Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules

by Mark L. Gottlieb

  402.8g An ability whose cost or effect specifies that it moves the object it’s on out of a particular zone functions only in that zone, unless that ability’s trigger condition, or a previous part of that ability’s cost or effect, specifies that the object is put into that zone.

  Example: Necrosavant says “{3}{B}{B}, Sacrifice a creature: Return Necrosavant from your graveyard to play. Play this ability only during your upkeep.” A player may play this ability only if Necrosavant is in his or her graveyard.

  403. Activated Abilities

  403.1. An activated ability is written as “[cost]: [effect].” The activation cost is everything before the colon (:). An ability’s activation cost must be paid by the player who is playing it.

  403.2. Only an object’s controller (or its owner, if it doesn’t have a controller) can play its activated ability unless the object specifically says otherwise.

  403.3. If an activated ability has a restriction on its use (for example, “Play this ability only once each turn”), the restriction continues to apply to that object even if its controller changes.

  403.4. A creature’s activated ability with the tap symbol ({T}) in its activation cost can’t be played unless the creature has been under its controller’s control since the start of his or her most recent turn. Ignore this rule for creatures with haste (see rule 502.5).

  403.5. Activated abilities that read “Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery” mean the player must follow the timing rules for playing a sorcery, though the ability isn’t actually a sorcery. Activated abilities that read “Play this ability only any time you could play an instant” mean the player must follow the timing rules for playing an instant, though the ability isn’t actually an instant.

  404. Triggered Abilities

  404.1. A triggered ability begins with the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” The phrase containing one of these words is the trigger condition, which defines the trigger event.

  404.2. Triggered abilities aren’t played. Instead, a triggered ability automatically “triggers” each time its trigger event occurs. Once an ability has triggered, it goes on the stack the next time a player would receive priority. See rule 408.1, “Timing, Priority, and the Stack,” and rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”

  404.3. A triggered ability may read “When/Whenever/At . . . , if [condition], [effect].” The ability checks for the stated condition to be true when the trigger event occurs. If it is, the ability triggers. On resolution, the ability rechecks the condition. If the condition isn’t true at either of those times, the ability does nothing. This rule is referred to as the “intervening ‘if’ clause” rule. Note that the word “if” has only its normal English meaning anywhere else in the text of a card; this rule only applies to an “if” that immediately follows a trigger condition.

  404.4. An effect may create a delayed triggered ability that can do something at a later time. A delayed triggered ability will contain “when,” “whenever,” or “at,” although that word won’t usually begin the ability.

  404.4a Delayed triggered abilities come from spells or other abilities that create them on resolution. That means a delayed triggered ability won’t trigger until it has actually been created, even if its trigger event occurred just beforehand. Other events that happen earlier may make the trigger event impossible.

  Example: Part of an effect reads “When this creature leaves play,” but the creature in question leaves play before the spell or ability creating the effect resolves. In this case, the delayed ability never triggers.

  Example: If an effect reads “When this creature becomes untapped” and the named creature becomes untapped before the effect resolves, the ability waits for the next time that creature untaps.

  404.4b A delayed triggered ability will trigger only once-the next time its trigger event occurs-unless it has a stated duration, such as “this turn.”

  404.4c A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular object still affects it even if the object changes characteristics.

  Example: An ability that reads “Destroy that creature at end of turn” will destroy the permanent even if it’s no longer a creature during the end of turn step.

  404.4d A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular permanent will fail if the permanent leaves play (even if it returns again before the specified time). Similarly, abilities that create a one-shot effect that applies to an object in a particular zone will fail if the object leaves that zone.

  Example: An ability that reads “Remove this creature from the game at end of turn” won’t do anything if the creature leaves play before the end of turn step.

  404.5. Some objects have a static ability that’s linked to a triggered ability. These objects combine both abilities into one paragraph, with the static ability first, followed by the triggered ability. A very few objects have triggered abilities which are written with the trigger condition in the middle of the ability, rather than at the beginning.

  Example: An ability that reads “Reveal the first card you draw each turn. Whenever you reveal a basic land card this way, draw a card” is a static ability linked to a triggered ability.

  Example: An ability that reads “The controller of enchanted creature sacrifices it at the end of his or her turn” is a triggered ability.

  405. Static Abilities

  405.1. A static ability does something all the time rather than being activated or triggered. The ability isn’t played-it just “exists.” Such abilities apply only while the ability is on a permanent in play, unless the ability is covered by rule 402.8.

  405.2. Some objects have intrinsic static abilities which state that the object “has” one or more characteristic values; “is” one or more particular types, supertypes, subtypes, or colors; or that one or more of its characteristics “is” or “are” a particular value. These abilities are characteristic-setting abilities. Abilities of an object that affect the characteristics of another object are not characteristic-setting abilities; neither are abilities that an object grants to itself. See rule 201, “Characteristics,” and rule 418.5a.

  405.2a A characteristic-setting ability that states that an object is one or more particular types, supertypes, subtypes, or colors applies no matter which zone the object it’s on is in. This rule doesn’t apply to other characteristic-setting abilities.

  406. Mana Abilities

  406.1. A mana ability is either (a) an activated ability that could put mana into a player’s mana pool when it resolves or (b) a triggered ability that triggers from a mana ability and could produce additional mana. A mana ability can generate other effects at the same time it produces mana.

  406.2. Spells that put mana into a player’s mana pool aren’t mana abilities. They’re played and resolved exactly like any other spells. Triggered abilities that put mana into a player’s mana pool aren’t mana abilities if they trigger from events other than activating mana abilities. They go on the stack and resolve like any other triggered abilities.

  406.3. A mana ability remains a mana ability even if the game state doesn’t allow it to produce mana.

  Example: A permanent has an ability that reads “{T}: Add {G} to your mana pool for each creature you control.” This is still a mana ability even if you control no creatures or if the permanent is already tapped.

  406.4. A mana ability can be activated or triggered. Mana abilities are played and resolved like other abilities, but they don’t go on the stack, so they can’t be countered or responded to. See rule 411, “Playing Mana Abilities,” and rule 408.2, “Actions That Don’t Use the Stack.”

  406.5. Abilities (other than mana abilities) that trigger on playing mana abilities do use the stack.

  406.6. If a mana ability would produce one or more mana of an undefined type, it produces no mana instead.

  Example: If you control no lands, an ability that reads “{T}: Add to your mana pool one mana of any type that a land you control could produce” wi
ll not produce any mana.

  407. Adding and Removing Abilities

  407.1. Effects can add or remove abilities of objects. An effect that adds an ability will state that the object “gains” or “has” that ability. An effect that removes an ability will state that the object “loses” that ability. If two or more effects add and remove the same ability, in general the most recent one prevails. (See rule 418.5, “Interaction of Continuous Effects.”)

  407.2. An effect that sets an object’s characteristic, or simply states a quality of that object, is different from an ability granted by an effect. When an object “gains” or “has” an ability, that ability can be removed by another effect. If an effect defines a characteristic of the object (“[permanent] is [characteristic value]”), it’s not granting an ability. (See rule 405.2.)

  Example: An effect reads, “Enchanted creature has ‘This creature is an artifact creature.’” This effect grants an ability to the creature that can be removed by other effects. Another effect reads, “Enchanted creature is an artifact creature.” This effect simply defines a characteristic of the creature. It doesn’t grant an ability, so effects that would cause the creature to lose its abilities wouldn’t cause the enchanted creature to stop being an artifact.

  407.3. Effects that remove an ability remove all instances of it.

  Example: If a creature with flying is enchanted with Flight, it has two instances of the flying ability. A single effect that reads “Target creature loses flying” will remove both.

  408. Timing of Spells and Abilities

  408.1. Timing, Priority, and the Stack

  408.1a Spells and activated abilities can be played only at certain times and follow a set of rules for doing so.

  408.1b Spells and activated abilities are played by players (if they choose) using a system of priority, while other types of abilities and effects are automatically generated by the game rules. Each time a player would get priority, all applicable state-based effects resolve first as a single event (see rule 420, “State-Based Effects”). Then, if any new state-based effects have been generated, they resolve as a single event. This process repeats until no more applicable state-based effects are generated. Then triggered abilities are added to the stack (see rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities”). These steps repeat in order until no further state-based effects or triggered abilities are generated. Then the player who would have received priority does so and may play a spell or ability, take a special action (such as playing a land), or pass, as governed by the rules for that phase or step.

  408.1c The active player gets priority at the beginning of most phases and steps, after any game actions are dealt with and abilities that trigger at the beginning of that phase or step go on the stack. No player gets priority during the untap step and players usually don’t get priority during the cleanup step (see rule 314.3). The player with priority may play a spell or ability, take a special action, or pass. If he or she plays a spell or ability, or takes a special action, the player again receives priority; otherwise, the next player in turn order receives priority. If all players pass in succession (that is, if all players pass without taking any actions in between passing), the top object on the stack resolves, then the active player receives priority. If the stack is empty when all players pass in succession, the phase or step ends and the next one begins.

  408.1d A player may play an instant spell or an activated ability any time he or she has priority. Spells other than instants may be played during a player’s main phase, when that player has priority and the stack is empty.

  408.1e When a spell is played, it goes on top of the stack. When an activated ability is played, it goes on top of the stack.

  408.1f Triggered abilities can trigger at any time, including during the playing or resolution of a spell or another ability. However, nothing actually happens at the time the abilities trigger. Each time a player would receive priority, each ability that has triggered is put on the stack (if it hasn’t already been put on the stack). Then the player gets priority and may play spells or abilities. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”)

  408.1g Combat damage goes on the stack once it’s been assigned. For more information, see rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.”

  408.1h Static abilities aren’t played-they continuously affect the game. Priority doesn’t apply to them. (See rule 405, “Static Abilities,” rule 418, “Continuous Effects,” and rule 419, “Replacement and Prevention Effects.”)

  408.1i Special actions don’t use the stack. The special actions are playing a land (see rule 408.2d), turning a face-down creature face up (see rule 408.2h), ending continuous effects or stopping delayed triggered abilities (see rule 408.2i), ignoring continuous effects (see rule 408.2j), and removing a card with suspend in your hand from the game (see rule 408.2k).

  408.2. Actions That Don’t Use the Stack

  408.2a Effects don’t go on the stack; they’re the result of spells and abilities resolving. Effects may create delayed triggered abilities, however, and these may go on the stack when they trigger (see rule 404.4).

  408.2b Static abilities continuously generate effects and don’t go on the stack.

  408.2c State-based effects (see rule 420) resolve whenever a player would receive priority as long as the required game condition is true.

  408.2d Playing a land is a special action consisting of putting that land into play. (See rule 212.6, “Lands.”) A player can play a land only during a main phase of his or her turn, when he or she has priority and the stack is empty. The player who played the land gets priority after this special action.

  408.2e Mana abilities resolve immediately. If a mana ability produces both mana and another effect, both the mana and the other effect happen immediately. If a player had priority before a mana ability was played, that player gets priority after it resolves. (See rule 406, “Mana Abilities.”)

  408.2f Characteristic-setting abilities, such as “[This object] is red,” are simply read and followed as applicable. (See also rule 405.2.)

  408.2g Game actions don’t use the stack. The game actions are phasing in and out during the untap step (see rule 302.1), untapping during the untap step (see rule 302.2), drawing a card during the draw step (see rule 304.1), declaring attackers at the start of the declare attackers step (see rule 308.1), declaring blockers at the start of the declare blockers step (see rule 309.1), cleanup (see rule 314), and mana burn as each phase ends (see rule 300.3).

  408.2h The controller of a face-down permanent may turn it face up. This is a special action. (See rule 504, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents.”) A player can turn a face-down permanent face up only when he or she has priority. That player gets priority after this special action.

  408.2i Some effects allow a player to take an action at a later time, usually to end a continuous effect or to stop a delayed triggered ability. This is a special action. A player can end a continuous effect or stop a delayed triggered ability only if the effect or ability allows it and only when he or she has priority. The player who took the action gets priority after this special action.

  408.2j Some effects from static abilities allow a player to take an action to ignore the effect from that ability for a duration. This is a special action. A player can take an action to ignore an effect only when he or she has priority. The player who took the action gets priority after this special action.

  408.2k A player who has a card with suspend in his or her hand may remove that card from the game. This is a special action. (See rule 502.59, “Suspend.”) A player can remove a card with suspend in his or her hand from the game only when he or she has priority. That player gets priority after this special action.

  409. Playing Spells and Activated Abilities

  409.1. Playing a spell or activated ability follows the steps listed below, in order. If, at any point during the playing of a spell or ability, a player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the spell was played illegally; the game re
turns to the moment before that spell or ability was played (see rule 422, “Handling Illegal Actions”). Announcements and payments can’t be altered after they’ve been made.

  409.1a The player announces that he or she is playing the spell or activated ability. It moves from the zone it’s in to the stack and remains there until it’s countered or resolves. In the case of spells, the physical card goes onto the stack. In the case of activated abilities, the ability goes onto the stack without any card associated with it. If the ability is being played from a hidden zone, the card with that ability is revealed. Each spell has all the characteristics of the card associated with it. Each activated ability on the stack has the text of the ability that created it, and no other characteristics. The controller of a spell is the player who played the spell. The controller of an activated ability is the player who played the ability.

  409.1b If the spell or ability is modal (uses the phrase “Choose one -” or “[specified player] chooses one -”), the player announces the mode choice. If the player wishes to splice any cards onto the spell, he or she reveals those cards in his or her hand. If the spell or ability has a variable mana cost (indicated by {X}) or some other variable cost, the player announces the value of that variable at this time. If the spell or ability has alternative, additional, or other special costs (such as buyback, kicker, or convoke costs), the player announces his or her intentions to pay any or all of those costs (see rule 409.1f). You can’t apply two alternative methods of playing or two alternative costs to a single spell or ability. Previously made choices (such as choosing to play a spell with flashback from his or her graveyard or choosing to play a creature with morph face down) may restrict the player’s options when making these choices.