Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules
Page 12
502.26c You can’t play a card face down if it doesn’t have morph.
502.26d Any time you could play an instant, you may turn a face-down permanent you control face up. To do this, show all players what the permanent’s morph cost will be when the effect ends, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. The morph effect on it ends, and it regains its normal characteristics. Any abilities relating to the permanent coming into play don’t trigger when it’s turned face up and don’t have any effect, because the permanent has already come into play.
502.26e If a face-up permanent is turned face down by a spell or ability, it becomes a 2/2 face-down creature, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost. These values are the copiable values of that object’s characteristics. (See rule 418.5, “Interaction of Continuous Effects,” and rule 503, “Copying Objects.”) The rules for morph and face-down permanents apply to it normally.
502.26f See rule 504, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents,” for more information on how to play cards with morph.
502.27. Amplify
502.27a Amplify is a static ability. “Amplify N” means “As this object comes into play, reveal any number of cards from your hand that share a creature type with it. This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it for each card revealed this way. You can’t reveal this card or any other cards that are coming into play at the same time as this card.”
502.27b If a creature has multiple instances of amplify, each one works separately.
502.28. Double Strike
502.28a Double strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.”)
502.28b At the start of the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking creature has double strike or first strike, creatures without double strike or first strike (see rule 502.2, “First Strike”) don’t assign combat damage. Instead of proceeding to end of combat, the phase gets a second combat damage step to handle the remaining creatures. In the second combat damage step, surviving attackers and blockers that didn’t assign combat damage in the first step, plus any creatures with double strike, assign their combat damage.
502.28c Removing double strike from a creature during the first combat damage step will stop it from assigning combat damage in the second combat damage step.
502.28d Giving double strike to a creature with first strike after it has already put first strike combat damage onto the stack in the first combat damage step will allow the creature to assign combat damage in the second combat damage step.
502.28e Multiple instances of double strike on the same creature are redundant.
502.29. Provoke
502.29a Provoke is a triggered ability. “Provoke” means “Whenever this creature attacks, you may choose to have target creature defending player controls block this creature this combat if able. If you do, untap that creature.”
502.29b If a creature has multiple instances of provoke, each triggers separately.
502.30. Storm
502.30a Storm is a triggered ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Storm” means “When you play this spell, put a copy of it onto the stack for each other spell that was played before it this turn. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for any number of the copies.”
502.30b If a spell has multiple instances of storm, each triggers separately.
502.31. Affinity
502.31a Affinity is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Affinity for [text]” means “This spell costs you {1} less to play for each [text] you control.”
502.31b The affinity ability reduces only generic mana costs; it doesn’t reduce how much colored mana you have to pay for a spell. Affinity can’t reduce the cost to play a spell to less than 0.
502.31c If a spell has multiple instances of affinity, each of them applies.
502.32. Entwine
502.32a Entwine is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Entwine [cost]” means “You may choose to use all modes of this spell instead of just one. If you do, you pay an additional [cost].” Using the entwine ability follows the rules for choosing modes and paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.
502.32b If the entwine cost was paid, follow the text of each of the modes in the order written on the card when the spell resolves.
502.33. Equip
502.33a Equip is an activated ability of artifact Equipment cards. “Equip [cost]” means “[Cost]: Attach this Equipment to target creature you control. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.”
502.33b For more information about Equipment, see rule 212.2, “Artifacts.”
502.33c If an artifact has multiple instances of equip, any of its equip abilities may be used.
502.34. Imprint
502.34a Imprint is an activated or triggered ability, written “Imprint – [text],” where “[text]” is a triggered or activated ability. Cards that are in the removed-from-the-game zone because they were removed from the game by an imprint ability are imprinted on the source of that ability.
502.34b The phrase “imprinted [type] card” means the card of that type that’s imprinted on the permanent. If a permanent has more than one card of that type imprinted on it, each of those cards is an “imprinted [type] card.”
502.35. Modular
502.35a Modular represents both a static ability and a triggered ability. “Modular N” means “This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it” and “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter on this permanent.”
502.35b If a creature has multiple instances of modular, each one works separately.
502.36. Scry
502.36a Scry is a static ability that functions while a spell or ability is resolving. “Scry N” means “Look at the top N cards of your library. Put any number of them on the bottom of your library in any order and the rest on top of your library in any order.”
502.36b If a spell or ability has multiple instances of scry, each one works separately.
502.37. Sunburst
502.37a Sunburst is a static ability that functions as an object is coming into play from the stack. “Sunburst” means “If this object is coming into play from the stack as a creature, it comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost. If this object is coming into play from the stack and isn’t coming into play as a creature, it comes into play with a charge counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost.”
502.37b Sunburst applies only as the spell is resolving and only if one or more colored mana was paid for its costs. Mana paid for additional or alternative costs applies.
502.37c Sunburst can also be used to set a variable number for another ability. If the keyword is used in this way, it doesn’t matter whether the ability is on a creature spell or on a noncreature spell.
Example: The ability “Modular-Sunburst” means “This permanent comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost” and “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter on this permanent.”
502.37d If an object has multiple instances of sunburst, each one works separately.
502.38. Bushido
502.38a Bushido is a triggered ability. “Bushido N” means “Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +N/+N until end of turn.” (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.38b If a creature has multiple instances of bushido, each triggers separately.
502.39. Soulshift
502.39a Soulshift is a triggered ability. “Soulshift N” means “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost N or less from your graveyard to your hand.”
<
br /> 502.39b If a permanent has multiple instances of soulshift, each triggers separately.
502.40. Splice
502.40a Splice is a static ability that functions while a card is in your hand. “Splice onto [type or subtype] [cost]” means “You may reveal this card from your hand as you play a [type or subtype] spell. If you do, copy this card’s text box onto that spell and pay [cost] as an additional cost to play that spell.” Paying a card’s splice cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.
Example: Since the card with splice remains in the player’s hand, it can later be played normally or spliced onto another spell. It can even be discarded to pay a “discard a card” cost of the spell it’s spliced onto.
502.40b You can’t choose to use a splice ability if you can’t make the required choices (targets, etc.) for that card’s instructions. You can’t splice any one card onto the same spell more than once. If you’re splicing more than one card onto a spell, reveal them all at once and choose the order in which their instructions will be followed. The instructions on the main spell have to be followed first.
502.40c The spell has the characteristics of the main spell, plus the text boxes of each of the spliced cards. The spell doesn’t gain any other characteristics (name, mana cost, color, supertypes, types, subtypes, etc.) of the spliced cards. Text copied onto the spell that refers to a card by name refers to the spell on the stack, not the card from which the text was copied.
Example: Glacial Ray is a red card with splice onto Arcane that reads, “Glacial Ray deals 2 damage to target creature or player.” Suppose Glacial Ray is spliced onto Reach Through Mists, a blue spell. The spell is still blue, and Reach Through Mists deals the damage. This means that the ability can target a creature with protection from red and deal 2 damage to that creature.
502.40d Choose targets for the added text normally (see rule 409.1c). Note that a spell with one or more targets will be countered if all of its targets are illegal on resolution.
502.40e The spell loses any splice changes once it leaves the stack (for example, when it’s countered, it’s removed from the game, or it resolves).
502.41. Defender
502.41a Defender is a static ability.
502.41b A creature with defender can’t attack.
502.41c Multiple instances of defender on the same creature are redundant.
502.42. Offering
502.42a Offering is a static ability of a card that functions in any zone from which the card can be played. “[Text] offering” means “You may play this card any time you could play an instant by sacrificing a [text] permanent. If you do, the total cost to play this card is reduced by the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost.”
502.42b The permanent is sacrificed at the same time the spell is announced (see rule 409.1a). The total cost of the spell is reduced by the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost (see rule 409.1f).
502.42c Generic mana in the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost reduces generic mana in the total cost to play the card with offering. Colored mana in the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost reduces mana of the same color in the total cost to play the card with offering. Colored mana in the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost that doesn’t match colored mana in the colored mana cost of the card with offering, or is in excess of the card’s colored mana cost, reduces that much generic mana in the total cost.
502.43. Ninjutsu
502.43a Ninjutsu is an activated ability that functions only while the card with ninjutsu is in a player’s hand. “Ninjutsu [cost]” means “[Cost], Reveal this card from your hand, Return an unblocked creature you control to its owner’s hand: Put this card into play from your hand tapped and attacking.”
502.43b The card with ninjutsu remains revealed from the time the ability is announced until the ability leaves the stack.
502.43c A ninjutsu ability may be played only while a creature in play is unblocked (see rule 309.2f). The creature with ninjutsu is put into play unblocked. It will be attacking the same player as the creature that was returned to its owner’s hand.
502.44. Epic
502.44a Epic represents both a static ability and a delayed triggered ability. “Epic” means, “For the rest of the game, you can’t play spells,” and “At the beginning of each of your upkeeps, copy this spell except for its epic ability. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for the copy.” See rule 503.10.
502.44b A player can’t play spells once a spell with epic he or she controls resolves, but effects (such as the epic ability itself) can still put copies of spells onto the stack.
502.45. Enchant
502.45a Enchant is a static ability, written “Enchant [permanent or player].” The enchant ability restricts what an Aura spell can target and what an Aura can enchant.
502.45b For more information on Auras, see rule 212.4, “Enchantments.”
502.45c If an Aura has multiple instances of enchant, all of them apply. The Aura’s target must follow the restrictions from all the instances of enchant. The Aura can enchant only permanents or players that match all of its enchant abilities.
502.45d Auras that can enchant a player can target and be attached to players. Such Auras can’t target permanents and can’t be attached to permanents. Rules 212.4d-k apply to an Aura with the “enchant player” or “enchant opponent” ability in relation to players as they normally would for permanents.
502.46. Convoke
502.46a Convoke is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Convoke” means “As an additional cost to play this spell, you may tap any number of untapped creatures you control. Each creature tapped this way reduces the cost to play this spell by {1} or by one mana of any of that creature’s colors.” Using the convoke ability follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.
Example: You play Guardian of Vitu-Ghazi, a spell with convoke that costs {6}{G}{W}. You announce that you’re going to tap a colorless creature, a red creature, and a green-and-white creature to help pay for it. The colorless creature and the red creature each reduce the spell’s cost by {1}. You choose whether the green-white creature reduces the spell’s cost by {1}, {G}, or {W}. Then the creatures become tapped as you pay Guardian of Vitu-Ghazi’s cost.
502.46b Convoke can’t reduce the cost to play a spell to less than 0.
502.46c Multiple instances of convoke on the same spell are redundant.
502.47. Dredge
502.47a Dredge is a static ability that functions only while the card with dredge is in a player’s graveyard. “Dredge N” means “As long as you have at least N cards in your library, if you would draw a card, you may instead put N cards from the top of your library into your graveyard and return this card from your graveyard to your hand.”
502.47b A player with fewer cards in his or her library than the number required by a dredge ability can’t put any of them into his or her graveyard this way.
502.48. Transmute
502.48a Transmute is an activated ability that functions only while the card with transmute is in a player’s hand. “Transmute [cost]” means “[Cost], Discard this card: Search your library for a card with the same converted mana cost as the discarded card, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.”
502.48b Although the transmute ability is playable only if the card is in a player’s hand, it continues to exist while the object is in play and in all other zones. Therefore objects with transmute will be affected by effects that depend on objects having one or more activated abilities.
502.49. Substance
502.49a Substance is a static ability with no effect.
502.50. Bloodthirst
502.50a Bloodthirst is a static ability. “Bloodthirst N” means “If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it.”
502.50b “Bloodthirs
t X” is a special form of bloodthirst. “Bloodthirst X” means “This permanent comes into play with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the total damage your opponents have been dealt this turn.”
502.50c If an object has multiple instances of bloodthirst, each applies separately.
502.51. Haunt
502.51a Haunt is a triggered ability. “Haunt” on a permanent means “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from play, remove it from the game haunting target creature.” “Haunt” on an instant or sorcery spell means “When this spell is put into a graveyard during its resolution, remove it from the game haunting target creature.”