============================================================================== General Rulings Summary (CHANGES ONLY) Updated 99/09/22 ============================================================================== Rulings are collected from many sources. See credits and disclaimer at the end of the file for details. This release is under the SIXTH EDITION 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 If you do not have web access, send e-mail to "dangelo@crystalkeep.com" requesting a copy of the current Rulings Summaries be e-mailed to you. A '+' is used to mark changes since the 99/08/17 release. Thanx, Stephen. ---- Stephen D'Angelo | Official Rulings Summary NetRep dangelo@crystalkeep.com | Network Representative, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ============================================================================== Table of Contents: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No changes to this section. A - Abilities ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A.1 - General Rulings on Abilities + A.1.11 - If an ability's effect includes the text "do X to do Y", this indicates that the ability creates a new activated ability with X as the activation cost. During the resolution, the player does X and places a new ability on the stack which will do Y when it resolves. If the player cannot do X, then the ability is not put on the stack. Players can respond to this new ability as normal. If it says "may do X to do Y", the player can choose whether or not to do X. The new ability is placed on the stack only if they pay. [bethmo 99/07/27] Note that the sub-ability is put on the stack directly and is not "played" (in much the same way that triggered abilities are). [DeLaney 99/09/19] A.2 - Activated Abilities + A.2.2 - Activated abilities may be written as " may pay to do ." when they are delayed abilities (see Rule A.5) or sub-abilities (see Rule A.1.11). This wording means the same thing as ": " except it's easier to use in the middle of another ability's text. [CompRules 99/04/23] A.10 - Cumulative Upkeep + A.10.5 - 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. [Barclay 99/09/07] + A.10.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 99/05/01] A.11 - Cycling + Note - Cards used the reminder text "You may pay and discard this card from your hand to draw a card. Play this ability any time you could play an instant." Rule A.11.2 shows the more correct text. A.22 - Rampage + A.22.2 - 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." [Oracle 99/09/03] C - Combat Rules ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No changes to this section. D - DCI Tournament Rules ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ D.13 - Classic Tournament Format + Note - As of 99/10/01, the following cards are unbanned: Divine Intervention and Shahrazad. [Update 99/09/01] + Note - As of 99/10/01, the following cards are unrestricted: Ivory Tower, Mirror Universe, and Underworld Dreams. [Update 99/09/01] + Note - As of 99/10/01, the following cards are restricted: Crop Rotation, Doomsday, Dream Halls, Enlightened Tutor, Frantic Search, Grim Monolith, Hurkyl's Recall, Lotus Petal, Mana Crypt, Mana Vault, Mind Over Matter, Mox Diamond, Mystical Tutor, Tinker, Vampiric Tutor, Voltaic Key, Yawgmoth's Bargain, and Yawgmoth's Will. [Update 99/09/01] D.14 - Classic-Restricted Tournament Format + Note - As of 99/10/01, the following cards are unbanned: Divine Intervention, Ivory Tower, Mirror Universe, Shahrazad, and Underworld Dreams. [Update 99/09/01] + Note - As of 99/10/01, the following cards are banned: Crop Rotation, Doomsday, Dream Halls, Enlightened Tutor, Frantic Search, Grim Monolith, Hurkyl's Recall, Lotus Petal, Mana Crypt, Mana Vault, Mind Over Matter, Mox Diamond, Mystical Tutor, Tinker, Vampiric Tutor, Voltaic Key, Yawgmoth's Bargain, and Yawgmoth's Will. [Update 99/09/01] D.15 - Extended Tournament Format + Note - As of 99/10/01, Revised Edition, Fourth Edition, Chronicles, The Dark, and Fallen Empires are removed from this format. The "dual land" cards from Revised Edition, however, will remain unbanned. These cards are: Badlands, Bayou, Plateau, Savannah, Scrubland, Taiga, Tropical Island, Tundra, Underground Sea, and Volcanic Island. [Update 99/09/01] + Note - As of 99/10/01, the following are added to the banned list: Dream Halls, Earthcraft, Lotus Petal, Mind Over Matter, and Yawgmoth's Will. [Update 99/09/01] + Note - The following cards will be banned as of 99/10/01 due to the change in the format: THE DARK> Amnesia, Bone Flute, City of Shadows, Cleansing, Coal Golem, Curse Artifact, Dark Heart of the Wood, Dark Sphere, Deep Water, Drowned, Eater of the Dead, Electric Eel, Elves of Deep Shadow, Eternal Flame, Exorcist, Fasting, Festival, Fire and Brimstone, Frankenstein's Monster, Gaea's Touch, Giant Shark, Goblin Caves, Goblin Wizard, Grave Robbers, Hidden Path, Holy Light, Inquisition, Knights of Thorn, Lurker, Mana Vortex, Martyr's Cry, Maze of Ith, Merfolk Assassin, Miracle Worker, Nameless Race, Necropolis, Niall Silvain, Orc General, People of the Woods, Preacher, Psychic Allergy, Reflecting Mirror, Riptide, Savaen Elves, Scarecrow, Scarwood Bandits, Scarwood Goblins, Scarwood Hag, Season of the Witch, Skull of Orm, Sorrow's Path, Spitting Slug, Squire, Standing Stones, Stone Calendar, Tangle Kelp, Tivadar's Crusade, Tower of Coireall, Tracker, Wand of Ith, War Barge, Water Wurm, Whippoorwill, Worms of the Earth, and Wormwood Treefolk. FALLEN EMPIRES> Aeolipile, Armor Thrull, Balm of Restoration, Basal Thrull, Combat Medic, Conch Horn, Deep Spawn, Delif's Cone, Delif's Cube, Draconian Cylix, Dwarven Armorer, Dwarven Lieutenant, Ebon Praetor, Elven Fortress, Elven Lyre, Elvish Farmer, Elvish Hunter, Elvish Scout, Farrelite Priest, Farrel's Mantle, Farrel's Zealot, Feral Thallid, Fungal Bloom, Goblin Chirurgeon, Goblin Flotilla, Goblin Grenade, Goblin Kites, Hand of Justice, Heroism, High Tide, Homarid, Homarid Shaman, Homarid Spawning Bed, Hymn to Tourach, Icatian Infantry, Icatian Javelineers, Icatian Lieutenant, Icatian Moneychanger, Icatian Priest, Icatian Skirmishers, Implements of Sacrifice, Merseine, Night Soil, Orcish Spy, Orcish Veteran, Order of Leitbur, Order of the Ebon Hand, Raiding Party, Rainbow Vale, Ring of Renewal, River Merfolk, Soul Exchange, Spirit Shield, Spore Cloud, Spore Flower, Svyelunite Priest, Thallid, Thallid Devourer, Thelonite Druid, Thelonite Monk, Thelon's Chant, Thelon's Curse, Thorn Thallid, Thrull Champion, Thrull Wizard, Tidal Flats, Tidal Influence, Tourach's Chant, Tourach's Gate, Vodalian Knights, Vodalian Mage, Vodalian War Machine, and Zeylon Sword. REVISED EDITION> Basalt Monolith, Braingeyser, Clone, Contract from Below, Copy Artifact, Darkpact, Demonic Attorney, Demonic Hordes, Demonic Tutor, Dwarven Weaponsmith, Earthbind, Farmstead, Fastbond, Fork, Granite Gargoyle, Guardian Angel, Jandor's Ring, Juggernaut, Kird Ape, Kudzu, Lance, Living Wall, Mijae Djinn, Nettling Imp, Reconstruction, Regrowth, Resurrection, Reverse Polarity, Rocket Launcher, Rock Hydra, Roc of Kher Ridges, Sacrifice, Sedge Troll, Serendib Efreet, Sol Ring, Vesuvan Doppelganger, Veteran Bodyguard, and Wheel of Fortune. FOURTH EDITION> Abomination, Aladdin's Lamp, Ali Baba, Amrou Kithkin, Animate Artifact, Apprentice Wizard, Armageddon Clock, Ashnod's Battle Gear, Backfire, Balance, Black Mana Battery, Black Vise, Black Ward, Blessing, Blue Elemental Blast, Blue Mana Battery, Blue Ward, Brass Man, Bronze Tablet, Carnivorous Plant, Celestial Prism, Channel, Chaoslace, Clockwork Avian, Conservator, Control Magic, Conversion, Cosmic Horror, Creature Bond, Cursed Rack, Cyclopean Mummy, Deathlace, Dragon Whelp, Earth Elemental, Ebony Horse, Elder Land Wurm, El-Hajjaj, Energy Tap, Erosion, Fissure, Fortified Area, Gaea's Liege, Ghost Ship, Giant Tortoise, Goblin Balloon Brigade, Goblin Rock Sled, Gray Ogre, Green Mana Battery, Green Ward, Holy Armor, Hurr Jackal, Hypnotic Specter, Immolation, Island Fish Jasconius, Ivory Tower, Jump, Junun Efreet, Kormus Bell, Land Leeches, Land Tax, Lifelace, Lightning Bolt, Magnetic Mountain, Mahamoti Djinn, Marsh Gas, Mind Twist, Mishra's Factory, Mishra's War Machine, Morale, Nafs Asp, Northern Paladin, Oasis, Onulet, Osai Vultures, Piety, Power Leak, Power Surge, Psionic Entity, Purelace, The Rack, Rebirth, Red Elemental Blast, Red Mana Battery, Red Ward, Relic Bind, Royal Assassin, Savannah Lions, Scavenging Ghoul, Seeker, Sengir Vampire, Serra Angel, Simulacrum, Sindbad, Siren's Call, Sisters of the Flame, Spirit Shackle, Strip Mine, Sunglasses of Urza, Sunken City, Swords to Plowshares, Tawnos's Wand, Tempest Efreet, Tetravus, Thoughtlace, Timber Wolves, Triskelion, Tunnel, Uncle Istvan, Uthden Troll, Visions, Volcanic Eruption, Wall of Dust, Wall of Ice, Wall of Water, Wall of Wood, Water Elemental, Web, White Mana Battery, White Ward, Will-O'-The-Wisp, Word of Binding, and Yotian Soldier. CHRONICLES> Abu Ja'far, Active Volcano, Aladdin, Angelic Voices, Arcades Sabboth, Arena of the Ancients, Argothian Pixies, Axelrod Gunnarson, Ayesha Tanaka, Banshee, Beasts of Bogardan, Blood Moon, Blood of the Martyr, Book of Raas, Bronze Horse, Chromium, Cocoon, Concordant Crossroads, Cuombajj Witches, Cyclone, Dakkon Blackblade, Emerald Dragonfly, Erhnam Djinn, The Fallen, Fishliver Oil, Flash Flood, Gabriel Angelfire, Giant Slug, Goblin Artisans, Goblin Shrine, Goblins of the Flarg, Hasran Ogress, Hell's Caretaker, Horn of Deafening, Indestructible Aura, Jeweled Bird, Johan, Keepers of the Faith, Kei Takahashi, Land's Edge, Living Armor, Marhault Elsdragon, Metamorphosis, Mountain Yeti, Nebuchadnezzar, Nicol Bolas, Palladia-Mors, Petra Sphinx, Puppet Master, Rakalite, Revelation, Rubinia Soulsinger, Runesword, Safe Haven, Sentinel, Shimian Night Stalker, Sivitri Scarzam, Sol'kanar the Swamp King, Stangg, Storm Seeker, Takklemaggot, Teleport, Tobias Andrion, Tormod's Crypt, Tor Wauki, Transmutation, Triassic Egg, Vaevictis Asmadi, Voodoo Doll, Wall of Heat, Wall of Opposition, Wall of Shadows, Wall of Vapor, Wall of Wonder, War Elephant, Witch Hunter, Xira Arien, and Yawgmoth Demon. D.16 - Standard Tournament Format + D.16.2 - Decks can be composed of cards from the most recent edition of The Gathering (currently Sixth Edition) and all sets from the two most recent "blocks" (currently Tempest-Stronghold-Exodus and Urza's Saga-Urza's Legacy-Urza's Destiny). 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 10/01/97] E - Extracted Rulings on Cards ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No changes to this section. G - Game Terms and Rules ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 99/04/23] K - Card and Permanent Types and Information ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No changes to this section. M - Multi-Player Rules ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No changes to this section. P - Phases of the Turn ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No changes to this section. T - Timing of Spells and Abilities ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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, 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 99/04/23] U - Unglued ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No changes to this section. Z - Zones of Play ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No changes to this section. Index ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No changes to this section. 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 network representative for the MTG-L mailing list. "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. "Encyclopedia, Page " marks errata from the Magic Official Encyclopedia. "Fifth Edition, Page " marks rules from the Fifth Edition rulebook. "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.