Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules

These rules are current as of May 1, 2008.

Introduction

This document is designed for people who?ve moved beyond the basics of the Magic: The Gathering? game. If you?re a beginning Magic? player, you?ll probably find these rules intimidating. They?re intended to be the ultimate authority for the game, and you won?t usually need to refer to them except in specific cases or during competitive games.

For casual play and most ordinary situations, you?ll find what you need in the Magic: The Gathering basic rulebook. You can download a copy of that rulebook from the Wizards of the Coast? Magic rules website at www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/rules. If you?re sure this is where you want to be, keep reading.

This document includes a series of numbered rules followed by a glossary. Many of the numbered rules are divided into subrules, and each separate rule and subrule of the game has its own number. The glossary defines many of the words and phrases used in these rules, along with a few concepts that don?t really fit anywhere among the numbered rules. So if you can?t find what you?re looking for, check the glossary.

We at Wizards of the Coast recognize that no matter how detailed the rules, situations will arise in which the interaction of specific cards requires a precise answer. If you have questions, you can get the answers from us at www.wizards.com/customerservice. Additional contact information is on the last page of these rules.



In response to play issues and to keep these rules as current as possible, changes may have been made to this document since its publication. See the Wizards of the Coast website for the current version of the official rules.

www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/rules


Contents

1. The Game
100. General
101. Starting the Game
102. Winning and Losing
103. The Magic Golden Rules
104. Numbers and Symbols

2. Parts of the Game
200. General
201. Characteristics
202. Name
203. Mana Cost and Color
204. Illustration
205. Type Line
206. Expansion Symbol
207. Text Box
208. Power/Toughness
209. Loyalty
210. Information Below the Text Box
212. Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype
213. Spells
214. Permanents
215. Life
216. Tokens
217. Zones

3. Turn Structure
300. General
301. Beginning Phase
302. Untap Step
303. Upkeep Step
304. Draw Step
305. Main Phase
306. Combat Phase
307. Beginning of Combat Step
308. Declare Attackers Step
309. Declare Blockers Step
310. Combat Damage Step
311. End of Combat Step
312. End Phase
313. End of Turn Step
314. Cleanup Step

4. Spells, Abilities, and Effects
400. General
401. Spells on the Stack
402. Abilities
403. Activated Abilities
404. Triggered Abilities
405. Static Abilities
406. Mana Abilities
407. Adding and Removing Abilities
408. Timing of Spells and Abilities
409. Playing Spells and Activated Abilities
410. Handling Triggered Abilities
411. Playing Mana Abilities
412. Handling Static Abilities
413. Resolving Spells and Abilities
414. Countering Spells and Abilities
415. Targeted Spells and Abilities
416. Effects
417. One-Shot Effects
418. Continuous Effects
419. Replacement and Prevention Effects
420. State-Based Effects
421. Handling ?Infinite? Loops
422. Handling Illegal Actions
423. Drawing a Card
424. Costs

5. Additional Rules
500. Legal Attacks and Blocks
501. Keyword Actions
502. Keyword Abilities
503. Copying Objects
504. Face-Down Spells and Permanents
505. Split Cards
506. Subgames
507. Controlling Another Player?s Turn
508. Flip Cards
509. Ending the Turn
510. Status
511. Flipping a Coin

6. Multiplayer Rules
600. General
601. Limited Range of Influence Option
602. Attack Multiple Players Option
603. Deploy Creatures Option
604. Attack Left and Attack Right Options
605. Free-for-All Variant
606. Two-Headed Giant Variant
607. Emperor Variant
608. Grand Melee Variant
609. Teams Variant

Glossary

Credits

Questions?

1. The Game

100. General

100.1. These Magic rules apply to any Magic game with two or more players, including two-player games and multiplayer games.

100.1a A two-player game is a game that begins with only two players.

100.1b A multiplayer game is a game that begins with more than two players. See section 6, ?Multiplayer Rules.?

100.2. In constructed play, each player needs his or her own deck of at least sixty cards, small items to represent any tokens and counters, and some way to clearly track life totals. A constructed deck can have any number of basic land cards and no more than four of any card with a particular English name other than basic land cards.

100.3. For sealed deck or draft play, only forty cards are required in a deck, and a player may use as many duplicates of a card as he or she has. Each player still needs small items to represent any tokens and counters, and some way to clearly track life totals.

100.4. There is no maximum deck size.

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? Floor Rules for more information. They can be found at www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home.

101. Starting the Game

101.1. At the start of a game, each player shuffles his or her deck so that the cards are in a random order. Each player may then shuffle his or her opponents? decks. The players? decks become their libraries.

101.2. After the decks have been shuffled, the players determine who chooses which player goes first using any mutually agreeable method (flipping a coin, rolling dice, etc.). In a match of several games, the loser of the previous game decides who will take the first turn. If the previous game was a draw, the person who determined who would take the first turn in the previous game decides.

101.3. Once the starting player has been determined, each player sets his or her life total to 20 and draws a hand of seven cards.

101.3a In a Two-Headed Giant game, each team starts with a shared life total of 30 instead.

101.4. A player who is dissatisfied with his or her initial hand may mulligan. First, the starting player takes any mulligans. To take a mulligan, that player shuffles his or her hand back into the deck and then draws a new hand of six cards. He or she may repeat this process as many times as desired, drawing one fewer card each time, until the hand size reaches zero cards. Once the starting player has decided to keep a hand, those cards become his or her opening hand. Then each other player (in turn order) may take any number of mulligans. A player can?t take any mulligans once he or she has decided to keep an opening hand.

101.4a In a multiplayer game, the first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of seven cards rather than six cards. Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal.

101.4b The Two-Headed Giant variant uses the multiplayer mulligan rule, with some modifications. First, the starting team takes any mulligans. For a team to take a mulligan, each player on that team decides whether or not to take a mulligan, then all players who chose to do so take their mulligans at the same time. The first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of seven cards. After each player on that team who took a mulligan looks at his or her new hand, the team repeats the process. (Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal.) Once a player has decided to keep a hand, those cards become his or her opening hand. That player can?t take any more mulligans, but his or her teammate may. Once each player on the starting team decides to keep an opening hand, the other team may take mulligans.
Example: Bob and Clare are the starting team in a Two-Headed Giant game. They each draw seven cards. After reviewing each other?s hands, both Bob and Clare decide to mulligan. Each shuffles his or her hand into his or her deck and draws seven cards. Clare isn?t sure about Bob?s new hand, but he decides to keep it. Clare decides to take another mulligan. Bob?s hand becomes his opening hand, and Clare shuffles her hand into her deck and draws six cards. Then only Clare has the option to mulligan. She decides to keep her hand of six cards and that becomes her opening hand. After that, the other team decides whether to take mulligans.

101.5. Once all players have kept their opening hands, if any cards in the starting player?s hand allow that player to begin the game with those cards in play, he or she may put any or all of them into play. Then each other player, in turn order, may do the same.

101.6. The starting player takes his or her first turn.

101.6a In a two-player game, the player who plays first skips the draw step (see rule 304, ?Draw Step?) of his or her first turn. 

101.6b In a Two-Headed Giant game, the team who plays first skips the draw step of their first turn. In all other multiplayer games, no player skips the draw step of his or her first turn. 

102. Winning and Losing

102.1. A game ends immediately when either a player wins or the game is a draw. 

102.2. There are several ways to win the game.

102.2a A player still in the game wins the game if all of that player?s opponents have lost the game.

102.2b An effect may state that a player wins the game. (In certain multiplayer games, this may not cause the game to end; see rule 102.3g.)

102.2c In a multiplayer game between teams, a team with at least one player still in the game wins the game if all other teams have lost the game. Each player on the winning team wins the game, even if one or more of those players had previously lost that game.

102.3. There are several ways to lose the game.

102.3a A player can concede the game at any time. A player who concedes loses the game immediately.

102.3b If a player?s life total is 0 or less, he or she loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)

102.3c When a player is required to draw more cards than are left in his or her library, he or she draws the remaining cards, and then loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)

102.3d If a player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)

102.3e If a player would both win and lose simultaneously, he or she loses.

102.3f In a multiplayer game between teams, a team loses the game if all players on that team have lost.

102.3g In a multiplayer game using the limited range of influence option, an effect that states that a player wins the game instead causes all of that player?s opponents within his or her range of influence to lose the game.

102.4. There are several ways to draw the game.

102.4a If all the players remaining in a game lose simultaneously, the game is a draw.

102.4b If the game somehow enters a ?loop,? repeating a sequence of events with no way to stop, the game is a draw. Loops that contain an optional action don?t result in a draw.

102.4c In a multiplayer game between teams, the game is a draw if all remaining teams lose at once.

102.5. If a player loses the game, he or she leaves the game. Likewise, if a player leaves the game, he or she loses the game. The multiplayer rules handle what happens when a player leaves the game; see rule 600.4.

103. The Magic Golden Rules

103.1. Whenever a card?s text directly contradicts these rules, the card takes precedence. The card overrides only the rule that applies to that specific situation. The only exception is that a player can concede the game at any time (see rule 102.3a).

103.2. When a rule or effect says something can happen and another effect says it can?t, the ?can?t? effect wins. For example, if one effect reads ?You may play an additional land this turn? and another reads ?You can?t play land cards this turn,? the effect that keeps you from playing lands wins out. Note that adding abilities to objects and removing abilities from objects don?t fall under this rule. See rule 407, ?Adding and Removing Abilities.?

103.3. If an instruction requires taking an impossible action, it?s ignored. (In many cases the card will specify consequences for this; if it doesn?t, there?s no effect.)

103.4. If multiple players would make choices and/or take actions at the same time, the active player (the player whose turn it is) makes any choices required, then the next player in turn order (usually the player seated to the active player?s left) makes any choices required, followed by the remaining nonactive players in turn order. Then the actions happen simultaneously. This rule is often referred to as the ?Active Player, Nonactive Player (APNAP) order? rule.
Example: A card reads ?Each player sacrifices a creature.? First, the active player chooses a creature he or she controls. Then each of the nonactive players chooses a creature he or she controls. Then all creatures are sacrificed simultaneously.

103.4a If an effect has each player choose a card in a hidden zone, such as his or her hand or library, those cards may remain face down as they?re chosen. However, each player must clearly indicate which face-down card he or she is choosing.

103.4b A player knows the choices made by the previous players when he or she makes his or her choice, except as specified in 103.4a.

103.4c If a player would make more than one choice at the same time, the player makes the choices in the order written, or in the order he or she chooses if the choices aren?t ordered.

104. Numbers and Symbols

104.1. The Magic game uses only integers.

104.1a You can?t choose a fractional number, deal fractional damage, gain fractional life, and so on. If a spell or ability could generate a fractional number, the spell or ability will tell you whether to round up or down.

104.1b Most of the time, the Magic game uses only positive numbers. You can?t choose a negative number, deal negative damage, gain negative life, and so on. However, it?s possible for a game value, such as a creature?s power, to be less than zero. If a calculation or comparison that would determine the result of an effect needs to use a negative value, it does so. If such a calculation yields a negative number, zero is used instead, unless that effect sets a player?s life total to a specific value, sets a creature?s power or toughness to a specific value, or otherwise modifies a creature?s power or toughness.
Example: If a 3/4 creature gets -5/-0, it?s a -2/4 creature. It deals no damage in combat. Its total power and toughness is 2. You?d have to give it +3/+0 to raise its power to 1.
Example: Viridian Joiner is a 1/2 creature that says ?{T}: Add an amount of {G} to your mana pool equal to Viridian Joiner?s power.? An effect gives it -2/-0, then its ability is activated. The ability adds no mana to your mana pool.

104.2. If anything needs to use a number that can?t be determined, either as a result or in a calculation, it uses 0 instead.

104.3. The mana symbols are {W}, {U}, {B}, {R}, {G}, and {X}; the numerals {0}, {1}, {2}, {3}, {4}, and so on; the hybrid symbols {W/U}, {W/B}, {U/B}, {U/R}, {B/R}, {B/G}, {R/G}, {R/W}, {G/W}, and {G/U}; the monocolored hybrid symbols {2/W}, {2/U}, {2/B}, {2/R}, and {2/G}; and the snow symbol {S}.

104.3a Each of the colored mana symbols represents one colored mana: {W} is white, {U} blue, {B} black, {R} red, and {G} green.

104.3b Numeral symbols (such as {1}) are generic mana costs and represent an amount of mana that can be paid with any color of, or colorless, mana.

104.3c The symbol {X} represents an unspecified amount of mana. When playing a spell or activated ability with {X} in its cost, its controller decides the value of that variable.

104.3d Numeral symbols (such as {1}) and variable symbols (such as {X}) can also represent colorless mana if they appear in the effect of a spell or ability that reads ?add [mana symbol] to your mana pool? or something similar.

104.3e The symbol {0} represents zero mana and is used as a placeholder when a spell or activated ability costs nothing to play. A spell or ability whose cost is {0} must still be played the same way as one with a cost greater than zero; it won?t play itself automatically.

104.3f Each of the hybrid mana symbols represents a cost that can be paid in one of two ways, as represented by the two halves of the hybrid mana symbol. A hybrid symbol such as {W/U} be paid with either white or blue mana, and a monocolored hybrid symbol such as {2/B} can be paid with either one black mana or two mana of any color of, or colorless, mana. A hybrid mana symbol is all of its component colors.
Example: {G/W}{G/W} can be paid by spending {G}{G}, {G}{W}, or {W}{W}.

104.3g If an effect would add mana represented by a hybrid mana symbol to a player?s mana pool, that player chooses one half of that symbol. If a colored half is chosen, one mana of that color is added to that player?s mana pool. If a colorless half is chosen, an amount of colorless mana represented by that half?s number is added to that player?s mana pool.

104.3h If a cost would be reduced by an amount of mana represented by a hybrid mana symbol, the player paying that cost chooses one half of that symbol at the time the cost reduction is applied (see rule 409.1f). If a colored half is chosen, the cost is reduced by one mana of that color (or, if the cost can?t be reduced by one mana of that color, the cost is reduced by one generic mana). If a colorless half is chosen, the cost is reduced by an amount of generic mana equal to that half?s number.

104.3i The snow mana symbol {S} represents a cost that can be paid with one mana produced by a snow permanent. This is a generic mana cost that can be paid with any color of, or colorless, mana. Effects that reduce the amount of generic mana you pay don?t affect {S} costs.

104.4. The tap symbol is {T}. The tap symbol in an activation cost means ?Tap this permanent.? A permanent that?s already tapped can?t be tapped again to pay the cost. Creatures that haven?t been under a player?s control continuously since the beginning of his or her most recent turn can?t use any ability with the tap symbol in the cost. See rule 212.3f.

104.5. The untap symbol is {Q}. The untap symbol in an activation cost means ?Untap this permanent.? A permanent that?s already untapped can?t be untapped again to pay the cost. Creatures that haven?t been under a player?s control continuously since the beginning of his or her most recent turn can?t use any ability with the untap symbol in the cost. See rule 212.3f.

104.6. A tombstone icon appears to the left of the name of many Odyssey? block cards with abilities that are relevant in a player?s graveyard. The purpose of the icon is to make those cards stand out when they?re in a graveyard. This icon has no effect on game play.

104.7. A type icon appears in the upper left corner of each card from the Future Sight? set printed with an alternate ?timeshifted? frame. If the card has a single card type, this icon indicates what it is: claw marks for creature, a flame for sorcery, a lightning bolt for instant, a sunrise for enchantment, a chalice for artifact, and a pair of mountain peaks for land. If the card has multiple card types, that?s indicated by a black and white cross. This icon has no effect on game play.

104.8. Each activated ability of a planeswalker has an arrow-shaped loyalty symbol in its cost. Positive loyalty symbols point upward and feature a plus sign followed by a number or an X. Negative loyalty symbols point downward and feature a minus sign followed by a number or an X. [+N] means ?Put N loyalty counters on this permanent,? and [-N] means ?Remove N loyalty counters from this permanent.?

2. Parts of the Game

200. General

200.1. 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.

200.1a A card?s owner is the player who started the game with it in his or her deck or, for cards that didn?t start the game in a player?s deck, the player who brought the card into the game.

200.2. Use the Oracle? card reference when determining a card?s wording. A card?s Oracle text can be found using the Gatherer card database at http://gatherer.wizards.com.

200.3. A player is one of the people in the game. The active player is the player whose turn it is. The other players are nonactive players.

200.3a In a multiplayer game between teams, a player?s teammates are the other players on his or her team, and the player?s opponents are all players not on his or her team.

200.4. A token is a marker used to represent any permanent that isn?t represented by a card. (See rule 216, ?Tokens.?)

200.4a A token?s owner is the player who controlled the spell or ability that put it into play. A token?s controller is the player who put it into play.

200.5. A spell is a card, or copy of a spell or card, that?s on the stack. (See rule 213, ?Spells.?)

200.5a A spell?s owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it. The owner of a copy of a spell is the controller of the effect that created it. A spell?s controller is the player who played it.

200.6. A permanent is a card or token that?s in play. (See rule 214, ?Permanents.?)

200.6a A nontoken permanent?s owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it. A permanent?s controller is the player who put it into play.

200.7. An ability can be one of two things. First, it can be an activated or triggered ability on the stack. Second, it can be text on an object that explains what the object does. (See rule 402, ?Abilities,? and section 4, ?Spells, Abilities, and Effects.?)

200.7a 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.

200.8. An object is an ability on the stack, a card, a copy of a card, a token, a spell, or a permanent. The term ?object? is used in these rules when a rule applies to abilities on the stack, cards, tokens, spells, and permanents. Combat damage on the stack is also an object, although many uses of the term ?object? in these rules don?t apply to it.

200.9. If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes a card type or subtype, but doesn?t include the word ?card,? ?spell,? or ?source,? it means a permanent of that card type or subtype in play.

200.9a If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word ?card? and the name of a zone, it means a card matching that description in the stated zone.

200.9b If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word ?spell,? it means a spell matching that description on the stack.

200.9c If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word ?source,? it means a source matching that description?either a source of an ability or a source of damage?in any zone. See rule 419.8 ?Sources of Damage.?

200.10. A counter is a marker placed on an object or player, either modifying its characteristics or interacting with an ability. A counter is not a token, and a token is not a counter. Counters with the same name or description are interchangeable.

200.10a A +X/+Y counter on a permanent, where X and Y are numbers, adds X to that permanent?s power and Y to that permanent?s toughness. Similarly, -X/-Y counters subtract from power and toughness.

200.10b The number of loyalty counters on a planeswalker in play indicates how much loyalty it has. 

200.11. The parts of a card are name, mana cost, illustration, type line, expansion symbol, text box, power and toughness, loyalty, illustration credit, legal text, and collector number. Some cards may have more than one of any or all of these parts.

201. Characteristics

201.1. An object?s characteristics are name, mana cost, color, card type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, abilities, power, toughness, and loyalty. Objects can have some or all of these characteristics. Any other information about an object isn?t a characteristic. For example, characteristics don?t include whether a permanent is tapped, a spell?s target, an object?s owner or controller, what an Aura enchants, and so on.

202. Name

202.1. The name of a card is printed on its upper left corner.

202.2. Text that refers to the object it?s on by name means just that particular object and not any other duplicates of it, regardless of any name changes caused by game effects.

202.2a If an ability of an object uses a phrase such as ?this [something]? to identify an object, where [something] is a characteristic, it is referring to that particular object, even if it isn?t the appropriate characteristic at the time.
Example: An ability reads ?Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Destroy that creature at end of turn.? The ability will destroy the object it gave +2/+2 at the end of the turn, even if that object isn?t a creature anymore.

202.2b If an ability of an object grants to another object an ability that refers to the first object by name, the name refers only to the object whose ability grants that ability, not to any other object with the same name.
Example: Saproling Burst has an ability that reads ?Remove a fade counter from Saproling Burst: Put a green Saproling creature token into play. It has ?This creature?s power and toughness are each equal to the number of fade counters on Saproling Burst.?? The ability granted to the token only looks at the Saproling Burst that created the token, not at any other Saproling Burst in play.

202.3. Two cards have the same name if the English versions of their names are identical, regardless of anything else printed on the cards.

203. Mana Cost and Color

203.1. The mana cost of a card is indicated by mana symbols near the top of the card. On most cards, these symbols are printed in the upper right corner. Some cards from the Future Sight set have alternate frames in which the mana symbols appear to the left of the art. Paying an object?s mana cost requires matching the color of any colored mana symbols as well as paying the generic mana indicated in the cost.

203.1a A copy of an object copies that object?s mana cost. See rule 503, ?Copying Objects.?

203.1b Some cards have no mana symbols where their mana cost would appear. This represents an unpayable cost. An ability can also have an unpayable cost if its cost is based on the mana cost of a spell with no mana cost. Attempting to play a spell or ability that has an unpayable cost is a legal action. However, attempting to pay an unpayable cost is an illegal action.
          If an unpayable cost is increased by an effect or an additional cost is imposed, the cost is still unpayable. If an alternative cost is applied to an unpayable cost, including an effect that allows you to play a spell without paying its mana cost, the alternative cost may be paid.

203.1c Lands normally have no mana cost. Lands are played without paying any costs.

203.1d Tokens have no mana cost unless the effect that creates them specifies otherwise.

203.2. An object is the color or colors of the mana symbols in its mana cost, regardless of the color of its frame.

203.2a Objects with no colored mana symbols in their mana costs are colorless.

203.2b An object with two or more different colored mana symbols in its mana cost is each of the colors of those mana symbols. Most multicolored cards are printed with a gold frame, but this is not a requirement for a card to be multicolored.

203.2c The five colors are white, blue, black, red, and green. The white mana symbol is represented by {W}, blue by {U}, black by {B}, red by {R}, and green by {G}.
Example: An object with a mana cost of {2}{W} is white, an object with a mana cost of {2} is colorless, and one with a mana cost of {2}{W}{B} is both white and black.

203.2d If a player is asked to choose a color, he or she must choose one of the five colors. ?Multicolored? is not a color.

203.2e An object with one or more hybrid mana symbols in its mana cost is all of the colors of those mana symbols, in addition to any other colors the object might be. Most cards with hybrid mana symbols in their mana costs are printed in a two-tone frame. See rule 104.3f.

203.3. The converted mana cost of an object is a number equal to the total amount of mana in its mana cost, regardless of color. Some effects ask a player to pay mana equal to an object?s converted mana cost; this cost may be paid with any combination of colored and/or colorless mana, regardless of the colors in the object?s mana cost.
Example: A mana cost of {3}{U}{U} translates to a converted mana cost of 5.

203.3a The converted mana cost of an object with no mana cost is 0.

203.3b When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with an {X} in its mana cost, X is treated as 0 while the object is not on the stack, and X is treated as the number chosen for it while the object is on the stack.

203.3c When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with a hybrid mana symbol in its mana cost, use the largest component of each hybrid symbol.
Example: The converted mana cost of a card with mana cost {1}{W/U}{W/U} is 3.
Example: The converted mana cost of a card with mana cost {2/B}{2/B}{2/B} is 6.

203.4. Any additional cost listed in an object?s rules text or imposed by an effect isn?t part of the mana cost. (See rule 409, ?Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.?) Such costs are paid at the same time as the spell?s other costs.
 
204. Illustration

204.1. The illustration is printed on the upper half of a card and has no game significance. For example, a creature doesn?t have the flying ability unless stated in its rules text, even if it?s depicted as flying.

205. Type Line

205.1. The card type (and subtype and supertype, if applicable) of a card is printed directly below the illustration. (See rule 212, ?Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype.?)

205.2. Card Types

205.2a The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal.

205.2b 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.

205.3. Subtypes

205.3a A card can have one or more subtypes printed on its type line.

205.3b Subtypes are always single words and are listed after a long dash. Each word after the dash is a separate subtype.

205.3c Subtypes of a [card type] object are also called [card type] types. For example, creature subtypes are also called creature types. Objects may have multiple subtypes.
Example: ?Basic Land ? Mountain? means the card is a land with the Mountain subtype. ?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.

205.3d Artifact, enchantment, land, and planeswalker each have their own unique set of possible subtypes. Instant and sorcery share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. Creature and tribal also share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types. (You can find complete lists of subtypes in the glossary at the end of this document under ?Creature Types,? ?Land Types,? and so on.)

205.3e If a card with multiple card types has one or more subtypes, each subtype is correlated to its appropriate card type.
Example: Dryad Arbor?s type line says ?Land Creature ? Forest Dryad.? Forest is a land type, and Dryad is a creature type.

205.4. Supertypes

205.4a A card can also have one or more supertypes. These are printed directly before its card types. If an object?s card types or subtypes change, any supertypes it has are kept, although they may not be relevant to the new card type.

205.4b Any land with the supertype ?basic? is a basic land. Any land that doesn?t have this supertype is a nonbasic land.
Example: Note that 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: Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains, Swamp, Snow-Covered Forest, Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Mountain, Snow-Covered Plains, and Snow-Covered Swamp.

205.4c Any permanent with the supertype ?legendary? is subject to the state-based effect for legendary permanents, also called the ?legend rule? (see rule 420.5e).

205.4d Any permanent with the supertype ?world? is subject to the state-based effect for world permanents, also called the ?world rule? (see rule 420.5i).

205.4e 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.

206. Expansion Symbol

206.1. The expansion symbol indicates which Magic set a card is from. It?s normally printed below the right edge of the illustration.

206.2. The color of the expansion symbol indicates the rarity of the card within its set. A gold symbol indicates the card is rare. A silver expansion symbol indicates the card is uncommon. A black or white expansion symbol indicates the card is common or is a basic land. A purple expansion symbol signifies a special rarity; to date, only the Time Spiral? ?timeshifted? cards, which were rarer than that set?s rare cards, have had purple expansion symbols. (Prior to the Exodus? set, all expansion symbols were black, regardless of rarity. Also, prior to the Sixth Edition core set, Magic core sets didn?t have expansion symbols at all.)

206.3. A spell or ability that affects cards from a particular set ?looks? only for that set?s expansion symbol. A card reprinted in the core set receives the core set?s expansion symbol. Any reprinted version of the card no longer counts as part of its original set unless it was reprinted with that set?s expansion symbol. The first five editions of the core set had no expansion symbol.

207. Text Box

207.1. The text box is printed on the lower half of the card. It usually contains rules text defining the card?s abilities.

207.2. The text box may also contain italicized reminder text (in parentheses), which summarizes a rule that applies to that card, and italicized flavor text, which has no game function, but like the illustration, adds artistic appeal to the game.

207.3. A guild icon appears in the text box of many Ravnica? block cards. These cards either have the specified guild?s exclusive mechanic or somehow relate to the two colors associated with that guild. Guild icons have no effect on game play.

208. Power/Toughness

208.1. A creature card has two numbers separated by a slash printed in its lower right corner. The first number is its power (the amount of damage it deals in combat); the second is its toughness (the amount of damage needed to destroy it). For example, 2/3 means the object has power 2 and toughness 3. Power and toughness can be modified or set to particular values by effects.

208.2. Some creature cards have power and/or toughness represented by a * instead of a number. The object has a characteristic-defining ability that sets its power and/or toughness according to some stated condition. This ability functions everywhere, even outside the game. If the ability needs to use a number that can?t be determined, use 0 instead of that number.
Example: Lost Order of Jarkeld has power and toughness each equal to 1+*. It says ?As Lost Order of Jarkeld comes into play, choose an opponent? and ?Lost Order of Jarkeld?s power and toughness are each equal to 1 plus the number of creatures that opponent controls.? While Lost Order of Jarkeld isn?t in play, there won?t be a chosen opponent. Its power and toughness will each be equal to 1 plus 0, so it?s a 1/1.

208.3. A noncreature permanent has no power or toughness, even if it?s a card with a power and toughness printed on it (such as a Licid that?s become an Aura).

209. Loyalty

209.1. Each planeswalker card has a loyalty number printed in its lower right corner. This indicates its loyalty while it?s not in play, and it also indicates that the planeswalker comes into play with that many loyalty counters on it.

210. Information Below the Text Box

210.1. Each card features text printed below the text box that has no effect on game play.

210.1a The illustration credit for a card is printed on the first line below the text box. It follows the abbreviation ?Illus.? or, in more recent years, a paintbrush icon.

210.1b Legal text (the fine print at the bottom of the card) lists the trademark and copyright information.

210.1c Some card sets feature collector numbers. This information is printed in the form [card number]/[total cards in the set], immediately following the legal text.

211. [This section has been intentionally left blank to preserve the ordering of other rules.]

212. Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype

212.1. General

212.1a Cards, tokens, permanents, and spells can all have card types, supertypes, and subtypes. Abilities don?t have card types, supertypes, or subtypes. Instead, there are various categories of abilities. (See rule 402, ?Abilities.?)

212.1b. When an object?s card type changes, the new card type(s) replaces any existing card types. Counters, effects, and damage affecting 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.

212.1c 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.
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.?

212.1d An object?s supertype is independent of its card type and subtype. Changing an object?s card type or subtype won?t change its supertype. Changing an object?s supertype won?t change its card type or subtype. When an object gains or loses a supertype, it retains any other supertypes it had.
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.

212.1e 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. (Use the Oracle card reference to determine whether a creature type exists; see rule 200.2. You can also find complete lists of subtypes in the glossary at the end of this document under ?Creature Types,? ?Land Types,? etc.)
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.

212.2. Artifacts

212.2a A player who has priority may play an artifact card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing an artifact as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, ?Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.?)

212.2b When an artifact spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control.

212.2c Artifact subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: ?Artifact ? Equipment.? Artifact subtypes are also called artifact types. Artifacts may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of artifact subtypes under ?Artifact Types? in the glossary at the end of this document.)

212.2d Artifacts have no characteristics specific to their card type. Most artifacts have no colored mana symbols in their mana costs, and are therefore colorless. However, there is no correlation between being colorless and being an artifact: artifacts may be colored, and colorless objects may be card types other than artifact.

212.2e Artifact creatures combine the characteristics of both creatures and artifacts, and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types.

212.2f Artifact lands combine the characteristics of both lands and artifacts, and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types. Artifact lands can only be played as lands. They can?t be played as spells.

212.2g Some artifacts have the subtype ?Equipment.? An Equipment can be attached to a creature. It can?t legally be attached to an object that isn?t a creature.

212.2h An Equipment is played and comes into play just like any other artifact. An Equipment doesn?t come into play attached to a creature. The equip keyword ability moves the Equipment onto a creature you control (see rule 502.33, ?Equip?). Control of the creature matters only when the equip ability is played and when it resolves. The creature to which the Equipment is to be moved must be able to be equipped by it. If it can?t, the Equipment doesn?t move.

212.2i An Equipment that?s also a creature can?t equip a creature. Equipment that loses the subtype ?Equipment? can?t equip a creature. An Equipment can?t equip itself. An Equipment that equips an illegal or nonexistent permanent becomes unattached from that permanent but remains in play. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)

212.2j The creature an Equipment is attached to is called the ?equipped creature.? The Equipment is attached to, or ?equips,? that creature.

212.2k An Equipment?s controller is separate from the equipped creature?s controller; the two need not be the same. Changing control of the creature doesn?t change control of the Equipment, and vice versa. Only the Equipment?s controller can play its abilities. However, if the Equipment adds an ability to the equipped creature (with ?gains? or ?has?), the equipped creature?s controller is the only one who can play that ability.

212.2m Some artifacts have the subtype ?Fortification.? A Fortification can be attached to a land. It can?t legally be attached to an object that isn?t a land. Rules 212.2h?k apply to Fortifications in relation to lands just as they apply to Equipment in relation to creatures. Fortification?s analog to the equip keyword ability is the fortify keyword ability. (See rule 502.65, ?Fortify.?)

212.3. Creatures

212.3a A player who has priority may play a creature card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a creature as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, ?Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.?)

212.3b When a creature spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control.

212.3c Creature subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: ?Creature ? Human Soldier,? ?Artifact Creature ? Golem,? and so on. Creature subtypes are also called creature types. Creatures may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of creature subtypes under ?Creature Types? in the glossary at the end of this document.)
Example: ?Creature ? Goblin Wizard? means the card is a creature with the subtypes Goblin and Wizard.

212.3d Power and toughness are characteristics only creatures have. A creature?s power is the amount of damage it deals in combat, and its toughness is the amount of damage needed to destroy it. To determine a creature?s power and toughness, start with the numbers printed in its lower right corner, then apply any applicable continuous effects. (See rule 418.5, ?Interaction of Continuous Effects.?)

212.3e Creatures can attack and block. (See rule 308, ?Declare Attackers Step,? and rule 309, ?Declare Blockers Step.?)

212.3f A creature?s activated ability with the tap symbol or the untap symbol in its activation cost can?t be played unless the creature has been under its controller?s control since the start of his or her most recent turn. A creature can?t attack unless it has been under its controller?s control since the start of his or her most recent turn. This rule is informally called the ?summoning sickness? rule. Ignore this rule for creatures with haste (see rule 502.5).

212.3g Damage dealt to a creature stays on that creature. If the total accumulated damage on that creature is equal to or greater than its toughness, that creature has been dealt lethal damage and is destroyed as a state-based effect (see rule 420.5c). All damage on a creature is removed when it regenerates (see rule 501.5, "Regenerate") and during the cleanup step (see rule 314.2).

212.3h Creature lands combine the characteristics of both lands and creatures, and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types. Creature lands can only be played as lands. They can?t be played as spells.

212.4. Enchantments

212.4a A player who has priority may play an enchantment card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing an enchantment as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, ?Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.?)

212.4b When an enchantment spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control.

212.4c Enchantment subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: ?Enchantment ? Shrine.? Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. Enchantment subtypes are also called enchantment types. Enchantments may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of enchantment subtypes under ?Enchantment Types? in the glossary at the end of this document.)

212.4d Some enchantments have the subtype ?Aura.? An Aura comes into play attached to an object or player. What an Aura can be attached to is restricted by its enchant keyword ability (see rule 502.45, ?Enchant?). Other effects can limit what a permanent can be enchanted by.

212.4e An Aura spell requires a target, which is restricted by its enchant ability.

212.4f If an Aura is enchanting an illegal object or player, the object it was attached to no longer exists, or the player it was attached to has left the game, the Aura is put into its owner?s graveyard. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)

212.4g An Aura can?t enchant itself, and an Aura that?s also a creature can?t enchant anything. If this occurs somehow, the Aura is put into its owner?s graveyard. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)

212.4h The object or player an Aura is attached to is called enchanted. The Aura is attached to, or ?enchants,? that object or player.

212.4i An Aura?s controller is separate from the enchanted object?s controller; the two need not be the same. Changing control of the object doesn?t change control of the Aura, and vice versa. Only the Aura?s controller can play its abilities. However, if the Aura adds an ability to the enchanted object (with ?gains? or ?has?), the enchanted object?s controller is the only one who can play that ability.

212.4j If an Aura is coming into play under a player?s control by any means other than by being played, and the effect putting it into play doesn?t specify the object or player the Aura will enchant, that player chooses what it will enchant as the Aura comes into play. The player must choose a legal object or player according to the Aura?s enchant ability and any other applicable effects. If the player can?t make a legal choice, the Aura remains in its current zone, unless that zone is the stack. In that case, the Aura is put into its owner?s graveyard instead of coming into play.

212.4k If an effect attempts to attach an Aura in play to an object or player, that object or player must be able to be enchanted by it. If the object or player can?t be, the Aura doesn?t move.

212.5. Instants

212.5a A player who has priority may play an instant card from his or her hand. Playing an instant as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, ?Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.?)

212.5b When an instant spell resolves, the actions stated in its rules text are followed. Then it?s put into its owner?s graveyard.

212.5c Instant subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: ?Instant ? Arcane.? Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. The set of instant subtypes is the same as the set of sorcery subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. Instants may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of instant subtypes under ?Spell Types? in the glossary at the end of this document.)

212.5d Instants can?t come into play. If an instant would come into play, it remains in its previous zone instead.

212.5e If text states that a player may do something ?any time he or she could play an instant,? it means only that the player must have priority. The player doesn?t need to have an instant he or she could actually play.

212.6. Lands

212.6a Playing a land card is a special action (see 408.2d). To play a land card, the player simply puts it into play. The land card doesn?t go on the stack, and is never a spell, so players can?t respond to it with instants or activated abilities.

212.6b A player who has priority may choose to play a land card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn, when the stack is empty. Continuous effects may allow the player to play land cards from other zones this way, or to play land cards at other times.

212.6c A player may normally play only one land card during his or her turn; however, continuous effects may increase this number. If any such effects exist, the player announces which effect, or this rule, applies to each land play as it happens.

212.6d A player can?t play a land, for any reason, if it isn?t his or her turn. Ignore any part of an effect that instructs a player to do so. Similarly, a player can?t play a land, for any reason, if that player has used all of his or her land plays for that turn. Ignore any part of an effect that instructs a player to do so.

212.6e Effects may also allow players to ?put? lands into play. This isn?t the same as ?playing a land? and doesn?t count as a player?s one land played during his or her turn.

212.6f Land subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash. Land subtypes are also called land types. Lands may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of land subtypes under ?Land Types? in the glossary at the end of this document.)
Example: ?Basic Land ? Mountain? means the card is a land with the Mountain subtype.

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 land with a basic land type has an intrinsic ability to produce colored mana. (See rule 406, ?Mana Abilities.?) The land is treated as if its text box included, ?{T}: Add [mana symbol] to your mana pool,? even if the text box doesn?t actually contain text or the card has no text box. Plains produce white mana; Islands, blue; Swamps, black; Mountains, red; and Forests, green.

212.6h If an effect changes a land?s subtype to one or more of the basic land types, the land no longer has its old land type. It loses all abilities generated from its rules text and its old land types, and it gains the appropriate mana ability for each new basic land type. Note that this doesn?t remove any abilities that were granted to the land by other effects. Changing a land?s subtype doesn?t add or remove any card types (such as creature) or supertypes (such as basic, legendary, and snow) the land may have. If a land gains one or more land types in addition to its own, it keeps its land types and rules text, and it gains the new land types and mana abilities.

212.6i Any land with the supertype ?basic? is a basic land. Any land that doesn?t have this supertype is a nonbasic land.

212.6j If an object is both a land and another card type, it can be played only as a land. It can?t be played as a spell.

212.7. Sorceries

212.7a A player who has priority may play a sorcery card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a sorcery as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, ?Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.?)

212.7b When a sorcery spell resolves, the actions stated in its rules text are followed. Then it?s put into its owner?s graveyard.

212.7c Sorcery subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: ?Sorcery ? Arcane.? Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. The set of sorcery subtypes is the same as the set of instant subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. Sorceries may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of sorcery subtypes under ?Spell Types? in the glossary at the end of this document.)

212.7d Sorceries can?t come into play. If a sorcery would come into play, it remains in its previous zone instead.

212.7e If a spell, ability, or effect states that a player can do something only ?any time he or she could play a sorcery,? it means only that the player must have priority, it must be during the main phase of his or her turn, and the stack must be empty. The player doesn?t need to have a sorcery he or she could actually play.

212.8. Tribals

212.8a Each tribal card has another card type. Playing and resolving a tribal card follows the rules for playing and resolving a card of the other card type.

212.8b Tribal subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: ?Tribal Enchantment ? Merfolk.? The set of tribal subtypes is the same as the set of creature subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types. Tribals may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of tribal subtypes under ?Creature Types? in the glossary at the end of this document.)

212.9. Planeswalkers

212.9a A player who has priority may play a planeswalker card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a planeswalker as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, ?Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.?)

212.9b When a planeswalker spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control.

212.9c Planeswalker subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: ?Planeswalker ? Jace.? Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. Planeswalker subtypes are also called planeswalker types. Planeswalkers may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of planeswalker subtypes under ?Planeswalker Types? in the glossary at the end of this document.) If two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type are in play, all are put into their owners? graveyards as a state-based effect. See rule 420.5.

212.9d Loyalty is a characteristic only planeswalkers have. The loyalty of a planeswalker not in play is equal to the number printed in its lower right corner. The loyalty of a planeswalker in play is equal to the number of loyalty counters on it. A planeswalker is treated as if its text box included, ?This permanent comes into play with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to its printed loyalty number?; this ability creates a replacement effect (see rule 419.1). As a planeswalker gains or loses loyalty, loyalty counters are put on it or removed from it, respectively. Damage dealt to a planeswalker results in that many loyalty counters being removed from it. If a planeswalker?s loyalty is 0, it?s put into its owner?s graveyard as a state-based effect. See rule 420.5.

212.9e Planeswalkers can be attacked. (See rule 308, ?Declare Attackers Step.?)

212.9f Each planeswalker has a number of activated abilities. A player may play an activated ability of a planeswalker only during a main phase of his or her turn, when he or she has priority and the stack is empty, and only if none of its activated abilities have been played that turn. The cost to play an activated ability of a planeswalker is to put on or remove from that planeswalker a certain number of loyalty counters, as shown by the loyalty symbol in the ability?s cost. An ability with a negative loyalty cost can?t be played unless the planeswalker has at least that many loyalty counters on it.

212.9g If noncombat damage would be dealt to a player by a source controlled by an opponent, that opponent may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker the first player controls instead. This is a redirection effect (see rule 419.6c) and is subject to the normal rules for ordering replacement effects (see rule 419.9). The opponent chooses whether to redirect the damage as the redirection effect is applied.

213. Spells

213.1. Every nonland card is a spell while it?s being played (see rule 409, ?Playing Spells and Activated Abilities?) and while it?s on the stack. Once it?s played, a card remains a spell until it resolves, is countered, or otherwise leaves the stack. For more information, see rule 401, ?Spells on the Stack.?

213.2. A spell?s card type, supertype, and subtype are the same as those of its card.

213.3. The term ?spell? is used to refer to a card, or a copy of a spell or card, while it?s on the stack.

213.4. Every spell has a controller. By default, a spell?s controller is the player who played it.

213.5. If an effect changes any characteristics of a spell that becomes a permanent, the effect continues to apply to the permanent when the spell resolves.
Example: If an effect changes a black creature spell to white, the creature is white when it comes into play and remains white for the duration of the effect changing its color.

214. Permanents

214.1. A permanent is a card or token in play. Permanents stay in play unless moved to another zone by an effect or rule. There are five permanent types: artifact, creature, enchantment, land, and planeswalker. Instant and sorcery cards can?t come into play. Some tribal cards can come into play and some can?t, depending on their other card types.

214.1a The term ?permanent card? is used to refer to a card that could be put into play. Specifically, it means an artifact, creature, enchantment, land, or planeswalker card.

214.1b If a permanent somehow loses all its permanent types, it remains in play. It?s still a permanent.

214.2. A nontoken permanent?s card types, supertypes, and subtypes are the same as those printed on its card. A token?s card types, supertypes, and subtypes are set by the spell or ability that created it.

214.3. A card or token becomes a permanent when it comes into play and it stops being a permanent when it leaves play. Permanents come into play untapped. The term ?permanent? is used to refer to a card or token while it?s in play. The term ?card? isn?t used to refer to a card that?s in play as a permanent; rather, it?s used to refer to a card that?s not in play or on the stack, such as a creature card in a player?s hand. For more information, see rule 217, ?Zones.?

214.4. Every permanent has a controller. By default, a permanent?s controller is the player who put it into play.

214.5. Every permanent has a value in each of three status categories: tapped/untapped, flipped/unflipped, and face up/face down. By default, a permanent comes into play untapped, unflipped, and face up. For more information, see rule 510, ?Status.?

215. Life

215.1. Each player begins the game with a life total of 20. In a Two-Headed Giant game, each team begins the game with a shared life total of 30 instead; see rule 606, ?Two-Headed Giant Variant.?

215.2. Damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life.

215.3. If an effect causes a player to gain life or lose life, that player?s life total is adjusted accordingly.

215.4. If a cost or effect allows a player to pay life, the player may do so only if his or her life total is equal to or greater than the amount of the payment. If a player pays life, the payment is subtracted from his or her life total.

215.4a If a cost or effect allows a player to pay life in a Two-Headed Giant game, the player may do so only if his or her team?s life total is equal to or greater than the amount of the payment. If a player pays life, the payment is subtracted from his or her team?s life total.

215.5. If an effect sets a player?s life total to a specific number, the player gains or loses the necessary amount of life to end up with the new total.

215.6. If a player has 0 or less life, that player loses the game as a state-based effect. See rule 420.5.

215.7. If an effect says that a player can?t gain life, that player can?t exchange life totals with a player who has a higher life total; in that case, the exchange won?t happen. In addition, a cost that involves having that player gain life can?t be paid, and a replacement effect that would replace a life gain event affecting that player won?t do anything.

216. Tokens

216.1. Some effects put tokens into play. A token is controlled by whoever put it into play and owned by the controller of the spell or ability that created it. (If no player controlled the effect that created it, the token is owned by whoever put it into play.) The spell or ability may define any number of characteristics for the token. This becomes the token?s ?text.? The characteristics defined this way are functionally equivalent to the characteristics that are printed on a card; for example, they define the token?s copiable values. A token doesn?t have any characteristics not defined by the spell or ability that created it.

216.1a A spell or ability that creates a creature token sets both its name and its creature type. If the spell or ability doesn?t specify the name of the creature token, its name is the same as its creature type(s). A ?Goblin Scout creature token,? for example, is named ?Goblin Scout? and has the creature subtypes Goblin and Scout. Once a token is in play, changing its name doesn?t change its creature type, and vice versa.

216.2. A token is subject to anything that affects permanents in general or that affects the token?s card type or subtype. A token isn?t a card (even if represented by a card that has a Magic back or that came from a Magic booster pack).

216.3. A token in a zone other than the in-play zone ceases to exist. This is a state-based effect. (Note that a token changing zones sets off triggered abilities before the token ceases to exist.)

216.4 A token that has left play can?t come back into play. If such a token would return to play, it remains in its current zone instead. It ceases to exist the next time state-based effects are checked.

217. Zones

217.1. A zone is a place where objects can be during a game. There are normally six zones: library, hand, graveyard, in play, stack, and removed from the game. Some older cards also use the ante and phased-out zones. Each player has his or her own library, hand, and graveyard. The other zones are shared by all players.

217.1a If an object would go to any library, graveyard, or hand other than its owner?s, it goes to its owner?s corresponding zone. If an instant or sorcery card would come into play, it remains in its previous zone.

217.1b The order of objects in a library, in a graveyard, or on the stack can?t be changed except when effects or rules allow it. Objects in other zones can be arranged however their owners wish, although who controls those objects, whether they?re tapped or flipped, and what other objects are attached to them must remain clear to all players.

217.1c An object that moves from one zone to another is treated as a new object. Effects connected with its previous location will no longer affect it. There are four exceptions to this rule: (1) Effects from spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities that change the characteristics of an artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker spell on the stack will continue to apply to the permanent that spell creates. (2) Abilities that trigger when an object moves from one zone to another (for example, ?When Rancor is put into a graveyard from play?) can find the object in the zone it moved to when the ability triggered. (3) Prevention effects that apply to damage from an artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker spell on the stack will continue to apply to damage from the permanent that spell becomes. (4) Permanents that phase out or in ?remember? their earlier states. See rule 217.8c.

217.1d If an object would move from one zone to another, first determine what event is moving the object. Then apply any appropriate replacement effects to that event. If an effect or rule tries 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 what the effect does to the object. Then the event moves the object.

217.1e An object is outside the game if it?s in the removed-from-the-game zone, or if it isn?t in any of the game?s zones. All other objects are inside the game. Outside the game is not a zone.

217.1f If an object in the removed-from-the-game zone is removed from the game, it doesn?t change zones, but it is treated as a new object that has just been removed from the game.

217.2. Library

217.2a When a game begins, each player?s deck becomes his or her library.

217.2b Each library must be kept in a single face-down pile. Players can?t look at or change the order of cards in a library.

217.2c Any player may count the number of cards remaining in any player?s library at any time.

217.2d If an effect puts two or more cards on the top or bottom of a library at the same time, the owner of those cards may arrange them in any order. That library?s owner doesn?t reveal the order in which the cards go into his or her library.

217.2e 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).

217.2f 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).

217.3. Hand

217.3a The hand is where a player holds cards that have been drawn but not yet played. At the beginning of the game, each player draws a hand of seven cards. (See rule 101, ?Starting the Game.?)

217.3b Each player has a maximum hand size, which is normally seven cards. A player may have any number of cards in his or her hand, but as part of his or her cleanup step, the player must discard excess cards down to the maximum hand size.

217.3c A player may arrange his or her hand in any convenient fashion and look at it as much as he or she wishes. A player can?t look at the cards in another player?s hand but may count those cards at any time.

217.4. Graveyard

217.4a A graveyard is a discard pile. Any object that?s countered, discarded, destroyed, or sacrificed is put on top of its owner?s graveyard, as is any instant or sorcery spell that?s finished resolving. Each player?s graveyard starts out empty.

217.4b Each graveyard is kept in a single face-up pile. A player can examine the cards in any graveyard at any time but can?t change their order.

217.4c If an effect or rule puts two or more cards into the same graveyard at the same time, the owner of those cards may arrange them in any order.

217.5. In Play

217.5a Most of the area between the players represents the in-play zone. The in-play zone starts out empty. Permanents a player controls are normally kept in front of him or her in the in-play zone, though there are some cases (such as an Aura attached to another player?s permanent) when a permanent one player controls is kept closer to a different player.

217.5b A spell or ability affects and checks only the in-play zone unless it specifically mentions a player or another zone. Permanents exist only in the in-play zone.

217.5c Whenever a permanent enters the in-play zone, it?s considered a brand-new permanent and has no relationship to any previous permanent represented by the same object. This is also true for any objects entering any zone (see rule 217.1c).

217.5d An object not in the in-play zone isn?t ?in play? and isn?t considered tapped or untapped. Objects that aren?t either in play or on the stack aren?t controlled by any player.

217.6. Stack

217.6a When a spell is played, the physical card is put on the stack. When an ability is played, it goes on top of the stack without any card associated with it(see rule 409.1a).

217.6b The stack keeps track of the order that spells and/or abilities were added to it. Each time an object is put on the stack, it?s put on top of all objects already there. (See rule 408, ?Timing of Spells and Abilities.?)

217.6c 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.

217.6d 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.

217.6e Combat damage also uses the stack, in the same way as other objects that use the stack.

217.7. Removed from the Game

217.7a Objects can be removed from the game. Some effects may provide a way for a card to return to a zone and use the term ?set aside.? Cards that are set aside this way are still removed from the game, even though that removal may be temporary. Objects that aren?t cards that would return to a zone remain removed from the game instead.

217.7b Cards in the removed-from-the-game zone are kept face up and may be examined by any player at any time. Cards ?removed from the game face down? can?t be examined by any player except when instructions allow it.

217.7c Cards that might return to play should be kept in separate piles to keep track of their respective ways of returning.

217.7d A card may have one ability printed on it that removes one or more cards from the game, and another ability that refers either to ?the removed cards? or to cards ?removed from the game with [name].? These abilities are linked: the second refers only to cards in the removed-from-the-game zone removed as a result of the first. If another object gains a pair of linked abilities, the abilities will be similarly linked on that object. They can?t be linked to any other ability, regardless of what other abilities the object may currently have or may have had in the past.
Example: Arc-Slogger has the ability ?{R}: Remove the top ten cards of your library from the game: Arc-Slogger deals 2 damage to target creature or player.? Sisters of Stone Death has the ability ?{B}{G}: Remove from the game target creature blocking or blocked by Sisters of Stone Death? and the ability ?{2}{B}: Put a creature card removed from the game with Sisters of Stone Death into play under your control.? Quicksilver Elemental has the ability ?{U}: Quicksilver Elemental gains all activated abilities of target creature until end of turn.? If a player has Quicksilver Elemental gain Arc-Slogger?s ability, plays it, then has Quicksilver Elemental gain Sisters of Stone Death?s abilities, plays the remove-from-game ability, and then plays the return-to-play ability, only the creature card Quicksilver Elemental removed from the game with Sisters of Stone Death?s ability can be returned to play. Creature cards Quicksilver Elemental removed from the game with Arc-Slogger?s ability can?t be returned.

217.7e If an object in the removed-from-the-game zone is removed from the game, it doesn?t change zones, but it is treated as a new object that has just been removed from the game.

217.8. Phased Out

217.8a Permanents that phase out are placed in the phased-out zone. (See rule 502.15, ?Phasing.?)

217.8b Face-up objects in the phased-out zone may be examined by any player at any time. Face-down objects in the phased-out zone are covered by the rules for face-down permanents. (See rule 502.26, ?Morph,? and rule 504, ?Face-Down Spells and Permanents.?)

217.8c Phased-out objects are not in play, so they do not count as tapped or untapped, nor are they controlled by anyone. However, an object in this zone ?remembers? the state of the permanent as it phased out and returns to play in the same state as when it left. (See rule 502.15, ?Phasing.?)
 
217.8d Tokens in the phased-out zone cease to exist. This is a state-based effect (see rule 420, ?State-Based Effects?). Any phased-out Auras, Equipment, or Fortifications that were attached to those tokens remain phased out for the rest of the game.

217.9. Ante

217.9a 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?s allowed only where it?s not forbidden by law or by other rules. Playing for ante is strictly forbidden under the DCI Universal Tournament Rules (www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home).

217.9b When playing for ante, each player puts one random card from his or her deck into the ante zone at the beginning of the game. Cards in the ante zone may be examined by any player at any time. At the end of the game, the winner becomes the owner of all the cards in the ante zone.

217.9c A few cards have the text ?Remove [this card] from your deck before playing if you?re not playing for ante.? These are the only cards that can add or remove cards from a player?s ante zone or change a card?s owner.

217.9d To ante an object is to put that object into the ante zone from whichever zone it?s currently in. The owner of an object is the only person who can ante that object.


3. Turn Structure

300. General

300.1. A turn consists of five phases, in this order: beginning, precombat main, combat, postcombat main, and end. Each of these phases takes place every turn, even if nothing happens during the phase. The beginning, combat, and end phases are further broken down into steps, which proceed in order.

300.2. A phase or step in which players receive priority ends when the stack is empty and all players pass in succession. No game events can occur between turns, phases, or steps. Simply having the stack become empty doesn?t cause such a phase or step to end; all players have to pass with the stack empty. Because of this, each player gets a chance to add new things to the stack before that phase or step ends.
          A step in which no players receive priority ends when all specified actions that take place during that step are completed. The only such steps are the untap step (see rule 302) and certain cleanup steps (see rule 314).

300.3. When a phase ends (but not a step), any unused mana left in a player?s mana pool is lost. That player loses 1 life for each one mana lost this way. This is called mana burn. Mana burn is loss of life, not damage, so it can?t be prevented or altered by effects that affect damage. This game action doesn?t use the stack. (See rule 406, ?Mana Abilities.?)

300.4. When a phase or step ends, any effects scheduled to last ?until end of? that phase or step expire. When a phase or step begins, any effects scheduled to last ?until? that phase or step expire. Effects that last ?until end of combat? expire at the end of the combat phase, not at the beginning of the end of combat step. Effects that last ?until end of turn? are subject to special rules; see rule 314.2.

300.5. When a phase or step begins, any abilities that trigger ?at the beginning of? that phase or step are added to the stack.

300.6. Some effects can give a player extra turns. They do this by adding the turns directly after the current turn. If a player gets multiple extra turns or if multiple players get extra turns during a single turn, the extra turns are added one at a time. The most recently created turn will be taken first.

300.7. Some effects can add phases to a turn. They do this by adding the phases directly after the specified phase. If multiple extra phases are created after the same phase, the most recently created phase will occur first.

300.8. Some effects can add steps to a phase. They do this by adding the steps directly after a specified step (or directly before a specified step). If multiple extra steps are created after the same step, the most recently created step will occur first.

300.9. Some effects can cause a step, phase, or turn to be skipped. To skip a step, phase, or turn is to proceed past it as though it didn?t exist. See rule 419.6e and rule 419.6f.

301. Beginning Phase

301.1. The beginning phase consists of three steps, in this order: untap, upkeep, and draw.

302. Untap Step

302.1. First, all permanents with phasing that the active player controls phase out, and all phased-out objects that the active player controlled when they phased out simultaneously phase in (this game action doesn?t use the stack). See rule 217.8, ?Phased Out,? and rule 502.15, ?Phasing.?

302.2. Next the active player determines which permanents he or she controls will untap. Then he or she untaps them all simultaneously (this game action doesn?t use the stack). Normally, all of a player?s permanents untap, but effects can keep one or more of a player?s permanents from untapping.

302.3. No player receives priority during the untap step, so no spells or abilities can be played or resolved. Any ability that triggers during this step will be held until the next time a player would receive priority, which is usually during the upkeep step. (See rule 303, ?Upkeep Step.?)

303. Upkeep Step

303.1. As the upkeep step begins, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of that upkeep step and any abilities that triggered during the turn?s untap step go on the stack. (See rule 410, ?Handling Triggered Abilities.?) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.

304. Draw Step

304.1. First, the active player draws a card. This game action doesn?t use the stack. Then any abilities that trigger at the beginning of the draw step and any other abilities that have triggered go on the stack. Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.

305. Main Phase

305.1. There are two main phases in a turn. In each turn, the first main phase, known as the precombat main phase, and the second main phase, known as the postcombat main phase, are separated by the combat phase (see rule 306, ?Combat Phase?). The precombat and postcombat main phases are individually and collectively known as the main phase.

305.2. The main phase has no steps, so a main phase ends when all players pass in succession while the stack is empty. (See rule 300.2.)

305.3. As the main phase begins, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of that main phase go on the stack. (See rule 410, ?Handling Triggered Abilities.?) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities. (This is the only phase in which a player can normally play artifact, creature, enchantment, planeswalker, and sorcery spells, and only the active player may play these spells.)

305.4. During either main phase, the active player may play one land card from his or her hand if the stack is empty, if the player has priority, and if he or she hasn?t yet taken this special action this turn. (See rule 212.6, ?Lands.?) This action doesn?t use the stack and it isn?t a spell or ability of any kind. It can?t be countered, and players can?t respond to it with instants or activated abilities.

306. Combat Phase

306.1. The combat phase has five steps, which proceed in order: beginning of combat, declare attackers, declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat. The declare blockers and combat damage steps are skipped if no creatures are declared as attackers or put into play attacking (see rule 308.5). There are two combat damage steps if any attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see rule 502.2) or double strike (see rule 502.28).

306.2. During the combat phase, the active player is the attacking player; creatures that player controls may attack. As the combat phase starts, the active player chooses one of his or her opponents. The chosen opponent is the defending player; that player and planeswalkers he or she controls may be attacked. Some multiplayer games allow the active player to attack multiple other players. See rule 602, ?Attack Multiple Players Option,? and rule 606, ?Two-Headed Giant Variant.?

306.3. Only a creature can attack or block. Only a player or a planeswalker can be attacked.

306.3a If an effect would put a noncreature permanent into play attacking or blocking, the permanent does come into play but it?s never considered to be an attacking or blocking permanent.

306.4. A creature or planeswalker is removed from combat if it leaves play (such as by being destroyed or removed from the game); if its controller changes; if it stops being a creature or planeswalker, respectively; or if an effect removes it from combat. A creature is also removed from combat if it regenerates (see rule 419.6b). 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.

306.4a Once a creature has been declared as an attacking or blocking creature, spells or abilities that would have kept that creature from attacking or blocking don?t remove the creature from combat.

306.4b Tapping or untapping a creature that?s already been declared as an attacker or blocker doesn?t remove it from combat and doesn?t prevent its combat damage.

306.4c If a creature is attacking a planeswalker, removing that planeswalker from combat doesn?t remove that creature from combat. It continues to be an attacking creature, although it is attacking neither a player nor a planeswalker. It may be blocked. If it is unblocked, it will deal no combat damage.

306.5. An attacking creature is attacking alone if no other creatures are attacking. A blocking creature is blocking alone if no other creatures are blocking.

307. Beginning of Combat Step

307.1. As the beginning of combat step begins, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of combat go on the stack. (See rule 410, ?Handling Triggered Abilities.?) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.

308. Declare Attackers Step

308.1. As the declare attackers step begins, the active player declares attackers. This game action doesn?t use the stack. If the defending player controls any planeswalkers, or the game allows the active player to attack multiple other players, he or she declares which player or planeswalker each creature is attacking. Effects from a creature that refer to a defending player refer only to the defending player it?s attacking (if it?s attacking a player) or the controller of the planeswalker it?s attacking (if it?s attacking a planeswalker). Then any abilities that triggered on attackers being declared go on the stack. (See rule 410, ?Handling Triggered Abilities.?) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.

308.2. To declare attackers, the active player follows the steps below, in order. If at any point during the declaration of attackers, the active player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the declaration was illegal; the game returns to the moment before the declaration (see rule 422, ?Handling Illegal Actions,? and rule 500, ?Legal Attacks and Blocks?).

308.2a The active player chooses which creatures that he or she controls, if any, will attack. The chosen creatures must be untapped, and each one must either have haste or have been controlled by the active player continuously since the beginning of the turn. For each of the chosen creatures, the active player chooses an opponent or a planeswalker controlled by an opponent for that creature to attack. Then he or she determines whether this set of attackers is legal. (See rule 500, ?Legal Attacks and Blocks.?)

308.2b If any of the chosen creatures have banding or a bands with other ability, the active player announces which creatures, if any, are banded with which. (See rule 502.10, ?Banding.?)

308.2c The active player taps the chosen creatures. Tapping a creature when it?s declared as an attacker isn?t a cost; attacking simply causes creatures to become tapped.

308.2d If any of the creatures require paying costs to attack, the active player determines the total cost to attack. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing permanents, discarding cards, and so on. Once the total cost is determined, it becomes ?locked in.? If effects would change the total cost after this time, ignore this change.

308.2e If any of the costs require mana, the active player then has a chance to play mana abilities (see rule 411, ?Playing Mana Abilities?).

308.2f Once the player has enough mana in his or her mana pool, he or she pays all costs in any order. Partial payments are not allowed.

308.2g Each chosen creature becomes an attacking creature if all costs have been paid, but only if it?s still controlled by the active player. It remains an attacking creature until it?s removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 306.4.

308.3. Abilities that trigger on a creature attacking trigger only at the point the creature is declared as an attacker. They will not trigger if a creature attacks and then that creature?s characteristics change to match the ability?s trigger condition.
Example: A permanent has the ability ?Whenever a green creature attacks, destroy that creature at end of combat.? If a blue creature attacks and is later turned green, the ability will not trigger.

308.4. If a creature is put into play attacking, its controller chooses which defending player or which planeswalker a defending player controls it?s attacking as it comes into play (unless the effect that put it into play specifies what it?s attacking). Such creatures are ?attacking? but, for the purposes of trigger events and effects, they never ?attacked.?

308.5. If no creatures are declared as attackers or put into play attacking, skip the declare blockers and combat damage steps.

309. Declare Blockers Step

309.1. As the declare blockers step begins, the defending player declares blockers (this game action doesn?t use the stack). Then any abilities that triggered on blockers being declared go on the stack. (See rule 410, ?Handling Triggered Abilities.?) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.

309.2. To declare blockers, the defending player follows the steps below, in order. If at any point during the declaration of blockers, the defending player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the declaration was illegal; the game returns to the moment before the declaration (see rule 422, ?Handling Illegal Actions,? and rule 500, ?Legal Attacks and Blocks?).

309.2a The defending player chooses which creatures that he or she controls, if any, will block. The chosen creatures must be untapped. For each of the chosen creatures, the defending player chooses one creature for it to block that?s attacking him, her, or a planeswalker he or she controls. Then he or she determines whether this set of blocks is legal. (See rule 500, ?Legal Attacks and Blocks.?) 

309.2b If any of the creatures require paying costs to block, the defending player determines the total cost to block. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing permanents, discarding cards, and so on. Once the total cost is determined, it becomes ?locked in.? If effects would change the total cost after this time, ignore this change.

309.2c If any of the costs require mana, the defending player then has a chance to play mana abilities (see rule 411, ?Playing Mana Abilities?).

309.2d Once the player has enough mana in his or her mana pool, he or she pays all costs in any order. Partial payments are not allowed.

309.2e Each chosen creature becomes a blocking creature, but only if it?s controlled by the defending player. Each one is blocking the attacking creature chosen for it. It remains a blocking creature until it?s removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 306.4.

309.2f An attacking creature with one or more creatures declared as blockers for it becomes a blocked creature; one with no blockers becomes an unblocked creature. This remains unchanged until the creature is removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. (Some effects can change whether a creature is blocked or unblocked.)

309.3. Abilities that trigger on a creature blocking trigger only at the point the creature is declared as a blocker. They will not trigger if a creature blocks, and then that creature?s characteristics change to match the ability?s trigger condition.

309.4. Abilities that trigger on a creature becoming blocked trigger only at the first point the creature becomes blocked that combat. They will trigger if a creature becomes blocked by a creature declared as a blocker, by a creature that?s put into play as a blocker, or by an effect, but only if the attacking creature hadn?t yet been blocked that combat. They will not trigger if a creature becomes blocked, and then the blocking creature?s characteristics change to match the ability?s trigger condition.
Example: A creature has the ability ?Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a white creature, destroy that creature at end of combat.? If that creature is blocked by a black creature that is later turned white, the ability will not trigger.

309.5. If a creature is put into play blocking, its controller chooses which attacking creature it?s blocking as it comes into play (unless the effect that put it into play specifies what it?s blocking). Such creatures are ?blocking? but, for the purposes of trigger events and effects, they never ?blocked.?

310. Combat Damage Step

310.1. As the combat damage step begins, the active player announces how each attacking creature will assign its combat damage. Then the defending player announces how each blocking creature will assign its combat damage. All assignments of combat damage go on the stack as a single object. Then any abilities that triggered on damage being assigned go on the stack. (See rule 410, ?Handling Triggered Abilities.?) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.

310.2. A player may divide a creature?s combat damage as he or she chooses among the legal recipients. Dividing combat damage is subject to the following restrictions:

310.2a Each attacking creature and each blocking creature will assign combat damage equal to its power. Creatures that would assign 0 or less damage this way don?t assign combat damage at all.

310.2b An unblocked attacking creature that?s attacking a player will assign all its combat damage to the defending player. An unblocked attacking creature that?s attacking a planeswalker will assign all its combat damage to the planeswalker it?s attacking. If the creature isn?t currently attacking anything (if, for example, it was attacking a planeswalker that has left play), it will assign no combat damage.

310.2c A blocked creature will assign combat damage, divided as its controller chooses, to the creatures blocking it. If no creatures are currently blocking it (if, for example, they were destroyed or removed from combat), it will assign no combat damage.

310.2d A blocking creature will assign combat damage, divided as its controller chooses, to the attacking creatures it?s blocking. If it isn?t currently blocking any creatures (if, for example, they were destroyed or removed from combat), it will assign no combat damage.

310.2e An effect that states a creature deals its combat damage in a different manner than normal affects the assignment of combat damage.

310.3. Although combat-damage assignments go on the stack as an object, they aren?t spells or abilities, so they can?t be countered.

310.4. Combat damage resolves as an object on the stack. When it resolves, it?s all dealt at once, as originally assigned. The combat damage object is then removed from the stack and ceases to exist. After combat damage finishes resolving, the active player gets priority.

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 receiving damage has left combat.

310.4b The source of the combat damage is the creature as it currently exists, if it?s still in play. If it?s no longer in play, its last known information is used.

310.4c If a creature or planeswalker that was assigned combat damage is no longer in play, or is neither a creature nor planeswalker, the damage assigned to it isn?t dealt.

310.5. At the start of the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see rule 502.2) or double strike (see rule 502.28), creatures without first strike or double strike don?t assign combat damage. Instead of proceeding to end of combat, the phase gets a second combat damage step (see rule 310.1) to handle the remaining creatures. In the second combat damage step, any attackers and blockers that didn?t assign combat damage in the first step, plus any creatures with double strike, assign their combat damage.

311. End of Combat Step

311.1. As the end of combat step begins, all ?at end of combat? abilities trigger and go on the stack. (See rule 410, ?Handling Triggered Abilities.?) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.

311.2. As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are removed from combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase begins.

312. End Phase

312.1. The end phase consists of two steps: end of turn and cleanup.

313. End of Turn Step

313.1. As the end of turn step begins, all abilities that trigger ?at end of turn? go on the stack. (See rule 410, ?Handling Triggered Abilities.?) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.

313.2. If ?at end of turn?-triggered abilities are created or if cards with ?at end of turn?-triggered abilities come into play after preexisting ones have already gone on the stack at the beginning of the end of turn step, those abilities won?t go on the stack until the next turn?s end phase. In other words, the step doesn?t ?back up? so new ?at end of turn?-triggered abilities can go on the stack. This only applies to triggered abilities that say ?at end of turn.? It doesn?t apply to continuous effects whose durations say ?until end of turn? or ?this turn.? (See rule 314, ?Cleanup Step.?)

314. Cleanup Step

314.1. If the active player?s hand contains more cards than his or her maximum hand size (normally seven), he or she discards enough cards to reduce the hand size to that number (this game action doesn?t use the stack).

314.2. After discarding, the following actions happen simultaneously: all damage is removed from permanents and all ?until end of turn? and ?this turn? effects end (this game action doesn?t use the stack).

314.3. If the conditions for any state-based effects exist or if any triggered abilities are waiting to be put onto the stack, the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities. Once the stack is empty and all players pass, another cleanup step begins. Otherwise, no player receives priority and the step ends.


4. Spells, Abilities, and Effects

400. General

400.1. An ability is something an object does or can do. Abilities generate effects. An object?s abilities are defined in the object?s text box (if it has one) or by the effect that created the object. Abilities can also be granted to objects by effects or rules. Reminder text and flavor text are not abilities. Reminder text and flavor text always appear in italics.

400.2. Spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities generate effects when they resolve. Static abilities generate continuous effects. Text itself is never an effect.

401. Spells on the Stack

401.1. A card on the stack is a spell. As the first step of being played, the card becomes a spell and goes on the stack from the zone it was played from (usually the player?s hand). (See rule 217.6, ?Stack.?) 

401.1a A copy of a spell is also a spell, even if it has no card associated with it.

401.2. A spell stops being a spell when it resolves (see rule 413, ?Resolving Spells and Abilities?), is countered (see rule 414, ?Countering Spells and Abilities?), or otherwise leaves the stack.
Example: A played creature card is a creature spell until it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack.

401.3. Instant and sorcery spells have abilities, just like any other objects. These abilities are instructions that are followed when the spells resolve, unless the instructions can only be applied at some other time.
Example: Some abilities that are not followed when the spell resolves are activated abilities or triggered abilities, any abilities that define the zone from which it can be played (see rule 401.4), any abilities that apply while the spell is in a zone from which it can be played (see rule 401.5), or any abilities that apply while the spell is on the stack (see rule 401.6).

401.4. Any object can have static abilities that allow it to be played from a zone other than a player?s hand. These abilities are active while the object is in that zone.

401.5. Any object can have static abilities that apply while the object is in a zone from which it can be played. These include restrictions on playing the object and abilities that allow the object to be played at a time that it otherwise could not or in a manner that it otherwise could not.

401.6. Any spell can have static abilities that apply while the spell is on the stack. These include, but are not limited to, additional costs, alternative costs, and cost reductions. See rule 409, ?Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.?

401.7. As the final part of an instant or sorcery spell?s resolution, the card is put into its owner?s graveyard. As the final part of an artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker spell?s resolution, the card becomes a permanent and is put into the in-play zone under the control of the spell?s controller. (See rule 413, ?Resolving Spells and Activated Abilities.?) If any spell is countered, the card is put into its owner?s graveyard as part of the resolution of the countering spell or ability.

402. Abilities

402.1. An ability is text on an object that?s not reminder text or flavor text (see rule 400.1). The result of following such an instruction is an effect. (See rule 416, ?Effects.?) Abilities can affect the objects they?re on; they can also affect other objects and/or players. Abilities can grant abilities to other objects or to the objects they?re on; they do so when the words ?has,? ?have,? ?gains,? or ?gain? are used.

402.2. There are three general categories of abilities: activated, triggered, and static. Activated and triggered abilities can also be mana abilities. Abilities can generate one-shot effects or continuous effects. Some effects are replacement effects or prevention effects.

402.3. Abilities can be beneficial or detrimental.
Example: ?[This creature] can?t block? is an ability.

402.4. An additional cost or alternative cost to play a card is an ability of the card.

402.5. An ability isn?t a spell and therefore can?t be countered by anything that counters only spells. Abilities can be countered by effects that specifically counter abilities, as well as by the rules (for example, an ability with one or more targets is countered if all its targets become illegal).

402.6. Once activated or triggered, an ability exists independently of its source as an ability on the stack. Destruction or removal of the source after that time won?t affect the ability. Note that some abilities cause a source to do something (for example, ?Prodigal Sorcerer deals 1 damage to target creature or player?) rather than the ability doing anything directly. In these cases, any activated or triggered ability that references information about the source because the effect needs to be divided checks that information when the ability is put onto the stack. Otherwise, it will check that information when it resolves. In both instances, if the source is no longer in play, its last known information is used. 

402.7. An object may have multiple abilities. Aside from certain defined abilities that may be strung together on a single line (see rule 502, ?Keyword Abilities?), each paragraph break in a card?s text marks a separate ability. An object may also have multiple instances of the same ability. Each instance functions independently. This may or may not produce more effects than a single instance; refer to the specific ability for more information.

402.8. Abilities of an instant or sorcery usually function only while the object is on the stack. Abilities of all other objects usually function only while that object is in play. The exceptions are as follows:

402.8a Characteristic-defining abilities function everywhere, even outside the game. (See rule 405.2.)

402.8b An ability that states which zones it functions in functions only from those zones.

402.8c An ability of an object that modifies what it costs to play functions on the stack.

402.8d An object?s ability that restricts or modifies how that object can be played functions in any zone from which it could be played.

402.8e An object?s ability that modifies how it comes into play functions as that object is coming into play. See rule 419.6i.

402.8f An object?s activated ability that has a cost that can?t be paid while the object is in play functions from any zone in which its cost can be paid.

402.8g A trigger condition that can trigger only in a zone other than the in-play zone triggers from that zone. Other trigger conditions of the same triggered ability may function in different zones.
Example: Absolver Thrull has the ability ?When Absolver Thrull comes into play or the creature it haunts is put into a graveyard, destroy target enchantment.? The first trigger condition triggers from the in-play zone and the second trigger condition functions from the removed-from-the-game zone. (See rule 502.51, ?Haunt.?)

402.8h An ability whose cost or effect specifies that it moves the object it?s on out of a particular zone functions only in that zone, unless that ability?s trigger condition, or a previous part of that ability?s cost or effect, specifies that the object is put into that zone.
Example: Necrosavant says ?{3}{B}{B}, Sacrifice a creature: Return Necrosavant from your graveyard to play. Play this ability only during your upkeep.? A player may play this ability only if Necrosavant is in his or her graveyard.

403. Activated Abilities

403.1. An activated ability is written as ?[cost]: [effect].? The activation cost is everything before the colon (:). An ability?s activation cost must be paid by the player who is playing it.

403.2. Only an object?s controller (or its owner, if it doesn?t have a controller) can play its activated ability unless the object specifically says otherwise.

403.3. If an activated ability has a restriction on its use (for example, ?Play this ability only once each turn?), the restriction continues to apply to that object even if its controller changes.

403.4. A creature?s activated ability with the tap symbol ({T}) or the untap symbol ({Q}) in its activation cost can?t be played unless the creature has been under its controller?s control since the start of his or her most recent turn. Ignore this rule for creatures with haste (see rule 502.5).

403.5. Activated abilities that read ?Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery? mean the player must follow the timing rules for playing a sorcery spell, though the ability isn?t actually a sorcery. Activated abilities that read ?Play this ability only any time you could play an instant? mean the player must follow the timing rules for playing an instant spell, though the ability isn?t actually an instant.

404. Triggered Abilities

404.1. A triggered ability begins with the word ?when,? ?whenever,? or ?at.? The phrase containing one of these words is the trigger condition, which defines the trigger event.

404.2. Triggered abilities aren?t played. Instead, a triggered ability automatically ?triggers? each time its trigger event occurs. Once an ability has triggered, it goes on the stack the next time a player would receive priority. See rule 408.1, ?Timing, Priority, and the Stack,? and rule 410, ?Handling Triggered Abilities.?

404.3. A triggered ability may read ?When/Whenever/At . . . , if [condition], [effect].? The ability checks for the stated condition to be true when the trigger event occurs. If it is, the ability triggers. On resolution, the ability rechecks the condition. If the condition isn?t true at either of those times, the ability does nothing. This rule is referred to as the ?intervening ?if? clause? rule. Note that the word ?if? has only its normal English meaning anywhere else in the text of a card; this rule only applies to an ?if? that immediately follows a trigger condition.

404.4. An effect may create a delayed triggered ability that can do something at a later time. A delayed triggered ability will contain ?when,? ?whenever,? or ?at,? although that word won?t usually begin the ability.

404.4a Delayed triggered abilities come from spells or other abilities that create them on resolution. That means a delayed triggered ability won?t trigger until it has actually been created, even if its trigger event occurred just beforehand. Other events that happen earlier may make the trigger event impossible.
Example: Part of an effect reads ?When this creature leaves play,? but the creature in question leaves play before the spell or ability creating the effect resolves. In this case, the delayed ability never triggers.
Example: If an effect reads ?When this creature becomes untapped? and the named creature becomes untapped before the effect resolves, the ability waits for the next time that creature untaps.

404.4b A delayed triggered ability will trigger only once?the next time its trigger event occurs?unless it has a stated duration, such as ?this turn.?

404.4c A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular object still affects it even if the object changes characteristics.
Example: An ability that reads ?Destroy that creature at end of turn? will destroy the permanent even if it?s no longer a creature during the end of turn step.

404.4d A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular permanent will fail if the permanent leaves play (even if it returns again before the specified time). Similarly, abilities that create a one-shot effect that applies to an object in a particular zone will fail if the object leaves that zone.
Example: An ability that reads ?Remove this creature from the game at end of turn? won?t do anything if the creature leaves play before the end of turn step.

404.4e The source of a delayed triggered ability created by a spell is that spell. The source of a delayed triggered ability created by another ability is the same as the source of that other ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability is the same as the controller of the spell or ability that created it, even if that player no longer controls its source.

404.5. Some objects have a static ability that?s linked to a triggered ability. These objects combine both abilities into one paragraph, with the static ability first, followed by the triggered ability. A very few objects have triggered abilities which are written with the trigger condition in the middle of the ability, rather than at the beginning.
Example: An ability that reads ?Reveal the first card you draw each turn. Whenever you reveal a basic land card this way, draw a card? is a static ability linked to a triggered ability.
Example: An ability that reads ?The controller of enchanted creature sacrifices it at the end of his or her turn? is a triggered ability.

405. Static Abilities

405.1. A static ability does something all the time rather than being activated or triggered. The ability isn?t played?it just ?exists.? Such abilities apply only while the ability is on a permanent in play, unless the ability is covered by rule 402.8.

405.2. A characteristic-defining ability is a kind of static ability. It conveys information about an object?s characteristics that would normally be found elsewhere on that object (such as in its mana cost, type line, or power/toughness box). Characteristic-defining abilities function in all zones. They also function outside the game.

405.2a A static ability is a characteristic-defining ability if it meets the following criteria: 1) It defines an object?s colors, subtypes, power, or toughness; 2) It is printed on the card it affects, it was granted to the token it affects by the effect that created the token, or it was acquired by the object it affects as the result of a copy effect; 3) It does not directly affect the characteristics of any other objects; 4) It is not an ability that an object grants to itself; and 5) It does not set the values of such characteristics only if certain conditions are met.

406. Mana Abilities

406.1. A mana ability is either (a) an activated ability without a target that could put mana into a player?s mana pool when it resolves or (b) a triggered ability without a target that triggers from a mana ability and could produce additional mana. A mana ability can generate other effects at the same time it produces mana.

406.2. Spells that put mana into a player?s mana pool aren?t mana abilities. They?re played and resolved exactly like any other spells.

406.3. A mana ability remains a mana ability even if the game state doesn?t allow it to produce mana.
Example: A permanent has an ability that reads ?{T}: Add {G} to your mana pool for each creature you control.? This is still a mana ability even if you control no creatures or if the permanent is already tapped.

406.4. A mana ability can be activated or triggered. Mana abilities are played and resolved like other abilities, but they don?t go on the stack, so they can?t be countered or responded to. See rule 411, ?Playing Mana Abilities,? and rule 408.2, ?Actions That Don?t Use the Stack.?

406.5. Abilities that produce mana but trigger from events other than playing mana abilities do use the stack. So do abilities that don?t produce mana but trigger on playing mana abilities.

406.6. If a mana ability would produce one or more mana of an undefined type, it produces no mana instead.
Example: If you control no lands, an ability that reads ?{T}: Add to your mana pool one mana of any type that a land you control could produce? will not produce any mana.

407. Adding and Removing Abilities

407.1. Effects can add or remove abilities of objects. An effect that adds an ability will state that the object ?gains? or ?has? that ability. An effect that removes an ability will state that the object ?loses? that ability. If two or more effects add and remove the same ability, in general the most recent one prevails. (See rule 418.5, ?Interaction of Continuous Effects.?)

407.2. An effect that sets an object?s characteristic, or simply states a quality of that object, is different from an ability granted by an effect. When an object ?gains? or ?has? an ability, that ability can be removed by another effect. If an effect defines a characteristic of the object (?[permanent] is [characteristic value]?), it?s not granting an ability. (See rule 405.2.)
Example: An effect reads, ?Enchanted creature has ?This creature is an artifact creature.?? This effect grants an ability to the creature that can be removed by other effects. Another effect reads, ?Enchanted creature is an artifact creature.? This effect simply defines a characteristic of the creature. It doesn?t grant an ability, so effects that would cause the creature to lose its abilities wouldn?t cause the enchanted creature to stop being an artifact.

407.3. Effects that remove an ability remove all instances of it.
Example: If a creature with flying is enchanted with Flight, it has two instances of the flying ability. A single effect that reads ?Target creature loses flying? will remove both.

408. Timing of Spells and Abilities

408.1. Timing, Priority, and the Stack

408.1a Spells and activated abilities can be played only at certain times and follow a set of rules for doing so.

408.1b Spells and activated abilities are played by players (if they choose) using a system of priority, while other kinds of abilities and effects are automatically generated by the game rules. Each time a player would get priority, all applicable state-based effects resolve first as a single event (see rule 420, ?State-Based Effects?). Then, if any new state-based effects have been generated, they resolve as a single event. This process repeats until no more applicable state-based effects are generated. Then triggered abilities are added to the stack (see rule 410, ?Handling Triggered Abilities?). These steps repeat in order until no further state-based effects or triggered abilities are generated. Then the player who would have received priority does so and may play a spell or ability, take a special action (such as playing a land), or pass, as governed by the rules for that phase or step.

408.1c The active player gets priority at the beginning of most phases and steps, after any game actions are dealt with and abilities that trigger at the beginning of that phase or step go on the stack. No player gets priority during the untap step and players usually don?t get priority during the cleanup step (see rule 314.3). The player with priority may play a spell or ability, take a special action, or pass. If he or she plays a spell or ability, or takes a special action, the player again receives priority; otherwise, the next player in turn order receives priority. If all players pass in succession (that is, if all players pass without taking any actions in between passing), the top object on the stack resolves, then the active player receives priority. If the stack is empty when all players pass in succession, the phase or step ends and the next one begins.

408.1d A player may play an instant spell or an activated ability any time he or she has priority. Spells other than instants may be played during a player?s main phase, when that player has priority and the stack is empty.

408.1e When a spell is played, it goes on top of the stack. When an activated ability is played, it goes on top of the stack.

408.1f Triggered abilities can trigger at any time, including during the playing or resolution of a spell or another ability. However, nothing actually happens at the time the abilities trigger. Each time a player would receive priority, each ability that has triggered is put on the stack (if it hasn?t already been put on the stack). Then the player gets priority and may play spells or abilities. (See rule 410, ?Handling Triggered Abilities.?)

408.1g Combat damage goes on the stack once it?s been assigned. For more information, see rule 310, ?Combat Damage Step.?

408.1h Static abilities aren?t played?they continuously affect the game. Priority doesn?t apply to them. (See rule 405, ?Static Abilities,? rule 418, ?Continuous Effects,? and rule 419, ?Replacement and Prevention Effects.?)

408.1i Special actions don?t use the stack. The special actions are playing a land (see rule 408.2d), turning a face-down creature face up (see rule 408.2h), ending continuous effects or stopping delayed triggered abilities (see rule 408.2i), ignoring continuous effects (see rule 408.2j), and removing a card with suspend in your hand from the game (see rule 408.2k).

408.2. Actions That Don?t Use the Stack

408.2a Effects don?t go on the stack; they?re the result of spells and abilities resolving. Effects may create delayed triggered abilities, however, and these may go on the stack when they trigger (see rule 404.4).

408.2b Static abilities continuously generate effects and don?t go on the stack.

408.2c State-based effects (see rule 420) resolve whenever a player would receive priority as long as the required game condition is true.

408.2d Playing a land is a special action consisting of putting that land into play. (See rule 212.6, ?Lands.?) A player can choose to perform this special action only during a main phase of his or her turn, when he or she has priority and the stack is empty. If a player had priority before playing a land, that player gets priority after this special action.

408.2e Mana abilities resolve immediately. If a mana ability produces both mana and another effect, both the mana and the other effect happen immediately. If a player had priority before a mana ability was played, that player gets priority after it resolves. (See rule 406, ?Mana Abilities.?)

408.2f Characteristic-defining abilities, such as ?[This object] is red,? are simply read and followed as applicable. (See also rule 405.2.)

408.2g Game actions don?t use the stack. The game actions are phasing in and out at the start of the untap step (see rule 302.1), untapping at the start of the untap step (see rule 302.2), drawing a card at the start of the draw step (see rule 304.1), declaring attackers at the start of the declare attackers step (see rule 308.1), declaring blockers at the start of the declare blockers step (see rule 309.1), the active player discarding down to his or her maximum hand size at the start of the cleanup step (see rule 314.1), removing damage from permanents and ending ?until end of turn effects during the cleanup step (see rule 314.2), and mana burn as each phase ends (see rule 300.3).

408.2h The controller of a face-down permanent may turn it face up. This is a special action. (See rule 504, ?Face-Down Spells and Permanents.?) A player can turn a face-down permanent face up only when he or she has priority. That player gets priority after this special action.

408.2i Some effects allow a player to take an action at a later time, usually to end a continuous effect or to stop a delayed triggered ability. This is a special action. A player can end a continuous effect or stop a delayed triggered ability only if the effect or ability allows it and only when he or she has priority. The player who took the action gets priority after this special action.

408.2j Some effects from static abilities allow a player to take an action to ignore the effect from that ability for a duration. This is a special action. A player can take an action to ignore an effect only when he or she has priority. The player who took the action gets priority after this special action.

408.2k A player who has a card with suspend in his or her hand may remove that card from the game. This is a special action. (See rule 502.59, ?Suspend.?) A player can remove a card with suspend in his or her hand from the game only when he or she has priority. That player gets priority after this special action.

409. Playing Spells and Activated Abilities

409.1. Playing a spell or activated ability follows the steps listed below, in order. If, at any point during the playing of a spell or ability, a player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the spell was played illegally; the game returns to the moment before that spell or ability was played (see rule 422, ?Handling Illegal Actions?). Announcements and payments can?t be altered after they?ve been made.

409.1a The player announces that he or she is playing the spell or activated ability. If a spell is being played, that card (or that copy of a card) physically moves from the zone it?s in to the stack. It has all the characteristics of the card (or the copy of a card) associated with it, and its controller is the player who played it. If an activated ability is being played, it?s created on the stack as an object that?s not a card. If an activated ability is being played from a hidden zone, the card that has that ability is revealed. On the stack, the ability has the text of the ability that created it, and no other characteristics. Its controller is the player who played the ability. The spell or ability remains on the stack until it?s countered or resolves.

409.1b If the spell or ability is modal (uses the phrase ?Choose one ?,? ?Choose two ?,?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 mana cost (indicated by {X}) or some other variable cost, the player announces the value of that variable at this time. If the spell or ability has alternative, additional, or other special costs (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 includes hybrid mana symbols in its cost, 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.

409.1c If the spell or ability requires any targets, the player first announces how many targets he or she will choose (if the spell or ability has a variable number of targets), then announces his or her choice of an appropriate player, object, or zone for each of those targets. A player can?t play a spell or ability unless he or she chooses the required number of legal targets. The same target can?t be chosen multiple times for any one instance of the word ?target? on the spell or ability. If the spell or ability uses the word ?target? in multiple places, the same object, player, or zone can be chosen once for each instance of the word ?target? (as long as it fits the targeting criteria).
Example: If an ability reads ?Tap two target creatures,? then the same target can?t be chosen twice; the ability requires two different legal targets. An ability that reads ?Destroy target artifact and target land,? however, can target the same artifact land twice because it uses the word ?target? in multiple places.

409.1d If the spell or ability targets one or more targets only if an alternative, additional, or special cost (such as a buyback or kicker cost) is paid for it, or if a particular mode is chosen for it, its controller chooses those targets only if he or she announced the intention to pay that cost or chose that mode. Otherwise, the spell or ability is played as though it did not have those targets.

409.1e If the spell or ability requires the player to divide or distribute an effect (such as damage or counters) among one or more targets, or any number of untargeted objects or players, the player announces the division. Each of these targets, objects, or players must receive at least one of whatever is being divided.

409.1f The player determines the total cost of the spell or ability. Usually this is just the mana cost (for spells) or activation cost (for abilities). Some cards list additional or alternative costs in their text. Some effects may increase or reduce the cost to pay, or may provide other alternative costs. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing permanents, discarding cards, and so on. The total cost is the mana cost, activation cost, or alternative cost (as determined in rule 409.1b), plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus all cost reductions. If the mana component of the total cost is reduced to nothing by cost reduction effects, it is considered to be {0}. It can?t be reduced to less than {0}. Once the total cost is determined, it becomes ?locked in.? If effects would change the total cost after this time, they have no effect.

409.1g If the total cost includes a mana payment, the player then has a chance to play mana abilities (see rule 411, ?Playing Mana Abilities?). Mana abilities must be played before costs are paid.

409.1h The player pays the total cost in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. Unpayable costs can?t be paid.
Example: You play Death Bomb, which costs {3}{B} and has an additional cost of sacrificing a creature. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes your black spells cost {1} less to play. Because a spell?s total cost is ?locked in? before payments are actually made, you pay {2}{B}, not {3}{B}, even though you?re sacrificing the Familiar.

409.1i Once the steps described in 409.1a?h are completed, the spell or ability becomes played. Any abilities that trigger on a spell or ability being played or put onto the stack trigger at this time. If the spell or ability?s controller had priority before playing it, he or she gets priority.

409.2. Some spells and abilities specify that one of their controller?s opponents does something the controller would normally do while it?s being played, such as choose a mode or choose targets. In these cases, the opponent does so when the spell or ability?s controller normally would do so.

409.2a If there is more than one opponent who could make such a choice, the spell or ability?s controller decides which of those opponents will make the choice.

409.2b If the spell or ability instructs its controller and another player to do something at the same time as the spell or ability is being played, the spell?s controller goes first, then the other player. This is an exception to rule 103.4.

409.3. Playing a spell or ability that alters costs won?t do anything to spells and abilities that are already on the stack.

409.4. A player can?t begin to play a spell or activated ability that?s prohibited from being played by an effect.

409.4a If an effect allows a card that?s prohibited from being played to be played face down, and the face-down spell would not be prohibited, that spell can be played face down. See rule 504, ?Face-Down Spells and Permanents.?

410. Handling Triggered Abilities

410.1. Because they aren?t played, triggered abilities can trigger even when it isn?t legal to play spells and abilities, and effects that prevent abilities from being played don?t affect them.

410.2. Whenever a game event or game state matches a triggered ability?s trigger event, that ability triggers. When a phase or step begins, all abilities that trigger ?at the beginning of? that phase or step trigger. The ability is controlled by the player who controlled its source at the time 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. The ability doesn?t do anything when it triggers, but it?s automatically put on the stack by its controller as soon as a player would receive priority. Each triggered ability on the stack has the text of the ability that created it, and no other character