============================================================================== General Rulings Summary Updated 2009/02/10 ============================================================================== Rulings are collected from many sources. See credits and disclaimer at the end of the file for details. This release is under rules used by TENTH EDITION. 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 rules are noted with numbered entries. It also contains additional rulings to clarify or explain some rules. These are marked with the word "Ruling". A '+' is used to mark changes since the 2009/01/19 release. Thanx, Stephen. ---- Stephen D'Angelo | Crystal Keep Editor dangelo@crystalkeep.com | Former Wizards of the Coast Rules NetRep ============================================================================== Table of Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 - The Game ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 100 - General + 100.5 - Most Magic tournaments have special rules (not included here) and may limit the use of some cards, including barring all cards from some older sets. See the most current Magic: The Gathering DCI(r) Floor Rules for more information. They can be found at http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx?x=dci/doccenter/home . [CompRules 2009/02/01] 2 - Parts of the Game ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 212.6 - Lands + 212.6g - 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 406, "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 2009/02/01] 217 - Zones + 217.1d - 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 2009/02/01] + 217.1g - Public zones are zones in which all players can see the cards, except for those cards that some rule or effect specifically allow to be face down. Graveyard, in play, stack, removed from the game, ante, and phased-out are public zones. Hidden zones are zones in which not all players can be expected to see the cards. Library and hand are hidden zones, even if all the cards in one such zone happen to be revealed. [CompRules 2009/02/01] 217.2 - Library + 217.2e - If a spell or ability causes a card to be drawn while another spell or ability is being played, the drawn card is kept face down until that spell or ability becomes played (see Rule 409.1i). [CompRules 2009/02/01] + 217.2f - Some effects tell a player to play with the top card of his or her library revealed. If the top card of the player's library changes while a spell or ability is being played, the new top card won't be revealed until the spell or ability becomes played (see Rule 409.1i). [CompRules 2009/02/01] + 217.2g - 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 is treated as a new object. [CompRules 2009/02/01] 217.6 - Stack + 217.6c - 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 103.4). If a player controls more than one of these objects, that player chooses their relative order on the stack. [CompRules 2009/02/01] + 217.6d - 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 played the spell. The controller of an activated ability is the player who played 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 2009/02/01] + 217.6e - 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 2009/02/01] + 217.6f - Combat damage also uses the stack, in the same way as other objects that use the stack. [CompRules 2009/02/01] 3 - Turn Structure ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 306 - Combat Phase + 306.4 - A permanent is removed from combat if it leaves play, 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 419.6b) 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 2009/02/01] + 306.4d - 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 2009/02/01] 310 - Combat Damage Step + 310.4a - Combat damage is dealt as it was originally assigned even if the creature dealing damage is no longer in play, its power has changed, or the creature or planeswalker receiving damage has left combat. [CompRules 2009/02/01] 4 - Spells, Abilities, and Effects ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 402 - Abilities + 402.8i - 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 DCI Floor 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 DCI Floor Rules can be found at http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx?x=dci/doccenter/home . [CompRules 2009/02/01] 403 - Activated Abilities + 403.4a - 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 2009/02/01] 406 - Mana Abilities + 406.6 - If a mana ability would produce one or more mana of an undefined type, it produces no mana instead. [CompRules 2003/12/01] Example: Meteor Crater has the ability "{Tap}: Choose a color of permanent you control. Add one mana of that color to your mana pool." If you control no colored permanents, playing Meteor Crater's mana ability produces no mana. [CompRules 2009/02/01] + 406.7 - 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 generate 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 couldn't 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 2009/02/01] 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, playing 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 2009/02/01] 409 - Playing Spells and Activated Abilities + 409.1b - If the spell or ability is modal (uses the phrase "Choose one -," "Choose two -," "Choose one or both -," or "[specified player] chooses one -"), the player announces the mode choice. If the player wishes to splice any cards onto the spell (see Rule 502.40), he or she reveals those cards in his or her hand. If the spell or ability has a variable cost that will be paid as it's being played (such as an {X} in its mana cost), the player announces the value of that variable at this time. If the spell or ability has alternative, additional, or other special costs that will be paid as it's being played (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. If a cost that will be paid as the spell or ability is being played includes hybrid mana symbols, the player announces the nonhybrid equivalent cost he or she intends to pay. 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. [CompRules 2009/02/01] 410 - Handling Triggered Abilities + 410.4 - When a triggered ability goes on the stack, the controller of the ability makes any choices that would be required while playing an activated ability, following the same procedure (see Rule 409, "Playing Spells and Activated Abilities"). 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 continuous effect otherwise makes the ability illegal, the ability is simply removed from the stack. [CompRules 2009/02/01] + 410.12 - 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: Due to a state-based effect, a spell or ability, a concession, or a Game Loss awarded by a judge in a tournament. See Rule 102.3. [CompRules 2009/02/01] 415 - Targeted Spells and Abilities + 415.8 - The word "you" in an object's text doesn't indicate a target. [CompRules 2009/02/01] 419.7 - Prevention Effects + 419.7b - 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 2009/02/01] 5 - Additional Rules ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 502.7 - Protection + 502.7g - 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 2009/02/01] + 502.7h - Multiple instances of protection from the same quality on the same permanent or player are redundant. [CompRules 2009/02/01] 502.18 - Cycling + 502.18d - 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 2009/02/01] 6 - Multiplayer Rules ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 - Specialized Rules ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 703 - Keyword Abilities + 703.8 - Domain is a keyword ability written as "Domain - [ability]". ". + 703.8.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] + 703.8.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] 8 - Tournament Rules ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 - Glossary ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ G1.2 - Ability Word + G1.2b - The list of ability words, updated through the Conflux(tm) set, is as follows: channel, chroma, domain, grandeur, hellbent, kinship, radiance, sweep, and threshold. [CompRules 2009/02/01] G1.19 - Artifact Type + G1.19b - The list of artifact types, updated through the Conflux(tm) set, is as follows: Contraption, Equipment, Fortification. [CompRules 2009/02/01] G2.3 - Basic Landcycling + Note - Also see Typecycling, Rule G20.28. G3.37 - Creature Type + G3.37b - The list of creature types, updated through the Conflux set, is as follows: [CompRules 2009/02/01] Advisor, 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, Skeleton, Slith, Sliver, Slug, Snake, Soldier, Soltari, Spawn, Specter, Spellshaper, Sphinx, Spider, Spike, Spirit, Splinter, Sponge, Squid, Squirrel, Starfish, 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, Zubera. [CompRules 2008/07/15] G5.7 - Enchantment Type + G5.7b - The list of enchantment types, updated through the Conflux set, is as follows: Aura, Shrine. [CompRules 2009/02/01] G8.5 - Hidden Zone + G8.5a - Hidden zones are zones in which not all players can be expected to see the cards. Library and hand are hidden zones, even if all the cards in one such zone happen to be revealed. [CompRules 2009/02/01] + Note - Also see Public Zone, Rule G16.33. G12.2 - Land Type + G12.2c - The list of land types, updated through the Conflux set, is as follows: Desert, Forest, Island, Lair, Locus, Mine, Mountain, Plains, Power-Plant, Swamp, Tower, Urza's [CompRules 2009/02/01] G13.4 - Mana + G13.4e - The type of mana a permanent "could produce" at any time includes any type of mana that an ability of that permanent could generate if it 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 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 that it could produce. [CompRules 2009/02/01] + G13.4f - To tap a permanent for mana is to play an activated mana ability of that permanent that includes the {Tap} symbol in its cost and produces mana as part of its effect. [CompRules 2009/02/01] G16.17 - Planeswalker Type + G16.17b - The list of planeswalker types, updated through the Conflux set, is as follows: Ajani, Bolas, Chandra, Elspeth, Garruk, Jace, Liliana, Sharkhan, Tezzeret. [CompRules 2009/02/01] G16.29 - Protection + G16.29g - A permanent with protection from everything has protection from each object regardless of that object's characteristic values. [CompRules 2009/02/01] G16.33 - Public Zone + G16.33a - Public zones are zones in which all players can see the cards, except for those that happen to be face down. Graveyard, in play, stack, removed from the game, ante, and phased-out are public zones. [CompRules 2009/02/01] + Note - Also see Hidden Zone, Rule G8.5. G18.10 - Removed from Combat + G18.10a - A permanent is removed from combat if it leaves play, 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 419.6b) or stops being a creature. A creature that's removed from combat stops being an attacking, blocking, blocked, and/or unblocked creature. A permanent that's removed from combat can't assign combat damage or have combat damage assigned to it. However, if combat damage assigned to or by that permanent is already on the stack, it will resolve normally. A planeswalker that's removed from combat stops being attacked. See Rule 306.4 and Rule 310.4a. [CompRules 2009/02/01] G19.23 - Spell Type + G19.23b - The list of spell types, updated through the Conflux set, is as follows: Arcane. [CompRules 2009/02/01] G19.41 - Supertype + G19.41c - The list of supertypes, updated through the Conflux set, is as follows: basic, legendary, snow, and world. [CompRules 2009/02/01] G20.28 - Typecycling + G20.28a - 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 2009/02/01] Acknowledgements and Disclaimers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. "Barclay" is Paul Barclay, a previous MTG-L mailing list NetRep. "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. "DeLaney" is David DeLaney, and was the network representative for the "rec.games.trading-cards.magic.rules" newsgroup. "Jordan" is Jeff Jordan, and was the MTG-L mailing list NetRep. "WotC Rules Team" marks official rulings from the rules team. These files may be freely copied and posted anywhere you'd like. The contents can also be included in other formats (such as HTML or databases) or in products, but there are two restrictions. I insist that the files not be sold for profit. Anything you put them in must be available at no more than cost of duplication. Also, you must give credit to me and list the version date your work is derived from. Thanks. Every attempt has been made to make this summary accurate, but errors do creep in. Nothing in this work is guaranteed to be accurate. Use at your own risk. Magic: The Gathering and all of the cards listed herein are copyrighted by Wizards of the Coast.