============================================================================== Card Rulings Summary (CHANGES ONLY) Updated 07/20/98 ============================================================================== Rulings are collected from many sources. See credits and disclaimer at the end of the file for details. The most recent mtg-l digest used was "18 Jul 1998 to 19 Jul 1998". These rulings are updated monthly. The most recent version is available on the web (WWW) as either of the following: http://www.activesw.com/~sdangelo/rulings.html ftp://ftp.activesw.com/pub/sdangelo/magic/rule-cards.txt The above files are also available via FTP to "ftp.activesw.com" under "pub/sdangelo/magic" as "rule-cards.txt". If you have neither WWW nor FTP access, send e-mail to "dangelo@netcom.com" requesting a copy of the current Rulings Summaries. A '+' is used to mark changes since the last released version on 06/17/98. Thanx, Stephen. ---- Stephen D'Angelo | Official Magic: The Gathering Rules Summary dangelo@netcom.com | Network Representative for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ============================================================================== Printing Information ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chronicles: + Was printed in 12 card booster packs (3 uncommon, 9 common). Exodus: + The Exodus expansion set was printed with black borders on the face of the cards. Cards can be identified by the expansion symbol on the right hand side of the middle section. The expansion symbol is a bridge. The set consists of 143 unique cards. It was released in early June 1998. + This was the first set to include new rarity and card number information. Rarity is indicated by the color of the expansion symbol. Black means common, silver means uncommon, and gold means rare. Also, in the fine print at the bottom of the card is the card's number and set size. + Was printed in 15 card booster packs (1 rare, 3 uncommon, 11 common). Card Rulings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - - * - * - A - * - * - - All Hallow's Eve: + Creatures enter play in the order in which they are put into play. So if one player puts a Legend into play, their opponent's Legend of the same name will be buried as a Rule Effect (see Rule T.13) immediately after this spell is done resolving and all the creatures are in play (see Rule K.19.1). [D'Angelo 06/23/98] Artifact Ward: + Text(AQ+errata): Enchanted creature gains protection from artifacts. [Oracle 07/01/98] + The errata makes this be full Protection (see Rule A.22). It used to only prevent being damaged by or blocked by artifacts. Now it also prevents being targeted by them. [DeLaney 07/03/98] Avenging Druid: + The cards are revealed from the top of the library. [D'Angelo 06/25/98] - - * - * - B - * - * - - Bone Shaman: + After the ability is used, any creature damaged by this card cannot regenerate. Creatures damaged before the ability is used are unaffected. [D'Angelo 06/23/98] Brainwash: + This ability is paid for during the declare attackers step of the attack phase (see Rule C.4). [Aahz 01/27/95] + Paying Brainwash is not an instant or any other kind of ability, it is a cost increase on the declaration of the attacker. This makes it much like the way Gloom makes a white spell more expensive to cast. [WotC Rules Team 03/01/98] - - * - * - C - * - * - - Cataclysm: + The permanents to save are chosen on resolution. You do not choose them when announcing the spell. [bethmo 06/30/98] Note that this is a specific ruling on Cataclysm and not a general ruling. Cataclysm uses an unusual "pick what not to do" choice which is being specifically ruled to be done on resolution even though the normal rules have choices being done on announcement. Clockwork Beast: + At end of combat, if it was declared as an attacker or blocker, you remove a counter. This is not a triggered ability. It is played during the end of combat series. [D'Angelo 06/23/98] Coat of Arms: + Note - Also see Creature Type, Rule K.13. Consecrate Land: + It can prevent "destroy but cannot be regenerated this turn". [D'Angelo 05/21/98] Cyclone: + Text(CH+errata): During your upkeep, put a wind counter on ~this~. Then pay {G} for each wind counter on ~this~ and ~this~ deals damage equal to the number of these counters to each creature and player, or sacrifice ~this~. [Oracle 07/01/98] - - * - * - D - * - * - - Disenchant: + This spell is not modal. If the target changes from an artifact to an enchantment or vice versa (as with Transmogrifying Licid), this spell still destroys it. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] Dwarven Ruins: + When Drain Power resolves and you are forced to "draw all mana" from your lands, you must sacrifice this land if it is untapped. [D'Angelo 02/15/95] Note that you can tap the land for one mana in response to the Drain Power before it resolves, and keep the land. Dystopia: + The permanent is chosen and sacrificed during resolution. [D'Angelo 06/23/98] - - * - * - E - * - * - - Ebony Charm: + Text(MI+errata): Choose one -- Target opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life; or remove from the game up to three target cards in any player's graveyard; or target creature cannot be blocked this turn except by artifact or black creatures. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] + It targets the cards in the graveyard. This target is selected when announcing the spell. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] Eladamri, Lord of Leaves: + This card is not an Elf. [D'Angelo 06/30/98] Elkin Bottle: + If the Bottle leaves play or your control, the spell remains waiting until used or until the beginning of your next turn. [Aahz 06/13/96] The card is in the "set aside" zone (see Rule Z.9). Elves of Deep Shadow: + Text(DK+errata): {Tap}: Add B to your mana pool. ~this~ deals 1 damage to you. Play this ability as a mana source. [Oracle 07/01/98] + The errata reverses previous rulings that this card's ability was played as an instant. [DeLaney 07/17/98] Equilibrium: + You can pay for the triggered ability (see Rule A.8) once each time a creature spell is successfully cast. [D'Angelo 06/25/98] Remember that spells become successfully cast even before responses to that spell can be announced. Eye for an Eye: + If any damage is prevented by other effects that trigger on damage being assigned, that prevention does not affect this card because the amount of damage originally assigned does not change even if damage was prevented. [D'Angelo 06/23/98] - - * - * - F - * - * - - Fade Away: + At the beginning of the resolution, each player counts up the number of creatures they control, then they make the required number of payments and/or sacrifices. The active player announces their choices first followed by the other players, but all the sacrifices are done at the same time. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] Because of this, you cannot sacrifice one creature in order to avoid paying for that creature. [Barclay 06/10/98] + You cannot play mana sources during the resolution. You must do so before the spell begins to resolve. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] Forbid: + You actually have to discard the cards if you want to pay the buyback (see Rule A.13). [D'Angelo 06/18/98] Fork: + Will not copy changes made by interrupts to the spell prior to the use of Fork, such as Sleight of Mind or Magical Hack. [WotC Rules Team 03/31/98] (REVERSAL) + It does copy the mana symbols in the casting cost for the card it is copying, but it uses its own color definition and not the one from those mana symbols. This is so it maintains its color just like the text says. [bethmo 07/07/98] Furnace of Rath: + This is a continuous effect which is applied when damage is assigned, so it is handled at the start of the damage prevention step (see Rule T.10.1) before handling abilities that trigger on damage being assigned. [D'Angelo 06/05/98] - - * - * - G - * - * - - Gaea's Blessing: + It does trigger on Intuition. [D'Angelo 12/01/97] Or anything else that puts cards into your graveyard directly from your library. Gate to Phyrexia: + Text(AQ+errata): Sacrifice a creature: Destroy target artifact. Use this ability only during your upkeep and only once each turn. [Oracle 07/01/98] - - * - * - H - * - * - - Hannah's Custody: + A spell or ability is targeted only if the word "target" appears in its text. See Rule G.42.1. Only targeted spells and abilities are prevented by this card's ability. [D'Angelo 06/19/98] Helm of Awakening: + Can lower the cost to zero. For example, a Brass Man. [D'Angelo 05/20/98] But cannot lower something below zero. [D'Angelo 06/26/98] - - * - * - I - * - * - - Ice Floe: + This card has no ability to be tapped for mana. [D'Angelo 07/16/98] Invasion Plans: + When this card is in play, creatures that require paying a cost to block cannot block. This is because blocking costs must be paid when the block is declared, but this card causes the attacking player to declare blockers and that player cannot pay the costs. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] Island Fish Jasconius: + Text(4th+errata): 6/8, Islandhome ; ~this~ does not untap during your untap phase. ; {UUU}: Untap ~this~. Use this ability only during your upkeep. [Oracle 07/01/98] + Note - Also see Landhome, Rule A.19. - - * - * - J - * - * - - Jandor's Ring: + Text(AN/RV+errata): {2},{Tap},Discard a card you just drew: Draw a card. [Oracle 07/01/98] + The ability is a triggered ability played just after drawing a card. [Oracle 07/01/98] + If you do not have the card still in your hand, you cannot pay the cost. [DeLaney 07/02/98] This can happen if another triggered ability causes you to discard before this ability is played. + If you draw more than one card due to a spell or ability, you can look at them and choose which one to discard. [Oracle 07/01/98] Jinxed Idol: + The word "permanently" does not mean that control cannot change again. It is just a reminder that the control change due to that effect will not wear off at end of turn. [Duelist Magazine #23, Page 22] This means your opponent can use the ability to give this card back to you. [D'Angelo 07/17/98] - - * - * - K - * - * - - - - * - * - L - * - * - - Library of Leng: + Text(5th+errata): Skip your discard phase. ; Whenever you are forced to discard a card, you may put that card on top of your library. [Oracle 07/01/98] + The errata changes how this card works. It now works as a triggered ability (see Rule A.8) which triggers on a card being discarded. The card is put into the graveyard so everyone can see it as part of the discard. Then the triggered ability is played (following normal triggered ability timing rules) to put that card on top of your library. [Oracle 07/01/98] + The discard itself is not modified, so the discard triggers anything else that triggers on discards, such as Psychic Purge and Megrim. [D'Angelo 07/17/98] + If more than one card is discarded due to a single effect, the Library triggers once for each card and you get to decide whether or not to use the Library on each of the cards as their triggered abilities resolve. [D'Angelo 07/17/98] The order the cards get placed on the library is determined by the order in which the triggered abilities are played. You get to decide this order. [D'Angelo 07/17/98] + The ability triggers on any spell or ability that has you discard as part of the effect. It does not matter if you or your opponent control the spell or ability. The discard is forced because it is an effect. [Oracle 07/01/98] + The ability does not trigger on any spell or ability that has you discard as part of a cost. For example, Land's Edge. [Oracle 07/01/98] Also, cards like Forbid, which have you discard as part of the buyback cost. [D'Angelo 06/18/98] Limited Resources: + If a player has less than 5 lands, they get to pick and keep all of their lands. [D'Angelo 06/23/98] + The sacrificed lands are chosen at the start of resolution. [bethmo 07/07/98] - - * - * - M - * - * - - Magnetic Mountain: + Text(4th+errata): Blue creatures do not untap during their controllers' untap phases. ; Each turn, each blue creature cannot untap unless its controller pays an additional {4} for that creature. [Oracle 07/01/98] Mana Breach: + The person who played the spell chooses which of their lands is affected. [Barclay 06/10/98] See Rule A.8.11. + The ability itself is controlled by Mana Breach's controller, even though it is played by the player who played a spell. [D'Angelo 06/16/98] See Rule A.8.11. Merchant Ship: + Text(AN+errata): 0/2, Islandhome ; If ~this~ attacks and is not blocked, gain 2 life. [Oracle 07/01/98] + Note - Also see Landhome, Rule A.19. Mishra's Factory: + Text(4th+errata): {Tap}: Add one colorless mana to your mana pool. ; {1}: Until end of turn, this land is a 2/2 artifact creature named Assembly Worker. (This creature still counts as a land.) ; {Tap}: Target Assembly Worker gets +1/+1 until end of turn. [Oracle 07/01/98] + When animated into an Assembly Worker, it has no creature type. [Oracle 07/01/98] + If an Assembly Worker is changed into another kind of land by something like Phantasmal Terrain, it will stay a 2/2 artifact creature (until end of turn) but will not still be called an Assembly Worker. [Duelist Magazine #9, Page 60] Mogg Assassin: + Text(EX+errata): 2/1 ; {Tap}: Flip a coin. Then, if you win the flip, destroy target creature opponent controls. Otherwise, destroy target creature of that opponent's choice. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] + The creatures can be regenerated from this destroy effect only because errata has been issued to add a "then" to the card text. The "then" allows replacement abilities (see Rule A.7) like regeneration to be used after you know which creature will be destroyed. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] Mogg Fanatic: + Since the sacrifice ability is played as an instant, it is legal only when instants are legel. This means you cannot use it during damage prevention. [D'Angelo 06/18/98] + If you block a creature with Mogg Fanatic, you can either sacrifice the Mogg Fanatic before damage dealing (in which case the attacker is blocked but takes no combat damage from the Mogg Fanatic), or have the Mogg Fanatic stay in play long enough to deal damage (in which case you cannot use the sacrifice ability until the main phase starts again... and only if it lives that long). [D'Angelo 06/18/98] - - * - * - N - * - * - - - - * - * - O - * - * - - Oath of Druids: + Text(EX+errata): During each player's upkeep, if that player controls fewer creatures than target opponent, the player may reveal cards from his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. The player puts that creature into play under his or her control and all other revealed cards into his or her graveyard. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] + The revealed cards go to the graveyard simultanously, so the player playing the ability decides the order. [Barclay 06/10/98] See Rule Z.1.4. Oath of Ghouls: + Text(EX+errata): During each player's upkeep, if there are more creature cards in that player's graveyard than in target opponent's graveyard, the player may return a target creature card from his or her graveyard to his or her hand. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] + It targets the creature card in the graveyard. This target is selected when announcing the ability. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] Oath of Lieges: + Text(EX+errata): During each player's upkeep, if that player controls fewer lands than target opponent, the player may search his or her library for a basic land card and put that land into play under his or her control. The player shuffles his or her library afterwards. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] Oath of Scholars: + Can be used by a player with zero cards in hand. [D'Angelo 06/17/98] + The opposing player is relative to the current player (the one playing the ability), not to the controller of this card. See Rule A.1.14. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] - - * - * - P - * - * - - Pandemonium: + The triggered ability (see Rule A.8) does not check the creature's power until the ability resolves. If the creature is not in play when the ability resolves, it does zero damage. For example, if a White Knight comes into play while Crusade is in play, it will do 3 damage. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] This means that if a creature like Phyrexian Dreadnought comes into play which can bury itself as a "comes into play" ability, the order of resolution of the triggered abilities matters. See the Series (Rule T.9) timing rules for how to figure this out. Since the current player plays both the Pandemonium and Dreadnought ability, they can choose which resolves first. Pandemonium only deals damage if its ability resolves first. If the Dreadnought's ability resolves first, Pandemonium will not find the creature and will deal zero damage. [D'Angelo 07/17/98] + The triggered ability (see Rule A.8) is played and controlled by the player who controlled the creature at the time the creature came into play. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] See Rule A.8.11. Personal Incarnation: + If the Incarnation has Creature Bond on it when it dies, the Incarnation goes to the graveyard first (triggering its ability), and then the Creature Bond goes to the graveyard as a Rule Effect (see Rule T.13), triggering its ability. The Creature Bond trigger always resolves first because Rule Effects (and their triggered abilities) are resolved before triggered abilities on the original spell or abiltity. [D'Angelo 06/25/98] Phyrexian Grimoire: + Text(TE+errata): {4},{Tap}: An opponent targets one of the top two cards in your graveyard. Remove that card from the game and put the other into your hand. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] + It does not target the opponent, but you still choose an opponent. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] + It targets the creature cards in the graveyard. This target is selected when announcing the ability. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] Portcullis: + The "if Portcullis leaves play" is part of setting the creature aside, so it happens even if Portcullis is tapped or has no card text when it leaves play. [D'Angelo 06/23/98] Primordial Ooze: + It has a phase ability (see Rule A.5) and not a phase cost (see Rule A.6). You are just given the option to pay or not pay during the resolution of the ability. [bethmo 06/17/98] - - * - * - Q - * - * - - - - * - * - R - * - * - - Ray of Command: + This effect ends if the creature phases out. The creature will phase back in during your next untap phase without the Ray of Command's control effect, which typically means it will be under its original controller's control (see Rule G.30.12). [D'Angelo 09/02/97] Reins of Power: + If any of the creatures phase out, the control effect ends for those creatures, and the creatures will phase back during your next untap but under their original controller's control (see Rule G.30.12). [D'Angelo 06/01/98] - - * - * - S - * - * - - Shahrazad: + Text(AN+errata): All players begin a subgame of Magic using each player's library as his or her deck for that subgame. Each player who doesn't win the subgame loses half of his or her life, rounded up. Each player shuffles his or her cards from the subgame into his or her library afterwards. [Oracle 07/01/98] + A player with less than 0 life cannot lose life as a result of the sub-game since half of their life total is considered to be zero. [Oracle 07/01/98] Shimmering Efreet: + If two of these phase in, they cannot both target the same creature and have just that one creature phase out. This is because the triggered abilities are played one after the other. [DeLaney 07/17/98] Sonic Burst: + You cannot discard more than once to target more than one creature or to do multiple amounts of damage to a single creature. [D'Angelo 06/10/98] See Rule K.21.3. Stangg: + Stangg only notices his own Twin. If some other effect, such as Volrath's Laboratory is used to create Stangg Twin tokens, they have no effect on Stangg or his actual Twin. [bethmo 06/25/98] Sylvan Hierophant: + Text(WL+errata): 1/2 ; If ~this~ is put into any graveyard from play, remove ~this~ from the game, then return a target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] + It targets the creature cards in the graveyard. This target is selected when playing the triggered ability. [WotC Rules Team 07/01/98] - - * - * - T - * - * - - The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale: + A creature in play cannot have any of its abilities used until after you pay its upkeep cost. [D'Angelo 07/17/98] See Rule A.6.9. Takklemaggot: + Moving Takklemaggot is not considered to be a targeted spell or effect, so it can be moved onto creatures which cannot be targeted by spells and effects (such as Autumn Willow). It cannot, however, be moved onto a creature which cannot be targeted by enchantments, such as a creature with Protection from Black. [Duelist Magazine #10, Page 44] Also see Moving Enchantments, Rule E.9. Tawnos's Coffin: + The ability is targeted. [D'Angelo 06/25/98] Titania's Song: + Text(5th): Each noncreature artifact loses its abilities and is an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its total casting cost. If ~this~ leaves play, this effect continues until end of turn. + This spell effectively removes all the text in the text box of the card. All abilities are lost. [bethmo 09/22/94] "Counts as..." text is not an ability and is not removed (see Rule G.10.2). [D'Angelo 06/25/98] - - * - * - U - * - * - - Undiscovered Paradise: + Only returns to owner's hand if it is still in play at the beginning of your next untap. [D'Angelo 06/25/98] - - * - * - V - * - * - - Vesuvan Doppelganger: + It does copy the mana symbols in the casting cost for the card it is copying, but it uses its own color definition and not the one from those mana symbols. This is so it maintains its color just like the text says. [bethmo 07/07/98] Volrath's Shapeshifter: + If the top card in the graveyard has any asterisks (*) in the power/toughness, then those values are considered to be zero (see Rule K.12.5) unless the card also has a continuous ability which sets the value for these asterisks, in which case the Shapeshifter also copies that ability and sets the values. For example, a Nightmare or Keldon Warlord will have their power/toughness set as appropriate. [DeLaney 07/17/98] + If the top card in the graveyard has any other undefined characteristics, then those characteristics are not copied and the shapeshifter uses the characteristic from its own card. [Barclay 02/27/98] - - * - * - W - * - * - - Wall of Resistance: + It gets only one counter a turn, not one per point of damage. [D'Angelo 06/18/98] Wellspring: + If Wellspring leaves play, the land stays under the control of whoever is currently controlling it. [D'Angelo 06/25/98] - - * - * - X - * - * - - - - * - * - Y - * - * - - - - * - * - Z - * - * - - Acknowledgments 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. "WotC Rules Team" marks official rulings from the rules team. "Mirage, Page " marks rules from the Mirage rulebook. "Fifth Edition, Page " marks rules from the Fifth Edition rulebook. "Encyclopedia, Page " marks errata from the Magic Official Encyclopedia. "bethmo" is Beth Moursund, the Rules Manager at Wizards of the Coast. "Barclay" is Paul Barclay, the network representative for the "mtg-l" mailing list. "DeLaney" is David DeLaney, the network representative for the "rec.games.trading-cards.magic.rules" newsgroup. "D'Angelo" is Stephen D'Angelo, the Rules Summary network representative. "bethmo" was the previous "mtg-l" representative. "D'Angelo" was the previous "mtg-l" representative. "Peterson" is Paul Peterson, the previous "mtg-l" representative. "bethmo" was also the "mtg-l" representative before Paul. "Aahz" is Tom Wylie, the former Magic Rules Manager. "Snark" is Dave Howell of WotC. These files may be freely copied and posted anywhere you'd like. The contents can also be included in other formats (such as HTML or databases) or in products, but there are two restrictions. I insist that the files not be sold for profit. Anything you put them in must be available at no more than cost of duplication. Also, you must give credit to me and list the version date your work is derived from. Thanks. Every attempt has been made to make this summary accurate, but errors do creep in. Nothing in this work is guaranteed to be accurate. Use at your own risk. Magic: The Gathering and all of the cards listed herein are copyrighted by Wizards of the Coast.