General Rulings - 204

• 204.1 - The type line is printed directly below the illustration. It contains the card's card type(s). It also contains the card's subtype(s) and supertype(s), if applicable. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.1a - When an object's card type changes, the new card type(s) replaces any existing card types. Counters, effects, and damage marked on the object remain with it, even if they are meaningless to the new card type. Similarly, when one or more of an object's subtypes changes, the new subtype(s) replaces any existing subtypes from the appropriate set (creature types, land types, artifact types, enchantment types, planeswalker types, or spell types). If an object's card type is removed, the subtypes correlated with that card type will remain if they are also the subtypes of a card type the object currently has; otherwise, they are also removed for the entire time the object's card type is removed. Removing an object's subtype doesn't affect its card types at all. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
• 204.1b - Some effects change an object's card type, supertype, or subtype but specify that the object retains a prior card type, supertype, or subtype. In such cases, all the object's prior card types, supertypes, and subtypes are retained. This rule applies to effects that use the phrase "in addition to its types" or that state that something is "still a <-card type->." Some effects state that an object becomes an "artifact creature"; these effects also allow the object to retain all of its prior card types and subtypes. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
  Example: An ability reads, "All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands." The affected lands now have two card types: creature and land. If there were any lands that were also artifacts before the ability's effect applied to them, those lands would become "artifact land creatures," not just "creatures," or "land creatures." The effect allows them to retain both the card type "artifact" and the card type "land." Example: An ability reads, "All artifacts are 1/1 artifact creatures." If a permanent is both an artifact and an enchantment, it will become an "artifact enchantment creature." [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.2 - Card Types [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.2a - The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, plane, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal. See Section 3, "Card Types." [CompRules 2009/10/01]
• 204.2b - Some objects have more than one card type (for example, an artifact creature). Such objects satisfy the criteria for any effect that applies to any of their card types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.2c - Tokens have card types even though they aren't cards. The same is true of copies of spells and copies of cards.
• 204.3 - Subtypes [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.3a - A card can have one or more subtypes printed on its type line. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.3b - Subtypes of each card type except plane are always single words and are listed after a long dash. Each word after the dash is a separate subtype; such objects may have multiple types. Subtypes of planes are also listed after a long dash, but may be multiple words. Each word after the dash is, collectively, a single subtype. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
  Example: "Basic Land - Mountain" means the card is a land with the subtype Mountain. "Creature - Goblin Wizard" means the card is a creature with the subtypes Goblin and Wizard. "Artifact - Equipment" means the card is an artifact with the subtype Equipment. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
• 204.3c - If a card with multiple card types has one or more subtypes, each subtype is correlated to its appropriate card type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
  Example: Dryad Arbor's type line says "Land Creature -- Forest Dryad." Forest is a land type, and Dryad is a creature type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.3d - If an instruction requires choosing a subtype, you must choose one, and only one, existing subtype, and the subtype you choose must be for the appropriate card type. For example, you can't choose a land type if an instruction requires choosing a creature type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
  Example: When choosing a creature type, "Merfolk" or "Wizard" is acceptable, but "Merfolk Wizard" is not. Words like "artifact," "opponent," "Swamp," or "truck" can't be chosen because they aren't creature types. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.3e - Many cards were printed with subtypes that are now obsolete. Many cards have retroactively received subtypes. Use the Oracle card reference to determine what a card's subtypes are. (See Rule 108.1.) [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.3f - Artifacts have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called artifact types. The artifact types are Contraption, Equipment (see Rule 301.7), and Fortification (see Rule 301.8). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.3g - Enchantments have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called enchantment types. The enchantment types are Aura (see Rule 303.4), and Shrine. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.3h - Lands have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called land types. The land types are Desert, Forest, Island, Lair, Locus, Mine, Mountain, Plains, Power-Plant, Swamp, Tower, and Urza's. Of that list, Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains, and Swamp are the basic land types. See Rule 305.6. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.3i - Planeswalkers have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called planeswalker types. The planeswalker types are Ajani, Bolas, Chandra, Elspeth, Garruk, Jace, Liliana, Sarkhan, and Tezzeret. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
  If two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type are on the battlefield, all are put into their owners' graveyards. This "planeswalker uniqueness rule" is a state-based action. See Rule 704. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.3j - Instants and sorceries share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. The spell type are Arcane and Trap. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
• 204.3k - Creatures and tribals share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types. The creature types are Advisor, Ally, 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, Siren, Skeleton, Slith, Sliver, Slug, Snake, Soldier, Soltari, Spawn, Specter, Spellshaper, Sphinx, Spider, Spike, Spirit, Splinter, Sponge, Squid, Squirrel, Starfish, Surrakar, 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, and Zubera. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
• 204.3m - Planes have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called planar types. The planar types are Alara, Arkhos, Bolas's Meditation Realm, Dominaria, Equilor, Iquatana, Ir, Kaldheim, Kamigawa, Lorwyn, Mercadia, Mirrodin, Moag, Muraganda, Phyrexia, Rabiah, Rath, Ravnica, Segovia, Serra's Realm, Shadowmoor, Shandalar, Ulgrotha, Valla, Wildfire, and Zendikar. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
• 204.3n - Vanguard cards have no subtypes. [CompRules 2009/10/01]
• 204.4 - Supertypes [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.4a - A card can also have one or more supertypes. These are printed directly before its card types. The supertypes are basic, legendary, snow, and world. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.4b - An object's supertype is independent of its card type and subtype, even though some supertypes are closely identified with specific card types. Changing an object's card types or subtypes won't change its supertypes. Changing an object's supertypes won't change its card types or subtypes. When an object gains or loses a supertype, it retains any other supertypes it had. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
  Example: An ability reads, "All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands." If any of the affected lands were legendary, they are still legendary. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.4c - Any land with the supertype "basic" is a basic land. Any land that doesn't have this supertype is a nonbasic land, even if it has a basic land type. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
  Cards printed in sets prior to the Eighth Edition core set didn't use the word "basic" to indicate a basic land. Cards from those sets with the following names are basic lands and have received errata in the Oracle card reference accordingly: Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains, Swamp, Snow-Covered Forest, Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Mountain, Snow-Covered Plains, and Snow-Covered Swamp. [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.4d - Any permanent with the supertype "legendary" is subject to the state-based action for legendary permanents, also called the "legend rule" (see Rule 704.5k). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.4e - Any permanent with the supertype "world" is subject to the state-based action for world permanents, also called the "world rule" (see Rule 704.5m). [CompRules 2009/07/08]
• 204.4f - Any permanent with the supertype "snow" is a snow permanent. Any permanent that doesn't have this supertype is a nonsnow permanent, regardless of its name. [CompRules 2009/07/08]