Names starting with 'Ab'


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Abandoned Outpost
Color Land
Type Land
Cost Cost=None
Expansion OD(C)
Text(OD):~this~ comes into play tapped. ; {Tap}: Add {W} to your mana pool. ; {Tap},Sacrifice ~this~: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

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Abandon Hope
Color Black
Type Sorcery
Cost Cost=X1B
Expansion TE(U)
Text(TE+errata):As an additional cost to play ~this~, discard X cards from your hand. ; Look at target opponent's hand and choose X cards from it. That player discards those cards. [Oracle 1999/05/01]
You discard as part of the cost paid when announcing the spell. [D'Angelo 1998/11/02]
X can be zero to just look at their hand. [D'Angelo 1998/11/02]
Note -Also see X Costs, Rule K.28.

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Abbey Gargoyles
Color White
Type Creature - Gargoyle
Cost Cost=2WWW
Expansion HL(U3)/5(U)
Text(HL/5th):3/4, Flying, Protection from Red.
Note -Also see Protection, Rule A.31.

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Abbey Matron
Color White
Type Creature - Cleric
Cost Cost=2W
Expansion HL(C4)
Text(HL+errata):1/3. ; {W},{Tap}: ~this~ gets +0/+3 until end of turn. [Oracle 1999/07/23]
The ability is typically used in response to a damaging effect such as a Lightning Bolt. It can also be used after declaring this card as a blocker but before damage dealing. This makes it a 1/6 creature and it still deals damage. [D'Angelo 1999/08/01]

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Abduction
Color Blue
Type Enchant Creature
Cost Cost=2UU
Expansion WL(U)/6(U)
Text(6th):When ~this~ comes into play, untap enchanted creature. ; You control enchanted creature. ; When enchanted creature is put into a graveyard, return that creature to play under its owner's control.
Can be played on an already untapped creature. [D'Angelo 1997/12/29]
Note -Also see Comes Into Play Abilities, Rule E.3.

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Abeyance
Color White
Type Instant
Cost Cost=1W
Expansion WL(R)
Text(WL+errata):Until end of turn, target player cannot play instants, sorceries, or nonmana activated abilities. ; Draw a card. [Oracle 1999/07/01]
It only affects player's right to announce things. It does not affect anything which was already announced but has not yet resolved. [D'Angelo 1997/06/30] In other words, Abeyance cannot be used to counter a spell or ability. [Duelist Magazine #19, Page 34]
The player can respond to the casting of this spell by playing instant spells and abilities other than mana abilities. But after this spell resolves, they cannot announce any more this turn. [D'Angelo 1999/07/10]
Never prevents mana abilities from being played. [WotC Rules Team 1997/10/06] This means that you can tap lands for mana and play abilities of cards like Llanowar Elves which are played as mana abilities.
Does not prohibit abilities which are not activated, such as continuous abilities of cards like Crusade, triggered abilities, or declaration of attackers or blockers. [D'Angelo 1999/07/10]
Abeyance affects spells based on the spell's type and not on whether they are played when some other type would be legal. So, it does not prohibit spells that say "is played as an instant" or "can be played whenever you could play an instant" if the spell's type is not otherwise prevented. For example, an enchantment that could be played when you can play an instant is legal under Abeyance. [WotC Rules Team 1997/10/06] Similarly, a Summon spell played via Winding Canyons is legal. [Aahz 1997/09/09]
Does prohibit the abilities of cards which are not in play. For example, the Ashen Ghoul's ability can not be played while it is in your graveyard. [WotC Rules Team 1997/12/18] [Duelist Magazine #22, Page 27]

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Abjure
Color Blue
Type Instant
Cost Cost=U
Expansion WL(C)
Text(WL+errata):As an additional cost to play ~this~, sacrifice a blue permanent. ; Counter target spell. [Oracle 1999/07/01]
You cannot sacrifice multiple permanents to get a multiple effect. [D'Angelo 1997/06/12]
Note -Before errata this spell was of type Interrupt.

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Abolish
Color White
Type Instant
Cost Cost=1WW
Expansion PY(U)
Text(PY+errata):You may discard a plains card from your hand rather than pay ~this~'s mana cost. ; Destroy target artifact or enchantment. [Oracle 2002/10/01]
You may discard a non-basic land that "counts as" or "is" a plains. [DeLaney 2000/05/29]

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Abomination
Color Black
Type Creature - Abomination
Cost Cost=3BB
Expansion LG(U1)/4(U)
Text(4th+errata):2/6. ; Whenever ~this~ blocks or becomes blocked by a green or white creature, destroy that creature at end of combat. [Oracle 1999/09/03]
The color of the blocking/blocked creature is checked only at declaration of the block. If the creature is indeed green or white at that time, it will be destroyed at the end of the combat even if it changes color before the combat ends. [WotC Rules Team 1994/07/27]
Extended tournaments (see Rule D.15) have banned this card since 1999/10/01.

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Aboroth
Color Green
Type Creature - Aboroth
Cost Cost=4GG
Expansion WL(R)
Text(WL):9/9. ; Cumulative Upkeep - Put a -1/-1 counter on ~this~.
Note -Also see Cumulative Upkeep, Rule A.11.

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Aboshan, Cephalid Emperor
Color Blue
Type Creature - Cephalid Legend
Cost Cost=4UU
Expansion OD(R)
Text(OD):3/3. ; Tap an untapped Cephalid you control: Tap target permanent. ; {U}{U}{U}: Tap all creatures without flying.
This card is of creature type Cephalid and of type Legend. [D'Angelo 2001/10/10]
Note -Also see Legendary Permanents, Rule K.17.

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Aboshan's Desire
Color Blue
Type Enchant Creature
Cost Cost=U
Expansion OD(C)
Text(OD):Enchanted creature has flying. ; Threshold - Enchanted creature can't be the target of spells or abilities. (You have threshold as long as seven or more cards are in your graveyard.)
Note -Also see Threshold, Rule A.36.

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About Face
Color Red
Type Instant
Cost Cost=R
Expansion UL(C)
Text(UL):Switch target creature's power and toughness until end of turn. Effects that alter the creature's power alter its toughness instead, and vice versa, this turn.
Note -See Transmutation for additional rulings.

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Abu Ja'far
Color White
Type Creature - Leper
Cost Cost=W
Expansion AN(U3)/CH(U3)
Text(CH+errata):0/1. ; When ~this~ is put into a graveyard from play, destroy all creatures blocking or blocked by it. They can't be regenerated. [Oracle 2001/08/24]
Protection from White will not keep a creature from being destroyed by Abu's power because combat abilities are not considered to be targeted. [D'Angelo 1994/06/01] See Rule G.40.Ruling.1.
Extended tournaments (see Rule D.15) have banned this card since 1999/10/01.

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Absolute Grace
Color White
Type Enchantment
Cost Cost=1W
Expansion US(U)
Text(US+errata):All creatures have protection from black. [Oracle 1999/05/01]
This affects all creatures, not just your own. [Urza's FAQ 1998/10/05]
Note -Also see Protection, Rule A.31.

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Absolute Law
Color White
Type Enchantment
Cost Cost=1W
Expansion US(U)
Text(US+errata):All creatures have protection from red. [Oracle 1999/05/01]
This affects all creatures, not just your own. [Urza's FAQ 1998/10/05]
Note -Also see Protection, Rule A.31.

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Absorb
Color Multi
Type Instant
Cost Cost=WUU
Expansion IN(R)
Text(IN):Counter target spell. You gain 3 life.
If played on Urza's Rage, you gain the 3 life but Urza's Rage is not countered. [D'Angelo 2001/04/16]

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Abundance
Color Green
Type Enchantment
Cost Cost=2GG
Expansion US(R)
Text(US+errata):If you would draw a card, you may instead choose land or nonland and reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a card of the chosen kind. Put that card into your hand and put all other cards revealed this way on the bottom of your library in any order. [Oracle 1999/05/01]
If no card of the chosen type is found before your library empties, the effect does not let you draw a card at all, but you do get to order all the cards in your library any way you choose. [D'Angelo 1998/10/08]
If you use this on a multi-card draw, each replaced draw is handled separately. In other words, you reveal and then put on the bottom of the library for the first card, then do the same for the second, and so on. [bethmo 1998/10/12] In a multi-card draw you do not have to choose how many of those draws will be replaced before you do any drawing or use of this card. [D'Angelo 1999/12/07]
This replacement effect (see Rule T.10) replaces the draw, so nothing that triggers on a draw will trigger. [Barclay 1998/03/30]

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The Abyss
Color Black
Type Enchant World
Cost Cost=3B
Expansion LG(R)
Text(LG+errata):At the beginning of each player's upkeep, destroy target nonartifact creature that player controls of his or her choice. It can't be regenerated. [Oracle 2001/08/24]
This is a targeted ability. The Abyss targets one creature each upkeep. It cannot target creatures which are untargetable, such as those with Protection from Black. [Aahz 1994/07/13]
If the target becomes invalid after being chosen but before resolution, you do not have to choose another target. [Duelist Magazine #16, Page 25]
The controller of The Abyss controls the ability, but the current player chooses what gets destroyed. [Barclay 2000/12/31]
Extended tournaments (see Rule D.15) have always banned this card.
Note -Also see Enchant World, Rule K.12.10.

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Abyssal Gatekeeper
Color Black
Type Creature - Gatekeeper
Cost Cost=1B
Expansion WL(C)
Text(WL+errata):1/1. ; When ~this~ is put into a graveyard from play, each player sacrifices a creature. [Oracle 1999/07/01]
If another creature goes to the graveyard at the same time as this card, you cannot choose that creature as the one to be sacrificed by the Gatekeeper's triggered ability. This is because you finish putting all the dying creatures into the graveyard before dealing with the Gatekeeper's triggered ability, and therefore those other creatures going to the graveyard with it are not legal targets. [Duelist Magazine #19, Page 34]
The "sacrifice a creature" effect is not targeted. It can affect creatures with protection from black. [D'Angelo 1997/08/27]

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Abyssal Horror
Color Black
Type Creature - Horror
Cost Cost=4BB
Expansion US(R)/ST(R)/7(R)
Text(7th):2/2, Flying. ; When ~this~ comes into play, target player discards two cards from his or her hand.
Note -Also see Comes Into Play Abilities, Rule E.3.

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Abyssal Hunter
Color Black
Type Creature - Minion
Cost Cost=3B
Expansion MI(R)/6(R)
Text(6th+errata):1/1. ; {B},{Tap}: Tap target creature. ~this~ deals damage equal to ~this~'s power to that creature. [Oracle 2000/02/01]
The ability can be used on an already tapped creature. [bethmo 1997/10/14]
Note -Prior to Sixth Edition it was of creature type Hunter.

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Abyssal Nightstalker
Color Black
Type Creature - Nightstalker
Cost Cost=3B
Expansion P2(U)
Text(P2):2/2. ; If ~this~ attacks and isn't blocked, your opponent chooses and discards a card from his or her hand. (Ignore this effect if your opponent doesn't have any cards.)
When played under non-Portal rules, the text should be read as "Whenever ~this~ attacks and isn't blocked, you may have the defending player discard a card from his or her hand." [D'Angelo 2000/06/05]
All tournament formats have banned this card because it only appears in Portal.

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Abyssal Specter
Color Black
Type Creature - Specter
Cost Cost=2BB
Expansion IA(U)/567(U)/BR(F1)
Text(7th):2/3, Flying. ; Whenever ~this~ deals damage to a player, that player discards a card from his or her hand.

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