Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules

by Mark L. Gottlieb

  600.3. Many multiplayer Magic tournaments have additional rules not included here, including rules for deck construction. See the most current Magic: The Gathering DCI Floor Rules for more information. They can be found at www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home.

  600.4. Unlike two-player games, multiplayer games can continue after one or more players have left the game.

  600.4a. When a player leaves the game, all objects (see rule 200.8) 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 leave the game. (Any objects leaving the game this way that aren’t owned by the player leaving the game are placed in the removed-from-the-game zone.) This is not a state-based effect. It happens as soon as the player leaves the game. A player leaving the game doesn’t affect combat damage on the stack.

  Example: Alex plays 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.

  Example: Alex plays 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.

  Example: Alex plays Bribery, which reads, “Search target opponent’s library for a creature card and put that card into play under your control. Then that player shuffles his or her library,” targeting Bianca. Alex puts Wall of Wood into play from Bianca’s library. If Alex leaves the game, Wall of Wood leaves the game. If, instead, Bianca leaves the game, Wall of Wood still leaves the game.

  Example: Alex controls Genesis Chamber, which reads, “Whenever a nontoken creature comes into play, if Genesis Chamber is untapped, that creature’s controller puts a 1/1 Myr artifact creature token into play.” If Alex leaves the game, all Myr tokens created by Genesis Chamber while it was under Alex’s control leave the game as well because Alex owns the tokens.

  600.4b. If an object would change to the control of a player who has left the game, that object’s control remains unchanged. If a token would be put into play under the control of a player who has left the game, no token is created.

  600.4c If an object owned by a player who has left the game would be put into any zone, it leaves the game instead. (This includes abilities that would be put onto the stack.)

  Example: Astral Slide is an enchantment that reads, “Whenever a player cycles a card, you may remove target creature from the game. If you do, return that creature to play under its owner’s control at end of turn.” During Alex’s turn, Bianca uses Astral Slide’s ability to remove Alex’s Hypnotic Specter from the game. Before the end of that turn, Bianca leaves the game. At end of turn, the delayed triggered ability generated by Astral Slide that would return Hypnotic Specter to play triggers, but it leaves the game rather than being put on the stack. Hypnotic Specter never returns to play.

  600.4d 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.

  601. Limited Range of Influence Option

  601.1. 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 607), and it’s often used for games involving five or more players.

  601.2. 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, and making choices.

  601.2a The most commonly chosen limited ranges of influence are 1 seat and 2 seats. Different players may have different ranges of influence.

  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.

  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.

  601.2b A player is always within his or her own range of influence.

  601.2c The particular players within each player’s range of influence are determined as each turn begins.

  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.

  601.2d 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.

  601.3. Creatures can attack only opponents within their controller’s range of influence. If no opponents are within a player’s range of influence, creatures that player controls can’t attack.

  601.4. Objects and players outside a player’s range of influence can’t be the targets of spells or abilities that player controls.

  601.5. Some cards require players to make choices. These cards work differently when the limited range of influence option is used.

  601.5a If a player is asked to choose an object or player, he or she must choose one within his or her range of influence.

  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.

  601.5b 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.

  Example: Alex, who has a range of influence of 2, is seated to the left of Rob, and Carissa, who has range of influence of 1, is seated to the right of Rob. Alex plays a card 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.

  601.5c 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.

  Example: In an Emperor game in which all players have range of influence 1, an emperor plays 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.

  601.6. A player can’t play the activated abilities of an object outside of his or her range of influence.

  601.7. A triggered ability doesn’t trigger unless its trigger event happens entirely within the range of influence of its source’s controller.

  Example: In a game with range of influence limited to 1, Alex is seated to the left of Rob. Rob controls two Auras attached to Alex’s Grizzly Bears: 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 Grizzly Bears attacks the player to Alex’s left and becomes blocked. The ability of Rob’s first Aura triggers because the entire event (Grizzly Bears 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.

  601.7a 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 410.10.

  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 play, 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.

  601.8. An Aura can’t enchant an object outside its controller’s range of influence. If an Aura is attached to an illegal permanent, the Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based effect. See rule 420.

  601.9. An Equipment can’t equip an object outside its controller’s range of influence. If an Equipment is attached to an illegal permanent, it becomes unattached from that permanent but remains in play. This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.

  601.10. 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.

  Example: In a six-player game where each player has range of influence 1, Alex plays 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.

  601.11. 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.

  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 in play that shares a 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.

  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.

  601.12. The “legend rule” (see rule 420.5e) applies to a permanent only if other legendary permanents with the same name are within its controller’s range of influence.

  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 into play, only the one controlled by Carissa will be put into a graveyard.

  601.13. The “world rule” (see rule 420.5i) applies to a permanent only if other world permanents are within its controller’s range of influence.

  601.14. 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 419, “Replacement and Prevention Effects.”

  601.14a 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.

  Example: Alex plays Lava Axe (“Lava Axe deals 5 damage to target player”) targeting Rob. In response, Rob plays 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 = 3, targeting Carissa. Carissa isn’t in Alex’s range of influence. When Lava Axe resolves, it deals only 2 damage to Rob and no damage to Carissa.

  601.14b 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.

  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.

  Example: Rob is within Alex’s range of influence, but Carissa is not. Carissa plays Lightning Blast (“Lightning Blast deals 4 damage to target creature or player”) targeting Rob. In response, Alex plays Honorable Passage (“The next time a source of your choice would deal damage to target creature or player this turn, prevent that damage. If damage from a red source is prevented this way, Honorable Passage deals damage equal to the damage prevented this way to the source’s controller.”) targeting Rob. The damage to Rob is prevented, but Honorable Passage can’t deal damage to Carissa.

  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 plays Holy Day (“Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.”) Carissa and Rob’s creatures deal combat damage to each other.

  602. Attack Multiple Players Option

  602.1. 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.

  602.2. 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.

  602.2a Any rule, object, or effect that refers to a “defending player” refers to one specific defending player, not to all of the defending players. This will usually be the defending player that the creature with the ability is attacking; if there are multiple defending players that could be chosen, the controller of the ability chooses one.

  602.3. As the attacking player declares each attacking creature, he or she chooses a defending player for it to attack. See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step.”

  602.3a 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 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”

  Example: Rob attacks Alex with Grizzly Bears and attacks Carissa with a creature with mountainwalk. Whether the creature with mountainwalk is unblockable depends only on whether Carissa controls a Mountain.

  602.3b Creatures in a band can’t attack different players. See rule 502.10, “Banding.”

  602.4. If creatures are attacking more than one player, each defending player declares blockers in APNAP order as
the declare blockers step begins. (See rule 103.4 and rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”) The first defending player declares all his or her blocks, then the second defending player, and so on.

  602.4a A defending player can block only with creatures he or she controls. Those creatures can block only creatures attacking that player; they can’t block creatures attacking other players.

  602.4b When determining whether a defending player’s blocks are legal, ignore any creatures attacking other players and any blocking creatures controlled by other players.

  602.5. Combat damage is assigned in APNAP order. Other than that, the combat damage step proceeds just as in a two-player game. See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.”

  603. Deploy Creatures Option

  603.1. 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.

  603.2. Each creature has the ability “{T}: Target teammate gains control of this creature. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.”

  604. Attack Left and Attack Right Options

  604.1. Some multiplayer games use the optional attack left or attack right rules.