Magic The Gathering Comprehensive Rules Part 9

Example: A 6/6 green creature with trample is blocked by a 2/2 creature with protection from green. The attacking creature's controller must a.s.sign at least 2 damage to the blocker, even though that damage will be prevented by the blocker's protection ability. The attacking creature's controller can then choose to a.s.sign the rest of the damage to the defending player.

502.9e When there are several attacking creatures, it's legal to a.s.sign damage from those without trample so as to maximize the damage of those with trample.

Example: A 2/2 creature with an ability that enables it to block multiple attackers blocks two attackers: a 1/1 with no special abilities a 3/3 with trample. The attacking player could a.s.sign 1 damage from the first attacker and 1 damage from the second to the blocking creature, and 2 damage to the defending player from the creature with trample.

502.9f Multiple instances of trample on the same creature are redundant.

502.10. Banding 502.10a Banding is a static ability that modifies the rules for declaring attackers and a.s.signing combat damage.

502.10b As a player declares attackers, he or she may declare that any number of those creatures with banding, and up to one of those creatures without banding, are all in a "band." (Defending players can't declare bands but may use banding in a different way; see rule 502.10h.) 502.10c A player may declare as many attacking bands as he or she wants, but each creature may be a member of only one of them.

502.10d Once an attacking band has been announced, it lasts for the rest of combat, even if something later removes the banding ability from one or more creatures. However, creatures in a band that are removed from combat are also removed from the band.

502.10e If an attacking creature becomes blocked by a creature, each other creature in the same band as the attacking creature becomes blocked by that same blocking creature.

Example: A player attacks with a band consisting of a creature with flying and a creature with swampwalk. The defending player, who controls a Swamp, can block the flying creature if able. If he or she does, then the creature with swampwalk will also become blocked by the blocking creature(s).

502.10f Banding doesn't cause attacking creatures to share abilities, nor does it remove any abilities. The attacking creatures in a band are separate permanents.

502.10g If one member of a band would become blocked due to an effect, the entire band becomes blocked.

502.10h A player who controls an attacking creature with banding chooses how combat damage is a.s.signed by creatures blocking that creature. A player who controls a blocking creature with banding chooses how combat damage is a.s.signed by creatures it blocks. If the creature had banding when it attacked or blocked but the ability was removed before the combat damage step, damage is a.s.signed normally.

502.10i Multiple instances of banding on the same creature are redundant.

502.11. Bands with Other 502.11a Bands with other is a special form of banding. If an effect causes a permanent to lose banding, the permanent loses all bands with other abilities as well.

502.11b An attacking creature with "bands with other [creature type]" can form an attacking band with other creatures that have the same "bands with other [creature type]" ability. Creatures with banding can also join this band, but creatures without banding can't. The creatures in this band don't have to have the creature type specified in the "bands with other [creature type]" ability. Blocking this band follows the same general rules as for banding.

502.11c If an attacking creature is blocked by at least two creatures with the same "bands with other [creature type]" ability, the defending player chooses how the attacking creature's damage is a.s.signed. Similarly, if a blocking creature blocks at least two attacking creatures with the same "bands with other [creature type]" ability, the attacking player chooses how the blocking creature's damage is a.s.signed.

502.11d Multiple instances of bands with other of the same type on the same creature are redundant.

502.12. Rampage 502.12a Rampage is a triggered ability. "Rampage N" means "Whenever this creature becomes blocked, it gets +N/+N until end of turn for each creature blocking it beyond the first." (See rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step.") 502.12b The rampage bonus is calculated only once per combat, when the triggered ability resolves. Adding or removing blockers later in combat won't change the bonus.

502.12c If a creature has multiple instances of rampage, each triggers separately.

502.13. c.u.mulative Upkeep 502.13a c.u.mulative upkeep is a triggered ability that imposes an increasing cost on a permanent. "c.u.mulative upkeep [cost]" means "At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice this permanent unless you pay [cost] for each age counter on it." If [cost] has choices a.s.sociated with it, each choice is made separately for each age counter, then either the entire set of costs is paid, or none of them is paid. Partial payments aren't allowed.

Example: A creature has "c.u.mulative upkeep {W} or {U}" and two age counters on it. When its ability next triggers and resolves, the creature's controller puts an age counter on it and then may pay {W}{W}{W}, {W}{W}{U}, {W}{U}{U}, or {U}{U}{U} to keep the creature in play.

Example: A creature has "c.u.mulative upkeep-Sacrifice a creature" and one age counter on it. When its ability next triggers and resolves, its controller can't choose the same creature to sacrifice twice. Either two different creatures must be sacrificed, or the creature with c.u.mulative upkeep must be sacrificed.

502.13b If a permanent has multiple instances of c.u.mulative upkeep, each triggers separately. However, the age counters are not linked to any particular ability; each c.u.mulative upkeep ability will count the total number of age counters on the permanent at the time that ability resolves.

Example: A creature has two instances of "c.u.mulative upkeep-Pay 1 life." The creature currently has no counters but both c.u.mulative upkeep abilities trigger. When the first ability resolves, the controller adds a counter and then chooses to pay 1 life. When the second ability resolves, the controller adds another counter and then chooses to pay an additional 2 life.

502.14. Vigilance 502.14a Vigilance is a static ability that modifies the rules for the declare attackers step.

502.14b Attacking doesn't cause creatures with vigilance to tap. (See rule 308, "Declare Attackers Step.") 502.14c Multiple instances of vigilance on the same creature are redundant.

502.15. Phasing 502.15a Phasing is a static ability that modifies the rules of the untap step.

502.15b During each player's untap step, before the active player untaps his or her permanents, all permanents with phasing the player controls phase out. Simultaneously, all objects that had phased out under that player's control phase in. (See rule 217.8, "Phased Out," and rule 302.1.) 502.15c If an effect causes a player to skip his or her untap step, the phasing event simply doesn't occur that turn.

502.15d Permanents phasing in or out don't trigger any comes-into-play or leaves-play abilities, and effects that modify how a permanent comes into play are ignored. Abilities and effects that specifically mention phasing can modify or trigger on these events, however. (Because no player receives priority during the untap step, any abilities triggering off of the phasing event won't go onto the stack until the upkeep step begins.) 502.15e When a permanent phases out, all damage dealt to it is removed.

502.15f A card that returns to play from the phased-out zone is considered the same permanent it was when it left. This is an exception to rule 217.1c, which stipulates that a permanent "forgets" its previous existence when it changes zones.

502.15g Effects with limited duration and delayed triggered abilities that specifically reference a permanent will be unable to further affect that permanent if it phases out. However, other effects that reference the permanent (including effects with unlimited duration) can affect the permanent when it returns to play.

Example: A creature is affected by Giant Growth and then phases out during the same turn. If the creature phases back in somehow before the turn is over, it won't get the +3/+3 bonus from the Giant Growth because its effect has a limited duration.

502.15h Phased-out cards "remember" their past histories and will return to play in the same state. They "remember" any counters they had on them, any choices made when they first came into play, whether they were flipped when they left play, and whether they were tapped or untapped when they left play. They also "remember" who controlled them when they phased out, although they may phase in under the control of a different player if a control effect with limited duration has expired.

Example: Diseased Vermin reads, in part, "At the beginning of your upkeep, Diseased Vermin deals X damage to target opponent previously dealt damage by it, where X is the number of infection counters on it." If Diseased Vermin phases out, it "remembers" how many counters it has and also which opponents it has previously damaged. When it phases back in, it will still be able to target those opponents with its upkeep-triggered ability.

502.15i When a permanent phases out, any Auras or Equipment attached to that permanent phase out at the same time. This alternate way of phasing out is known as phasing out "indirectly." An Aura or Equipment that phased out indirectly won't phase in by itself, but instead phases in along with the card it's attached to.

502.15j If an Aura or Equipment phased out directly (rather than phasing out along with the permanent it's attached to), then it "remembers" the permanent it was attached to and returns to play attached to that permanent. If an Aura phases in and the permanent it was attached to has left play or is no longer legal to enchant, the Aura returns to play and then is placed in its owner's graveyard. This is a state-based effect; see rule 420. If an Equipment phases in and the permanent it was attached to has left play or is no longer legal to equip, the Equipment returns to play and then stays in play, not equipping anything. This is a state-based effect; see rule 420.

502.15k Permanents that phase in keep the same timestamps (see rules 418.5d and 418.5e) they had when they phased out. This doesn't change the fact that the permanents phase in simultaneously, however.

502.15m A permanent that phases in can attack and tap to play abilities as though it had haste. This applies even if that permanent phased out and phased back in the turn it came into play. The permanent remains able to attack and tap to play abilities until it changes controllers or leaves play.

502.15n A spell or ability that targets a permanent will resolve normally with respect to that permanent if the permanent phases out and back in before the spell or ability resolves.

502.15p Multiple instances of phasing on the same permanent are redundant.

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

502.17. Horsemanship 502.17a Horsemanship is an evasion ability that appeared in the Portal Three Kingdoms set.

502.17b A creature with horsemanship can't be blocked by creatures without horsemanship. A creature with horsemanship can block a creature with or without horsemanship. (See rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step.") 502.17c Multiple instances of horsemanship on the same creature are redundant.

502.18. Cycling 502.18a Cycling is an activated ability that functions only while the card with cycling is in a player's hand. "Cycling [cost]" means "[Cost], Discard this card: Draw a card."

502.18b Although the cycling ability is playable only if the card is in a player's hand, it continues to exist while the object is in play and in all other zones. Therefore objects with cycling will be affected by effects that depend on objects having one or more activated abilities.

502.18c Landcycling is a variant of the cycling ability. "[Land type]cycling [cost]" means "[Cost], Discard this card: Search your library for a [land type] card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library." Any cards that trigger when a player cycles a card will trigger when a card's landcycling ability is played. Any effect that stops players from cycling cards will stop players from playing cards' landcycling abilities.

502.19. Echo 502.19a Echo is a triggered ability. "Echo [cost]" 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 [cost]."

502.20. Fading 502.20a Fading is a keyword that represents two abilities. "Fading N" means "This permanent comes into play with N fade counters on it" and "At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a fade counter from this permanent. If you can't, sacrifice the permanent."

502.21. Kicker 502.21a Kicker is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. "Kicker [cost]" means "You may pay an additional [cost] as you play this spell." The phrase "Kicker [cost 1] and/or [cost 2]" means the same thing as "Kicker [cost 1], kicker [cost 2]." Paying a spell's kicker cost(s) follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.

502.21b Objects with kicker have additional abilities that specify what happens if the kicker cost is paid. Objects with more than one kicker cost have abilities that correspond to each kicker cost.

502.21c If the text that depends on a kicker cost being paid targets one or more permanents and/or players, the spell's controller chooses those targets only if he or she declared the intention to pay the appropriate kicker cost. Otherwise, the targets aren't chosen at all.

502.21d A card with kicker may contain the phrases "if the [A] kicker cost was paid" and "if the [B] kicker cost was paid," where A and B are the first and second kicker costs listed on the card, respectively. This text just refers to one kicker cost or the other, regardless of what the spell's controller actually spent when paying the cost. In other words, read "if the [A] kicker cost was paid" as "if the first kicker cost listed was paid," and read "if the [B] kicker cost was paid" as "if the second kicker cost listed was paid."

502.22. Flashback 502.22a Flashback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities: one functions while the card is in a player's graveyard and the other functions while the card is on the stack. "Flashback [cost]" means "You may play this card from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, remove this card from the game instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack." Playing a spell using its flashback ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.

502.23. Threshold 502.23a Threshold used to be a keyword ability. It is now an ability word and has no rules meaning. All cards printed with the threshold keyword have received errata. Updated wordings are available in the Oracle card reference.

502.24. Madness 502.24a Madness is a keyword that represents two abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the card with madness is in a player's hand. The second is a triggered ability that functions when the first ability is applied. "Madness [cost]" means "If a player would discard this card, that player discards it, but may remove it from the game instead of putting it into his or her graveyard" and "When this card is removed from the game this way, its owner may play it by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost. If that player doesn't, he or she puts this card into his or her graveyard."

502.24b Playing a spell using its madness ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.

502.25. Fear 502.25a Fear is an evasion ability.

502.25b A creature with fear can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures. (See rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step.") 502.25c Multiple instances of fear on the same creature are redundant.

502.26. Morph 502.26a Morph is a static ability that functions in any zone from which you could play the card it's on, and the morph effect works any time the card is face down. "Morph [cost]" means "You may play this card as a 2/2 face-down creature, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost by paying {3} rather than its mana cost." Any time you could play an instant, you may show all players the morph cost for any face-down permanent you control, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. This action does not use the stack. (See rule 504, "Face-Down Spells and Permanents.") 502.26b To play a card using its morph ability, turn it face down. It becomes a 2/2 face-down creature card, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost. These values are the copiable values of that object's characteristics. (See rule 418.5, "Interaction of Continuous Effects," and rule 503, "Copying Objects.") Put it onto the stack (as a face-down spell with the same characteristics), and pay {3} rather than pay its mana cost. This follows the rules for paying alternative costs. You can use morph to play a card from any zone from which you could normally play it. When the spell resolves, it comes into play with the same characteristics the spell had. The morph effect applies to the face-down object wherever it is, and it ends when the permanent is turned face up.

502.26c You can't play a card face down if it doesn't have morph.

502.26d Any time you could play an instant, you may turn a face-down permanent you control face up. To do this, show all players what the permanent's morph cost will be when the effect ends, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. The morph effect on it ends, and it regains its normal characteristics. Any abilities relating to the permanent coming into play don't trigger when it's turned face up and don't have any effect, because the permanent has already come into play.

502.26e If a face-up permanent is turned face down by a spell or ability, it becomes a 2/2 face-down creature, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost. These values are the copiable values of that object's characteristics. (See rule 418.5, "Interaction of Continuous Effects," and rule 503, "Copying Objects.") The rules for morph and face-down permanents apply to it normally.

502.26f See rule 504, "Face-Down Spells and Permanents," for more information on how to play cards with morph.

502.27. Amplify 502.27a Amplify is a static ability. "Amplify N" means "As this object comes into play, reveal any number of cards from your hand that share a creature type with it. This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it for each card revealed this way. You can't reveal this card or any other cards that are coming into play at the same time as this card."

502.27b If a creature has multiple instances of amplify, each one works separately.

502.28. Double Strike 502.28a Double strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See rule 310, "Combat Damage Step.") 502.28b At the start of the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking creature has double strike or first strike, creatures without double strike or first strike (see rule 502.2, "First Strike") don't a.s.sign combat damage. Instead of proceeding to end of combat, the phase gets a second combat damage step to handle the remaining creatures. In the second combat damage step, surviving attackers and blockers that didn't a.s.sign combat damage in the first step, plus any creatures with double strike, a.s.sign their combat damage.

502.28c Removing double strike from a creature during the first combat damage step will stop it from a.s.signing combat damage in the second combat damage step.

502.28d Giving double strike to a creature with first strike after it has already put first strike combat damage onto the stack in the first combat damage step will allow the creature to a.s.sign combat damage in the second combat damage step.

502.28e Multiple instances of double strike on the same creature are redundant.

502.29. Provoke 502.29a Provoke is a triggered ability. "Provoke" means "Whenever this creature attacks, you may choose to have target creature defending player controls block this creature this combat if able. If you do, untap that creature."

502.29b If a creature has multiple instances of provoke, each triggers separately.

502.30. Storm 502.30a Storm is a triggered ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. "Storm" 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 any targets, you may choose new targets for any number of the copies."

502.30b If a spell has multiple instances of storm, each triggers separately.

502.31. Affinity 502.31a Affinity is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. "Affinity for [text]" means "This spell costs you {1} less to play for each [text] you control."

502.31b The affinity ability reduces only generic mana costs; it doesn't reduce how much colored mana you have to pay for a spell. Affinity can't reduce the cost to play a spell to less than 0.

502.31c If a spell has multiple instances of affinity, each of them applies.

502.32. Entwine 502.32a Entwine is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. "Entwine [cost]" means "You may choose to use all modes of this spell instead of just one. If you do, you pay an additional [cost]." Using the entwine ability follows the rules for choosing modes and paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.

502.32b If the entwine cost was paid, follow the text of each of the modes in the order written on the card when the spell resolves.

502.33. Equip 502.33a Equip is an activated ability of artifact Equipment cards. "Equip [cost]" means "[Cost]: Attach this Equipment to target creature you control. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery."

502.33b For more information about Equipment, see rule 212.2, "Artifacts."

502.33c If an artifact has multiple instances of equip, any of its equip abilities may be used.

502.34. Imprint 502.34a Imprint is an activated or triggered ability, written "Imprint [text]," where "[text]" is a triggered or activated ability. Cards that are in the removed-from-the-game zone because they were removed from the game by an imprint ability are imprinted on the source of that ability.

502.34b The phrase "imprinted [type] card" means the card of that type that's imprinted on the permanent. If a permanent has more than one card of that type imprinted on it, each of those cards is an "imprinted [type] card."

502.35. Modular 502.35a Modular represents both a static ability and a triggered ability. "Modular N" means "This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it" and "When this permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter on this permanent."

502.35b If a creature has multiple instances of modular, each one works separately.

502.36. Scry 502.36a Scry is a static ability that functions while a spell or ability is resolving. "Scry N" means "Look at the top N cards of your library. Put any number of them on the bottom of your library in any order and the rest on top of your library in any order."

502.36b If a spell or ability has multiple instances of scry, each one works separately.

502.37. Sunburst 502.37a Sunburst is a static ability that functions as an object is coming into play from the stack. "Sunburst" means "If this object is coming into play from the stack as a creature, it comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost. If this object is coming into play from the stack and isn't coming into play as a creature, it comes into play with a charge counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost."

502.37b Sunburst applies only as the spell is resolving and only if one or more colored mana was paid for its costs. Mana paid for additional or alternative costs applies.

502.37c Sunburst can also be used to set a variable number for another ability. If the keyword is used in this way, it doesn't matter whether the ability is on a creature spell or on a noncreature spell.

Example: The ability "Modular-Sunburst" means "This permanent comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost" and "When this permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter on this permanent."

502.37d If an object has multiple instances of sunburst, each one works separately.

502.38. Bushido 502.38a Bushido is a triggered ability. "Bushido N" means "Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +N/+N until end of turn." (See rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step.") 502.38b If a creature has multiple instances of bushido, each triggers separately.

502.39. Soulshift 502.39a Soulshift is a triggered ability. "Soulshift N" means "When this permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost N or less from your graveyard to your hand."

502.39b If a permanent has multiple instances of soulshift, each triggers separately.

502.40. Splice 502.40a Splice is a static ability that functions while a card is in your hand. "Splice onto [type or subtype] [cost]" means "You may reveal this card from your hand as you play a [type or subtype] spell. If you do, copy this card's text box onto that spell and pay [cost] as an additional cost to play that spell." Paying a card's splice cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.

Example: Since the card with splice remains in the player's hand, it can later be played normally or spliced onto another spell. It can even be discarded to pay a "discard a card" cost of the spell it's spliced onto.

502.40b You can't choose to use a splice ability if you can't make the required choices (targets, etc.) for that card's instructions. You can't splice any one card onto the same spell more than once. If you're splicing more than one card onto a spell, reveal them all at once and choose the order in which their instructions will be followed. The instructions on the main spell have to be followed first.

502.40c The spell has the characteristics of the main spell, plus the text boxes of each of the spliced cards. The spell doesn't gain any other characteristics (name, mana cost, color, supertypes, types, subtypes, etc.) of the spliced cards. Text copied onto the spell that refers to a card by name refers to the spell on the stack, not the card from which the text was copied.

Example: Glacial Ray is a red card with splice onto Arcane that reads, "Glacial Ray deals 2 damage to target creature or player." Suppose Glacial Ray is spliced onto Reach Through Mists, a blue spell. The spell is still blue, and Reach Through Mists deals the damage. This means that the ability can target a creature with protection from red and deal 2 damage to that creature.