Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules

by Mark L. Gottlieb

  When an effect states that an object “gains” or “has” an ability, it’s granting that object an ability. If an effect defines a property of an object (“[card or permanent] is [property]”), it’s not granting an ability. For example, an Aura might read, “Enchanted creature is red.” The Aura isn’t granting an ability of any kind; it’s simply changing the enchanted creature’s color to red.

  Ability Word

  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.

  Activated Ability

  An activated ability is written as “activation cost: effect.” By paying the activation cost, a player may play such an ability whenever he or she has priority. See rule 403, “Activated Abilities.”

  Activation Cost

  The activation cost of an activated ability is everything before the colon in “activation cost: effect.” It must be paid to play the ability. See rule 403, “Activated Abilities.”

  Example: The activation cost of an ability that reads “{2}, {T}: You gain 1 life” is two mana of any color plus tapping the permanent.

  Active Player

  The active player is the player whose turn it is. The active player gets priority at the start of each phase or step (except for the untap and cleanup steps), after any spell or ability (except a mana ability) resolves, and after combat damage resolves. See rule 200.3.

  Active Player, Nonactive Player Order

  Whenever players are instructed to make choices at the same time, the active player makes all his or her choices first, then the nonactive players do so in turn order. This is called the “Active Player, Nonactive Player order” rule, or “APNAP order” rule. See rule 103.4. This rule is modified for Two-Headed Giant play; see rule 606.6d.

  Active Team

  In the Two-Headed Giant variant, the active team is the team whose turn it is. The active team gets priority at the start of each phase or step (except for the untap and cleanup steps), after any spell or ability (except a mana ability) resolves, and after combat damage resolves. See rule 200.3 and rule 606.6d.

  Additional Cost

  Some spells have additional costs listed in their text. These are paid at the same time the player pays the spell’s mana cost. See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”

  Affinity

  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.” The affinity ability reduces only generic mana costs. It doesn’t reduce how much colored mana you have to pay for a spell. It can’t reduce the cost to play a spell to less than 0. See rule 502.31, “Affinity.”

  Alternative Cost

  The rules text of some spells reads, “You may [action] rather than pay [this object’s] mana cost,” or includes the phrase, “you may play [this object] without paying its mana cost.” These are alternative costs. Only one such alternative cost can be applied to any one spell. Other spells and abilities that ask for a spell’s mana cost still see the actual mana cost, not what was paid to play the spell. If an effect requires paying additional costs to play a spell, it still applies to the alternative cost. See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”

  Amplify

  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.” See rule 502.27, “Amplify.”

  Ante (Obsolete)

  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 is allowed only where it’s not forbidden by law or by other rules. Playing for ante is strictly forbidden under DCI tournament rules. When using the ante rule, each player puts one random card from his or her deck into his or her ante zone at the beginning of the game. At the end of the game, the winner becomes the owner of the cards in each player’s ante zone. See rule 217.9, “Ante.”

  APNAP Order

  See Active Player, Nonactive Player Order.

  Artifact

  Artifact is a type. The active player may play artifacts during his or her main phase when the stack is empty. When an artifact spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control. See rule 212.2, “Artifacts.”

  Artifact Creature

  An artifact creature is a combination of artifact and creature, and it’s subject to the rules for both. (See rule 212.2, “Artifacts.”) Some artifact creatures don’t have a creature type. Those that do will say “Artifact Creature – [creature type]”; for example, “Artifact Creature – Golem.” “Artifact” isn’t a creature type.

  Artifact Land

  An artifact land is a combination of artifact and land, and it’s subject to the rules for both. (See rule 212.2, “Artifacts.”) Artifact lands can only be played as lands. They can’t be played as spells. Some artifact lands don’t have a land type. Those that do will say “Artifact Land – [land type].”

  Artifact Type

  Artifact subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Artifact – Equipment.” Artifact subtypes are also called artifact types. However, if an artifact creature card has subtypes printed on its type line, those subtypes are creature types. If an artifact land card has subtypes printed on its type line, those types are land types.

  The list of artifact types, updated through the Time Spiral set, is as follows: Equipment.

  “As though”

  Text that states a player may do something “as though” some condition were true or a creature can do something “as though” some condition were true applies only to the stated action. For purposes of that action, treat the game exactly as if the stated condition were true. For all other purposes, treat the game normally.

  Example: Giant Spider reads, “Giant Spider can block as though it had flying.” Treat the Spider as a creature with flying, but only for the purpose of declaring blockers. This allows Giant Spider to block a creature with flying (and creatures that “can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying”), assuming no other blocking restrictions apply. For example, Giant Spider can’t normally block a creature with both flying and shadow.

  If two cards 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.

  Assign Combat Damage

  As the combat damage step begins, the active player or team announces how each attacking creature will assign its combat damage. Then the defending player(s) announce how each blocking creature will assign its combat damage. All assignments of combat damage go on the stack as a single entry. See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.

  Attach

  To attach an Aura or Equipment to a permanent means to take it from where it currently is and put it onto that permanent. If the Aura or Equipment no longer exists or the object it will move onto is no longer in the correct zone when the effect would attach it, nothing happens. Similarly, an Aura or Equipment can’t be attached to a permanent it couldn’t enchant or equip. The Aura or Equipment stays where it is, with one exception: If an Aura is coming into play from the stack and there is no legal permanent for it to enchant, the Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard instead of coming into play. If an effect tries to attach an Aura or Equipment to the permanent it’s already attached to, the effect does nothing.

  Attaching an Aura in play to a different permanent causes the Aura to
receive a new timestamp. Nothing else about the Aura changes. The Aura never left play, so no comes-into-play or leaves-play triggered abilities will trigger. If an ability of the moved Aura affecting “enchanted [permanent]” was on the stack when the Aura moved, it will affect the new enchanted permanent when it resolves, not the old one. The same is true for moved Equipment.

  Attack

  A creature attacks when it’s declared as an attacker during the combat phase. (See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step.”) Playing a spell or ability (even during the combat phase) is never considered to be an attack.

  Attack Alone

  A creature is attacking alone when it’s the only creature declared as an attacker in a given combat phase. See rule 306.4.

  Attack Left Option

  Some multiplayer games use the optional “attack left” rules. 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. See rule 604, “Attack Left and Attack Right Options.”

  Attack Multiple Players Option

  Some multiplayer games allow the active player to attack multiple opponents. Each of the attacked players is a defending player. Each defending player can block only the creatures attacking him or her. See rule 602, “Attack Multiple Players Option.”

  Attack Right Option

  Some multiplayer games use the optional “attack right” rules. 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. See rule 604, “Attack Left and Attack Right Options.”

  Attacking Creature

  A creature becomes an attacking creature when (a) it’s declared as part of a legal attack during the combat phase and (b) all costs to attack, if any, have been paid. It remains an attacking creature until it’s removed from combat, it stops being a creature, its controller changes, or the combat phase ends. Attacking creatures don’t exist outside of the combat phase. See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step.”

  Attacks and Isn’t Blocked

  An ability that triggers when a creature “attacks and isn’t blocked” triggers when the creature becomes an unblocked attacking creature. See rule 309.2f.

  Aura

  Some enchantments have the subtype “Aura.” An Aura spell requires a target whose properties are indicated by its enchant keyword ability. An Aura permanent comes into play attached to the permanent or player the spell targeted. See rule 212.4, “Enchantments,” and rule 502.45, “Enchant.”

  An Aura can enchant only a permanent or player whose properties are indicated by its enchant keyword ability. An Aura attached to an illegal permanent or not attached to a permanent is put into its owner’s graveyard. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)

  Banding, “Bands with Other”

  Banding is a static ability that modifies the rules for declaring attackers and assigning combat damage. “Bands with other” is a specialized version of the ability. See rule 502.10, “Banding,” and rule 502.11, “Bands with Other.”

  Basic

  Basic is a supertype. Any land with the supertype basic is a basic land. Any land without that supertype is a nonbasic land. See rule 205.4, “Supertypes.”

  Basic Land Type

  There are five basic land types: Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. Every basic land type has a mana ability associated with it. (See rule 212.6, “Lands.”)

  Becomes

  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. For example, “becomes tapped” triggers only when a permanent’s status changes from untapped to tapped.

  Beginning of Combat Step

  The beginning of combat step is the first step of the combat phase. A player may play spells and abilities during this step whenever he or she has priority. See rule 307, “Beginning of Combat Step.”

  Beginning Phase

  The beginning phase is the first phase of the turn. It has three steps: untap, upkeep, and draw. See rule 301, “Beginning Phase.”

  Block

  A creature blocks when it’s declared as a blocker during the combat phase. See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”

  Block Alone

  A creature is blocking alone when it’s the sole creature controlled by the defending player declared as a blocker in a given combat phase. See rule 306.4.

  Blocked Creature

  An attacking creature becomes a blocked creature when another creature blocks it or an effect causes it to become blocked during the combat phase. It remains a blocked creature until it’s removed from combat, it stops being a creature, its controller changes, or the combat phase ends. A blocked creature doesn’t become unblocked if the blocking creature is later removed from combat. Blocked creatures don’t exist outside of the combat phase. See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”

  Blocking Creature

  A creature becomes a blocking creature when (a) it’s declared as part of a legal block during the combat phase and (b) all costs to block, if any, have been paid. It remains a blocking creature until it’s removed from combat, it stops being a creature, its controller changes, or the combat phase ends. Blocking creatures don’t exist outside of the combat phase. See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”

  Bloodthirst

  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.” See rule 502.50, “Bloodthirst.”

  Bury (Obsolete)

  Some older cards were printed with the term “bury,” which meant to put a permanent into its owner’s graveyard. In general, cards that were printed with the term “bury” now read, “Destroy [a permanent]. It can’t be regenerated,” or “Sacrifice [a permanent].”

  Bushido

  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.”)

  Buyback

  Buyback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities that function while the spell is on the stack. “Buyback [cost]” means “You may pay an additional [cost] as you play this spell” and “If the buyback cost was paid, put this spell into its owner’s hand instead of into that player’s graveyard as it resolves.” Paying a spell’s buyback cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h. See rule 502.16, “Buyback.”

  Cantrip (Informal)

  This is a nickname for any spell that has “Draw a card” as part of its effect.

  Card

  When a rule or text on a card refers to a “card,” it means a Magic card with a Magic card front and the Magic card back. Tokens aren’t considered cards-even a card that represents a token isn’t considered a card for rules purposes. See rule 200.1.

  Use the Oracle card reference to determine a card’s text.

  Cast (Obsolete)

  Some older cards used the term “cast” to describe the playing of a spell. In general, cards that were printed with the term “cast” now use the term “play.”

  Caster (Obsolete)

  Some older cards used the term “caster” to describe the player who played a spell. In general, cards that were printed with the term “caster” now refer to the object’s “controller.”

  Casting Cost (Obsolete)

  Some older cards used the term “casting cost” to describe the mana cost of a spell. In general, cards that were printed with the term “casting cost” now use the term “mana cost.” Cards that used the term “total casting cost” now use the term “converted mana cost.”

  Change a Target

  T
he target of a spell or ability can change only to another legal target. If the target can’t change to another legal target, the original target is unchanged. Changing a spell or ability’s target can’t change its mode. You can change the target of a spell or ability only if an effect tells you to change its target. See rule 415.7, “Changing Targets.”

  Characteristics

  An object’s characteristics are name, mana cost, color, type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, abilities, power, and toughness. Characteristics don’t include any other information, such as whether a permanent is tapped, a spell or permanent’s controller, a spell’s target, what an Aura enchants, and so on. See rule 201, “Characteristics.”