05/13]
- 717.4.Ruling.2 - If a Hellbent ability of a spell is a self-replacement that changes the effect of that spell, the number of cards in its controller's hand is checked as the spell resolves. It is not checked when the spell is played. [Dissension FAQ 2006/04/13]
- 717.4.Ruling.3 - If a Hellbent ability of a permanent is an activated ability, the number of cards in the permanent's controller's hand is checked when that player tries to play the ability. It is not checked when it resolves. [Dissension FAQ 2006/04/13]
- 717.4.Ruling.4 - If a Hellbent ability of a permenent is a triggered ability, the number of cards in the permanent's controller's hand is checked both when that ability would trigger and when the ability would resolve. If the player has one or more cards in his or her hand when the ability would trigger, it won't trigger. If the player has one or more cards in his or her hand when the ability would resolve, the ability does nothing. [Dissension FAQ 2006/04/13]
- 717.5 - Grandeur is a keyword ability written as "Grandeur - [ability]".
".
- 717.5.Ruling.1 - Grandeur has no meaning in itself and has no game effect in itself. The ability listed following the keyword is the actual effect. Grandeur is simply used to show that the card has a similar ability to other cards that use this keyword. [D'Angelo 2007/05/15]
- 717.6 - Kinship is a keyword ability written as "Kinship - [ability]".
".
- 717.6.Ruling.1 - Kinship has no meaning in itself and has no game effect in itself. The ability listed following the keyword is the actual effect. Kinship is simply used to show that the card has a similar ability to other cards that use this keyword. [D'Angelo 2008/02/05]
- 717.6.Ruling.2 - You don't have to reveal the top card of your library, even if it shares a creature type with the creature that has the kinship ability. [Morningtide FAQ 2008/01/15]
- 717.6.Ruling.3 - After the kinship ability finishes resolving, the card you looked at remains on top of your library. [Morningtide FAQ 2008/01/15]
- 717.7 - Chroma is a keyword ability written as "Chroma - [ability]".
".
- 717.7.Ruling.1 - Chroma has no meaning in itself and has no game effect in itself. The ability listed following the keyword is the actual effect. Chroma is simply used to show that the card has a similar ability to other cards that use this keyword. [D'Angelo 2008/07/12]
- 717.7.Ruling.2 - Chroma abilities check only mana symbols in the mana cost, and not ones that appear in the card text. [Eventide FAQ 2008/07/08]
- 717.8 - Domain is a keyword ability written as "Domain - [ability]".
".
- 717.8.Ruling.1 - Domain has no meaning in itself and has no game effect in itself. The ability listed following the keyword is the actual effect. Domain is simply used to show that the card has a similar ability to other cards that use this keyword. [D'Angelo 2009/02/01]
- 717.8.Ruling.2 - These abilities count the number of basic land types that you control. Check to see if you control any lands with subtype Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. Remember that nonbasic lands may have a basic land type on their type line. [Conflux FAQ 2008/12/16]
- 717.9 - Landfall - Landfall is a keyword written as "Landfall - [ability]".
".
- 717.9.Ruling.1 - Landfall has no meaning in itself and has no game effect in itself. The ability listed following the keyword is the actual effect. Landfall is simply used to show that the card has a similar ability to other cards that use this keyword. [D'Angelo 2009/10/01]
8 - Multiplayer Rules
800 - General
- 800.1 - A multiplayer game is a game that begins with more than two players. This section contains additional optional rules that can be used for multiplayer play. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.2 - These rules consist of a series of options that can be added to a multiplayer game and a number of variant styles of multiplayer play. A single game may use multiple options but only one variant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.3 - Many multiplayer Magic tournaments have additional rules not included here, including rules for deck construction. See the most current Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules for more information. They can be found at <-http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx?x=dci/doccenter/home->. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.4 - Unlike two-player games, multiplayer games can continue after one or more players have left the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.4a - When a player leaves the game, all objects (see Rule 109) owned by that player leave the game, all spells and abilities controlled by that player on the stack cease to exist, and any change-of-control effects which give that player control of any objects end. Then, if there are any objects still controlled by that player, those objects are exiled. This is not a state-based action. It happens as soon as the player leaves the game. If the player who left the game had priority at the time he or she left, priority passes to the next player in turn order who's still in the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Alex casts Control Magic, an Aura that reads, "You control enchanted creature," on Bianca's Wall of Wood. If Alex leaves the game, so does Control Magic, and Wall of Wood reverts to Bianca's control. If, instead, Bianca leaves the game, so does Wall of Wood, and Control Magic is put into Alex's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Alex casts Threaten, which reads, in part, "Untap target creature and gain control of it until end of turn," targeting Bianca's Wall of Wood. If Alex leaves the game, Threaten's change-of-control effect ends and Wall of Wood reverts to Bianca's control. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Alex casts Bribery, which reads, "Search target opponent's library for a creature card and put that card onto the battlefield under your control. Then that player shuffles his or her library," targeting Bianca. Alex puts Wall of Wood onto the battlefield from Bianca's library. If Bianca leaves the game, Wall of Wood also leaves the game. If, instead, Alex leaves the game, Wall of Wood is exiled. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Alex controls Genesis Chamber, which reads, "Whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield, if Genesis Chamber is untapped, that creature's controller puts a 1/1 colorless Myr artifact creature token onto the battlefield." If Alex leaves the game, all such Myr tokens that entered the battlefield under Alex's control leave the game, and all such Myr tokens that entered the battlefield under any other player's control remain in the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.4b - If an object would change to the control of a player who has left the game, it doesn't. If a token would enter the battlefield under the control of a player who has left the game, no token is created. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.4c - If an object that would be owned by a player who has left the game would be created in any zone, it isn't created. If a triggered ability that would be controlled by a player who has left the game would be put onto the stack, it isn't put on the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Astral Slide is an enchantment that reads, "Whenever a player cycles a card, you may exile target creature. If you do, return that creature to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next end step." During Alex's turn, Bianca uses Astral Slide's ability to exile Alex's Hypnotic Specter. Before the end of that turn, Bianca leaves the game. At the beginning of the end step, the delayed triggered ability generated by Astral Slide that would return Hypnotic Specter to play triggers, but it isn't put on the stack. Hypnotic Specter never returns to the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.4d - If combat damage would be dealt to a player who has left the game, that damage simply isn't dealt. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.4e - If an object requires a player who has left the game to make a choice, the controller of the object chooses another player to make that choice. If the original choice was to be made by an opponent of the controller of the object, that player chooses another opponent if possible. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.4f - If an effect requires information about a specific player, the effect uses the current information about that player if he or she is still in the game; otherwise, the effect uses the last known information about that player before he or she left the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.4g - If a player leaves the game during his or her turn, that turn continues to its completion without an active player. If the active player would receive priority, instead the next player in turn order receives priority, or the top object on the stack resolves, or the phase or step ends, whichever is appropriate. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.4h - When a player leaves the game, objects that player owns in the ante zone do not leave the game. This is an exception to Rule 800.4a. See Rule 407, "Ante." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 800.4i - In a Planar Magic game, if the player designated as the planar controller would leave the game, instead the next player in turn order that wouldn't leave the game becomes the planar controller, then the old planar controller leaves the game. See Rule 309.5. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 800.5 - 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. The Two-Headed Giant variant employs more extensive changes to the mulligan rule; see Rule 806.6a. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
801 - Limited Range of Influence Option
- 801.1 - Limited range of influence is an option that can be applied to most multiplayer games. It's always used in the Emperor variant (see Rule 807), and it's often used for games involving five or more players. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.2 - A player's range of influence is the maximum distance from that player, measured in player seats, that the player can affect. Players within that many seats of the player are within that player's range of influence. Objects controlled by players within a player's range of influence are also within that player's range of influence. Range of influence covers spells, abilities, effects, damage dealing, attacking, making choices, and winning the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.2a - The most commonly chosen limited ranges of influence are 1 seat and 2 seats. Different players may have different ranges of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A range of influence of 1 means that only you and the players seated directly next to you are within your range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A range of influence of 2 means that you and the two players to your left and the two players to your right are within your range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.2b - A player is always within his or her own range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.2c - The particular players within each player's range of influence are determined as each turn begins. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a game with a range of influence of 1, Alex is seated to the left of Rob, and Carissa is seated to the right of Rob. Carissa is not in Alex's range of influence. If Rob leaves the game, Carissa will enter Alex's range of influence at the start of the next turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.2d - An object is within a player's range of influence if it's controlled by that player or by another player within that many seats of that player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.3 - Creatures can attack only opponents within their controller's range of influence or planeswalkers controlled by those opponents. If no opponents are within a player's range of influence, creatures that player controls can't attack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.4 - Objects and players outside a player's range of influence can't be the targets of spells or abilities that player controls. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.5 - Some cards require players to make choices. These cards work differently when the limited range of influence option is used. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.5a - If a player is asked to choose an object or player, he or she must choose one within his or her range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a game with a range of influence of 1, Alex is seated to the left of Rob. Alex activates the ability of Cuombajj Witches, which reads, "Cuombajj Witches deals 1 damage to target creature or player and 1 damage to target creature or player of an opponent's choice," targeting Rob and choosing Rob as the opponent who picks the other target. Rob must choose a target that's in both his range of influence and in the range of influence of the controller of Cuombajj Witches. He must therefore choose himself, Alex, or a creature controlled by either himself or Alex. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.5b - If a player is asked to choose between one or more options (and not between one or more objects or players), he or she can choose between those options even if those options refer to objects or players outside the player's range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Alex, who has a range of influence of 2, is seated to the left of Rob, and Carissa, who has a range of influence of 1, is seated to the right of Rob. Alex casts a spell that reads, "An opponent chooses one -- You draw 2 cards; or each creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn," and chooses Carissa to make that choice. Carissa can choose the mode even though Alex is out of her range. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.5c - If an effect requires a choice and there's no player who can make that choice within its controller's range of influence, the closest appropriate player to its controller's left makes that choice. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In an Emperor game in which all players have range of influence 1, an emperor casts Fact or Fiction, which reads, "Reveal the top five cards of your library. An opponent separates those cards into two piles. Put one pile into your hand and the other into your graveyard." Since no opponent is within the emperor's range of influence, the nearest opponent to the emperor's left separates the cards into piles. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.6 - A player can't activate the activated abilities of an object outside of his or her range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.7 - A triggered ability doesn't trigger unless its trigger event happens entirely within the range of influence of its source's controller. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a game in which all players have range of influence 1, Alex is seated to the left of Rob. Rob controls two Auras attached to Alex's Runeclaw Bear: One with the trigger condition "Whenever enchanted creature becomes blocked," and one with the trigger condition "Whenever enchanted creature becomes blocked by a creature." Alex's Runeclaw Bear attacks the player to Alex's left and becomes blocked. The ability of Rob's first Aura triggers because the entire event (Runeclaw Bear becomes blocked) happens within Rob's range of influence. The ability of Rob's second Aura doesn't trigger, however, because that event includes the blocking creature, which is out of Rob's range. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 801.7a - If a trigger event includes an object moving out of or into a player's range of influence, use the game state before or after the event as appropriate to determine whether the triggered ability will trigger. See Rule 603.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Carissa and Alex are outside each other's range of influence. Carissa controls a creature owned by Alex and they each control a Soul Net, an artifact which reads, "Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay {1}. If you do, you gain 1 life." The creature is destroyed and is put into Alex's graveyard. Alex's Soul Net doesn't trigger because the destruction event was outside Alex's range of influence. Carissa's Soul Net does trigger, even though the creature is going to a graveyard outside her range, because the destruction event was within her range. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.8 - An Aura can't enchant an object or player outside its controller's range of influence. If an Aura is attached to an illegal object or player, the Aura is put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based action. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.9 - An Equipment can't equip an object outside its controller's range of influence, and a Fortification can't fortify an object outside its controller's range of influence. If an Equipment or Fortification is attached to an illegal permanent, it becomes unattached from that permanent but remains on the battlefield. This is a state-based action. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.10 - Spells and abilities can't affect objects or players outside their controller's range of influence. The parts of the effect that attempt to affect an out-of-range object or player will do nothing. The rest of the effect will work normally. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a six-player game in which each player has range of influence 1, Alex casts Pyroclasm, which reads, "Pyroclasm deals 2 damage to each creature." Pyroclasm deals 2 damage to each creature controlled by Alex, the player to Alex's left, and the player to Alex's right. No other creatures are dealt damage. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.11 - If a spell or ability requires information from the game, it gets only information from within its controller's range of influence. It doesn't see objects or events outside its controller's range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a six-player game where each player has range of influence 1, Alex controls Coat of Arms, which reads, "Each creature gets +1/+1 for each other creature on the battlefield that shares at least one creature type with it." Coat of Arms will boost Alex's creatures based only on what creatures are controlled by Alex, the player to Alex's left, and the player to Alex's right. It won't take other creatures into account. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In the same game, Rob is sitting to the right of Alex. Coat of Arms will boost Rob's creatures based only on what creatures are controlled by Rob and Alex. They are the only two players within range of both Rob and the controller of Coat of Arms. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.12 - The "legend rule" (see Rule 704.5k) applies to a permanent only if other legendary permanents with the same name are within its controller's range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Alex has range of influence 1, and Carissa has range of influence 2. Rob sits between them. If Alex controls a legendary permanent and Carissa puts a legendary permanent with the same name onto the battlefield, only the one controlled by Carissa will be put into a graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.13 - The "world rule" (see Rule 704.5m) applies to a permanent only if other world permanents are within its controller's range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.14 - The "planeswalker uniqueness rule" (see Rule 704.5j) applies to a planeswalker only if other planeswalkers with the same planeswalker type are within its controller's range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.15 - Replacement and prevention effects watch for a particular event to happen and then completely or partially replace that event. The limited range of influence option can cause the modified event to contain instructions that can't be carried out, in which case the player simply ignores the impossible instructions. See Rule 614, "Replacement Effects," and Rule 615, "Prevention Effects." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.15a - If a replacement effect tries to cause a spell or ability to affect an object or player outside its controller's range of influence, that portion of the event does nothing. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Alex casts Lava Axe ("Lava Axe deals 5 damage to target player") targeting Rob. In response, Rob casts Captain's Maneuver ("The next X damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn is dealt to another target creature or player instead") with X equal to 3, targeting Carissa. Carissa isn't in Alex's range of influence. When Lava Axe resolves, it deals 2 damage to Rob and no damage to Carissa. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.15b - If a spell or ability creates an effect that prevents damage that would be dealt by a source, it can affect only sources within the spell or ability's controller's range of influence. If a spell or ability creates an effect that prevents damage that would be dealt to a creature or player, it can affect only creatures and players within the spell or ability's controller's range of influence. If a spell or ability creates an effect that prevents damage, but neither the source nor the would-be recipient of the damage is specified, it prevents damage only if both the source and recipient of that damage are within the spell or ability's controller's range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Rob is within Alex's range of influence, but Carissa is not. Alex controls an enchantment that says, "Prevent all damage that would be dealt by creatures." Carissa attacks Rob with a creature. The creature deals combat damage to Rob. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Rob is within Alex's range of influence, but Carissa is not. Carissa casts Lightning Blast ("Lightning Blast deals 4 damage to target creature or player") targeting Rob. In response, Alex casts Mending Hands ("Prevent the next 4 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn") targeting Rob. The damage to Rob is prevented. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: Rob is within Alex's range of influence, but Carissa is not. Carissa attacks Rob with a creature, and Rob blocks with a creature. Alex casts Holy Day ("Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.") Carissa and Rob's creatures deal combat damage to each other. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.16 - If an effect states that a player wins the game, all of that player's opponents within his or her range of influence lose the game instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 801.17 - If the effect of a spell or ability states that the game is a draw, the game is a draw for that spell or ability's controller and all players within his or her range of influence. They leave the game. All remaining players continue to play the game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 801.18 - In multiplayer Planar Magic games other than Grand Melee games, plane cards are exempt from the limited range of influence option. Their abilities, and the effects of those abilities, affect all applicable objects and players in the game. See Rule 901, "Planar Magic." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
802 - Attack Multiple Players Option
- 802.1 - Some multiplayer games allow the active player to attack multiple other players. If this option is used, a player can also choose to attack only one player during a particular combat. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 802.2 - As the combat phase starts, the attacking player doesn't choose an opponent to become the defending player. Instead, all the attacking player's opponents are defending players during the combat phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 802.2a - Any rule, object, or effect that refers to a "defending player" refers to one specific defending player, not to all of the defending players. If the source of an ability that refers to a defending player is an attacking creature, it will usually refer to the player it's attacking or the controller of the planeswalker it's attacking. If there are multiple defending players that could be chosen, the controller of the ability chooses one. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: Rob attacks Alex with Runeclaw Bear and attacks Carissa with a creature with mountainwalk. Whether the creature with mountainwalk is unblockable depends only on whether Carissa controls a Mountain. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 802.3 - As the attacking player declares each attacking creature, he or she chooses a defending player or a planeswalker controlled by a defending player for it to attack. See Rule 508, "Declare Attackers Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 802.3a - Restrictions and requirements that don't apply to attacking a specific player are evaluated based on the entire group of attacking creatures. Restrictions and requirements that apply to attacking a specific player apply only to creatures attacking that player. The entire group of attacking creatures must still be legal. See Rule 508.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 802.3b - Creatures in a band can't attack different players. See Rule 702.19, "Banding." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 802.4 - If more than one player is being attacked or controls a planeswalker that's being attacked, each defending player in APNAP order declares blockers as the declare blockers step begins. (See Rule 101.4 and Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step.") The first defending player declares all his or her blocks, then the second defending player, and so on. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 802.4a - A defending player can block only with creatures he or she controls. Those creatures can block only creatures attacking that player or a planeswalker that player controls. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 802.4b - When determining whether a defending player's blocks are legal, ignore any creatures attacking other players and any blocking creatures controlled by other players. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 802.5 - After blockers have been declared, if any creatures are blocking multiple creatures, each defending player in APNAP order announces the damage assignment order among the attacking creatures for each blocking creature he or she controls. See Rule 510, "Combat Damage Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 802.6 - Combat damage is assigned in APNAP order. Other than that, the combat damage step proceeds just as in a two-player game. See Rule 510, "Combat Damage Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
803 - Attack Left and Attack Right Options
- 803.1 - Some multiplayer games use the optional attack left or attack right rules. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 803.1a - If the attack left option is used, a player can attack only an opponent seated immediately to his or her left. If a player's nearest opponent to the left is more than one seat away, the player can't attack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 803.1b - If the attack right option is used, a player can attack only an opponent seated immediately to his or her right. If a player's nearest opponent to the right is more than one seat away, the player can't attack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
804 - Deploy Creatures Option
- 804.1 - The Emperor variant always uses the deploy creatures option, and it can be used in other variants that allow players to compete in teams. Multiplayer formats in which players compete as individuals usually don't use this option. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 804.2 - Each creature has the ability "{Tap}: Target teammate gains control of this creature. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
805 - Free-for-All Variant
- 805.1 - In Free-for-All multiplayer games, a group of players compete as individuals against each other. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 805.2 - Any multiplayer options used are determined before play begins. The Free-for-All variant uses the following default options. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 805.2a - The limited range of influence option usually isn't used in Free-for-All games. If it is, each player has the same range of influence, which is determined before play begins. See Rule 801, "Limited Range of Influence Option." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 805.2b - Exactly one of the attack left, attack right, and attack multiple players options must be used. See Rule 803, "Attack Left and Attack Right Options," and Rule 802, "Attack Multiple Players Option." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 805.2c - The deploy creatures option isn't used in the Free-for-All variant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 805.3 - The players are randomly seated around the table. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
806 - Two-Headed Giant Variant
- 806.1 - Two-Headed Giant games are played with two teams of two players each. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.2 - No multiplayer options are used in Two-Headed Giant games. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 806.3 - Each team sits together on one side of the table. Each team decides the order in which its players sit. The player seated on the right within each team is the primary player, and the player seated on the left is the secondary player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.3a - If the two players on a team can't agree on a choice, such as which creatures attack or what order triggered abilities are put on the stack, the primary player makes that choice. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.4 - The Two-Headed Giant variant has two unique features. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.4a - Each team has a shared life total, which starts at 30 life. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.4b - Each team takes turns rather than each player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.5 - With the exception of life total, a team's resources (cards in hand, mana, and so on) are not shared in the Two-Headed Giant variant. Teammates may review each other's hands and discuss strategies at any time. Teammates can't manipulate each other's cards or permanents. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.6 - Timing of Team Turns [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.6a - A player who is dissatisfied with his or her initial hand may mulligan. First, each player on the starting team declares whether or not he or she will take a mulligan. Then the players on each other team in turn order do the same. Teammates may consult during this process, but a player can't see the result of his or her teammate's mulligan before deciding whether to take a mulligan at the same time. A player may take a mulligan even after his or her teammate has decided to keep his or her opening hand. Once each player has made a declaration, all players who decided to take mulligans do so at the same time. To take a mulligan, a player shuffles his or her hand back into his or her library, then draws a new hand. In a multiplayer game, the first time a player takes a mulligan, his or her new hand is seven cards; each subsequent mulligan that player takes results in a hand of one fewer cards than the last. If a player kept his or her hand of cards, those cards become the player's opening hand, and that player may not take any further mulligans. This process is then repeated until no player takes a mulligan. (Note that if a player's hand size reaches zero cards, that player must keep that hand.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 806.6b - The team who plays first skips the draw step of their first turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.6c - Teams have priority, not individual players. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.6d - The Active Player, Nonactive Player order rule (see Rule 101.4) is modified for Two-Headed Giant play. The team whose turn it is is the active team. The other team is the nonactive team. If both teams would make choices and/or take actions at the same time, first the active team makes any choices required, then the nonactive team makes any choices required. Then the actions happen simultaneously. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.6e - A player may cast a spell, activate an ability, or take a special action when his or her team has priority. Each player on a team draws a card during that team's draw step. Each player on a team may play a land during each of that team's turns. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.6f - If multiple triggered abilities have triggered since the last time a team received priority, the members of the active team put all triggered abilities either of them controls on the stack in any order they choose, then the members of the nonactive team do the same. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.6g - If a team has priority and neither player on that team wishes to do anything, that team passes. If both teams pass in succession (that is, if both teams pass without any player taking any actions in between passing), the top object on the stack resolves, then the active team receives priority. If the stack is empty when both teams pass in succession, the phase or step ends and the next one begins. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.6h - If an effect gives a player an extra turn or adds a phase or step to that player's turn, that player's team takes the extra turn, phase, or step. If an effect causes a player to skip a step, phase, or turn, that player's team does so. If a single effect causes both players on the same team to add or skip the same step, phase, or turn, that team adds or skips only that step, phase, or turn. If an effect causes a player to control another player's turn, the controller of that effect controls the affected player's team's turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.6i - If an effect instructs more than one player to draw cards in a Two-Headed Giant game, first the primary player 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. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.7 - The Two-Headed Giant variant uses different combat rules than other multiplayer variants. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.7a - Each team's creatures attack the other team as a group. During the combat phase, the active team is the attacking team and each player on the active team is an attacking player. Likewise, the nonactive team is the defending team and each player on the nonactive team is a defending player. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.7b - Any one-shot effect that refers to the "defending player" refers to one specific defending player, not to both of the defending players. The controller of the effect chooses which one the spell or ability refers to at the time the effect is applied. The same is true for any one-shot effect that refers to the "attacking player." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Any characteristic-defining ability that refers to the "defending player" refers to one specific defending player, not to both of the defending players. The controller of the object with the characteristic-defining ability chooses which one the ability refers to at the time the nonactive players become defending players. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
All other cases in which the "defending player" is referred to actually refer to both defending players. If the reference involves a positive comparison (such as asking whether the defending player controls an Island) or a relative comparison (such as asking whether you control more creatures than the defending player), it gets only one answer. This answer is "yes" if either defending player in the comparison would return a "yes" answer if compared individually. If the reference involves a negative comparison (such as asking whether the defending player controls no black permanents), it also gets only one answer. This answer is "yes" if performing the analogous positive comparison would return a "no" answer. The same is true for all other cases that refer to the "attacking player." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.7c - As the declare attackers step begins, the active team declares attackers. If an effect of an object controlled by a defending player prohibits a creature from attacking him or her, that creature can't attack the defending team. The active team has one combined attack, and that set of attacking creatures must be legal as a whole. See Rule 508.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: One player in a Two-Headed Giant game controls Teferi's Moat, which says "As Teferi's Moat comes into play, choose a color." and "Creatures of the chosen color without flying can't attack you." Creatures of the chosen color without flying can't attack that player's team. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.7d - As the declare blockers step begins, the defending team declares blockers. Creatures controlled by the defending players can block any attacking creatures. The defending team has one combined block, and that set of blocking creatures must be legal as a whole. See Rule 509.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: If an attacking creature has forestwalk and either player on the defending team controls a Forest, the creature can't be blocked. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.7e - Once blockers have been declared, for each attacking creature that's become blocked by multiple creatures, the active team announces the damage assignment order among the blocking creatures. Then, for each creature that's blocking multiple creatures, the defending team announces the damage assignment order among the attacking creatures. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.7f - As the combat damage step begins, the active team announces how each attacking creature will assign its combat damage. If an attacking creature would assign combat damage to the defending team, the active team chooses only one of the defending players for that creature to assign its combat damage to. Then the defending team announces how each blocking creature will assign its combat damage. See Rule 510.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.8 - The Two-Headed Giant variant uses the normal rules for winning or losing the game (see Rule 104), with the following additions and specifications. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 806.8a - Players win and lose the game only as a team, not as individuals. If either player on a team loses the game, the team loses the game. If either player on a team wins the game, the entire team wins the game. If an effect would prevent a player from winning the game, that player's team can't win the game. If an effect would prevent a player from losing the game, that player's team can't lose the game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player controls Transcendence, which reads, in part, "You don't lose the game for having 0 or less life." If that player's team's life total is 0 or less, that team doesn't lose the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player attempts to draw a card while there are no cards in that player's library. That player loses the game, so that player's entire team loses the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player controls Platinum Angel, which reads, "You can't lose the game and your opponents can't win the game." Neither that player nor his or her teammate can lose the game while Platinum Angel is on the battlefield, and neither player on the opposing team can win the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.8b - If a player concedes, his or her team leaves the game immediately. That team loses the game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 806.8c - If a team's life total is 0 or less, the team loses the game. (This is a state-based action. See Rule 704.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 806.9 - Damage, loss of life, and gaining life happen to each player individually. The result is applied to the team's shared life total. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player casts Flame Rift, which reads, "Flame Rift deals 4 damage to each player." Each team is dealt a total of 8 damage. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.9a - If an effect needs to know the value of an individual player's life total, that effect uses the team's life total divided by two, rounded up, instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a team is at 17 life when a player activates Heartless Hidetsugu's ability, which reads, "Heartless Hidetsugu deals to each player damage equal to half that player's life total, rounded down." For the purposes of this ability, each player on that team is considered to be at 9 life. Heartless Hidetsugu deals 4 damage to each of those players, for a total of 8 damage. The team will end up at 9 life. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player controls Test of Endurance, an enchantment that reads, "At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 50 or more life, you win the game." At the beginning of that player's upkeep, the player's team wins the game only if his or her share of the team's life total is 50 or more. The team's life total must be 99 or more for that to happen. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player controls Lurking Jackals, which reads, "When an opponent has 10 life or less, if Lurking Jackals is an enchantment, it becomes a 3/2 Hound creature." If the opposing team has 22 life and 1 damage is dealt to a particular opponent, Lurking Jackals won't become a creature. The opposing team's life total must be 20 or less for that to happen. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.9b - If an effect would set the life total of each player on a team to a number, the result is the sum of all the numbers. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player casts Biorhythm, which reads, "Each player's life total becomes the number of creatures he or she controls." If one member of a team that has 25 life controls three creatures and the other member controls four creatures, that team's life total becomes 7. The first player is considered to have lost 10 life (13 - 3), and the second player is considered to have lost 9 life (13 - 4), even though the team didn't lose a total of 19 life. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.9c - If an effect would set a single player's life total to a number, that player's individual life total becomes that number. The team's life total is adjusted by the amount of life that player gained or lost. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player on a team that has 25 life casts a spell that reads, "Your life total becomes 20." That player's life total is considered to be 13 for the purpose of the spell, so it becomes 20 and the team's life total becomes 32 (25 + (20 - 13)). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.9d - If a cost or effect allows a player to pay an amount of life greater than 0 in a Two-Headed Giant game, the player may do so only if his or her team's life total is greater than or equal to the total amount of life both team members are paying for that cost or effect. If a player pays life, the payment is subtracted from his or her team's life total. (Players can always pay 0 life.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 806.10 - The Two-Headed Giant variant can also be played with equally sized teams of more than two players. Each team's starting life total is equal to 15 times the number of players on the team. (These variants are unofficially called Three-Headed Giant, Four-Headed Giant, and so on.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
807 - Emperor Variant
- 807.1 - The Emperor variant involves two or more teams of three players each. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 807.2 - Each team sits together on one side of the table. Each team decides the order in which it's seated. Each team has one emperor, who sits in the middle of the team. The remaining players on the team are generals whose job is to protect the emperor. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 807.3 - The Emperor variant uses the following default options. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 807.3a - The range of influence is limited to 2 for emperors and 1 for generals. See Rule 801, "Limited Range of Influence Option." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 807.3b - Emperor games use the deploy creatures option (see Rule 804). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 807.3c - A player can attack only an opponent seated immediately next to him or her. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: At the start of an emperor game, neither emperor can attack any opponents, even though both of the opposing generals are within their spell range. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 807.4 - Randomly determine which emperor goes first. Turn order goes to players' left. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 807.5 - The Emperor variant includes the following specifications for winning and losing the game. All other rules for winning and losing the game also apply. (See Rule 104.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 807.5a - A team loses the game if its emperor loses. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 807.5b - The game is a draw for a team if the game is a draw for its emperor. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 807.6 - The Emperor variant can also be played with any number of equally sized teams. If the teams have more than three players, the range of influence of each player should be adjusted. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 807.6a - Each general's range of influence should be the minimum number that allows one general from an opposing team to begin the game within his or her range of influence. Each emperor's range of influence should be the minimum number that allows two generals from opposing teams to begin the game within his or her range of influence. Players should be seated such that no emperor begins the game within the range of influence of another emperor. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In an Emperor game between two teams of four players each, the player configuration (either clockwise or counterclockwise around the table) should be: Team A general 1, Team A emperor, Team A general 2, Team A general 3, Team B general 1, Team B emperor, Team B general 2, Team B general 3. Each emperor has range of influence 3. Each general 2 has range of influence 2. Each general 1 and general 3 has range of influence 1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 807.7 - In the Emperor variant, a team's resources (cards in hand, mana, and so on) are not shared. Teammates may review each other's hands and discuss strategies at any time. Teammates can't manipulate each other's cards or permanents. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
808 - Grand Melee Variant
- 808.1 - The Grand Melee variant is a modification of the Free-for-All variant, in which a group of players compete against each other as individuals. Grand Melee is normally used only in games begun with ten or more players. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.2 - Any multiplayer options used are decided before play begins. The Grand Melee variant uses the following default options. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.2a - Each player has a range of influence of 1 (see Rule 801). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.2b - The attack left option is used (see Rule 803). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.2c - The attack multiple players and deploy creatures options aren't used in the Grand Melee variant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.3 - The players are seated at random. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.4 - The Grand Melee variant allows multiple players to take turns at the same time. Moving turn markers keep track of which players are currently taking turns. Each turn marker represents an active player's turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.4a - There is one turn marker for each full four players in the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: A Grand Melee game with sixteen players has four turn markers. A game with fifteen players has three turn markers. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.4b - The starting player in the game gets the first turn marker. The player four seats to that player's left (the fifth player) takes the second turn marker, and so on until all the turn markers have been handed out. Each turn marker is assigned a number in this way. Then all players with turn markers start their turns at the same time. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.4c - When a player ends his or her turn, that player passes the turn marker to the player on his or her left. A player can't receive a turn marker if any player in the three seats to his or her left has a turn marker. If this is the case, wait until the player four seats to his or her left takes the other turn marker. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.4d - If an effect causes a player with a turn marker to take an extra turn after the current one, that player keeps the turn marker and starts his or her next turn after the current turn ends, unless another turn marker is too close on either side at that time. If a turn marker is within three seats on the player's left, the extra turn waits to begin until the player four seats to his or her left takes the other turn marker. If a turn marker is within three seats on the player's right, the player passes the turn marker to his or her left when the turn ends rather than keeping it, and the player will take the extra turn immediately before his or her next turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.4e - If a player leaves the game and that player leaving the game would reduce the number of turn markers in the game, a turn marker is removed. Turn markers are removed only between turns. Remove the turn marker immediately to the departed player's right. If more than one player has left the game and there are multiple turn markers that could be removed, remove the marker with the lower number. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.4f - If an effect would cause a player to take an extra turn after the current turn, but that player wouldn't have a turn marker at the start of that turn, that player will take the extra turn immediately before his or her next turn instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: During Alex's turn, he casts Time Walk, which causes him to get an extra turn after this one. During the same turn, the player to Alex's left leaves the game, which causes the number of turn markers to be reduced. After Alex's current turn ends, his turn marker is removed. He won't take the extra turn from Time Walk until just before his normal turn the next time he receives a turn marker. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.5 - Rather than having a single stack, Grand Melee games contain multiple stacks. Each turn marker represents its own stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.5a - A player gets priority for a particular turn marker's stack only if the turn marker is within his or her range of influence or an object on that stack is controlled by a player within his or her range of influence. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 808.5b - If a player has priority for multiple stacks and casts a spell, activates an ability, or a triggered ability he or she controls triggers, the player must specify which one of those stacks the spell or ability is put on. If an object on one of those stacks caused the triggered ability to trigger, the player must put it on that stack. If a resolving spell or ability on one of those stacks causes a player to cast a spell or create a copy of a spell, the new spell must be put on the same stack. If a spell or ability targets an object on one of those stacks, it must be put on the same stack as its target; it can't target objects on multiple stacks. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
809 - Teams Variant
- 809.1 - The Teams variant involves two or more teams of equal size. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 809.2 - Any multiplayer options used are determined before play begins. The Teams variant uses the following default options. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 809.2a - The recommended range of influence is 2. See Rule 801, "Limited Range of Influence Option." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 809.2b - Exactly one of the attack left, attack right, and attack multiple players options must be used. See Rule 803, "Attack Left and Attack Right Options," and Rule 802, "Attack Multiple Players Option." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 809.2c - The deploy creatures option isn't normally used in the Teams variant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 809.3 - At the start of the game, players are seated so that no one is next to a teammate and each team is equally spaced out. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Example: In a Teams game with three teams, A, B, and C, the seating around the table at the start of the game is A1, B1, C1, A2, B2, C2, A3, B3, C3, and so on. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 809.4 - A player can't attack opponents who aren't seated next to him or her. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- 809.5 - In the Teams variant, a team's resources (cards in hand, mana, and so on) are not shared. Teammates can't review each other's hands unless they are sitting next to each other. Teammates may discuss strategies at any time. Teammates can't manipulate each other's cards or permanents. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
9 - Casual Variants and Tournament Rules
900 - General
- 900.1 - This section contains additional optional rules that can be used for certain casual game variants. It is by no means comprehensive. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 900.2 - The casual variants detailed here use supplemental zones, rules, cards, and other game implements not used in traditional Magic games. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
901 - Planar Magic
- 901.1 - In the Planar Magic variant, plane cards add additional abilities and randomness to the game. At any given time, one plane card will be face up and its abilities will affect the game. The Planar Magic variant uses all the normal rules for a Magic game, with the following additions. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.2 - A Planar Magic game may be a two-player game or a multiplayer game. The default multiplayer setup is the Free-for-All variant with the attack multiple players option and without the limited range of influence option. See Rule 805, "Free-for-All Variant." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.3 - In addition to the normal game materials, each player needs a planar deck of at least ten plane cards and the game needs one planar die. Each card in a planar deck must have a different English name. (See Rule 309, "Planes.") [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.3a - A planar die is a six-sided die. One face has the planeswalker symbol {P}. One face has the chaos symbol {C}. The other faces are blank. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.4 - At the start of the game, each player shuffles his or her planar deck so that the cards are in a random order. Each deck is placed face down next to its owner's library. All plane cards remain in the command zone throughout the game, both while they're part of a planar deck and while they're face up. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.5 - Once all players have kept their opening hands and used the abilities of cards that allow them to start the game with those cards on the battlefield, the starting player moves the top card of his or her planar deck off that planar deck and turns it face up. (See Rule 103.6.) No abilities of that card trigger as a result. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.6 - The owner of a plane card is the player who started the game with it in his or her planar deck. The controller of a face-up plane card is the player designated as the planar controller. Normally, the planar controller is whoever the active player is. However, if the current planar controller would leave the game, instead the next player in turn order that wouldn't leave the game becomes the planar controller, then the old planar controller leaves the game. The new planar controller retains that designation until he or she leaves the game or a different player becomes the active player, whichever comes first. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.7 - Any abilities of a face-up plane card in the command zone function from that zone. The card's static abilities affect the game, its triggered abilities may trigger, and its activated abilities may be activated. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.7a - Each plane card is treated as if its text box included "When you roll {P}, put this card on the bottom of its owner's planar deck face down, then move the top card of your planar deck off your planar deck and turn it face up." This is called the "planeswalking ability." A face-up plane card that's turned face down becomes a new object. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.8 - Any time the active player has priority and the stack is empty, but only during a main phase of his or her turn, that player may roll the planar die. Taking this action costs a player an amount of mana equal to the number of times he or she has previously taken this action on that turn. This is a special action and doesn't use the stack. (See Rule 114.2f.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.8a - If the die roll is a blank face, nothing happens. The active player gets priority. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.8b - If the die roll is the chaos symbol {C}, any ability of the plane that starts "When you roll {C}" triggers and is put on the stack. The active player gets priority. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.8c - If the die roll is the planeswalker symbol {P}, the plane's "planeswalking ability" triggers and is put on the stack. The active player gets priority. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.9 - When a player leaves the game, all objects owned by that player leave the game. (See Rule 800.4a.) If that includes the face-up plane card, the planar controller turns the top card of his or her planar deck face up. This is not a state-based action. It happens as soon as the player leaves the game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.9a - If a plane leaves the game while a "planeswalking ability" for which it was the source is on the stack, that ability ceases to exist. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.10 - After the game has started, if a player moves the top card of his or her planar deck off that planar deck and turns it face up, that player has "planeswalked." Continuous effects with durations that last until a player planeswalks end. Abilities that trigger when a player planeswalks trigger. See Rule 701.19. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.10a - A player may planeswalk as the result of the "planeswalking ability" (see Rule 309.6) or because the owner of the face-up plane card leaves the game (see Rule 901.9). [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.10b - The plane card that's turned face up is the plane the player planeswalks to. The plane card that's turned face down, or that leaves the game, is the plane the player planeswalks away from. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.11 - A Two-Headed Giant Planar Magic game uses all the rules for the Two-Headed Giant multiplayer variant and all the rules for the Planar Magic casual variant, with the following additions. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.11a - Each player has his or her own planar deck. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.11b - The planar controller is normally the primary player of the active team. However, if the current planar controller's team would leave the game, instead the primary player of the next team in turn order that wouldn't leave the game becomes the planar controller, then the old planar controller's team leaves the game. The new planar controller retains that designation until he or she leaves the game or a different team becomes the active team, whichever comes first. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.11c - Even though the face-up plane is controlled by just one player, any ability of that plane that refers to "you" applies to both members of the planar controller's team. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.11d - Since each member of the active team is an active player, each of them may roll the planar die. Each player's cost to roll the planar die is based on the number of times that particular player has already rolled the planar die that turn. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.12 - In multiplayer formats other than Grand Melee, plane cards are exempt from the limited range of influence option. Their abilities, and the effects of those abilities, affect all applicable objects and players in the game. (See Rule 801, "Limited Range of Influence Option.") [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.13 - In Grand Melee Planar Magic games, multiple plane cards may be face up at the same time. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.13a - Before the first turn of the game of the game, each player who will start the game with a turn marker moves the top card of his or her planar deck off that planar deck and turns it face up. Each of them is a planar controller. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.13b - If a player would leave the game and that player leaving the game would reduce the number of turn markers in the game, that player first ceases to be a planar controller (but no other player becomes a planar controller), then that player leaves the game. The face-up plane card that player controlled is put on the bottom of its owner's planar deck. No player is considered to have planeswalked. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.14 - Single Planar Deck Option [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.14a - As an alternative option, a Planar Magic game may be played with just a single communal planar deck. In that case, the number of cards in the planar deck must be at least forty or at least ten times the number of players in the game, whichever is smaller. Each card in the planar deck must have a different English name. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.14b - In a Planar Magic game using the single planar deck option, the planar controller is considered to be the owner of all the plane cards. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 901.14c - If any rule or ability refers to a player's planar deck, the communal planar deck is used. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
902 - Vanguard
- 902.1 - In the Vanguard variant, a vanguard card allows each player to play the role of a famous character. Each player will have one face-up vanguard card whose abilities and other characteristics affect the game. The Vanguard variant uses all the normal rules for a Magic game, with the following additions. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 902.2 - A Vanguard game may be a two-player game or a multiplayer game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 902.3 - In addition to the normal game materials, each player needs a vanguard card. Each vanguard card is placed face up next to its owner's library before the game begins. All vanguard cards remain in the command zone throughout the game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 902.4 - Each player's starting life total is 20, as modified by the life modifier of his or her vanguard card. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: The life modifier of a player's vanguard card is -3. That player starts the game with 17 life. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 902.5 - Each player draws a hand of seven cards, as modified by the hand modifier of his or her vanguard card. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 902.5a - If a player takes a mulligan in a Vanguard game, just like in a normal game, that player shuffles his or her hand back into his or her library, then draws a new hand of one fewer cards than he or she had before. (In a multiplayer game, a player's first mulligan is for the same number of cards as he or she had before.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: The hand modifier of a player's vanguard card is +2. That player starts the game with a hand of 9 cards. If the player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of 8 cards. The next mulligan is for 7 cards, and so on. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 902.5b - A player's maximum hand size is seven, as modified by the hand modifier of his or her vanguard card. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: The hand modifier of a player's vanguard card is -1. That player's maximum hand size is six. If that player has more than six cards in his or her hand as the cleanup step begins, he or she will discard all but six of them. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 902.6 - The owner of a vanguard card is the player who started the game with it in the command zone. The controller of a face-up vanguard card is its owner. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 902.7 - Any abilities of a face-up vanguard card in the command zone function from that zone. The card's static abilities affect the game, its triggered abilities may trigger, and its activated abilities may be activated. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
903 - EDH
- 903.1 - In the EDH variant, each deck is led by a legendary creature designated as that deck's general. The EDH variant uses all the normal rules for a Magic game, with the following additions. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.2 - An EDH game may be a two-player game or a multiplayer game. The default multiplayer setup is the Free-for-All variant with the attack multiple players option and without the limited range of influence option. See Rule 805, "Free-for-All Variant." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.3 - Each deck has a legendary creature card designated as its general. This designation is not a characteristic of the object represented by the card; rather, it is an attribute of the card itself. The card retains this designation even when it changes zones. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: A general that's been turned face down (due to Ixidron's effect, for example) is still a general. A general that's copying another card (due to Cytoshape's effect, for example) is still a general. A permanent that's copying a general (such as a Body Double, for example, copying a general in a player's graveyard) is not a general. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.4 - Each EDH deck is subject to the following deck construction rules. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.4a - Each deck must contain exactly 100 cards, including its general. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.4b - Other than basic lands, each card in an EDH deck must have a different English name. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.4c - A card may be included in an EDH deck only if each mana symbol contained within its mana cost or rules text is colorless or is a color or colors that's in the general's mana cost. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: A deck has a white-blue general. Each mana symbol in each card in that deck must be white, blue, white-blue hybrid, or colorless. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.4d - A basic land card may be included in an EDH deck only if it could produce a color of mana that's in the general's mana cost. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
Example: A deck has a white-blue general. It may include basic Plains and basic Islands, but not basic Swamps, basic Mountains, or basic Forests. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.5 - At the start of the game, each player puts his or her general face up next to his or her library. The generals start the game in the command zone. Then each player shuffles the remaining 99 cards of his or her deck so that the cards are in a random order. Those cards become the player's library. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.6 - Once the starting player has been determined, each player sets his or her life total to 40 and draws a hand of seven cards. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.7 - The EDH casual variant uses an alternate mulligan rule. Each time a player takes a mulligan, rather than shuffling his or her entire hand of cards into his or her library, that player exiles any number of cards from his or her hand. Then the player draws a number of cards equal to one less than the number of cards he or she exiled this way. Once a player keeps an opening hand, that player shuffles all cards he or she exiled this way into his or her library. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.8 - If a player would add mana to his or her mana pool of a color that isn't in the mana cost of his or her deck's general, that player adds colorless mana to his or her mana pool instead. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.9 - A player may cast a general he or she owns from the command zone. Doing so costs that player an additional {2} for each previous time he or she cast that general from the command zone that game. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.10 - If a general would be put into its owner's graveyard from anywhere, that player may put it into the command zone instead. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.11 - If a general would be put into the exile zone from anywhere, its owner may put it into the command zone instead. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.12 - The EDH variant includes the following specification for winning and losing the game. All other rules for winning and losing the game also apply. (See Rule 104.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- 903.12a - A player that's been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same general over the course of the game loses the game. (This is a state-based action. See Rule 704.) [CompRules 2009/10/01]
910 - Shared Tournament Format Rules
- 910.1 - Each tournament format defines what cards are included in that format, and any special restrictions on deck construction.
- 910.2 - Formats that include recent card sets add new card sets to their list on the day of the set is released. [DCI Floor Rules 104 - 2007/12/20]
- 910.3 - Some formats include "restricted" cards. Cards that are restricted can only have one copy included in a deck, rather than the normal limit of 4. [DCI Floor Rules - 2003/09/01]
- 910.4 - Some formats include "banned" cards. Cards that are banned cannot occur in legal decks. [DCI Floor Rules - 2003/09/01]
- 910.5 - All formats limit themselves to cards with a standard Magic card back. This means that Collector's Edition cards, Championship and Pro Tour deck cards, and promotional poker cards (despite the April Fools article in the Duelist) are not allowed. [DCI Floor Rules 102 - 2003/09/01]
- 910.5a - Unglued cards with a silver border are also banned from all formats. [DCI Floor Rules 102 - 2003/09/01]
- 910.5b - Alpha printing cards can only be used if they are in unmarked sleeves or if the entire deck is Alpha printing. [DCI Floor Rules 102 - 2003/09/01]
- 910.6 - A sideboard is a set of cards which is brought to the tournament along with your deck. Having a sideboard is optional. [DCI Floor Rules 122 - 2003/09/01]
- 910.6a - In constructed formats, if you have a sideboard it must consist of exactly 15 cards. In sealed deck formats, all your remaining cards are considered your sideboard. [DCI Floor Rules 122 - 2003/09/01]
- 910.6b - Players cannot look through their sideboard during play. [DCI Floor Rules 122 - 2003/09/01]
- 910.6c - Between games, you may choose to swap cards from your sideboard with ones in your deck. In constructed formats, your sideboard must still be 15 cards when you are done swapping. [DCI Floor Rules 122 - 2003/09/01]
- 910.6d - You cannot use your sideboard before the first game of a match, and between matches you must reset your deck and sideboard to the same as they were at the start of the tournament. Basically, you play the first game of each match with an unmodified deck. [DCI Floor Rules 122 - 2003/09/01]
- 910.7 - Players must provide a way to visibly count life totals during play. For example, counters, dice, pen and paper, etc.
- 910.8 - Your opponent is always entitled to shuffle or cut your deck before each game and each time you are called to shuffle during a game. They may not use this opportunity to see the cards in your deck. This rule is in place to prevent players from stacking their deck.
911 - Vintage Tournament Format
- 911.1 - Decks can be composed of cards from any edition or expansion of Magic which use the normal card back. Promotional cards are allowed. [DCI Floor Rules 127 - 2003/09/01]
- 911.2 - Minimum of 60 cards in a deck. [DCI Floor Rules 121 - 2003/09/01]
- 911.3 - Optional 'sideboard'. If you have one, it must be exactly 15 cards. [DCI Floor Rules 122 - 2003/09/01]
- 911.4 - No more than 4 of any card (by name) which is not a basic land can be in the combination of deck and sideboard. Cards with different art or in different languages or from different prints but which are the same card are considered the same. [DCI Floor Rules 121 - 2003/09/01]
- 911.5 - Some cards are 'restricted' (see Rule 910.3). These cards are: [Update 2009/03/20]
Ancestral Recall, Gifts Ungiven, Necropotence, Balance, Gush, Ponder, Black Lotus, Imperial Seal, Regrowth Brainstorm, Library of Alexandria, Sol Ring, Burning Wish, Lion's Eye Diamond, Strip Mine, Channel, Lotus Petal, Timetwister, Crop Rotation, Mana Crypt, Time Vault, Demonic Consultation,Mana Vault, Time Walk, Demonic Tutor, Memory Jar, Tinker, Enlightened Tutor, Merchant Scroll, Tolarian Academy, Entomb, Mind's Desire, Trinisphere, Fact or Fiction, Mox Emerald, Vampiric Tutor, Fastbond, Mox Jet, Wheel of Fortune, Flash, Mox Pearl, Windfall, Frantic Search, Mox Ruby, Yawgmoth's Bargain, Grim Monolith, Mox Sapphire, Yawgmoth's Will, Mystical Tutor.
- 911.6 - Some cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) in this format. These cards are: [Update 2009/03/20]
Amulet of Quoz, Darkpact, Rebirth, Bronze Tablet, Demonic Attorney, Shahrazad, Chaos Orb, Falling Star, Tempest Efreet, Contract from Below, Jeweled Bird, Timmerian Fiends.
- Note - See Rule 910 for additional definitions and rules.
- Note - This format was formerly known as the "Classic" format and the "Type 1" format. It was renamed in the DCI Update of 2005/06/01.
912 - Legacy Tournament Format
- 912.1 - Decks can be composed of cards from any edition or expansion of Magic which use the normal card back. Promotional cards are allowed. [DCI Floor Rules 128 - 2003/09/01]
- 912.2 - Minimum of 60 cards in a deck. [DCI Floor Rules 121 - 2003/09/01]
- 912.3 - Optional 'sideboard'. If you have one, it must be exactly 15 cards. [DCI Floor Rules 122 - 2003/09/01]
- 912.4 - No more than 4 of any card (by name) which is not a basic land can be in the combination of deck and sideboard. Cards with different art or in different languages or from different prints but which are the same card are considered the same. [DCI Floor Rules 121 - 2003/09/01]
- 912.5 - There are no 'restricted' (see Rule 910.3) cards in this format.
- 912.6 - Some cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) in this format. These cards are: [Update 2009/03/20]
Amulet of Quoz, Goblin Recruiter, Mox Sapphire, Ancestral Recall, Grim Monolith, Necropotence, Balance, Gush, Oath of Druids, Bazaar of Baghdad, Hermit Druid, Rebirth, Black Lotus, Illusionary Mask, Shahrazad, Black Vise, Imperial Seal, Skullclamp, Bronze Tablet, Jeweled Bird, Sol Ring, Channel, Land Tax, Strip Mine, Chaos Orb, Library of Alexandria, Tempest Efreet, Contract from Below, Mana Crypt, Time Spiral, Darkpact, Mana Drain, Time Walk, Demonic Attorney, Mana Vault, Timetwister, Demonic Consultation Memory Jar, Time Vault, Demonic Tutor, Metalworker, Timmerian Fiends, Dream Halls, Mind's Desire, Tinker, Earthcraft, Mind Twist, Tolarian Academy, Entomb, Mishra's Workshop, Vampiric Tutor, Falling Star, Mox Emerald, Wheel of Fortune, Fastbond, Mox Jet, Windfall, Flash, Mox Pearl, Worldgorger Dragon, Frantic Search, Mox Ruby, Yawgmoth's Bargain, Yawgmoth's Will.
- Note - See Rule 910 for additional definitions and rules.
- Note - This format was formerly known as the "Classic-Restricted" format and the "Type 1.5" format. It was renamed in the DCI Update of 2005/09/01.
913 - Extended Tournament Format
- 913.1 - Can be composed of cards from the following card sets: Seventh Edition, Eighth Edition, Ninth Edition, Tenth Edition, Invasion, Planeshift, Apacalypse, Odyssey, Torment, Judgment, Onslaught, Legions, Scourge, Mirrodin, Darksteel, Fifth Dawn, Champions of Kamigawa, Betrayers of Kamigawa, Saviors of Kamigawa, Ravnica, Guildpact, Dissension, Coldsnap, Time Spiral, Planar Chaos, Future Sight, Lorwyn. [DCI Update 2007/09/01]
- 913.1a - Cards from other sets are not allowed unless they were reprinted in a legal set. [DCI Update 2005/09/01]
- 913.2 - Minimum of 60 cards in a deck. [DCI Floor Rules 121 - 2003/09/01]
- 913.3 - Optional 'sideboard'. If you have one, it must be exactly 15 cards. [DCI Floor Rules 122 - 2003/09/01]
- 913.4 - No more than 4 of any card (by name) which is not a basic land can be in the combination of deck and sideboard. Cards with different art or in different languages or from different prints but which are the same card are considered the same. [DCI Floor Rules 121 - 2003/09/01]
- 913.5 - There are no 'restricted' (see Rule 910.3) cards in this format.
- 913.6 - The 'banned' list includes all cards from banned sets that have not been reprinted in a more recent set. [DCI Floor Rules 126 - 2003/09/01]
- 913.7 - Some cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) in this format even though they are from legal expansions. These cards are: [Update 2009/03/20]
AEther Vial, Sensei's Divining Top, Skullclamp, Disciple of the Vault.
- Note - See Rule 910 for additional definitions and rules.
- Note - The DCI originally released this tournament format on 1997/05/01 as a replacement for Type 1.5 (now known as Legacy) but decided on 1997/06/01 to change this decision and support both formats.
914 - Standard (Type 2) Tournament Format
- 914.1 - Decks can be composed of cards from the most recent edition of The Gathering (currently Tenth Edition) and all sets from the two most recent "blocks" (currently Time Spiral/Planar Chaos/Future Sight, Coldsnap, and Lorwyn). A "block" is a stand-alone set and the two expansion sets which follow it. This means that cards stay in use for approximately two years. [DCI Floor Rules 125 - 2003/09/01]
[DCI Update 2007/09/01]
- 914.2 - Cards from previous editions or expansions which also appear in the currently legal ones are allowed. [DCI Floor Rules 124 - 2003/09/01]
- 914.3 - The policy for removal of sets is that each new edition of the base set replaces the previous edition. A new standalone set will start a new block, and thereby replace the oldest "block" in use. A new limited expansion will add itself to the current "block". [DCI Floor Rules 124 - 2003/09/01]
- 914.4 - Minimum of 60 cards in a deck. [DCI Floor Rules 121 - 2003/09/01]
- 914.5 - Optional 'sideboard'. If you have one, it must be exactly 15 cards. [DCI Floor Rules 122 - 2003/09/01]
- 914.6 - No more than 4 of any card (by name) which is not a basic land can be in the combination of deck and sideboard. Cards with different art or in different languages or from different prints but which are the same card are considered the same. [DCI Floor Rules 121 - 2003/09/01]
- 914.7 - There are no 'restricted' (see Rule 910.3) cards in this format. [Update 2009/03/20]
- 914.8 - There are no 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) cards in this format. [Update 2009/03/20]
915 - Sealed Deck Formats
- 915.1 - Each player is given some number of unopened tournament packs (called starter decks in the old days) and/or booster packs. The DCI recommends 90 to 300 cards be given out. The standard way to do it is to provide one tournament pack plus two 15 card boosters. Players may also exchange basic lands they have for other basic lands with the tournament organizer. In addition, the organizer may make additional basic lands available. [DCI Floor Rules 134 - 2003/09/01]
- 915.2 - The usual time for constructing a deck is 30 minutes, although the tournament organizer can change this. [DCI Floor Rules 2003/09/01]
- 915.3 - Expansions are valid for sealed deck play as soon as they are available. There is no 30 day wait period. [DCI Floor Rules 2003/09/01]
- 915.4 - Minimum of 40 cards in the play deck. [DCI Floor Rules 131 - 2003/09/01]
- 915.5 - All additional cards function as the 'sideboard'. The sideboard and deck size can change freely between duels. [DCI Floor Rules 132 - 2003/09/01]
- 915.6 - Games are not played for ante. If a player gets a card that can only be played for ante, they should bring it to the head judge, who will replace it from a random stack of cards. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
- 915.7 - There are no restricted or banned cards. Ante cards are an exception (see Rule 916.6). [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
- 915.8 - There is no "4 of a single card" limit. You can use all the cards you have. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
916 - Block Constructed Deck Formats
- 916.1 - These formats follow the Standard (Type 2) tournament rules (see Rule 915) for deck construction but only allow cards from a given "block" rather than from the larger list of sets. [DCI Floor Rules - 2003/09/01]
- 916.2 - Some cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) from the Ice Age/Homelands/Alliances format. These cards are: [Update 2003/09/01]
Amulet of Quoz, Thawing Glaciers, Timmerian Fiends, Zuran Orb
- 916.3 - Some cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) from the Mirage/Visions/Weatherlight format. These cards are: [Update 2003/09/01]
Squandered Resources
- 916.4 - Some cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) for the Tempest/Stronghold/Exodus format. These cards are: [Update 2003/09/01]
Cursed Scroll
- 916.5 - Some cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) for the Urza's Saga/Urza's Legacy/Urza's Destiny format. These cards are: [Update 2003/09/01]
Gaea's Cradle, Time Spiral, Voltaic Key, Memory Jar, Tolarian Academy, Windfall, Serra's Sanctum,
- 916.6 - Some cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) for the Mercadian Masques/Nemesis/Prophecy format. These cards are: [Update 2003/09/01]
Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero, Rishadan Port
- 916.7 - No cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) for the Invasion/Planeshift/Apocalypse format.
- 916.8 - No cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) for the Odyssey/Torment/Judgment format.
- 916.9 - No cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) for the Onslaught/Legions/Scourge format.
- 916.10 - Some cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) for the Mirrodin/Darksteel/Fifth Dawn format. These cards are: [Update 2006/03/01]
AEther Vial, Disciple of the Vault, Skullclamp, Ancient Den, Great Furnace, Tree of Tales, Arcbound Ravager, Seat of the Synod, Vault of Whispers, Darksteel Citadel.
- 916.11 - No cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) for the Champions of Kamigawa/Betrayers of Kamigawa/Saviors of Kamigawa format.
- 916.12 - No cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) for the Ravnica/Guildpact/Dissension format.
- 916.13 - No cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) for the Time Spiral/Planar Chaos/Future Sight format.
- 916.14 - No cards are 'banned' (see Rule 910.4) for the Lorwyn/Morningtide/Shadowmoor/Eventide format.
- 916.Ruling.1 - Only cards explicitly banned from this format are banned. The Standard (Type 2) tournament list does not apply. [D'Angelo 1999/06/01]
- 916.Ruling.2 - The foil Lightning Bolts found in Urza's Destiny packs are not legal in the Urza block. [Donais 1999/06/08]
917 - Booster Draft Formats
- 917.1 - Players sit in groups of 7 or 8 players.
- 917.2 - In "Rochester Draft" format, each group starts with 3 booster packs per player. The judge lays out one booster pack (15 cards) on the table and players are given 20 seconds to review the cards. The first pick starts with the player on the judge's left and players pick one card each going around the table to the left. The second booster pack goes around the table to the right, starting on the judges' right. When the rotation gets to the last player, they pick 2 cards and the rotation reverses direction until the booster pack is depleted.
- 917.3 - Each player gets 5 seconds to select a card, and touching one is considered selecting it.
- 917.4 - Players may add as many basic lands as they want to their cards after drafting and between games. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
- 917.5 - 30 minutes are given to construct the deck after drafting is complete. [DCI Floor Rules 2003/09/01]
- 917.6 - The usual time for constructing a deck is 30 minutes, although the tournament organizer can change this. [DCI Floor Rules 2003/09/01]
- 917.7 - Expansions are valid for sealed deck play as soon as they are available. There is no 30 day wait period. [DCI Floor Rules 2003/09/01]
- 917.8 - Minimum of 40 cards in the play deck. [DCI Floor Rules 131 - 2003/09/01]
- 917.9 - All additional cards function as the 'sideboard'. The sideboard and deck size can change freely between duels. [DCI Floor Rules 132 - 2003/09/01]
- 917.10 - There is no "4 of a single card" limit. You can use all the cards you have. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
- 917.11 - Ante cards in initial boosters are replaced by tournament officials from a random stack of cards. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
G - Glossary
G1.1 - Ability
- G1.1a - (1) Text on an object that explains what that object does or can do. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G1.1b - (2) An activated or triggered ability on the stack. This kind of ability is an object. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 112, "Abilities," and section 6, "Spells, Abilities, and Effects."
G1.2 - Ability Word
- G1.2a - An italicized word with no rules meaning that ties together abilities on different cards that have similar functionality. See Rule 206.2c. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.3 - Absorb
- G1.3a - A keyword ability that prevents damage. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.61, "Absorb."
G1.4 - Activate
- G1.4a - To put an activated ability onto the stack and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 602, "Activating Activated Abilities."
G1.5 - Activated Ability
- G1.5a - A kind of ability. Activated abilities are written as "<-Cost->: <-Effect.-> <-Activation restriction (if any).->" [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 112, "Abilities."
- Note - See Rule 602, "Activating Activated Abilities."
G1.6 - Activation Cost
- G1.6a - Everything that appears before the colon in an activated ability's text. It must be paid to activate the ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 116, "Costs," and Rule 602, "Activating Activated Abilities."
G1.7 - Active Player
- G1.7a - The player whose turn it is. See Rule 102.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.8 - Active Player, Nonactive Player Order
- G1.8a - A system that determines the order by which players make choices if multiple players are instructed to make choices at the same time. See Rule 101.4. This rule is modified for Two-Headed Giant play; see Rule 806.6d. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.9 - Active Team
- G1.9a - The team whose turn it is in a Two-Headed Giant game. See Rule 806.6d. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.10 - Additional Cost
- G1.10a - A cost a spell may have that its controller must pay (or, in some cases, must pay) in addition to its mana cost to cast that spell. See Rule 116, "Costs," and Rule 601, "Casting Spells." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G1.11 - Affinity
- G1.11a - A keyword ability that reduces how much mana you need to spend to cast a spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.38, "Affinity."
G1.12 - Alternative Cost
- G1.12a - A cost a spell may have that its controller can pay rather than paying its mana cost. See Rule 116, "Costs," and Rule 601, "Casting Spells." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.13 - Amplify
- G1.13a - A keyword ability than can allow a creature to enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters on it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.35, "Amplify."
G1.14 - Ante
- G1.14a - 1. A zone used only when playing "for keeps." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G1.14b - 2. To put a card into the ante zone. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 407, "Ante."
G1.15 - APNAP Order
G1.16 - Artifact
- G1.16a - A card type. An artifact is a permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 301, "Artifacts."
G1.17 - Artifact Creature
- G1.17a - A combination of artifact and creature that's subject to the rules for both. See Rule 301, "Artifacts," and Rule 302, "Creatures." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.18 - Artifact Land
- G1.18a - A combination of artifact and land that's subject to the rules for both. Artifact lands can only be played as lands, not cast as spells. See Rule 301, "Artifacts," and Rule 305, "Lands." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.19 - Artifact Type
- G1.19a - A subtype that's correlated to the artifact card type. See Rule 301, "Artifacts." See Rule 204.3f for the list of artifact types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.20 - As Though
- G1.20a - Text used to indicate that the game, for some specific purpose, treats a condition as true even though it's not. See Rule 609.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.21 - Assign Combat Damage
- G1.21a - To determine how an attacking or blocking creature will deal its combat damage. See Rule 510, "Combat Damage Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.22 - At End of Turn (Obsolete)
- G1.22a - A trigger condition printed on abilities that triggered at the beginning of the end step (which is not the last thing to happen in the turn). Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference to say "at the beginning of the end step" or "at the beginning of the next end step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 513, "End Step."
G1.23 - Attach
- G1.23a - To physically move an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification onto another object. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.3, "Attach."
G1.24 - Attack
- G1.24a - To send a creature into combat offensively. A creature can attack a player or a planeswalker. See Rule 508, "Declare Attackers Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.25 - Attack Alone
- G1.25a - A creature "attacks alone" if it's the only creature declared as an attacker during the declare attackers step. A creature" is attacking alone" if it's attacking but no other creatures are. See Rule 506.5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.26 - Attack Left Option
- G1.26a - An option that may be used in certain multiplayer variants. See Rule 803, "Attack Left and Attack Right Options." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.27 - Attack Multiple Players Option
- G1.27a - An option that may be used in certain multiplayer variants. See Rule 802, "Attack Multiple Players Option." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.28 - Attack Right Option
- G1.28a - An option that may be used in certain multiplayer variants. See Rule 803, "Attack Left and Attack Right Options." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.29 - Attacking Creature
- G1.29a - A creature that has either been declared as part of a legal attack during the combat phase (once all costs to attack, if any, have been paid), or a creature that has been put onto the battlefield attacking. It remains an attacking creature until it's removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See Rule 508, "Declare Attackers Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.30 - Attacks and Isn't Blocked
- G1.30a - An ability that triggers when a creature "attacks and isn't blocked" triggers when the creature becomes an unblocked attacking creature. See Rule 509.1h. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.31 - Aura
- G1.31a - An enchantment subtype. Aura spells target objects or players, and Aura permanents are attached to objects or players. See Rule 303, "Enchantments," and Rule 702.5, "Enchant." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G1.32 - Aura Swap
- G1.32a - A keyword ability that lets you exchange an Aura on the battlefield with one in your hand. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.62, "Aura Swap."
G2.1 - Banding, "Bands with Other"
- G2.1a - Banding is a keyword ability that modifies the rules for declaring attackers and assigning combat damage. "Bands with other" is a specialized version of the ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.19, "Banding."
G2.2 - Basic
- G2.2a - A supertype that's normally relevant on lands. Any land with this supertype is a basic land. See Rule 204.4, "Supertypes." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G2.3 - Basic Landcycling
G2.4 - Basic Land Type
- G2.4a - There are five "basic land types": Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. Each one has a mana ability associated with it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 305, "Lands."
G2.5 - Battlefield
- G2.5a - A zone. The battlefield is the zone in which permanents exist. It used to be known as the "in-play" zone. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 403, "Battlefield."
G2.6 - Becomes
- G2.6a - A word used in some trigger events to indicate a change in status or characteristics. See Rule 603.2d. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G2.7 - Beginning of Combat Step
- G2.7a - Part of the turn. This step is the first step of the combat phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 507, "Beginning of Combat Step."
G2.8 - Beginning Phase
- G2.8a - Part of the turn. This phase is the first phase of the turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 501, "Beginning Phase."
G2.9 - Block
- G2.9a - To send a creature into combat defensively. A creature can block an attacking creature. See Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G2.10 - Block Alone
- G2.10a - A creature "blocks alone" if it's the only creature declared as a blocker during the declare blockers step. A creature "is blocking alone" if it's blocking but no other creatures are. See Rule 506.5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G2.11 - Blocked Creature
- G2.11a - An attacking creature that another creature blocks or that an effect causes to become blocked. It remains a blocking creature until it's removed from combat, an effect says that it becomes unblocked, or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G2.12 - Blocking Creature
- G2.12a - A creature that has either been declared as part of a legal block during the combat phase (once all costs to block, if any, have been paid), or a creature that has been put onto the battlefield blocking. It remains a blocking creature until it's removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G2.13 - Bloodthirst
- G2.13a - A keyword ability that can have a creature enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters on it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.51, "Bloodthirst."
G2.14 - Bury (Obsolete)
- G2.14a - A term that meant "put <-a permanent-> into its owner's graveyard." In general, cards that were printed with the term "bury" have received errata in the Oracle card reference to read, "Destroy <-a permanent->. It can't be regenerated," or "Sacrifice <-a permanent->." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G2.15 - Bushido
- G2.15a - A keyword ability that can make a creature better in combat. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.42, "Bushido."
G2.16 - Buyback
- G2.16a - A keyword ability of instants and sorceries that lets the spell return to its owner's hand as it resolves. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.24, "Buyback."
G3.1 - Card
- G3.1a - The standard component of the game: a Magic card with a Magic card front and the Magic card back. Cards may be traditional or nontraditional. Tokens aren't considered cards. In the text of spells or abilities, the term "card" is used only to refer to a card that's not on the battlefield or on the stack, such as a creature card in a player's hand. See Rule 108, "Cards." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G3.2 - Card Type
- G3.2a - A characteristic. Except for abilities on the stack, each object has a card type, even if that object isn't a card. Each card type has its own rules. See Rule 204, "Type Line," and section 3, "Card Types." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.3 - Cascade
- G3.3a - A keyword ability that may let a player cast a random extra spell for no cost. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.82, "Cascade."
G3.4 - Cast
- G3.4a - To take a spell from the zone it's in (usually the hand), put it on the stack, and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect. See Rule 601, "Casting Spells." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.5 - Caster (Obsolete)
- G3.5a - A term that referred to the player who cast a spell. In general, cards that were printed with the term "caster" have received errata in the Oracle card reference to say "controller." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.6 - Casting Cost (Obsolete)
- G3.6a - A obsolete term for mana cost. Cards printed with this text have received errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.7 - Champion, Championed
- G3.7a - "Champion" is a keyword ability that lets one creature temporarily replace another. A permanent is "championed" by another permanent if the latter exiles the former as the direct result of a champion ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.69, "Champion."
G3.8 - Change a Target
- G3.8a - To choose a new, legal target for a spell or ability. See Rule 113.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.9 - Changeling
- G3.9a - A characteristic-defining ability that grants the object it's on every creature type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.70, "Changeling."
G3.10 - Chaos Ability
- G3.10a - An ability of a plane card that triggers "Whenever you roll {C}" on the planar die in the Planar Magic casual variant. See Rule 309.7. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G3.11 - Chaos Symbol
- G3.11a - The chaos symbol {C} appears on the planar die and in some triggered abilities of plane cards in the Planar Magic casual variant. See Rule 107.11. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G3.12 - Characteristics
- G3.12a - Information that defines an object. See Rule 109.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.13 - Characteristic-Defining Ability
- G3.13a - A kind of static ability that conveys information about an object's characteristics that would normally be found elsewhere on that object (such as in its mana cost, type line, or power/toughness box). See Rule 604.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.14 - Clash
- G3.14a - To have a mini-contest involving the top cards of players' libraries. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.18, "Clash."
G3.15 - Cleanup Step
- G3.15a - Part of the turn. This step is the second and final step of the ending phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 514, "Cleanup Step."
G3.16 - Collector Number
- G3.16a - A number printed on most cards that has no effect on game play. See Rule 211, "Information Below the Text Box." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.17 - Color
- G3.17a - (1) A characteristic of an object. See Rule 105, "Colors," and Rule 202, "Mana Cost and Color." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G3.17b - (2) An attribute mana may have. See Rule 106, "Mana." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.18 - Colorless
- G3.18a - (1) An object with no color is colorless. Colorless is not a color. See Rule 105, "Colors," and Rule 202, "Mana Cost and Color." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G3.18b - (2) A type of mana. See Rule 106, "Mana," and Rule 107.4c. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.19 - Combat Damage
- G3.19a - Damage dealt during the combat damage step by attacking creatures and blocking creatures as a consequence of combat. See Rule 510, "Combat Damage Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.20 - Combat Damage Step
- G3.20a - Part of the turn. This step is the fourth step of the combat phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 510, "Combat Damage Step."
G3.21 - Combat Phase
- G3.21a - Part of the turn. This phase is the third phase of the turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 506, "Combat Phase."
G3.22 - Command
- G3.22a - A zone used for nontraditional Magic cards in certain casual variants. See Rule 408, "Command." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G3.23 - Concede
- G3.23a - To quit the game. Conceding a game immediately causes that player to leave that game and lose that game. See Rule 104, "Winning and Losing." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.24 - Conspire
- G3.24a - A keyword ability that creates a copy of a spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.75, "Conspire."
G3.25 - Constructed
- G3.25a - A way of playing in which each player creates his or her own deck ahead of time. See Rule 100.2a. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.26 - Continuous Effect
- G3.26a - An effect that modifies characteristics of objects, modifies control of objects, or affects players or the rules of the game, for a fixed or indefinite period. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 611, "Continuous Effects."
G3.27 - Continuous Artifact (Obsolete)
- G3.27a - An obsolete term that appeared on the type line of artifacts without activated abilities. Cards printed with this text have received errata in the Oracle card reference to simply say "Artifact." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.28 - Control, Controller
- G3.28a - "Control" is the system that determines who gets to use an object in the game. An object's "controller" is the player who currently controls it. See Rule 108.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.29 - Control Another Player's Turn
- G3.29a - To make all choices and decisions that player is allowed to make, or is told to make, during that turn by rules or by any objects. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 710, "Controlling Another Player's Turn."
G3.30 - Converted Mana Cost
- G3.30a - The total amount of mana in a mana cost, regardless of color. See Rule 202.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.31 - Convoke
- G3.31a - A keyword ability that reduces how much mana you need to spend to cast a spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.48, "Convoke."
G3.32 - Copiable Values
- G3.32a - Values of an object's characteristics that are checked by copy effects. See Rule 706.2 and Rule 706.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.33 - Copy
- G3.33a - (1) To create a new object whose copiable values have been set to those of another object. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G3.33b - (2) An object whose copiable values have been set to those of another object. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 706, "Copying Objects."
G3.34 - Cost
- G3.34a - An action or payment necessary to take another action or to stop another action from taking place. See Rule 116, "Costs." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.35 - Counter
- G3.35a - (1) To cancel a spell or ability so it doesn't resolve and none of its effects occur. See Rule 701.5, "Counter." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G3.35b - (2) A marker placed on an object or player that modifies its characteristics or interacts with a rule or ability. See Rule 120, "Counters." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.36 - Counts As (Obsolete)
- G3.36a - Some older cards were printed with text stating that the card "counts as" something. Cards printed with this text have received errata in the Oracle card reference to state that the card actually is that thing. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.37 - Creature
- G3.37a - A card type. A creature is a permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 302, "Creatures."
G3.38 - Creature Type
- G3.38a - A subtype that's correlated to the creature card type and the tribal card type. See Rule 302, "Creatures," and Rule 308, "Tribals." See Rule 204.3k for the list of creature types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G3.39 - Cumulative Upkeep
- G3.39a - A keyword ability that imposes an increasing cost to keep a permanent on the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.21, "Cumulative Upkeep."
G3.40 - Cycling
- G3.40a - A keyword ability that lets a card be discarded and replaced with a new card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.26, "Cycling."
G4.1 - Damage
- G4.1a - Objects can deal "damage" to creatures, planeswalkers, and players. This is generally detrimental to the object or player that receives that damage. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- Note - See Rule 118, "Damage."
G4.2 - Damage Assignment Order
- G4.2a - The order, announced during the declare blockers step, that an attacking creature will assign its combat damage among the multiple creatures blocking it, or that a blocking creature will assign its combat damage among the multiple creatures it's blocking. See Rule 509.2 and Rule 509.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G4.3 - Deal
G4.4 - Deathtouch
- G4.4a - A keyword ability that causes damage dealt by an object to be especially effective. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.2, "Deathtouch."
G4.5 - Deck
- G4.5a - The collection of cards a player starts the game with; it becomes that player's library. See Rule 100, "General," and Rule 103, "Starting the Game." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G4.6 - Declare Attackers
- G4.6a - To choose a set of creatures that will attack, declare whether each creature is attacking the defending player or a planeswalker that player controls, and pay any costs required to allow those creatures to attack. See Rule 508.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G4.7 - Declare Attackers Step
- G4.7a - Part of the turn. This step is the second step of the combat phase. See Rule 508, "Declare Attackers Step." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G4.8 - Declare Blockers
- G4.8a - To choose a set of creatures that will block, declare which attacking creature each creature is blocking, and pay any costs required to allow those creatures to block. See Rule 509.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G4.9 - Declare Blockers Step
- G4.9a - Part of the turn. This step is the third step of the combat phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step."
G4.10 - Defender
- G4.10a - A keyword ability that prohibits a creature from attacking. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.3, "Defender."
G4.11 - Defending Player
- G4.11a - The player who can be attacked, and whose planeswalkers can be attacked, during the combat phase. See Rule 506.2. In certain multiplayer games, there may be more than one defending player; see Rule 802, "Attack Multiple Players Option," and Rule 806.7. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G4.12 - Defending Team
- G4.12a - The team who can be attacked, and whose planeswalkers can be attacked, during the combat phase of a Two-Headed Giant game. See Rule 806.7. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G4.13 - Delayed Triggered Ability
- G4.13a - An ability created by effects generated when some spells or abilities resolve that does something later on rather than at the time of the resolution. See Rule 603.7. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G4.14 - Delve
- G4.14a - A keyword ability that reduces how much mana you need to spend to cast a spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.63, "Delve."
G4.15 - Dependency
- G4.15a - A system that may be used to determine in which order continuous effects in the same layer or sublayer are applied. See Rule 613.7. See also Timestamp Order. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G4.16 - Deploy Creatures Option
- G4.16a - An option that may be used in certain multiplayer variants to pass control of creatures between teammates. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 804, "Deploy Creatures Option."
G4.17 - Destroy
- G4.17a - To move a permanent from the battlefield to its owner's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.6, "Destroy."
G4.18 - Devour
- G4.18a - A keyword ability that can have a creature enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters on it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.79, "Devour."
G4.19 - Discard
- G4.19a - To move a card from its owner's hand to that player's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.7, "Discard."
G4.20 - Double Strike
- G4.20a - A keyword ability that lets a creature deal its combat damage twice. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.4, "Double Strike."
G4.21 - Draw
- G4.21a - (1) To put the top card of a player's library into his or her hand as a turn-based action or as the result of an effect that uses the word "draw." See Rule 119, "Drawing a Card." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G4.21b - (2) The result of a game in which neither player wins or loses. See Rule 104.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G4.22 - Draw Step
- G4.22a - Part of the turn. This step is the third and final step of the beginning phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 504, "Draw Step."
G4.23 - Dredge
- G4.23a - A keyword ability that lets a player return a card from his or her graveyard to his or her hand. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.49, "Dredge."
G4.24 - During (Obsolete)
- G4.24a - Some older cards used the phrase "during <-phase->, <-action->." These abilities were called "phase abilities." In general, cards that were printed with phase abilities have received errata in the Oracle card reference so they have abilities that trigger at the beginning of a step or phase. "During" still appears in current card text, but only in its normal English sense and not as game terminology. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G5.1 - Echo
- G5.1a - A keyword ability that imposes a cost to keep a permanent on the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.27, "Echo."
G5.2 - EDH
- G5.2 - A casual variant in which each deck is led by a legendary general. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- Note - See Rule 903, "EDH."
G5.3 - Effect
- G5.3a - Something that happens in the game as a result of a spell or ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 609, "Effects."
G5.4 - Emperor
- G5.4a - The middle player on each team in an Emperor game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 807, "Emperor Variant."
G5.5 - Emperor Variant
- G5.5a - A multiplayer variant played among three-player teams. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 807, "Emperor Variant."
G5.6 - Enchant
- G5.6a - A keyword ability that restricts what an Aura spell can target and what an Aura permanent can be attached to. See Rule 303, "Enchantments," and Rule 702.5, "Enchant." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G5.7 - Enchantment
- G5.7a - A card type. An enchantment is a permanent. See Rule 303, "Enchantments." See Rule G1.31, "Aura". [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G5.8 - Enchantment Type
- G5.8a - A subtype that's correlated to the enchantment card type. See Rule 303, "Enchantments." See Rule 204.3g for the list of enchantment types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G5.9 - End of Combat Step
- G5.9a - Part of the turn. This step is the fifth and final step of the combat phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 511, "End of Combat Step."
G5.10 - End Step
- G5.10a - Part of the turn. This step is the first step of the ending phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 513, "End Step."
G5.11 - End the Turn
- G5.11a - To "end the turn" as the result of an effect is to perform an expedited process that skips nearly everything else that would happen that turn. See Rule 711, "Ending the Turn." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G5.12 - Ending Phase
- G5.12a - Part of the turn. This phase is the fifth and final phase of the turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 512, "Ending Phase."
G5.13 - Enters the Battlefield
G5.14 - Entwine
- G5.14a - A keyword ability that lets a player choose all modes for a spell rather than just one. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.39, "Entwine."
G5.15 - Epic
- G5.15a - A keyword ability that lets a player copy a spell at the beginning of each of his or her upkeeps at the expense of casting any other spells for the rest of the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.47, "Epic."
G5.16 - Equip
- G5.16a - A keyword ability that lets a player attach an Equipment to a creature he or she controls. See Rule 301, "Artifacts," and Rule 702.6, "Equip." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G5.17 - Equipment
G5.18 - Evasion Ability
- G5.18a - An ability that restricts what creatures can block an attacking creature. See Rules 509.1b and Rule 509.1c. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G5.19 - Event
- G5.19a - Anything that happens in a game. See Rule 700.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G5.20 - Evoke
- G5.20a - A keyword ability that causes a permanent to be sacrificed when it enters the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.71, "Evoke."
G5.21 - Exalted
- G5.21a - A keyword ability that can make a creature better in combat. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.80, "Exalted."
G5.22 - Exchange
- G5.22a - To swap two things, such as objects, sets of objects, or life totals. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.8, "Exchange."
G5.23 - Exile
- G5.23a - (1) A zone. Exile is essentially a holding area for cards. It used to be known as the "removed-from-the-game" zone. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G5.23a - (2) To put an object into the exile zone from whatever zone it's currently in. An "exiled" card is one that's been put into the exile zone. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 406, "Exile."
G5.24 - Expansion Symbol
- G5.24a - A characteristic, and part of a card. A card's expansion symbol is a small icon normally printed below the right edge of the illustration. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 205, "Expansion Symbol."
G5.25 - Extra Turn
- G5.25a - A turn created as an effect of a spell or ability. See Rule 500.7. For rules about extra turns in a Two-Headed Giant game, see Rule 806.6h. For rules about extra turns in a Grand Melee game, see Rule 808.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G6.1 - Face Down
- G6.1a - (1) A card is "face down" if it's physically positioned so the card back is showing. Cards in some zones are normally kept face down. See section 4, "Zones." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G6.1b - (2) A status a permanent may have. See Rule 110.6 and Rule 702.34, "Morph." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G6.1c - (3) Face-down spells have additional rules. See Rule 707, "Face-Down Spells and Permanents," and Rule 702.34, "Morph." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G6.2 - Face Up
- G6.2a - (1) A card is "face up" if it's physically positioned so the card front is showing. Cards in some zones are normally kept face up. See section 4, "Zones." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G6.2b - (2) A default status a permanent may have. See Rule 110.6 and Rule 702.34, "Morph." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G6.3 - Fading
- G6.3a - A keyword ability that limits how long a permanent remains on the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.29, "Fading."
G6.4 - Fateseal
- G6.4a - To manipulate some of the cards on top of an opponent's library. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.17, "Fateseal."
G6.5 - Fear
- G6.5a - A keyword ability that restricts how a creature may be blocked. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.33, "Fear."
G6.6 - First Strike
- G6.6a - A keyword ability that lets a creature deal its combat damage before other creatures. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.7, "First Strike."
G6.7 - Flanking
- G7.7a - A keyword ability that can make a creature better in combat. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.22, "Flanking."
G6.8 - Flash
- G6.8a - A keyword ability that lets a player play a card any time he or she could cast an instant. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.8, "Flash."
G6.9 - Flashback
- G6.9a - A keyword ability that lets a player cast a card from his or her graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.31, "Flashback."
G6.10 - Flavor Text
- G6.10a - Text in italics (but not in parentheses) in the text box of a card that has no effect on play. See Rule 206.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G6.11 - Flip Cards
- G6.11a - Cards with a two-part card frame (one part of which is printed upside down) on a single card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 709, "Flip Cards."
G6.12 - Flipped
G6.13 - Flipping a Coin
- G6.13a - A method of randomization with two possible outcomes of equal likelihood. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 705, "Flipping a Coin."
G6.14 - Flying
- G6.14a - A keyword ability that restricts how a creature may be blocked. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.9, "Flying."
G6.15 - Forecast
- G6.15a - A keyword ability that allows an activated ability to be activated from a player's hand. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- Note - See Rule 702.54, "Forecast."
G6.16 - Forest
- G6.16a - One of the five basic land types. Any land with this subtype has the ability "{Tap}: Add {G} to your mana pool." See Rule 305.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G6.17 - Forestcycling
G6.18 - Forestwalk
G6.19 - Fortification
- G6.19a - An artifact subtype. Fortifications can be attached to lands. See Rule 301, "Artifacts," and Rule 702.64, "Fortify." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G6.20 - Fortify
- G6.20a - A keyword ability that lets a player attach a Fortification to a land he or she controls. See Rule 301, "Artifacts," and Rule 702.64, "Fortify." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G6.21 - Frenzy
- G6.21a - A keyword ability that can make a creature better in combat. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.65, "Frenzy."
G6.22 - Free-for-All
- G6.22a - A multiplayer variant in which a group of players complete as individuals against each other. See Rule 805, "Free-for-All Variant." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G7.1 - General
- G7.1a - 1. Any player in the Emperor multiplayer variant who isn't an emperor. See Rule 807, "Emperor Variant." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- G7.1b - 2. A designation given to a card in the EDH casual variant. See Rule 903, "EDH." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G7.2 - Generic Mana
- G7.2a - Mana in a cost not represented by colored mana symbols; it can be paid with mana of any type. See Rule 107.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G7.3 - Global Enchantment (Obsolete)
- G7.3a - An obsolete term for a non-Aura enchantment. Cards printed with this text have received errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G7.4 - Graft
- G7.4a - A keyword ability that has a permanent enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters on it and can move those counters to other creatures. See Rule 702.55, "Graft." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G7.5 - Grand Melee
- G7.5a - A multiplayer variant in which a large group of players (usually ten or more) complete as individuals against each other. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 808, "Grand Melee Variant."
G7.6 - Gravestorm
- G7.6a - A keyword ability that creates copies of a spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.66, "Gravestorm."
G7.7 - Graveyard
- G7.7a - (1) A zone. A player's graveyard is his or her discard pile. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G7.7b - (2) All the cards in a player's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 404, "Graveyard."
G8.1 - Hand
- G8.1a - (1) A zone. A player's hand is where that player holds cards he or she has drawn but not played yet. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G8.1b - (2) All the cards in a player's hand. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 402, "Hand."
G8.2 - Hand Modifier
- G8.2a - A characteristic that only vanguards have. See Rule 209, "Hand Modifier." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G8.3 - Haste
- G8.3a - A keyword ability that lets a creature ignore the "summoning sickness" rule. See Rule 302.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.10, "Haste."
G8.4 - Haunt
- G8.4a - A keyword ability that exiles cards. A card exiled this way "haunts" a creature targeted by the haunt ability. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.52, "Haunt."
G8.5 - Hidden Zone
- G8.5a - A zone in which not all players can be expected to see the cards' faces. See Rule 400.2. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- Note - See Rule G16.40, "Public Zone".
G8.6 - Hideaway
- G8.6a - A keyword ability that lets a player store a secret card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.72, "Hideaway."
G8.7 - Horsemanship
- G8.7a - A keyword ability that restricts how a creature may be blocked. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.28, "Horsemanship."
G8.8 - Hybrid Card
- G8.8a - A card with one or more hybrid mana symbols in its mana cost. See Rule 202.2d. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G8.9 - Hybrid Mana Symbols
- G8.9a - A mana symbol that represents a cost that can be paid in one of two ways. See Rule 107.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G9.1 - If
- Note - See Rule G9.16, "Intervening 'If' Clause." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G9.2 - Illegal Action
- G9.2a - An action that violates the rules of the game and/or requirements or restrictions created by effects. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 714, "Handling Illegal Actions."
G9.3 - Illegal Target
- G9.3a - A target that no longer exists or no longer meets the specifications stated by the spell or ability that's targeting it. See Rule 608.2b. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G9.4 - Illustration
- G9.4a - A picture printed on the upper half of a card that has no effect on game play. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 203, "Illustration."
G9.5 - Illustration Credit
- G9.5a - Information printed directly below the text box that has no effect on game play. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 211, "Information Below the Text Box."
G9.6 - Imprint
- G9.6a - "Imprint" used to be a keyword ability. It is now an ability word and has no rules meaning. All cards printed with the imprint keyword have received errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G9.7 - In Play (Obsolete)
- G9.7a - Obsolete term for the battlefield. Cards that were printed with text that contain the phrases "in play," "from play," "into play," or the like are referring to the battlefield and have received errata in the Oracle card reference. See Rule G2.5, "Battlefield." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G9.10 - In Response To
- G9.10a - An instant spell that's been cast, or an activated ability that's been activated, while another spell or ability is on the stack has been cast or activated "in response to" the earlier spell or ability. See Rule 115.7. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G9.11 - Independent
G9.12 - Indestructible
- G9.12a - An attribute of a permanent that precludes it from being destroyed. See Rule 700.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G9.13 - Instant
- G9.13a - A card type. An instant is not a permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 304, "Instants."
G9.14 - Instead
- G9.14a - Effects that use the word "instead" are replacement effects. The word "instead" indicates what an event will be replaced with. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 614, "Replacement Effects."
G9.15 - Interrupt (Obsolete)
- G9.15a - An obsolete card type. All cards printed with this card type are now instants. All abilities that, as printed, said a player could "play as an interrupt" can now be activated like any other activated abilities (unless they're mana abilities, in which case they follow those rules instead). All relevant cards have been given errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G9.16 - Intervening "If" Clause
- G9.16a - A specially worded condition checked as a triggered ability would trigger and again as it would resolve. See Rule 603.4 [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G9.17 - Intimidate
- G9.17a - A keyword ability that restricts how a creature may be blocked. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.11, "Intimidate."
G9.18 - Island
- G19.18a - One of the five basic land types. Any land with this subtype has the ability "{Tap}: Add {U} to your mana pool." See Rule 305.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G9.19 - Islandcycling
G9.20 - Islandhome (Obsolete)
- G9.20a - An obsolete keyword ability that meant "This creature can't attack unless defending player controls an Island" and "When you control no Islands, sacrifice this creature." Cards printed with this ability have been given errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G9.21 - Islandwalk
G11.1 - Keyword Ability
- G11.1a - A game term, such as "flying" or "haste," used as shorthand for a longer ability or group of abilities. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702, "Keyword Abilities."
G11.2 - Keyword Action
- G11.2a - A verb, such as "destroy" or "cast," used as a game term rather than as its normal English meaning. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701, "Keyword Actions."
G11.3 - Kicker, Kicked
- G11.3a - Kicker is a keyword ability that represents an optional additional cost. A spell has been kicked if its controller declared the intention to pay any or all of its kicker costs. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- Note - See Rule 702.30, "Kicker."
G12.1 - Land
- G12.1a - A card type. A land is a permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 305, "Lands."
G12.2 - Land Type
- G12.2a - A subtype that's correlated to the land card type. See Rule 305, "Lands." See Rule 204.3h for the list of land types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G12.3 - Landwalk
- G12.3a - A generic term for a group of keyword abilities that restrict whether a creature may be blocked. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.12, "Landwalk."
G12.4 - Last Known Information
- G12.4a - Information about an object that's no longer in the zone it's expected to be in, or information about a player that's no longer in the game. This information captures that object's last existence in that zone or that player's last existence in the game. See Rule 112.6a, Rule 608.2b, Rule 608.2g, and Rule 800.4f. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G12.5 - Layer
- G12.5a - A system used to determine in which order continuous effects are applied. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 613, "Interaction of Continuous Effects."
- Note - See Rule G4.15, "Dependency."
- Note - See Rule G20.11, "Timestamp Order".
G12.6 - Leaves the Battlefield
- G12.6a - A permanent "leaves the battlefield" when it's moved from the battlefield to another zone, or (if it's phased in) when it leaves the game because its owner leaves the game. See Rule 603.6c and Rule 603.6d. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G12.7 - Legal Text
- G12.7a - Information printed directly below the text box that has no effect on game play. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 211, "Information Below the Text Box."
G12.8 - Legend (Obsolete)
- G12.8a - An obsolete creature type. Cards printed with this subtype have been given errata in the Oracle card reference so they have the legendary supertype instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule G12.9, "Legendary."
G12.9 - Legendary
G12.10 - Legend Rule
- G12.10a - A state-based action that causes all legendary permanents with the same name to be put into their owners' graveyards. See Rule 704.5k. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G12.11 - Lethal Damage
G12.12 - Library
- G12.12a - (1) A zone. A player's library is where that player draws cards from. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G12.12b - (2) All the cards in a player's library. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 401, "Library."
G12.13 - Life, Life Total
- G12.13a - Each player has an amount of "life," represented by that player's "life total." Life may be gained or lost. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 117, "Life."
G12.14 - Lifelink
- G12.14a - A keyword ability that causes a player to gain life. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.13, "Lifelink."
G12.15 - Life Modifier
- G12.15 - A characteristic that only vanguards have. See Rule 210, "Life Modifier." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G12.16 - Limited
- G12.16a - A way of playing in which each player gets a quantity of unopened Magic product and creates his or her own deck on the spot. See Rule 100.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G12.17 - Limited Range of Influence
- G12.17a - An optional rule used in some multiplayer games that limits what a player can affect. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 801, "Limited Range of Influence Option."
G12.18 - Linked Abilities
- G12.18a - Two abilities printed on the same object such that one of them causes actions to be taken or objects to be affected and the other one directly refers to those actions or objects. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 607, "Linked Abilities."
G12.19 - Local Enchantment (Obsolete)
- G12.19a - An obsolete term for an Aura. Cards printed with this text have received errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G12.20 - Loop
- G12.20a - A set of actions that could be repeated indefinitely. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 713, "Taking Shortcuts."
G12.21 - Lose the Game
- G12.21a - There are several ways to lose the game. See Rule 104, "Winning and Losing," Rule 806.8 (for additional rules for Two-Headed Giant games), and Rule 807.5 (for additional rules for Emperor games). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G12.22 - Loyalty
- G12.22a - (1) Part of a card that only planeswalkers have. A planeswalker card's loyalty is printed in its lower right corner. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G12.22b - (2) A characteristic that only planeswalkers have. See Rule 306.5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 208, "Loyalty."
G12.23 - Loyalty Ability
- G12.23a - An activated ability with a loyalty symbol in its cost. See Rule 606, "Loyalty Abilities." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G13.1 - Madness
- G13.1a - A keyword ability that lets a player cast a card he or she discards. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.32, "Madness."
G13.2 - Main Game
- G13.2a - The game in which a spell (or ability) that created a subgame was cast (or activated). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 712, "Subgames."
G13.3 - Main Phase
- G13.3a - Part of the turn. The first, or precombat, main phase is the second phase of the turn. The second, or postcombat, main phase is the fourth phase of the turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 505, "Main Phase."
G13.4 - Mana
- G13.4a - The primary resource in the game. It is spent to pay costs, usually when casting spells and activating abilities. See Rule 106, "Mana," Rule 107.4, and Rule 202, "Mana Cost and Color." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.5 - Mana Ability
- G13.5a - An activated or triggered ability that could create mana and doesn't use the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 605, "Mana Abilities."
G13.6 - Mana Burn (Obsolete)
- G13.6a - Older versions of the rules stated that unspent mana caused a player to lose life; this was called "mana burn." That rule no longer exists. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.7 - Mana Cost
- G13.7a - A characteristic, and part of a card. A card's mana cost is indicated by the mana symbols printed in its upper right corner. See Rule 107.4 and Rule 202, "Mana Cost and Color." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.8 - Mana Pool
- G13.8a - Where mana created by an effect is temporarily stored. See Rule 106.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.9 - Mana Source (Obsolete)
- G13.9a - An obsolete card type. All cards printed with this card type are now instants. All abilities that, as printed, said a player could "play as a mana source" are now mana abilities. All relevant cards have been given errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.10 - Mana Symbol
- G13.10a - An icon that represents mana or a mana cost. See Rule 107.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.11 - Match
- G13.11a - A multiplayer game or a two-player series of games (usually best-two-of-three) played in a tournament. See Rule 100.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.12 - Maximum Hand Size
- G13.12a - The number of cards in hand a player must discard down to during his or her cleanup step. See Rule 402.2 and Rule 514.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.13 - Modal, Mode
- G13.13a - A spell or ability is "modal" if it has two or more options preceded by "Choose one --," "Choose two --," "Choose one or both --," or "<-a specified player-> chooses one --." Each option is a "mode." See Rule 700.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.14 - Modular
- G13.14a - A keyword ability that has a permanent enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters on it and can move those counters to other artifact creatures. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.40, "Modular."
G13.15 - Mono Artifact (Obsolete)
- G13.15a - An obsolete term that appeared on the type line of artifacts with activated abilities that caused the artifact to become tapped as a cost. Cards printed with this text have received errata in the Oracle card reference to simply say "Artifact," and those abilities now include the tap symbol in their costs. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.16 - Monocolored
- G13.16a - An object with exactly one color is monocolored. Colorless objects aren't monocolored. See Rule 105, "Colors," and Rule 202, "Mana Cost and Color." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.17 - Monocolored Hybrid Mana Symbols
- Note - See Hybrid Mana Symbols.
G13.18 - Morph
- G13.18a - A keyword ability that lets a card be cast face down as a 2/2 creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.34, "Morph."
- Note - See Rule 707, "Face-Down Spells and Permanents."
G13.19 - Mountain
- G13.19a - One of the five basic land types. Any land with this subtype has the ability "{Tap}: Add {R} to your mana pool." See Rule 305.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.20 - Mountaincycling
G13.21 - Mountainwalk
G13.22 - Move
- G13.22a - To remove a counter from one object and put it on a different object. See Rule 120.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G13.22b - Some older cards used "move" with respect to Auras; those cards have received errata in the Oracle card reference and now use the word "attach." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.23 - Mulligan
- G13.23a - To take a "mulligan" is to reject a prospective opening hand and draw a new one (usually with one fewer card). See Rule 103.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.24 - Multicolored
- G13.24a - An object with two or more colors is multicolored. Multicolored is not a color. See Rule 105, "Colors," and Rule 202, "Mana Cost and Color." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G13.25 - Multiplayer Game
- G13.25a - A game that begins with more than two players. See section 8, "Multiplayer Rules." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G14.1 - Name
- G14.1a - A characteristic, and part of a card. A card's name is printed in its upper left corner. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 201, "Name."
G14.2 - Ninjutsu
- G14.2a - A keyword ability that lets a creature suddenly enter combat. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.46, "Ninjutsu."
G14.3 - Nonbasic Land
- G14.3a - Any land that doesn't have the supertype "basic." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 204.4, "Supertypes."
G14.4 - Nontraditional Magic Card
- G14.4a - An oversized Magic card that has a Magic back but not a "Deckmaster" back. See Rule 108.2 [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G15.1 - Object
- G15.1a - An ability on the stack, a card, a copy of a card, a token, a spell, or a permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 109, "Objects."
G15.2 - Offering
- G15.2a - A keyword ability that modifies when you can cast a spell and how much mana you need to spend to do it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.45, "Offering."
G15.3 - One-Shot Effect
- G15.3a - An effect that does something just once and doesn't have a duration. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 610, "One-Shot Effects."
- Note - See Rule G3.26, "Continuous Effects."
G15.4 - Opening Hand
- G15.4a - The hand of cards a player starts the game with, once the player has decided not to take any further mulligans. See Rule 103.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G15.5 - Opponent
G15.6 - Option
- G15.6a - An additional rule or set of rules that can be used in a multiplayer game. See Rule 800.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G15.7 - Oracle
- G15.7a - The reference that contains the up-to-date wordings (in English) for all tournament-legal cards. A card's Oracle text can be found using the Gatherer card database at <-http://gatherer.wizards.com->. See Rule 108.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G15.8 - Outside the Game
- G15.8a - An object is "outside the game" if it isn't in any of the game's zones. See Rule 400.10. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G15.9 - Owner
G16.1 - Pass
- G16.1a - To decline to take any action (such as casting a spell or activating an ability) when you have priority. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 115, "Timing and Priority."
G16.2 - Pass in Succession
- G16.2a - All players "pass in succession" if each player in the game (starting with any one of them) opts not to take an action upon receiving priority. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 115, "Timing and Priority."
G16.3 - Pay
- G16.3a - To perform the actions required by a cost. This often means, but is not restricted to, spending resources such as mana or life. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 116, "Costs."
G16.4 - Permanent
- G16.4a - A card or token on the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 110, "Permanents."
G16.5 - Permanent Card
- G16.5a - A card that could be put onto the battlefield. See Rule 110.4a. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G16.6 - Permanent Spell
- G16.6a - A spell that will enter the battlefield as a permanent as part of its resolution. See Rule 110.4b. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G16.7 - Permanently (Obsolete)
- G16.7a - An obsolete term used to indicate that a continuous effect has no duration and thus lasts until the end of the game. Cards printed with this term have received errata in the Oracle card reference to delete it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G16.8 - Persist
- G16.8a - A keyword ability that can return a creature from the graveyard to the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.76, "Persist."
G16.9 - Phase
- G16.9a - (1) A subsection of a turn. See section 5, "Turn Structure." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G16.9b - (2) A permanent "phases in" when its status changes from phased out to phased in. A permanent "phases out" when its status changes from phased in to phased out. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.23, "Phasing."
G16.10 - Phased In, Phased Out
- G16.10a - A status a permanent may have. Phased-in is the default status. Phased-out permanents are treated as though they do not exist. See Rule 110.6. ("Phased-out" was a zone in older versions of the rules.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.23, "Phasing."
G16.11 - Phasing
- G16.11a - A keyword ability that causes a permanent to sometimes be treated as though it does not exist. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.23, "Phasing."
G16.12 - Pile
G16.13 - Placed
- G16.13a - If a spell or ability refers to a counter being "placed" on a permanent, it means putting a counter on that permanent while it's on the battlefield, or that permanent entering the battlefield with a counter on it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 120, "Counters."
G16.14 - Plains
- G16.14a - One of the five basic land types. Any land with this subtype has the ability "{Tap}: Add {W} to your mana pool." See Rule 305.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G16.15 - Plainscycling
G16.16 - Plainswalk
G16.17 - Planar Deck
- G16.17 - A deck of at least ten plane cards needed to play the Planar Magic casual variant. See Rule 901.3. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G16.18 - Planar Die
- G16.18a - A specialized six-sided die needed to play the Planar Magic casual variant. See Rule 901.3. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G16.19 - Planar Magic
- G16.19a - A casual variant in which plane cards add additional abilities and randomness to the game. See Rule 901, "Planar Magic." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G16.20 - Plane
- G16.20a - A card type seen only on nontraditional Magic cards in the Planar Magic casual variant. A plane card is not a permanent. See Rule 309, "Planes." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G16.21 - Planeswalk
- G16.21a - To put the face-up plane card on the bottom of its owner's planar deck face down, then move the top card of your planar deck off that planar deck and turn it face up in a Planar Magic game. See Rule 701.19, "Planeswalk." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G16.22 - Planeswalker
- G16.22a - A card type. A planeswalker is a permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 306, "Planeswalkers."
G16.23 - Planeswalker Symbol
- G16.23a - The planeswalker symbol {P} appears on the planar die in the Planar Magic casual variant. See Rule 107.10. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G16.24 - Planeswalker Type
G16.25 - Planeswalker Uniqueness Rule
- G16.25a - A state-based action that causes multiple planeswalkers with the same planeswalker type to be put into their owners' graveyards. See Rule 704.5j. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G16.26 - Play
- G16.26a - (1) To play a land is to put a land onto the battlefield as a special action. See Rule 114, "Special Actions," and Rule 305, "Lands." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G16.26b - (2) To play a card is to play that card as a land or cast that card as a spell, whichever is appropriate. See Rule 601, "Casting Spells." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G16.26c - (3) (Obsolete) Casting a spell used to be known as playing a spell. Cards with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference. See Rule G3.4, "Cast." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G16.26d - (4) (Obsolete) Activating an activated ability used to be known as playing an activated ability. Cards with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference. See Rule G1.4, "Activate." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G16.26e - (5) (Obsolete) The battlefield used to be known as the in-play zone. Cards that were printed with text that contains the phrases "in play," "from play," "into play," or the like are referring to the battlefield and have received errata in the Oracle card reference. See Battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G16.27 - Player
- G16.27a - One of the people in the game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 102, "Players."
G16.28 - Poison Counter
G16.29 - Poisonous
- G16.29a - A keyword ability that causes a player to get poison counters. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.67, "Poisonous."
G16.30 - Poly Artifact (Obsolete)
- G16.30a - An obsolete term that appeared on the type line of artifacts with activated abilities that didn't cause the artifact to be tapped as a cost. Cards printed with this text have received errata in the Oracle card reference to simply say "Artifact." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G16.31 - Postcombat Main Phase
- G16.31a - A main phase that occurs after a combat phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule G13.3, "Main Phase."
G16.32 - Power
- G16.32a - (1) Part of a card that only creatures have. A creature card's power is printed before the slash in its lower right corner. See Rule 207, "Power/Toughness." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G16.32a - (2) A characteristic that only creatures have. See Rule 302.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G16.33 - Precombat Main Phase
G16.34 - Prevent
- G16.34a - A word used by prevention effects to indicate what damage will not be dealt. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 615, "Prevention Effects."
G16.35 - Prevention Effect
- G16.35a - A kind of continuous effect that watches for a damage event that would happen and completely or partially prevents the damage that would be dealt. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 615, "Prevention Effects."
G16.36 - Priority
- G16.36a - Which player can take actions at any given time is determined by a system of "priority." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 115, "Timing and Priority."
G16.37 - Protection
- G16.37a - A keyword ability that provides a range of benefits against objects with a specific quality. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.14, "Protection."
G16.38 - Provoke
- G16.38a - A keyword ability that can force a creature to block. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.36, "Provoke."
G16.39 - Prowl
- G16.39a - A keyword ability that may allow a spell to be cast for an alternative cost. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.73, "Prowl."
G16.40 - Public Zone
- G16.40a - A zone in which all players can be expected to see the cards' faces. See Rule 400.2. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- Note - See Rule G8.5, "Hidden Zone."
G18.1 - Rampage
- G18.1a - A keyword ability that can make a creature better in combat. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.20, "Rampage."
G18.2 - Reach
- G18.2a - A keyword ability that allows a creature to block an attacking creature with flying. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.15, "Reach."
- Note - See Rule G6.14, "Flying."
G18.3 - Range of Influence
G18.4 - Recover
- G18.4a - A keyword ability that lets a player return a card from his or her graveyard to his or her hand. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.56, "Recover."
G18.5 - Redirect (Obsolete)
- G18.5a - Some older cards were printed with the term "redirect" to indicate a redirection effect. Such cards have received errata in the Oracle card reference so they explicitly state that damage that would be dealt to one object or player is dealt "instead" to another. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule G18.6, "Redirection Effect."
G18.6 - Redirection Effect
- G18.6a - A kind of replacement effect that causes damage that would be dealt to one creature, planeswalker, or player to be dealt instead to another creature, planeswalker, or player. See Rule 614.9. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G18.7 - Regenerate
- G18.7a - To replace a permanent's destruction with an alternate sequence of events. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.11, "Regenerate."
G18.8 - Reinforce
- G18.8a - A keyword ability that lets a player put +1/+1 counters on a creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.74, "Reinforce."
G18.9 - Reminder Text
- G18.9a - Parenthetical text in italics in the text box of a card that summarizes a rule that applies to that card, but is not actually rules text and has no effect on play. See Rule 206.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G18.10 - Removed from Combat
- G18.10a - Certain events can cause an attacking or blocking creature, or a planeswalker that's being attacked, to be "removed from combat." A permanent that's removed from combat has no further involvement in that combat phase. See Rule 506.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G18.11 - Remove from the Game, Removed, Removed-from-the-Game Zone (Obsolete)
- G18.11a - "Remove <-something-> from the game" is an obsolete term for "exile <-something->." "The removed card" is an obsolete term for "the exiled card." The removed-from-the-game zone is an obsolete term for the exile zone. Cards with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule G5.23, "Exile."
G18.12 - Replacement Effect
- G18.12a - A kind of continuous effect that watches for a particular event that would happen and completely or partially replaces that event with a different event. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 614, "Replacement Effects."
G18.13 - Replicate
- G18.13a - A keyword ability that creates copies of a spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.53, "Replicate."
G18.14 - Requirement
G18.15 - Resolve
- G18.15a - When the spell or ability on top of the stack "resolves," its instructions are followed and it has its effect. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 608, "Resolving Spells and Abilities."
G18.16 - Respond
- G18.16a - To cast an instant spell or activate an ability while another spell or ability is already on the stack. See Rule 115.7. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G18.17 - Restriction
G18.18 - Retrace
- G18.18a - A keyword ability that lets a player cast a card from his or her graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.78, "Retrace."
G18.19 - Reveal
- G18.19a - To show a card to all players for a brief time. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.12, "Reveal."
G18.20 - Ripple
- G18.20a - A keyword ability that may let a player cast extra cards from his or her library for no cost. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.57, "Ripple."
G18.21 - Rules Text
- G18.21a - A characteristic that defines a card's abilities. See Rule 206.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G19.1 - Sacrifice
- G19.1a - To move a permanent you control to its owner's graveyard. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.13, "Sacrifice."
G19.2 - Scry
- G19.2a - To manipulate some of the cards on top of your library. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.16, "Scry."
G19.3 - Search
- G19.3a - To look at all cards in a stated zone and find a card that matches a given description. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.14, "Search."
G19.4 - Set Aside (Obsolete)
- G19.4a - "Set <-something-> aside" is an obsolete term for "exile <-something->." Cards with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule G5.23, "Exile."
G19.5 - Shadow
- G19.5a - A keyword ability that restricts how a creature may be blocked and which creatures it can block. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.25, "Shadow."
G19.6 - Shared Life Total
- G19.6a - In the Two-Headed Giant multiplayer variant, each team has a "shared life total" rather than each player having an individual life total. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 806, "Two-Headed Giant Variant."
G19.7 - Shortcut
- G19.7a - A mutually understood way for the game to advance forward a number of game choices (either taking an action or passing priority) without players needing to explicitly identify each such choice. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 713, "Taking Shortcuts."
G19.8 - Shroud
- G19.8a - A keyword ability that precludes a permanent or player from being targeted. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.16, "Shroud."
G19.9 - Shuffle
- G19.9a - To randomize the cards in a deck (before a game) or library (during a game). See Rule 103.1. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G19.10 - Sideboard
- G19.10a - Extra cards that may be used to modify a deck between games of a match. See Rule 100.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G19.11 - Skip
- G19.11a - Effects that use the word "skip" are replacement effects. The word "skip" indicates what events, steps, phases, or turns will be replaced with nothing. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 614, "Replacement Effects."
G19.12 - Slivercycling
G19.13 - Snow
- G19.13a - A supertype that's normally relevant on permanents. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 204.4, "Supertypes."
G19.14 - Snow Mana Symbol
- G19.14a - The snow mana symbol {S} represents a cost that can be paid with one mana produced by a snow permanent. See Rule 107.4f. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G19.15 - Snow-Covered (Obsolete)
- G19.15a - Some older cards were printed with the term "snow-covered" in their rules text. Except when referencing card names, such cards have received errata in the Oracle card reference to reference the supertype "snow" instead. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule G19.13, "Snow."
G19.16 - Sorcery
- G19.16a - A card type. A sorcery is not a permanent. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 307, "Sorceries."
G19.17 - Soulshift
- G19.17a - A keyword ability that lets a player return a card from his or her graveyard to his or her hand. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.43, "Soulshift."
G19.18 - Source of an Ability
- G19.18a - The object that generated that ability. See Rule 112.7. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G19.19 - Source of Damage
G19.20 - Special Action
- G19.20a - An action a player may take that doesn't use the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 114, "Special Actions."
G19.21 - Spell
- G19.21a - A card on the stack. Also a copy (of either a card or another spell) on the stack. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 111, "Spells."
G19.22 - Spell Ability
- G19.22a - A kind of ability. Spell abilities are abilities that are followed as instructions while an instant or sorcery spell is resolving. See Rule 112.3a. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G19.23 - Spell Type
- G19.23a - A subtype that's correlated to the instant card type and the sorcery card type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 304, "Instants."
- Note - See Rule 307, "Sorceries."
- Note - See Rule 204.3j for the list of spell types.
G19.24 - Splice
- G19.24a - A keyword ability that lets a player copy a card's text box onto another spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.44, "Splice."
G19.25 - Split Cards
- G19.25a - Cards with two card faces on a single card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
Note - See Rule 708, "Split Cards."
G19.26 - Split Second
- G19.26a - A keyword ability that makes it nearly impossible for a player to respond to a spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.58, "Split Second."
G19.27 - Stack
- G19.27a - A zone. The stack is the zone in which spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities wait to resolve. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 405, "Stack."
G19.28 - State-Based Actions
- G19.28a - Game actions that happen automatically whenever certain conditions are met. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 704, "State-Based Actions."
G19.29 - State Trigger
- G19.29a - A triggered ability that triggers when a game state is true rather than triggering when an event occurs. See Rule 603.8. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G19.30 - Static Ability
- G19.30a - A kind of ability. Static abilities do something all the time rather than being activated or triggered. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 112, "Abilities."
- Note - See Rule 604, "Handling Static Abilities."
G19.31 - Status
G19.32 - Step
- G19.32a - A subsection of a phase. See section 5, "Turn Structure." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G19.33 - Storm
- G19.33a - A keyword ability that creates copies of a spell. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.37, "Storm."
G19.34 - Subgame
- G19.34a - A completely separate Magic game created by an effect. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 712, "Subgames."
G19.35 - Subtype
- G19.35a - A characteristic that appears after the card type and a long dash on a card's type line. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 204.3, "Subtypes."
G19.36 - Successfully Cast (Obsolete)
- G19.36a - A term that was printed on some older cards. In general, cards that referred to a spell being "successfully cast" have received errata in the Oracle card reference to simply refer to a spell being "cast." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G19.37 - Summon (Obsolete)
- G19.37a - Older creature cards were printed with "Summon <-creature type->" on their type lines. All such cards have received errata in the Oracle card reference to say "Creature -- <-creature type->." (Many of these cards' creature types have also been updated.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule G3.37, "Creature."
G19.38 - Summoning Sickness Rule
- G19.38a - Informal term for a player's inability to attack with a creature or to activate its abilities that include the tap symbol or the untap symbol unless the creature has been under that player's control since the beginning of that player's most recent turn. See Rule 302.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule G8.3, "Haste."
G19.39 - Sunburst
- G19.39a - A keyword ability that can have a permanent enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters or charge counters on it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.41, "Sunburst."
G19.40 - Supertype
- G19.40a - A characteristic that appears before the card type on a card's type line. Most cards don't have a supertype. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 204.4, "Supertypes."
G19.41 - Suspend
- G19.41a - A keyword ability that provides an alternate way to play a card. card is "suspended" if it's in the exile zone, has suspend, and has a time counter on it. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.59, "Suspend."
G19.42 - Swamp
- G19.42a - One of the five basic land types. Any land with this subtype has the ability "{Tap}: Add {B} to your mana pool." See Rule 305.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G19.43 - Swampcycling
G19.44 - Swampwalk
G20.1 - Tap
- G20.1a - To turn a permanent sideways from an upright position. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.15, "Tap and Untap."
G20.2 - Tapped
G20.3 - Tap Symbol
- G20.3a - The tap symbol {Tap} in an activation cost means "Tap this permanent." See Rule 107.5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.4 - Target
- G20.4a - A preselected object, player, and/or zone a spell or ability will affect. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 113, "Targets."
G20.5 - Team
- G20.5a - A group of players who share a common victory condition in a multiplayer game. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 806, "Two-Headed Giant Variant."
- Note - See Rule 807, "Emperor Variant."
- Note - See Rule 809, "Teams Variant."
G20.6 - Teammate
- G20.6a - In a multiplayer game between teams, a player's teammates are the other players on his or her team. See Rule 102.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.7 - Teams Variant
- G20.7a - A multiplayer variant played among two or more teams of equal size. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 809, "Teams Variant."
G20.8 - Text Box
- G20.8a - Part of a card. The text box is printed on the lower half of the card and contains the card's rules text, reminder text, and flavor text. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 206, "Text Box."
G20.9 - Text-Changing Effect
- G20.9a - A continuous effect that changes the text that appears in an object's text box and/or type line. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 612, "Text-Changing Effects."
G20.10 - Threshold
- G20.10a - "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 in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.11 - Timestamp Order
- G20.11a - A system used to determine in which order continuous effects in the same layer or sublayer are applied. See Rule 613.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule G4.15, "Dependency."
G20.12 - Token
- G20.12a - A marker used to represent any permanent that isn't represented by a card. See Rule 110.5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.13 - Tombstone Icon
- G20.13a - An icon that appears in the upper left of some Odyssey block cards that has no effect on game play. See Rule 107.8. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.14 - Total Casting Cost (Obsolete)
- G20.14a - An obsolete term for converted mana cost. Cards printed with this text have received errata in the Oracle card reference. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.15 - Total Cost
- G20.15a - What a player actually has to pay, in practical terms, to cast a spell or activated ability: the mana cost, activation cost, or alternative cost, plus all cost increases (including additional costs) and minus all cost reductions. See Rule 601.2e. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.16 - Toughness
- G20.16a - (1) Part of a card that only creatures have. A creature card's toughness is printed after the slash in its lower right corner. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G20.16b - (2) A characteristic that only creatures have. See Rule 302.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 207, "Power/Toughness."
G20.17 - Tournament
- G20.17a - An organized play activity where players compete against other players to win prizes. See Rule 100.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.18 - Tournament Rules
- G20.18a - Additional rules that apply to games played in a DCI-sanctioned tournament. See Rule 100.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.19 - Traditional Magic Card
- G20.19a - A Magic card that measures approximately 2.5 inches (6.3 centimeters) by 3.5 inches (8.8 centimeters) and has a "Deckmaster" back. See Rule 108.2. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G20.20 - Trample
- G20.20a - A keyword ability that modifies how a creature assigns combat damage. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.17, "Trample."
G20.21 - Transfigure
- G20.21a - A keyword ability that lets a player search his or her library for a replacement creature card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.68, "Transfigure."
G20.22 - Transmute
- G20.22a - A keyword ability that lets a player search his or her library for a replacement card. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.50, "Transmute."
G20.23 - Tribal
- G20.23a - A card type. Whether or not a tribal is a permanent depends on its other card type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 308, "Tribals."
G20.24 - Trigger
- G20.24a - Whenever a game event or game state matches a triggered ability's trigger event, that ability automatically "triggers." That means its controller puts it on the stack the next time a player would receive priority. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities."
G20.25 - Trigger Condition
- G20.25a - The first part of a triggered ability, consisting of "when," "whenever," or "at" followed by a trigger event. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities."
G20.26 - Triggered Ability
- G20.26a - A kind of ability. Triggered abilities begin with the word "when," "whenever," or "at." They're written as "<-Trigger condition->, <-effect->." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 112, "Abilities."
- Note - See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities."
G20.27 - Trigger Event
- G20.27a - The event that a triggered ability looks for. Whenever the trigger event occurs, the triggered ability triggers. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities."
G20.28 - Turn-Based Actions
- G20.28a - Game actions that happen automatically when certain steps or phases begin, or when each step or phase ends. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 703, "Turn-Based Actions."
G20.29 - Turn Markers
- G20.29a - Markers used to keep track of which players are taking turns in a Grand Melee game. See Rule 808.4. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.30 - Two-Headed Giant Variant
- G20.30a - A multiplayer variant played among two-player teams that each have a shared life total and take a simultaneous turn. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 806, "Two-Headed Giant Variant."
G20.31 - Type
- G20.31a - (1) An object's card type or, more broadly, its card type, subtype, and/or supertype. See section 3, "Card Types." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- G20.31b - (2) An attribute mana has. See Rule 106, "Mana." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 204, "Type Line."
G20.32 - Type Icon
- G20.32a - An icon that appears in the upper left of some Future Sight cards that has no effect on game play. See Rule 107.9. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.33 - Type Line
- G20.33a - Part of a card. The type line is printed directly below the illustration and contains the card's card type(s), subtype(s), and/or supertype(s). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 204, "Type Line."
G20.34 - Type-Changing Effect
- G20.34a - An effect that changes an object's card type, subtype, and/or supertype. See Rule 613.1d. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G20.35 - Typecycling
G21.1 - Unattach
- G21.1a - To move an Equipment away from the creature it's attached to so that the Equipment is on the battlefield but is not equipping anything. See Rule 701.3d. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G21.2 - Unblockable
- G21.2a - An attribute of a creature that precludes it from being blocked. See Rule 700.5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G21.3 - Unblocked Creature
- G21.3a - An attacking creature once no creature has been declared as a blocker for it, unless an effect has caused it to become blocked. It remains an unblocked creature until it's removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 509, "Declare Blockers Step."
G21.4 - Unearth
- G21.4a - A keyword ability that lets a player return a creature card from his or her graveyard to the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.81, "Unearth."
G21.5 - Unflipped
G21.6 - Unless
- G21.6a - A word used to indicate a certain style of cost. See Rule 116.12a. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G21.7 - Untap
- G21.7a - To rotate a permanent back to the upright position from a sideways position. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 701.15, "Tap and Untap."
G21.8 - Untap Step
- G21.8a - Part of the turn. This step is the first step of the beginning phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 502, "Untap Step."
G21.9 - Untap Symbol
- G21.9a - The untap symbol {Untap} in an activation cost means "Untap this permanent." See Rule 107.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G21.10 - Untapped
G21.11 - Upkeep Step
- G21.11a - Part of the turn. This step is the second step of the beginning phase. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 503, "Upkeep Step."
G22.1 - Vanguard
- G22.1a - 1. A casual variant in which each player plays the role of a famous character. See Rule 902, "Vanguard." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
- G22.1b - 2. A card type seen only on nontraditional Magic cards in the Vanguard casual variant. A vanguard card is not a permanent. See Rule 310, "Vanguards." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
G22.2 - Vanishing
- G22.2a - A keyword ability that limits how long a permanent remains on the battlefield. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.60, "Vanishing."
G22.3 - Variant
- G22.3a - An additional set of rules that determines the style of a multiplayer game. See Rule 800.2. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G22.4 - Vigilance
- G22.4a - A keyword ability that lets a creature attack without tapping. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.18, "Vigilance."
G23.1 - Wall
- G23.1a - A creature type with no particular rules meaning. Older cards with the Wall creature type but without defender had an unwritten ability that precluded them from attacking. Those cards have received errata in the Oracle card reference to have defender. Some older cards that referenced the Wall creature type have also received errata. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule G4.10, "Defender."
G23.2 - Win the Game
- G23.2a - There are several ways to win the game. See Rule 104, "Winning and Losing," and Rule 806.8b (for additional rules for Two-Headed Giant games). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G23.3 - Wither
- G23.3a - A keyword ability that affects how an object deals damage to a creature. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- Note - See Rule 702.77, "Wither."
G23.4 - Wizardcycling
G23.5 - World
G23.6 - World Rule
- G23.6a - A state-based action that causes all permanents with the world supertype except the newest to be put into their owners' graveyards. See Rule 704.5m. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G24.1 - X
- G24.1a - A placeholder for a number that needs to be determined. See Rule 107.3. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G25.1 - Y
G25.2 - You, Your
- G25.2a - Words that refer to an object's controller, its would-be controller (if a player is attempting to cast or activate it), or its owner (if it has no controller). See Rule 109.5. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G26.1 - Zone
- G26.1a - A place where objects can be during a game. See section 4, "Zones." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
G26.2 - Zone-Change Triggers
- G26.2a - Trigger events that involve objects changing zones. See Rule 603.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
- While this work is not officially issued by Wizards of the Coast, it is the official collected rulings from official sanctioned representatives
of and publications by Wizards of the Coast.
- This summary is collected from rulings made by officials and network representatives of Wizards of the Coast, along with a number of
unofficial rulings also collected from the net. Whenever a source for
a ruling is known, the name of that person is listed with the ruling.
"CompRules" marks rules from the Comprehensive Rules.
"D'Angelo" is Stephen D'Angelo, the former Rules Summary network
representative, and former MTG-L mailing list NetRep.
"WotC Rules Team" marks official rulings from the rules team.
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