============================================================================= General Rulings Summary (CHANGES ONLY) Updated 03/19/98 ============================================================================= 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 Mar 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/magic.html ftp://ftp.activesw.com/pub/sdangelo/magic/rule-general.txt The above files are also available via FTP to "ftp.activesw.com" under "pub/sdangelo/magic" as "rule-general.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 02/19/98. Thanx, Stephen. ---- Stephen D'Angelo | Official Magic: The Gathering Rules Summary dangelo@netcom.com | Network Representative for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ============================================================================= Table of Contents: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- No changes to this section. Turn Order Rules and Rulings ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- No changes to this section. Attack Phase Rules and Rulings ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- No changes to this section. Spell and Ability Timing ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Triggered Abilities: + Triggered abilities can be interrupted when they are played, if you have an interrupt capable of targeting such an ability. [D'Angelo 03/16/98] Glossary of Magic Topics ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Animated Lands and Animated Artifacts: + If an effect which animates a land or artifact also grants abilities, such as Flying, these abilities are considered part of the base card in its newly animated state. [WotC Rules Team 03/01/98] This is true because errata is issued to all such cards to add the word "base" to the text. Buyback: + The buyback cost is not part of the casting cost. It is an additional cost which is paid when playing the spell. [Duelist Magazine #23, Page 22] Casting Cost: + The term "total casting cost" is an amount of generic mana equal to the number of mana required to cast the spell. For example, a spell with a casting cost of "2RR" has a total casting cost of "4". [D'Angelo 03/09/98] Counters: + Counters with just values, such as +1/+1, are considered to be named as the appropriate numbering and are therefore interchangeable. So all +1/+1 counters are interchangeable and all +1/+0 counters are interchangeable, but a +1/+1 counter is not interchangeable with a +1/+0 counter. [WotC Rules Team 10/06/97] + Many older cards refer to "these counters" in the text, but the counters are still interchangeable with counters from other places which have the same name. [WotC Rules Team 03/01/98] (REVERSAL) For example, if you move a +1/+1 counter from a Spike Drone onto a Tetravus, the Tetravus can use it. Damage Prevention: + If you Deflect a damage prevention spell which happens to have a target (most do not have a target, but Scars of the Veteran does), then the damage prevention spell will do nothing since hte chosen damage is not on the target. [bethmo 03/11/98] Landhome: + If you manage to get Landhome on an artifact, enchantment or land that is not a creature, the Landhome ability still works. [WotC Rules Team 03/01/98] Legendary Artifact: + See "Legends". Licid: + If a Licid imposes an upkeep ability or cost on something, then changes away from an enchantment and back into an enchantment, the upkeep ability or cost on the enchanted creature is a new one and must be dealt with again. [WotC Rules Team 02/01/98] + If any phase costs or phase abilities on the Licid in enchantment form are dealt with, and then the Licid changes into a creature and back into an enchantment, the phase cost or phase ability must be dealt with again. This is because it is a new enchantment. If a Licid changes from creature to enchantment and back to a creature again, however, it is the same creature and phase costs and abilities on that creature are not done again. [D'Angelo 02/20/98] Protection: + If you manage to get Protection on an artifact, enchantment or land that is not a creature, the Protection ability still works. [WotC Rules Team 03/01/98] Targeting--Announcing and Resolving: + If a spell or ability allows you to change the target of another spell or ability, the new target must be a legal choice. [WotC Rules Team 03/01/98] Tournament Rulings ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Standard Tournaments: + Can be composed of cards from the most recent edition of The Gathering (currently Fifth Edition) and all sets from the two most recent "blocks" of expansions (currently Mirage-Visions-Weatherlight, and Tempest-Stronghold). 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. [Update 05/01/97] + Stronghold is not actually legal until 04/01/98]. Block Constructed Deck Formats: + The current "blocks" are: Ice Age/Homelands/Alliances, Mirage/Visions/Weatherlight, and Tempest/Stronghold. + No cards are banned or restricted in the Tempest/Stronghold format. 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. "bethmo" is Beth Moursund, the Rules Manager at Wizards of the Coast. "Barclay" is the network representative for the "mtg-l" mailing list. "bethmo" was the previous "mtg-l" representative. "D'Angelo" is Stephen D'Angelo, the previous "mtg-l" representative. "Peterson" is Paul Peterson, the previous "mtg-l" representative. "bethmo" was also the representative before Paul. "Aahz" is Tom Wylie, the former Magic Rules Manager. "DeLaney" is David DeLaney, the network representative for the "rec.games.trading-cards.magic.rules" newsgroup. "Snark" is Dave Howell of WotC. Official rulings from the rules team are marked as "WotC Rules Team". Rules from the Mirage rulebook are marked with "Mirage Page #". Rules from the Fifth Edition rulebook are marked with "Fifth Edition, Page #". Errata from the Magic Official Encyclopedia are marked with "Encyclopedia Page #". 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.