G - Game Terms and Rules
G.1 - Activation Cost
- G.1.1 - An activation cost is the cost to use an activated ability (see
Rule A.2). It is usually written on a card as "<-cost->: <-effect->", but it
can also appear as "you may <-pay cost-> to <-do effect->".
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- Note - Also see Costs (Rule G.6).
- Note - Also see Play Cost (Rule K.20).
G.2 - Caster
- G.2.1 - The caster of a spell is the one who announced the spell.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.2.Ruling.1 - The caster is almost always the owner of the card, but
if Grinning Totem is used, the caster may differ from the owner.
[bethmo 1996/10/14]
- Note - Also see Controller (Rule G.5).
- Note - Also see Owner (Rule G.26).
G.3 - Color
- G.3.1 - Black, Blue, Green, Red, and White are the only colors in the game.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.3.2 - "Colorless" means "without any color". "Colorless" is not a valid
choice for a color. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.3.Ruling.1 - Artifact is not a color, it is a card type.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.3.Ruling.2 - Land is not a color, it is a card type.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.3.Ruling.3 - Gold is not a color. It is just the background color used
on cards which have more than one color in their mana cost.
[D'Angelo 1999/08/31]
- Note - Also see Color of a Spell/Permanent (Rule K.7).
G.4 - Colorless Mana
- G.4.1 - Colorless mana is mana which has no color. Some spells and
abilities may generate this kind of mana. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.4.2 - Colorless mana is specified in text such as "one colorless mana".
[D'Angelo 2002/02/01] Colorless mana may also be specified on cards
using a gray circle with a number in it. [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01]
- Note - Also see Generic Mana (Rule G.17).
G.5 - Controller
- G.5.1 - The controller of a spell or activated ability on the stack is the
player who played the spell or activated ability. The controller for a
triggered ability is covered by Rule A.4.9 through Rule A.4.11.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.5.2 - The controller of a permanent starts as the one who puts it into
play, regardless of who controls the spell or ability that instructed the
player to put it there. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
- G.5.3 - The controller of a permanent may be changed by a spell or ability.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.5.4 - If there are multiple control changes on a single permanent, the
most recent control effect determines who controls the permanent. If an
effect ends, control reverts to the next most recent control effect, or to
the starting controller if there are no other control effects.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.5.5 - The text "you" or "your" on a card always refers to the controller.
Similarly, use of imperative language (which means directed instructions
such as "discard a card") also refers to the controller.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.5.Ruling.1 - The controller of the effect of a spell or ability is the
same as the controller of the spell or ability itself.
[WotC Rules Team 1997/06/01]
- Note - Changing the controller of a permanent does not change the controller
of local enchantments on that permanent. See Rule K.12.9.
G.6 - Costs
- G.6.1 - Spells and activated abilities have a cost you must pay when playing
that spell or ability. This cost is paid during announcement. In
addition, you may be instructed to pay costs during the resolution of a
spell or ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.6.2 - The most common costs are mana payments, tapping a permanent (see
Rule G.38), payment of life (see Rule G.19), and sacrifices (see
Rule G.33), but a cost can be anything. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.6.3 - The payment of a cost is unpreventable if you have the required
resources (most often this is mana). Effects may prevent you from having
the resource available. For example, the cost may be raised by Gloom
or a card may not be tappable due to Volrath's Curse.
[D'Angelo 1996/11/07]
- G.6.4 - You cannot pay a cost if you do not have the resource available.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.6.5 - If costs combine due to an effect into something that is
contradictory, then you cannot pay the cost at all. [Aahz 1997/02/16]
For example, you cannot both sacrifice a card and send that same card to
your hand.
- G.6.6 - Costs can be modified by replacement effects (see Rule T.10).
[D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.6.Ruling.1 - Once you pay a cost you cannot get it back, even if the
spell or ability is countered (see Rule G.7). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.6.Ruling.2 - You cannot pay a cost which requires a life payment if you
have zero or less life or if the payment will bring you below zero life.
[CompRules 1999/04/23] See Rule G.6.3 and Rule G.19.6.
- G.6.Ruling.3 - You cannot tap a tapped card or untap an untapped card as
part of a cost. [D'Angelo 1996/12/23] See Rule G.38.2 and Rule G.43.2.
- G.6.Ruling.4 - Since each spell or ability is announced separately, and
each cost is paid with each announcement, a single resource cannot be
used to pay multiple costs. For example, you cannot sacrifice one
creature to pay two sacrifice costs, and you cannot cast two spells using
the same point of mana. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.6.Ruling.5 - A cost cannot be paid accidentally. It can only be paid
during the announcement of a spell or ability. For example, you cannot
cause a Prodigal Sorcerer to deal damage by making it become tapped.
You must actually announce the use of its ability and tap it during that
announcement as part of the cost in order to make it deal damage.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.6.Ruling.6 - You can both tap and sacrifice a card at once. This is not
a contradictory cost (as per Rule G.6.5). [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
- Note - Also see Activation Cost (Rule G.1).
- Note - Also see Mana Cost (Rule K.18).
- Note - Also see Play Cost (Rule K.20).
G.7 - Countering Spells and Abilities
- G.7.1 - A spell or ability may be countered at any time it is on the
stack (see Rule T.2) before it resolves. See Rule T.5.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.7.2 - When a spell is countered, it is removed from the stack (see
Rule T.2) and placed in its owner's graveyard. The spell never resolves
and has no effect. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.7.Ruling.1 - Once a spell or ability is countered, it is no longer on the
stack, so any other spells targeting it will later fail since it is an
illegal target. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.7.Ruling.2 - Costs (see Rule G.6) paid when playing the spell or ability
are lost. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.7.Ruling.3 - The spell or ability is still considered "successfully
played" (see Rule T.5) because it was successfully put onto the stack.
[D'Angelo 1999/05/01] Note that "successfully played" means "successfully
announced".
- Note - Spells (see Rule K.23) and abilities (see Rule A.1) are different
things, and counterspells usually work on one or the other. For example,
a Power Sink counters a spell so cannot target a Prodigal Sorcerer's
ability. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.8 - Counters
- G.8.1 - Counters are used to keep track of long-term changes to a permanent.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.8.2 - Counters of the same name are interchangeable. For example, Poison
counters from all sources are still Poison counters.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.8.3 - Counters with just a value, such as +1/+1, are interchangeable with
other counters with exactly the same value. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
For example, a Spike Drone can move its counter onto a Tetravus and
the Tetravus could use the counter.
- G.8.4 - Counters are considered to apply themselves to the permanent just
after the initial characteristics of that permanent, and before any
effects are applied. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.8.5 - Counters remain on a permanent even if they currently do not apply.
[CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, if a Mishra's Factory gets a +1/+1
counter while it is a creature, the counter will remain when it turns back
into a land, and it will still be there if it later turns back into a
creature. Similarly, a Licid will keep a +1/+1 counter even while it is
in enchantment form.
- Note - Also see Token Creatures, Rule K.25.
G.9 - Counts As
- G.9.1 - If a card "Counts as <-something->" then the card is in all ways
a <-something->. For example, Wall of Spears is a Wall because it says
"Counts as a wall" in its text. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.9.2 - Counts as text applies no matter what zone (see Rule Z.1) the
card is in. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.9.3 - Counts as text is not considered an ability. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.10 - Damage
- G.10.1 - Damage dealt to a player results in an equivalent loss of life (see
Rule G.21). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.10.2 - Damage done to a creature remains on that creature until the end
of turn (actually the Cleanup Step, see Rule P.13).
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.10.3 - Damage is not removed if a permanent stops being a creature. The
damage will be there if it becomes a creature again later in the same
turn. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.10.4 - If you get to choose how damage is to be distributed among multiple
permanents or players, then you can only distribute whole number values,
and you cannot choose zero. If a spell or ability lets you choose how
much total damage is dealt, you can choose zero.
[Duelist Magazine #7, Page 100, 1995/10/01]
- G.10.5 - Damage can only be assigned to a creature or player. If a spell or
ability resolves to find that a permanent it was going to damage is no
longer a creature, then it will not assign damage to it.
[Bethmo 1999/12/10]
- G.10.Ruling.1 - Dealing zero damage to something means the same thing as
not dealing damage at all. Nothing which triggers on damage being dealt
will trigger on zero damage. [D'Angelo 1999/06/12]
- Note - Also see Damage Prevention, Rule G.11.
- Note - Also see Damage Redirection, Rule G.12.
- Note - Also see Creature Power and Toughness, Rule K.10.
- Note - Damage is "combat damage" only if it is done due to the combat damage
part of the combat phase. See Rule C.5.
- Note - A creature has "lethal damage" if it has at least as much damage on
it as it has toughness. See Rule K.10.4.
G.11 - Damage Prevention
- G.11.1 - Spells and abilities which prevent damage must be played (and
resolve) before the damage is dealt, which happens when the spell or
ability dealing the damage resolves. They set up a protective "shield"
around the player or creature and prevent the damage from being dealt.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.11.2 - Damage prevention spells and abilities can be played even if there
is no damage to prevent at the time. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.11.3 - If the spell or ability prevents a specific amount of damage, you
choose which of the points of damage you want to prevent at the time the
damage would be dealt. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.11.4 - If the spell or ability restricts your choice, such as to just
damage from a single source, you must follow that restriction.
[D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.11.5 - If the spell or ability has restrictions on the damage's source,
such as only from a creature of a given color, those restrictions are
checked when the damage would be prevented (in addition to when choosing
the source). This means that if the source changes color (or whatever
characteristic is being checked) that the damage might not be prevented.
[WotC Rules Team 2000/04/04]
- G.11.6 - Unpreventable damage will not use up points of a damage
prevention "shield" that counts points of damage.
[WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01]
- G.11.7 - Unpreventable damage will not use up a general damage
prevention "shield". [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01]
- G.11.Ruling.1 - If damage is prevented, it is never considered "dealt", so
any side-effects of that damage will also be prevented.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.11.Ruling.2 - Damage prevention spells and abilities do not target
damage. They just target what the card says they target.
[WotC Rules Team 1997/07/03]
- G.11.Ruling.3 - Damage prevention spells and abilities often have you pick
a source of damage. A source is a permanent, spell on the stack, or any
card or permanent referenced by a spell, ability, or combat damage on the
stack (including the source of that ability or damage if the source is no
longer in play). You cannot choose other things, such as an unused
Hammer of Bogardan in a player's graveyard. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
- G.11.Ruling.4 - It is possible to receive damage from the same source in
multiple "chunks" at one time (as with Earthquake being used while
Treacherous Link is in play, which would cause that creature's
Earthquake damage to be redirected to the player). In this case, a
single damage prevention shield (like a Circle of Protection: Red) can
be applied to the merging of the "chunks" because all of the damage is
being dealt at one time. [Barclay 2002/04/22]
- Note - Also see Damage, Rule G.10.
- Note - Also see Damage Redirection, Rule G.12.
- Note - Also see Replacement and Prevention Effects, Rule T.10.
G.12 - Damage Redirection
- G.12.1 - A spell or ability may cause damage to be "redirected" from a
creature or player to another creature or player. This is a replacement
effect (see Rule T.10) indicated by the word "instead" such as "all damage
that would be dealt to this creature is dealt to you instead".
[D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.12.2 - Damage redirection spells and abilities can be played even if there
is no damage to redirect. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.12.3 - If the spell or ability redirects a specific amount of damage, you
choose which of the points of damage you want to redirect at the time the
damage would be dealt. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.12.4 - If the spell restricts your choice, such as to just damage from a
single source, you must follow that restriction. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.12.5 - Redirected damage is actually dealt by the source to the new
location directly. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01] Damage is not dealt to the
original location and then moved.
- G.12.6 - If either the original recipient of the damage or the new one is
not a creature or player, or is not in play (for multi-player games this
includes players who leave the game), a damage redirection effect does
nothing. [WotC Rules Team 2000/02/16] [DeLaney 2000/02/18] The
prevention or redirection effect is "used up" in this case, however.
[D'Angelo 2000/02/25]
- G.12.7 - If combat damage is redirected to a creature not in the combat, it
is still combat damage. [D'Angelo 2001/06/15]
- Note - Also see Damage, Rule G.10.
- Note - Also see Damage Prevention, Rule G.11.
- Note - Also see Replacement and Prevention Effects, Rule T.10.
G.13 - Destroy
- G.13.1 - To "destroy" a permanent (see Rule K.19) is to place it into its
owner's graveyard from play. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.13.2 - A creature can regenerate (see Rule G.29) if it is destroyed.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- Note - Destroying a permanent is just one way to put it into the graveyard.
There are other ways which do not count as destroying the permanent.
G.14 - Discard
- G.14.1 - To "discard" a card is to place it into your graveyard from your
hand. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.14.2 - If you have to discard more than one card in a single effect, all
the cards are chosen and discarded at one time (unless otherwise noted
on the card). [Duelist Magazine #18, Page 55, 1997/08/01] You decide the
order the cards get stacked in the graveyard (see Rule Z.3.3).
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.14.Ruling.1 - You cannot discard a card just because you want to. You
can only discard if a game rule or spell or ability tells you to do so.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.14.Ruling.2 - A spell or ability may have you put a card from your hand
into the graveyard. This is not a discard unless the word "discard" is
used in the spell or ability. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.14.Ruling.3 - If you are asked to discard, and it does not specify how
the card to discard is chosen, then the discarding player chooses.
[Mirage, Page 54]
- G.14.Ruling.4 - A discard is not forced if it is done as part of a cost, and
it is forced if it is done as part of an effect. [D'Angelo 1997/06/11]
- G.14.Ruling.5 - A discard done as part of an effect is forced even if you
have the option of doing something to avoid the discard.
[Duelist Magazine #14, Page 26, 1996/12/01]
G.15 - Draw
- G.15.1 - When asked to "draw" a card, you take the top card from your
library (see Rule Z.6) and put it into your hand. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.15.Ruling.1 - An effect is a draw only if it says so. Being told to
take a card from your library and put it in your hand is not a draw.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.15.Ruling.2 - If you are required to draw more than one card due to a
single action, the draws happen in sequence. For example, "draw 3 cards"
works just like "Draw a card. Draw a card. Draw a card."
[Jackson 1999/12/07] The result of this is that replacement effects which
affect the drawing of cards are applied one draw at a time. For example,
with Abundance, you choose how to use it before each card. And with
Field of Dreams, each and every card is face up along the way.
[Jackson 1999/12/07]
- G.15.Ruling.3 - Abilities which replace a single draw may be played on a
multiple card draw. The replacement effect (see Rule T.10) happens prior
to drawing the un-replaced cards. [D'Angelo 1997/06/11]
- Note - A player loses the game (see Rule G.20) as a state-based effect if
they have to draw a card and their library is empty. See Rule Z.6.8.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.16 - Exchange
- G.16.1 - A spell or ability may instruct players to exchange something. For
example, life totals or control of two permanents. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.16.2 - The exchange effect fails to do anything if any part of the
exchange canot take place. For example, if a spell attempts to exchange
control of two target creatures but one of them is destroyed before it
resolves, the spell does nothing. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.16.3 - When life totals are exchanged, each player gains or loses the
amount of life necessary to equal the other player's previous life total.
Replacement effects may modify these gains and losses and triggered
abilities may trigger on them. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.16.4 - An exchange with a card in the graveyard puts the card that was
in play into its owner's graveyard, regardless of whose graveyard the
card is taken out of. [WotC Rules Team 1999/03/18] See Goblin Welder.
And the card goes on top of the gravyard, not into the middle of it.
[bethmo 1999/03/21]
G.17 - Generic Mana
- G.17.1 - The term "generic mana" means "mana of any color or mana which is
colorless". For example, a spell which requires 2 generic mana and one
green mana may be cast using 1 colorless mana, 1 red mana, and one green
mana. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.17.2 - A generic mana cost is depicted on cards using a gray circle with
a number in it. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.17.3 - A generic mana X is still considered to be generic even if there is
a requirement in the card text to only spend a certain color of mana on
it. This distinction allows effects which reduce the generic mana cost of
an ability to reduce the amount needed to pay for X. For example, if you
have two Helm of Awakenings in play (each reduces the generic costs of
spells by {1}), you could cast a Drain Life for just {B} and still
do 1 damage. [WotC Rules Team 1997/06/01]
- G.17.Ruling.1 - You can never have generic mana in your mana pool. Generic
mana only appears in the cost of spells and abilities. It indicates a
freedom to apply any colored or colorless mana to that cost.
[D'Angelo 1998/05/28]
- G.17.Ruling.2 - A few older cards used the generic mana symbol when they
talk about mana they generate. All such cards have errata to say they
generate colorless mana instead of using that symbol.
[D'Angelo 1998/05/28] The rules now allow for the use of the number in
a gray circle for use in the generation of colorless mana, so this may
show up on newer cards as well. [WotC Rules Team 2002/02/01]
- Note - Many people use the term "colorless mana" when talking about mana in
the gray circle. This is not accurate. They should say "generic mana".
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- Note - Also see Colorless Mana, Rule G.4.
G.18 - Infinity
- G.18.1 - There is no such thing as "infinity" in Magic.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.18.2 - If a combination occurs which is completely under one player's
control, it could potentially be repeated an infinite number of times. If
this happens, the player should demonstrate the cycle a few times, then
state how many times they want to do this. This must be a positive,
finite integer. If the opponent does nothing to interfere, then the
actions occur the stated number of times. Any player may say that after
some smaller number of times they want to stop the loop to take some
action (which is legal at that time). This causes the additional loops
to not happen, but does not stop the player from starting the loop again
if they can. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.18.3 - If a combination occurs which contains options for both players,
the current player chooses a number. The other player can either accept
this number or choose a lower number of times for the loop to run.
[CompRules 1999/04/23] For example, if the current player has a card with
"{0}: This creature gains flying" and the other player has a card with
"{0}: Target creature loses flying", this rule ensures that the other
player always has the final choice and can make it not have flying.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.18.4 - If a loop occurs for which neither player has control, the game
ends in a draw. Neither player wins or loses.
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.6]
- G.18.Ruling.1 - You cannot use the "pick a number" rule (Rule G.18.3) for
loops which are not really infinite. If a loop will end, the game will
run it to completion. [bethmo 1998/11/03] For example, a loop in which a
player loses life each time will end once the player reaches zero or less
life.
- Note - There is no ruling for loops where a loop consists of player actions,
but there is an element of randomness involved, such as coin flipping or
deck shuffling. If a player wants to repeat until a certain condition
occurs, the result will be up to the judge at any particular tournament.
[WotC Rules Team 1998/03/31]
G.19 - Life
- G.19.1 - Each player starts the game with 20 life points.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.19.2 - A player may gain life points to have a higher total during the
game. There is no upper limit. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.19.3 - A player loses the game if they have less than 1 life. This is
a state-based effect (see Rule T.11). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.19.4 - All players are entitled to know each other's life totals at all
times. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.19.5 - A spell or ability may reduce a player to less than zero life by
means of damage or loss of life. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] This rarely
matters since a player normally loses when this happens, but an effect may
prevent the player from losing due to a life total of 0 or less.
- G.19.6 - If a spell or ability allows you to pay life points to get some
effect, you cannot pay more life points than you have. If you already
have zero or less life points, you may not pay for any spell or ability
which requires a payment or 1 or more life points.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.19.7 - A player at zero or less life is treated as having zero life for
all reasons other than raising their life total. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
This rarely matters since a player normally loses when this happens, but
an effect may prevent the player from losing due to a life total of 0 or
less.
- G.19.Ruling.1 - Because of Rule G.19.7, if you are instructed to lose a
fraction of your life points while you are already below zero life, your
life total does not change. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- Note - Also see Loss of Life, Rule G.21.
- Note - Vanguard cards can modify your starting life total, see Rule E.14.
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 2001/07/23 - 102.4]
- G.20.2 - Cards in the game may add additional ways for a player to lose
the game. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.20.3 - A player may concede the game at any time. Nothing can be done
to respond to this. The game is simply over and they lost.
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.7]
- G.20.4 - A player loses if their life total is zero or less. This is a
state-based effect. See Rule G.19.3. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.1]
- G.20.5 - A player loses if they are required to draw more cards than they
have left in their library. See Rule Z.6.8. This loss happens as a
state-based effect just following the resolution of the spell or ability
requiring the draw. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.2]
- G.20.6 - If a player would both win and lose at the same time, they lose.
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.5]
- G.20.7 - A player loses the game as a state-based effect (see Rule T.11) if
they have 10 or more Poison counters. See Rule E.10.
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 102.8]
G.21 - Loss of Life
- G.21.1 - Loss of life can happen because a spell or ability instructs a
player to lose life, or because damage dealt to the player is not
prevented. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.21.2 - Loss of life cannot be prevented or replaced by a spell or ability
which prevents or replaces damage. [CompRules 1999/04/23] Some older
cards say this as reminder text, but it is true even if they do not.
- G.21.Ruling.1 - Abilities that trigger on the loss of life also trigger
when you pay life points for something. [WotC Rules Team 1996/02/06]
- Note - Only players have life points. Creatures do not.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.22 - Mana Burn
- G.22.1 - If you have any mana in your mana pool at the end of a phase (see
Rule P.3.5), then you lose 1 life for each point of mana in your mana
pool and that mana is lost. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.22.Ruling.1 - Anything triggering on mana burn will not be played until
the next time a player receives priority, which is likely the start of
the next phase. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.22.Ruling.2 - A player reduced below zero life will not lose the game
until the next time a player would receive priority, which is at the start
of the next phase. [D'Angelo 2000/02/15]
G.23 - Mana Pool
- G.23.1 - The mana pool is an imaginary place where you temporarily store
mana between getting it and spending it. When you use a mana ability, it
adds mana to your mana pool. When you announce a spell or ability which
has a mana cost, you pay mana from your mana pool. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.23.Ruling.1 - You can leave mana in your mana pool between the casting of
several spells. The mana pool is only emptied by you spending the mana,
by Mana Burn (see Rule G.22), or by a spell or ability which instructs
you to do so. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.23.Ruling.2 - You do not cast spells by tapping lands. You cast spells
by tapping lands for mana, and putting this mana into your mana pool.
Then you spend the mana from the mana pool. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- Note - Tapping basic lands is the most common way to add mana to your mana
pool. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- Note - Also see Mana Burn, Rule G.22.
G.24 - Modal Spells and Abilities
- G.24.1 - Some spells and abilities require a choice as to which mode they
operate in. This choice is made on announcement (see Rule T.4.2).
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.24.2 - Cards worded as "Choose one--Do A; or do B" are modal.
[CompRules 1999/04/23] The key words "choose one" are important.
- G.24.3 - If a spell or ability is used to change the target of a modal
spell or ability, they cannot change the mode. This may restrict what
kinds of targets are legal for the new target. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.24.4 - If a spell is modal and has different kinds of targets depending
on the mode, you choose the mode before picking targets, and you do not
pick targets for the unused mode(s). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.24.5 - Spells which have a specific player "choose one -- <-list->" are
also modal. [Rules Team 2001/05/01]
- Note - See errata on older cards to determine if they are modal or not.
G.25 - Obsolete Terms
- G.25.Ruling.1 - "Bury" - This term means "destroy without allowing
regeneration". All cards which used this term have errata. Many change
it to destroy with a note to disallow regeneration. Others change it to
"sacrifice". Refer to particular cards for details. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.25.Ruling.2 - "Fast Effect" - This term means "spells and abilities played
as instants". It used to also include Interrupts (see Rule G.25.Ruling.4)
and Mana Sources (see Rule G.25.Ruling.5) as well. This term was also
slang for "instant speed spells and abilities". [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.25.Ruling.3 - "Fizzle" - This term was used to describe what happened when
a spell or ability fails during resolution because its targets are
illegal. This rule still exists, but the term is no longer used.
[D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.25.Ruling.4 - "Interrupt" - This was a special spell type. All such cards
are now instants. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.25.Ruling.5 - "Mana Source" - When used on permanents, this is the same as
the current term "Mana Ability" (see Rule A.6). Spells of this type are
now of type instant. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.25.Ruling.6 - "On its way to the graveyard" - This is a really old term.
There is no such thing as being "on the way to the graveyard" in the
current rules, so this is meaningless now. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.25.Ruling.7 - "Phase Ability" - This was a term for a play-once ability
that was written as "During <-phase-> do <-something->". All such cards have
errata to now trigger at the start of the appropriate phase by being
worded as "At the beginning of <-phase->, do <-something->".
[D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.25.Ruling.8 - "Phase Cost" - This was a term for a play-once ability that
had a payment and an effect if the payment was not made. It was written
as "During <-phase-> do <-something-> or <-something happens->." All such cards
have errata to now trigger at the start of the appropriate phase.
[D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.25.Ruling.9 - "Total Casting Cost" - This is the same as "Converted Mana
Cost". [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.25.Ruling.10 - "Summoning Sickness" is officially obsolete, but is still
in common use. See Rule G.37.
G.26 - Owner
- G.26.1 - The owner of a card is the one who started the game with that card
in their library (see Rule Z.6). The game does not care who has property
ownership of the cards, just who started the game with them.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.26.2 - The owner of a token creature (see Rule K.25) is the controller of
the spell or ability that put the token into play.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.26.3 - Ownership of a card changes only when a card specifically states
that it does. Very few cards do this. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- Note - Cards which go to the graveyard, a player's hand, or a player's
library always go to their owner's location, regardless of who currently
controls the card. See Rule Z.1.5. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
G.27 - Phasing Out and In
- G.27.1 - When a permanent "phases out", it goes to the Phased Out zone (see
Rule Z.7). Phased out permanents are not in play and cannot be affected
by any spell or ability which does not explicitly say it affects phased
out cards. [Mirage, Page 1]
- G.27.2 - When a permanent "phases out", all abilities will trigger that
would trigger on that permanent leaving play.
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15d]
- G.27.3 - When a permanent "phases out", all local enchantments on it are
also phased out with it. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15i]
- G.27.4 - When a permanent "phases out", it keeps any counters or
unlimited-duration (see Rule T.8.14) effects on it. All limited-duration
effects (see Rule T.8.14, ones that only last until some time or some
condition is met, such as a "until end of turn" or "as long as <-something>
is tapped", and ones that are to happen at some time in the future, such
as "at end of turn") are cancelled and never happen. Also, all damage is
removed from the permanent. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15e/g]
- G.27.5 - A permanent which is "phased out" will automatically "phase in"
at the beginning of your next untap step (see Rule P.5). They do not have
to have Phasing ability (see Rule A.27) to phase in.
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15b]
- G.27.6 - Any permanents phasing out at the beginning of the untap step
because they have the Phasing (see Rule A.27) ability will phase out at
the exact same time that "phased out" permanents will be phasing in.
There is no time when both sets of permanents are in play.
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15b]
- G.27.7 - Permanents "phase in" in the same tapped/untaped state they were
when they phased out. [Mirage, Page 2]
- G.27.8 - Permanents that "phase in" may attack or use tap abilities during
the turn they enter play as if they had the Haste ability.
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15n]
- G.27.9 - Any abilities which would trigger when the permanent "comes into
play" will _NOT_ trigger when it "phases in".
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15d] This is a special and important rule
about Phasing that may not seem like common sense. It is nonetheless a
rule.
- G.27.10 - Any effects which modify how a permanent "comes into play", such
as Kismet, will _NOT_ affect a card "phasing in".
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15d]
- G.27.11 - If a permanent "phased out" under your control, but it was only
under your control due to a temporary effect (see Rule G.27.4), then it
will phase in at the start of your next untap step, but it will phase
in under its actual controller's control. [bethmo 1996/10/03]
- G.27.12 - Permanents remember their history when they phase in. For
example, a The Fallen remembers who it has damaged, and a Safe Haven
will not forget which creatures it has set aside.
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15f]
- G.27.13 - Local enchantments on a permanent "phase in" when the permanent
phases in, but if the permanent never phases in, the enchantments do not
return either. For example, a token creature with enchantments on it that
phases out will cease to exist and will never phase in, so its
enchantments stay out of play. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15i]
- G.27.14 - A local enchantment that is phased out "directly" (rather than as
a result of the permanent it enchants being phased out), then it will
phase in on the same permanent. If that permanent is no longer in play
when it phases in, it will return to play and then go to the graveyard
as a State-Based Effect. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15j]
- G.27.15 - If multiple permanents phase in at the same time, the current
player determines the relative order of any effects those permanents have.
The permanents are still considered to enter play simultaneously for
all reasons (such as the Legends Rule G.17.2) but it it sometimes
necessary to order the effects. Permanents may be put in any order with
the restriction that local enchantments on the permanent must be put in
time order after the original permanent and in the order those local
enchantments were placed on that permanent.
[CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15k]
- G.27.16 - When a permanent "phases out", any spell or ability that is on the
stack which is targeting that permanent will not notice that it is gone
until the spell or ability starts to resolve. If the
permanent "phases in" before the spell or ability starts to resolve, then
permanent is the same permanent and it will still be the target of the
spell or ability. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 502.15n]
- G.27.Ruling.1 - A token creature that "phases out" ceases to exist. See
Rule K.25.6. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- Note - Also see the Phasing ability, Rule A.27.
G.28 - Put Into Play
- G.28.1 - A spell or ability may instruct you to put a card into play. This
is not considered to be "playing" or "casting" that card for any reason.
You do not pay any costs which are paid when playing the card.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.28.2 - When putting a card into play, any X on the card is zero.
[D'Angelo 1997/12/29]
- G.28.3 - When putting a card into play which has undefined characteristics,
you must do what is required to define them. For example, a Clone
requires a target creature to copy, and Minion of the Wastes requires
a payment of life. You take these defining actions during the resolution
of the spell or ability which is putting the card into play. This kind
of action is usually denoted on the card by the text "As this card comes
into play, do <-something->", where the something is an action to define a
characteristic. [D'Angelo 2000/02/15]
- G.28.4 - If a card requires a target when played, and that card is put into
play without playing it, then you must choose a target at the time it is
put into play. [Aahz 1997/02/16] If there is no legal target, then the
card stays where it is and does not get put into play. [bethmo 1998/05/02]
- G.28.5 - If a local enchantment is being put into play without playing it
from your hand, the player putting it into play chooses a permanent for it
to enchant right before it enters play. If there is no legal permanent
for it to enchant, it remains in the zone it was in.
[CompRules 1999/11/01]
G.29 - Regeneration
- G.29.1 - Regeneration is a means of preventing a permanent from going to
the graveyard due to being destroyed (see Rule G.13) by a spell or ability
or through having "lethal damage" (see Rule K.10.4).
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.29.2 - Regeneration is a replacement effect (see Rule T.10). It must be
played before the permanent is actually destroyed. It cannot be used
after the permanent actually goes to the graveyard. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.29.3 - Regeneration is defined as "The next time this permanent would be
destroyed this turn, instead remove all damage from it, tap it, and (if
it's in combat) remove it from combat." [CompRules 1999/11/01]
- G.29.4 - You may not attempt to regenerate a permanent which has been
put into the graveyard or sacrificed (see Rule G.33).
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.29.5 - When a card simply says "Regenerate this card", it means "The next
time this card would be destroyed this turn, regenerate it."
[D'Angelo 1999/06/12]
- G.29.6 - A creature with zero or less toughness cannot be regenerated.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.29.Ruling.1 - Since tapping the permanent is a side-effect of regeneration
and not a cost (see Rule G.29.3), you can regenerate a tapped permanent.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.29.Ruling.2 - Since regeneration actually prevents the permanent from
going to the graveyard, it keeps all of its local enchantments, counters,
and any effects that are on it. The permanent will also fail to trigger
any abilities that trigger on a permanent going to the graveyard.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.29.Ruling.3 - You can play a regeneration spell or ability even if the
permanent is not being destroyed at this time and has no indication that
it will be destroyed in the near future. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.29.Ruling.4 - If a single effect somehow would destroy the same permanent
twice, then one use of regeneration only stops one of the two destructions
and a second use of regeneration would have to be done if you wanted to
save the permanent. [WotC Rules Team 1997/10/06] You choose which of the
destructions when the regeneration effect is applied.
[D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.29.Ruling.5 - None of the effects of regeneration (tapping and having
damage removed) happen unless the replacement actually takes place and
that only happens if the creature would have been destroyed. See
Rule G.29.3. [D'Angelo 2000/12/07]
G.30 - Remove from the Game
- G.30.1 - A card or token which is "removed from the game" is put into the
Removed from Game zone (see Rule Z.8). [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.30.Ruling.1 - You cannot regenerate (see Rule G.29) a creature which is
removed from the game. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.30.Ruling.2 - Local enchantments on the permanent are put into the
graveyard when it is removed from the game. See Rule K.12.3.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.31 - Reveal
- G.31.1 - To "reveal" a card is to show it to all players, then to put the
card back exactly where it was before (unless the card text indicates
otherwise about where it goes). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.31.2 - If a player is instructed to play with their hand revealed, then
it stays revealed until the effect ends. [Urza's Destiny FAQ 1999/05/25]
- G.31.3 - If cards are revealed in a zone that is ordered, the order does
not change. For example, when revealing cards from the top of a player's
library, all players can see the order and this order will not be
changed if they become un-revealed. [Rules Team 2001/05/01]
- G.31.Ruling.1 - You can "reveal" a card which is already revealed due to
another effect. For example, if your hand is already revealed due to one
effect, you can choose to "reveal" any subset of those cards for another
effect, such as Scent of Brine. [Urza's Destiny FAQ 1999/05/25]
- G.31.Ruling.2 - A revealed card does not change zones. It's just visible
where it was for a time. [DeLaney 1999/06/13]
- G.31.Ruling.3 - If multiple cards are revealed, you reveal all of them at
the same time before putting them back (or wherever you are instructed to
put them). [D'Angelo 2000/01/08]
G.32 - Rounding
- G.32.1 - If the result of a division is even (meaning it has no fractional
part), then rounding up or down does not change the number.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.32.2 - To "round down" means to drop the fractional part after dividing.
For example, 9 divided by 2 is 4.5. Rounding down gives you 4.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.32.3 - To "round up" means that if the result of the division has a
fractional part, choose the next higher number. For example, 9 divided
by 2 is 4.5. Rounding up gives you 5. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.33 - Sacrifice
- G.33.1 - To sacrifice means to put a permanent from in play into its owner's
graveyard. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.33.2 - Sacrifices cannot be prevented by any means.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.33.3 - You can only choose to sacrifice a permanent you control. If asked
to sacrifice something you don't control, nothing happens.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.33.4 - Sacrifices are not targeted. [bethmo 1996/10/03] So Protection
from Color (see Rule A.28) will not protect a creature from being
sacrificed. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.33.Ruling.1 - Sacrificing is not done at any particular speed. To
determine if it is legal to sacrifice something at a given time, it is
legal only if the spell or ability which requires the sacrifice is legal
at that time. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] For example, the Altar of Dementia
has an ability that is played whenever you could play an instant. So it
is legal to sacrifice a creature to it when instants are legal.
- G.33.Ruling.2 - Sacrificing as a cost works just like spending mana. You
cannot spend the same permanent to satisfy two spells or abilities that
require sacrifices, just like you cannot spend a single mana point to
cast two spells. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.33.Ruling.3 - You cannot sacrifice something unless a spell or ability
instructs you to do so. In other words, you cannot just remove something
from play because you want to. [D'Angelo 1997/11/14]
- G.33.Ruling.4 - When a sacrifice is done as a cost (see Rule G.6.2), then it
is in the graveyard before any responses can be used (see Rule T.5). This
means that if the spell or ability is countered, you do not get the
sacrificed permanent back. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.33.Ruling.5 - A permanent can sacrifice itself to one of its own
abilities, unless otherwise prevented by the card text or some effect.
[Duelist Magazine #5, Page 123, 1995/05/01]
- G.33.Ruling.6 - You can sacrifice something that is tapped or that has
summoning sickness (see Rule G.37) since it just entered play.
[D'Angelo 1998/07/05]
- Note - You may not even attempt to regenerate a sacrificed creature. See
Rule G.29.4. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.34 - Simultaneous
- G.34.1 - Occasionally, the game has something occur simultaneously. This
means it is an "indivisible and unordered action". [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.34.2 - If something is to be done simultaneously with something else and
both things have decisions to be made, all decisions are made before you
do anything. Then you do all the simultaneous actions. For example,
untapping cards during untap is simultaneous, but you might have to
decide what to untap. If so, you decide before you untap anything.
[D'Angelo 1996/08/01] As usual, if both players have decisions to make,
the active player decides first. [DeLaney 2000/01/13]
- G.34.3 - If more than one permanent enters play simultaneously, then the
order in which the effects of those cards enter play needs to be
determined. This most commonly occurs when cards "phase in" (see
Rule G.27.5). The ordering follows these rules: a) The active player
decides the ordering among all cards which are not local enchantments.
b) If cards have local enchantments on them, the effects of local
enchantments on a card enter play after that card's effects, but prior
to any other card's effects. c) If there are multiple local enchantments
on a card, then the effects of those local enchantments enter play in the
order in which those enchantments originally entered play.
[Aahz 1996/12/04] For example, a Sandbar Crocodile is phased out with
Flight and Earthbind on it (cast in that order). Feedback is on
the Flight. When it phases in, the Crocodile's effects are considered to
enter play first, then Flight's effect, then Feedback's effect (since it
is on the Flight), then Earthbind's effect.
- Note - See Rule Z.3.3 for information on simultaneous placement in the
graveyard.
- Note - See Rule Z.6.6 for information on simultaneous placement in the
library.
G.35 - Skipping a Draw
- G.35.1 - A spell or ability which has you skip a draw is a replacement
effect (see Rule T.10). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.35.2 - A spell or ability will generally have you skip your next draw.
[D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.36 - Skipping a Phase or Step
- G.36.1 - If a spell or ability has you skip a phase or step as a cost, then
the spell or ability can only be spent on that turn, prior to the phase
or step starting. And that phase or step can only be "spent" once.
[Mirage, Page 58]
- G.36.2 - If a spell or ability has you skip a phase or step as an one-shot
effect, then multiple phase or step skips can accumulate. This is usually
a result of an instant or sorcery spell or ability. The phase or step
skipping is done as an automatic phase (or step) skipping.
[D'Angelo 1998/03/03]
- G.36.3 - If a spell or ability has you skip a phase or step as a continuous
effect, then the phase or step is skipped right as you would be about to
start it. This is called automatic phase (or step) skipping.
[Duelist Magazine #13, Page 26, 1996/10/01] For example, Necropotence
has you skip your draw step as a continuous effect. [Mirage, Page 58]
- G.36.4 - If there is more than one effect requiring you to skip a phase or
step, you choose which one actually causes the phase or step to be
skipped. For example, if you have accumulated some draw step skips from
Ivory Gargoyle (see Rule G.36.2), you can choose to have its effect
skip the step even though you have Necropotence in play.
[Duelist Magazine #13, Page 26, 1996/10/01]
- G.36.5 - If an effect has you skip a phase or step, but you have already
started that phase or step, it does not affect the current phase or step.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.36.Ruling.1 - If a phase or step is skipped, nothing that would happen in
that phase or step happens. For example, if you skip your draw step you
do not get to draw a card. [D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
- G.36.Ruling.2 - Because automatic phase (or step) skipping (see Rule G.36.3)
happens right as the phase or step starts, you can spend that phase or
step as a cost (see Rule G.36.1) prior to the automatic phase (or step)
skipping effect getting a chance at it. [Mirage, Page 58]
- G.36.Ruling.3 - If an effect says to skip your next Xxxx phase or step, it
means the next one you are about to start. It does not look into the
future and pick a specific one. [D'Angelo 1996/11/08]
G.37 - Summoning Sickness
- G.37.1 - All permanents have "summoning sickness" from the time they enter
play (or otherwise come under your control), until they start your turn
in play under your control. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.37.2 - Creatures with "summoning sickness" cannot attack, and they cannot
use any of their own abilities which have a tap symbol in the activation
cost. Non-creatures are unaffected by summoning sickness.
[CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.37.3 - It does not matter if the permanent was a creature at the start
of your most recent turn. You just had to control the permanent at that
time. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] So if you animate a land or artifact (see
Rule K.5) that you controlled at the start of the turn, then it is not
subject to the effects of summoning sickness.
- G.37.Ruling.1 - Summoning sickness applies to all ways of getting a
creature under your control. For example, casting them, putting them
into play directly using Animate Dead or a similar effect, or by
taking control from another player using Control Magic.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03] The one exception is phasing in, see Rule G.27.8.
- G.37.Ruling.2 - If a permanent starts your turn in play under your control,
leaves your control, and then returns in the same turn, then it will
have summoning sickness. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.37.Ruling.3 - Creatures with summoning sickness can be tapped by spells
or by abilities of other permanents. For example, Icy Manipulator can
be used to tap a creature which has summoning sickness.
[D'Angelo 1996/12/18]
- G.37.Ruling.4 - If a non-creature is tapped for an ability on the turn it
enters play, and then it is animated at some time before the ability
resolves, the effect will not fail. [D'Angelo 1995/06/07]
- Note - The term "summoning sickness" has been officially obsoleted, but it
is still in common usage since no new term was made to replace it.
[D'Angelo 1999/05/01]
G.38 - Tapping a Permanent
- G.38.1 - To "tap" a permanent means to rotate it 90 degrees to show that
it has been used. Permanents normally untap during the untap step (see
Rule P.5). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.38.2 - You cannot tap an already tapped permanent as a cost. Costs (see
Rule G.6) must be successfully paid. [D'Angelo 1996/12/23]
- G.38.3 - You can tap an already tapped permanent as part of the effect of a
spell or ability. This has no effect on the permanent.
[Duelist Magazine #5, Page 23, 1995/05/01]
- G.38.Ruling.1 - Tapping a permanent with an effect will never accidentally
pay the cost of an ability. For example, tapping a land with Twiddle
will not put a point of mana into a player's pool, and tapping a
Prodigal Sorcerer with Twiddle will not make the player have to deal
a point of damage to something. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
G.39 - Targeting--Announcing and Resolving
- G.39.1 - You may not announce a targeted spell or ability unless you can
choose a legal target. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.39.2 - If a spell or ability has you (or other players) pick multiple
targets, the same target may not be picked more than once. There is an
implied "multiple different targets". [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.39.3 - If a spell or ability's resolution has you pick target(s) for an
additional effect, you may choose the same target(s) that the original
effect chose. [Mirage, Page 58]
- G.39.4 - In addition to having a legal target when announced, a spell or
ability checks its target to see if it is legal before it resolves.
If its target is not legal, then the spell or ability does nothing with
respect to that target. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.39.5 - If a spell or ability has multiple targets and one or more of the
targets become illegal prior to resolution, then the spell or ability
still resolves with respect to its legal targets. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
For example, a Fireball is cast targeting three creatures with 2 damage
each. If one creature is Unsummoned, then nothing happens to that
creature, but the other two creatures still take 2 damage each.
- G.39.6 - If all of the targets are illegal upon resolution, then any
untargeted portion of the spell or ability is also ignored because the
spell or ability is countered. [CompRules 1999/04/23] For example,
Crumble targets an artifact to be destroyed and has an untargeted
gaining of life. If the target becomes invalid, then no life will be
given.
- G.39.7 - If a spell or ability allows you to change the target of another
spell or ability, the new target must be a legal choice. If the choice
was legal on announcement, but not on resolution, then the target is not
changed. [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.39.Ruling.1 - There are many ways to make a target illegal before
resolution. The most common way is for the target to be destroyed,
sent a player's hand, or otherwise removed from play prior to resolution.
Other requirements on the targeting may be invalidated due to adding
Protection (see Rule A.28) to a target creature. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.39.Ruling.2 - You may not announce a targeted spell declaring an illegal
target with the intent to use a spell or ability afterward to somehow make
the target legal. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.39.Ruling.3 - During targeting checks, the current game state is always
used. This is usually obvious, but in cases where indirect information
is asked for (such as "the card target spell is targeting") it might be
tempting to apply the last known information rule, but this is not
correct. [Barclay 2002/02/12]
- Note - Some spells are modal in their targeting. See Rule G.24.
- Note - See the announcing (see Rule T.4) and resolution (see Rule T.6)
steps of the spell life cycle for more information.
G.40 - Targeting--Is Something Targeted
- G.40.1 - A spell or ability is targeted if (and only if) it uses the word
"target" in its card text. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03] When in doubt, read the
card.
- G.40.2 - There is one exception to Rule G.40.1. Local enchantments target
the permanent they are being placed on at the time they are played even
though they do not use the word "target". [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.40.3 - Local enchantments on a permanent target the permanent (as a spell)
when cast. They do not target the permanent they enchant while in play.
The abilities of enchantments generally do not target the card they are
on. For example, Firebreathing's effect does not target the creature
to give it +1/+0 and Regeneration does not target the creature when it
is used. [CompRules 1999/04/23]] See Rule K.12.5 and Rule K.12.8.
- G.40.Ruling.1 - Rule G.40.1 is important because many things are not
targeted but still affect cards. For example, abilities that trigger on
assigmnent of blockers (such as Thicket Basilisk) and ones that trigger
on damage being dealt in combat are generally not targeted.
[D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- G.40.Ruling.2 - Spells and abilities which affect "all" of something are not
targeted and can be played even if there are none of the somethings
available. For example, you can use Flashfires even if there are no
Plains in play. This is because the spell does not require a target
to act upon. It just does something. [D'Angelo 1998/02/03]
- Note - Some older cards are not properly worded to include the word
"target" where they should. Check the card rulings for possible errata
or newer card text.
G.41 - Targeting--Valid Targets
- G.41.1 - A spell may never target itself. [CompRules 1999/11/01]
- G.41.Ruling.1 - You may target a spell/ability which removes an ability at
a permanent without that ability. It just does nothing.
[Duelist Magazine #5, Page 23, 1995/05/01] This is unless the targeting
restriction says it must have the ability, as with Phyrexian Splicer.
[D'Angelo 2000/09/07]
- G.41.Ruling.2 - You may target a tapping spell or ability at a tapped card
or an untapping spell or ability at an untapped card unless the card says
it targets a tapped or untapped permanent.
[Duelist Magazine #5, Page 22, 1995/05/01] See Rule G.38.3 and
Rule G.43.3.
- G.41.Ruling.3 - Spells that target "attacking" or "blocking" creatures may
only be used during the combat phase and only if there is an appropriate
creature to target. [bethmo 1994/10/01]
- G.41.Ruling.4 - You cannot target a spell which will become a permanent
with a spell or ability that targets a permanent until the permanent
resolves. Prior to it resolving, it is just a spell. [bethmo 1994/10/01]
- G.41.Ruling.5 - Valid targets only include things in play unless the spell
or ability specifically says otherwise. [D'Angelo 1999/02/22] For
example, Unsummon can only work on a creature in play, while
Raise Dead only works on a creature card in the graveyard.
- G.41.Ruling.6 - The pseudospell for an ability may never target itself.
[DeLaney 1999/10/17]
G.42 - Unblocked
- G.42.1 - A creature is considered "unblocked" only during the combat phase,
only after blockers are declared (see Rule C.5 and Rule C.6), and only if
it is not blocked by any creature or effect. [D'Angelo 1997/08/18]
G.43 - Untapping a Permanent
- G.43.1 - To "untap" a permanent means to straighten a card's orientation to
show that it is now ready to be used. Permanents normally untap during
the untap step (see Phase P.5). [CompRules 1999/04/23]
- G.43.2 - You cannot untap an already untapped permanent as a cost. Costs
must be successfully paid. [D'Angelo 1996/12/23]
- G.43.3 - You can untap an already untapped permanent as part of the effect
of a spell or ability. This has no effect on the permanent.
[Duelist Magazine #5, Page 23, 1995/05/01]
- G.43.Ruling.1 - Untapping a permanent with an effect will never counter or
otherwise cancel any already announced ability of that permanent. It
merely makes the card available for them to use it again.
[bethmo 1994/06/01]
- G.43.Ruling.2 - A card with an ability to untap the card by paying a cost
can be untapped by an effect such as Twiddle without paying the cost.
[D'Angelo 1999/05/01]