General Rulings Summary Updated 2003/07/24

Rulings are collected from many sources. See credits and disclaimer at the end of the file for details.

An open circle is used to mark changes since the last released version on by SEVENTH EDITION. Both of these editions use the same rules.

These rulings are updated monthly. The most recent version is available on the web (WWW) as the following:

http://www.crystalkeep.com/magic/rules/index.html

An open circle is used to mark changes since the last released version on 2003/06/19

Thanx,

Stephen.

Stephen D'Angelo (dangelo@crystalkeep.com)
Official Magic: The Gathering Rules Summary
Network Representative for Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

A.1 - General Rulings on Abilities
A.2 - Activated Abilities
A.3 - Static Abilities
A.4 - Triggered Abilities
A.5 - Delayed Abilities
A.6 - Mana Abilities
A.7 - Amplify
A.8 - Banding
A.9 - Bands with Other
A.10 - Buyback
A.11 - Cumulative Upkeep
A.12 - Cycling
A.13 - Double Strike
A.14 - Echo
A.15 - Evasion
A.16 - Fading
A.17 - Fear
A.18 - First Strike
A.19 - Flanking
A.20 - Flashback
A.21 - Flying
A.22 - Haste
A.23 - Horsemanship
A.24 - Kicker
A.25 - Landcycling
A.26 - Landhome
A.27 - Landwalk
A.28 - Madness
A.29 - Morph
A.30 - Phasing
A.31 - Protection
A.32 - Provoke
A.33 - Rampage
A.34 - Shadow
A.35 - Storm
A.36 - Threshold
A.37 - Trample

C - Combat Rules

C.1 - The Combat Phase
C.2 - Step 1: Beginning of Combat
C.3 - Step 2: Declare Attackers
C.4 - Step 3: Declare Blockers
C.5 - Step 4: Combat Damage
C.6 - Step 5: End of Combat
C.7 - Must Attack or Block

D - DCI Tournament Rules

D.1 - Tournament Structure
D.2 - Deck Registration
D.3 - Warnings, Penalties, and Ejection
D.4 - Judges and Rulings
D.5 - DCI Rating System
D.6 - Card Text To Use
D.7 - Card Sleeves
D.8 - Deck Contents
D.9 - Shuffling
D.10 - Rules of Play
D.11 - Sideboard
D.12 - Other Rules
D.13 - Type 1 Tournament Format
D.14 - Type 1.5 Tournament Format
D.15 - Extended Tournament Format
D.16 - Standard Tournament Format
D.17 - Sealed Deck Formats
D.18 - Block Constructed Deck Formats
D.19 - Booster Draft Formats

E - Extracted Rulings on Cards

E.1 - Alternate Cost Spells
E.2 - Cantrips
E.3 - Comes Into Play Abilities
E.4 - Copy Cards
E.5 - Face Down Cards
E.6 - Fog Effects
E.7 - Is Not Blocked Ability
E.8 - Licids
E.9 - Moving Enchantments
E.10 - Poison
E.11 - Tap and Hold Abilities
E.12 - Templates
E.13 - Text Changing
E.14 - Vanguard Cards

G - Game Terms and Rules

G.1 - Activation Cost
G.2 - Caster
G.3 - Color
G.4 - Colorless Mana
G.5 - Controller
G.6 - Costs
G.7 - Countering Spells and Abilities
G.8 - Counters
G.9 - Counts As
G.10 - Damage
G.11 - Damage Prevention
G.12 - Damage Redirection
G.13 - Destroy
G.14 - Discard
G.15 - Draw
G.16 - Exchange
G.17 - Generic Mana
G.18 - Infinity
G.19 - Life
G.20 - Losing the Game
G.21 - Loss of Life
G.22 - Mana Burn
G.23 - Mana Pool
G.24 - Modal Spells and Abilities
G.25 - Obsolete Terms
G.26 - Owner
G.27 - Phasing Out and In
G.28 - Put Into Play
G.29 - Regeneration
G.30 - Remove from the Game
G.31 - Reveal
G.32 - Rounding
G.33 - Sacrifice
G.34 - Simultaneous
G.35 - Skipping a Draw
G.36 - Skipping a Phase or Step
G.37 - Summoning Sickness
G.38 - Tapping a Permanent
G.39 - Targeting--Announcing and Resolving
G.40 - Targeting--Is Something Targeted
G.41 - Targeting--Valid Targets
G.42 - Unblocked
G.43 - Untapping a Permanent

K - Card and Permanent Types and Information

K.1 - Artifact
K.2 - Artifact Creature
K.3 - Card Name
K.4 - Card Types
K.5 - Changing a Permanent's Type
K.6 - Characteristics
K.7 - Color of a Spell/Permanent
K.8 - Converted Mana Cost
K.9 - Creature
K.10 - Creature Power and Toughness
K.11 - Creature Type
K.12 - Enchantment
K.13 - Expansion Symbol
K.14 - Instant
K.15 - Land
K.16 - Land Type
K.17 - Legendary Permanents
K.18 - Mana Cost
K.19 - Permanents
K.20 - Play Cost
K.21 - Snow-Covered Lands
K.22 - Sorcery
K.23 - Spells
K.24 - Split Cards
K.25 - Token Creatures
K.26 - Tombstone Icon
K.27 - Walls
K.28 - X Costs

M - Multi-Player Rules

M.1 - Multi-Player Rulings
M.2 - Free-For-All Style
M.3 - Team Play

P - Phases of the Turn

P.1 - Starting the Game
P.2 - Phases of the Turn
P.3 - General Phase and Step Rules
P.4 - Beginning Phase
P.5 - Untap Step
P.6 - Upkeep Step
P.7 - Draw Step
P.8 - First Main Phase
P.9 - Combat Phase
P.10 - Second Main Phase
P.11 - End Phase
P.12 - End of Turn Step
P.13 - Cleanup Step

T - Timing of Spells and Abilities

T.1 - Types of Spells and Abilities
T.2 - Stack
T.3 - Life Cycle of Spells and Abilities
T.4 - Step 1: Announcing a Spell or Ability
T.5 - Step 2: Waiting for Resolution
T.6 - Step 3: Resolution
T.7 - Types of Effects
T.8 - Continuous Effects
T.9 - One-Shot Effects
T.10 - Replacement and Prevention Effects
T.11 - State-Based Effects
T.12 - Timing Conflicts

U - Unglued

U.1 - Humor
U.2 - Token Cards
U.3 - Other

Z - Zones of Play

Z.1 - Zones of Play
Z.2 - Ante
Z.3 - Graveyard
Z.4 - Hand
Z.5 - In Play
Z.6 - Library
Z.7 - Phased Out
Z.8 - Removed from Game
Z.9 - Stack

Index

Acknowledgements and Disclaimers

A - Abilities

A.1 - General Rulings on Abilities

A.1.1 - An "ability" is any instruction described in the card's text area. For token permanents, any abilities are described in the spell or ability which created the token (see Rule K.25). The result of an ability is called its "effect". [CompRules 1999/04/34] Note that the text describing the effects of a spell (see Rule K.23) that is not going to be a permanent are not considered abilities. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.1.2 - A permanent may have the same ability more than once. For activated abilities (see Rule A.2), only one can be used at a time. For triggered abilities (see Rule A.4), all of them trigger. For static abilities (see Rule A.3), they may or may not be cumulative. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.1.3 - Abilities of a card apply only when the card is in play, unless explicitly stated otherwise. For example, Protection from Black on a White Knight does not apply while the Knight is in the graveyard. And effects of abilities only apply to things in play unless explicitly stated otherwise. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.1.4 - Abilities on a card are normally separated by a paragraph break, but in the case of keyword abilities (abilities which can be described with just one word, such as "Flying") they may be listed on a single line separated by commas or semicolons. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.1.5 - Any effect which removes an ability removes all instances of that ability. For example, if a creature had Flanking twice, then removing Flanking would remove both instances of the ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.1.6 - Text on a card stating that the card "is" or "counts as" a particular type or color is not an ability. Such text applies no matter what zone the card is in and is not removed by effects that cause a permanent to lose its abilities. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.1.7 - An additional or alternative cost to play a card isn't an ability of the card. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.1.8 - An effect that defines a characteristic of a permanent is not granting an ability. For example, "Enchanted creature is unblockable" is an ability of the enchantment but does not give the creature an ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.1.9 - A permanent is given an ability if the effect says the permanent "gains" or "has" an ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.1.10 - An ability may state that it can be played while its card is not in play. For example, "Play only when this card is in your graveyard." This is a card ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.1.11 - This rule is no longer in use. [D'Angelo 2002/08/28]
A.1.12 - Any text on a card which describes what to do when a tie occurs in a calculation is rules text, not reminder text. This is because there is no default rule for how to resolve ties. [WotC Rules Team 2000/01/11] If you get to make a choice and more than one item qualifies due to a tie, you can choose among them. [D'Angelo 2000/02/25]
A.1.13 - An ability added to a permanent through the use of quoted text does not actually add that quoted text to the card. It adds the ability described by the text. [WotC Rules Team 2001/06/07] This rule means that you cannot alter the text on the affected card using Sleight of Mind and similar cards.
A.1.Ruling.1 - An ability may be beneficial or detrimental. For example, "This creature can't block" is an ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.1.Ruling.2 - An ability is not a spell, so it cannot be countered by something that only counters a spell. See Rule K.23. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Note - Also see Types of Spells and Abilities, Rule T.1.

A.2 - Activated Abilities

A.2.1 - Activated abilities are written as "<-cost->: <-effect->" when the ability is on a permanent in play, or on a card which is in a zone other than "in play" that also has text such as "Play this ability only if <-this card-> is in <-zone->." [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.2.2 - The cost is paid and the ability is placed on the stack (see Rule T.2) when the ability is announced (see Rule T.4). The effect happens when the ability resolves (see Rule T.6). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.2.3 - Activated abilities may only be used while the permanent is in play unless otherwise stated. See Rule A.1.3 [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.2.4 - Only a permanent's controller can play its activated ability unless the card specifically says otherwise. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.2.5 - Once activated, the ability exists independently of the card or token which generated it. It exists on the stack as a pseudospell. Destruction or removal of the source after that time will not affect the ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.2.6 - If the ability says that its source does something, then the characteristics of the source at the time the ability resolves are used. For example, "Prodigal Sorcerer deals 1 damage to target creature or player" is an ability that will have the Sorcerer deal 1 damage. [CompRules 1999/04/23] If the source is not in play at the time the ability resolves, use its last known characteristics. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.2.7 - A restriction on the use of an ability continues to apply if the permanent changes controllers. For example, "No more than {B}{B} can be spent each turn" would allow a total of {B}{B} among all players, and "Play this ability only once each turn" would only allow one player to play it each turn. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.2.8 - When the ability is placed on the stack (see Rule T.2), it is placed on as a pseudospell, with a copy of its source's text, color, and controller. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.2.Ruling.1 - Each use of an ability is separate. You cannot pay the cost multiple times in a single use. [Duelist Magazine #12, Page 26] For example, you cannot pay {B}{B} to have Pestilence do 2 points of damage. You can pay {B} twice to have Pestilence do 1 damage two separate times.

A.3 - Static Abilities

A.3.1 - Static abilities have no cost to activate and are always in effect while the permanent is in play. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.3.2 - Some static abilities may have conditional clauses such as "<-something happens-> as long as <-some condition is true->" or "As long as <-something is true->, <-something happens->". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.3.3 - A static ability may apply while a spell is on the stack. For example, Kaervek's Torch. These are usually limited to restricting targeting or countering of the spell, but also can include additional costs ("As an additional cost to play...") and optional cost ("You may pay <-cost-> rather than paying...") abilities. [CompRules 2002/02/20 - 412.4]
A.3.4 - A static ability that modifies how or whether you can play a card applies while that card is in a zone from which it can be played (usually your hand). [CompRules 2002/02/20 - 412.4]
A.3.Ruling.1 - Static abilities only affect things in play unless otherwise stated. See Rule T.7.2. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - See Rule T.8 for information on the effects of static abilities.

A.4 - Triggered Abilities

A.4.1 - A triggered ability begins with the word "when", "whenever", or "at". The phrase starting with one of these words is the trigger condition. [CompRules 1999/04/23] More completely, a triggered ability reads "When/whenever/at <-condition->, do <-effect->". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.4.2 - Triggered abilities check for their condition at all times, even during the middle of an event (see Rule T.1.6). [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.4.3 - Triggered abilities are not played. They wait until the next time a player receives priority, then they are put on the stack (see Rule T.2). It is placed on as a pseudospell, with a copy of its source's text, color, and controller at the time it triggered. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.4 - Triggered abilities only trigger while the permanent is in play unless otherwise stated. See Rule A.1.3. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.5 - Once triggered, the ability exists independently of the card or token which generated it. Destruction or removal of the source after that time will not affect the ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.6 - If the ability says that its source does something, then the characteristics of the source at the time the ability resolves are used. [CompRules 1999/04/23] If the source is no longer in play, its last known characteristics are used. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.7 - You follow the rules for announcing a spell or ability at the time the ability is put on the stack. This means making targeting choices and the choice of mode as per Rule T.4.2. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.8 - If multiple triggered abilities are being placed on the stack at one time, ones controlled by the current player go on the stack first, in any order that player chooses. Then ones controlled by the other player, in any order that player chooses. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.9 - The controller of a triggered ability is the controller of the permanent which generated it (if it is from a permanent) or the controller of the effect which generated it. The controller is set at the time the ability triggers, not when it is put on the stack. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
A.4.10 - This rule has been removed. [Rules Team 2001/05/01] Previously, a triggered ability's controller could be different from the permanent's controller if the other player got a choice.
A.4.11 - This rule has been removed. [Rules Team 2001/05/01] Previously, if a triggered ability offered both players a choice, it put separate abilities on the stack for each player. Now only one ability is placed on the stack and is resolved for all players.
A.4.12 - A triggered ability triggers once for each time its trigger condition occurs. It can trigger more than once on a single event in the game if the condition occurs more than once. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, if an ability reads "Whenever a land is put into a graveyard from play, ..." then the ability would trigger 5 times if 5 lands were put into the graveyard at one time.
A.4.13 - Some triggered abilities give a player a choice of doing something or doing nothing. These use the word "may" and are worded like "When <-condition->, you may do <-something->". The choice of whether or not to do the action is made on resolution of the triggered ability. [WotC Rules Team 2000/02/16] This is a REVERSAL of Rule 410.5, which said that you decided on announcement and if you decided not to, that the ability was never placed on the stack.
A.4.14 - A triggered ability may include a test in its effect, worded as "When/whenever/at <-condition->, if <-test-> do <-effect->". This test is done at the time the ability would trigger and if not true then the ability does not trigger at all. This test is also performed when the ability resolves. If not true at that time, the ability does nothing. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.15 - A triggered ability that watches for a game state checks its condition at all times, even during the middle of the resolution of a spell or ability. This is called a "state-based trigger". [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.16 - A triggered ability that watches for a game state will not trigger again until any unresolved pseudospell placed on the stack by the ability resolves or is countered. For example, an ability reads "When your hand is empty, draw a card." If its controller plays the last spell from their hand, it triggers once and won't trigger again until after this resolves, and then you empty your hand again. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.17 - An ability that reads "Whenever <-name-> blocks" or "Whenever <-name> becomes blocked" triggers only once each combat even if that creature blocks or is blocked by multiple creatures. [CompRules 1999/04/23] This ability will also trigger if a spell or ability is used to make the creature become blocked. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.18 - An ability that reads "Whenever <-name-> blocks a creature" or "Whenever a creature blocks <-name->" will trigger once for each creature. [CompRules 1999/04/23] This kind of trigger will not happen if a spell or ability is used to make the creature become blocked. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.19 - A triggered ability that triggers on a zone change (such as going to the graveyard) and which tries to do something to the card will look for the card in the zone it went to. If the card leaves the zone before the triggered ability resolves, the ability will fail to do anything. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, "When this card goes to the graveyard from play, remove it from the game" will trigger when the card goes to the graveyard. If the card is not still in the graveyard on resolution, the ability will not do anything.
A.4.20 - "Leaves play" triggers are handled with a special rule. Since the permanent will no longer be in play, if the ability wants to check anything about the permanent or game state, the ability "looks back in time" to just before the permanent left play. Any continuous effects or triggered abilities present at that time apply. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, two creatures are in play with an artifact that says "Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from play, you gain 1 life". A spell is played that destroys all artifacts, creatures, and enchantments. The artifact's ability triggers twice even though the artifact went to the graveyard at the same time as the creatures. If you back up time to right before anything left play, it was there. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.21 - "Comes into play" triggers see the permanent after any continuous effects are applied. For example, if Blood Moon is in play then a non-basic land will enter play as a Mountain and something triggering off a Mountain coming into play would trigger but something triggering off a non-basic land coming into play would not. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.4.22 - Effects that prevent abilities from being played do not prevent triggered abilities from being put on the stack. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.23 - An ability that triggers whenever a creature is blocked by a specific number of creatures can trigger after the declaration of blockers if a spell or ability adds an additional blocker. For example, Johtull Wurm's ability triggers when blocked by two or more creatures. If one blocked it during declaration of blockers, then another was added later, the ability will trigger. Note that swapping one blocker for another one blocker will not cause such abilities to trigger. [WotC Rules Team 2000/02/16] Note that such an ability can trigger only once per combat phase. [D'Angelo 2000/02/25]
A.4.Ruling.1 - Because triggered abilities are placed on the stack (see Rule T.2), triggered abilities can become nested. For example, if one spell's resolution caused two triggered abilities to trigger, then during the resolution of the first one of these triggered abilities, another one is triggered. The newly triggered ability is resolved first since it will be on top of the stack. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.4.Ruling.2 - Abilities which trigger on you losing control of something also trigger if that something leaves play since you lose control of it when it leaves play. [bethmo 1996/01/15]
A.4.Ruling.3 - Multiple abilities can trigger off the same thing happening, but a single permanent's ability will never double-fire off of a single action. For example, if you have two Scavenging Ghouls in play, each will get a counter if a creature dies, but neither will get two counters. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.4.Ruling.4 - If the trigger condition is prevented or replaced, then the triggered ability will not trigger. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.Ruling.5 - The text "This permanent comes into play as/with <-something->" is not a triggered ability. It just describes something that happens as part of the event that puts the permanent into play. For example, "this card comes into play with three +1/+1 counters on it." [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.4.Ruling.6 - A triggered ability can trigger on its own permanent leaving play. See Rule A.4.20. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] For example, an Animate Artifact on a Soul Net will allow you to use the Soul Net's ability when it is killed.
A.4.Ruling.7 - Rule A.4.20 only applies to determine stuff read in by the trigger. If the trigger sets up a continuous effect with an end condition, the end condition is checked against the current game state, not the state before the permanent left play. [D'Angelo 1999/05/26]
A.4.Ruling.8 - If a card reads like "Whenever a player plays a <-color1-> or <-color2-> spell, do something", then it triggers only once if the played spell is of both colors. It would need two "Whenever" statements in order to trigger twice. This ruling applies to an "or" between descriptions. [bethmo 1999/09/22] In contrast, if the "or" falls between action as with "Whenever this card comes into play or goes to the graveyard from play, do something", then it triggers if either action occurs. [DeLaney 1999/10/17]

A.5 - Delayed Abilities

A.5.1 - An effect may create a delayed ability that can do something at a later time. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.5.2 - If a delayed ability is triggered, the trigger condition is not checked until after the ability actually exists. This makes it possible for the trigger condition to never be met. For example, an effect may create the delayed ability "When this card leaves play, ...", but if the card left play before this ability was created, then the delayed ability will never be able to trigger. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.5.3 - A delayed ability that refers to a particular permanent will continue to affect that permanent even if the permanent's characteristics change. For example, "At end of turn, destroy that creature" will destroy the permanent even if it is no longer a creature at end of turn. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.5.4 - A delayed ability that refers to a permanent (or to a card in another zone) will fail if that permanent is not still in play (or that card is no longer in that other zone). This is true even if the card returns to play (or the appropriate zone). For example, a card reading "At end of turn, remove this card from the game" will not do anything if the creature card leaves play before the end of turn. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.5.5 - A delayed ability with a trigger condition will not trigger more than once (unless it says otherwise). [CompRules 1999/11/01]

A.6 - Mana Abilities

A.6.1 - Any activated ability which puts mana into a player's mana pool is a mana ability. Any triggered ability that triggers off a mana ability and which also puts mana into a player's mana pool is also a mana ability. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
A.6.2 - A mana ability resolves immediately, without going on the stack. See Rule T.3.1. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.6.3 - A mana ability can be played when you have priority, or at a time a mana payment is required (which normally means during the announcing or resolving of a spell or ability that requires a mana payment). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.6.4 - Triggered abilities that generate mana and trigger on a mana ability, resolve immediately after the mana ability without going on the stack. Triggered abilities that generate mana and which trigger on a non-mana ability, are not mana abilities and go on the stack as normal. [CompRules 1999/11/01] Note that the ability has to say it triggers on something which is known to be a mana ability, such as tapping a land for mana. Triggering off something that happens as part of a mana ability does not count. For example, Cathodion triggers on being put into the graveyard, so even though it gives mana it is not a mana ability since it does not trigger on a known mana ability. So, if Cathodion is put in the graveyard by a mana ability such as Ashnod's Altar it is still a non-mana ability trigger. [DeLaney 1999/12/11]
A.6.5 - A mana ability exists even if the game state does not allow it to produce mana at the current time. For example, the ability "{Tap}: Add {G} to your mana pool for each creature you control." is still a mana ability if you control no creatures. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.6.6 - An effect that copies or depends on the type of mana a card's abilities can produce checks all normal effects (such as Phantasmal Terrain changing a land's type) and replacement effects (such as Contamination), but does not check additional mana that might be generated due to triggered abilities (such as Wild Growth or Fertile Ground). [WotC Rules Team 1999/03/18]
A.6.7 - If a mana copying effect or triggered ability generates mana and there is a choice of what type involved, the player playing the mana-producing ability decides the color, regardless of who controls any of these effects. [WotC Rules Team 1999/03/18] For example, if an opponent places Fertile Ground on one of your lands, you decide the color of mana it generates.
A.6.8 - Abilities that trigger (see Rule A.4) when a land is tapped for mana (such as Wild Growth and Mana Flare) trigger even if the land produces zero mana with the current use of its mana ability. [WotC Rules Team 1999/03/18]
A.6.9 - Mana abilities do not go through the normal spell life cycle. They resolve immediately after they are announced. Their timing looks like this: [CompRules 1999/04/23] 1. Announcement -- Costs are paid. Targets are chosen. Mode choices. See Rule T.4 for details. 2. Resolution -- Check targets at this time. If all of a spell or ability's targets are invalid, it is countered. Apply any effects. See Rule T.6 for details on how resolution works.
A.6.10 - When there is a option to make a mana payment during the game, a chance to play mana abilities is given just before that time. After you play any mana abilities you want, then continue to do the action. If the action has any choices, you don't make any choices or check any game state for conditional actions until after mana abilities are played. [D'Angelo 2000/02/27]
A.6.Ruling.1 - Spells that put mana into a player's mana pool are not mana abilities. They are played just like any other spell. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.6.Ruling.2 - Triggered abilities (which are not themselves mana abilities) which trigger when playing a mana ability go on the stack as normal. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.6.Ruling.3 - Triggered abilities which try to counter an ability, will be countered when they try to counter a mana ability, since the mana ability is no longer on the stack. This is because of Rule A.6.9. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.6.Ruling.4 - Being asked to pay zero mana counts as being asked to pay mana for purposes of rule A.6.3. There actually has to be a mana circle in the cost for this rule to apply. If there is no mana circle, then you cannot use a mana ability under this rule. [Bethmo 1999/12/10] When asked to "pay {1} for each <-something->" and there are no "somethings", then you are being asked to pay zero mana. [bethmo 2000/02/15]

A.7 - Amplify

A.7.1 - The ability is written as "Amplify X", where X is a number.
A.7.2 - The text "Amplify X" means "As this card comes into play, reveal any number of cards from your hand that share a creature type with this card. This card comes into play with X +1/+1 counters on it for each card revealed this way. You can't reveal this card or any other cards that are coming into play at the same time as this card." [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
A.7.3 - If a card has multiple Amplify abilities, each one applies separately. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
A.7.4 - The player who will control the creature is the one that gets to reveal cards. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
A.7.Ruling.1 - Since this ability applies as the card comes into play, you reveal cards when it is on the spell stack resolving or when some other spell or ability is resolving that puts it into play. [D'Angelo 2003/02/01]
A.7.Ruling.2 - The card Artificial Evolution can modify a card's creature types before it enters play, which will modify what you can reveal. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
A.7.Ruling.3 - If multiple cards with Amplify are going to come into play at the same time, you can reveal the same cards for each of them if you want. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
A.7.Ruling.4 - A copy card that enters play as a copy, such as Clone, does get to use the Amplify ability.

A.8 - Banding

A.8.1 - The ability is written as "Banding". On older cards, the ability was written as "Bands". [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.8.2 - Banding consists of two separate abilities, which can be referred to as "mutual assistance" and "damage sharing". [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.8.3 - Mutual assistance only applies to attacking creatures. It is an agreement that if any one of the attackers is blocked, that the whole "band" will stop and gang up on the blocker(s). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.8.4 - When declaring attackers, any number of Banding creatures and up to one creature without Banding may be grouped together in an attacking "band". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.10b]
A.8.5 - Use of Banding to attack is optional. [Fifth Edition, Page 29]
A.8.6 - Use of Banding to form an attacking band ends at the end of combat. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.10d]
A.8.7 - If Banding is removed from an attacker after the attacking band is declared, the band will still stay together. A creature that is removed from combat, however, leaves the band. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.10d]
A.8.8 - If any creature blocks a member of an attacking band, then the creature is also considered to be block all other members of that band, even if the creature could not normally block those other creatures. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.10e] If any member of the band is blocked by a spell or ability, the entire band becomes blocked. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.10g]
A.8.9 - Each attacking creature is a separate source of damage. The creatures are not lumped together into one large source. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.10f]
A.8.10 - Creatures do not gain or lose abilities when banded to attack. They each keep their separate abilities and identity. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.10f]
A.8.11 - Damage sharing only applies when combat damage (see Rule C.1.8) is assigned. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.8.12 - When assigning damage in combat (on either attack or defense), if at least one creature with Banding ability is present in a group of creatures which are blocked by or which are blocking the same creature, then the group of creatures is subject to damage sharing. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.10h]
A.8.13 - Combat damage is divided among a damage sharing group of creatures by the controller of those creatures. This is opposite to the normal case where damage is assigned by the controller of the creatures which are dealing the damage (see Rule C.5). [Fifth Edition, Page 29]
A.8.14 - Damage sharing is not optional. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.8.15 - Damage can be assigned among the creatures in any legal way desired. It is legal to put zero damage on some and to put more damage than a creature's toughness on another, as long as all of the damage is assigned to a creature. [Fifth Edition, Page 30]
A.8.16 - Banding is a static, non-cumulative ability. See Rule A.1.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.10a/10i]
A.8.Ruling.1 - To block an attacking band with a creature, your blocker only needs to be able to block one member of the band for mutual assistance to take effect. For example, a Mesa Pegasus banded with a Fear-enchanted Scathe Zombies can be blocked by either a flying creature (by blocking the Mesa Pegasus) or a black or artifact creature (by blocking the Scathe Zombies). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.8.Ruling.2 - Creatures do not "band for defense". Even without banding, multiple creatures can block a single attacker. Creatures are assigned as blockers individually. Banding only affects the damage sharing. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.8.Ruling.3 - If a Banding creature dies before damage is assigned, then it does not count towards determining if damage sharing applies. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.10h]
A.8.Ruling.4 - You can declare multiple separate "bands" of attackers. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.10c]
A.8.Ruling.5 - Effects that change how damage can be assigned or that offer other options for damage assignment do fall under the "damage sharing" rule (Rule A.8.13). For example, the Thorn Elemental or Butcher Orgg choices would be made by the defending player if banding is present in the blockers. [Jordan 2003/05/19]

A.9 - Bands with Other

A.9.1 - The ability is written as "bands with other <-creature type->". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.11b]
A.9.2 - When declaring attackers, creatures with Bands with Other ability may "band" together, as per the normal Banding rules (see Rule A.8.3 through Rule A.8.10), with any number of creatures which either have Banding or have the same "bands with other <-creature type->" ability. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.11b]
A.9.3 - Use of Bands with Other to form an attacking band is optional. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.9.4 - Use of Bands with Other to form an attacking band ends at the end of combat. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.11a]
A.9.5 - When assigning damage in combat (on either attack or defense), if at least two creatures with the same "bands with other <-creature type->" ability are present in a group of creatures, the group is treated as if a Banding creature were present (see Rule A.8.11 through Rule A.8.15). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.11c]
A.9.6 - If Bands with Other is removed from an attacker after the attacking band is declared, the band will still stay together. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.11a]
A.9.7 - Bands with Other is a static, non-cumulative ability. See Rule A.1.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.11a]
A.9.8 - If a spell or ability causes a permanent to lose Banding, then it loses all Bands with Other ability as well. This is because Bands with Other is just a limited form of Banding. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.11a]
Note - The Bands with Other ability was introduced in the Legends expansion set and has not appeared in any other expansion.

A.10 - Buyback

A.10.1 - The ability is written as "Buyback <-cost->". The cost can include mana, sacrifices, loss of life, or any other action in the game. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.16a]
A.10.2 - Buyback is defined as "You may pay an additional <-cost-> as you play this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand instead of into your graveyard as this spell resolves.". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.16a]
A.10.3 - The Buyback cost is paid when announcing the spell. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.16a]
A.10.4 - The use of Buyback is optional. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.10.5 - The spell does not go to your hand if it is countered. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Remember that a targeted spell is countered if all of its targets are illegal on resolution (see Rule G.39.6).
A.10.6 - Buyback is a replacement effect (see Rule T.10). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.10.Ruling.1 - Cost reducing effects can be applied to Buyback costs. [D'Angelo 1997/10/17] See Rule K.20.Ruling.1.
A.10.Ruling.2 - If a Buyback spell is cast by someone other than the owner (using Grinning Totem), the card goes to the owner's graveyard, not to anyone's hand. [D'Angelo 2000/01/18]

A.11 - Cumulative Upkeep

A.11.1 - The ability is written as "Cumulative upkeep - <-cost->". The cost can be in mana, sacrifices, loss of life, or any other effect on the game. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.13a]
A.11.2 - This ability means "At the beginning of your upkeep, put a cumulative upkeep counter on this permanent. Then sacrifice this permanent unless you <-pay cost-> for each cumulative upkeep counter on the permanent." [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.13a]
A.11.3 - It is a triggered ability (see Rule A.4) that triggers at the start of your upkeep. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.13a]
A.11.4 - If a permanent has multiple cumulative upkeep abilities, each one triggers separately, but each one counts all cumulative upkeep counters. For example, if a permanent has two instances of "Cumulative Upkeep - Pay one life", then both would trigger. When the first trigger resolves, you add one counter and pay the life total (1 if no counters were there before). When the second trigger resolves, you add a second counter and pay the life total (2 if no counters were there before). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.13b]
A.11.5 - If a new cumulative upkeep is added by adding text to a card, such as with Mana Chains, then a new cumulative upkeep ability is added to the card. Each cumulative upkeep ability triggers separately. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.13b]
A.11.Ruling.1 - The result of adding counters is that the cost to be paid is one times the cost the first time it is paid, two times the cost the second time, three times the cost the third time, and so on. See Rule A.11.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.13a] For example, if a card has "Cumulative Upkeep: {B} and 2 life", you pay {B} and 2 life on the first upkeep, {B}{B} and 4 life on the next upkeep, {B}{B}{B} and 6 life on the next upkeep, and so on. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.11.Ruling.2 - If cumulative upkeep is not paid for some period of time because the permanent is not in play or was temporarily changed so that it no longer had a cumulative upkeep, the cumulative upkeep tracking is not reset because the cumulative upkeep counters are not removed. Payment resumes as soon as it applies. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.11.Ruling.3 - Cumulative upkeep is not reset if the permanent changes controllers, because the counters are not removed. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.11.Ruling.4 - Permanents which count their last paid cumulative upkeep count the number of cumulative upkeep counters on the card and multiply by the cost per counter. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.11.Ruling.5 - This ability is put on the stack (see Rule T.2) at the beginning of upkeep. If the permanent leaves play before this ability resolves, you still have to resolve it. Of course, you can just decide not to pay and there will be nothing to sacrifice. But you can also choose to pay if you really want to. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.11.Ruling.6 - If the cumulative upkeep cost somehow changes between the time the ability is placed on the stack and when it resolves, use the cost at the time it was put on the stack. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]

A.12 - Cycling

A.12.1 - The ability is written "Cycling <-cost->". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.18a]
A.12.2 - The ability means "Pay <-cost->, discard this card from your hand: Draw a card. Play this ability only if this card is in your hand." [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.18a]
A.12.Ruling.1 - Using Cycling is not a spell, it's an activated ability of a card in your hand. It cannot be countered by things which counter spells or things that counter activated abilities of permanents. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.12.Ruling.2 - You draw the card when the ability resolves, and if that card can be legally played, you can play it before letting any of the other spells and abilities on the stack (see Rule T.2) resolve. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.12.Ruling.3 - The activated ability remains while the card is in play even though it cannot be used. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.18b]
A.12.Ruling.4 - Effects that trigger on "when this card is cycled" trigger when the cycling ability is played. The triggered ability will resolve before the card is drawn during the resolution of the Cycle ability. [Onslaught FAQ 2002/09/24]
A.12.Ruling.5 - This ability can only be played while this card is in your hand. Effects that let you play a card from another zone as if it were in your hand will not allow you to play this ability as if it were in your hand. [DeLaney 2003/06/14]
Note - Cards used the reminder text "You may pay <-cost-> and discard this card from your hand to draw a card. Play this ability any time you could play an instant." Rule A.12.2 shows the more correct text.

A.13 - Double Strike

A.13.1 - The ability is written "Double Strike".
A.13.2 - This ability means that the creature deals damage during both the first strike and non-first strike damage dealing steps in combat. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23] See Rule C.5.9.
A.13.3 - This is a static ability (see Rule A.3) that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
A.13.4 - This is a non-cumulative ability. Having Double Strike more than once gives no additional effect. See Rule A.1.2. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
A.13.Ruling.1 - Double Strike is not First Strike. Effects that make a creature lose First Strike will not make it lose Double Strike. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]

A.14 - Echo

A.14.1 - The ability is written "Echo". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.19a]
A.14.2 - This ability means "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, sacrifice it unless you pay its mana cost." [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.19a]
A.14.Ruling.1 - The Echo payment is required if you gained control of the creature by any means, such as putting it into play from the graveyard, taking control from another player, or having the card phase in. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.14.Ruling.2 - The Echo payment is only required if you control this card at the beginning of your upkeep. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.14.Ruling.3 - If you gain and lose control of the card several times before your upkeep, you still only pay the Echo cost once. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.14.Ruling.4 - Effects which modify the play cost of a spell, like the Emerald Medallion or Gloom, cannot be used to modify the Echo cost. These effects only apply to the announcing of spells, and do not apply to the announcing of abilities like Echo. [D'Angelo 1998/11/25]
A.14.Ruling.5 - If you manage to have it in play through an upkeep, but don't have to pay the echo (for example, if its abilities are ignored due to Humility and therefore do not trigger), then you can manage to avoid the echo payment. [D'Angelo 1999/03/03]
A.14.Ruling.6 - If it enters play during your upkeep, you pay during the following upkeep. [Bethmo 1999/03/27]
A.14.Ruling.7 - This ability is put on the stack (see Rule T.2) at the beginning of upkeep. If the permanent leaves play before this ability resolves, you still have to resolve it. Of course, you can just decide not to pay and there will be nothing to sacrifice. But you can also choose to pay if you really want to. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.14.Ruling.8 - You decide on resolution of the triggered ability whether to pay for the Echo cost or not. [Barclay 1999/06/02] (This is not saying you decide on resolution of the spell which has Echo.)
Note - Cards used the reminder text "During your next upkeep after this permanent comes under your control, pay its mana cost or sacrifice it." Rule A.14.2 shows the more correct text.
Note - Also see Mana Cost, Rule K.18.

A.15 - Evasion:

A.15.1 - Evasion is not a specific ability, but is instead a category of abilities which limit what creatures can be assigned to block a creature. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.15.2 - Evasion abilities are cumulative. In order to be assigned as a blocker, a creature must not be subject to any of the evasion exclusions. For example, if a creature had "cannot be blocked by black creatures" and "cannot be blocked by walls", then it could only be blocked by a creature that was both not black and not a wall. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 501.2]
A.15.3 - A creature may also have an ability which restricts its own blocking assignments. The rules for evasion apply to such abilities. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 501.3]
A.15.4 - These are static abilities (see Rule T.3) that modify the declare blockers step of combat (see Rule C.4). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 501.1]
A.15.Ruling.1 - The abilities can be written in either a positive or negative sense. For example, "this creature can only be blocked by walls" or "this creature cannot be blocked by non-walls". When combining evasion abilities, it's often easiest to put them in the same sense. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.15.Ruling.2 - Evasion abilities only apply to blocker assignment (see Rule C.4). If a creature becomes a blocker by a means other than being directly assigned, then it is not subject to any evasion abilities. For example, if a creature blocks one member of a band of attackers, it becomes a blocker of other members of the band regardless of any evasion abilities those other members have. See Rule A.8.8. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.15.Ruling.3 - An attacking creature with an evasion ability may not "turn off" the ability and choose to be blockable. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Fear (see Rule A.17), Flying (see Rule A.21), Landwalk (see Rule A.27), Protection (see Rule A.31), and Shadow (see Rule A.34) are evasion abilities.

A.16 - Fading

A.16.1 - The ability is written "Fading X". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.20a]
A.16.2 - The ability means "This permanent comes into play with X fade counters on it. ; At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a fade counter from this permanent. If you can't, sacrifice the permanent.". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.20a]
Note - Some cards with Fading do not have the reminder text, but they still have the same ability. [Nemesis FAQ 2000/02/07]

A.17 - Fear

A.17.1 - The ability is written "Fear". [Onslaught FAQ 2002/09/24]
A.17.2 - A creature with Fear cannot be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures. [Onslaught FAQ 2002/09/24]
A.17.3 - Fear is a non-cumulative ability. Having Fear more than once gives no additional effect. See Rule A.1.2. [D'Angelo 2002/10/09]
A.17.4 - Fear is a static ability. See Rule A.3. [D'Angelo 2002/10/09]
A.17.Ruling.1 - Fear is an evasion ability (see Rule A.15), so it is cumulative with other evasion abilities. [Onslaught FAQ 2002/09/24]
A.17.Ruling.2 - Cards that change color words do not change the Fear ability. The reminder text on the card can change, but it's just reminder text and does not actually define the ability. [D'Angelo 2003/01/19]

A.18 - First Strike

A.18.1 - The ability is written "First strike". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.2]
A.18.2 - Creatures with First Strike deal combat damage before creatures without it. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.2b] See Rule C.5.9 for exactly when this happens.
A.18.3 - If a creature without First Strike is killed during First Strike damage dealing, then it will not deal combat damage at all. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.2b] See Rule C.5.9.
A.18.4 - This is a static ability (see Rule A.3) that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.2a]
A.18.5 - This is a non-cumulative ability. Having First Strike more than once gives no additional effect. See Rule A.1.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.2d]

A.19 - Flanking

A.19.1 - The ability is written "Flanking". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.3]
A.19.2 - Whenever a creature without Flanking blocks a creature with Flanking, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.3b]
A.19.3 - Flanking is a triggered ability. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.3a]
A.19.4 - Flanking is cumulative. A creature with Flanking twice gives the -1/-1 twice (a total of -2/-2 but in two separate triggered abilities). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.3c]
A.19.Ruling.1 - This may kill the blocker prior to damage being assigned in combat, but the attacker is still blocked. See Rule C.4.8. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.19.Ruling.2 - Flanking applies to blockers which are not assigned to the Flanking creature directly. For example, creatures that become blockers due to blocking a member of a band which includes the Flanking creature are subject to the Flanking -1/-1 ability. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.19.Ruling.3 - Gaining Flanking after blockers are declared will have no effect on the blockers because the time for Flanking to trigger has already passed. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.19.Ruling.4 - If an attacking creature has multiple instances of the Flanking ability, even one instance of Flanking on the blocking creature will negate the effect. [D'Angelo 1998/06/15]

A.20 - Flashback

A.20.1 - The ability is written "Flashback <-cost->". In addition, cards with Flashback have an icon of a gravestone by the card's title. [CompRules Update in Odyssey FAQ 2001/10/04 - 502.22a]
A.20.2 - The ability means "You may play this card from your graveyard by paying <-cost-> rather than paying its mana cost. If you do, remove this card from the game instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack." [CompRules Update in Judgment FAQ 2002/05/28 - 502.22a]
A.20.Ruling.1 - Flashback is an alternative cost for the spell. [CompRules Update in Odyssey FAQ 2001/10/04 - 502.22a] See Rule E.1 for more details on how alternative costs work.
A.20.Ruling.2 - If any other replacements are applied before this one, this one will still be applied afterwards since it replaces anything. [DeLaney 2001/10/13]
A.20.Ruling.3 - Any restrictions on when the spell can be played or options on how the spell is played apply as normal. Flashback does not override these restrictions or options based on card type or those defined in the card text. [DeLaney 2001/11/07]
A.20.Ruling.4 - If the spell is countered, it is removed from the game instead of going to the graveyard. [D'Angelo 2001/12/16]
A.20.Ruling.5 - The card is removed from the graveyard and placed on the stack during announcement just as if you played it from your hand. On resolution or on being countered, it is removed from the game instead of going to the graveyard (or anywhere else). [D'Angelo 2002/10/15]

A.21 - Flying

A.21.1 - The ability is written "Flying". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.4]
A.21.2 - A creature with Flying cannot be blocked by a creature without flying. A creature with flying can block a creature with or without flying. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.4b]
A.21.3 - Flying is a non-cumulative ability. Having Flying more than once gives no additional effect. See Rule A.1.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.4c]
A.21.4 - Flying is a static ability. See Rule A.3. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 501.1]
A.21.Ruling.1 - Flying is an evasion ability (see Rule A.15), so it is cumulative with other evasion abilities. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.4a]

A.22 - Haste

A.22.1 - The ability is written "Haste". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.5]
A.22.2 - A creature with Haste can attack or use activated abilities whose cost include the tap symbol even if it hasn't been controlled by its controller continuously since the beginning of his or her most recent turn. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.5b]
A.22.3 - Haste is a non-cumulative ability. Having Haste more than once gives no additional effect. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.5c]
A.22.4 - Haste is a static ability. See Rule A.3. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.5a]
A.22.Ruling.1 - Cards with Haste have the reminder text: "This creature may attack and {Tap} the turn it comes under your control." This is not completely accurate. The full definition is in Rule A.22.2. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.22.Ruling.2 - Haste removes the normal "cannot attack" restriction due to not being in play at the start of a player's turn. It does not remove any other combat restrictions. For example, it will not make a Wall able to attack, give you a second attack in a turn, or allow you to attack using a Raging Goblin if the defending player has Island Sanctuary activated. [D'Angelo 2000/11/17]
Note - Haste is identical to the words "is unaffected by summoning sickness" used in previous versions of the rules. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]

A.23 - Horsemanship

A.23.1 - The ability is written as "Horsemanship". [D'Angelo 2000/06/05]
A.23.2 - A creature without Horsemanship cannot block a creature which has Horsemanship. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.17b]
A.23.3 - Horsemanship is a non-cumulative ability. Having Horsemanship more than once gives no additional effect. See Rule A.1.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.17c]
A.23.4 - Horsemanship is a static ability. See Rule A.3. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.17a]
A.23.5 - Horsemanship is an evasion ability (see Rule A.15), so it is cumulative with other evasion abilities. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.17a]
A.23.Ruling.1 - A creature with Horsemanship can block a creature without Horsemanship. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.17b]
Note - Horsemanship has only been used in the Portal: Three Kingdoms expansion.

A.24 - Kicker

A.24.1 - The ability is written "Kicker <-cost->". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.21a]
A.24.2 - The ability means "You may pay an additional <-cost-> when playing this spell." The text will then include a description of what happens if you pay (or do not pay) the optional cost. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.21a/b]
A.24.3 - The additional cost is paid along with the other costs for announcing the spell. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.21a]
A.24.4 - As a special rule for kicker costs, if the part of the spell which only occurs if you pay the kicker cost includes targets, you only choose those targets if you pay the kicker cost. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.21c]
A.24.5 - A spell may have multiple kicker costs listed. If so, each one is treated independently. In addition the card text may identify each of these kickers by the cost paid. If the cost is altered for some reason, the card text will still apply because you paid the appropriate kicker. The use of the costs in the text is a convenience. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.21d]
A.24.Ruling.1 - The kicker cost does not count as part of the mana cost or converted mana cost for the spell. [Invasion FAQ 2000/10/03]
A.24.Ruling.2 - You can only pay the kicker cost once each time you play the spell. You cannot choose to pay it multiple times. [Invasion FAQ 2000/10/03]
A.24.Ruling.3 - You can only pay kicker costs when playing the spell from your hand (or when playing it as though it were in your hand). You cannot pay when the card is put into play directly. [Invasion FAQ 2000/10/03]
A.24.Ruling.4 - Cost reducing effects can be applied to Kicker costs. [D'Angelo 2001/01/16] See Rule K.20.Ruling.1.

A.25 - Landcycling

A.25.1 - The ability is written as "<-land type->cycling", using a land type in the name. For example, Islandcycling. [CompRules 2003/04/30]
A.25.2 - The ability means "Pay <-cost->, discard this card from your hand: Search your library for a [land type] card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library." [CompRules 2003/04/30]
A.25.3 - This is a form of cycling. Any ability that triggers on cycling will trigger when this ability is played, and any ability that prevents or modifies cycling will affect this ability. [CompRules 2003/04/30]
A.25.Ruling.1 - Using Landcycling is not a spell, it's an activated ability of a card in your hand. It cannot be countered by things which counter spells or things that counter activated abilities of permanents. [D'Angelo 2003/06/07]
A.25.Ruling.2 - The activated ability remains while the card is in play even though it cannot be used. [D'Angelo 2003/06/07]
A.25.Ruling.3 - This ability can be played any time you can play an instant. [D'Angelo 2003/06/07]
A.25.Ruling.4 - This ability can only be played while this card is in your hand. Effects that let you play a card from another zone as if it were in your hand will not allow you to play this ability as if it were in your hand. [DeLaney 2003/06/14]
Note - Cards used the reminder text "{2},Discard this card from your hand: Search your library for a [land type] card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library."

A.26 - Landhome

A.26.1 - The ability is written as "<-land type->home", using a land type in the name. For example, Islandhome. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.26.2 - A creature with Landhome cannot be declared as an attacker unless the defending player controls at least one land of the appropriate land type. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.26.3 - The permanent is put into its owner's graveyard if the controller does not control any lands of the appropriate land type. This is done as a triggered ability (see Rule A.4). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
A.26.Ruling.1 - The land type (if it is a basic type) can be affected by Magical Hack or Mind Bend. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.26.Ruling.2 - If Landhome is ever on a non-creature artifact, land, or enchantment, the ability still functions. [WotC Rules Team 1998/03/01]

A.27 - Landwalk

A.27.1 - The ability is written as "<-land type->walk", using a land type in the name. For example, Swampwalk or Plainswalk. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.6a]
A.27.2 - A creature with landwalk is unblockable as long as the defending player controls at least one land of the specified type. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.6b]
A.27.3 - Landwalk of a particular type is a non-cumulative ability. Having the same type of Landwalk more than once gives no additional effect. See Rule A.1.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.6e]
A.27.4 - Landwalk is a static ability. See Rule A.3. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 501.1]
A.27.Ruling.1 - If the defending player does not control any lands of the appropriate land type, then the ability does nothing. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.27.Ruling.2 - Even creatures with the same Landwalk ability cannot block such creatures if the defending player controls the appropriate land. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.6d]
A.27.Ruling.3 - The land type (if it is a basic type) can be affected by Magical Hack or Mind Bend. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.27.Ruling.4 - Landwalk is an evasion ability (see Rule A.15), so it is cumulative with other evasion abilities. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.6b]
A.27.Ruling.5 - Spells and abilities which look for a kind of Landwalk only find the exact kind of Landwalk specified. For example, a spell which targets a creature with Islandwalk will not work on a creature with Snow-Covered Islandwalk, as that is a different kind of Islandwalk. [D'Angelo 2001/09/17]
Note - Also see Snow-Covered Lands, Rule K.21.

A.28 - Madness

A.28.1 - The ability is written "Madness <-cost->". [D'Angelo 2002/02/23]
A.28.2 - This ability has two abilities that are part of it. The first one is "If a player would discard this card from his or her hand, that player discards it but may remove it from the game instead of putting it into his or her graveyard." The second one is, "Whenever this card is removed from the game this way, until he or she passes next, he or she may play it at any time he or she could play an instant as though it were in his or her hand by paying <-cost-> rather than paying its mana cost. When he or she passes next, he or she puts it into his or her graveyard." [CompRules 2002/02/20 - 502.24a]
A.28.3 - Playing a card using this ability follows the rules for alternate costs (see Rule E.1). [CompRules 2002/02/20 - 502.24b]
A.28.Ruling.1 - The fine grain timing around this ability can be a bit difficult to follow. What happens is that if you discard the card (it does not matter why you are discarding), then you get the choice of whether or not you want a chance to play the card. If you don't want to, simply put it in your graveyard as normal. If you might want to, you do not pay at this time. Instead you remove the card from the game and put a triggered ability on the stack (as per those rules, see Rule A.3). What this means is that players may respond to this trigger with other spells and abilities. Once any responses are resolved and both players pass, the triggered ability resolves. You can now play that spell just like you would as if it were in your hand (but it is not in your hand) by paying the Madness cost instead of the mana cost. And this spell can be played any time an instant is legal, regardless of its type. As normal, you can only play a spell or ability when it is your opportunity to do so. The text saying "until he or she passes next" means that you can choose to put other spells or abilities on the stack prior to playing the Madness spell. [D'Angelo 2002/02/23]
A.28.Ruling.2 - You are in no way required to play the spell even if you choose to remove it from the game. You can simply choose to pass when you have a chance to play something and the Madness spell is placed into the graveyard. The timing for putting it into the graveyard is also a bit odd since this is also a triggered ability. When you pass, put a triggered ability on the stack. When that ability resolves, the card is put into the graveyard. [D'Angelo 2002/02/23]
A.28.Ruling.3 - Madness does not allow you to discard the card just because you want to. Another spell, ability, or game rule has to cause the card to be discarded. [D'Angelo 2002/02/23]

A.29 - Morph

A.29.1 - The ability is written "Morph <-cost->". [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
A.29.2 - The ability means "You may play this card as a 2/2 face-down creature, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and a mana cost of {0}, by paying {3} rather than its mana cost." [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
A.29.3 - In addition, the following effect is on a face-down card played using Morph. "Any time you can play an instant, you may show all players the Morph cost of this card, then pay that cost. If you do so, the card is turned face-up. This action does not use the stack". [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
A.29.4 - When playing a card using Morph, it goes on the stack face down and then enters play face down. You cannot turn the card face up while it is on the stack. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15] The other players don't even get to see the card before it gets put on the stack (unless it came from a zone where it was revealed to begin with). [DeLaney 2002/09/20]
A.29.5 - Morph is a static ability. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
A.29.6 - Some cards have an ability that triggers when the card is turned face up. These can trigger due to the Morph ability being used or by any other effect that turns them face up. They do not trigger from leaving play or being revealed. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
A.29.Ruling.1 - Turning a Morph card face-up does not cause its "comes into play" triggered abilities to trigger. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
A.29.Ruling.2 - The alternate cost of Morph cannot be combined with other alternate costs, such as Aluren. [Jordan 2002/09/07]
A.29.Ruling.3 - Because the act of turning a card face up does not go on the stack, it cannot be countered or prevented. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
A.29.Ruling.4 - You cannot pay the Morph cost for a card that is already face-up. The Morph cost can only be paid when the card is face down. [D'Angelo 2003/02/16]
Note - Also see Alternate Cost, Rule E.1.
Note - Also see Face Down Cards, Rule E.5.

A.30 - Phasing

A.30.1 - The ability is written "Phasing". [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.30.2 - A permanent with Phasing ability will "phase out" (see Rule G.27.1) at the beginning of its controller's untap step (see Rule P.5) before untapping any permanents. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15b]
A.30.3 - Phasing is a static ability. See Rule A.3. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15a]
A.30.4 - Phasing is not cumulative. Having more than one instance of this ability has no additional effect. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15p]
Note - The rules for phasing in and out are described in Rule G.27.

A.31 - Protection

A.31.1 - The ability is written as "Protection from <-something->". Usually the something is a color (such as "Protection from Black"), but it may be Artifacts or something else. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.7a]
A.31.2 - Creatures (or other permanents) with this ability have four benefits: [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.7b] 1. Prevents all damage from <-something-> sources. 2. Cannot have <-something-> creatures assigned to block it. 3. Cannot be targeted by <-something-> abilities and spells. 4. Cannot be enchanted by <-something-> enchantments.
A.31.3 - Not being enchantable by such enchantments means that the appropriate local enchantment (Enchant Creature) cards are put into the graveyard if they are ever on the creature. So giving a card protection will put any existing local enchantments of that color into the graveyard. This is a state-based effect. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.7b]
A.31.4 - Protection of a particular type is a non-cumulative ability. Having the same type of Protection more than once gives no additional effect. See Rule A.1.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.7c]
A.31.5 - Protection is a static ability. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.7a]
A.31.6 - Protection from a type or subtype applies to permanents in play that are of that type or to cards out of play that are of that type. [CompRules 2003/03/15 - 502.7a]
A.31.Ruling.1 - The Protection ability does not grant immunity to effects. Only the specific list in Rule A.31.2 is granted. So, untargeted spells and abilities can affect the creature. For example, Wrath of God can affect a creature with Protection from White because Wrath of God is not targeted. And creatures with Protection from Red are still affected by the untargeted static ability of Orcish Oriflamme. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.31.Ruling.2 - Untargeted spells and abilities which do damage will assign damage to the creature, but that damage will be prevented by benefit number one so the damage is never actually dealt. For example, Pestilence cannot damage a White Knight. The ability is untargeted, but the damage is prevented. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.31.Ruling.3 - Protection will not stop the creature from being sacrificed. See Rule G.33.2. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.31.Ruling.4 - Protection does not protect any enchantments on the creature from being targeted. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.31.Ruling.5 - Protection does not work while the creature's card is not in play. For example, a creature with Protection from Black can be targeted by a Raise Dead. See Rule A.1.4. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.31.Ruling.6 - Protection includes an evasion ability (see Rule A.15), so it is cumulative with other evasion abilities. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
A.31.Ruling.7 - Protection only works while the card is in play, so it does not prevent the spell from being targeted in the graveyard or on the spell stack (which means a Counterspell can target a creature with Protection from Blue). [D'Angelo 1999/11/23]
A.31.Ruling.8 - Protection from Instants and Sorceries means that the permanent cannot be targeted by an instant or a sorcery and that damage that would be dealt by an instant or a sorcery to that permanent is prevented. [Odyssey FAQ 2001/10/04]
A.31.Ruling.9 - Protection from Creatures means that the permanent cannot be the target of abilities of creatures, that damage from a creature is prevented, and that it cannot be blocked by a creature. [Odyssey FAQ 2001/10/04]
A.31.Ruling.10 - Protection from Enchantments means that the permanent cannot be target of enchantment spells or the abilities of enchantment, that damage from enchantments is prevented, that it cannot be enchanted by any enchantments, and that it cannot be blocked by any enchantment that also happens to be a creature. [Odyssey FAQ 2001/10/04]

A.32 - Provoke

A.32.1 - The ability is written "Provoke".
A.32.2 - A creature with "Provoke" means "Whenever this creature attacks, you may have choose to have target creature defending player controls block this creature this combat if able. If you do, untap that creature." [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
A.32.3 - Provoke is a cumulative ability. Having Provoke more than once will cause each Provoke ability to trigger. For example, a creature with Provoke twice will get to choose two defending creatures. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
A.32.Ruling.1 - You can choose a creature that is already untapped if you want to. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
A.32.Ruling.2 - If the chosen creature is unable to block for any reason (such as becoming tapped before blockers are assigned) there is no penalty. But if it can block this attacker, then it must. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
Note - Also see Must Attack or Block, Rule C.7.

A.33 - Rampage

A.33.1 - The ability is written "Rampage X", where X is a number. For example, "Rampage 2". Some older cards were written "Rampage: X". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.12a]
A.33.2 - A creature with "Rampage X" means "Whenever this creature becomes blocked by two or more creatures, it gets +X/+X until end of turn for each creature blocking it beyond the first." [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.12a]
A.33.3 - Rampage is a triggered ability that triggers in the declare blockers step of combat (see Rule C.4). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.12a]
A.33.4 - Rampage is a cumulative ability. Having Rampage more than once will cause each Rampage ability to trigger. For example, a creature with Rampage 2 and Rampage 1 will get both the +2/+2 and +1/+1 abilities to trigger for each appropriate blocker assignment. See Rule A.1.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.12c]
A.33.Ruling.1 - Rampage does apply to blockers which are not assigned to the Rampage creature directly. For example, creatures that become blockers due to blocking a member of a band which includes the Rampage creature do count as additional blockers for the Rampage ability. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
A.33.Ruling.2 - Removing a blocker from the combat does not change the bonus. It is calculated once and lasts until the end of the turn. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.12b]

A.34 - Shadow

A.34.1 - The ability is written "Shadow". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.8]
A.34.2 - A creature with Shadow cannot be blocked by creatures without Shadow, and a creature without Shadow cannot be blocked by a creature with Shadow. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.8b]
A.34.3 - Shadow is a non-cumulative ability. Having Shadow more than once gives no additional effect. See Rule A.1.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.8c]
A.34.Ruling.1 - Shadow includes an evasion ability (see Rule A.15), so it is cumulative with other evasion abilities. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.8a]
A.34.Ruling.2 - It is possible for Banding to result in a Shadow creature blocking or being blocked by a non-Shadow creature. This is not illegal. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

A.35 - Storm

A.35.1 - The ability is written "Storm".
A.35.2 - The ability means "When you play this spell, put a copy of it onto the stack for each other spell that was played before it this turn. If the spell has targets, you may choose new targets for any number of the copies." [CompRules 2003/04/30]
A.35.3 - The number of copies is determined when this spell is played (announced) and only counts spells played (announced) before it was. Ones placed on the stack afterwards do not change this. [CompRules 2003/04/30]
A.35.4 - The copies are put onto the stack directly. They are not "played" and do not trigger abilities that trigger on something being played. [CompRules 2003/04/30] This makes it so the Storm ability itself will not trigger on the copies being put on the stack. [DeLaney 2003/06/14]
A.35.5 - When counting spells, you count ones played by every player, including ones that were played from zones other than a player's hand. [CompRules 2003/04/30] You do not count lands being played, any abilities that were played, any spells put onto the stack without playing them, or any cards put into play by the effect of a spell or ability. [D'Angelo 2003/06/07]
A.35.Ruling.1 - Spell copies can be countered and otherwise affected just like any other spell. [CompRules 2003/04/30]
A.35.Ruling.2 - When you play a spell with Storm, the Storm ability triggers and this ability is put onto the stack. Players can respond by playing other spells and abilities before this ability resolves. When the Storm ability resolves, it puts the copies onto the stack. [D'Angelo 2003/06/07]

A.36 - Threshold

A.36.1 - The ability is written "Threshold - <-ability->".
A.36.2 - The ability means "As long as you have seven or more cards in your graveyard, this card has '<-ability->'." [CompRules Update in Odyssey FAQ - 502.23a]
A.36.3 - The ability's text is only on the card as an ability if you have seven or more cards in your graveyard. Otherwise, the text only exists as a potential ability inside the Threshold ability's text. [CompRules Update in Odyssey FAQ - 502.23b] In general, it's easiest to just think of the text not being there at all. This results in the same answer to all rules questions.
A.36.4 - An instant or sorcery card with Threshold has the ability only while the card is on the stack, not while it is in your hand or anywhere else. An artifact, creature, enchantment, or land card or token with Threshold has the ability only while it is in play. [CompRules Update in Odyssey FAQ - 502.23c]
A.36.Ruling.1 - If the ability is static, the ability is either "on" or "off". [Odyssey Rules Insert 2001/10/04] When it is "on", it is treated as if it were always on the permanent. It is ordered for continuous effects as if it entered play at the same time the permanent did. [DeLaney 2001/10/13]
A.36.Ruling.2 - Activated abilities only check the Threshold condition when the ability is announced. It is not checked again at resolution. [Odyssey Rules Insert 2001/10/04]
A.36.Ruling.3 - For triggered abilities, they only trigger if the Threshold is true at the time when (think "just before") the trigger condition occurs. [Odyssey Rules Insert 2001/10/04]
A.36.Ruling.4 - For instants and sorceries, the threshold condition is only checked on resolution. [DeLaney 2001/10/13]
A.36.Ruling.5 - You may still use text altering spells and abilities such as from Sleight of Mind. These spells and abilities can be used when there is no text to alter (or when text only exists in a potential form) and once the ability appears (when Threshold is met), the alteration will be applied to the text as it would have been had the text been there the whole time. [Barclay 2001/10/22]
A.36.Ruling.6 - A card may achieve Threshold during the announcement of a spell or ability. If so the Threshold ability text starts at the time Threshold is gained. Usually this doesn't matter, but it may. For example, if Boneshard Slasher is in play and someone uses Narcissism (discard a card and target a creature), you can refer to Rule T.4.2 and see that the targeting occurs before the discard, so the Boneshard Slasher is targeted before Threshold occurs. Therefore, the Slasher's ability to trigger on becoming targeted won't trigger this time. [Jordan 2002/05/14]

A.37 - Trample

A.37.1 - The ability is written "Trample". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.9]
A.37.2 - Trample modifies the rules for assigning combat damage when a creature with Trample is attacking. Trample has no effect if the creature is blocking or while not in combat. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.9a]
A.37.3 - If all the creatures blocking a Trample attacker receive lethal damage (or more), any remaining damage can be assigned to the defending player. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.9b] You are not required to assign damage to the defending player and you are not required to divide the damage among the blockers in any particular way, but if you do assign it so that all the blockers receive lethal damage, you have the option to assign to the defending player. For example, if a Force of Nature (8/8 Trample) is blocked by three 2/2 creatures, you could a) assign all 8 damage to one blocker, b) 4 to each of two blockers, c) 3 to one 3 to another and 2 to the third, d) 3 to one, 2 to each other, and 1 to the defending player, e) 2 to each blocker and 2 to the defending player, and so on. [D'Angelo 2001/08/15]
A.37.4 - If all blocking creatures are removed from combat, all of the Trample creature's damage is assigned to the defending player. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.9c]
A.37.5 - If a blocking creature is to receive damage from more than one attacking creature because it blocked multiple attackers (due to an ability or because the attackers were Banded), the player assigning the damage may assign the non-Trample creature's damage first in order to maximize the amount that can be assigned to the defending player. (Note that the damage is really assigned all at once, not "first" and "next", but it is easier to explain this way.) [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.9f]
A.37.6 - Trample is a non-cumulative ability. Having Trample more than once gives no additional effect. See Rule A.1.2. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.9g]
A.37.7 - Trample is a static ability. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.9a]
A.37.8 - Assigning damage from a Trample creature only considers the actual toughness of the creature, not any abilities or effects that might prevent or redirect damage once it is assigned. For example, if a 2/2 creature with Protection from Green blocked a Force of Nature, you would only need to assign 2 damage to it, even though that damage will be prevented by the ability. Another way of thinking of this is that you need to assign enough damage that the creature would be lethally damaged if nothing prevented or redirected the damage. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.9e]
A.37.Ruling.1 - If a creature was damaged prior to combat damage being assigned (by a spell or during the first strike combat damage step), you only need to assign enough additional damage to make the creature have damage on it equal to its toughness before satisfying the Trample rules. In other words, enough to make the creature have lethal damage (see Rule K.10.4). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.9b]

C - Combat Rules

C.1 - The Combat Phase

C.1.1 - The combat phase is divided into five steps: [CompRules 1999/04/23] 1. Beginning of Combat 2. Declare Attackers 3. Declare Blockers 4. Combat Damage 5. End of Combat
C.1.2 - All creatures involved in the attack move through all the steps at the same time. In other words, you do not move one attacker through the steps, and then go back and move a different attacker through. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
C.1.3 - A creature is only considered an "attacking creature" during steps 2 through 5, or "blocking creature" during steps 3 through 5. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
C.1.4 - A creature is removed from combat if it stops being a creature. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.1.5 - A creature is removed from combat if its controller changes or if it leaves play. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.1.6 - A creature is removed from the combat if it regenerates. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Note that it actually has to have its destruction prevented by a regeneration effect, not simply have a regeneration effect played on it in order to get removed. See Rule G.29.
C.1.7 - Once a creature is declared as an attacker or blocker, tapping or untapping the creature will not remove it from combat or prevent it from dealing combat damage. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.1.8 - The term "combat damage" applies only to damage dealt in step 4 due to combat. Spells and abilities which do damage during the combat phase are not considered "combat damage". [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.1.Ruling.1 - A creature which is removed from combat stops being an attacking or blocking creature. It does not untap. If removed prior to step 4, it will not deal or receive combat damage during step 4. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
C.1.Ruling.2 - If combat damage is redirected, it is still "combat damage". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
C.1.Ruling.3 - The combat phase can be mapped in a longer form like this: 1. Triggers on "beginning of combat", then chance for instants. 2. Declare attackers. 3. Triggers on attack declaration, then chance for instants. 4. Declare blockers. 5. Triggers on block declaration, then chance for instants. 6. Assign combat damage (but don't deal it yet) 7. Chance for instants. 8. Deal combat damage. 9. Triggers on damage being dealt, then chance for instants. 10. Triggers on "end of combat", then chance for instants. Creatures killed or removed from combat before step 6 don't deal or receive damage. Ones killed, that leave play, or that stop being creatures during step 7 still deal damage but will not receive it. Ones removed from combat (but still in play and are still creatures) during step 7 both deal and receive damage. [D'Angelo 2000/06/20]

C.2 - Step 1: Beginning of Combat

C.2.1 - After triggered abilities which trigger on beginning of combat are added to the stack, the current player receives priority to play spells and abilities. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

C.3 - Step 2: Declare Attackers

C.3.1 - At the start of this step, the current player declares any creatures he or she wants to attack with this turn. If no attackers are declared, the game skips the rest of this step, all of steps 3 and 4, and goes directly to the End of Combat step (see Rule C.6). This is called a "null attack". If a legal attack is declared, first place any triggered abilities which triggered on the attack declaration on the stack, then the current player receives priority to play spells and abilities. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.3.2 - You declare a single opponent (not any of your opponent's creatures) to attack and your entire attack applies to this one opponent. You cannot attack yourself or your own creatures. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
C.3.3 - Only creatures the current player controls can attack. Creatures which are tapped or of creature type Wall cannot attack. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.3.4 - Creatures which the current player did not control continuously since the beginning of the turn cannot attack. [CompRules 1999/04/23] See Rule G.37.
C.3.5 - Declaration of attackers is simultaneous, not sequential, and it does not go on the stack. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.3.6 - Tapping the creature is not considered a cost to attack. This does take place, however, just before any attack costs would be paid. [CompRules 2002/02/20 - 308.2]
C.3.7 - An attack declaration may have additional costs associated with it. If these costs include a mana payment, then the current player may play mana abilities in order to make the payment. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, Propaganda imposes a mana payment on declaring attackers.
C.3.8 - A creature becomes an attacking creature during the declaration (just after the attack is determined to be valid) and remains an attacking creature until removed from combat or until the end of the phase. [CompRules 1999/04/23] [bethmo 1999/10/05]
C.3.9 - If there are creatures that must attack, the attack declaration is illegal if any subset of the creatures that were required to attack but were left out could have been added to the set of attackers. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 500.2]
C.3.Ruling.1 - Players are not allowed to declare an illegal attack. If a player announces a creature which cannot attack, or some combination of creatures which is not legal, or if a player cannot pay any costs associated with the attack, then that attack declaration is ignored and the player gets a chance to try again. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 500.2]
C.3.Ruling.2 - Effects can prevent a creature from attacking. For example, Island Sanctuary. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 500.1]
C.3.Ruling.3 - Creatures which have the ability to not tap when attacking, must still be untapped during this step in order to be declared as an attacker. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.3.Ruling.4 - Creatures with a zero power can still attack. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
C.3.Ruling.5 - You only check if the creature is allowed to attack (such as can only attack if opponent has Islands) during this step. If any attack enablers are removed or attack inhibitors are introduced later, it does not make a difference. The creature is still attacking. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.3.Ruling.6 - If you have two creatures with "This creature can't attack unless another creature attacks", then you can declare both of them and have them meet each other's requirement. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.3.Ruling.7 - An ability which involves "attacking alone" or "blocking alone" refers to having the creature be the only attacker or only blocker. For example, Reckless Ogre reads "Whenever Reckless Ogre attacks alone, it gets +3/+0 until end of turn." and the ability triggers when it is the only attacker. [WotC Rules Team 2000/01/11]
Note - Banding of attackers must be declared at the same time attackers are declared and cannot be changed later. See Rule A.8.3. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Players do get a chance to play spells and abilities during this step after attackers are declared. This is an ideal time for the defending player to eliminate any attackers they do not want to deal with, using Incinerate for example. It is also a good time to enhance blockers with spells like Jump so they can be used for blocking. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - Creatures which are destroyed are removed from the combat even if they are regenerated. See Rule C.1.6. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

C.4 - Step 3: Declare Blockers

C.4.1 - At the start of this step, the defending player declares any creatures he or she wants to block with this turn. If a legal set of blockers is declared, first place any triggered abilities which triggered on the blocking declaration on the stack, then the current player receives priority to play spells and abilities. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.4.2 - For each blocking creature, the defending player chooses which one attacking creature it will block. Any number of blocking creatures can be assigned to block the same attacker. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.4.3 - Only untapped creatures the defending player controls can be declared as blockers. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.4.4 - Declaration of blockers is simultaneous, not sequential, and it does not go on the stack. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.4.5 - A blocking declaration may have costs associated with it. If these costs include a mana payment, then the defending player may play mana abilities in order to make the payment. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.4.6 - A creature becomes a blocking creature during the declaration and remains a blocking creature until removed from combat or until the end of the phase. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.4.7 - An attacking creature which is blocked by one or more creatures becomes a blocked creature during the declaration and remains a blocked creature until removed from combat or until the end of the phase. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Similarly, an attacking creature which does not have any blockers assigned to it becomes "not blocked" in the same way. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.4.8 - Once an attacking creature becomes blocked, it cannot be unblocked. Removing all of the creatures blocking it will still not unblock it, and it still will not damage the defending player. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.4.9 - If there are creatures that must block, the blocking declaration is illegal if any subset of the creatures that were required to block but were left out can be added to the set of blockers. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 500.3]
C.4.10 - If a creature is required to block more creatures than it can legally block, then the defender chooses which creature(s) to block, but must choose to block as many as possible. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
C.4.11 - If a blocker legally blocks one creature in a band of attackers, it is considered to block all members of that band, even if it could not legally block some or all of the other creatures in the band. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
C.4.Ruling.1 - Players are not allowed to declare an illegal block. If a player announces a creature which cannot block, or some combination of creatures which is not legal, or if a player cannot pay any costs associated with the block, then that blocking declaration is ignored and the player gets a chance to try again. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 500.3]
C.4.Ruling.2 - Blocking does not cause the creature to tap. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.4.Ruling.3 - You don't have to block with any creatures if you don't want to. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
C.4.Ruling.4 - Effects can prevent a creature from blocking. For example, Pacifism. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 500.1]
C.4.Ruling.5 - You only check if the creature is allowed to block (such as a Flying creature can block an attacking Flying creature) during this step. If any blocking enablers are removed or blocking inhibitors are introduced later, it does not make a difference. The creature is still blocking (or not blocking). [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, giving an attacking creature Flying after a non-Flying creature blocks it will not change anything. The attacker and blocker will still deal damage to each other. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
C.4.Ruling.6 - To legally block, a creature must get around all of the attacking creature's evasion abilities (see Rule A.15). For example, a Flying creature with Fear can only be blocked if the blocking creature has Flying (to satisfy the Flying evasion ability) and if it is Black and/or Artifact (to satisfy the Fear evasion ability). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
C.4.Ruling.7 - There is no restriction about controlling the creature since the start of your most recent turn on declaring blockers like there is on declaring attackers. You can use any untapped creature you have. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
C.4.Ruling.8 - As per Rule C.4.6, once a creature is a "blocking creature", it remains one. Even removing the attackers it blocked from combat will not change this status. So if a spell or ability affects "blocking creatures" the creature will be affected. If the spell or ability asks if the creature is "blocking a creature", however, the answer is "no". To put this in plainer language, asking if a creature is a "blocking creature" means the same as "is involved in the combat on the defending player's side" while "blocking a creature" is a specific question about how it is involved. [D'Angelo 2002/02/23]
Note - Banding of blockers is not declared at this time. In fact, you never declare banding while blocking. See Rule A.8.11. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Players do get a chance to play spells and abilities during this step after blockers are declared. This is an ideal time for the attacking player to enhance their attackers, using Howl from Beyond for example. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - Creatures which are destroyed are removed from the combat even if they are regenerated. See Rule C.1.6.

C.5 - Step 4: Combat Damage

C.5.1 - The active player announces how each attacking creature will deal its damage. Then the defending player announces how each blocking creature will deal its damage. This is the assigning of combat damage. These announcements go on the stack as a single entry. Then the active player receives priority to play spells and abilities. When the announcements resolve, the damage is actually dealt to the creatures. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.5.2 - Each attacking creature and each blocking creature assigns combat damage equal to its power. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.5.3 - An unblocked creature assigns its combat damage to the defending player. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.5.4 - A blocked creature assigns its combat damage, divided as its controller chooses, to the creatures blocking it. If no creatures are currently blocking it (which can happen if all of its blockers were removed from combat), then it assigns no combat damage (unless it has Trample, see Rule A.37.3). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.5.5 - A blocking creature assigns its combat damage, divided as its controller chooses, to the creatures it is blocking. If it is not blocking any creatures (which can happen if all of them were removed from combat), then it assigns no combat damage. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.5.6 - When combat damage resolves, the amount of damage and the division of that damage among creatures is dealt as originally assigned. This happens even if the creature dealing damage is no longer in play or if its power has changed. If a creature that was supposed to receive damage is no longer in play, then the damage that was to be dealt to it is not dealt to anything. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.5.7 - Combat damage comes from the creature as the creature exists when the combat damage resolves. If the creature already left play, then the game remembers the creature's characteristics at the time it left play. [CompRules 1999/04/23] This rule means that if the creature was blue when damage was assigned, but is black when the combat damage is resolved, then the damage is considered to be black damage, not blue. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
C.5.8 - Assigning combat damage isn't a spell or ability, so it cannot be countered. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.5.9 - If an attacking or blocking creature has First Strike or Double Strike when combat damage would normally start, then there are two Combat Damage steps. In the first one, only creatures with First Strike or Double Strike assign and deal damage. In the second one, any attacking or blocking creatures which did not assign damage in the first step or that have Double Strike do so. Creatures which are destroyed in the first step are removed from combat before the second step, so they do not get to deal damage. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.2b] [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23] If a creature gains or loses First Strike between the steps, this change will be ignored. The check for whether or not a creature has first strike is only performed once and determines if the creature deals damage in the first or second damage step. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.2c] If a creature gains Double Strike between steps then it will deal damage in the second step. If it loses Double Strike between steps then it will not deal damage during the second step. [Legions FAQ 2003/01/23]
C.5.10 - The damage sharing ability of Banding reverses the normal rule for who decides how to divide damage. If there is one or more blockers for a given attacker, and one of those blockers has Banding, then the defending player decides how the attacking creature's damage is divided among the blockers. If there is one or more attackers blocked by a single blocker, and at least one of the attacking creatures has Banding, then the attacking player decides how to divide the blocking creature's damage among the attacking creatures. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
C.5.Ruling.1 - Each attacking creature deals damage separately (even if it attacked in a band, see Rule A.8.3). Each blocking creature deals damage separately (even if it is blocking with a banding creature, see Rule A.8.11). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
C.5.Ruling.2 - When assigning damage among multiple blockers, you can assign it in any way you choose, with all damage going to one blocker, or any division of damage among the blockers, as long as each point of damage is assigned somewhere. You can assign more damage to a creature than that creature's toughness. [D'Angelo 1998/08/04]
C.5.Ruling.3 - If there is just one blocker and it has banding, the defending player still decides how damage is divided. This can be important if the attacking creature has Trample (see Rule A.37), or if a creature like Thorn Elemental is involved. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
Note - There used to be a rule that if a blocking creature was tapped at the time when it would assign damage, then it would assign no combat damage. This rule no longer exists. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - A blocked Trample creature which has no blocker to assign damage to instead assigns damage to the defending player as if it were unblocked. See Rule A.37.2. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

C.6 - Step 5: End of Combat

C.6.1 - All "at end of combat" abilities trigger and are placed on the stack, then the current player receives priority to play spells and abilities. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
C.6.Ruling.1 - If a creature is removed from the combat but is still in play, all "at end of combat" abilities that would affect that creature will still happen. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - Remember to check for mana burn at the end of this step because it is the end of the phase. See Rule P.4.2.

C.7 - Must Attack or Block

C.7.1 - If it is illegal to attack or block with the creature, then the "must attack" or "must block" can be ignored since it cannot be followed. See Rule C.3 to see what makes a creature unable to attack, and Rule C.4 to see what makes a creature unable to block. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
C.7.2 - If there is a cost to declare the attacker, the fact that it would be required to attack if possible does not require you to pay the cost in order to allow it to attack. For example, you don't have to pay the Brainwash cost on a Juggernaut. If you do pay the cost, it must attack, but if you do not, it does not. This is true even if the enablement cost is zero, as with Dark Maze. [D'Angelo 1997/10/13]
C.7.3 - A creature that must attack on a turn, must only attack once that turn. It is not forced into every attack on that turn. [Duelist Magazine #17, Page 48, 1997/06/01]
C.7.4 - If you have any creatures that must attack, then you must declare an attack. [D'Angelo 2002/03/16]
C.7.5 - If a creature is required to block more creatures than it can legally block, then the defender chooses which creature(s) to block, but must choose to block as many as possible. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
C.7.6 - An attacking declaration is not legal if a creature without "must attack" attacks thereby making a creature with "must attack" unable to do so. You must include as many "must attack" creatures as possible before including any creatures without it. [CompRules 2003/03/15 - 500.2]
C.7.7 - A blocking declaration is not legal if a creature without "must block" blocks thereby making a creature with "must block" unable to do so. You must include as many "must block" creatures as possible before including any creatures without it. [CompRules 2003/03/15 - 500.3]
C.7.Ruling.1 - You are not forced to maximize the number of "must attack" (or block) creatures that you can declare. [WotC Rules Team 1997/08/05]

D - DCI Tournament Rules

D.1 - Tournament Structure

Note - The rulings in this sub-section may be out of date. Refer to the latest DCI rules for more accurate information.
D.1.1 - Tournaments are single elimination, double elimination, round-robin, or Swiss draw format with each round consisting of up to 3 duels during a fixed time limit. [Tournament Rules 1995/10/01]
D.1.2 - In the Swiss format, each win of a match gets 3 points and a draw for the match gets 1 point. A "bye" gives a player 3 points.
D.1.3 - A time limit of 45 or more minutes may be placed on a round other than the semi-final or final rounds. A.11 minute warning should be given. The duel is over when the time is called, except the current player has 60 seconds to finish their turn. The turn is considered started if they had already untapped all their cards. [Tournament Rules 1995/10/01] A time limit may be placed on the final rounds, but it is strongly recommended that the judge not do so. [Aahz 1997/01/14]
D.1.4 - The head judge may terminate a match early. If this is done, at least a 30 minute warning must be given. If a game is terminated this way, the judge will give the player who is currently in the middle of their turn a fixed amount of time to finish it. The "middle of the turn" is defined as being after the current player finished their untap step. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.1.5 - If time runs out before all the games in the match are completed, the player who won the most games wins the match. If time runs out during a game, neither player is considered the winner of that game. If neither player won more games than the other, the match is a draw. If the tournament is an elimination tournament where a player must advance, the judge should declare the player with the higher life total the winner. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.1.6 - Players in a tournament environment that withdraw before the first match will receive a loss for that match and the opponent will receive a win. Players may withdraw between matches without penalty. To withdraw, the proper official must be notified prior to the pairings being assigned for the next round. Failure to do so, such as just wandering out of the tournament area, will result in a loss of the next round for failing to show up. [Update 1997/04/01]
D.1.7 - Both players may agree to call a match a draw before the start of the first duel of that match. This is called the "Intentional Draw" rule. This rule does not apply to individual games. This is not considered to break any other rules. It cannot be declared during or just after a duel. Each player receives one match point. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.1.8 - Players can request of the head judge that no spectators be able to watch the match, just tournament officials. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.1.9 - Players in the tournament are never allowed to observe matches by other players in the tournament. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]

D.2 - Deck Registration

Note - The rulings in this sub-section may be out of date. Refer to the latest DCI rules for more accurate information.
D.2.1 - Players may be required by the judge to record their deck contents, including their sideboard. They may also be required to record any movement of cards to and from their sideboard. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.2.2 - When decks are registered, the deck and sideboard must be returned to their original status before the start of each match. If this is not done, the head judge decides if this is worth a Notice, Single Warning, or Double Warning. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.2.3 - If the tournament requires deck registration, any player discovered with a deck that does not match the registration forfeits a duel. [Duelist Magazine #14, Page 52] This may be upgraded to forfeiting a match or even ejection if it is not known how long the deck may have been misregistered. [Aahz 1997/01/14]
D.2.4 - Be sure to collect your cards after each game. Losing cards to another player may cause your deck to be misregistered or fall below the 60 card minimum. If such a mistake is discovered, the minimum penalty is to forfeit a game. If this is not discovered until a later match, the penalty may be enforced on both players. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]

D.3 - Warnings, Penalties, and Ejection

Note - The rulings in this sub-section may be out of date. Refer to the latest DCI rules for more accurate information.
D.3.1 - You are not allowed to waive any penalties imposed by the judge on your opponent. Violation of the floor rules must be enforced. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.2 - Warnings come in five levels. Official warnings must be confirmed by the head judge. a. Caution. A verbal warning, that is not tracked. b. Notice. A verbal warning, that is tracked. Used as grounds to upgrade a later offense to a Warning. Notices are reported to the head judge and may be upgraded. c. Single Warning. An official warning, that is tracked. Normally used for unintentional mistakes that were disruptive to the event. d. Double Warning. An official warning, that is tracked. Normally used for repeat offenses, or where a rules violation resulted in a serious advantage. e. Triple Warning. An official warning, that is tracked. Normally used for cases of cheating or severe unsportsmanlike conduct. These result in investigation by the DCI and may result in additional penalties. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.3 - Once three or more official warnings are issued, the head judge may decide to do one of the following: a. Forfeit current or next duel. This is issued if all three warnings were minor in nature, if none of them is a duplicate warning, and they are viewed as being unintentional. b. Forfeit current or next match. This is issued if all three warnings were minor in nature, if none of them is a duplicate warning, and they are viewed as being unintentional. c. Ejection. This is the default penalty for three warnings, and is the required penalty for four warnings. The player is still eligible for any prizes their standing yields, but does not play any more games. d. Disqualification. This is issued if the judge believes the player was cheating, or if the player received two Double Warnings or a Triple Warning. The player is not eligible for any prizes. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.4 - Warnings accumulate through the entire event, even if it spans multiple days. They are cleared at the start of the quarterfinals. During the quarterfinals, a warning which was also issued prior to the quarterfinals can cause a Double Warning. [Tournament Rules 1998/10/01]
D.3.5 - Being caught cheating will automatically cause disqualification. If the judge believes a player is cheating, but cannot prove it, it is worth a Double Warning. Cheating includes (but is not limited to): receiving outside assistance or coaching, looking at opponents' cards while you are shuffling or cutting their deck, scouting other player's cards or decks, misrepresenting cards, underpaying mana, using marked cards or sleeves, intentionally marking cards or sleeves during play, drawing extra cards, manipulating which cards are drawn from your (or your opponent's) deck (including stacking a deck to separate land and spell cards), deliberately stalling to take advantage of a time limit, and intentionally misrepresenting public information such as life totals, number of cards in your library, and so on. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.6 - Unsportsmanlike conduct is not allowed. Profanity and arguing or acting belligerently toward a tournament official will give a warning. Repeat offenses will result in disqualification. The following are automatically considered unsportsmanlike conduct: profanity, physical intimidation, arguing excessively with a judge, enlisting the aid of others to scout out competitors' decks, disobeying or disregarding rules for the tournament event, and willfully disobeying a rule by the head judge or tournament manager. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.7 - Collusion to alter the results of a duel or match (meaning trying to get someone to throw a game or match) is considered unsportsmanlike conduct. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.3.8 - Players must keep the cards in their hand above the table. First violation is a Single Warning and the second may result in disqualification. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.3.9 - Use of counterfeit cards in decks is considered cheating and is subject to legal action as well. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.10 - A player can always request that a judge check the opponent's deck to see that it only contains legal and genuine Magic cards. [DCI Letter, Jan 1997]
D.3.11 - If a player is found with an illegal deck (as with less than 60 cards), the default penalty is ejection. The head judge may downgrade this to a forfeit of the match. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.12 - If a player leaves a Pro-Tour event without checking out, they are banned from the next equivalent event. [Duelist Magazine #14, Page 52]
D.3.13 - Players must take their turns in a timely fashion. Deliberately stalling is not allowed and can give you a warning. Failure to begin a match in a timely way in order to get a psychological advantage is grounds for disqualification. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.3.14 - If the players do not agree on reality (meaning that they do not agree on life totals, number of counters, etc), the judge should issue a Single Warning to both players. If the judge believes that just one of the players is at fault, he may issue the warning to the one player. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.15 - Players are allowed only 5 minutes prior to each duel to determine who plays and who draws, to do sideboarding, and to do deck shuffling. This does not include shuffling/cutting of opponent's deck or declaring any Mulligans (see Rule P.1.7). Violation of this rule is considered stalling and may result in a warning or disqualification as decided by the judge. The head judge may alter this time limit (usually lowering it), but if so, this must be advertised prior to the tournament. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.16 - A limit of one minute is placed on any shuffling during a duel. If the head judge determines that the shuffling is excessive, it is treated as stalling. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.17 - If a player is not in their seat at the start of a round in the tournament, they receive a loss for the first duel in the match. In addition, they lose an additional duel for each 10 minutes they are late, and this can result in losing the match. Players who lose the match this way in the first round are ejected from the tournament. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.18 - If a player feels that another player is cheating or displaying unsportsmanlike conduct, they must bring this to the attention of the judge immediately. Not promptly notifying the judge about unsportsmanlike conduct means the player waives any possible claims against the tournament officials or tournament organization. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.3.19 - If a player feels that the tournament officials mis-handled a possible conduct violation, they can appeal to the DCI staff. The DCI staff has the final ruling and the player must follow that decision without further argument or difficulties. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]

D.4 - Judges and Rulings

Note - The rulings in this sub-section may be out of date. Refer to the latest DCI rules for more accurate information.
D.4.1 - Decision of the head judge is final. This is true even if the judge turns out later to have made an incorrect ruling. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.4.2 - Decisions on assistant judges can be appealed to the head judge. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.4.3 - All sanctioned title events require a Level III certified judge. Title events include Pro Tour(TM) Qualifiers, Grand Prix(TM) tournaments, Grand Prix Trial tournaments, and Regional Championships. [Tournament Update 1997/08/01]
D.4.4 - All pre-release events require a Level II certified judge. [Tournament Update 1997/08/01]
D.4.5 - Judges are required to have an updated DCI Tournament Coordinator Handbook and a copy of the current DCI Standard Floor Rules available. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.4.6 - If a judge takes longer than a minute to make a ruling, the players may request that their match be extended by the time the ruling takes. Whether or not this is granted is up to the head judge. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
Note - All sanctioned tournaments require a Level II certified judge. If one is not present, the K value for player ratings will be 1/2 (most often 16). This is cumulative with other decreases in the K value. [Tournament Update 1997/08/01] See Rule D.5.9.

D.5 - DCI Rating System

D.5.1 - The DCI has a rating system. Each registered DCI member's wins and losses in sanctioned tournaments are reported to the DCI and are used to calculate the player's rating.
D.5.2 - The DCI tracks ratings in four categories. They are: Vintage = Type 1 (see Rule D.13) and Type 1.5 (see Rule D.14) formats. Extended = Extended (see Rule D.15) and Extended Block Constructed (see Rule D.18) formats. Limited = Sealed Deck (see Rule D.17) and Booster Draft (see Rule D.19) formats. Standard = Standard (see Rule D.16) and Standard Block Constructed (see Rule D.18) formats. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.5.3 - All players start with a rating of 1600.
D.5.4 - People who have played less than 25 matches (best 2 of 3) are considered to have a 'provisional rating'. After that, scores should be accurate to within plus or minus 56 points.
D.5.5 - During 'provisional rating' period, a person's rating is: (Rc) + ((400 * (wins - losses)) / number of matches) Rc = Average rating of all opponents (at the time the match against that opponent was played). This rating is re-calculated after each match.
D.5.6 - Once a player is off of provisional rating, their score changes with each match: New Score = (Old Score) + (K * (W - We)) K = 32 for ratings of 0-2099, 24 for 2100-2399, 16 for 2400 and up. W = 1 for a win, 0 for a loss. We = 1 / ((10^D)+1). D = (difference between your and opponent's ratings) / 400. D is always a positive number.
D.5.7 - Scores only count in officially sanctioned tournaments and if the tournament coordinator actually sends the results to WotC.
D.5.8 - Tournaments with less than 8 people do not count in the ratings system. Ones with 8 to 31 people use a K value of 1/2 the above (most often 16). [Tournament Update 1997/08/01]
D.5.9 - For sanctioned tournaments without a Level II certified judge, the K value will be 1/2 (most often 16). This is cumulative with other decreases in the K value. [Tournament Update 1997/08/01]

D.6 - Card Text To Use

D.6.1 - All DCI tournaments are played as per the most recent text on cards. This means you play all cards as if they read like the most recent English language version of the card (plus errata). [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01] When Oracle (a complete card reference) is available, it should be used. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.6.2 - You may play cards from older or newer printings and expansions which bear the same name as a card which is allowed in the tournament format. Regardless of printing, however, Rule D.6.1 applies. [Aahz 1997/07/13]
D.6.3 - Non-English language cards are played as the most recent English language version of that card. Translational errors are avoided in this way. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01] For misprinted cards with the wrong art, the card name is what is used to make a match. If the head judge determines that the misleading art is being used to create an advantage, they can consider this as cheating. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.6.Ruling.1 - Rule D.6.1 applies even if the cards from the most recent edition are not actually legal in the tournament format. For example, the Fifth Edition text of Cloak of Confusion would be used when playing in an Ice Age/Homelands/Alliances tournament. [Aahz 1997/07/13]
D.6.Ruling.2 - Mixed language decks are legal. [Aahz 1995/07/09]

D.7 - Card Sleeves

Note - The rulings in this sub-section may be out of date. Refer to the latest DCI rules for more accurate information.
D.7.1 - Card sleeves are allowed on cards, but the judge or opponent in a specific duel may request that they be removed. If this is requested, it must be complied with. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.7.2 - If sleeves are used, all cards in the deck, library and sideboard must be identically wrapped. If holograms are on the sleeves, they must be on the face (not the back) of the cards. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.7.3 - Players can ask the judge to inspect the sleeves and can disallow them if they are obviously marked, worn, or in a poor condition that may interfere with shuffling. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.7.4 - Black-backed sleeves are allowed but are subject to the normal sleeve removal rule. The deck must be fully legal without the sleeves. [DCI Letter Jan 1997]
D.7.5 - New card sleeves and/or protective devices are not permitted until the DCI gives its official approval. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.7.Ruling.1 - You can always use a card sleeve as a reminder when placing one of your cards in your opponent's territory. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]

D.8 - Deck Contents

D.8.1 - Players cannot change the contents of their deck and sideboard throughout the entire tournament, but cards can be rotated between the deck and sideboard between games. The sideboard (if used at all) must always have exactly 15 cards (except in Sealed Deck tournaments). [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.8.2 - If a deck contains Alpha printing cards, it must consist entirely of them. You should also inform the head judge that your deck is so constructed. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.8.3 - Using "proxy" cards is not allowed. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]

D.9 - Shuffling

Note - The rulings in this sub-section may be out of date. Refer to the latest DCI rules for more accurate information.
D.9.1 - After whatever normal shuffling you do, you are required to do three "riffle shuffles" (this is the standard shuffle technique of dividing the deck in half and then placing the ends of the two halves together and rapidly interleaving them as they fall together). [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.9.2 - Your opponent is always entitled to shuffle your deck before each duel begins if they want to. They get the right to a final shuffle if they want it. [Mirage, Page 46] This is to prevent people from possibly stacking the deck. Usually people just settle for "cutting the deck".
D.9.3 - Your opponent is always entitled to shuffle or cut your deck after any shuffle during a game. They may not use this opportunity to view cards in your deck. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]

D.10 - Rules of Play

Note - The rulings in this sub-section may be out of date. Refer to the latest DCI rules for more accurate information.
D.10.1 - If you "forget" to pay upkeep before drawing your card or otherwise proceeding, you must go back and deal with all mandatory abilities and effects, but optional ones are all considered to go unpaid (with the stated results). [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.10.2 - Players may not play for ante. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.10.3 - After drawing your initial hand for a game, you have the option of calling a Mulligan. To do this, simply shuffle your hand back into your library and draw a hand with one fewer cards. For example, if you Mulligan once, you start the game with just 6 cards in your hand, not 7. [Tournament Rules 1998/09/01]
D.10.4 - The player who is to play first chooses whether or not to Mulligan first. Once that player stops calling Mulligans, the other player chooses if they want to. [Tournament Rules 1998/09/01]
D.10.5 - As per the game rules, the first player each game skips their draw step (see Rule P.1.3). The winner of the coin toss before the each match decides if they want to play first or to draw first. [Mirage, Page 46]
D.10.Ruling.1 - In previous tournament rules, the standard Mulligan was done if a player had no land cards in their initial hand of 7 cards (and had to reveal their hand to their opponent). Each player got one free Mulligan without losing a card from their hand, and had no option for additional Mulligans. If one player called a Mulligan, the other player also had the option to redraw their hand for no cost. This rule is no longer used. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]

D.11 - Sideboard

D.11.1 - A sideboard is a set of cards which are part of the tournament along with your deck.
D.11.2 - A sideboard in all constructed deck formats is exactly 15 cards. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.11.3 - Sideboards are optional. If a player chooses not to use one, they must inform their opponent prior to the start of the match. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.11.4 - In constructed deck tournaments, after each duel, a player may swap cards in their deck with cards in their sideboard. This is a 1-for-1 swap so both the deck and sideboard remain the same size. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.11.5 - In sealed deck tournaments, all the remaining cards not in your play deck are considered your sideboard. Cards may be moved between your deck and your sideboard as your choose as long as your deck size doesn't fall below the required limit. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.11.6 - Players cannot look through their sideboards during play. [Tournament Rules 1998/09/01]

D.12 - Other Rules

D.12.1 - Players must bring a way to visibly count life totals during play. For example, counters, dice, pen and paper, etc. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.12.2 - Wizards of the Coast reserves the right to publish deck contents as well as transcripts or video of any sanctioned tournament. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.12.3 - Playtesters and reviewers with access to the cards prior to release are not eligible to play in a tournament until 18 days after the pre-release of that set. [Jordan 2001/11/05]

D.13 - Type 1 Tournament Format

D.13.1 - This is also called "Classic" tournament style.
D.13.2 - Decks can be composed of cards from any edition or expansion of Magic which use the normal card back. Collector's Edition cards are not allowed. Promotional cards are allowed. The poker cards are not allowed (despite the April Fools article in the Duelist). Unglued cards with a silver border are also disallowed. The Championship decks are not allowed.
D.13.3 - Portal and Starter cards are not allowed unless they have the same name as a legal card. In this case, they play as the legal card text and not the Portal or Starter card text. [Duelist Magazine #18, Page 44]
D.13.4 - New card sets become effective on the first day of the month following their introduction. If a set is released after the 15th day of a month, then the set's effective date is pushed out to the first of the second month. For example, a set released on January 8th is legal on February 1st, and one released on January 25th is legal on March 1st. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01] [bethmo 1999/02/24]
D.13.5 - Minimum of 60 cards in a deck. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.13.6 - Optional 'sideboard'. If you have one, it must be exactly 15 cards. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.13.7 - No more than 4 of any card (by name) which is not a basic land can be in the combination of deck and sideboard. Cards with different art or in different languages or from different prints but which are the same card are considered the same. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.13.8 - Some cards are 'restricted' so that only one may appear in the combination of deck and sideboard. These cards are: [Update 2003/06/01] Ancestral Recall, Grim Monolith, Regrowth, Balance, Gush, Sol Ring, Black Lotus, Library of Alexandria, Strip Mine, Black Vise, Lotus Petal, Stroke of Genius, Braingeyser, Mana Crypt, Time Spiral, Channel, Mana Vault, Timetwister, Crop Rotation, Memory Jar, Time Walk, Demonic Consultation,Mind Over Matter, Tinker, Demonic Tutor, Mind's Desire, Tolarian Academy, Doomsday, Mind Twist, Vampiric Tutor, Dream Halls, Mox Diamond, Voltaic Key, Earthcraft, Mox Emerald, Wheel of Fortune, Enlightened Tutor, Mox Jet, Windfall, Entomb, Mox Pearl, Yawgmoth's Bargain, Fact or Fiction, Mox Ruby, Yawgmoth's Will, Fastbond, Mox Sapphire, Fork, Mystical Tutor, Frantic Search, Necropotence.
D.13.9 - Some cards are 'banned' so that none may appear in the deck or sideboard. These cards are: [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01] [Update 2000/09/01] Amulet of Quoz, Darkpact, Rebirth, Bronze Tablet, Demonic Attorney, Tempest Efreet, Chaos Orb, Falling Star, Timmerian Fiends, Contract from Below, Jeweled Bird.
D.13.Ruling.1 - Ring of Ma'ruf can only bring in cards from the sideboard or ones that were removed from the game by an effect such as Swords to Plowshares.
D.13.Ruling.2 - Square edged cards from the Collector's Editions are not legal.
D.13.Ruling.3 - Silver bordered cards from Unglued are not legal.
D.13.Ruling.4 - Championship deck cards with the non-standard back are not legal.

D.14 - Type 1.5 Tournament Format

D.14.1 - This is also called "Classic Restricted".
D.14.2 - Decks can be composed of cards from any edition or expansion of Magic (unless the judge says otherwise). Collector's Edition cards are not allowed. Promotional cards are allowed. The poker cards are not allowed (despite the April Fools article in the Duelist). The Championship decks are not allowed. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.14.3 - Portal and Starter cards are not allowed unless they have the same name as a legal card. In this case, they play as the legal card text and not the Portal or Starter card text. [Duelist Magazine #18, Page 44]
D.14.4 - New card sets become effective on the first day of the month following their introduction. If a set is released after the 15th day of a month, then the set's effective date is pushed out to the first of the second month. For example, a set released on January 8th is legal on February 1st, and one released on January 25th is legal on March 1st. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01] [bethmo 1999/02/24]
D.14.5 - Minimum of 60 cards in a deck. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.14.6 - Optional 'sideboard'. If you have one, it must be exactly 15 cards. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.14.7 - No more than 4 of any card (by name) which is not a basic land can be in the combination of deck and sideboard. Cards with different art or in different languages or from different prints but which are the same card are considered the same. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.14.8 - There is no 'restricted' list.
D.14.9 - Some cards are 'banned' so that none may appear in the deck or sideboard. These cards are: [Update 2003/06/01] Amulet of Quoz, Fastbond, Rebirth, Ancestral Recall, Fork, Regrowth, Balance, Frantic Search, Sol Ring, Black Lotus, Grim Monolith, Strip Mine, Black Vise, Gush, Stroke of Genius, Braingeyser, Jeweled Bird, Tempest Efreet, Bronze Tablet, Library of Alexandria, Time Spiral, Channel, Lotus Petal, Timetwister, Chaos Orb, Mana Crypt, Time Walk, Contract from Below, Mana Vault, Timmerian Fiends, Crop Rotation, Memory Jar, Tinker, Darkpact, Mind Over Matter, Tolarian Academy, Demonic Attorney, Mind's Desire, Vampiric Tutor, Demonic Consultation,Mind Twist, Voltaic Key, Demonic Tutor, Mox Diamond, Wheel of Fortune, Doomsday, Mox Emerald, Windfall, Dream Halls, Mox Jet, Yawgmoth's Bargain, Earthcraft, Mox Pearl, Yawgmoth's Will, Enlightened Tutor, Mox Ruby, Entomb, Mox Sapphire, Fact or Fiction, Mystical Tutor, Falling Star, Necropotence,
D.14.Ruling.1 - Square edged cards from the Collector's Editions are not legal.
D.14.Ruling.2 - Silver bordered cards from Unglued are not legal.
D.14.Ruling.3 - Championship deck cards with the non-standard back are not legal.

D.15 - Extended Tournament Format

D.15.1 - Can be composed of cards from any edition of the basic set from Sixth Edition on, plus any expansion of Magic from Tempest and newer. Collector's Edition cards are not allowed. Promotional cards are not allowed. The poker cards are not allowed (despite the April Fools article in the Duelist). The Championship decks are not allowed. To be more clear, Arabian Nights, Antiquities, Legends, The Dark, Fallen Empires, Ice Age, Homelands, Mirage, Visions, Weatherlight, Limited Edition, Unlimited Edition, Revised Edition, Fourth Edition, Fifth Edition, and Chronicles are disallowed unless they were reprinted in an allowed set.
D.15.2 - Portal or Starter cards are not allowed unless they have the same name as a legal card. In this case, they play as the legal card text and not the Portal or Starter card text. [Duelist Magazine #18, Page 44]
D.15.3 - New card sets become effective on the first day of the month following their introduction. If a set is released after the 15th day of a month, then the set's effective date is pushed out to the first of the second month. For example, a set released on January 8th is legal on February 1st, and one released on January 25th is legal on March 1st. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01] [bethmo 1999/02/24]
D.15.4 - Minimum of 60 cards in a deck. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.15.5 - Optional 'sideboard'. If you have one, it must be exactly 15 cards. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.15.6 - No more than 4 of any card (by name) which is not a basic land can be in the combination of deck and sideboard. Cards with different art or in different languages or from different prints but which are the same card are considered the same. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.15.7 - There is no 'restricted' list.
D.15.8 - The 'banned' list includes all cards from banned sets that have not been reprinted in a more recent set. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.15.9 - These cards are explicitly banned even though they are from legal sets: Dark Ritual, Mind Over Matter, Windfall, Demonic Consultation, Replenish, Yawgmoth's Bargain, Earthcraft, Survival of the Fittest, Yawgmoth's Will, Lotus Petal, Time Spiral, Memory Jar, Tolarian Academy.
D.15.Ruling.2 - Square edged cards from the Collector's Editions are not legal.
D.15.Ruling.3 - Silver bordered cards from Unglued are not legal.
D.15.Ruling.4 - Championship deck cards with the non-standard back are not legal.
Note - The DCI originally released this tournament format on 1997/05/01 as a replacement for Type 1.5 but decided on 1997/06/01 to change this decision and support both formats.

D.16 - Standard Tournament Format

D.16.1 - This is also called "Type 2" tournament style.
D.16.2 - Decks can be composed of cards from the most recent edition of The Gathering (currently Seventh Edition) and all sets from the two most recent "blocks" (currently Odyssey/Torment/Judgment and Onslaught/Legions/Scourge). A "block" is a stand-alone set and the two expansion sets which follow it. This means that cards stay in use for approximately two years. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.16.3 - Cards from previous editions or expansions which are in the current one are allowed. Collector's Edition and Championship deck cards are not allowed. Promo cards (which do not appear in a currently allowed set) are not allowed.
D.16.4 - Portal or Starter cards are not allowed unless they have the same name as a legal card. In this case, they play as the legal card text and not the Portal or Starter card text. [Duelist Magazine #18, Page 44]
D.16.5 - New card sets become effective on the first day of the month following their introduction. If a set is released after the 15th day of a month, then the set's effective date is pushed out to the first of the second month. For example, a set released on January 8th is legal on February 1st, and one released on January 25th is legal on March 1st. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01] [bethmo 1999/02/24]
D.16.6 - The policy for removal of sets is that each new edition of the base set replaces the previous edition. A new standalone set will start a new block, and thereby replace the oldest "block" in use. A new limited expansion will add itself to the current "block".
D.16.7 - Minimum of 60 cards in a deck. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.16.8 - Optional 'sideboard'. If you have one, it must be exactly 15 cards. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.16.9 - No more than 4 of any card (by name) which is not a basic land can be in the combination of deck and sideboard. Cards with different art or in different languages or from different prints but which are the same card are considered the same. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.16.10 - There is no 'restricted' list at this time.
D.16.11 - There is no 'banned' list at this time.
D.16.Ruling.1 - Snow-Covered lands are not legal because Ice Age is not legal.
D.16.Ruling.2 - Square edged cards from the Collector's Editions are not legal.
D.16.Ruling.3 - Silver bordered cards from Unglued are not legal.
D.16.Ruling.4 - The foil Lightning Bolts found in Urza's Destiny packs are not legal. [Donais 1999/06/08]
D.16.Ruling.5 - Championship deck cards with the non-standard back are not legal.

D.17 - Sealed Deck Formats

D.17.1 - Each player is given some number of unopened starter decks and/or booster packs. The DCI recommends 90 to 300 cards be given out. The standard way to do it is to provide one starter deck plus two 15 card boosters. The judge may also allow additional (usually 5) basic lands to be added to this. [Tournament Rules 1996/10/01]
D.17.2 - 45 minutes are given to construct the deck.
D.17.3 - Expansions are valid for sealed deck play as soon as they are released. There is no 30 day wait period. [Tournament Rules 1995/10/01]
D.17.4 - Minimum of 40 cards in the play deck. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.17.5 - All additional cards function as the 'sideboard'. The sideboard and deck size can change freely between duels. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.17.6 - Games are not played for ante. If a player gets a card that can only be played for ante, they should bring it to the head judge, who will replace it from a random stack of cards. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.17.7 - There are no restricted or banned cards. Ante cards are an exception (see Rule D.17.6). [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.17.8 - There is no "4 of a single card" limit. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]

D.18 - Block Constructed Deck Formats

D.18.1 - These formats follow the Standard (Type 2) tournament rules for deck construction but only allow cards from a given "block" rather than from the larger list of sets.
D.18.2 - The current "blocks" are: Ice Age/Homelands/Alliances, Mirage/Visions/Weatherlight, Tempest/Stronghold/Exodus, Urza's Saga/Urza's Legacy/Urza's Destiny, Mercadian Masques/Nemesis/Prophecy, Invasion/Planeshift/Apocalypse, and Odyssey/Torment/Judgment.
D.18.3 - Some cards are 'banned' from the Ice Age/Homelands/Alliances format so that none may appear in a deck or sideboard. These cards are: [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01] Amulet of Quoz, Thawing Glaciers, Timmerian Fiends, Zuran Orb This format is sanctioned as an Extended format. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.18.4 - Some cards are 'banned' from the Mirage/Visions/Weatherlight format so that none may appear in a deck or sideboard. These cards are: [Tournament Update 1997/06/01] Squandered Resources
D.18.5 - Some cards are 'banned' for the Tempest/Stronghold/Exodus format so that none may appear in a deck or sideboard. These cards are: [Tournament Update 1998/06/01] Cursed Scroll
D.18.6 - Some cards are 'banned' for the Urza's Saga/Urza's Legacy/ Urza's Destiny format so that none may appear in a deck or sideboard. These cards are: [Tournament Update 1999/03/01] [Update 1999/07/01] Gaea's Cradle, Time Spiral, Voltaic Key, Memory Jar, Tolarian Academy, Windfall, Serra's Sanctum,
D.18.7 - Some cards are 'banned' for the Mercadian Masques/Nemesis/Prophecy format so that none may appear in a deck or sideboard. These cards are: [Tournament Update 2000/06/01] Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero, Rishadan Port
D.18.8 - No cards are 'banned' for the Invasion/Planeshift/Apocalypse format.
D.18.9 - No cards are 'banned' for the Odyssey/Torment/Judgment format.
D.18.10 - No cards are 'banned' for the Onslaught/Legions/Scourge format.
D.18.Ruling.1 - Only cards explicitly banned from this format are banned. The Standard (Type 2) tournament list is not necessarily true.
D.18.Ruling.2 - The foil Lightning Bolts found in Urza's Destiny packs are not legal in the Urza block. [Donais 1999/06/08]

D.19 - Booster Draft Formats

D.19.1 - Players sit in groups of 7 or 8 players.
D.19.2 - In "Rochester Draft" format, each group starts with 3 booster packs per player. The judge lays out one booster pack (15 cards) on the table and players are given 20 seconds to review the cards. The first pick starts with the player on the judge's left and players pick one card each going around the table to the left. The second booster pack goes around the table to the right, starting on the judges' right. When the rotation gets to the last player, they pick 2 cards and the rotation reverses direction until the booster pack is depleted. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.19.3 - Each player gets 5 seconds to select a card, and touching one is considered selecting it. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.19.4 - Ante cards in initial boosters are replaced by tournament officials from a random stack of cards. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.19.5 - 20 minutes are given to construct the deck after drafting is complete. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.19.6 - Players may add as many basic lands as they want to the deck. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.19.7 - Minimum of 40 cards in the play deck. All other cards function as the sideboard (as in sealed deck play). [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]
D.19.8 - As an optional format, the judge may have players play Swiss format among their group with winners advancing every 3 to 4 rounds to new groups, where they draft up a new deck. [Tournament Rules 1997/10/01]

E - Extracted Rulings on Cards

E.1 - Alternate Cost Spells

E.1.1 - Alternate cost spells provide a way to cast them without paying the mana cost. This is typically worded "You may do <-something-> rather than paying this card's mana cost." [CompRules 1999/04/23]
E.1.2 - The non-mana cost is paid at the time you announce the spell or ability and is considered to be paying the mana cost (see Rule K.18) for you. [Duelist Magazine #11, Page 55, 1996/07/01]
E.1.3 - If there is a condition in the alternate cost, such as "if you control a plains, you may...", then this condition is tested only at the time you would pay the cost. If the condition stops being true later, the spell or ability still resolves as normal. [Nemesis FAQ 2000/02/07]
E.1.Ruling.1 - These are sometimes called 'Pitch spells' because the first alternate cost spells used discarding a card from your hand or removing a card in your hand from the game as the alternate cost. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.1.Ruling.2 - It does not actually change the mana cost of the spell for any reasons, including spells or abilities like Spell Blast. [Duelist Magazine #12, Page 32, 1996/09/01]
E.1.Ruling.3 - If there is a penalty on the play cost of the spell, such as Gloom on a Scars of the Veteran, you must pay the penalty even if you use the alternate cost to avoid the mana cost (see Rule K.18) portion of the play cost (see Rule K.20). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
E.1.Ruling.4 - You cannot use Sleight of Mind to stop an alternate cost spell which requires a card of a certain color to be discarded. This is because the costs are paid prior to the Sleight being usable. See Rule T.3.1. [Duelist Magazine #12, Page 32, 1996/09/01]
E.1.Ruling.5 - You cannot discard a spell card to pay for itself. [D'Angelo 1998/05/28] See Rule T.4.2.

E.2 - Cantrips

E.2.1 - A 'cantrip' is a spell which has an effect and also lets you draw a card as part of the effect. This can be done as part of the resolution, or it may be done during the next turn. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
E.2.Ruling.1 - If instructed to draw during the next turn, do so regardless of which player's turn that is. You'll often be drawing during your opponent's turn. [D'Angelo 1997/04/11]
E.2.Ruling.2 - If the spell has a target and all of its targets are illegal on resolution, then you will not get to draw a card. See Rule G.39.6. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.2.Ruling.3 - If the spell is countered, you do not get to draw a card. [Duelist Magazine #7, Page 8, 1995/10/01] See Rule G.7.2.
Note - Many of these cards received errata. It's best to check the card listing for details.

E.3 - Comes Into Play Abilities

E.3.1 - A card which says "When <-name of this card-> comes into play, do <-something->" sets up a triggered ability (see Rule A.4) which will trigger only on itself coming into play. After that, the ability is inactive. [WotC Rules Team 1998/03/31]
E.3.2 - A card which says "Whenever <-description of a class of permanents-> comes into play, do <-something->" sets up a triggered ability (see Rule A.4) that watches for anything matching the description. A card with this ability can trigger on itself entering play or on anything that enters play at the same time this card enters play. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, if two Mogg Bombers enter play simultaneously due to Living Death, both Mogg Bombers will trigger.
E.3.Ruling.1 - You can cast a spell that has a 'comes into play' ability even if you know that the ability itself cannot be played. For example, you can cast a Nekrataal when there are no legal creatures in play to target. Simply ignore any 'comes into play' abilities when deciding if you can play a spell. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.3.Ruling.2 - If the spell is countered (see Rule G.7), the permanent does not come into play so the ability does not trigger. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.3.Ruling.3 - If the card does not say there is a penalty for being unable to do the action, there is no penalty if you are unable to do it. You still do as much of the action as possible. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.3.Ruling.4 - Continuous effects that will apply after the permanent is in play are applied before deciding which abilities do and do not trigger. See Rule A.4.21. For example, if you play a land while Living Lands is in play, abilities which trigger off a land coming into play will trigger, and so will ones that trigger off a creature coming into play. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
E.3.Ruling.5 - 'Comes into play' abilities trigger no matter how the card is put into play. There is only one exception--phasing a card in will never trigger such abilities. See Rule G.27.9. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.3.Ruling.6 - 'Comes into play' abilities do not trigger when a card changes its type. For example, animating a land with Living Lands. They only trigger on something going from being out of play to being in play. [D'Angelo 1998/07/30]
Note - Also see Triggered Abilities, Rule A.4.

E.4 - Copy Cards

E.4.1 - Some cards in the game can become (or make) exact copies of other cards. These cards include Clone, Copy Artifact, Dance of Many, Echo Chamber, Fork, Unstable Shapeshifter, Vesuvan Doppelganger, and Volrath's Shapeshifter. Some copy cards can change what they copy and therefore have additional rules. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.4.2 - Copy cards read the printed characteristics (see Rule K.6) of the card or token, ignoring any changes made by other spells and abilities, including type changes, temporary effects such as Giant Growth or continuous effects. These characteristics become the new printed characteristics of the copy. The implication of changing the printed characteristics is that the copy itself can also be copied. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 503.2/3]
E.4.3 - When the copy card is played and it resolves, it is in all ways a copy. This means that anything that happens when it resolves or when it enters play will happen. For example, a copy of a Tetravus will enter play with three counters. And a copy of a Nevinyrral's Disk will enter play tapped. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 503.5]
E.4.4 - A copy card does not keep any of its own characteristics (see Rule K.6) unless otherwise stated on the card. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 503.9] This means it assumes the name, color, mana cost, and other characteristics.
E.4.5 - If there are any choices that have to be made to define the card being copied, those choices are not copied. All choices are considered to be zero if numeric or not made otherwise. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 505.6] There is one exception. If the copy comes into play (as opposed to changing form in play) any "as it comes into play" choices can made at the time the copy is made. For example, copying a Chameleon Spirit with a Clone allows you to choose a new color. But doing the same copy with an Unstable Shapeshifter would not. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 505.6] Choices made on playing the card or after the card is in play are never copied. For example, any X in the mana cost is considered to be zero and anything tied to payments of the mana cost are considered unpaid. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 505.7]
E.4.6 - If the copy card can change forms, any choices made on the original form persist even if they are useless. These choices may become valid again if a later form acts for a compatible choice. For example, if a Vesuvan Doppelganger copies a Chameleon Spirit on entering play, it lets you choose a color (let's say "blue"). If it later shifts to copying a Quirion Elves, which also requires a color choice, this choice is applied (so the Elves make blue mana). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 503.8]
E.4.7 - If the copy card can change forms, any ability usage restrictions are not honored. If a permanent had "use this ability only once per turn" or "you can spend no more than <-amount of mana-> this way each turn", and it changes to another permanent, you can use the new ability even if it is exactly the same text for the old ability. The restriction will not carry over. [D'Angelo 2001/09/17]
E.4.8 - If the copy card can change forms, it does not trigger any "comes into play" abilities (see Rule E.3) when it changes to a new form. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 503.4] This means that changing to a Nekrataal will not allow you to destroy a creature.
E.4.9 - If the copy card can change forms, it does not get any counters or other benefits (or penalties) the copied permanent would get when played, nor do you have to pay any costs that are normally paid when playing that permanent. [WotC Rules Team 1994/07/27] For example, when switching to a Tetravus it gets no counters. And when switching to a Minion of the Wastes you do not pay any life.
E.4.10 - If the copy card can change forms, it does not trigger any "leaves play" effects when it changes to a copy a different permanent. But, any effects which were waiting for it to leave play will trigger when the copy card itself leaves play. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 503.4] For example, if a Vesuvan Doppelganger is a copy of a Gaea's Liege and it changes to a new form, the lands it changed into Forests will not revert until the Doppelganger's card actually leaves play.
E.4.11 - Whenever a card refers to itself by name, it means "this card" even if it changes its name by changing what it is copying. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 503.11]
E.4.12 - When a copy card copies a spell, all characteristics are copied and so are all choices. This includes targets, the value of X, and optional additional costs such as Buyback. Choices made on resolution are not copied. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 503.10]
E.4.13 - A copy of a spell is also a spell. A copy of a spell ceases to exist when it leaves the stack. This is a state-based effect. [WotC Rules Team 2002/10/01]
E.4.Ruling.1 - Most copy cards are not targeted. You can play them any time a creature would be legal to cast. They have you choose a card to copy as they enter play. If there is no valid choice, then it will not copy anything and will enter with the characteristics printed on the copy card itself. Some copy cards are targeted (notably Fork) and so they require a target in order to be played at all. [D'Angelo 2001/08/31]
E.4.Ruling.2 - If a copy card is brought into play by a means other than playing it, then you must choose a thing to copy at the time it would enter play. See Rule G.28.4. [D'Angelo 2001/08/31]
E.4.Ruling.3 - Because of Rule E.4.2, a copy card can copy something that is only of the appropriate type due to an effect. The copy card ignores all effects on the thing it is copying, however. For example, a Clone could target a Chimeric Staff that is currently animated into a creature. This is because the game thinks it is a creature and allows such a target. If it does so, however, the copy is simply the base Chimeric Staff card and it is not a creature (but it does have the Staff's ability to turn into a creature). This is because the copy effect does see past the temporary effect. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 503.2]
E.4.Ruling.4 - If a copy card copies another permanent which is a copy, then the printed values of the thing being copied are used (unless there are some characteristics that were not copied). [D'Angelo 2001/08/31]
E.4.Ruling.5 - Effects played on the copy card override the characteristics it is copying. For example, a Vesuvan Doppelganger with a Flight enchantment on it will still be Flying after changing forms. And a Vesuvan Doppelganger modified by Ashnod's Transmogrant will act as a Transmogrified version of the creature it copies even if it changes creatures. [Aahz 1994/08/08]
E.4.Ruling.6 - Creature copy cards that target a creature cannot target a Licid which is in enchantment form, because the current type is not creature. [D'Angelo 2002/01/10] See Rule E.4.2.
E.4.Ruling.7 - A copy card of a token creature is still a card and not a token. [WotC Rules Team 1994/06/01]
E.4.Ruling.8 - If the copy card can change forms, and it changes to copy a Legend (see Rule K.17) in play, it will be the newer copy of that Legend in play and will be put into the graveyard (see Rule K.17.1) even if the copy card itself was in play longer. [WotC Rules Team 1998/03/31]
E.4.Ruling.9 - Copy cards do not copy Magical Hack or Sleight of Mind or other textual changes. [WotC Rules Team 1998/03/31]
E.4.Ruling.10 - All text is copied, including "counts as" text. [bethmo 1998/07/07]
E.4.Ruling.11 - When a copy is made of a permanent that had its Kicker cost (see Rule A.24) paid, the Kicker has not been paid for the copy. [DeLaney 2000/10/19]
Note - See Rule E.5.Ruling.4 for rules on copying a face down permanent.
Note - Also see Characteristics, Rule K.6.

E.5 - Face Down Cards

E.5.1 - Face down cards in the removed from game zone (see Rule Z.8) or phased out zone (see Rule Z.7) cannot be looked at by any player. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
E.5.2 - Face down cards in play or on the stack may be looked at by the player that controls the card, but not by other players. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
E.5.3 - If you control multiple face down cards or tokens in play, you must mark them or otherwise make it clear which is which. This includes, but is not limited to tracking the order the permanents entered play and which creature attacked last turn. Dice, tokens, and location on the table are common techniques for tracking face down permanents. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
E.5.4 - Face down permanents in play are 2/2 (if creatures), have no color, text, expansion symbol, or name, have no creature type or other subtype, and have a mana cost {0}. Usually, the spell or ability that makes a card become face down will override the defaults by specifying at least some of the above, but if not specified these are the defaults. [D'Angelo 2002/09/19]
E.5.5 - Face down spells on the stack are considered spells with the same characteristics the card will have when it enters play face down. See Rule E.5.4. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
E.5.6 - Face down cards in play are revealed when they leave the in-play zone (except if phasing out), even if in the new zone the card would also be face down. They are also revealed at the end of the game. This allows everyone to ensure that the game was played fairly. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
E.5.Ruling.1 - The spell or ability that turns a card face down will specify the requirements under which the card can be turned face up. For example, the Morph ability (see Rule A.29) requires you to pay the Morph cost as a requirement to turn it face-up while it is in play. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
E.5.Ruling.2 - Turning a card face up does not trigger any "comes into play" triggered abilities. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
E.5.Ruling.3 - Turning a card face up does not change its state, such as whether or not it is tapped, what effects or tokens are on it, whether it has "summoning sickness", or so on. Only the characteristics change away from the face-down definition. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
E.5.Ruling.4 - If a face down card is copied, the current characteristics are copied. If the face down card was played with Morph (see Rule A.29), the copy does not get the Morph ability to turn face up. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
E.5.Ruling.5 - Phasing in and out does not turn a face down card face up or otherwise reveal it. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
E.5.Ruling.6 - Turning a face down creature card face up after blocking assignment will not undo any now-illegal blocking decisions. [Onslaught FAQ 2002/09/24]
E.5.Ruling.7 - Only the card itself is face down. Any enchantments on it are still face up and counters on it are visible. [D'Angelo 2002/10/09]
E.5.Ruling.8 - Face down creatures are not considered to have the Morph ability or any other ability. [Onslaught FAQ 2002/09/24]
E.5.Ruling.9 - If a copy card is turned face down, its base characteristics are retained until it turns face up. If it had the Morph ability when turned face down, then that ability can be used to turn it face up. [Jordan 2003/02/16]
E.5.Ruling.10 - It is possible for some changeable copy cards to be face down at the time they would be changed. If this occurs, the change modifies the face-down characteristics. For example, if a Vesuvan Doppelganger is copying a creature with Morph at the beginning of your upkeep, Backslide could be used to turn it face down before the triggered ability resolves. Then, when the ability resolves, it would take on the new form for its face-down characteristics. [Jordan 2003/02/16]
Note - Also see Morph, Rule A.29.
Note - Also see Illusionary Mask.

E.6 - Fog Effects

E.6.1 - A fog effect is an effect that prevents combat damage which would be dealt by or dealt to a creature (see Rule C.1.8). [D'Angelo 2000/01/16]
E.6.Ruling.1 - Only damage dealt due to the combat damage step in the combat phase is stopped by a fog effect. Damage from spells and abilities which is done during the combat phase is not stopped. See Rule C.1.8. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
E.6.Ruling.2 - Does not prevent a creature from being affected by a blocking ability such as Thicket Basilisk's. [Duelist Magazine #2, Page 8, 1994/08/01]
E.6.Ruling.3 - Does not prevent Is Not Blocked abilities (see Rule E.7) from being used. [Aahz 1994/12/19]
E.6.Ruling.4 - If a single creature is under a Fog effect and it is a member of a band, it can still contribute Banding (see Rule A.8) to the band. [Aahz 1994/08/31]

E.7 - Is Not Blocked Ability

E.7.1 - An ability written as "If <-this card-> attacks and is not blocked, you [may] do <-something->" is known as an 'Is Not Blocked' ability or as a 'saboteur' ability. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.7.2 - This is a triggered ability (see Rule A.4) that triggers on the declaration of blockers if the creature is attacking and it was not blocked. [Aahz 1997/08/18] If the ability is optional, you have to decide at that time if you want to play it. You cannot wait until later. [Aahz 1997/03/17]
E.7.3 - If a creature has multiple Is Not Blocked abilities, even multiple copies of the same ability, all of them can be used. [Duelist Magazine #4, Page 6, 1995/02/01]
E.7.Ruling.1 - Some of these abilities have a targeted part and an untargeted part of making the attacking creature not deal damage. If the targeted part of the ability finds its target is illegal, then the untargeted part is ignored (see Rule G.39.6). [Duelist Magazine #6, Page 132, 1995/08/01] It is common for the untargeted part to be "this creature deals no damage", which is ignored if the target is illegal. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.7.Ruling.2 - The ability can be used even if a fog effect (see Rule E.6) or some other Is Not Blocked ability has made it so the creature cannot deal damage. [Duelist Magazine #4, Page 6, 1995/02/01]

E.8 - Licids

E.8.1 - A Licid is a type of creature that can become a creature enchantment, reside on other creatures for a while, and then revert back to being a creature. [Tempest, Page 7]
E.8.2 - When a Licid becomes a creature enchantment, it loses all abilities and gains whatever ability is listed in the card text. It also stops being whatever kind of permanent it was and becomes a local creature enchantment (see Rule K.12.2). It retains all other characteristics (see Rule K.6) including name, color, and so on. [Tempest, Page 8] [WotC Rules Team 1997/12/18]
E.8.3 - The Licid ability targets the creature it will be enchanting. If the target becomes illegal before the ability starts to resolve, then the ability is ignored and the Licid will remain unchanged. [Tempest, Page 9]
E.8.4 - When a Licid changes form, any counters, effects, and damage on it remain on it until they would normally be removed (if ever). If the counters or effects make no sense when applied to the current card type, then they do not do anything. But if the Licid returns to being a of the proper card type, they may take effect again. [D'Angelo 1998/07/24] For example, a +1/+1 counter from Dwarven Weaponsmith would remain, the effect of Giant Growth will wear off at end of turn, and damage will be removed at end of turn.
E.8.Ruling.1 - Generally, the cost of using a Licid's ability includes tapping it. This means that when it moves onto the creature, it will be a tapped local enchantment. The enchantment's ability will work normally, though, and the card will untap during your next untap step. [Tempest, Page 9]
E.8.Ruling.2 - A Licid will not get summoning sickness (see Rule G.37) by enchanting an opponent's permanent. You are still controlling the Licid. [D'Angelo 1997/10/15]
E.8.Ruling.3 - If a Licid is enchanting a creature that phases out, the Licid phases out with the creature, and when it phases back in it will phase in still as a local enchantment. [D'Angelo 2000/04/04]
E.8.Ruling.4 - When in creature enchantment form, it can be moved onto another creature with an enchantment moving spell or ability (see Rule E.9). It stays as an enchantment. [WotC Rules Team 1998/02/01]
E.8.Ruling.5 - If a Licid targets itself, it will see itself as a legal target at the beginning of resolution. It will then turn into an enchantment and try to enchant itself. Rule K.12.6 kicks in at this point and says this is illegal, so the Licid is placed into the graveyard. [Jordan 2002/01/11]
E.8.Ruling.6 - If a Licid targets a creature that cannot be enchanted, it will still move through to resolution because the Licid's text does not require its target to be a legal thing to enchant. During resolution it will then turn into an enchantment and try to enchant its target. Since the target is illegal, the Licid is placed into the graveyard. [Jordan 2002/01/11]

E.9 - Moving Enchantments

E.9.1 - Several spells and abilities can result in the moving of a local enchantment from one permanent to another. For example, Enchantment Alteration and Crown of the Ages. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.9.2 - When moving an enchantment, nothing changes about the enchantment other than the thing it enchants and its timestamp for deciding how its effects are ordered with other effects. The timestamp is set to the time at which the enchantment was moved. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
E.9.3 - The enchantment is not considered as if "just cast". [WotC Rules Team 1998/05/01]
E.9.4 - You cannot try to move an enchantment onto a permanent it cannot legally enchant. Creatures which cannot be enchanted, or ones with Protection from Color (see Rule A.31) are illegal things to enchant. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.8d]
E.9.Ruling.1 - None of the enchantment moving spells and abilities require the targeting of the new destination of the enchantment, so you can move the enchantment onto a permanent that could not normally be targeted by a spell or ability. [Mirage, Page 56] For example, you can move an enchantment onto Deadly Insect.
E.9.Ruling.2 - If you move an enchantment such as Firebreathing after mana has been spent to pump it up, the effects of the pumping are applied to whatever creature Firebreathing enchants when it resolves. It does not lock in the affected creature on announcement. [D'Angelo 1999/06/08]
E.9.Ruling.3 - If the enchantment was targeted by a spell or ability prior to being moved, the moving will not cause the targeting to fail. It is still the same enchantment. [D'Angelo 1995/09/26]
E.9.Ruling.4 - When the enchantment is moved, any effects on the enchantment stay on it. For example, the enchantments that play whenever you can play an instant and are scheduled to be destroyed at end of turn will still be destroyed at end of turn if they are moved. [Duelist Magazine #16, Page 24, 1997/04/01]

E.10 - Poison

E.10.1 - Poison counters are poison counters no matter what the source is. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.10.2 - A player loses the game if they have 10 (or more) such counters at the time state-based effects are checked. See Rule T.11. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
E.10.3 - The "lose if you have 10 poison counters" effect is built into the poison counters. You do not need a poison generating card in play for the rule to take effect. [D'Angelo 1996/10/01]

E.11 - Tap and Hold Abilities

E.11.1 - Abilities for which you tap the card, and the effects last as long as the card is tapped are called 'tap and hold effects'. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.11.2 - These abilities generate continuous effects that last until the card is untapped. This is similar to a normal time duration effect such as "until end of turn", but is "until the card which generated the effect stops being tapped". [D'Angelo 1995/09/12] See Rule T.8.
E.11.Ruling.1 - Although these cards usually only say "as long as <-this card-> remains tapped", they also mean "and is in play". A card which is not in play cannot be still tapped. [WotC Rules Team 1996/02/06]
E.11.Ruling.2 - If the card which generated the ability untaps before its tap and hold ability actually resolves, the tap and hold effect never takes effect at all. [CompRules 1999/04/23] See Rule T.8.
E.11.Ruling.3 - The effect continues even if the card loses its abilities. It only ends if the card untaps or leaves play. [D'Angelo 1995/09/12] This is possible if an artifact is animated by Titania's Song or a land changes type by Phantasmal Terrain.
E.11.Ruling.4 - If one of these cards or its target leaves play temporarily by phasing out (see Rule G.27) or otherwise leaving play, the effect will end and will not restart when it re-enters play. [D'Angelo 1996/10/15]

E.12 - Templates

E.12.1 - The choice of wording on Magic cards is called templating. Here are some templates and cross-references to their related rules.
E.12.Ruling.1 - Something that affects "each X and Y" affects everything that counts as an X and/or counts as a Y. It will not affect anything twice. [WotC Rules Team 1995/11/10]
E.12.Ruling.2 - The text "(this still counts as a land)" means the same as "(if this was a land, it still is a land)". [bethmo 1999/04/10]
E.12.Ruling.3 - The template "Do A unless you do B" means the same thing as saying "You may do B. If you don't, do A." In other words, you choose whether or not to do B. If you don't do B (or can't do B), then you must do A. If you can't do A, you are not forced to do B. [CompRules 1999/11/01] For example "return a permanent you control to your hand unless you pay 2 life". You can pay 2 life. Or you can choose to not pay 2 life, in which case you return a permanent you control to your hand. If you have no permanent to return, you can still choose to not pay the 2 life.
E.12.Ruling.4 - The template "Before ~this~ comes into play" refers to something that is done before doing any "as ~this~ comes into play", "~this~ comes into play with something or in some state", and before "When ~this~ comes into play". [DeLaney 1999/08/09]
E.12.Ruling.5 - The three templates "Do A. Do B", "Do A and do B", and "Do A, then do B" all mean to do A first, then do B. If something is supposed to be simultaneous, the card should say "at the same time" or "simultaneously". [bethmo 1999/11/17]
E.12.Ruling.6 - If a spell or ability says you can do an action "as though" some condition were true, the condition is not considered true for any action other than the one specified. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
E.12.Ruling.7 - The template "any time you could play <-something->" means "if the rules of the game allow you to play a <-something-> at this time, regardless of whether you actually have a <-something-> to play". [CompRules 1999/11/01] For example, "any time you could play an instant" works out to mean the same thing as "any time you have priority" since you can always play an instant if you have priority (unless some effect is preventing you from playing an instant). [DeLaney 1999/12/11]

E.13 - Text Changing

E.13.1 - Effects that change words on cards only change words of the appropriate type used in the appropriate way. For example, Sleight of Mind only changes color words that are being used to indicate a color. It will not affect these words appearing in card names or other contexts. [WotC Rules Team 2002/10/01]
E.13.2 - An ability added to a permanent through the use of quoted text does not actually add that quoted text to the card. It adds the ability described by the text. [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01] This rule means that you cannot alter the text on the affected card using Sleight of Mind and similar cards.
E.13.3 - A card with a zero mana cost may specify that it has a color in its card text. This text is considered explanatory and is not an ability. The text is subject to text changing effects such as Sleight of Mind. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
E.13.Ruling.1 - You may still use text altering spells and abilities such as from Sleight of Mind. These spells and abilities can be used when there is no text to alter (or when text only exists in a potential form) and once the ability appears (when Threshold is met), the alteration will be applied to the text as it would have been had the text been there the whole time. [Barclay 2001/10/22]

E.14 - Vanguard Cards

E.14.1 - The effects of Vanguard cards are treated like the first effects in play during the game. They can be overridden by later effects, just like any other effect can. [Aahz 1997/07/21]
E.14.2 - Vanguard cards are only legal if they are allowed in the given tournament format, or if not in a tournament and all players agree to allow them. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
E.14.3 - Abilities of a Vanguard card have no color. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
E.14.4 - Damage from a Vanguard card is not considered to come from a permanent of any type or a source of any color. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
E.14.5 - A Vanguard card is not considered a Magic "card" so it cannot be affected by any spells or abilities. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
E.14.Ruling.1 - The Barrin card does not target the creature, so untargetable creatures are not immune. [D'Angelo 1998/01/06]
E.14.Ruling.2 - Crovax triggers once per player or creature damaged, and not once per point of damage. [bethmo 1998/01/07]
E.14.Ruling.3 - A player with Gerrard who goes first skips one draw in the first draw step, not both of them. [Aahz 1997/08/10]
E.14.Ruling.4 - Orim gives the option of blocking as if the creature had Flying. You can choose to block as if you did not have Flying. This is useful with Chaosphere. [bethmo 1998/01/07]

G - Game Terms and Rules

G.1 - Activation Cost

G.1.1 - An activation cost is the cost to use an activated ability (see Rule A.2). It is usually written on a card as "<-cost->: <-effect->", but it can also appear as "you may <-pay cost-> to <-do effect->". [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Note - Also see Costs (Rule G.6).
Note - Also see Play Cost (Rule K.20).

G.2 - Caster

G.2.1 - The caster of a spell is the one who announced the spell. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.2.Ruling.1 - The caster is almost always the owner of the card, but if Grinning Totem is used, the caster may differ from the owner. [bethmo 1996/10/14]
Note - Also see Controller (Rule G.5).
Note - Also see Owner (Rule G.26).

G.3 - Color

G.3.1 - Black, Blue, Green, Red, and White are the only colors in the game. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.3.2 - "Colorless" means "without any color". "Colorless" is not a valid choice for a color. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.3.Ruling.1 - Artifact is not a color, it is a card type. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.3.Ruling.2 - Land is not a color, it is a card type. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.3.Ruling.3 - Gold is not a color. It is just the background color used on cards which have more than one color in their mana cost. [D'Angelo 1999/08/31]
Note - Also see Color of a Spell/Permanent (Rule K.7).

G.4 - Colorless Mana

G.4.1 - Colorless mana is mana which has no color. Some spells and abilities may generate this kind of mana. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.4.2 - Colorless mana is specified in text such as "one colorless mana". [D'Angelo 2002/02/01] Colorless mana may also be specified on cards using a gray circle with a number in it. [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01]
Note - Also see Generic Mana (Rule G.17).

G.5 - Controller

G.5.1 - The controller of a spell or activated ability on the stack is the player who played the spell or activated ability. The controller for a triggered ability is covered by Rule A.4.9 through Rule A.4.11. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.5.2 - The controller of a permanent starts as the one who puts it into play, regardless of who controls the spell or ability that instructed the player to put it there. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
G.5.3 - The controller of a permanent may be changed by a spell or ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.5.4 - If there are multiple control changes on a single permanent, the most recent control effect determines who controls the permanent. If an effect ends, control reverts to the next most recent control effect, or to the starting controller if there are no other control effects. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.5.5 - The text "you" or "your" on a card always refers to the controller. Similarly, use of imperative language (which means directed instructions such as "discard a card") also refers to the controller. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.5.Ruling.1 - The controller of the effect of a spell or ability is the same as the controller of the spell or ability itself. [WotC Rules Team 1997/06/01]
Note - Changing the controller of a permanent does not change the controller of local enchantments on that permanent. See Rule K.12.9.

G.6 - Costs

G.6.1 - Spells and activated abilities have a cost you must pay when playing that spell or ability. This cost is paid during announcement. In addition, you may be instructed to pay costs during the resolution of a spell or ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.6.2 - The most common costs are mana payments, tapping a permanent (see Rule G.38), payment of life (see Rule G.19), and sacrifices (see Rule G.33), but a cost can be anything. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.6.3 - The payment of a cost is unpreventable if you have the required resources (most often this is mana). Effects may prevent you from having the resource available. For example, the cost may be raised by Gloom or a card may not be tappable due to Volrath's Curse. [D'Angelo 1996/11/07]
G.6.4 - You cannot pay a cost if you do not have the resource available. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.6.5 - If costs combine due to an effect into something that is contradictory, then you cannot pay the cost at all. [Aahz 1997/02/16] For example, you cannot both sacrifice a card and send that same card to your hand.
G.6.6 - Costs can be modified by replacement effects (see Rule T.10). [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.6.Ruling.1 - Once you pay a cost you cannot get it back, even if the spell or ability is countered (see Rule G.7). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.6.Ruling.2 - You cannot pay a cost which requires a life payment if you have zero or less life or if the payment will bring you below zero life. [CompRules 1999/04/23] See Rule G.6.3 and Rule G.19.6.
G.6.Ruling.3 - You cannot tap a tapped card or untap an untapped card as part of a cost. [D'Angelo 1996/12/23] See Rule G.38.2 and Rule G.43.2.
G.6.Ruling.4 - Since each spell or ability is announced separately, and each cost is paid with each announcement, a single resource cannot be used to pay multiple costs. For example, you cannot sacrifice one creature to pay two sacrifice costs, and you cannot cast two spells using the same point of mana. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.6.Ruling.5 - A cost cannot be paid accidentally. It can only be paid during the announcement of a spell or ability. For example, you cannot cause a Prodigal Sorcerer to deal damage by making it become tapped. You must actually announce the use of its ability and tap it during that announcement as part of the cost in order to make it deal damage. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.6.Ruling.6 - You can both tap and sacrifice a card at once. This is not a contradictory cost (as per Rule G.6.5). [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
Note - Also see Activation Cost (Rule G.1).
Note - Also see Mana Cost (Rule K.18).
Note - Also see Play Cost (Rule K.20).

G.7 - Countering Spells and Abilities

G.7.1 - A spell or ability may be countered at any time it is on the stack (see Rule T.2) before it resolves. See Rule T.5. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.7.2 - When a spell is countered, it is removed from the stack (see Rule T.2) and placed in its owner's graveyard. The spell never resolves and has no effect. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.7.Ruling.1 - Once a spell or ability is countered, it is no longer on the stack, so any other spells targeting it will later fail since it is an illegal target. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.7.Ruling.2 - Costs (see Rule G.6) paid when playing the spell or ability are lost. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.7.Ruling.3 - The spell or ability is still considered "successfully played" (see Rule T.5) because it was successfully put onto the stack. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] Note that "successfully played" means "successfully announced".
Note - Spells (see Rule K.23) and abilities (see Rule A.1) are different things, and counterspells usually work on one or the other. For example, a Power Sink counters a spell so cannot target a Prodigal Sorcerer's ability. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

G.8 - Counters

G.8.1 - Counters are used to keep track of long-term changes to a permanent. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.8.2 - Counters of the same name are interchangeable. For example, Poison counters from all sources are still Poison counters. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.8.3 - Counters with just a value, such as +1/+1, are interchangeable with other counters with exactly the same value. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, a Spike Drone can move its counter onto a Tetravus and the Tetravus could use the counter.
G.8.4 - Counters are considered to apply themselves to the permanent just after the initial characteristics of that permanent, and before any effects are applied. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.8.5 - Counters remain on a permanent even if they currently do not apply. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, if a Mishra's Factory gets a +1/+1 counter while it is a creature, the counter will remain when it turns back into a land, and it will still be there if it later turns back into a creature. Similarly, a Licid will keep a +1/+1 counter even while it is in enchantment form.
Note - Also see Token Creatures, Rule K.25.

G.9 - Counts As

G.9.1 - If a card "Counts as <-something->" then the card is in all ways a <-something->. For example, Wall of Spears is a Wall because it says "Counts as a wall" in its text. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.9.2 - Counts as text applies no matter what zone (see Rule Z.1) the card is in. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.9.3 - Counts as text is not considered an ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Note - All cards that used "Counts As" text have received errata, so this set of rules is pretty much obsolete in a strict sense. It is provided here because it helps interpret printed cards without needing to look at the current errata.

G.10 - Damage

G.10.1 - Damage dealt to a player results in an equivalent loss of life (see Rule G.21). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.10.2 - Damage done to a creature remains on that creature until the end of turn (actually the Cleanup Step, see Rule P.13). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.10.3 - Damage is not removed if a permanent stops being a creature. The damage will be there if it becomes a creature again later in the same turn. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.10.4 - If you get to choose how damage is to be distributed among multiple permanents or players, then you can only distribute whole number values, and you cannot choose zero. If a spell or ability lets you choose how much total damage is dealt, you can choose zero. [Duelist Magazine #7, Page 100, 1995/10/01]
G.10.5 - Damage can only be assigned to a creature or player. If a spell or ability resolves to find that a permanent it was going to damage is no longer a creature, then it will not assign damage to it. [Bethmo 1999/12/10]
G.10.Ruling.1 - Dealing zero damage to something means the same thing as not dealing damage at all. Nothing which triggers on damage being dealt will trigger on zero damage. [D'Angelo 1999/06/12]
Note - Also see Damage Prevention, Rule G.11.
Note - Also see Damage Redirection, Rule G.12.
Note - Also see Creature Power and Toughness, Rule K.10.
Note - Damage is "combat damage" only if it is done due to the combat damage part of the combat phase. See Rule C.5.
Note - A creature has "lethal damage" if it has at least as much damage on it as it has toughness. See Rule K.10.4.

G.11 - Damage Prevention

G.11.1 - Spells and abilities which prevent damage must be played (and resolve) before the damage is dealt, which happens when the spell or ability dealing the damage resolves. They set up a protective "shield" around the player or creature and prevent the damage from being dealt. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.11.2 - Damage prevention spells and abilities can be played even if there is no damage to prevent at the time. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.11.3 - If the spell or ability prevents a specific amount of damage, you choose which of the points of damage you want to prevent at the time the damage would be dealt. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.11.4 - If the spell or ability restricts your choice, such as to just damage from a single source, you must follow that restriction. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.11.5 - If the spell or ability has restrictions on the damage's source, such as only from a creature of a given color, those restrictions are checked when the damage would be prevented (in addition to when choosing the source). This means that if the source changes color (or whatever characteristic is being checked) that the damage might not be prevented. [WotC Rules Team 2000/04/04]
G.11.6 - Unpreventable damage will not use up points of a damage prevention "shield" that counts points of damage. [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01]
G.11.7 - Unpreventable damage will not use up a general damage prevention "shield". [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01]
G.11.Ruling.1 - If damage is prevented, it is never considered "dealt", so any side-effects of that damage will also be prevented. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.11.Ruling.2 - Damage prevention spells and abilities do not target damage. They just target what the card says they target. [WotC Rules Team 1997/07/03]
G.11.Ruling.3 - Damage prevention spells and abilities often have you pick a source of damage. A source is a permanent, spell on the stack, or any card or permanent referenced by a spell, ability, or combat damage on the stack (including the source of that ability or damage if the source is no longer in play). You cannot choose other things, such as an unused Hammer of Bogardan in a player's graveyard. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
G.11.Ruling.4 - It is possible to receive damage from the same source in multiple "chunks" at one time (as with Earthquake being used while Treacherous Link is in play, which would cause that creature's Earthquake damage to be redirected to the player). In this case, a single damage prevention shield (like a Circle of Protection: Red) can be applied to the merging of the "chunks" because all of the damage is being dealt at one time. [Barclay 2002/04/22]
Note - Also see Damage, Rule G.10.
Note - Also see Damage Redirection, Rule G.12.
Note - Also see Replacement and Prevention Effects, Rule T.10.

G.12 - Damage Redirection

G.12.1 - A spell or ability may cause damage to be "redirected" from a creature or player to another creature or player. This is a replacement effect (see Rule T.10) indicated by the word "instead" such as "all damage that would be dealt to this creature is dealt to you instead". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.12.2 - Damage redirection spells and abilities can be played even if there is no damage to redirect. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.12.3 - If the spell or ability redirects a specific amount of damage, you choose which of the points of damage you want to redirect at the time the damage would be dealt. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.12.4 - If the spell restricts your choice, such as to just damage from a single source, you must follow that restriction. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.12.5 - Redirected damage is actually dealt by the source to the new location directly. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] Damage is not dealt to the original location and then moved.
G.12.6 - If either the original recipient of the damage or the new one is not a creature or player, or is not in play (for multi-player games this includes players who leave the game), a damage redirection effect does nothing. [WotC Rules Team 2000/02/16] [DeLaney 2000/02/18] The prevention or redirection effect is "used up" in this case, however. [D'Angelo 2000/02/25]
G.12.7 - If combat damage is redirected to a creature not in the combat, it is still combat damage. [D'Angelo 2001/06/15]
G.12.8 - If damage from a single source is redirected by multiple redirection effects to a single destination, then the damage from all of those redirections arrives as a single chunk of damage from that source as if the source damaged that destination directly. For example, if Lancers en-Kor was used three times to redirect 1 damage three times to a destination, this is identical to using a single redirection of 3 damage. [Barclay 2003/02/21]
Note - Also see Damage, Rule G.10.
Note - Also see Damage Prevention, Rule G.11.
Note - Also see Replacement and Prevention Effects, Rule T.10.

G.13 - Destroy

G.13.1 - To "destroy" a permanent (see Rule K.19) is to place it into its owner's graveyard from play. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.13.2 - A creature can regenerate (see Rule G.29) if it is destroyed. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Note - Destroying a permanent is just one way to put it into the graveyard. There are other ways which do not count as destroying the permanent.

G.14 - Discard

G.14.1 - To "discard" a card is to place it into your graveyard from your hand. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.14.2 - If you have to discard more than one card in a single effect, all the cards are chosen and discarded at one time (unless otherwise noted on the card). [Duelist Magazine #18, Page 55, 1997/08/01] You decide the order the cards get stacked in the graveyard (see Rule Z.3.3). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.14.Ruling.1 - You cannot discard a card just because you want to. You can only discard if a game rule or spell or ability tells you to do so. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.14.Ruling.2 - A spell or ability may have you put a card from your hand into the graveyard. This is not a discard unless the word "discard" is used in the spell or ability. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.14.Ruling.3 - If you are asked to discard, and it does not specify how the card to discard is chosen, then the discarding player chooses. [Mirage, Page 54]
G.14.Ruling.4 - A discard is not forced if it is done as part of a cost, and it is forced if it is done as part of an effect. [D'Angelo 1997/06/11]
G.14.Ruling.5 - A discard done as part of an effect is forced even if you have the option of doing something to avoid the discard. [Duelist Magazine #14, Page 26, 1996/12/01]

G.15 - Draw

G.15.1 - When asked to "draw" a card, you take the top card from your library (see Rule Z.6) and put it into your hand. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.15.Ruling.1 - An effect is a draw only if it says so. Being told to take a card from your library and put it in your hand is not a draw. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.15.Ruling.2 - If you are required to draw more than one card due to a single action, the draws happen in sequence. For example, "draw 3 cards" works just like "Draw a card. Draw a card. Draw a card." [Jackson 1999/12/07] The result of this is that replacement effects which affect the drawing of cards are applied one draw at a time. For example, with Abundance, you choose how to use it before each card. And with Field of Dreams, each and every card is face up along the way. [Jackson 1999/12/07]
G.15.Ruling.3 - Abilities which replace a single draw may be played on a multiple card draw. The replacement effect (see Rule T.10) happens prior to drawing the un-replaced cards. [D'Angelo 1997/06/11]
Note - A player loses the game (see Rule G.20) as a state-based effect if they have to draw a card and their library is empty. See Rule Z.6.8. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

G.16 - Exchange

G.16.1 - A spell or ability may instruct players to exchange something. For example, life totals or control of two permanents. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.16.2 - The exchange effect fails to do anything if any part of the exchange cannot take place. For example, if a spell attempts to exchange control of two target creatures but one of them is destroyed before it resolves, the spell does nothing. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.16.3 - When life totals are exchanged, each player gains or loses the amount of life necessary to equal the other player's previous life total. Replacement effects may modify these gains and losses and triggered abilities may trigger on them. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.16.4 - An exchange with a card in the graveyard puts the card that was in play into its owner's graveyard, regardless of whose graveyard the card is taken out of. [WotC Rules Team 1999/03/18] See Goblin Welder. And the card goes on top of the graveyard, not into the middle of it. [bethmo 1999/03/21]

G.17 - Generic Mana

G.17.1 - The term "generic mana" means "mana of any color or mana which is colorless". For example, a spell which requires 2 generic mana and one green mana may be cast using 1 colorless mana, 1 red mana, and one green mana. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.17.2 - A generic mana cost is depicted on cards using a gray circle with a number in it. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.17.3 - A generic mana X is still considered to be generic even if there is a requirement in the card text to only spend a certain color of mana on it. This distinction allows effects which reduce the generic mana cost of an ability to reduce the amount needed to pay for X. For example, if you have two Helm of Awakenings in play (each reduces the generic costs of spells by {1}), you could cast a Drain Life for just {B} and still do 1 damage. [WotC Rules Team 1997/06/01]
G.17.Ruling.1 - You can never have generic mana in your mana pool. Generic mana only appears in the cost of spells and abilities. It indicates a freedom to apply any colored or colorless mana to that cost. [D'Angelo 1998/05/28]
G.17.Ruling.2 - A few older cards used the generic mana symbol when they talk about mana they generate. All such cards have errata to say they generate colorless mana instead of using that symbol. [D'Angelo 1998/05/28] The rules now allow for the use of the number in a gray circle for use in the generation of colorless mana, so this may show up on newer cards as well. [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01]
Note - Many people use the term "colorless mana" when talking about mana in the gray circle. This is not accurate. They should say "generic mana". [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Also see Colorless Mana, Rule G.4.

G.18 - Infinity

G.18.1 - There is no such thing as "infinity" in Magic. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.18.2 - If a combination occurs which is completely under one player's control, it could potentially be repeated an infinite number of times. If this happens, the player should demonstrate the cycle a few times, then state how many times they want to do this. This must be a positive, finite integer. If the opponent does nothing to interfere, then the actions occur the stated number of times. Any player may say that after some smaller number of times they want to stop the loop to take some action (which is legal at that time). This causes the additional loops to not happen, but does not stop the player from starting the loop again if they can. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.18.3 - If a combination occurs which contains options for both players, the current player chooses a number. The other player can either accept this number or choose a lower number of times for the loop to run. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, if the current player has a card with "{0}: This creature gains flying" and the other player has a card with "{0}: Target creature loses flying", this rule ensures that the other player always has the final choice and can make it not have flying. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.18.4 - If a loop occurs for which neither player has control, the game ends in a draw. Neither player wins or loses. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.6]
G.18.Ruling.1 - You cannot use the "pick a number" rule (Rule G.18.3) for loops which are not really infinite. If a loop will end, the game will run it to completion. [bethmo 1998/11/03] For example, a loop in which a player loses life each time will end once the player reaches zero or less life.
Note - There is no ruling for loops where a loop consists of player actions, but there is an element of randomness involved, such as coin flipping or deck shuffling. If a player wants to repeat until a certain condition occurs, the result will be up to the judge at any particular tournament. [WotC Rules Team 1998/03/31]

G.19 - Life

G.19.1 - Each player starts the game with 20 life points. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.19.2 - A player may gain life points to have a higher total during the game. There is no upper limit. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.19.3 - A player loses the game if they have less than 1 life. This is a state-based effect (see Rule T.11). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.19.4 - All players are entitled to know each other's life totals at all times. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.19.5 - A spell or ability may reduce a player to less than zero life by means of damage or loss of life. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] This rarely matters since a player normally loses when this happens, but an effect may prevent the player from losing due to a life total of 0 or less.
G.19.6 - If a spell or ability allows you to pay life points to get some effect, you cannot pay more life points than you have. If you already have zero or less life points, you may not pay for any spell or ability which requires a payment or 1 or more life points. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.19.7 - A player at zero or less life is treated as having zero life for all reasons other than raising their life total. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] This rarely matters since a player normally loses when this happens, but an effect may prevent the player from losing due to a life total of 0 or less.
G.19.Ruling.1 - Because of Rule G.19.7, if you are instructed to lose a fraction of your life points while you are already below zero life, your life total does not change. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Also see Loss of Life, Rule G.21.
Note - Vanguard cards can modify your starting life total, see Rule E.14.

G.20 - Losing the Game

G.20.1 - If both players lose the game at the same time or during the resolution of a single part/event of a spell or ability, the game ends in a draw. It does not matter if one player has a more negative life total. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.4]
G.20.2 - Cards in the game may add additional ways for a player to lose the game. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.20.3 - A player may concede the game at any time. Nothing can be done to respond to this. The game is simply over and they lost. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.7]
G.20.4 - A player loses if their life total is zero or less. This is a state-based effect. See Rule G.19.3. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.1]
G.20.5 - A player loses if they are required to draw more cards than they have left in their library. See Rule Z.6.8. This loss happens as a state-based effect just following the resolution of the spell or ability requiring the draw. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.2]
G.20.6 - If a player would both win and lose at the same time, they lose. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.5]
G.20.7 - A player loses the game as a state-based effect (see Rule T.11) if they have 10 or more Poison counters. See Rule E.10. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.8]

G.21 - Loss of Life

G.21.1 - Loss of life can happen because a spell or ability instructs a player to lose life, or because damage dealt to the player is not prevented. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.21.2 - Loss of life cannot be prevented or replaced by a spell or ability which prevents or replaces damage. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Some older cards say this as reminder text, but it is true even if they do not.
G.21.Ruling.1 - Abilities that trigger on the loss of life also trigger when you pay life points for something. [WotC Rules Team 1996/02/06]
Note - Only players have life points. Creatures do not. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

G.22 - Mana Burn

G.22.1 - If you have any mana in your mana pool at the end of a phase (see Rule P.3.5), then you lose 1 life for each point of mana in your mana pool and that mana is lost. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.22.Ruling.1 - Anything triggering on mana burn will not be played until the next time a player receives priority, which is likely the start of the next phase. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.22.Ruling.2 - A player reduced below zero life will not lose the game until the next time a player would receive priority, which is at the start of the next phase. [D'Angelo 2000/02/15]

G.23 - Mana Pool

G.23.1 - The mana pool is an imaginary place where you temporarily store mana between getting it and spending it. When you use a mana ability, it adds mana to your mana pool. When you announce a spell or ability which has a mana cost, you pay mana from your mana pool. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.23.Ruling.1 - You can leave mana in your mana pool between the casting of several spells. The mana pool is only emptied by you spending the mana, by Mana Burn (see Rule G.22), or by a spell or ability which instructs you to do so. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.23.Ruling.2 - You do not cast spells by tapping lands. You cast spells by tapping lands for mana, and putting this mana into your mana pool. Then you spend the mana from the mana pool. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Tapping basic lands is the most common way to add mana to your mana pool. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Also see Mana Burn, Rule G.22.

G.24 - Modal Spells and Abilities

G.24.1 - Some spells and abilities require a choice as to which mode they operate in. This choice is made on announcement (see Rule T.4.2). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.24.2 - Cards worded as "Choose one--Do A; or do B" are modal. [CompRules 1999/04/23] The key words "choose one" are important.
G.24.3 - If a spell or ability is used to change the target of a modal spell or ability, they cannot change the mode. This may restrict what kinds of targets are legal for the new target. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.24.4 - If a spell is modal and has different kinds of targets depending on the mode, you choose the mode before picking targets, and you do not pick targets for the unused mode(s). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.24.5 - Spells which have a specific player "choose one -- <-list->" are also modal. [Rules Team 2001/05/01]
Note - See errata on older cards to determine if they are modal or not.

G.25 - Obsolete Terms

G.25.Ruling.1 - "Bury" - This term means "destroy without allowing regeneration". All cards which used this term have errata. Many change it to destroy with a note to disallow regeneration. Others change it to "sacrifice". Refer to particular cards for details. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.25.Ruling.2 - "Fast Effect" - This term means "spells and abilities played as instants". It used to also include Interrupts (see Rule G.25.Ruling.4) and Mana Sources (see Rule G.25.Ruling.5) as well. This term was also slang for "instant speed spells and abilities". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.25.Ruling.3 - "Fizzle" - This term was used to describe what happened when a spell or ability fails during resolution because its targets are illegal. This rule still exists, but the term is no longer used. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.25.Ruling.4 - "Interrupt" - This was a special spell type. All such cards are now instants. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.25.Ruling.5 - "Mana Source" - When used on permanents, this is the same as the current term "Mana Ability" (see Rule A.6). Spells of this type are now of type instant. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.25.Ruling.6 - "On its way to the graveyard" - This is a really old term. There is no such thing as being "on the way to the graveyard" in the current rules, so this is meaningless now. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.25.Ruling.7 - "Phase Ability" - This was a term for a play-once ability that was written as "During <-phase-> do <-something->". All such cards have errata to now trigger at the start of the appropriate phase by being worded as "At the beginning of <-phase->, do <-something->". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.25.Ruling.8 - "Phase Cost" - This was a term for a play-once ability that had a payment and an effect if the payment was not made. It was written as "During <-phase-> do <-something-> or <-something happens->." All such cards have errata to now trigger at the start of the appropriate phase. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.25.Ruling.9 - "Total Casting Cost" - This is the same as "Converted Mana Cost". [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.25.Ruling.10 - "Summoning Sickness" is officially obsolete, but is still in common use. See Rule G.37.

G.26 - Owner

G.26.1 - The owner of a card is the one who started the game with that card in their library (see Rule Z.6). The game does not care who has property ownership of the cards, just who started the game with them. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.26.2 - The owner of a token creature (see Rule K.25) is the controller of the spell or ability that put the token into play. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.26.3 - Ownership of a card changes only when a card specifically states that it does. Very few cards do this. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Cards which go to the graveyard, a player's hand, or a player's library always go to their owner's location, regardless of who currently controls the card. See Rule Z.1.5. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

G.27 - Phasing Out and In

G.27.1 - When a permanent "phases out", it goes to the Phased Out zone (see Rule Z.7). Phased out permanents are not in play and cannot be affected by any spell or ability which does not explicitly say it affects phased out cards. [Mirage, Page 1]
G.27.2 - When a permanent "phases out", all abilities will trigger that would trigger on that permanent leaving play. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15d]
G.27.3 - When a permanent "phases out", all local enchantments on it are also phased out with it. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15i]
G.27.4 - When a permanent "phases out", it keeps any counters or unlimited-duration (see Rule T.8.14) effects on it. All limited-duration effects (see Rule T.8.14, ones that only last until some time or some condition is met, such as a "until end of turn" or "as long as <-something> is tapped", and ones that are to happen at some time in the future, such as "at end of turn") are cancelled and never happen. Also, all damage is removed from the permanent. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15e/g]
G.27.5 - A permanent which is "phased out" will automatically "phase in" at the beginning of your next untap step (see Rule P.5). They do not have to have Phasing ability (see Rule A.30) to phase in. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15b]
G.27.6 - Any permanents phasing out at the beginning of the untap step because they have the Phasing (see Rule A.30) ability will phase out at the exact same time that "phased out" permanents will be phasing in. There is no time when both sets of permanents are in play. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15b]
G.27.7 - Permanents "phase in" in the same tapped/untapped state they were when they phased out. [Mirage, Page 2]
G.27.8 - Permanents that "phase in" may attack or use tap abilities during the turn they enter play as if they had the Haste ability. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15n]
G.27.9 - Any abilities which would trigger when the permanent "comes into play" will _NOT_ trigger when it "phases in". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15d] This is a special and important rule about Phasing that may not seem like common sense. It is nonetheless a rule.
G.27.10 - Any effects which modify how a permanent "comes into play", such as Kismet, will _NOT_ affect a card "phasing in". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15d]
G.27.11 - If a permanent "phased out" under your control, but it was only under your control due to a temporary effect (see Rule G.27.4), then it will phase in at the start of your next untap step, but it will phase in under its actual controller's control. [bethmo 1996/10/03]
G.27.12 - Permanents remember their history when they phase in. For example, a The Fallen remembers who it has damaged, and a Safe Haven will not forget which creatures it has set aside. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15f]
G.27.13 - Local enchantments on a permanent "phase in" when the permanent phases in, but if the permanent never phases in, the enchantments do not return either. For example, a token creature with enchantments on it that phases out will cease to exist and will never phase in, so its enchantments stay out of play. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15i]
G.27.14 - A local enchantment that is phased out "directly" (rather than as a result of the permanent it enchants being phased out), then it will phase in on the same permanent. If that permanent is no longer in play when it phases in, it will return to play and then go to the graveyard as a State-Based Effect. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15j]
G.27.15 - If multiple permanents phase in at the same time, the current player determines the relative order of any effects those permanents have. The permanents are still considered to enter play simultaneously for all reasons (such as the Legends Rule G.17.2) but it is sometimes necessary to order the effects. Permanents may be put in any order with the restriction that local enchantments on the permanent must be put in time order after the original permanent and in the order those local enchantments were placed on that permanent. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15k]
G.27.16 - When a permanent "phases out", any spell or ability that is on the stack which is targeting that permanent will not notice that it is gone until the spell or ability starts to resolve. If the permanent "phases in" before the spell or ability starts to resolve, the permanent is the same permanent and it will still be the target of the spell or ability. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15n]
G.27.Ruling.1 - A token creature that "phases out" ceases to exist. See Rule K.25.6. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - Also see the Phasing ability, Rule A.30.

G.28 - Put Into Play

G.28.1 - A spell or ability may instruct you to put a card into play. This is not considered to be "playing" or "casting" that card for any reason. You do not pay any costs which are paid when playing the card. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.28.2 - When putting a card into play, any X in the mana cost of the card is zero. [D'Angelo 1997/12/29]
G.28.3 - When putting a card into play which has undefined characteristics, you must do what is required to define them. For example, a Clone requires a target creature to copy, and Minion of the Wastes requires a payment of life. You take these defining actions during the resolution of the spell or ability which is putting the card into play. This kind of action is usually denoted on the card by the text "As this card comes into play, do <-something->", where the something is an action to define a characteristic. [D'Angelo 2000/02/15]
G.28.4 - If a card requires a target when played, and that card is put into play without playing it, then you must choose a target at the time it is put into play. [Aahz 1997/02/16] If there is no legal target, then the card stays where it is and does not get put into play. [bethmo 1998/05/02]
G.28.5 - If a local enchantment is being put into play without playing it from your hand, the player putting it into play chooses a permanent for it to enchant right before it enters play. If there is no legal permanent for it to enchant, it remains in the zone it was in. [CompRules 1999/11/01]

G.29 - Regeneration

G.29.1 - Regeneration is a means of preventing a permanent from going to the graveyard due to being destroyed (see Rule G.13) by a spell or ability or through having "lethal damage" (see Rule K.10.4). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.29.2 - Regeneration is a replacement effect (see Rule T.10). It must be played before the permanent is actually destroyed. It cannot be used after the permanent actually goes to the graveyard. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.29.3 - Regeneration is defined as "The next time this permanent would be destroyed this turn, instead remove all damage from it, tap it, and (if it's in combat) remove it from combat." [CompRules 1999/11/01]
G.29.4 - You may not attempt to regenerate a permanent which has been put into the graveyard or sacrificed (see Rule G.33). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.29.5 - When a card simply says "Regenerate this card", it means "The next time this card would be destroyed this turn, regenerate it." [D'Angelo 1999/06/12]
G.29.6 - A creature with zero or less toughness cannot be regenerated. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.29.Ruling.1 - Since tapping the permanent is a side-effect of regeneration and not a cost (see Rule G.29.3), you can regenerate a tapped permanent. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.29.Ruling.2 - Since regeneration actually prevents the permanent from going to the graveyard, it keeps all of its local enchantments, counters, and any effects that are on it. The permanent will also fail to trigger any abilities that trigger on a permanent going to the graveyard. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.29.Ruling.3 - You can play a regeneration spell or ability even if the permanent is not being destroyed at this time and has no indication that it will be destroyed in the near future. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.29.Ruling.4 - If a single effect somehow would destroy the same permanent twice, then one use of regeneration only stops one of the two destructions and a second use of regeneration would have to be done if you wanted to save the permanent. [WotC Rules Team 1997/10/06] You choose which of the destructions when the regeneration effect is applied. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.29.Ruling.5 - None of the effects of regeneration (tapping and having damage removed) happen unless the replacement actually takes place and that only happens if the creature would have been destroyed. See Rule G.29.3. [D'Angelo 2000/12/07]

G.30 - Remove from the Game

G.30.1 - A card or token which is "removed from the game" is put into the Removed from Game zone (see Rule Z.8). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.30.Ruling.1 - You cannot regenerate (see Rule G.29) a creature which is removed from the game. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.30.Ruling.2 - Local enchantments on the permanent are put into the graveyard when it is removed from the game. See Rule K.12.3. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

G.31 - Reveal

G.31.1 - To "reveal" a card is to show it to all players, then to put the card back exactly where it was before (unless the card text indicates otherwise about where it goes). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.31.2 - If a player is instructed to play with their hand revealed, then it stays revealed until the effect ends. [Urza's Destiny FAQ 1999/05/25]
G.31.3 - If cards are revealed in a zone that is ordered, the order does not change. For example, when revealing cards from the top of a player's library, all players can see the order and this order will not be changed if they become un-revealed. [Rules Team 2001/05/01]
G.31.Ruling.1 - You can "reveal" a card which is already revealed due to another effect. For example, if your hand is already revealed due to one effect, you can choose to "reveal" any subset of those cards for another effect, such as Scent of Brine. [Urza's Destiny FAQ 1999/05/25]
G.31.Ruling.2 - A revealed card does not change zones. It's just visible where it was for a time. [DeLaney 1999/06/13]
G.31.Ruling.3 - If multiple cards are revealed, you reveal all of them at the same time before putting them back (or wherever you are instructed to put them). [D'Angelo 2000/01/08]

G.32 - Rounding

G.32.1 - If the result of a division is even (meaning it has no fractional part), then rounding up or down does not change the number. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.32.2 - To "round down" means to drop the fractional part after dividing. For example, 9 divided by 2 is 4.5. Rounding down gives you 4. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.32.3 - To "round up" means that if the result of the division has a fractional part, choose the next higher number. For example, 9 divided by 2 is 4.5. Rounding up gives you 5. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

G.33 - Sacrifice

G.33.1 - To sacrifice means to put a permanent from in play into its owner's graveyard. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.33.2 - Sacrifices cannot be prevented by any means. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.33.3 - You can only choose to sacrifice a permanent you control. If asked to sacrifice something you don't control, nothing happens. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.33.4 - Sacrifices are not targeted. [bethmo 1996/10/03] So Protection from Color (see Rule A.31) will not protect a creature from being sacrificed. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.33.Ruling.1 - Sacrificing is not done at any particular speed. To determine if it is legal to sacrifice something at a given time, it is legal only if the spell or ability which requires the sacrifice is legal at that time. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] For example, the Altar of Dementia has an ability that is played whenever you could play an instant. So it is legal to sacrifice a creature to it when instants are legal.
G.33.Ruling.2 - Sacrificing as a cost works just like spending mana. You cannot spend the same permanent to satisfy two spells or abilities that require sacrifices, just like you cannot spend a single mana point to cast two spells. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.33.Ruling.3 - You cannot sacrifice something unless a spell or ability instructs you to do so. In other words, you cannot just remove something from play because you want to. [D'Angelo 1997/11/14]
G.33.Ruling.4 - When a sacrifice is done as a cost (see Rule G.6.2), then it is in the graveyard before any responses can be used (see Rule T.5). This means that if the spell or ability is countered, you do not get the sacrificed permanent back. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.33.Ruling.5 - A permanent can sacrifice itself to one of its own abilities, unless otherwise prevented by the card text or some effect. [Duelist Magazine #5, Page 123, 1995/05/01]
G.33.Ruling.6 - You can sacrifice something that is tapped or that has summoning sickness (see Rule G.37) since it just entered play. [D'Angelo 1998/07/05]
Note - You may not even attempt to regenerate a sacrificed creature. See Rule G.29.4. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

G.34 - Simultaneous

G.34.1 - Occasionally, the game has something occur simultaneously. This means it is an "indivisible and unordered action". [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.34.2 - If something is to be done simultaneously with something else and both things have decisions to be made, all decisions are made before you do anything. Then you do all the simultaneous actions. For example, untapping cards during untap is simultaneous, but you might have to decide what to untap. If so, you decide before you untap anything. [D'Angelo 1996/08/01] As usual, if both players have decisions to make, the active player decides first. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
G.34.3 - If more than one permanent enters play simultaneously, then the order in which the effects of those cards enter play needs to be determined. This most commonly occurs when cards "phase in" (see Rule G.27.5). The ordering follows these rules: a) The active player decides the ordering among all cards which are not local enchantments. b) If cards have local enchantments on them, the effects of local enchantments on a card enter play after that card's effects, but prior to any other card's effects. c) If there are multiple local enchantments on a card, then the effects of those local enchantments enter play in the order in which those enchantments originally entered play. [Aahz 1996/12/04] For example, a Sandbar Crocodile is phased out with Flight and Earthbind on it (cast in that order). Feedback is on the Flight. When it phases in, the Crocodile's effects are considered to enter play first, then Flight's effect, then Feedback's effect (since it is on the Flight), then Earthbind's effect.
Note - See Rule Z.3.3 for information on simultaneous placement in the graveyard.
Note - See Rule Z.6.6 for information on simultaneous placement in the library.

G.35 - Skipping a Draw

G.35.1 - A spell or ability which has you skip a draw is a replacement effect (see Rule T.10). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.35.2 - A spell or ability will generally have you skip your next draw. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

G.36 - Skipping a Phase or Step

G.36.1 - If a spell or ability has you skip a phase or step as a cost, then the spell or ability can only be spent on that turn, prior to the phase or step starting. And that phase or step can only be "spent" once. [Mirage, Page 58]
G.36.2 - If a spell or ability has you skip a phase or step as an one-shot effect, then multiple phase or step skips can accumulate. This is usually a result of an instant or sorcery spell or ability. The phase or step skipping is done as an automatic phase (or step) skipping. [D'Angelo 1998/03/03]
G.36.3 - If a spell or ability has you skip a phase or step as a continuous effect, then the phase or step is skipped right as you would be about to start it. This is called automatic phase (or step) skipping. [Duelist Magazine #13, Page 26, 1996/10/01] For example, Necropotence has you skip your draw step as a continuous effect. [Mirage, Page 58]
G.36.4 - If there is more than one effect requiring you to skip a phase or step, you choose which one actually causes the phase or step to be skipped. For example, if you have accumulated some draw step skips from Ivory Gargoyle (see Rule G.36.2), you can choose to have its effect skip the step even though you have Necropotence in play. [Duelist Magazine #13, Page 26, 1996/10/01]
G.36.5 - If an effect has you skip a phase or step, but you have already started that phase or step, it does not affect the current phase or step. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.36.Ruling.1 - If a phase or step is skipped, nothing that would happen in that phase or step happens. For example, if you skip your draw step you do not get to draw a card. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.36.Ruling.2 - Because automatic phase (or step) skipping (see Rule G.36.3) happens right as the phase or step starts, you can spend that phase or step as a cost (see Rule G.36.1) prior to the automatic phase (or step) skipping effect getting a chance at it. [Mirage, Page 58]
G.36.Ruling.3 - If an effect says to skip your next Xxxx phase or step, it means the next one you are about to start. It does not look into the future and pick a specific one. [D'Angelo 1996/11/08]

G.37 - Summoning Sickness

G.37.1 - All permanents have "summoning sickness" from the time they enter play (or otherwise come under your control), until they start your turn in play under your control. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.37.2 - Creatures with "summoning sickness" cannot attack, and they cannot use any of their own abilities which have a tap symbol in the activation cost. Non-creatures are unaffected by summoning sickness. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.37.3 - It does not matter if the permanent was a creature at the start of your most recent turn. You just had to control the permanent at that time. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] So if you animate a land or artifact (see Rule K.5) that you controlled at the start of the turn, then it is not subject to the effects of summoning sickness.
G.37.Ruling.1 - Summoning sickness applies to all ways of getting a creature under your control. For example, casting them, putting them into play directly using Animate Dead or a similar effect, or by taking control from another player using Control Magic. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] The one exception is phasing in, see Rule G.27.8.
G.37.Ruling.2 - If a permanent starts your turn in play under your control, leaves your control, and then returns in the same turn, then it will have summoning sickness. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.37.Ruling.3 - Creatures with summoning sickness can be tapped by spells or by abilities of other permanents. For example, Icy Manipulator can be used to tap a creature which has summoning sickness. [D'Angelo 1996/12/18]
G.37.Ruling.4 - If a non-creature is tapped for an ability on the turn it enters play, and then it is animated at some time before the ability resolves, the effect will not fail. [D'Angelo 1995/06/07]
Note - The term "summoning sickness" has been officially obsoleted, but it is still in common usage since no new term was made to replace it. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

G.38 - Tapping a Permanent

G.38.1 - To "tap" a permanent means to rotate it 90 degrees to show that it has been used. Permanents normally untap during the untap step (see Rule P.5). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.38.2 - You cannot tap an already tapped permanent as a cost. Costs (see Rule G.6) must be successfully paid. [D'Angelo 1996/12/23]
G.38.3 - You can tap an already tapped permanent as part of the effect of a spell or ability. This has no effect on the permanent. [Duelist Magazine #5, Page 23, 1995/05/01]
G.38.Ruling.1 - Tapping a permanent with an effect will never accidentally pay the cost of an ability. For example, tapping a land with Twiddle will not put a point of mana into a player's pool, and tapping a Prodigal Sorcerer with Twiddle will not make the player have to deal a point of damage to something. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

G.39 - Targeting--Announcing and Resolving

G.39.1 - You may not announce a targeted spell or ability unless you can choose a legal target. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.39.2 - If a spell or ability has you (or other players) pick multiple targets, the same target may not be picked more than once. There is an implied "multiple different targets". [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.39.3 - If a spell or ability's resolution has you pick target(s) for an additional effect, you may choose the same target(s) that the original effect chose. [Mirage, Page 58]
G.39.4 - In addition to having a legal target when announced, a spell or ability checks its target to see if it is legal before it resolves. If its target is not legal, then the spell or ability does nothing with respect to that target. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.39.5 - If a spell or ability has multiple targets and one or more of the targets become illegal prior to resolution, then the spell or ability still resolves with respect to its legal targets. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, a Fireball is cast targeting three creatures with 2 damage each. If one creature is Unsummoned, then nothing happens to that creature, but the other two creatures still take 2 damage each.
G.39.6 - If all of the targets are illegal upon resolution, then any untargeted portion of the spell or ability is also ignored because the spell or ability is countered. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, Crumble targets an artifact to be destroyed and has an untargeted gaining of life. If the target becomes invalid, then no life will be given.
G.39.7 - If a spell or ability allows you to change the target of another spell or ability, the new target must be a legal choice. If the choice was legal on announcement, but not on resolution, then the target is not changed. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.39.Ruling.1 - There are many ways to make a target illegal before resolution. The most common way is for the target to be destroyed, sent a player's hand, or otherwise removed from play prior to resolution. Other requirements on the targeting may be invalidated due to adding Protection (see Rule A.31) to a target creature. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.39.Ruling.2 - You may not announce a targeted spell declaring an illegal target with the intent to use a spell or ability afterward to somehow make the target legal. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.39.Ruling.3 - During targeting checks, the current game state is always used. This is usually obvious, but in cases where indirect information is asked for (such as "the card target spell is targeting") it might be tempting to apply the last known information rule, but this is not correct. [Barclay 2002/02/12]
Note - Some spells are modal in their targeting. See Rule G.24.
Note - See the announcing (see Rule T.4) and resolution (see Rule T.6) steps of the spell life cycle for more information.

G.40 - Targeting--Is Something Targeted

G.40.1 - A spell or ability is targeted if (and only if) it uses the word "target" in its card text. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] When in doubt, read the card.
G.40.2 - There is one exception to Rule G.40.1. Local enchantments target the permanent they are being placed on at the time they are played even though they do not use the word "target". [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.40.3 - Local enchantments on a permanent target the permanent (as a spell) when cast. They do not target the permanent they enchant while in play. The abilities of enchantments generally do not target the card they are on. For example, Firebreathing's effect does not target the creature to give it +1/+0 and Regeneration does not target the creature when it is used. [CompRules 1999/04/23] See Rule K.12.5 and Rule K.12.8.
G.40.Ruling.1 - Rule G.40.1 is important because many things are not targeted but still affect cards. For example, abilities that trigger on assignment of blockers (such as Thicket Basilisk) and ones that trigger on damage being dealt in combat are generally not targeted. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.40.Ruling.2 - Spells and abilities which affect "all" of something are not targeted and can be played even if there are none of the somethings available. For example, you can use Flashfires even if there are no Plains in play. This is because the spell does not require a target to act upon. It just does something. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Some older cards are not properly worded to include the word "target" where they should. Check the card rulings for possible errata or newer card text.

G.41 - Targeting--Valid Targets

G.41.1 - A spell may never target itself. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
G.41.Ruling.1 - You may target a spell/ability which removes an ability at a permanent without that ability. It just does nothing. [Duelist Magazine #5, Page 23, 1995/05/01] This is unless the targeting restriction says it must have the ability, as with Phyrexian Splicer. [D'Angelo 2000/09/07]
G.41.Ruling.2 - You may target a tapping spell or ability at a tapped card or an untapping spell or ability at an untapped card unless the card says it targets a tapped or untapped permanent. [Duelist Magazine #5, Page 22, 1995/05/01] See Rule G.38.3 and Rule G.43.3.
G.41.Ruling.3 - Spells that target "attacking" or "blocking" creatures may only be used during the combat phase and only if there is an appropriate creature to target. [bethmo 1994/10/01]
G.41.Ruling.4 - You cannot target a spell which will become a permanent with a spell or ability that targets a permanent until the permanent resolves. Prior to it resolving, it is just a spell. [bethmo 1994/10/01]
G.41.Ruling.5 - Valid targets only include things in play unless the spell or ability specifically says otherwise. [D'Angelo 1999/02/22] For example, Unsummon can only work on a creature in play, while Raise Dead only works on a creature card in the graveyard.
G.41.Ruling.6 - The pseudospell for an ability may never target itself. [DeLaney 1999/10/17]

G.42 - Unblocked

G.42.1 - A creature is considered "unblocked" only during the combat phase, only after blockers are declared (see Rule C.5 and Rule C.6), and only if it is not blocked by any creature or effect. [D'Angelo 1997/08/18]

G.43 - Untapping a Permanent

G.43.1 - To "untap" a permanent means to straighten a card's orientation to show that it is now ready to be used. Permanents normally untap during the untap step (see Phase P.5). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.43.2 - You cannot untap an already untapped permanent as a cost. Costs must be successfully paid. [D'Angelo 1996/12/23]
G.43.3 - You can untap an already untapped permanent as part of the effect of a spell or ability. This has no effect on the permanent. [Duelist Magazine #5, Page 23, 1995/05/01]
G.43.Ruling.1 - Untapping a permanent with an effect will never counter or otherwise cancel any already announced ability of that permanent. It merely makes the card available for them to use it again. [bethmo 1994/06/01]
G.43.Ruling.2 - A card with an ability to untap the card by paying a cost can be untapped by an effect such as Twiddle without paying the cost. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

K - Card and Permanent Types and Information

K.1 - Artifact

K.1.1 - Cards of type Artifact and Artifact Creature are considered artifact cards while in or out of play. They are considered "artifacts" only while in play. While on the stack they are artifact spells. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.3]
K.1.2 - A permanent in play may become an artifact due to the effect of a spell or ability. Turning a permanent into an artifact does not change the color of that permanent to "colorless". The permanent keeps its color. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.1.3 - When an artifact spell resolves, it is put into play as the last part of the resolution. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.1.Ruling.1 - Artifacts typically have no color due to the fact that their mana cost includes no colored mana, but they can be given a color by a spell or ability. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.6a]
K.1.Ruling.2 - On some really old cards (from Limited Edition, Unlimited Edition, Arabian Nights, and Antiquities), the terms "Mono Artifact", "Poly Artifact", and "Continuous Artifact" appeared on cards. All such cards have errata. See the individual card entries for details. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.1.Ruling.3 - When an artifact leaves play, any continuous effects it had stop affecting the game immediately, but any duration effects it had last. For example, when Kormus Bell leaves play, Swamps in play stop being creatures, but when a Baton of Morale leaves play, the banding effect continues until end of turn. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Artifact spells can be played only during either of your main phases and only when the stack is empty. See Rule T.2 and Rule P.8.3.
Note - In previous editions there was a rule that when an artifact is tapped, its abilities did not work. This rule no longer exists. Tapped artifacts still have their abilities function. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] The following artifacts still turn off (due to errata on these cards): Howling Mine, Static Orb, Storage Matrix, and Winter Orb. The following artifacts have one ability that turns off but others that remain working: Voodoo Doll and Watchdog.

K.2 - Artifact Creature

K.2.1 - Cards of type Artifact Creature are both artifacts and creatures in all ways and are affected by anything that affects either type of card. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.6b]
K.2.2 - When an artifact creature spell resolves, it is put into play as the last part of the resolution. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.2.Ruling.1 - Because they are creatures, they are subject to creature restrictions such as being unable to attack unless they started your most recent turn in play under your control (see Rule G.37). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.2.Ruling.2 - Artifact Creature cards are considered to be "creature cards" wherever they may be, in play, in your hand, or wherever. While on the stack, they are both creature and artifact spells. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Artifact Creature spells can be cast only during either of your main phases and only when the stack is empty. See Rule T.8.4 and Rule P.8.3.

K.3 - Card Name

K.3.1 - A card's name is the name printed on the top left of the card. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 202.1]
K.3.2 - Whenever a card's (or token's) text mentions its own name, it means to refer to itself, not to all cards (or tokens) of its name. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 202.2] [D'Angelo 2001/08/15] A good rule of thumb is to replace all instances of a card's (or token's) own name with the words "this card" when reading it. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] A card may use text to override this, such as "the number of creatures named Plague Rats in play". [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
K.3.3 - Two cards (or tokens) are considered to have the same name if the English versions of their names are identical, regardless of anything else printed on the cards (or granted to the tokens). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 202.3] [D'Angelo 2001/08/15]
K.3.4 - Whenever a card (or token) grants an ability to a permanent that includes the card's (or token's) name, the name refers only to the card (or token) that generated the effect granting the ability, not to any other instances of that card (or token). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 202.2] [D'Angelo 2001/08/15]
K.3.Ruling.1 - It is possible for a card to have more than one name. For example, the Split Cards, see Rule K.24. [Jordan 2000/12/26] This is the only way to have a card have more than one name.
Note - Token creatures have a card name as specified in the spell or ability that generated them. See Rule K.25.3. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

K.4 - Card Types

K.4.1 - A card's type is listed on the center of the card. The following are legal card types: Artifact, Creature, Land, Enchantment, Instant, and Sorcery. Artifact Creature cards have both Artifact and Creature types. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.1]
K.4.Ruling.1 - Creature cards also list subtype called a creature type. See Rule K.11 for more information. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.2]
K.4.Ruling.2 - Enchantment cards may also list a subtype. See Rule K.12 for more information. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.2]
K.4.Ruling.3 - Land cards have a subtype called a land type. See Rule K.16 for more information. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.2]
Note - Older cards of type "Summon" have errata to now be of type "Creature". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - Older cards of type "Interrupt" and "Mana Source" have errata to now be of type "Instant". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

K.5 - Changing a Permanent's Type

K.5.1 - If a spell or ability changes a permanent's type, it replaces all previous and current permanent types. The spell or ability may list permanent types which remain. For example, Stalking Stones says that it remains a land when it changes into a creature. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.4/4a]
K.5.2 - If a spell or ability changes a permanent's type, none of the abilities of the permanent are changed unless the effect says they do. [WotC Rules Team 1999/03/18] The only time abilities are changed implicitly is changing a land's subtype to a basic land type. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
K.5.3 - If a spell or ability changes a permanent's type, this does not remove any counters, any damage, or any effects on that permanent. They remain even if they are meaningless to the new type. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.4]
K.5.4 - Spells and abilities that change a permanent's type change the permanent's initial characteristics, not its current ones. This is subtle, but it means that a type changing effect will not override an effect that modifies a characteristic. For example, if an artifact had the ability "{2}: This permanent is a 3/2 artifact creature" and the ability was used, its initial power/toughness would be 3/2. If later an ability "target creature is 0/2" was used, the value would change to 0/2. At this point, playing the artifact's ability again will not have any additional effect because it will replace the initial 3/2 and it will not override the more recent effect. [CompRules 2000/07/23 - 214.5] This rule also applies to changing a permanent's subtype. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
K.5.5 - Changing a permanent's type does not change its color. For example, changing an artifact into a creature will not give the artifact a color, and changing a green creature into an artifact will not remove its color. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.5.6 - Changing a permanent's type does not count as having a permanent of the new type "come into play". The permanent was already in play, it just changed types. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] For example, if you animate an artifact so it is now an artifact creature, it does not trigger abilities that trigger on a creature coming into play.
K.5.7 - Changing a permanent's type does not change the card's type. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.4] If you change an artifact card to a creature, the card is still just an artifact card and not a creature card, even though the permanent is now just a creature.
K.5.Ruling.1 - The most common type change is to change a land or artifact into a creature. This is commonly referred to as "animating" the land or artifact. These changes usually leave the permanent being both a land and a creature or both an artifact and a creature. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
K.5.Ruling.2 - When a permanent is changed into a creature, it is a creature in all ways. For example, the permanent cannot be tapped for an ability if it was not controlled since the start of its controller's most recent turn (see Rule G.37). [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
K.5.Ruling.3 - When a permanent is changed into a creature, it does not have a creature type at all unless the spell or ability specifies one. For example, the Forests animated by Living Lands have no creature type. [WotC Rules Team 1997/06/01]
K.5.Ruling.4 - When a permanent is changed into a creature, the power and toughness specified in the spell or ability are considered the permanent's initial power and toughness. See Rule K.5.4. [WotC Rules Team 1998/02/01]
K.5.Ruling.5 - If an effect re-animates an already animated land or artifact, the effects changes the initial power/toughness of the creature and not the current power/toughness of the creature. [WotC Rules Team 1998/02/01] Thus, a Mishra's Factory with a -1/-1 counter cannot override the counter no matter how many times its animating ability is used.
K.5.Ruling.6 - If an effect re-animates an already animated land or artifact and the effect gives abilities to the creature, the abilities listed become the initial abilities of the creature. [WotC Rules Team 1998/03/01] For example, if the animating effect says the creature becomes a "1/1 creature with Flying", Flying is considered an initial ability.
K.5.Ruling.7 - When a permanent stops being a creature, any counters, effects, and damage on it remain on it until they would normally be removed (if ever). If the counters or effects make no sense when applied to a non-creature, then they do not do anything. But if the land or artifact returns to being a creature, they may take effect again. [WotC Rules Team 1995/09/22] For example, a +1/+1 counter from Dwarven Weaponsmith would remain, the effect of Giant Growth will wear off at end of turn, and damage will be removed at end of turn.
K.5.Ruling.8 - When a permanent stops being a creature, any enchant creatures on it are put into their owner's graveyards. See Rule K.12.4. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - See Rule K.11.8 for changing a permanent's creature type.
Note - See Rule K.16.4 - Rule K.16.6 for changing a permanent's land type.

K.6 - Characteristics

K.6.1 - Every card and token has characteristics which define it. The following count as characteristics: name, color, mana cost, card type and subtype, permanent type and subtype, expansion symbol, abilities, power, and toughness. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.6.2 - Characteristics do not include other information, such as whether or not a permanent is tapped or who its controller is. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.6.3 - The initial characteristics of a permanent are the values printed on the card, or the values specified by the spell or ability that created the token or changed the type of the permanent. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.6.4 - The characteristics of a spell start out set to the characteristics of the card. They are then tracked through the spell's life cycle. Changing the spell (with a Sleight of Mind or Chaoslace or similar effect) can change the spell's characteristics. When it resolves, it will still have those changed values. If the spell becomes a permanent, it enters play with (and keeps) the changed values, however the rules consider the permanent's initial values to be that of the card and for the effect that altered the spell to be altering the permanent much like it would if you had played the Sleight of Mind (or whatever) after it came into play. [bethmo 1998/05/22]
K.6.5 - The characteristics of an ability start out with the characteristics of the permanent that generated the ability, or if it is an ability of a card not in play, then it starts with the characteristics of the card. This information is recorded when ability is announced. The characteristics are then tracked through the ability's life cycle separately from the source of the ability. Changing the source of the ability (with a Sleight of Mind or similar effect) or even destroying the source of the ability will not change the ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Note that few abilities refer to their own characteristics. They usually refer to the characteristics of their source, which pulls Rule K.6.6 and Rule K.6.7 into effect. [D'Angelo 1999/04/11]
K.6.6 - If a spell or ability is to check the characteristics of something during its resolution, then the characteristics are looked up on an as-needed basis. They do not get "locked in" at any particular point in time. [bethmo 1998/10/23]
K.6.7 - If a spell or non-static ability is to check the characteristics of something and that something is no longer in play at the start of resolution, use the last value that something had before it left play. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Static abilities never use last known information. [Rules Team 2001/05/01] This same rule applies for any zone change. If the card is not in the zone it was expected to be in, use its last known state in that zone. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
K.6.Ruling.1 - Abilities gained by any means count as part of the characteristics. For example, the text added by Zombie Master, the Mountainwalk and +1/+1 granted by Goblin King. [WotC Rules Team 1997/10/06]
K.6.Ruling.2 - Characteristics do not include the abilities of enchantments that are on a permanent. For example, the "cannot be targeted" ability of Favorable Destiny is not granted to the creature as an ability. [Aahz 1997/08/04] An enchantment ability which says the enchanted permanent "has" or "gains" something grants an ability. Otherwise, it just has an effect. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
K.6.Ruling.3 - If a spell or ability targets itself or its source and needs to check the characteristics during resolution, it will check during resolution just like it would if targeting something other than itself. [WotC Rules Team 1997/07/03]
K.6.Ruling.4 - If the ability of a permanent says "<-cardname-> does <-something->", then the effect is considered to come from the permanent, so if you need to check characteristics, such as color, then check the permanent on resolution. This means that changes to the permanent can possibly affect the result. See Rule K.6.5. [bethmo 1998/11/03]
K.6.Ruling.5 - If the ability of a permanent says "Do <-something->" (without saying that the permanent does it, as with Rule K.6.Ruling.4), then the ability is doing the effect, not the permanent. In this case, you use the characteristics of the ability, which by Rule K.6.4 are the same as what the permanent had when the ability was announced. [bethmo 1998/11/03]

K.7 - Color of a Spell/Permanent

K.7.1 - The base color(s) of a spell and a permanent are the color(s) of mana specified in the mana cost (see Rule K.18). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 203.2]
K.7.2 - If a card has only generic mana in its mana cost, or if it has no mana cost (which is the case with lands), then the card has no color and is said to be "colorless". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 203.2]
K.7.3 - If the color of a spell is changed during casting, the color change effect will continue to affect the permanent when it is in play. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.7.4 - A card with more than one color in its mana cost is considered to be of all the colors shown. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 203.2] For example a card with the mana cost {2}{W}{B} is both white and black.
K.7.5 - If the color of a card is changed to a new value, this value overrides all the previous colors. [CompRules 1999/11/01] For example, Thoughtlace will turn a multicolored card to be just blue.
K.7.6 - A card with a zero mana cost may specify that it has a color in its card text. This text is considered explanatory and is not an ability. The text is subject to effects such as Sleight of Mind. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
K.7.Ruling.1 - The background color of the card is used only as an aid. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 203.2] For example, the error where the Serendib Efreet in the Revised Edition has a green background color, but the card is blue because the mana cost includes blue mana and no green mana.
K.7.Ruling.2 - Since a card with more than one color is considered to be all of the colors shown (see Rule K.7.4), Terror cannot affect a card which is both black and red. Terror cannot target a black card. And a Circle of Protection from either color could prevent damage from the spell or permanent. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.7.Ruling.3 - Because of Rule K.7.4, spells and abilities that affect something "non-black" will not affect things which are even partly black. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.7.Ruling.4 - Since the mana symbols on the card determine its color (see Rule K.7.1), changing the mana symbols will change the initial color definition of the card. Changing the initial color will not override any effects which change the actual color, since the initial value is applied before other effects. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.7.Ruling.5 - The term "multicolored" is used to describe cards, spells, or permanents which have more than one color. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 203.2]
Note - Also see Color, Rule G.3.

K.8 - Converted Mana Cost

K.8.1 - The converted mana cost is the amount of mana in the mana cost (see Rule K.18) if you ignore the colors required. This results in a generic mana number. For example, a mana cost of {3}{U}{U} results in a converted mana cost of {5}. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 203.3]
K.8.Ruling.1 - You ignore additional costs (such as Kicker) and cost reductions. You only look at the cost printed on the card. [Apocalypse FAQ 2001/05/24]

K.9 - Creature

K.9.1 - A creature card is a card of type "Creature" or "Artifact Creature". [CompRules 1999/04/23] Note that older cards used the word "Summon" instead of "Creature" to indicate a creature card. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
K.9.2 - When a creature spell resolves, it is put into play as the last part of its resolution. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.9.3 - A creature card is a creature card no matter what zone it is in. A creature card is a "creature" only while in play. It is a creature spell while on the stack. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.9.Ruling.1 - A creature in play may be a creature card or token, or it may be a land, artifact, or enchantment which has been changed to a creature permanent type (see Rule K.5). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.9.Ruling.2 - When a creature card leaves play, any continuous effects it had end immediately, but any duration effects it had last. For example, when Goblin King leaves play, Goblins no longer get its benefit. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - See "Creature Power and Toughness", Rule K.10, for more information.
Note - See "Creature Type", Rule K.11, for more information.
Note - Creature spells can be cast only during either of your main phases and only when the stack is empty. See Rule T.2 and Rule P.8.2.

K.10 - Creature Power and Toughness

K.10.1 - The initial power/toughness of a creature is specified in the lower right hand corner of a creature card. Power is the number to the left of the slash and toughness is the number to the right. For example, "2/3" indicates a power of 2 and toughness of 3. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 208.1]
K.10.2 - Counters on a creature are applied before applying any external effects. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.10.3 - A creature with negative power or toughness is considered to have zero power/toughness for all reasons other than for changing the power/toughness. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] For example, a creature with power of -2 deals zero damage in combat (which is to say, it does not deal damage at all).
K.10.4 - A creature is considered to have "lethal damage" if it has at least as many points of damage on it as its toughness. A creature with "lethal damage" is destroyed as a state-based effect (see Rule T.11). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.10.5 - All asterisks (*) in the power/toughness of creature are considered to be zero when the card is not in play. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 208.2]
K.10.6 - A creature with a toughness of zero or less is put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based effect. [CompRules 1999/04/23] This cannot be regenerated from. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.10.7 - The text on a card that defines the values for an asterisk ('*') in the power and/or toughness is not an ability. It is simply text that sets the characteristic. This text applies while the card is in play and the card acts as if the calculated values were printed on the card. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 208.2] The value is continuously calculated and so it may change at any time. [D'Angelo 2001/08/15]
K.10.Ruling.1 - Because of Rule K.10.2, the current power/toughness of a creature is calculated like this: a) start with the initial value, b) apply any plusses and minuses from counters, c) apply plusses and minuses from other effects (or any effects that simply set the power toughness) in the order in which those effects entered play (unless the ordering rules for continuous effect change this ordering). [CompRules 1999/04/23] [D'Angelo 2002/04/20]
K.10.Ruling.2 - Because of Rule K.10.2, an effect which sets the value of power/toughness will always override counters, even if the counters were put on the creature afterwards. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.10.Ruling.3 - Enchantments and other effects on a creature which change the power of the creature do not change the color of damage the creature does. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] For example, a Mesa Pegasus with Firebreathing on it and Giant Growth cast on it still deals white damage.
K.10.Ruling.4 - Damage is not subtracted from toughness. A 5 toughness creature with 4 damage on it still has a toughness of 5 for all reasons. [bethmo 1994/03/01]
K.10.Ruling.5 - There was a rule at one time that effects which doubled or halved power and toughness were converted to +X/+Y or -X/-Y on resolution. This rule was removed. [Rules Team 2001/05/01] Note that most cards that used to say that they doubled or halved values now have textual errata so they work as +X/+Y or -X/-Y now anyway.
Note - Animated creatures (see Rule K.5) will specify the initial power and toughness in the effect that animates them. See Rule K.5.4.
Note - Damage on a creature accumulates during the turn and is removed in the cleanup step (see Rule P.13). See Rule G.10.2.

K.11 - Creature Type

K.11.1 - For "Creature - Xxxx" cards, the creature type is "Xxxx". [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.2a] Older cards used "Summon Xxxx" to indicate a creature's type. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
K.11.2 - "Artifact Creature" cards usually do not have a creature type, but they may. This is indicated like "Artifact Creature - Xxxx" where "Xxxx" is the creature type. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.2a]
K.11.3 - Cards which say "Counts as a <-creature type->" (see Rule G.9) are considered to be of that creature type. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, Wall of Spears is an artifact creature which says "Counts as a Wall", so it is of creature type Wall. Note that all cards which used to do this have errata to include the creature type in the type line.
K.11.4 - A creature may have multiple types. Each word counts as a separate type. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.2a] For example, "Creature - Goblin Wizard" means it is both a Goblin and a Wizard.
K.11.5 - The plural of a creature type is the same as the base creature type. For example, Goblin and Goblins are the same, and Faerie and Faeries are the same. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.7b]
K.11.6 - Creature types that differ only by gender are different. [CompRules 2003/03/15] (REVERSAL) They were considered the same, but all cards where the Rules Team wanted them to be the same had their creature types changed, so this rule is no longer necessary.
K.11.7 - If you are asked to choose a creature type, you must choose a creature type which already exists in the game. You cannot make up your own type, such as Platypus. The chosen type can only have one word. [WotC Rules Team 2002/10/01]
K.11.8 - Changing a permanent to a specific creature type, with a card such as Fowl Play or Conspiracy, removes all other creature types unless the effect specifies that one or more previous creature types remain. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.4/4a] It can remove the Legendary nature of the creature if it was a Legend. See Rule K.17.5 for more information.
K.11.9 - Changing a creature to a non-creature permanent type removes its creature type. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.4b]
K.11.Ruling.1 - "Artifact Creature", "Land Creature", and "Enchantment Creature" are not creature types. Those are permanent types. [Mirage, Page 14] [D'Angelo 2000/02/15]
K.11.Ruling.2 - Other card characteristics, such as color, do not count as a creature type either. So "red creatures" or "flying creatures" are not valid choices for a creature type. [Duelist Magazine #9, Page 36, 1996/02/01]
Note - Animated lands and artifacts (see Rule K.5) do not have a creature type unless the effect specifically gives them one. See Rule K.5.Ruling.3.
Note - Token creatures have a creature type the same as the token name. See Rule K.25.4.

K.12 - Enchantment

K.12.1 - Global enchantments are of card type "Enchantment" or "Enchant World". They are put in play in your territory (in front of you) when they resolve and can affect any number of players or permanents. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.8a/8b/8k]
K.12.2 - Local enchantments are of card type "Enchant <-something->", where <-something-> is Creature, Land, Artifact, Enchantment, or Permanent. They are played on a permanent of type <-something->. You do not have to control the permanent you play it on (unless so specified by the card). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.2b+214.8a] Note that "Enchant World" cards are not local enchantments and do not have a subtype. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.2b]
K.12.3 - Local enchantment spells target the permanent they are going to enchant. This target choice is made when the spell is first played. If put into play directly, the choice of what to enchant is made by the player putting it into play at the time it would be put into play, and this is not considered targeting. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.8c/8d]
K.12.4 - Local enchantments have a requirement that they enchant a card of the type <-something-> specified. If at any time the permanent they are on stops being of that card type, or if the permanent becomes unenchantable by the enchantment, or if the permanent they are on leaves play, the enchantment is put into its owner's graveyard as a State-based Effect (see Rule T.11). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.8c/8e]
K.12.5 - Local enchantments may have text saying "Play this card only on a <-restriction->" or "This card can only enchant a <-restriction->". The <-restriction-> is considered a restriction which applies while the spell is being played and while the enchantment is in play. If at any time the permanent it is on does not meet that restriction, the enchantment will be put into the graveyard as a State-Based Effect (see Rule T.11). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.8c/8e] For example, Armor of Thorns says "Armor of Thorns can enchant only a nonblack creature" and it will be put into its owner's graveyard if the permanent it on becomes black, and it will be countered if it tries to resolve and the permanent it is suppose to enchant has become black. [D'Angelo 2000/02/15]
K.12.6 - A local enchantment cannot ever enchant itself. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.8f]
K.12.7 - The text "enchanted <-something->" refers to the permanent which the local enchantment is on. It does not refer to any other permanent. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.8g]
K.12.8 - The abilities of a local enchantment do not target the enchanted permanent unless they are activated abilities that can target something. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.8h] For example, the use of Firebreathing does not target the enchanted creature when it is used.
K.12.9 - Changing the controller of a permanent does not change the controller of local enchantments which are on the permanent. So if someone takes control of your Llanowar Elves with Regeneration on them, you still control the Regeneration card, and only you can pay to use it. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.8i]
K.12.10 - Enchant World cards are just like normal "Enchantment" cards, except that only one Enchant World can be in play at a time. If an Enchant World is brought into play, all other Enchant Worlds in play are put into the graveyard as a state-based effect (see Rule T.11). [CompRules 1999/04/23] If more than one enters play at the same time, all of them are put into the graveyard. [Mirage, Page 57] The game always knows which entered play first, even if they enter play during a single "event" (see Rule T.1.6). [WotC Rules Team 1997/10/06] Enchant Worlds are not like Legends. Legends allow one of any given name in play. Enchant Worlds just allow one in play regardless of name. [D'Angelo 1998/07/17]
K.12.11 - The effect of a local enchantment on the permanent it enchants does not validate or invalidate any conditions in its own text. For example, a card which says "enchanted green creature is black" does not cause its effect to be cancelled, and a card which says "enchanted non-creature artifact is an artifact creature" does not cause its effect to be cancelled. Similarly, Transmogrifying Licid does not make its target legal when it says "enchanted creature is an artifact creature". [WotC Rules Team 1999/03/18] You can play as if "enchanted A does B" instead read "as long as enchanted permanent is an A, it does B" so the enchantment's effect gets ordered after anything which would change the permanent to match the condition. [bethmo 1999/04/08]
K.12.12 - If a spell or ability puts a local enchantment into play, the player who puts the enchantment into play chooses where to put the enchantment. It must go to a legal location. The enchantment is not considered to be targeting the permanent it is played on. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.8d]
K.12.13 - A global enchantment has no subtype. A local enchantment's subtype (also called its enchantment type) is the word after "Enchant". For example, an "Enchant Creature" has a "Creature" subtype. Local and Global are not subtypes; they are categories. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212b]
K.12.14 - If a local enchantment is being put into play by a spell or ability, it cannot do so to a permanent which the enchantment cannot legally enchant. The spell or ability will leave the local enchantment in the zone it was in instead of putting it into play. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.8d]
K.12.Ruling.1 - Global enchantment spells may target something when played, but they are still played in your territory. You do not play a global enchantment onto another player. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.12.Ruling.2 - When an enchantment leaves play, any continuous effects it had end immediately, but any duration effects it had last. For example, when Armor of Faith leaves play, the +1/+1 is lost, but any extra toughness added by its ability lasts until end of turn. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.12.Ruling.3 - The text "<-something-> enchantment" refers to a local enchantment of type "Enchant <-something->". So a "creature enchantment" is an "Enchant Creature" card. [DeLaney 1997/01/28]
K.12.Ruling.4 - Enchant World spells are not more powerful than other enchantments or effects. They are applied normally. [bethmo 1994/07/07]
K.12.Ruling.5 - Enchantments are not specifically prevented from becoming tapped, but they generally do not tap. They are most commonly found tapped if the enchantment was changed to a creature or artifact at some time and was tapped while it was of that other permanent type. [D'Angelo 1997/10/11]
K.12.Ruling.6 - The statement "becomes an enchant creature enchanting <-permanent->" will allow the local enchantment to be placed on something it could not legally enchant. If the location is not legal, the local enchantment will be put into the graveyard as a state-based effect as per Rule K.12.4 and Rule K.12.5. For example, if Animate Dead is used on a White Knight, Animate Dead briefly enchants the Knight before it goes to the graveyard. [D'Angelo 2000/04/11]
K.12.Ruling.7 - The rule that an enchantment cannot enchant itself (Rule K.12.6) overrides any attempt to "become an enchant creature enchanting itself". If this tries to happen, the permanent becomes a local enchantment enchanting nothing, then is put into the graveyard as a state-based effect. [D'Angelo 2000/04/11]
Note - Enchantment spells can be played only during your main phase and only when the stack is empty. See T.2 and Rule P.8.3. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

K.13 - Expansion Symbol

K.13.1 - Many cards have an expansion symbol to indicate which expansion set the card is from. This symbol is on the right side of the middle section of the card. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 206.1]
K.13.2 - In newer sets (starting with Exodus in mid 1998), the color of the expansion symbol indicates the rarity of the card. Gold for rare, silver for uncommon, black for common. Older sets (prior to Exodus) always used black for the expansion symbols. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 206.2]
K.13.3 - A spell or ability which affects cards from a certain expansion set only affects ones with the appropriate expansion symbol on it. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 206.3]
K.13.4 - The expansion symbols for various sets are: Limited Edition = No symbol. Unlimited Edition = No symbol. Revised Edition = No symbol. Fourth Edition = No symbol. Fifth Edition = No symbol. Sixth Edition = Roman numeral six ("VI"). Seventh Edition = A stylized "7". Arabian Nights = Scimitar (curved sword). Antiquities = Anvil. Legends = Top of a Greek column. The Dark = A partially eclipsed moon. Fallen Empires = Crown. Ice Age = Snowflake. Homelands = Planet (a circle with blotches on it). Alliances = Flag. Mirage = Palm Tree. Visions = Stylized 'V'. Weatherlight = Open Book. Tempest = Cloud with lightning. Stronghold = Gated Door. Exodus = Bridge. Unglued = Cracked Egg. Urza's Saga = Two Gears. Urza's Legacy = Hammer. Urza's Destiny = Flask. Mercadian Masques = A Mask. Nemesis = An Axe. Prophecy = A set of three crystals. Invasion = A funny shape. Planeshift = A swirl. Apocalypse = A mask with fangs. Odyssey = A crystal ball on a holder (the artifact Mirari). Torment = A snake curled in upon itself. Judgment = A set of scales. Onslaught = A pair of interlocked letters "M". Legions = A shield with two crossed spears behind it. Scourge = A dragon head. Promotional = Dragon. Pen. Stylized 'M'. Feather. DCI symbol. Portal = Circle with radial lines. Portal Second Age = Pentagram with radial lines. Portal Three Kingdoms = Chinese symbol for 3. Deckmasters = A fancy 'D'.

K.14 - Instant

K.14.1 - Cards of type "Instant" are played when you can play an instants, and they are put into the graveyard when they resolve. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.14.2 - An Instant cannot come into play. If one would come into play, it remains where it is instead. [WotC Rules Team 2001/08/01]
K.14.Ruling.1 - Abilities of permanents commonly are played whenever an instant can be played, but they do not cause the permanent to go to the graveyard. [D'Angelo 1999/02/03]
Note - Instants can be used at many times during both players turns. See Rule T.1.4 and Rule T.1.5.

K.15 - Land

K.15.1 - Lands can only be played during your main phase, and only if the stack is empty. See Rule P.8.4. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.15.2 - A land card is not a spell card and is not placed on the stack when played. It is put directly into play. This action cannot be responded to with a spell or ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.15.3 - Land cards have two categories: basic and nonbasic. Basic and nonbasic are not types or subtypes. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.15.4 - A basic land has a built-in ability to produce colored mana. The card is treated as if its text box read "{Tap}: Add <-mana symbol-> to your mana pool" even if the text box does not actually contain text. Plains produce {W}, Islands produce {U}, Swamps produce {B}, Mountains produce {R}, and Forests product {G}. [CompRules 1999/04/23] A non-basic land which says it "is" or "counts as" a basic land type also has the above text. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
K.15.5 - Lands have no color. For example, Forests are not green cards. They can be given a color by a spell or ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.15.6 - If there is a question about what mana gets produced by a land, first figure out what kind of land it is by applying any land type changing effects (like Conversion or Phantasmal Terrain) in the order they entered play. Then figure out what color or type of mana it produces by applying any color changing or type changing effects (like Reality Twist). Finally figure out any additional mana that might be produced (from Wild Growth, Mana Flare, etc.). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] Also see Rule T.8 for additional information on the interaction of continuous effects.
K.15.7 - A land has a mana cost of zero. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 203.1]
K.15.Ruling.1 - Not all lands produce mana. If a nonbasic land does not specifically say that it produces mana or that it is a basic land type, then it does not produce mana. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.15.Ruling.2 - If a spell or ability puts a land into play (see Rule G.28), this does not count as you playing a land for any reason. For example, it does not count as your one land for that turn. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
K.15.Ruling.3 - When a land leaves play, any continuous effects it had end immediately, but any duration effects it had last. For example, when Glacial Chasm leaves play, you no longer get its benefit. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.15.Ruling.4 - When you announce the playing of a land, your "play a land" action is used for the turn. It remains used even if a replacement ability causes the land to not enter play. [bethmo 1999/11/18] This is because playing a land consists of two parts, first choosing a land in your hand and announcing that you are playing it, and second resolving by putting it into play. Replacing the second part does not replace the announcement. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
K.15.Ruling.5 - When an effect allows you to put an extra land into play from your hand, you have to state whether the land you are playing is your normal land play or specify which of the effects you are using. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
Note - See "Land Type", Rule K.16, for more information.

K.16 - Land Type

K.16.1 - All lands have a land type (also called a "subtype") that is the same as the land card's name. In addition, lands may "count as" (see Rule G.9) other types. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.2c]
K.16.2 - Basic land types are: Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains, and Swamp. All other land types are not considered basic lands. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.16.3 - Any land which is not a basic land is a nonbasic land. Even if its rules text or an effect state that it "counts as" a basic land type, it is still nonbasic. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.16.4 - Changing a land to a basic land type erases the card name and all abilities of the old land type and puts in the abilities and card name of the new land type. It also erases any Legendary (see Rule K.17) status. [CompRules 1999/04/23] It does not change any other characteristics, such as whether or not the land is a creature. [WotC Rules Team 2000/06/06] For example, if a land is turned into a Swamp, its card name is now Swamp, its land type is Swamp, and its card text is "{Tap}: Add {B} to your mana pool." See Rule K.15.4.
K.16.5 - Changing a land to another land type does not change other characteristics of the card, such as color, and so on. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.16.6 - Changing a permanent's land type to a basic land removes all other land types of the permanent unless the effect specifies one or more land types will remain. It does not remove any other types the permanent has, such as creature or artifact. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.4/4a]
K.16.7 - Changing a land to a non-land permanent type removes the land's land type. [WotC Rules Team 2000/04/04]
K.16.8 - Adding a land type to a land does not remove any of the land's other types and does not change the land's name. It simply adds the land type and a new ability to generate mana (as appropriate for the land type). [WotC Rules Team 2001/06/07]
K.16.Ruling.1 - If a land is animated into a creature by an effect with a duration (such as Mishra's Factory or Thelonite Druid), and its land type is changed, it will still stay animated until the animation effect ends. [WotC Rules Team 1995/11/10]
K.16.Ruling.2 - "basic land" and "nonbasic land" are not land types. They are categories of lands. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.2c]
Note - See "Snow-Covered Lands", Rule K.21, for more information on them.

K.17 - Legendary Permanents

K.17.1 - A permanent is legendary if its type includes "Legendary" or its creature type includes Legend. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.17.2 - Only one legendary permanent of a given name can be in play at a time. If a legendary permanent enters play (or a permanent becomes legendary) when another legendary permanent of that name is already in play, the one that just entered play or that just became legendary is put into its owner's graveyard. If more than one of the same name enters play or become legendary at the same time, then all of them are put into their owner's graveyards. This is done as a state-based effect (see Rule T.11). [CompRules 1999/04/23] [D'Angelo 2001/06/22]
K.17.3 - Legendary creatures are of creature type Legend, so have the card type entry of "Creature - Legend". Other legendary permanents are listed as "Legendary Artifact", "Legendary Enchantment", and "Legendary Land". [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.17.4 - If a creature Legend is changed to a non-creature permanent type, it is still a legendary permanent. This is true for any type changes to legendary permanents. They do not lose their legendary status. [CompRules 1999/11/01] Similarly, if a Legendary non-creature is changed into a creature, it gains creature type Legend. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
K.17.5 - Any change to a permanent which changes the card's name can remove Legendary status. [bethmo 1999/04/10]
K.17.6 - Removing the creature type "legend" from a creature makes it no longer a legend. [bethmo 1999/09/22]
K.17.Ruling.1 - Because they are put into the graveyard as a state-based effect, it is not possible to use any abilities of the permanent before it is gone. This includes mana abilities. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
K.17.Ruling.2 - A spell or ability that affects "all legends" is referring to "all creatures of type Legend". It is not referring to cards from the Legends expansion and it is not referring to non-creature Legendary permanents. [D'Angelo 2001/06/15]
K.17.Ruling.3 - If one legend is phasing out while another is phasing in, they will not see one another. [bethmo 1996/09/19] See Rule G.27.6.
K.17.Ruling.4 - If a legend is changed so that it is not a legend for a while, then it changes back, it is considered the new one in play. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.17.Ruling.5 - Copy cards, such as Clone, do copy the legendary nature of a card. The copy will be the new legend entering play and will be put into the graveyard. [Duelist Magazine #2, Page 7, 1994/08/01]
K.17.Ruling.6 - The game always knows exactly which legend entered play first or became legendary first (or that they entered play or became legendary at the same time), even if they both enter during the same "event" of a spell or ability. [WotC Rules Team 1997/10/06]
K.17.Ruling.7 - The newer permanent is put into the graveyard (as per Rule K.17.1) even if the two legends with the same name are somehow different card types. [WotC Rules Team 1999/03/18]
K.17.Ruling.8 - A permanent with the same name as a legendary permanent, but which is not also legendary will not cause the Legend rules to be applied. [WotC Rules Team 2000/04/04]
Note - Two or more legendary permanents with different names can be in play at the same time. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - A card is not a Legend just because a card has a gold border. It has to say "Creature - Legend" or "Legendary <-type->" on its card type. Older cards said "Summon Legend". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - All "Creature - Legend" and "Legendary Land" cards were on the DCI restricted list (only 1 per deck) for all tournaments from 1994/08/01 until 1995/11/01.

K.18 - Mana Cost

K.18.1 - The "mana cost" of a card is the mana specified in the upper right hand corner of the card. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 203.1]
K.18.2 - If a spell or ability specifies that the mana cost be paid, it means the actual colors and amounts specified in the mana cost. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 203.1]
K.18.Ruling.1 - The "mana cost" does not include any additional costs in the card text, or any additional costs imposed by other cards. Those apply to the "play cost" (see Rule K.20). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 203.4]
K.18.Ruling.2 - When a spell or ability allows you to cast a spell without paying the mana cost (or by decreasing what you have to pay), the mana cost is still considered to be the full amount even though you did not pay it. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] See Rule K.20.
K.18.Ruling.3 - When a spell or ability allows you to cast a spell without paying the mana cost (or by decreasing what you have to pay), this will not affect costs which are not part of the mana cost. [WotC Rules Team 1998/02/01] For example, Aluren will not pay for the extra cost imposed by Gloom.
K.18.Ruling.4 - A permanent in play by an effect such as Animate Dead still has a mana cost as printed on the card, even though that cost was never paid. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Lands have a mana cost of zero. See Rule K.15.7.
Note - Token creatures have a mana cost of zero. See Rule K.25.5. See Rule K.25.Ruling.6 for an exception.
Note - See "Converted Mana Cost" (Rule K.8) for more rulings on costs.
Note - See "Play Cost" (Rule K.20) for more rulings on costs paid when casting a spell.
Note - See Rule K.28 for information on 'X' in the mana cost.

K.19 - Permanents

K.19.1 - A permanent is a card or token which is "in play" (see Rule Z.5). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.1]
K.19.2 - The initial type and subtype of a permanent are listed in the middle of its card (if it is a card) or in the spell or ability that created the token (if it is a token). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.2]
K.19.3 - A given permanent may be one (or more than one) of the following types: Land, Creature, Artifact, and Enchantment. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.1]
K.19.4 - A permanent may also have a sub-type. Creatures have a creature type, lands have a land type, and local enchantments have an enchantment subtype. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 212.2]
K.19.5 - Spells which are to become permanents are put into play at the end of the resolution of that spell. See Rule T.6.9. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.19.6 - If a card leaves play, it is no longer a permanent. It is just a card. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.3]
K.19.Ruling.1 - When in play, a permanent is no longer considered to be a spell, so it cannot be affected by things which target spells. For example, a counterspell cannot be used on a creature in play. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.3]
K.19.Ruling.2 - You do not need to keep paying the cost of a permanent which is in play (unless a card tells you otherwise). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.19.Ruling.3 - Once in play, a permanent stays in play until something specifically removes it. You cannot get rid of a permanent just because you want to. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 214.1]
Note - Also see Changing a Permanent's Type, Rule K.5.
Note - Also see Creature Type, Rule K.11.
Note - Also see Land Type, Rule K.16.

K.20 - Play Cost

K.20.1 - The "play cost" for a spell or ability is what you actually have to pay to play the spell or ability. The cost may include mana and non-mana aspects. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.20.2 - The "play cost" for a spell is the "mana cost" (see Rule K.18) plus any additional cost increases or decreases that are applied. The "play cost" for an ability is the "activation cost" (see Rule G.1) plus any additional cost increases or decreases that are applied. [D'Angelo 1997/11/19]
K.20.3 - If a card's text includes "At the time you play <-card name->, do <-something->", then it is describing an additional part of the play cost. This is paid only once and is paid when announcing the card. [WotC Rules Team 1998/10/18]
K.20.4 - To figure out the total play cost: a) Start with the mana cost (see Rule K.18). b) Apply cost increases from the card itself (such as from Buyback, see Rule A.10) and cost increases from other effects (such as from Gloom). c) Apply cost reductions from the card itself (such as with the alternate cost spells, see Rule E.1) or from other cards (such as Helm of Awakening or Pearl Medallion). [WotC Rules Team 1998/02/01]
K.20.5 - Mana that is generated with a restriction on how it is spent may be spent on any play cost that meets the restriction. This means that it can be applied to increases due to Kicker, etc. For example, mana from Food Chain, which is limited to only being used for creature spells, may be used to pay the Kicker cost on a creature spell. [Rules Team 2001/05/01]
K.20.Ruling.1 - Using the Buyback (see Rule A.10) ability is part of the play cost of a spell, and is added in before you apply cost decreases. See Rule A.10.Ruling.1. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] Kicker is also part of the play cost. See Rule A.24.Ruling.4. [D'Angelo 2001/01/16]
K.20.Ruling.2 - The result of Rule K.20.4 is that the Medallions and other cost decreasers can be applied to any part of the play cost, and not just the mana cost. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.20.Ruling.3 - Once a spell is announced (see Rule T.4), there is no way to retroactively change the play cost. It has already been paid. For example, if you use a Sleight of Mind to change Gloom so it affects green spells, it will not make an already announced green spell cost more. [bethmo 1994/11/01]
K.20.Ruling.4 - Some older cards used the text "<-cost->: <-effect->" on instants and sorceries. All cards using this format have errata to have it instead say "As an additional cost to play this card, pay <-cost->. <-effect->." The cost is paid exactly once. Not less and not more. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - See "Activation Cost", Rule G.1, for more information.
Note - See "Converted Mana Cost", Rule K.8, for more information.
Note - See "Mana Cost", Rule K.18, for more information.

K.21 - Snow-Covered Lands

K.21.1 - Snow-Covered lands are treated like non-Snow-Covered lands of the same type. Being Snow-Covered does not change the land's land type. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.21.2 - Snow-Covered is an ability of a land and can be granted or removed as any other ability. The Snow-Covered ability doesn't do anything, however. It is merely a marker. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.14a]
K.21.3 - If a land's type is changed, the Snow-Covered ability will be removed just as any other ability would be. For example, if you use Phantasmal Terrain to change a Snow-Covered Plains into a Mountain, you end up with a card named Mountain without the Snow-Covered ability. [D'Angelo 2001/09/17]
K.21.4 - Any effect that looks for a Snow-Covered land will look for one with the Snow-Covered ability. Effects may look for more specific lands. For example, an effect looking for a Snow-Covered Forest will find any Forest with the Snow-Covered ability. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.14a]
K.21.5 - Adding or removing the Snow-Covered ability does not change the name of a land. For example, a card named Snow-Covered Forest which has the Snow-Covered ability removed is still named Snow-Covered Forest but it also is not considered to be Snow-Covered any more. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.14c]
K.21.6 - The cards Snow-Covered Forest, Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Mountain, Snow-Covered Plains, and Snow-Covered Swamp are considered basic lands of the appropriate type. This is true even when they are out of play. So Land Tax can be used to select such lands. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.14b]
K.21.Ruling.1 - Because of Rule K.21.1, anything which affects Plains will affect Snow-Covered Plains, and Forestwalk will work if the opponent controls a Snow-Covered Forest. Since the land type is not changed, things which check land type will see the actual land type. [Duelist Magazine #6, Page 132, 1995/08/01]
K.21.Ruling.2 - Cards which look for a kind of Landwalk ability work only if it is the exact same kind of Landwalk ability. For example, an effect that targets a creature with Islandwalk ability will not work on one with Snow-Covered Islandwalk ability. [D'Angelo 2001/09/17]
K.21.Ruling.3 - If you give a non-basic land the Snow-Covered ability, it does not become a basic land. [Duelist Magazine #7, Page 8, 1995/10/01]
K.21.Ruling.4 - Swamp and Snow-Covered Swamp are different card names. The same is true for the other snow-covered land types. [D'Angelo 1996/01/07] For example, Nebuchadnezzar's effect could have you name either one of these names.
K.21.Ruling.5 - To be Snow-Covered, a land must say that it is Snow-Covered, or an effect must make the land Snow-Covered. Just having snow in the card art does not make it Snow-Covered. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.21.Ruling.6 - If a spell or ability asks you to select a land type, you cannot restrict the land type with an ability like Snow-Covered, just like you cannot restrict the land type by color. In other words, Snow-Covered Swamp and Red Swamp are not valid land type choices. [WotC Rules Team 1998/05/01]
K.21.Ruling.7 - Snow-Covered is an ability and will be removed by an effect that removes abilities. [D'Angelo 2001/08/31]

K.22 - Sorcery

K.22.1 - Cards of type "Sorcery" are played when you can play sorceries, and they are put into the graveyard when they resolve. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.22.2 - A Sorcery cannot come into play. If one would come into play, it remains where it is instead. [WotC Rules Team 2001/08/01]
K.22.Ruling.1 - Abilities of permanents which are played when you can play a sorcery do not cause the card to go to the graveyard. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Note - Sorceries can be played only during your main phase and only when the stack is empty. See Rule T.2 and Rule P.8.3. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

K.23 - Spells

K.23.1 - A spell is a non-land card being played from your hand. The card is a spell from the time it is announced until it resolves or is countered. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 213.1] It is possible to play a spell from another zone if an effect specifically allows it. [D'Angelo 2003/06/14] A copy of a spell is also a spell even though it may not have a card associated with it. [DeLaney 2003/06/14]
K.23.2 - A spell only can only affect permanents in play unless otherwise stated on the card. [CompRules 1999/04/23] See Rule T.7.2.
K.23.3 - The spell's type is the same as its card type, which is listed in the middle of the card. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 213.2]
K.23.4 - A spell is on the stack the entire time it is a spell. It is no longer in your hand and it is not yet in play or in the graveyard. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
K.23.Ruling.1 - Using the ability (see Rule A.1) of a permanent is not considered to be a spell. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Also see Artifact, Rule K.1.
Note - Also see Creature, Rule K.9.
Note - Also see Enchantment, Rule K.12.
Note - Also see Instant, Rule K.14.
Note - Also see Sorcery, Rule K.22.

K.24 - Split Cards

K.24.1 - Split cards have two complete card faces on a single card. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 505.1]
K.24.2 - When you play a split card, you announce which side of the card you are playing before taking any other actions as part of the announcement. [Invasion FAQ 2000/10/03]
K.24.3 - While on the stack, the spell only counts as the side chosen during announcement. The other side is completely ignored. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 505.2]
K.24.4 - While in all zones other than the stack, the card counts as having both sets of characteristics. It has two names, two mana costs, and so on. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 505.2]
K.24.5 - Split cards are considered multicolored cards (except when they are on the stack). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 505.3]
K.24.6 - If asked to name a card, a split card's full name includes all of its names. For example, if someone names Wax/Wane, it affects the card, but someone naming just Wax or just Wane would not be naming the card. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 505.7]
K.24.7 - Effects that check if a split card's characteristic matches a given value get only one answer but both sets of characteristics are checked. For example, if an effect checked if Wax/Wane was green, it would find this true since one half is green and the other is white. For example, if Void is played on you with a choice of 2, Wax/Wane would not be discarded since neither side has a converted mana cost of {2}. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 505.6]
K.24.8 - Effects that ask for a split card's characteristic in order to use the value (at any time other than on the stack) get both answers. For example, Infernal Genesis asks for the converted mana cost of the card. Wax/Wane would report {1} and {1} since it cannot report a single value. Infernal Genesis uses this as a number, so it adds them together and puts 2 tokens into play. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 505.5]
K.24.9 - Effects that compare a split card in the graveyard, or any zone other than the stack, against a spell on the stack will match the card and spell no matter which half of the spell is being played. For example, Bazaar of Wonders will detect either Wax or Wane being announced when a Wax/Wane is in the graveyard. [DeLaney 2000/10/19]
K.24.Ruling.1 - Even though the card has two sets of characteristics on the front, it is still considered only one card for purposes of draw, discard, and similar effects. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 505.4]

K.25 - Token Creatures

K.25.1 - Token creatures are in all ways like normal card-based permanents, except they are not cards for effects which look for cards. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 200.1]
K.25.2 - The color of a token is defined by the spell or ability that generates the token. If no color is specified, the token is colorless. They do not inherit the color of the spell or ability that generated them. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.25.3 - The name of a token is specified by the effect that generates the token. For example, ones generated by The Hive are called Wasps. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.25.4 - The creature type of a token is the same as the token name, in addition to any types named by the spell or ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.25.5 - Token creatures have a mana cost (see Rule K.18) of zero. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 203.1] Also see Rule K.25.Ruling.6.
K.25.6 - Token creatures cease to exist entirely if they ever leave play (to the hand, graveyard, removed from game, phased out, or wherever). Before ceasing to exist, the token will trigger any zone changing abilities that apply. [CompRules 1999/04/23] It is removed as a state-based effect (see Rule T.11), so it is not possible to target the token with a spell or ability before it is gone.
K.25.7 - Token creatures are "owned" by the player that controlled the spell or ability that put the token into play. [CompRules 1999/04/23] This is true even if the token is put into play under another player's control. [bethmo 1996/05/16]
K.25.8 - The player putting the token into play controls it unless otherwise stated on the card. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
K.25.Ruling.1 - Before ceasing to exist (as per Rule K.25.6), token creatures do briefly go where they are sent, which can trigger effects. For example, Soul Net can be used on a token creature going to the graveyard. See Rule K.25.6. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.25.Ruling.2 - Token creatures are not considered to have expansion symbols. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.25.Ruling.3 - A Clone (or other copy card) used on a token is a card and not a token, so it will not follow the token rules. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.25.Ruling.4 - If a token is represented in play by a card, it is still a token and is not a card according to the game. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Remember that a token is just a physical reminder for a permanent that was created by an effect. You can use glass beads, dice, or anything that you can tell whether it is tapped or not and which can be used without disturbing the play area (elephants are a poor choice for an indoor game, for example).
K.25.Ruling.5 - Changing the creature type of a token will not change the token's name. [WotC Rules Team 2002/10/01]
K.25.Ruling.6 - A token that is a copy of another permanent, such as with Echo Chamber or Dance of Many, also copies the permanent's mana cost, so it is possible for a token to have a non-zero mana cost. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]

K.26 - Tombstone Icon

K.26.1 - Cards may include a tombstone icon on the upper left corner of the card, by the card name. [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01]
K.26.2 - This icon has no game effect. It has been added to newer cards to make it easier to identify cards that have an ability that can be used while the card is in the graveyard. [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01]

K.27 - Walls

K.27.1 - Creatures with the creature type "Wall" may not attack unless a spell or ability specifically enables them to do so. [CompRules 1999/04/23] A spell or ability which enables a Wall to attack needs to say that the creature may "attack as though it were not a Wall" or "this Wall can attack". Simply granting Haste (see Rule A.22) does not allow it to attack. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
K.27.Ruling.1 - Walls cannot attack even if you raise their power above zero. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
K.27.Ruling.2 - Walls are in all ways creatures. They are affected by any spell or ability that affects creatures (including Paralyze, Terror, and Incinerate). They are just a type of creature which cannot attack. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - See "Creature Type", Rule K.11, for more information.

K.28 - X Costs

K.28.1 - When an {X} appears in the mana cost of a spell, you must choose a value for X that is a non-negative integer. Zero is legal unless otherwise stated on the card. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.28.2 - If more than one 'X' is in the mana cost, both 'X's must have the same value. In fact, all 'X's on the card are considered to have the same value. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, a spell that costs "{X}{X}{U}" to cast will cost "{4}{U}" if you choose for 'X' to be 2, and "{6}{U}" if you choose for 'X' to be 3.
K.28.3 - If there is an {X} in the mana cost of a spell, consider the amount paid in 'X' to be part of the cost while the spell is on the stack, but 'X' is zero after the card becomes a permanent or while the card is any place other than on the stack. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.28.4 - If a 'Y' or 'Z' appears in a cost, it follows the same rules that you follow for an 'X'. [D'Angelo 2000/02/15]
K.28.Ruling.1 - The value of 'X' is chosen when announcing the spell (before you pay the mana cost) and you cannot change this value later. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
K.28.Ruling.2 - If a card is put into play by means other than casting, any X in the mana cost is considered to be zero. [D'Angelo 1998/06/05]
K.28.Ruling.3 - If there is an X in the card but it is not in the mana cost, you decide the value of X on resolution (unless the card says otherwise). [DeLaney 2000/01/13]

M - Multi-Player Rules

M.1 - Multi-Player Rulings

M.1.1 - There are no official multi-player (meaning, more than 2 player) rules for Magic, but there are some rules for how cards should be read in a multi-player game. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
M.1.2 - If a permanent targets a player when it is activated, you may choose a different player each time it is used. [WotC Rules Team 1995/01/10] For example, Prodigal Sorcerer.
M.1.3 - The rules for the stack (see Rule T.2) do not specify who announces next in multi-player games. Instead of going "active player, then non-active player", you need to determine how to play. If the multi-player rules you are playing with do not specify and the people you are with do not agree on something else, it should go around the table to the left and a stack only resolves its top item if all players pass. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
M.1.Ruling.1 - In most multi-player rules, if a player is "killed", all of the cards that player owns are immediately removed from the game, regardless of who controls them at the time. [D'Angelo 1996/10/06] Spells and abilities the player controls which are on the stack will continue to resolve. [D'Angelo 1999/06/23]
Note - Many older cards were not written for use in multi-player games. Refer to individual card errata to find out the current wording of any card you have questions about. All cards have been reworded to work as intended under the current rules.

M.2 - Free-For-All Style

M.2.1 - "Opponent" is defined as any player other than yourself. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

M.3 - Team Play

M.3.1 - "Opponent" is defined as any player not on your team. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

M.4 - Attacks

M.4.1 - Some multiplayer rulesets allow you to declare attacks in ways that are different from the core rules. The core rules (Rule C.3.2) only allow one attack on one player. Some rulesets allow you to declare one attack that splits creatures across multiple defending players or to declare one separate attack for each opponent. The official rules of Magic do not cover these situations, so you need to find the rules for the particular flavor of multiplayer Magic you are playing. [D'Angelo 2003/06/14]

P - Phases of the Turn

P.1 - Starting the Game

P.1.1 - Prior to the first phase of the first turn of the game, each player brings their deck to the play area and shuffles it. The opponent may also shuffle the deck. Each player's deck becomes their Library (see Rule Z.6). [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 101.1]
P.1.2 - The Library size for constructed deck play must be 60 or more cards. For sealed deck play, the deck must be 40 or more cards. There is no maximum deck size in either style. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 100.2/3/4]
P.1.3 - A constructed deck may have any number of basic lands, but not more than four copies of any other card. Sealed deck play allows any number of any card. Two cards are the same if they have the same English name, even if they are in different languages or have different artwork. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 100.2]
P.1.4 - One player gets to choose if they want to go first or not. The player that goes first skips their draw during their first draw step. This is called the "play or draw" choice. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 101.2/4]
P.1.5 - If this is the first game between players, randomly determine who gets the choice in Rule P.1.4. If this is not the first game of a match, then the loser of the previous game chooses. If the previous game was a draw, then the player who chose last time chooses this time. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 101.2]
P.1.6 - After the choice is made, each player draws a hand of 7 cards and the game begins with each player having 20 life. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 101.3]
P.1.7 - Each player may choose to "mulligan" if they do not like their starting hand. To do this, the player shuffles their hand back into their deck, then draws a new hand of six cards. The player may repeat this process, drawing one fewer card each time, until the hand reaches zero cards. Once the player who is going to go first in the game decides to keep their hand, the next player makes their choice. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 101.5]

P.2 - Phases of the Turn

P.2.1 - Each turn is divided into 5 phases, and the phases themselves are divided into steps: 1. Beginning Phase a. Untap Step b. Upkeep Step c. Draw Step 2. First Main Phase - This phase has no steps. 3. Combat Phase - This phase's steps are described in Rule C.1. 4. Second Main Phase - This phase has no steps. 5. End Phase a. End of Turn Step b. Cleanup Step
P.2.2 - Each turn is played completely through all the phases by one player, and then play proceeds to the opponent who then takes a turn, and so on. [Fifth Edition, Page 8] Note - Various spells and abilities can cause a player to skip a turn or get an extra turn.
P.2.3 - A spell or ability may grant a player an additional turn after the current one. If multiple additional turns are granted during one turn, take these additional turns in the reverse to the order granted. In other words, the most recently granted extra turn is taken first. [CompRules 2002/02/20 - 300.6] (This is a big REVERSAL. Extra turns used to be taken in the order granted.)
P.2.Ruling.1 - You still have every phase and step in every turn even if nothing happens during one of the phases or steps. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

P.3 - General Phase and Step Rules

P.3.1 - At the beginning of each phase or step, any triggered abilities (see Rule A.4) that trigger "at the beginning of" that phase or step are added to the stack. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.3.2 - Once triggered abilities are placed on the stack, the current player receives priority, and play continues until all players pass while the stack is empty. See Rule T.2 for details. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.3.3 - When a phase or step ends, all effects scheduled to last "until the end of" that phase or step end. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.3.4 - When a phase or step begins, all effects scheduled to last "until" the current phase or step end. For example, an effect that lasts "until your next upkeep step" will end at the beginning of your upkeep step before checking for triggered abilities. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
P.3.5 - When a phase ends (but not a step), any unused mana in each player's mana pool is lost, and that player loses 1 life for each point of mana lost this way. This is called "mana burn" (see Rule G.22). [CompRules 1999/04/23] Any abilities triggering on this loss of life wait until the next phase or step where a player receives priority before they are played. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] Checking if a player loses the game from having zero or less life waits until the next phase or step where a player receives priority. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
P.3.6 - No game event ever takes place between phases, between steps, or between turns. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.3.7 - A phase or step ends when both players pass while the stack (see Rule T.2) is empty. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.3.Ruling.1 - If a phase or step is skipped, any effects that last "until" that phase or step continue. For example, if your draw step is skipped, any effect lasting until your next draw step would not end at that time. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

P.4 - Beginning Phase

P.4.1 - This phase has three steps: Untap, Upkeep, and Draw. In that order. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.4.2 - The "mana burn" (see Rule P.3.5 and Rule G.22) that happens at the end of this phase takes place at the end of the final step of this phase. Normally, this is the Draw step, but if the Draw step is skipped, then mana burn happens at the end of the Upkeep step. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
P.4.3 - Any abilities triggering "at beginning of turn" trigger at the beginning of the first step of the turn. Normally this is the Untap step, but if that step is skipped, it is the Upkeep step. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
P.4.4 - Any static abilities which change their effect when the current player changes (such as Vibrating Sphere), take effect at the start of the first step of the turn. Normally, this is the Untap step, but if that step is skipped, it is the Upkeep step. This takes place before checking for any triggered abilities during that turn. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
P.4.Ruling.1 - If an effect to skip a turn is optional, make the choice right before the turn starts. [D'Angelo 1996/11/06] If more than one effect can cause you to skip a turn, choose which one is making you skip just before you would start the turn. [Barclay 1998/07/29]

P.5 - Untap Step

P.5.1 - During this step, the current player determines which permanents they will untap. Normally all of their tapped permanents will untap, but effects can modify this. Then they untap all the chosen permanents simultaneously. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.5.2 - No player receives priority during this step, so no spells or abilities can be played or resolved. Any ability that triggers during this step will be held until a player receives priority during the Upkeep step. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.5.3 - Phasing happens during this step prior to choosing what to untap. All phased out cards phase in and all permanents with Phasing (see Rule A.30) which are in play phase out simultaneously. See Rule G.27.6. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
P.5.Ruling.1 - You must untap your cards. You cannot "forget". [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
P.5.Ruling.2 - If something enters play after or during the untap ability resolving, the permanent entering play does not untap. [bethmo 1996/05/16] For example, a Tawnos's Coffin untapping.
P.5.Ruling.3 - If untapping a permanent changes what other permanents may untap, those changes do not apply during this turn. [D'Angelo 1998/01/09] For example, untapping a Winter Orb will not cause you to back up and choose only one land to untap. And untapping an Amber Prison will not let the permanent it was holding tapped untap at that time.

P.6 - Upkeep Step

P.6.1 - This is the first step of the turn during which any player receives priority. This means that any abilities that triggered at the start of this step, or during the Untap step are placed on the stack (see Rule T.2) at this time, then the current player gets priority to play spells and abilities. See Rule T.3 for details. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.6.Ruling.1 - If an ability triggers at the beginning of upkeep, removing the permanent that generated that ability from play after that will not stop the ability from resolving (see Rule T.6). This means you cannot destroy a permanent in order to avoid its "at beginning of upkeep" ability. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

P.7 - Draw Step

P.7.1 - The game has a "built-in" triggered ability (see Rule A.4) for this step that reads: "At the beginning of your draw step, draw a card." This places a "draw a card" ability on the stack (see Rule T.2) on top of any other abilities that trigger on the start of this step. No player controls this ability and it is placed after all ones controlled by players have been placed. [Rules Team 2001/05/01]
P.7.2 - After placing triggered abilities on the stack, the current player receives priority to play spells and abilities. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.7.Ruling.1 - You cannot skip the required draw or take an additional draw unless a spell or ability says otherwise. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - If you try to draw and have no cards in your library to draw from, you lose the game. See Rule Z.6.8 for details.
Note - Abilities that provide extra draws during this step are played as triggered abilities and are played separately from your normal draw. For example, if there are three Howling Mines in play, then each provides its own "draw one card" effect, rather than combining with the draw effect you get normally. Similarly, effects such as Sylvan Library do not combine with other card draws. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - Remember to check for mana burn at the end of this step because it is the end of the phase. See Rule P.4.2.

P.8 - First Main Phase

P.8.1 - There are two Main phases each turn and they are separated by the Combat phase. Rules that refer to the Main phase (as opposed to First Main or Second Main) refer to the two phases together. [CompRules 1999/05/01]
P.8.2 - After triggered abilities are added to the stack at the start of the phase, the current player receives priority to play spells and abilities. [CompRules 1999/05/01]
P.8.3 - This is the only phase in which you may cast sorcery, creature, enchantment, or artifact spells, or play sorcery abilities. Only the current player can use these during their main phase. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.8.4 - During the Main phase, the current player may play a land from their hand if the stack is empty and that player has priority. This special action can only be done once per turn. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.8.5 - Playing a land is a special action. It cannot be done in response to something and it cannot be responded to. [Duelist Magazine #5, Page 123, 1995/05/01] It has two parts, announcing the playing of the land, and actually putting it into play. This action does not go on the stack. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
P.8.6 - This phase is also called the "Precombat Main Phase". [CompRule 1999/11/01]
P.8.Ruling.1 - The restriction of only one land per turn may be overridden by other effects, such as Fastbond, but the rules for playing a land are unchanged. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - Many players mistakenly think that the main phase must be ordered as "play a land, then play spells, then attack". You can do these in any order, and it is often good to play it like "attack, then play a land, then play spells". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - Remember to check for mana burn at the end of the phase before starting the combat phase. See Rule P.3.5.

P.9 - Combat Phase

Note - This phase is described in detail in section C. See Rule C.1.

P.10 - Second Main Phase

P.10.1 - This phase is called the "Postcombat Main Phase". [CompRules 1999/11/01]
P.10.Ruling.1 - If a spell or ability gives you additional main phases in your turn, they will all be 'postcombat' main phases. [DeLaney 2000/01/13] For example, Relentless Assault.
Note - See First Main Phase for rules.
Note - Remember to check for mana burn at the end of the phase. See Rule P.3.5.

P.11 - End Phase

P.11.1 - This phase has two steps: End of Turn and Cleanup. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

P.12 - End of Turn Step

P.12.1 - All "at end of turn" abilities trigger and go on the stack, then the current player receives priority to play spells and abilities. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
P.12.2 - Any new "at end of turn" abilities that trigger during this step wait until this step in the next turn. They are not played this turn. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] This means you cannot get any loops using "at end of turn" effects.
Note - "until end of turn" effects do not end during this step as Rule P.3.4 might indicate. They end during the Cleanup step. See Rule P.13.1.
Note - Unless something happens during the Cleanup step to give a player priority, this is the last step in which players can use instant spells and abilities before the next turn's upkeep step. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

P.13 - Cleanup Step

P.13.1 - During this step the following actions are taken in order: a) If the current player's hand contains more cards than their maximum hand size (normally 7), they discard enough cards to reduce their hand size to that number. This action does not go on the stack. b) Simultaneously remove all damage from permanents, and all "until end of turn" and "this turn" effects end. This action does not go on the stack. c) If the conditions for any state-based effect (see Rule T.11) exist, or if any abilities have triggered, the active player receives priority to play spells or abilities after resolving those state-based effects and putting those triggered abilities on the stack. Once the stack is empty, instead of proceeding to the next turn, another Cleanup step begins. If no state-based effects need to be applied and no triggers need to be played, the step ends. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
P.13.Ruling.1 - You may not just choose to discard because you want to. You only do so if you have more than 7 cards or because a spell or ability tells you to do so. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Remember to check for mana burn at the end of the phase. See Rule P.3.5.

T - Timing of Spells and Abilities

T.1 - Types of Spells and Abilities

T.1.1 - The list of valid spell types is: instant, sorcery, artifact, artifact creature, creature, enchantment. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.1.2 - The list of valid ability types is: activated ability (see Rule A.2), delayed ability (see Rule A.5), mana ability (see Rule A.6), static ability (see Rule A.3), and triggered ability (see Rule A.4). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.1.3 - Artifact spells (and artifact creature spells), sorcery spells, creature spells, and enchantment spells can only be played during your main phase and only when the stack (see Rule T.2) is empty. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.1.4 - Instants may be used on either player's turn during the Upkeep Step, Draw Step, Main Phase, End of Turn Step, and all steps during the Combat Phase. They can also sometimes be played during the Cleanup Step. They may be played on an empty stack (see Rule T.2) or on a stack which already has spells and abilities on it. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.1.5 - The ability of a permanent with an activation cost is played whenever you could play an instant unless otherwise stated on the card. The only exception is that any activated ability which generates mana is played as a mana ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.1.6 - An "event" is anything that happens in a game. [CompRules 1999/04/23] The term is usually used to describe an atomic action in the game, such as announcing a spell or ability, declaring attackers or blockers, or the resolution of a spell or ability. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] A spell or ability may have multiple events in its resolution. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Something which appears as a single event to one thing may appear as multiple events to another. For example, whenever you declare attackers there are a number of separate events within the declaring attackers event. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
T.1.Ruling.1 - The timing rules do not distinguish between spells and abilities. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
T.1.Ruling.2 - Many players really want to know about the "speed" of a spell or ability. The truth is that "speed" isn't a very important concept in Magic. The type of a spell/ability really just determines when it can be played rather than how "fast" it is. Artifacts (and artifact creatures), creatures, sorceries, and enchantments are _not_ slower to resolve than instants. The only difference is when they can be announced. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Note - Also see Delayed Abilities, Rule A.5.
Note - Also see Mana Abilities, Rule A.6.
Note - Also see Triggered Abilities, Rule A.4.

T.2 - Stack

T.2.1 - The stack is the core of the timing rules for Magic. It is called a stack because each announced spell or ability is placed on top of the pile, forming a stack. When they resolve or are countered, they are removed from the stack. So the stack grows and shrinks over time. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.2.2 - The timing for the stack looks like this: [CompRules 1999/04/23] 1. The active player may announce a spell or ability legal at this time: a. The active player may announce a spell or ability (see Rule T.4) and add it to the stack. b. Goto 1 if something is announced in 'a'. c. If the active player chose not to announce something, they "yield priority". If the active player does this without announcing something first, and this is done after just the other player has yielded priority, goto step 3. 2. If the active player yields priority, the other player may announce a spell or ability legal at this time: a. The other player may announce a spell or ability (see Rule T.4) and add it to the stack. Not playing something is called "yielding priority". b. Goto 2 if something is announced in 'a'. c. If the player yields priority but did announce something before doing so, goto 1. If nothing was announced by the player, goto step 3. 3. Once both players yield priority (active player then other player, or the other way around), if there are any spells or abilities on the stack, resolve (see Rule T.6) the top item on the stack, then go to step 1. If there are no spells or abilities on the stack, end the current phase or step.
T.2.3 - The active player is the player whose turn it is. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.2.4 - A spell or ability can be countered (see Rule G.7). If this happens, it is removed from the stack and does not resolve. Thus, all of its costs were paid but none of its effects occur. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.2.Ruling.1 - Adding something to a stack with spells or abilities on it is called "responding" to a spell or ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.2.Ruling.2 - The stack resolves in last-to-first order. This means the last played spell or ability actually resolves (see Rule T.6) first. Then the next to last, and so on. This can result in things being different than you expect sometimes, but it works to allow the responding player to get an advantage. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
T.2.Ruling.3 - A spell or ability may remain on the stack for quite a while if players continue responding to it. There is no limit to how many spells or abilities can be announced and resolved before letting a spell or ability on the stack resolve. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
T.2.Ruling.4 - Players may also take actions that do not use the stack any time they have priority. Those actions resolve immediately and give that same player back priority. [DeLaney 2003/06/15]
Note - Mana abilities do not go on the stack, see Rule A.6.2.
Note - Playing land cards do not go on the stack, see Rule K.15.2.
Note - Also see Stack Zone, Rule Z.9.

T.3 - Life Cycle of Spells and Abilities

T.3.1 - The life cycle for a spell or ability can be charted out like this: [CompRules 1999/04/23] 1. Announcement -- Mode is chosen. Targets are chosen. Costs are paid. See Rule T.4.2 for details. 2. Waiting for resolution -- When a spell or ability gets to this stage, it is considered successfully "played" or "activated". It is put on top of the stack, and can be responded to by putting other spells and abilities on the stack. Stay in this step until both players pass while there are no spells or abilities above this one in the stack. Mana abilities skip this step. 3. Resolution -- Check targets at this time. If all of a spell or ability's targets are illegal, then it is countered. Otherwise, make any choices as required, then apply the effects.

T.4 - Step 1: Announcing a Spell or Ability

T.4.1 - This is also called "playing" a spell or ability. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
T.4.2 - Announcing a spell or ability can be charted out like this: [CompRules 1999/04/23] [WotC Rules Team 2000/06/06] a) Announce the spell or ability to be played and put it on the stack. If the spell is a split spell (see Rule K.24), choose which half of the spell will be played as it is put on the stack. b) If the spell or ability is modal (see Rule G.24), choose the mode. c) If the spell or ability has an alternate cost, choose whether or not to use it. d) If Buyback (see Rule A.10), Kicker (see Rule A.24) or other optional cost is available, choose if it will be paid. e) If the spell or ability has an {X} in the mana cost, the value for X is chosen. f) Targets (if any) are chosen. See Rule G.39. g) If targets are affected differently, choose how each target is affected. This includes dividing up counters and damage. h) Determine the cost. Once determined, payment in step j will not change this cost. i) Mana abilities may be played at this point (or before announcing). j) Pay all costs. See Rule G.6.
T.4.3 - Choices selected by the opponent are made during the same step as choices made by the player announcing the spell or ability, but they are made after that player makes any of their choices. [CompRules 1999/04/23] [WotC Rules Team 2000/04/04]
T.4.4 - When announcing an ability, put a "pseudospell" on the stack which has a copy of the text and color of the permanent generating the ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23] This is like putting an invisible copy of the card on the stack.
T.4.5 - If the cost includes mana, mana abilities can be played at substep 'i'. Or, you could have played the mana abilities before announcing the spell or ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.4.6 - You cannot go through announcement if you cannot choose the required valid targets or cannot pay all the costs. [CompRules 1999/04/23] If you try to do so, the game "rewinds" to just before the announcement started.
T.4.7 - When a spell says "Play this spell only any time you could play a <-spell type->", then the spell can be played at any time a spell of type <-spell type-> could be played if you had one, but the spell is still considered to be its actual type. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
T.4.8 - The spell card is not in your hand after you start announcing it. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
T.4.9 - You cannot choose to target something (in step 'f' of Rule T.4.2) then choose to do nothing to it or to do zero damage to it (in step 'g'). If this is the case, you simply do not include that target. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.4.10 - If a spell or ability has multiple costs to be paid on announcement, the costs may be paid in any order you choose as long as you pay them all. They are not simultaneous. [CompRules 1999/11/01] For example, a Llanowar Elves cannot tap to attack and tap to pay its own Propaganda cost at the same time. It can only do one or the other. And a Llanowar Elf can tap to pay part of the cost of the Fling it is being sacrificed to. [DeLaney 1999/06/13]
T.4.11 - If any spell or ability checks a characteristic or other value of a spell at the time it was played (as with Mana Maze), use the values at the start of the announcement (see Rule T.4.2 part a). For example, if you control both an Ivory Cup and a Iron Star and you announce a white spell that becomes red during the process of announcement, the Ivory Cup triggers and the Iron Star does not, because it was white at the start of announcement. [Dommermuth 2000/10/26] This applies to all values set at the start of announcement. Some values are set during announcement, such as the value of 'X' in a spell with an X in its cost. When these values are checked by a spell or ability, use the value at the time it was first determined. [D'Angelo 2000/11/06]
T.4.12 - Check for any effects that prohibit something from being played at the time you start announcement (see Rule T.4.2 part a). You can't start an announcement if it is prohibited. [Dommermuth 2000/10/26] If a change occurs during announcement that would make the spell or ability be prohibited, that's okay. You've already passed the test at the start of announcement. Note: This rule applies only to effects which prohibit announcement. You still abort announcement if at any time you cannot complete the required payments, choose the required targets, or any other required actions. [D'Angelo 2000/11/06] Some spells and abilities may be allowed only if you take some additional action, such as with Rout requiring an additional payment if you want to play it at a time when a sorcery would not be allowed. For these cases, you may start announcing, but abort if you cannot make the required payment or other action at the required time. [D'Angelo 2000/11/17]
T.4.13 - You determine the total cost of playing spell or ability at step 'h' in Rule T.4.2, then you get a chance to use mana abilities in step 'i' prior to paying costs in step 'j'. Any actions made while paying the cost or acquiring mana for the cost will not alter the cost. [Rules Team 2002/10/01]
T.4.Ruling.1 - Any abilities that trigger (see Rule A.4) during this step are handled at the beginning of the next step. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
T.4.Ruling.2 - Because of Rule T.4.4, destroying or modifying the source of an ability after it is announced will not cause the ability to fail or change in any way. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
T.4.Ruling.3 - If an alternative cost has a condition, check the condition at the time you would pay the cost. [MM FAQ 1999/09/22]
T.4.Ruling.4 - As an exception to rule T.4.9, you can target something with an effect that "rounds down" damage knowing that it will round down to zero. [DeLaney 2000/01/22]
T.4.Ruling.5 - As noted in Rule T.4.2, any additional or optional play costs are dealt with after the spell or ability is on the stack. [CompRules 2002/02/20 - 412.3] Note that previously made choices, such as choosing to use Flashback, may restrict your options when making choices. [CompRules 2002/02/20 - 409.1b]
Note - Many choices are not made on announcement. They are made on resolution. If you don't see the choice described in this section, it is done on resolution. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - If more than one target is to be selected at the same time, the same target may not be selected more than once. See Rule G.39.2.
Note - A spell that will become a permanent cannot be acted upon as a permanent until it is successfully resolved. Until then it is not a permanent, it is just a spell on the stack. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - Replacement effects (see Rule T.10) can be applied to costs. See Rule T.10.Ruling.3.

T.5 - Step 2: Waiting for Resolution

T.5.1 - At the beginning of this step, any abilities which trigger (see Rule A.4) on a spell or ability being "played", "activated", "successfully played" or "successfully activated" are put on the stack along with abilities that triggered during the announcement itself, then the player who just played the previous spell or ability receives priority to play spells and abilities. Once both players pass while the stack has no spells or abilities on top of this one, continue to the next step. [CompRules 1999/04/23] See Rule T.2 for improved detail on the stack.
T.5.2 - Mana abilities (triggered or activated) skip this step . Abilities triggered on a mana ability becoming "played", "activated", "successfully played", or "successfully activated" (and which are not mana abilities themselves) wait until after its resolution before going on the stack. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.5.Ruling.1 - Adding a spell or ability to the stack at this time is called "responding to" this spell or ability. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]

T.6 - Step 3: Resolution

T.6.1 - This step can be charted out as follows: [CompRules 1999/04/23] a) Recheck targeting conditions. If the spell or ability has any targets and all targets are illegal, the spell or ability is countered (see Rule G.39.6). b) Follow the instructions in the spell or ability's text, making choices as required by the text. c) If it is an instant or sorcery spell, put it into the graveyard. If it is an artifact, creature, or enchantment spell, put it into play.
T.6.2 - At the start of this step the spell or ability rechecks any targeting conditions it has. If it has any targets and all the targets are illegal, the spell or ability is countered and does nothing, not even its untargeted portions. If it has no targets or at least one target is still legal, the effect proceeds to happen normally but does nothing with regards to any targets which are illegal. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.6.3 - Instructions are to be followed in order they are written on the card. But keep in mind that a later sentence may modify the meaning of or place limits on an earlier sentence in the text. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, "Destroy target creature. It can't be regenerated."
T.6.4 - If the instructions offer any choices other than mode and target, these choices are made as required as each portion of the spell or ability resolves. If both players have choices to make, the active player chooses first. [WotC Rules Team 2002/10/01]
T.6.5 - A player cannot choose an option that is illegal or impossible. For example, a spell reads "You may sacrifice a creature. If you don't, you lose 4 life." A player who controls no creatures cannot choose the sacrifice option. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.6.6 - Spells and abilities may have multiple steps or actions, denoted by separate sentences or clauses. For each sentence or clause, the player controlling the spell or ability makes their choices and does their actions first, then the opponent does so. [WotC Rules Team 2000/04/04] For a spell which reads "Each player removes two cards in his or her hand from the game", the controller chooses and removes, then the other player chooses and removes. For a spell such which reads "Each player chooses a card in his or her hand. Then each player reveals his or her chosen card", the controller chooses, then the opponent choses, then the controller reveals, then the opponent reveals. [WotC Rules Team 2000/04/04]
T.6.7 - If the instruction requires information about the game state, the information is looked up as needed. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.6.8 - If a permanent left play (or if a card leaves any other zone), but information about it is required in order to follow the instructions, the last known values for that permanent before it left play (or for the card before it left its other zone) are used. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
T.6.9 - A spell card that is to become a permanent (which means artifact, creature, and enchantment spells) does so as the final step of resolution. An instant or sorcery spell card is put into the graveyard as the final step of resolution. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.6.10 - If a mana payment is required during resolution, mana abilities can be used at that time. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.6.11 - Spells and abilities always resolve as completely as possible. If part of the effect is impossible, the other parts are still completed. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.6.Ruling.1 - The instructions on many abilities have the source permanent do some effect, not the ability itself. Due to Rule T.6.7, the current characteristics of that permanent are used, not the values at announcement. And if the source permanent left play, Rule T.6.8 applies.
T.6.Ruling.2 - Rule T.6.8 applies only to information about the permanent that is needed during resolution. If the resolution sets up a continuous effect with an end condition, the current game state is used to determine if the end condition will be or has already been met. [D'Angelo 1999/05/26]
Note - Replacement and prevention effects (see Rule T.10) can be applied to any action in the resolution. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Note - See the targeting (Rule G.39) section for more information.

T.7 - Types of Effects

T.7.1 - The effects of a spell or ability come in several types. These are: continuous, one-shot, and replacement and prevention. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.7.2 - Effects apply only to permanents in play unless specifically stated otherwise. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, an effect which changes all lands to creature will not affect land cards in the players's graveyards.
T.7.3 - If an effect attempts to do something impossible, it does only as much as is possible. For example, a player with one card in hand who is affected by "discard two cards" causes the player to discard only the one card. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Note - Some older cards said the effect was "permanent", which was just a short way of saying it lasted until the permanent left play. It is important to remember that this effect can still be overridden. [D'Angelo 1997/10/20]

T.8 - Continuous Effects

T.8.1 - A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability lasts as long as stated (for example, "until end of turn", or "as long as this card remains tapped"). If no duration is stated, it lasts until the end of the game. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.8.2 - A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability will "lock in" the set of permanents it will affect. If the spell or ability is targeted, this is done at the time it is announced. If the spell or ability is not targeted, this is done when it resolves. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, a spell that reads "All white creatures get +1/+1 until end of turn" gives the bonus to all permanents that are white creatures when the spell resolves. These permanents keep the bonus if they stop being white or stop being creatures, and permanents that become white creatures later in the turn do not get the bonus.
T.8.3 - A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability will "lock in" any variables and calculations when it resolves. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, "target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of cards in your hand" counts the cards in your hand when the spell resolves. The bonus is not recalculated if your hand size changes. Similarly, an effect which is limited in some way (as with Blood Lust) also gets locked in this way and does not change later even if other effects change. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
T.8.4 - If the end condition for a continuous effect using the "as long as" template for the end condition is met before the effect is applied, then the effect never takes place. You do not apply the effect and then end it, and you do not let the effect continue until end of game. For example, if an effect lasts "as long as this card remains tapped" and the card untaps before the effect is applied, then the effect never is applied. [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01] If the end condition for other templates, primarily "until <-condition->", is met before the effect is applied, you wait for the next time that condition occurs. [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01]
T.8.5 - A continuous effect generated by a static ability of a permanent is in effect as long as the permanent is in play, and ends as soon as the permanent leaves play. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.8.6 - A continuous effect generated by a static ability of a permanent does not "lock in" the set of permanents it affects. The effect is continuously checking to see what it applies to. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, a static ability "All white creatures get +1/+1" will give the bonus to white creatures. If a permanent stops being a white creature, it loses the bonus. If a permanent becomes a white creature, it gains the bonus.
T.8.7 - A continuous effect generated by a static ability of a permanent does not "lock in" any variables. All variables are continuously recalculated. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] For example, "enchanted creature gets +X/+X, where X is the number of cards in your hand" will grant a bonus that changes when your hand size changes.
T.8.8 - All effects of all sorts on a permanent end when the permanent leaves play. [D'Angelo 1996/11/07] There is one exception to this. A permanent phasing out may have some effects continue. See Rule G.27.
T.8.9 - A continuous effect is said to "depend on" another if applying the other would change the text or existence of the first effect, what it applies to, or what it does to any of the things it applies to. Otherwise, the first effect is considered independent of the second one. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.8.10 - Whenever one continuous effect "depends on" another, the independent one is applied first. If several dependent effects form a loop, or if none depends on another, the effects are applied in the order they came into play. This ordering is called "timestamp order". [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, if one effect says "all white creatures get +1/+1" and another effect says "enchanted creature is white", the creature gets the bonus regardless of the order the effects entered play because the first effect depends on the second one and is therefore always applied afterwards.
T.8.11 - For purposes of these rules, each permanent considers effects from its built-in abilities to be the oldest effects upon itself. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] This means that if an enchantment says that all creatures lose Flying, a Flying creature that was in play before, or enters play after this enchantment entered play, will still lose Flying.
T.8.12 - A continuous effect affects permanents as soon as they enter play. For example, if Blood Moon is in play and a non-basic land is played, the land enters play as a Mountain. It does not enter play as its original type and then change. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.8.13 - A continuous effect that says something cannot happen overrides any one-shot effect that tries to do that thing. This rule does not apply to the adding or removing of abilities. For example, if a continuous effect said "players can't gain life" and a spell or ability is played that says "You gain 3 life" then you do not gain life. [D'Angelo 2000/02/25]
T.8.14 - A continuous effect is said to have "limited duration" if it lasts "until" some time or condition, or "as long as" some condition is true. An effect is said to have "unlimited duration" if the effect lasts indefinitely. [WotC Rules Team 2000/02/16] Note that the Licid ability is considered to be unlimited even though there is a new ability created which can end the effect. The effect itself does not define its end condition in this case. [WotC Rules Team 2000/02/16]
T.8.15 - A continuous effect generated by a card in the graveyard has its "timestamp" set at the time the card entered the graveyard. For example, Anger. [Judgment FAQ 2002/05/28]
T.8.Ruling.1 - A continuous effect may modify how a permanent enters play. For example, Kismet will make land cards enter play in a tapped state. They do not enter play and tap afterwards. [WotC Rules Team 1997/08/05]
T.8.Ruling.2 - A continuous effect from a spell or non-static ability lasts its full duration even if the source of the effect leaves play or the affected permanent temporarily becomes inapplicable to the effect. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] For example, if Giant Growth is cast on an artifact creature, which then stops being a creature for a while, the +3/+3 will still be there if it becomes a creature before the end of turn when the duration effect ends.
T.8.Ruling.3 - One continuous effect can override another. This happens if one is applied after the other as per Rule T.8.10. This makes it so the most recent effect "wins". For example, two enchantments are played on the same creature. One says "enchanted creature gains flying" and the other says "enchanted creature loses flying". Neither of these depends on the other, so they are applied in the order they came into play. So the one that was in play first "loses" to the one that came into play most recently. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.8.Ruling.4 - Because of Rule T.8.8, an "at end of turn do <-something->" effect can be avoided if the affected permanent leaves play by phasing out (see Rule G.27.4). [Aahz 1996/10/04]
T.8.Ruling.5 - If the source of a continuous effect is removed or changed, re-apply any other effects using the rules to discover the new outcome. If the removed effect was one that changed a characteristic, side-effects may result. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] For example, if you cast a Conversion enchantment to change all Mountains into Plains and then used Magical Hack on a second Conversion enchantment to turn all Mountains into Forests, the first one would be applied and turn them all into Plains. The second one would find no Mountains in play, so it would do nothing. Later, if the first one were removed, the second one would immediately discover the Mountains and convert them to Forests (and they would not even momentarily be Mountains).
T.8.Ruling.6 - A permanent with a built-in ability (as per Rule T.8.11) that has a conditional effect is still considered to have that ability as a built-in ability. For example, if it had "As long as this card is untapped, it has Flying", it would act as if Flying were in its built-in abilities while it was untapped and as if it did not have Flying when it was tapped. [Aahz 1997/08/10]
T.8.Ruling.7 - When a card phases in (see Rule G.27), its effect is considered to be a new one entering play. [Aahz 1996/11/08]
T.8.Ruling.8 - For purposes of reordering effects due to dependencies (as outlined in Rule T.8.10), the dependent effect moves to after the one it depends on, not the other way around. For example, if effects A, B, and C are in play and effect A depends on effect C, then the ordering is B, C, and then A. [bethmo 1999/07/27]

T.9 - One-Shot Effects

T.9.1 - A one-shot effect does something just once and does not have a duration. For example, "Deal 3 damage to target creature" and "return target permanent to its owner's hand" are one-shot effects. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.9.2 - A one-shot effect may create a delayed ability (see Rule A.5). This ability may be activated (see Rule A.2) or triggered (see Rule A.4). For example, "at end of turn, return this card to owner's hand" creates a delayed triggered ability that will trigger at end of turn. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

T.10 - Replacement and Prevention Effects

T.10.1 - Replacement and prevention effects are similar to continuous effects. They watch for a type of event and replace it with a different one, modify it in some way, or prevent it from happening. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.10.2 - Replacement effects can be identified by the word "instead". [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.10.3 - Prevention effects can be identified by the word "prevent". [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.10.4 - Replacement and prevention effects wait around for the next event which they apply to, then do their thing. When they are applied, they get "used up". For this reason, people commonly say that they act like a "shield" (using the science fiction idea of an energy shield that protects a spaceship). [CompRules 1999/04/23] Note that static abilities which provide replacement or prevention do not get "used up" like this; they are in a sense continually re-creating the shield. [DeLaney 2000/01/22]
T.10.5 - Replacement and prevention effects can say they apply to more than one event, such as "prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn". They are not "used up" until the appropriate number of events are replaced or prevented. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.10.6 - Replacement and prevention effects generated by a spell, activated ability, or triggered ability often have a duration, such as "this turn". When this duration expires, the effect ends even if it is not "used up". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
T.10.7 - If an event is prevented or replaced, then the event never happens. For example, if damage is prevented, the damage is never dealt. And if a destroy effect is replaced by regeneration, the creature was not destroyed. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.10.8 - Each replacement effect gets only one opportunity to apply to each event. For example, a player controls two copies of a permanent with the ability "instead of dealing their normal damage, creatures you control deal double that damage." A creature that normally deals 1 damage will deal 4 damage, not just 2, and not an infinite amount. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For another example, if a creature has both Pariah and Treacherous Link on it, then there is no loop. The damage always ends up where it would have been if neither had been there. [D'Angelo 2000/01/02]
T.10.9 - Regeneration is a replacement effect. Regenerate means "The next time this turn the permanent would be destroyed, instead remove all damage from it, tap it, and (if it is in combat) remove it from combat." [CompRules 1999/11/01]
T.10.10 - If two or more replacement or prevention effects attempt to modify the same event in contradictory ways, the player who is being affected, or who controls the affected permanent, or who owns the affected card that is not in play chooses the order to apply them. [CompRules 1999/04/23] + [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] For example, if one effect says "If a card would be put into a graveyard, instead remove it from the game" and another effect says "If this card would be put into a graveyard, instead shuffle it into its owner's library", then the controller of the card that was going to the graveyard would decide which to apply first.
T.10.11 - Two or more replacement effects can interact without contradicting each other. For example, if one effect says "For each 1 life you would gain, instead draw a card" and another says "Instead of drawing a card, return target card from your graveyard to your hand", both effects would combine regardless of the order they came into play. Instead of gaining 1 life, the player puts a card from their graveyard into their hand. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.10.12 - Many prevention effects require you to choose a "source". A source is any permanent, any spell on the stack, or any card or token referred to by a spell or ability on the stack. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
T.10.13 - Some spells and abilities have replacement abilities that modify themselves. Any self-replacement is applied before any external replacements. This modifies rule T.10.11 slightly. [Rules Team 2001/05/01]
T.10.Ruling.1 - Replacement and prevention effects must exist before the appropriate event occurs. They cannot go back in time to change something that has already happened. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.10.Ruling.2 - If an effect is modified by a replacement effect so that the effect gives contradictory instructions, such as "put this card in the graveyard and in your hand", then all contradictory parts of the effect are ignored. [WotC Rules Team 1997/10/06]
T.10.Ruling.3 - Replacement effects can be applied to any costs paid when announcing a spell or ability. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
T.10.Ruling.4 - If you play a spell or ability that generates a replacement effect that looks for something, it looks for exactly that something. For example, if you use a Circle of Protection: Green to prevent green damage from a specific attacking Craw Wurm and someone responds by using Thoughtlace to change that Craw Wurm blue, then the damage will be from a blue Craw Wurm so it will not be prevented. [Bethmo 1999/03/22]
T.10.Ruling.5 - Replacement effects do not check whether or not the new action can be completed. They make the replacement any time they apply. For example, a card that replaces "lose 1 life" with "remove 1 card from your library" will make the replacement even if you have no cards in your library. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
T.10.Ruling.6 - If a replacement alters something in a card's effects that happens before an "If you do", then the "If you do" now refers to the altered activity. For example, if a card says "Whenever X, you may draw a card. If you do, do Y" and another card says "If you would draw a card, do Z instead", then the end result is that you do Y if you do Z. [Rules Team 2001/08/01] If the original action was not optional and the replacement puts in a non-action or prevents the action in the first place, then you cannot do the action and so the "If you do" does not happen at all. [D'Angelo 2001/08/15]
Note - Look under specific card entries for details on how specific replacement abilities work.
Note - Also see Damage Redirection, Rule G.12.

T.11 - State-Based Effects

T.11.1 - State-based effects are a special set of rules that are applied whenever a player is going to receive priority, prior to placing triggered abilities on the stack. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.11.2 - All state-based effects are checked at once and applied at once in a single event, then the check is repeated until nothing happens. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Neither player receives priority until the state-based effects are done resolving. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
T.11.3 - A check for state-based effects is also made during the Cleanup Step (see Rule P.13), and if any effect is applied the active player receives priority to play spells and abilities afterwards. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.11.4 - State-based effects are not controlled by either player. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
T.11.5 - The state-based effects are: [CompRules 1999/11/01] a) A player with zero or less life loses the game. b) A creature with toughness of zero or less is put into its owner's graveyard and it cannot regenerate. c) A creature with lethal damage (see Rule K.10.4) (which does not also have zero or less toughness) is destroyed. Regeneration can replace this event. [bethmo 1999/07/27] d) A local enchantment that enchants an illegal or non-existent permanent is put into its owner's graveyard. e) Duplicate legends are put into their owner's graveyard. See Rule K.17. f) A token in a zone other than "in play" ceases to exist. g) A player who was unable to draw a card due to their library being empty loses the game. h) If more than one Enchant World is in play, all or all-but-one are put into their owner's graveyard. See Rule K.12.10. i) A player with 10 or more poison counters loses the game. See Rule E.10.2. j) A copy of a spell anyplace other than the stack ceases to exist.
T.11.6 - Unlike triggered abilities, state-based effects do not pay attention during the resolution of a spell or ability. They only check when a player is about to receive priority. This makes them very different. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, a creature is in play with the ability "this creature has power and toughness each equal to the number of cards in your hand". Its controller plays a spell which says "Discard your hand, then draw seven cards." The creature will temporarily have a toughness of zero in the middle of the resolution, but it will be back to toughness 7 when the spell finishes resolving. So the state-based effect will see it at 7 toughness, while a triggered ability would have seen it temporarily be at zero toughness.
Note - Don't confuse state-based effects with triggered abilities (see Rule A.4.14 and Rule A.4.15) that trigger on some game state. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

T.12 - Timing Conflicts

T.12.Ruling.1 - The timing rules are explicit about who can announce something and when they can announce it, but following all the rules strictly can be nearly impossible given the need to play a game smoothly and quickly. Thus, conflicts can happen. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
T.12.Ruling.2 - "I'm done" always means "I'm done unless you do something else". If the player does something, then you continue as if you never said you were done. Anything legal at that time is still legal. [bethmo 1994/08/01] Be careful about the use of this phrase since it is often unclear if you are yielding priority with a stack of spells, done with the main phase, or done with your turn.
T.12.Ruling.3 - If the current player skips on to a new phase when the opponent wanted to announce something, or a player announces multiple spells/abilities at one time without allowing a chance to make a legal response, or the opponent announces something when the current player was going to do so, then you should back up the game and continue from the point where the goof-up occurred. Players are not bound to follow the same set of actions they did after that time. You should stop the game as soon as possible by jumping in with a "Wait! I want to do something". Letting something pass without saying "Wait" is quiet agreement with what they did. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
T.12.Ruling.4 - If the opponent announces something without first getting the current player to say (or otherwise indicate) they are not doing something, this is technically an illegal move and should be taken back. The most common way to deal with this, however, is for the current player to get the choice of saying that they want to do something and force the other player to take back their action, or to let the opponent's action stand and announce whether or not they want to respond. This is pretty much equivalent in the outcome to taking it back and then having the current player say "I'm not doing anything, go ahead and play that again." [D'Angelo 1997/02/12]
T.12.Ruling.5 - You cannot make someone back up because you forgot to do something, even if it is something you "usually do". They may allow you to in friendly play if they want but they are not bound to do so, and are in fact not allowed to do so during tournaments. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
T.12.Ruling.6 - If a player starts to do something, then realizes it is not legal, they must take back the entire action. This includes any costs paid, mana abilities used to get mana for the cost, and triggers that might have happened along the way. For spells, it also puts the spell card back in the player's hand. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Note - Strictly speaking you have to notify your opponent at every point what you are doing with things like "I'm done responding, do you want to add anything to it before a spell or ability resolves", and "I'm done with the xxxx phase, do you want to do anything". This is very annoying and breaks up game play, but if you are having problems with a given player, fall back on this until you learn to deal with each other. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]

U - Unglued

U.1 - Humor

U.1.1 - Unglued was designed to be funny. Keep that in mind. [D'Angelo 1998/09/01]
U.1.2 - It is very unlikely that you'll manage to get the NetReps or Customer Service to agree on some rulings for these cards. So, if there are two or more rulings from official people out there, use the one that you think will be funniest. In Arena, the Arena judge chooses. In friendly play, agree amongst yourselves, or toss a coin. [Barclay 1998/08/13]

U.2 - Token Cards

U.2.1 - Some cards have a picture and no text. These are intended for use to represent token creatures for you so you don't have use coins, glass beads, kittens, pick-up trucks, or other handy objects. [QAS 1998/09/09]
U.2.2 - When using one of these to represent a token creature, they count as tokens, not cards. [QAS 1998/09/09]

U.3 - Other

U.3.1 - A teammate is a player who shares a victory condition with you. In other words, you both work together to win and win as a team. [QAS 1998/09/09] Partnership and Emperor formats have teammates. Grand Melee and normal two-player games do not.
U.3.2 - When judging if a person performed a subjective task correctly, use your best judgment. An honest attempt which falls a little short should not be penalized. [QAS 1998/09/09] Subjective tasks include rhyming, doing an action for Bureaucracy, complimenting an opponent, etc.
U.3.3 - Any random source with the same odds can replace a coin toss or die roll. [QAS 1998/09/09] But the replacement still counts as its original type. For example, rolling a die to simulate a coin counts as a coin flip and not a die roll. [D'Angelo 1998/09/09]
U.3.4 - You cannot target a player in a different game. [QAS 1998/09/09]
U.3.5 - If you rip up or mark a card in a tournament because you are required to do so by a spell or ability, your deck is not made illegal. Instead, before the next game, you must bring your deck back up to 60 cards by borrowing from your sideboard (if your sideboard has any more cards and if your deck fell below 60). [QAS 1998/09/09]
U.3.6 - If you are required to remove cards from your deck or sideboard for the duration of a match a tournament, your deck is not made illegal. Instead, before the next game, you must bring your deck back up to 60 cards by borrowing from your sideboard (if your sideboard has any more cards and if your deck fell below 60). [QAS 1998/09/09]
U.3.Ruling.1 - You cannot use a coin with two heads (or tails) or a die which does not have 6 different values, as per Rule U.3.3. [D'Angelo 1998/10/23]

Z - Zones of Play

Z.1 - Zones of Play

Z.1.1 - There are 8 zones in Magic. The zones are: Ante, Graveyard, Hand, In Play, Library, Phased Out, Removed from Game, and Stack. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Z.1.2 - Each player has their own version of each zone, with the exception of the In Play and Stack zones, which are shared by all players. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.1.3 - If a card (or token) moves from one zone to another, it forgets everything about what it was doing and any effects which were upon the card lose track of it. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, a card in the graveyard does not know if it was ever in play or if it just got discarded to end up there. Rule Z.7.1 and Rule Z.9.5 outline two exceptions to this rule.
Z.1.4 - If more than one card is moved from one zone to another by a single effect, all those cards move simultaneously. If the new zone requires some sort of ordering (as with the Graveyard and Library), the controller of that zone decides in what order to place the cards. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.1.5 - If a card or token is sent to the Hand, Graveyard, Library, or Ante zone, it always goes to its owner's version of that zone. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.1.Ruling.1 - An ability which triggers on a card (or token) moving from one zone to another can remember information about the card (or token) in the previous zone. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] See Rule A.4.18.
Z.1.Ruling.2 - An ability that triggers on something going from one zone to another is not resolved until after the something gets to its target zone. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Z.1.Ruling.3 - An ability which triggers on a card (or token) moving from one zone to another cannot track the card (or token) to a third zone. If the card (or token) is not in the second zone and the ability tries to affect it, it does nothing. [DeLaney 2000/01/22]
Z.1.Ruling.4 - If a card in a zone is "put" into that same zone, nothing happens. The card remains where it was and nothing triggers. [Jackson 2000/04/19] For example, if Reanimate is used on a Phyrexian Dreadnought and you sacrifice no creatures, the Dreadnought stays in the graveyard at the same location it was at.

Z.2 - Ante

Z.2.1 - Magic can be played for "ante". This means that you are playing for the ownership of one (or more) of your opponent's cards. [Mirage, Page 55]
Z.2.2 - When playing for ante, after shuffling and cutting the decks prior to playing a game, the top card off each deck is put into the Ante. The winner of the game gets property ownership of these cards. [Mirage, Page 55]
Z.2.3 - Any card which refers to a player's ante, refers to all cards they currently have in the ante zone. [Mirage, Page 55]
Z.2.4 - Unless the game is specifically played with hidden ante, the ante cards can be examined by either player at any time. [Mirage, Page 55]
Note - Ante is not normally used in tournament environments.
Note - Ante is commonly used in small circles of players as a kind of forced trading, and as a reward for good play.
Note - Some places consider ante a form of gambling and so it is disallowed in those places.
Note - There are variations on Rule Z.2.2 whereby people have other ways of deciding what card is placed in the Ante. For example, some people disallow basic lands. [DeLaney 2000/01/22]

Z.3 - Graveyard

Z.3.1 - The graveyard is where cards go when they are discarded from a player's hand, when they are destroyed or sacrificed while in play, or when they are countered while being played as spells. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.3.2 - The graveyard is also called the discard pile. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.3.3 - The graveyard has an order to it. All cards that enter the graveyard are placed on top of it. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Because of this and Rule Z.1.4, if more than one card is to be placed in at a time, the owner of that graveyard decides the order those cards get stacked in. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.3.4 - Neither player may change the order of any graveyard. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.3.5 - Information about the graveyard is public. All players have the right to know what cards are in every player's graveyard and what order they are in. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.3.6 - Abilities of cards in the graveyard cannot be used and have no effect on the game unless the card specifically says they do. For example, the Nether Shadow has an ability which can be played while it is in the graveyard, but the White Knight does not have Protection from Black while in the graveyard. See Rule A.1.3. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.3.Ruling.1 - Any token sent to the graveyard ceases to exist. This is a state-based effect (see Rule T.11), so it is not possible to announce a spell or ability to affect the token before it is gone. See Rule K.25.6. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.3.Ruling.2 - Cards in the graveyard are just cards. They have no memory of whether they were ever in play or not, or of anything that may have happened to them when they were in play. This includes removal of any choices about the card, any alterations via spells like Magical Hack, any counters on the card, and so on. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] See Rule Z.1.3.
Z.3.Ruling.3 - If something goes to the graveyard then comes back, it is considered a new card since it forgot its past when it went to the graveyard. [bethmo 1994/05/03] See Rule Z.1.3.
Note - Each player starts the game with an empty Graveyard. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Note - When a card is brought from the graveyard directly into play, see Rule G.28.

Z.4 - Hand

Z.4.1 - A player's hand is where they keep cards which have been drawn but are not yet played. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.4.2 - The number of cards in a player's hand is public information. All players have the right to know this number. But they do not get to know what cards you hold (unless a spell or ability says otherwise). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.4.3 - Each player has a maximum hand size. This is normally 7 cards. A player's maximum hand size is only checked at the beginning their cleanup step (see Rule P.13). Players may have any number of cards in their hand at other times. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.4.4 - Spell cards being announced are considered to not be in your hand for purposes of target selection, sacrifices, and other things related to announcing (see Rule T.4.2) the spell. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
Z.4.Ruling.1 - You always get to know what cards an opponent sees when they look at cards from your hand. [D'Angelo 1997/02/10]
Z.4.Ruling.2 - You are allowed to show cards in your hand to other players. [Barclay 1999/09/07]
Z.4.Ruling.3 - Your hand is not ordered. You can shuffle or otherwise change the order of the cards in your hand at any time. [DeLaney 2000/01/22]

Z.5 - In Play

Z.5.1 - Each player places cards they control in front of themselves (except for local enchantments which may enchant another player's permanents). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.5.2 - In Play is the only zone where permanents (see Rule K.19), such as lands, creatures, artifacts, and enchantments exist. Anywhere else they are just cards. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.5.3 - A card which is not in play is neither tapped nor untapped. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.5.4 - Face down cards in this zone can be looked at by their controller, but not by other players. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
Z.5.Ruling.1 - If something leaves play then comes back, it is considered a new permanent since it forgot its past when it left play. [CompRules 1999/04/23] See Rule Z.1.3.
Z.5.Ruling.2 - If a permanent in play has a effect on it such as "return to owner's hand at end of turn", that effect will end as soon as the permanent leaves play. See Rule Z.1.3. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Note - The In Play zone starts out empty at the start of the game. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Note - Tokens cannot exist outside of this zone. See Rule K.25.6.
Note - Phasing (Rule G.27) overrides some rules for this zone.

Z.6 - Library

Z.6.1 - Your library is where the cards in your deck sit until they are drawn. It is also called your "draw pile". [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.6.2 - The contents of a player's library are not public. No player (not even the owner of the library) may look at the cards therein unless instructed to do so by a spell or ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.6.3 - The library has an order to it. No player may change this order unless instructed to do so. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.6.4 - The number of cards in your library is public information and every player has the right to know the count. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.6.5 - All cards that are placed on the library are placed on top of it, and all cards taken from the library are taken from the top of it, unless otherwise specified. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Z.6.6 - If more than one card is to be placed on top of the library or on the bottom of the library at one time, the owner of that library decides the order the cards get stacked in it. [CompRules 1999/11/01] [WotC Rules Team 2000/02/16]
Z.6.7 - If a spell or ability has you do something to more cards in your library than you currently have in your library, it affects all the remaining cards. [Mirage, Page 59]
Z.6.8 - If a player is instructed to draw a card and their library is empty, that player loses the game the next time state-based effects (see Rule T.11) are checked. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
Z.6.9 - All cards which tell a player to search a library for a card based on some criteria (such as type, subtype, or name), you may choose not to find such a card even if one is in your library. This rule pretty much exists to avoid the need to have a judge verify that the player really did so. Effects which tell a player to search a library for "a card" or a specific number of cards do not fall under this rule and do not allow a player to find fewer cards (unless there are not enough in the library). For example, Demonic Tutor and Jester's Cap are not optional since they have you search for a specific number of cards. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
Z.6.Ruling.1 - You do not need to show any other player what cards are going into or coming out of a Library unless the cards came from a publicly viewable place, in which case you may only hide the order in which you place the cards. [WotC Rules Team 2000/02/16] [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
Z.6.Ruling.2 - If a spell or ability has you choose one or more cards from your library, shuffle the rest of the library, and then put the chosen cards on top, the chosen cards are considered to be in your library during this entire process. The entire action is one step and not even mana abilities can be used in between the choosing and putting back. [Aahz 1997/03/17]
Z.6.Ruling.3 - If a zone is partially revealed (for example, the top card of your library is revealed), then rule Z.6.9 still applies as if the entire zone were not revealed. So even if you're asked to search for something that everyone knows is on the top of the library, you can choose not to find it. [Barclay 2003/02/10]
Note - You must start the game with at least 60 cards in your library before you draw your initial hand (unless the rules you are playing with specify a different size). See Rule P.1.2.

Z.7 - Phased Out

Z.7.1 - This zone is where cards are placed when they phase out (see Rule G.27.1). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.7.2 - Cards which are phased out break one of the basic rules of zones (see Rule Z.1.3). They can enter and leave this zone and carry changes with them, such as counters, enchantments, and some effects. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.7.3 - Face down cards in this zone cannot be looked at by any player. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
Note - Also see Phasing, Rule A.30.
Note - Also see Phasing In and Out, Rule G.27.

Z.8 - Removed from Game

Z.8.1 - This is where cards go when they are removed from the game. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.8.2 - Information about the out of game zone is public. All players have the right to know what cards are in every player's out of game area. Specific cards may override this and specify that cards are moved into this zone face down. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.8.3 - A spell or ability may provide a way to return a removed card back to play (or some other zone). Such spells and abilities often use the tern "set aside" to mean placing the cards into this zone. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.8.4 - Face down cards in this zone cannot be looked at by any player. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
Z.8.Ruling.1 - Cards that might return to play should be kept in separate piles to keep track of their respective ways of returning. Cards with no way of returning may be kept in one pile for each player regardless of what removed them. [CompRules 1999/04/23]

Z.9 - Stack

Z.9.1 - The Stack is the name of the place where spells and abilities which have been announced but have not yet been resolved are. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.9.2 - When a spell or ability is announced, it is placed on top of the stack. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.9.3 - A spell or ability leaves the stack only if it is countered or when it resolves. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Or when Ertai's Meddling removes it. [DeLaney 2000/01/22]
Z.9.4 - The contents of this zone are public. All cards here are face-up. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.9.5 - Cards in this zone break one of the basic rules of zones (see Rule Z.1.3). They can leave this zone and carry editing effects with them. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.9.6 - Abilities on the stack are represented by pseudospells (imaginary cards). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.9.7 - A spell or ability can "edit" something on the stack. When this happens and the spell is to become a permanent, the editing effect is carried over to the permanent when it enters play. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
Z.9.8 - Face down cards in this zone can be looked at by their controller, but not by other players. [Onslaught Rules 2002/09/15]
Note - Also see Stack Timing, Rule T.2.

Index

Abilities
- Activated, A.2
- Announcing, T.4
- Banding, A.8
- Bands, A.8
- Bands with Other, A.9
- Buyback, A.10
- Comes Into Play, E.3
- Countering, G.7
- Cumulative Upkeep, A.11
- Cycling, A.12
- Echo, A.14
- Evasion, A.15
- Fading, A.16
- First Strike, A.18
- Flanking, A.19
- Flying, A.21
- General Info, A.1
- Haste, A.22
- Horsemanship, A.23
- Is Not Blocked, E.7
- Kicker, A.24
- Landhome, A.26
- Landwalk, A.27
- Life cycle overview, T.3
- Phase Ability, G.25.Ruling.7
- Phase Cost, G.25.Ruling.8
- Phasing, A.30
- Playing, T.4
- Protection, A.31
- Rampage, A.33
- Resolving, T.6
- Responding to, T.5, T.5.Ruling.1
- Shadow, A.34
- Static, A.3
- Tap and Hold, E.11
- Trample, A.37
- Triggered, A.4
- Types, T.1
Activated Abilities, A.2
Activation Cost, G.1
Active Player, T.2.3
Alternate Cost Spells, E.1
Animated Artifacts, K.5
Animated Lands, K.5
Ante, Z.2
Artifact,
- Continuous, K.1.Ruling.2
- Creature, K.5, K.2
- General, K.1
- Mono, K.1.Ruling.2
- Poly, K.1.Ruling.2
Attack, See Combat
Attackers, Declaring, C.3
Banding, A.8
Bands, A.8
Bands with Other, A.9
Banned Cards, see Tournament, Banned Cards
Beginning Phase, P.4
Blockers, Declaring, C.4
Bury, G.25.Ruling.1
Buyback, A.10
Cantrip, E.1
Card Name, K.3
Card Type, K.4
Caster, G.2
Changing a Permanent's Type, K.5
Characteristics, K.6
Cleanup Step, P.13
Color, G.3
Colorless, G.3.2
Colorless Mana, G.4
Color of a Spell/Permanent, K.7
Comes Into Play Ability, E.3
Continuous Artifact, K.1.Ruling.4
Continuous Effects, T.8
Combat
- Beginning of, C.2
- Combat Damage, C.5
- Declaring Attackers, C.3
- Declaring Blockers, C.4
- End of, C.6
- Instants During, C.2, C.3, C.4, C.5
- Phase, C.1, P.9
Controller, G.5
Converted Mana Cost, K.8
Copy Cards, E.4
Cost
- Activation, G.1
- General, G.6
- Mana, K.18
- Play, K.20
- X in Costs, K.28
Creature
- Card Type, K.9
- Creature Type, K.11
- Power/Toughness, K.10
- Spell, K.9
Countering Spells and Abilities, G.7
Counters, G.8
Counts As, G.9
Cumulative Upkeep, A.11
Cycling, A.12
Damage
- Combat Damage, C.5
- General, G.10
- Prevention, G.11
- Redirection, G.12
Deck, see Library
Delayed Ability, A.5
Destroy, G.13
Discard, G.14
Discard Pile, see Graveyard
Draw
- Action, G.15
- Pile, see Library
- Step, P.7
Echo, A.14
Effects
- Continuous, T.8
- One-Shot, T.9
- Prevention, T.10
- Replacement, T.10
- State-Based, T.11
- Types of, T.7
Enchantment
- General, K.12
- Global, K.12.1
- Local, K.12.2
- Moving, E.9
- World, K.12.10
Enchant World, K.12.10
End of Combat, C.6
End of Turn Step, P.12
End Phase, P.11
Evasion Ability, A.15
Event, T.1.6
Exchanging Cards, G.16
Fading, A.16
Fast Effect, G.25.Ruling.2
First Strike, A.18
Fizzle, G.25.Ruling.3
Flanking, A.19
Flying, A.21
Fog Effects, E.6
Foresthome, see Landhome
Forestwalk, see Landwalk
Generic Mana, G.17
Global Enchantment, K.12.1
Graveyard, Z.3
Hand, Z.4
Haste, A.22
Horsemanship, A.23
Infinity, G.18
In Play Zone, Z.5
Instant, K.14
Interrupt, G.25.Ruling.4
Islandhome, see Landhome
Islandwalk, see Landwalk
Is Not Blocked Ability, E.7
Kicker, A.24
Land
- Card Type, K.15
- Creatures, K.5
- Land Type, K.16
- Snow-Covered, K.21
Landhome, A.26
Landwalk, A.27
Legends, K.17
Legendary Artifact, K.17
Legendary Enchantment, K.17
Legendary Land, K.17
Legendary Permanents, K.17
Licids, E.8
Library
- Minimum Size, D.13.5, D.14.5, D.15.4, D.16.7, D.17.4, D.19.6, P.1.2
- Zone, Z.6
Life, G.19
Life Cycle
- Announcing, T.4
- Overview, T.3
- Resolving, T.6
- Waiting to resolve, T.5
Local Enchantment, K.12.2
Losing the Game, G.20
Loss of Life, G.21
Main Phase, P.8, P.10
Mana
- Colorless, G.4
- Generic, G.17
Mana Ability, A.6
Mana Burn, G.22
Mana Cost, K.18
Mana Pool, G.23
Mana Source, G.25.Ruling.5
Modal Spells and Abilities, G.24
Mono Artifact, K.1.Ruling.2
Mountainhome, see Landhome
Mountainwalk, see Landwalk
Moving Enchantments, E.9
Mulligan, P.1.7
Multi-Player
- Free-For-All Style, M.2
- General Rulings, M.1
- Team Play, M.3
Must Attack, C.7
Must Block, C.7
Obsolete Terms, G.25
One-Shot Effects, T.9
Owner, G.26
Permanent, K.19
Phase
- Beginning, P.4
- Cleanup Step, P.13
- Draw Step, P.7
- End of Turn Step, P.12
- Main, P.8, P.10
- Overview, P.2, P.3
- Skipping, G.36
- Untap Step, P.5
- Upkeep Step, P.6
Phase Abilities, G.25.Ruling.7
Phase Cost, G.25.Ruling.8
Phased Out, Z.7
Phasing
- Ability, A.30
- General, G.27
- In, G.27.5
- Out, G.27.1
Plainshome, see Landhome
Plainswalk, see Landwalk
Play Cost, K.20
Poison, E.10
Poly Artifact, K.1.Ruling.3
Power, K.10
Power/Toughness, K.10
Protection, A.31
Protection from Color, see Protection
Put Into Play, G.28
Rampage, A.33
Regeneration, G.29
Removed from Game Zone, Z.8
Remove from the Game, G.30
Replacement Effect, T.10
Resolving a spell or ability, T.6
Responding, T.5
Restricted Cards, see Tournament, Restricted Cards
Reveal, G.31
Rounding, G.32
Sacrifice, G.33
Set Aside, Z.8.3
Shadow, A.34
Sideboard, D.11
Simultaneous, G.34
Skipping a Draw, G.35
Skipping a Phase or Step, G.36
Snow-Covered Land, K.21
Sorcery, K.22
Source, T.10.12
Speed of Spells and Abilities, T.1.Ruling.2
Spell
- Alternate Cost, E.1
- Announcing, T.4
- Countering, G.7
- Defined, K.23
- Life cycle overview, T.3
- Playing, T.4
- Resolving, T.6
- Responding to, T.5
- Types, T.1
Split Cards, K.24
Stack, T.2, Z.9
Start of Game, P.1
Static Abilities, A.3
Step
- Beginning of Combat, C.2
- Cleanup, P.13
- Combat Damage, C.5
- Declare Attackers, C.3
- Declare Blockers, C.4
- Draw, P.7
- End of Combat, C.6
- End of Turn, P.12
- Untap, P.5
- Upkeep, P.6
Successfully Played, T.5.1
Summoning Sickness, G.37
Swamphome, see Landhome
Swampwalk, see Landwalk
Tap, G.38.1
Tap and Hold Abilities, E.11
Tapping a Permanent, G.38
Targeting
- Announcing and Resolving, G.39
- Is Something Targeted, G.40
- Multiple Targets, G.39.2, G.39.5, G.39.6
- Valid Targets, G.41
Templates, E.12
Timing Conflicts, T.12
Token Cards, U.2
Token Creatures, K.25
Toughness, K.10
Tournament
- Ante, D.10.2, D.17.6
- Banned Cards, D.13.9, D.14.9, D.15.8, D.15.9, D.16.11
- Banned Cards, D.17.7, D.18.3, D.18.4, D.18.5
- Block Constructed Deck Formats, D.18
- Booster Draft Formats, D.19
- Card Sleeves, D.7
- Card Text to Use, D.6
- Cheating, D.3.5, D.3.9
- Classic Format, D.13
- Classic-Restricted Format, D.14
- Deck Contents, D.8
- Ejection from, D.3
- Extended Format, D.15
- Deck Registration, D.2
- Forgetting, D.10.1
- Judges, D.4
- Mulligan, D.10.3
- Non-English Cards, D.6.3
- Penalty, D.3
- Rating System, D.5
- Restricted Cards, D.13.8, D.14.8, D.15.7, D.16.10, D.17.7
- Sealed Deck Format, D.17
- Shuffling, D.9
- Sideboard, D.11
- Structure, D.1
- Time Limit, D.1.3, D.1.4, D.1.5
- Type 1, D.13
- Type 1.5, D.14
- Type 2, D.16
- Warning, D.3
Trample, A.37
Triggered Ability, A.4
Types of Abilities, T.1
Types of Effects, T.7
Types of Spells, T.1
Unblocked, G.42
Unglued, U.1
Untap Step, P.5
Untapping a Permanent, G.43
Upkeep Cost, see Phase Cost
Upkeep Step, P.6
Vanguard Cards, E.14
Wall, K.27
X in Costs, K.28
You, G.5.5
Zones
- Ante, Z.2
- Graveyard, Z.3
- Hand, Z.4
- In Play, Z.5
- Library, Z.6
- Overview, Z.1
- Phased Out, Z.7
- Removed from Game, Z.8
- Stack, Z.9

Acknowledgements and Disclaimers

While this work is not officially issued by Wizards of the Coast, it is the official collected rulings from official sanctioned representatives of and publications by Wizards of the Coast.
This summary is collected from rulings made by officials and network representatives of Wizards of the Coast, along with a number of unofficial rulings also collected from the net. Whenever a source for a ruling is known, the name of that person is listed with the ruling. "Aahz" is Tom Wylie, the former Magic Rules Manager. "Barclay" is Paul Barclay, the previous MTG-L mailing list NetRep. "bethmo" is Beth Moursund, the Rules Manager at Wizards of the Coast, and former MTG-L mailing list NetRep. "CompRules" marks rules from the Sixth Edition Comprehensive Rules. "D'Angelo" is Stephen D'Angelo, the Rules Summary network representative, and former MTG-L mailing list NetRep. "DeLaney" is David DeLaney, the network representative for the "rec.games.trading-cards.magic.rules" newsgroup. "Dommermuth" is Brady Dommermuth. "Encyclopedia, Page " marks errata from the Magic Official Encyclopedia. "Fifth Edition, Page " marks rules from the Fifth Edition rulebook. "Jackson" is Collin Jackson, the DCI Rules Documentation NetRep. "Jordan" is Jeff Jordan, the MTG-L mailing list NetRep. "Mirage, Page " marks rules from the Mirage rulebook. "Peterson" is Paul Peterson, a previous MTG-L mailing list NetRep. "Tempest, Page " marks rules from the Tempest rulebook. "WotC Rules Team" marks official rulings from the rules team.
These files may be freely copied and posted anywhere you'd like. The contents can also be included in other formats (such as HTML or databases) or in products, but there are two restrictions. I insist that the files are not sold for profit. Anything you put them in must be available at no more than cost of duplication. Also, you must give credit to me and list the version date your work is derived from. Thanks.
Every attempt has been made to make this summary accurate, but errors do creep in. Nothing in this work is guaranteed to be accurate. Use at your own risk.
Magic: The Gathering and all of the cards listed herein are copyrighted by Wizards of the Coast.