4. Spells, Abilities, and Effects

400. General

400.1. An ability is text in a card's text box that generates an effect. Reminder text, flavor text, characteristic-setting text, and spell text are not abilities. Reminder text and flavor text always appear in italics. Characteristic-setting text is any text that states that that card "is" a particular characteristic of a card or permanent. Spell text is any text that's followed as a spell is played or is resolving. Abilities generate effects only from the in-play zone unless they state otherwise. Text itself is never an effect. Spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities generate effects when they resolve. Static abilities generate continuous effects.

401. Spells

401.1. A spell is a card on the stack. As the first step of being played, the card becomes a spell and goes on the stack from the zone it was played from (usually the player's hand). (See rule 217.6, "Stack.") It stops being a spell when it resolves (see rule 413.2), is countered (see rule 414, "Countering Spells and Abilities"), or leaves the stack somehow.

401.2. Each card type other than land has a corresponding spell type. For example, a played creature card is a creature spell until it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack. An instant or sorcery spell is targeted if it uses the phrase "target [something]" in its spell text, where the "something" is a phrase that describes a permanent, spell, ability, card, or player. Also, local enchantment spells target the permanent they will enchant.

401.3. As the final part of an instant or sorcery spell's resolution, the card is put into its owner's graveyard. As the final part of an artifact, creature, or enchantment spell's resolution, the card becomes a permanent and is put into the in-play zone under the control of the spell's controller. If any spell is countered, the card is put into its owner's graveyard as part of the resolution of the countering spell or ability. (See rule 413, "Resolving Spells and Abilities.")

402. Abilities

402.1. An ability is text on a card or permanent that's not reminder text, flavor text, characteristic-setting text, or spell text (see rule 400.1). The result of following such an instruction or of following a spell's text is an effect. (See rule 416, "Effects.") Abilities can affect the cards or permanents they're on; they can also affect other cards, permanents, and/or players. Abilities can grant abilities to other cards or permanents or to the cards or permanents they're on; they do so when the words "has," "have," "gains," or "gain" are used.

402.2. Abilities can be beneficial or detrimental. For example, "[This creature] can't block" is an ability.

402.3. Text on a card stating that the card "is" a particular type or color isn't an ability. Such statements apply no matter what zone the card is in and aren't removed by effects that cause a permanent to lose its abilities. This rule applies only to text that states a card's type or color, not to other characteristic-setting text.

402.4. An additional cost or alternative cost to play a card isn't an ability of the card. Such text is spell text.

402.5. An ability isn't a spell and therefore can't be countered by anything that counters only spells. Abilities can be countered by effects that specifically counter abilities, as well as by the rules (for example, an ability with one or more targets is countered if all its targets become illegal).

402.6. Once activated or triggered, an ability exists independently of its source (the card on which it's printed) as a pseudospell on the stack. Destruction or removal of the source after that time won't affect the ability. Note that some abilities cause a source to do something (for example, "Prodigal Sorcerer deals 1 damage to target creature or player") rather than the ability doing anything directly. In these cases, any spell, activated ability, or triggered ability that references information about the source will check that information when the ability resolves, or will use the source's last known information if it's no longer in play.

402.7. A card may have several abilities. Aside from certain defined abilities that may be strung together on a single line (see rule 502, "Keyword Abilities"), each paragraph break in a card's text marks a separate ability. A card may also have multiple instances of the same ability. Each instance functions independently. This may or may not produce more effects than a single instance; refer to the specific ability for more information.

402.8. Abilities function only while the permanent with the ability is in play unless the ability states otherwise or unless the ability can only work, trigger, or be played in a zone other than the in-play zone.
Example: An ability with a cost that includes "discard this card from your hand" can be played only if the card is in your hand.

402.9. Some cards have abilities that can be played when the card is not in play. These are clearly marked (for example, "Play this ability only if [this card] is in your graveyard"). These abilities aren't of any particular permanent type—cards not in play aren't permanents. Some cards have abilities that can trigger while the card is in a zone other than the in-play zone. Such abilities specify the zone from which they trigger. They aren't abilities of any particular permanent type because cards not in play aren't permanents.

402.10. There are three general types of abilities: activated, triggered, and static. Mana abilities are an ability subtype. Abilities can generate one-shot effects or continuous effects. Replacement effects and prevention effects are effect subtypes. An activated or triggered ability is targeted if it uses the phrase "target [something]" in its text, where the "something" is a phrase that describes a permanent, spell, ability, card, or player.

403. Activated Abilities

403.1. An activated ability can exist in one of two places: on a permanent or on a card outside the in-play zone with the text "Play this ability only if [this card] is in [zone]." An activated ability is written as "cost: effect." The activation cost is everything before the colon (:). The ability's controller must pay its activation cost to play it.

403.2. Only a permanent's controller can play its activated ability unless the card specifically says otherwise.

403.3. If an activated ability has a restriction on its use (for example, "Play this ability only once each turn"), the restriction continues to apply to that permanent even if its controller changes.

404. Triggered Abilities

404.1. A triggered ability begins with the word "when," "whenever," or "at." The phrase containing one of these words is the trigger condition, which defines the trigger event. A delayed triggered ability will also contain one of these three words, although that word won't usually begin the ability.

404.2. Triggered abilities aren't played. Instead, a triggered ability automatically "triggers" each time its trigger event occurs. Once an ability has triggered, it goes on the stack the next time a player would receive priority.

404.3. A triggered ability may read "When/Whenever/At . . . , if [condition], [effect]." The ability checks for the stated condition to be true when the trigger event occurs. If it is, the ability triggers and goes on the stack. On resolution, the ability rechecks the condition. If the condition isn't true at either of those times, the ability does nothing. This rule is referred to as the "intervening 'if' clause" rule. Note that the word "if" has only its normal English meaning anywhere else in the text of a card; this rule only applies to an "if" that immediately follows a trigger condition.

405. Static Abilities

405.1. A static ability does something all the time rather than being activated or triggered. The ability isn't played—it just "is."

406. Ability Subtypes

406.1. Mana Abilities

406.1a A mana ability is either (a) an activated ability that puts mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves or (b) a triggered ability that triggers from an activated mana ability and produces additional mana. A mana ability can generate other effects at the same time it produces mana.

406.1b Spells that put mana into a player's mana pool aren't mana abilities. They're played and resolved exactly like any other spells. Triggered abilities that put mana into a player's mana pool aren't mana abilities if they trigger from events other than activating mana abilities. They go on the stack and resolve like any other triggered abilities.

406.1c A mana ability remains a mana ability even if the game state doesn't allow it to produce mana.
Example: A card has an ability that reads "T: Add G to your mana pool for each creature you control." This is still a mana ability even if you control no creatures, or if the card is already tapped.

406.1d A mana ability can be activated or triggered. However, the rules for playing and resolving mana abilities differ slightly from those for playing other abilities. See rule 411, "Playing Mana Abilities," for details.

406.1e Mana abilities are played and resolved like other abilities, but they don't go on the stack, so they can't be countered or responded to. (See rule 408.2, "Actions That Don't Use the Stack.") Abilities (other than mana abilities) that trigger on playing mana abilities do go on the stack, however.

406.2. Delayed Triggered Abilities

406.2a An effect may create a delayed triggered ability that can do something at a later time.

406.2b Delayed triggered abilities come from spells or other abilities that create them on resolution. That means a delayed triggered ability won't trigger until it has actually been created, even if its trigger event occurred just beforehand. Other events that happen earlier may make the trigger event impossible. Example: Part of an effect reads "when this card leaves play," but the card in question leaves play before the spell or ability creating the effect resolves. In this case, the delayed ability never triggers. As another example, if an effect reads "when this card becomes untapped" and the named card becomes untapped before the effect resolves, the ability waits for the next time that card untaps.

406.2c A delayed ability that refers to a particular permanent still affects it even if the permanent changes characteristics.Example: An ability reading, "At end of turn, destroy that creature" will destroy the permanent even if it's no longer a creature during the end of turn step.

406.2d A delayed ability that refers to a particular permanent will fail if the permanent leaves play (even if it returns again before the specified time). Similarly, delayed triggered abilities that apply to a card in a particular zone will fail if the card leaves that zone.Example: An ability reading, "At end of turn, remove this creature from the game" won't do anything if the creature leaves play before the end of turn step.

406.2e A delayed triggered ability will trigger only once—the next time its trigger event occurs—unless it has a stated duration, such as "this turn."

407. Adding and Removing Abilities

407.1. Effects can add or remove abilities of permanents. If two or more effects add and remove the same ability, in general the most recent one prevails. (See rule 418.5, "Interaction of Continuous Effects.")

407.2. A permanent's characteristic set by an effect is different from an ability granted by an effect. When a permanent "gains" or "has" an ability, it can be removed by another effect. If an effect defines a characteristic of the permanent ("[permanent] is [characteristic]"), it's not granting an ability. (See also rule 402.3.) Example: An effect reads, "Enchanted creature has 'This creature is an artifact. It's still a
creature.'" This effect grants an ability to the creature that can be removed by other effects. Another effect reads, "Enchanted creature is an artifact. It's still a creature." This effect simply defines a characteristic of the creature. It doesn't grant an ability, so effects that would cause the creature to lose its abilities wouldn't cause the enchanted creature to stop being an artifact.

407.3. Effects that remove an ability remove all instances of it. Example: If a creature with flying is enchanted with Flight, it has two instances of the flying ability. A single effect that reads "Target creature loses flying" will remove both.

408. Timing of Spells and Abilities

408.1. Timing, Priority, and the Stack

408.1a Spells and abilities can be played only at certain times and follow a set of rules for doing so.

408.1b Spells and activated abilities are played by players (if they choose) using a system of priority, while other types of abilities and effects are automatically generated by the game rules. Each time a player would get priority, all applicable state-based effects resolve first as a single event (see rule 420, "State-Based Effects"). Then, if any new state-based effects have been generated, they resolve as a single event. This process repeats until no more applicable state-based effects are generated. Then triggered abilities are added to the stack (see rule 410, "Handling Triggered Abilities"). These steps repeat in order until no further
state-based effects or triggered abilities are generated. Then the player who would have received priority does so and may play a spell, ability, or land as governed by the rules for that phase. The game also checks for state-based effects and triggered abilities during the cleanup step (see rule 314, "Cleanup Step"). If any state-based effects resolve or abilities trigger, the active player gets priority afterward.

408.1c The active player gets priority at the beginning of most phases and steps, after special actions and abilities that trigger at the beginning of that phase or step go on the stack. (The exceptions are the untap step and the cleanup step.) The active player also gets priority after combat damage resolves. The player with priority may either play a spell or ability, or pass. If he or she plays a spell or ability, the player again receives priority; otherwise, his or her opponent receives priority. If both players pass in succession, the top spell or ability on the stack resolves, then the active player receives priority. If the stack is empty
when both players pass in succession, the phase or step ends and the next one begins.

408.1d A player may play a spell or activated ability only when he or she has priority. Spells other than instants can be played only during a player's main phase, when that player has priority, and only when the stack is empty.

408.1e When a spell is played, it goes on top of the stack. When an activated ability is played, a pseudospell representing it goes on the stack.

408.1f Triggered abilities can trigger at any time, including during the playing or resolution of a spell or another ability. However, nothing actually happens at the time the abilities trigger. Each time a player would receive priority, a pseudospell goes on the stack for each ability that has triggered but that hasn't yet been put on the stack. Then the player gets priority and may play spells or abilities. (See rule 410, "Handling Triggered Abilities.")

408.1g Combat damage goes on the stack once it's been assigned. For more information, see rule 310, "Combat Damage Step."

408.1h Static abilities aren't played—they continuously affect the game. Priority doesn't apply to them. (See rule 418, "Continuous Effects," and rule 419, "Replacement and Prevention Effects.")

408.2. Actions That Don't Use the Stack

408.2a Effects don't go on the stack; they're the result of spells and abilities resolving. Effects may create delayed triggered abilities, however, and these may go on the stack when they trigger. (See rule 406.2, "Delayed Triggered Abilities.")

408.2b Static abilities continuously generate effects and don't go on the stack.

408.2c State-based effects (see rule 420) resolve whenever a player would receive priority as long as the required game condition is true.

408.2d Playing a land is a special action consisting of putting that land into play. (See rule 214.9, "Lands.")

408.2e Mana abilities resolve immediately. If a mana ability produces both mana and another effect, both the mana and the other effect resolve immediately. (See rule 406.1, "Mana Abilities.")

408.2f Characteristic-setting text, such as "[This card] is a forest," is simply read and followed as applicable. (See also rule 402.3.)

408.2g Game actions—untapping during the untap step, declaring attacking or blocking creatures, cleanup, and mana burn—don't use the stack. The two exceptions are combat damage and the draw action of the draw step.

408.2h The controller of a face-down creature or creature spell may turn it face up whenever he or she has priority. (See rule 504, "Face-Down Creatures.")

409. Playing Spells and Activated Abilities

409.1. Playing a spell or activated ability follows the steps listed below, in order. If at the end of playing a spell or ability a player was unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the game returns to the moment before that spell or ability was played (see rule 422, "Handling Illegal Actions"). Players can't begin to play a spell or ability that's prohibited from being played by an effect. Announcements and payments can't be altered after they've been made. Playing a spell or ability that alters costs won't do anything to spells and abilities that are already on the stack. Some spells and abilities specify that their controller's opponent does something the controller would normally do while it's being played, such as choose a mode, choose targets, or choose how the spell or ability will affect its targets. In these cases, the opponent does so when the spell or ability's controller normally would do so. If the spell or ability instructs both players to do something at the same time as it's being played, the spell's controller goes first, then his or her opponent. This applies to all parts of rule 409.1.

409.1a The player announces that he or she is playing the spell or ability. It goes on the stack and remains there until it's countered or resolves. Spell cards are physically placed on the stack. For abilities, a pseudospell with the text of the ability goes on the stack. All other characteristics of the pseudospell depend on the characteristics of the ability's source. For example, such a pseudospell's color would be continuously determined by the color of its source, not just the source's color when the pseudospell went on the stack.

409.1b If the spell or ability is modal (uses the phrase "Choose one —" or "[specified player] chooses one — "), the player announces the mode choice. If the spell or ability has a variable mana cost (indicated by "X") or some other variable cost, the player announces the value of that variable at this time. If the spell or ability has alternative, additional, or other special costs (such as buyback or kicker costs), the player announces his or her intentions to pay any or all of those costs (see rule 409.1f). Previously made choices (such as choosing to play a spell with flashback from his or her graveyard) may restrict the player's options when making these choices.

409.1c If the spell or ability requires any targets, the player first announces how many targets he or she will choose (if the spell or ability has a variable number of targets), then announces the targets themselves. A spell or ability can't be played unless the required number of legal targets are chosen. The same target can't be chosen multiple times. If the spell or ability targets one or more targets only if an alternative, additional, or special cost (such as a buyback or kicker cost) is paid for it, or if a particular mode is chosen for it, its controller chooses those targets only if he or she announced the intention to pay that cost or chose that mode. Otherwise, the spell or ability is played as though it did not have those targets.

409.1d If the spell or ability affects several targets in different ways, the player announces how it will affect each target.

409.1e If the spell or ability requires the player to divide an effect (such as damage or counters) among a variable number of targets, the player announces the division. Each of these targets must receive at least one of whatever is being divided (for example, damage or counters); this doesn't apply when the player isn't given a choice.

409.1f The player determines the total cost of the spell or ability. Usually this is just the mana cost (for spells) or activation cost (for abilities). Some cards list additional or alternative costs in their text, and some effects may increase or reduce the cost to pay. Costs may include paying mana, tapping cards, sacrificing permanents, discarding cards, and so on. The total cost is the mana or activation cost, plus all cost increases and minus all cost reductions. Once the total cost is determined, it becomes "locked in," and the player then pays all costs in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. If effects would change the
total cost after this time, they have no effect. If the cost includes mana, mana abilities can be played at this time. (See rule 411, "Playing Mana Abilities.") Example: You play Death Bomb, which costs 3B and has an additional cost of sacrificing a creature. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes your black spells cost 1 less to play. Because a spell's total cost is "locked in" before payments are actually made, Death Bomb costs 2B, not 3B, even though you're sacrificing the Familiar.

409.1g Once the steps described in 409.1a–409.1f are completed, the spell or ability becomes played. Its controller gains priority.

409.2. Activated abilities that read "Play this ability only any time you could play [spell type]" mean the player must follow the timing rules for that spell type, though the ability isn't actually of that spell type.

409.3. A creature's activated ability with the tap symbol in its activation cost can't be played unless the creature has been under its controller's control since the start of his or her most recent turn. Creatures with haste may ignore this rule (see rule 502.5).

410. Handling Triggered Abilities

410.1. Because they aren't played, triggered abilities can trigger even when it isn't legal to play spells and abilities, and effects that prevent abilities from being played don't affect them.

410.2. Whenever a game event or game state matches a triggered ability's trigger event, that ability triggers. When a phase or step begins, all abilities that trigger "at the beginning of" that phase or step trigger. The ability doesn't do anything when it triggers but automatically puts a pseudospell (see rule 217.6b) on the stack as soon as a player would receive priority. The ability (and the pseudospell) is controlled by the player who controlled its source at the time it triggered. If the ability says a player "may" do something, that player makes all choices for that instruction. If the ability says this for more than one player, each player specified makes the choices for their instructions. See also rule 410.6.

410.3. If multiple abilities have triggered since the last time a player received priority, pseudospells controlled by the active player go on the stack first, in any order he or she chooses, then those controlled by the opponent go on the stack in any order that opponent chooses. Then players once again check for and resolve state-based effects until none are generated, then abilities that triggered during this process go on the stack. This process repeats until no new state-based effects are generated and no abilities trigger. Then the appropriate player gets priority.

410.4. When a triggered ability goes on the stack, the controller of the pseudospell makes all required choices, following the rules for activated abilities (see rule 409, "Playing Spells and Activated Abilities"). If no legal choice can be made (or if a rule or a continuous effect otherwise makes the ability illegal), the pseudospell is simply removed from the stack.

410.5. Some triggered abilities' effects are optional (they contain "may," as in "At the beginning of your upkeep, you may draw a card"). These abilities go on the stack when they trigger, regardless of whether their controller intends to exercise the ability's option or not. (The choice is made when the ability resolves.) Likewise, triggered abilities that have an effect "unless" something is true or a player chooses to do something will go on the stack normally; the "unless" part of the ability is dealt with when the ability resolves. Note that this rule is a reversal of rule 410.5 in the previous edition of this rulebook.

410.6. An ability triggers only once each time its trigger event occurs. However, it can trigger repeatedly if one event contains multiple occurrences. See also rule 410.9.Example: A permanent has an ability whose trigger condition reads, "Whenever a land is put into a graveyard from play, . . . ." If someone plays a spell that destroys all lands, the ability will trigger once for each land put into the graveyard during the spell's resolution.

410.7. An ability triggers only if its trigger event actually occurs. An event that's prevented or replaced won't trigger anything.Example: An ability that triggers on damage being dealt won't trigger if all the damage is prevented.

410.8. Triggered abilities with a condition directly following the trigger event (for example, "When/Whenever/At [trigger], if [condition], [effect]"), check for the condition to be true as part of the trigger event; if it isn't, the ability doesn't trigger. The ability checks the condition again on resolution. If it's not satisfied, the ability does nothing. Note that this mirrors the check for legal targets. Note that this rule doesn't apply to any triggered ability with a condition elsewhere within its text.

410.9. Some abilities trigger when creatures block or are blocked in combat. (See rules 306–311 and section 5, "Additional Rules.") They may trigger once or repeatedly, depending on the wording of the ability.

410.9a An ability that reads "Whenever [this creature] blocks" or "Whenever [this creature] becomes blocked" triggers only once each combat for that creature, even if it blocks or is blocked by multiple creatures. An effect that causes the creature to become blocked (if the creature wasn't already blocked) will also trigger such abilities.

410.9b An ability that reads "Whenever [this creature] blocks a creature" triggers once for each attacking creature the named creature blocks.

410.9c An ability that reads "Whenever a creature blocks [this creature]" triggers once for each creature that blocks the named creature. It won't trigger if the attacking creature becomes blocked by an effect rather than a blocking creature.

410.9d If an ability triggers when a creature blocks or is blocked by a particular number of creatures, the ability triggers only if the creature blocks or is blocked by that many creatures when the attack or block declaration is made. Effects that add or remove blockers can cause such abilities to trigger, but effects that switch blockers cannot. This also applies to abilities that trigger on a creature blocking or being blocked by at least a certain number of creatures.

410.10. Trigger events that involve cards or permanents changing zones are called "zone-change triggers." Many abilities with zone-change triggers attempt to do something to that card after it changes zones. During resolution, these abilities look for the card in the zone that it moved to. If the card is unable to be found in the zone it went to, the part of the ability attempting to do something to the card will fail to do anything. The ability could be unable to find the card because the card never entered the specified zone, because it left the zone before the ability resolved, or because it is in a zone that is hidden from a player, such as a library or an opponent's hand. (This rule applies even if the card leaves the zone and returns again before the ability resolves.) The most common types of zone-change triggers are comes-into-play
triggers and leaves-play triggers.

410.10a Comes-into-play abilities trigger when a permanent enters the in-play zone. These are written, "When [this card] comes into play, . . . " or "Whenever a [type] comes into play, . . ." Each time an event puts one or more permanents into play, all permanents in play (including the newcomers) are checked for any comes-into-play triggers that match the event.

410.10b Continuous effects that modify characteristics of a permanent do so the moment the permanent is in play (and not before then). The permanent is never in play with its unmodified characteristics. Continuous effects don't apply before the permanent is in play, however (see rule 410.10e). Example: If an effect reads "All lands are creatures" and a land card is played, the effect makes the land card into a creature the moment it enters play, so it would trigger abilities that trigger when a creature comes into play. Conversely, if an effect reads "All creatures lose all abilities" and a creature card with a comes-into-play triggered ability enters play, that effect will cause it to lose its abilities the moment it enters play, so the comes-into-play ability won't trigger.

410.10c Leaves-play abilities trigger when a permanent leaves the in-play zone. These are written as, but aren't limited to, "Whenever [this card] leaves play, . . ." or "Whenever [permanent type] is put into a graveyard from play, . . . ." An ability that attempts to do something to the card that left play checks for it only in the first zone that it went to.

410.10d Abilities that trigger on one or more permanents leaving play, or on a player losing control of a permanent, must be treated specially because the permanent with the ability may no longer be in play after the event. The game has to "look back in time" to determine what triggered. Each time an event removes from play or changes who controls one or more permanents, all the permanents in play just before the event (with continuous effects that existed at that time) are checked for trigger events that match what just left play or changed control. Example: Two creatures are in play along with an artifact that has the ability "Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from play, you gain 1 life." Someone plays a spell that
destroys all artifacts, creatures, and enchantments. The artifact's ability triggers twice, even though the artifact goes to its owner's graveyard at the same time as the creatures."Leaves play" triggers are zone-change triggers, even if the trigger condition doesn't care what zone the permanent is going to. If they attempt to do something to the card that left play, they'll look for it only in the first zone that it went to after leaving play.

410.10e Some permanents have text that reads "[This permanent] comes into play with . . . ," "As [this permanent] comes into play . . . ," "[This permanent] comes into play as . . . ," or "[This permanent] comes into play tapped." Such text is a static ability—not a triggered ability—whose effect occurs as part of the event that puts the permanent into play.

410.11. Some triggered abilities trigger on a game state, such as a player controlling no permanents of a particular type, rather than triggering when an event occurs. These abilities trigger as soon as the game state matches the condition (even if it's not legal to play a spell or ability at that time). These are called state triggers. (Note that state triggers aren't the same as state-based effects.) A state-triggered ability doesn't trigger again until the pseudospell it created has resolved or been countered. Then, if the permanent with the ability is still in play and the game state still matches its trigger condition, the ability will trigger again.Example: A permanent's ability reads, "When your hand is empty, draw a card." If its controller plays the last card from his or her hand, the ability will trigger once and won't trigger again until it has resolved. If its controller plays a spell that reads "Discard your hand, then draw the same number of cards," the ability will trigger during the spell's resolution because the player's hand was momentarily empty.

411. Playing Mana Abilities

411.1. To play a mana ability, the player announces that he or she is playing it and pays the activation cost. It resolves immediately afterward and doesn't go on the stack. (See rule 408.2e.)

411.2. A player may play an activated mana ability whenever he or she has priority. A player may also play one whenever a rule or effect asks for a mana payment, even in the middle of playing or resolving a spell or ability.

411.3. Triggered mana abilities trigger when an activated mana ability is played. These abilities resolve immediately after the mana ability that triggered them, without waiting for priority. If an activated or triggered ability produces both mana and another effect, both the mana and the other effect resolve immediately.Example: An enchantment reads, "Whenever a player taps a land for mana, that land produces
one additional mana of the same color." If a player taps lands for mana while playing a spell, the additional mana is added to the player's mana pool immediately and can be used to pay for the spell.

411.3a If a triggered mana ability adds mana "of the same type" to a player's mana pool, and the mana ability that triggered it produced more than one type of mana, the player to whose mana pool the mana is being added chooses which type of mana the triggered ability adds.

412. Handling Static Abilities

412.1. A static ability may generate a continuous effect or a prevention or replacement effect. These effects last as long as the permanent with the static ability remains in play.

412.2. Many local enchantments have static abilities that modify their enchanted permanent, but those abilities don't target that permanent. If a local enchantment is moved to a different permanent, the ability stops applying to the original permanent and starts modifying the new one.

412.3. Some static abilities apply while a spell is on the stack. These are often abilities that refer to countering the spell. Also, abilities that say "As an additional cost to play . . ." and "You may pay [cost] rather than paying [this card]'s mana cost" work while the card is a spell on the stack.

412.4. Some static abilities apply while a card is in any zone that you could play it from (usually your hand). These are limited to those that read, "you may play [this card] . . ." and "you can't play [this card] . . . ."

412.5. Unlike spells and other kinds of abilities, static abilities can't use a card or permanent's last known information for purposes of determining how their effects are applied.

413. Resolving Spells and Abilities

413.1. Each time both players pass in succession, the spell, ability, or combat damage on top of the stack resolves. (See rule 416, "Effects.")

413.2. Resolution of a spell or ability may involve several steps but is treated by the game as a single indivisible action. These steps are followed in the order listed below.

413.2a If the spell or ability specifies targets, it checks whether the targets are still legal. A target that's removed from play, or from the zone designated by the spell or ability, is illegal. A target may also become illegal if its characteristics changed since the spell or ability was played or if an effect changed the wording of the spell or ability. If all targets are now illegal, the spell or ability is countered. If the spell or ability is not countered it will resolve normally, affecting only the targets that are still legal. If the spell or ability needs to know information about one or more targets that are now illegal, it will use the illegal targets'
current or last known information.

413.2b The controller of the spell or ability follows its instructions in the order written. However, replacement effects may modify these actions. In some cases, later text on the card may modify the meaning of earlier text (for example, "Destroy target creature. It can't be regenerated" or "Counter target spell. Put it on top of its owner's library instead of into its owner's graveyard.") Don't just apply effects step by step without thinking in these cases—read the whole card and apply the rules of English to the text.

413.2c If an effect offers any choices other than choices already made as part of playing the spell or ability, the player announces these while applying the effect. The player can't choose an option that's illegal or impossible. If the effect provides an optional action with a consequence for not doing so, the player can't choose that action unless he or she can meet all requirements. Example: A spell's instruction reads, "You may sacrifice a creature. If you don't, you lose 4 life." A player who controls no creatures can't choose the sacrifice option.

413.2d If an effect requires both players to make choices or take actions at the same time, the active player makes and announces his or her choices first, and then his or her opponent does (knowing the first player's choices). Then the actions take place simultaneously. This is called the "active player rule." If a player must make more than one choice at a time, he or she makes the choices in the order written, or in the order he or she chooses if the choices aren't ordered. Then, the actions are processed simultaneously.
Some spells and abilities have multiple steps or actions, denoted by separate sentences or clauses. In these cases, the active player does the first action, then the nonactive player does that action, then the active player does the second action, then the nonactive player does that action, and so on. Example: Stronghold Gambit reads, "Each player chooses a card in his or her hand. Then each player reveals his or her chosen card. . . ." First the active player chooses a card, then the nonactive player does so, then the active player reveals his or her chosen card, and then the nonactive player does so.

413.2e If an effect gives a player the option to pay mana, he or she may play mana abilities as part of the action. No other spells or abilities can be played during resolution.

413.2f If an effect requires information from the game (such as the number of creatures in play), the answer is determined when the effect is applied. The effect uses the current information of a specific permanent if that permanent is still in play, or of a specific card in the stated zone; otherwise, the effect uses the last known information the card or permanent had before leaving that zone. The exception is that static abilities can't use last known information; see rule 412.5. If the ability text states that a permanent does something, it's the permanent as it exists (or most recently existed) that does it, not the ability.

413.2g An effect that refers to characteristics of a permanent checks only for the value of the specified characteristics, regardless of any related ones the permanent may also have.Example: An effect that reads "Destroy all black creatures" destroys a white-and-black creature, but one that reads "Destroy all nonblack creatures" doesn't.

413.2h A spell card is put into play under the control of the spell's controller (for permanents) or is put into its owner's graveyard (for instants and sorceries) as the final step of the spell's resolution.

413.2i If an effect could result in a tie, the text of the spell or ability that created the effect will specify what to do in the event of a tie. The Magic game has no default for ties.

414. Countering Spells and Abilities

414.1. To counter a spell is to move the spell card from the stack to its owner's graveyard. Countering an ability removes its pseudospell from the stack. Spells and abilities that are countered don't resolve and none of their effects occur.

414.2. The player who played the countered spell or ability doesn't get a "refund" of any costs that were paid.

415. Editing a Spell or Ability

415.1. A few effects can "edit" a spell or ability after it goes on the stack, changing its target, rules text, or other characteristics.

415.2. The target of a spell or ability can change only to another legal target. If the new target is illegal when the change resolves, the original target is unchanged.

415.2a Modal spells may have different targeting requirements for each mode. Changing a spell or ability's target can't change its mode.

415.2b The word "you" in a card's text isn't a target. If a spell affects only its controller, its target can't be changed.

415.3. If an effect edits any characteristics of a spell that becomes a permanent, the effect continues to apply to the permanent when the spell resolves.Example: If an effect changes a black creature spell to white, the creature is white when it comes into play and remains white for the duration of the effect changing its color.

415.4. An effect that changes the text of a spell or permanent can't change a proper noun (such as a card name or creature type), even if that proper noun contains a word or a series of letters which is the same as a Magic color word or basic land type.

416. Effects

416.1. When a spell or ability resolves, it may create one or more effects. There are three main types: one-shot effects, continuous effects, and replacement and prevention effects. Effects of a fourth category, state-based effects, are generated by specific states of the game.

416.2. Effects apply only to permanents unless the instruction's text states otherwise or they clearly can apply only to cards in one or more other zones. Example: An effect that changes all lands to creatures won't alter land cards in the players' graveyards.

416.3. If an effect attempts to do something impossible, it does only as much as possible. Example: If a player is holding only one card, an effect that reads "Discard two cards" causes him or her to discard only that card. If an effect moves cards out of the library (as opposed to drawing), it moves as many as possible.

417. One-Shot Effects

417.1. A one-shot effect does something just once and doesn't have a duration. Examples include damage dealing, destruction of permanents, and moving cards between zones.

417.2. Some one-shot effects instruct a player to do something later in the game (usually at a specific time) rather than when they resolve. This kind of effect actually creates a new ability that waits to be triggered. (See rule 406.2, "Delayed Triggered Abilities.")

418. Continuous Effects

418.1. A continuous effect modifies characteristics of cards and/or permanents or modifies the rules of the game for a fixed or indefinite period. A continuous effect may be generated by the resolution of a spell or ability or by a static ability of a permanent.

418.2. Continuous effects that modify characteristics of permanents do so simultaneously with the permanent coming into play. They don't wait until the permanent is in play and then change it. Because such effects apply as the permanent comes into play, apply them before determining whether the permanent will cause an ability to trigger when it comes into play.

418.3. Continuous Effects from Spells or Abilities

418.3a A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability lasts as long as stated by the spell or ability creating it (such as "until end of turn"). If no duration is stated, it lasts until the end of the game.

418.3b Continuous effects from spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities that modify the characteristics or change the controller of one or more cards and/or permanents don't affect cards and/or permanents that weren't affected when the continuous effect began. Note that these work differently than continuous effects from static abilities. Continuous effects that don't modify characteristics of cards and/or permanents modify the rules of the game, so they can affect cards and/or permanents that weren't affected when the continuous effect began. Example: An effect that reads "All white creatures get +1/+1 until end of turn" gives the bonus to all permanents that are white creatures when the spell or ability resolves—even if they change color later—and doesn't affect those that come into play or turn white afterward.Example: An effect that reads "Prevent all damage creatures would deal this turn" doesn't modify any card's or permanent's characteristics, so it's modifying the rules of the game. That means the effect will apply even to creatures that weren't in play when the continuous effect began. It also affects permanents that become creatures later in the turn.

418.3c If the spell or ability creating a continuous effect is variable, the effect is determined only once, on resolution. Example: A spell that reads "Target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of cards in your hand" counts the number of cards in the controller's hand when the spell resolves and grants that bonus for the rest of the turn, even if the hand size changes.

418.3d Some effects from activated or triggered abilities have durations worded "as long as . . ." If the "as long as" duration ends between the end of announcing the activated ability or putting the triggered ability onto the stack and the moment when the effect would first be applied, the effect does nothing. It doesn't start and immediately stop again, and it doesn't last forever. Example: Endoskeleton is an artifact with an activated ability that reads "2, T: Target creature gets +0/+3 as long as Endoskeleton remains tapped." If you play this ability and then Endoskeleton becomes untapped before the ability resolves, it does nothing, because its duration—remaining tapped—was over before the effect began.

418.4. Continuous Effects from Permanents

418.4a A continuous effect generated by a static ability of a permanent isn't "locked in"; it applies at any given moment to whatever its text indicates.

418.4b The effect applies at all times that the permanent generating it is in play. Example: A permanent with the static ability "All white creatures get +1/+1" generates an effect that continuously gives +1/+1 to each white creature in play. If a creature becomes white, it gets this bonus; a creature that stops being white loses it. A creature spell that would normally create a 1/1 white creature instead creates a 2/2 white creature. The creature doesn't come into play as 1/1 and then change to 2/2.

418.5. Interaction of Continuous Effects

418.5a Sometimes the results of one effect determine whether another effect applies or what it does. For example, one effect might read, "All white creatures get +1/+1" and another, "Enchanted creature is white."

418.5b An effect is said to "depend on" another if applying the other would change the text or the existence of the first effect, what it applies to, or what it does to any of the things it applies to. Otherwise, the effect is considered to be independent of the first effect.

418.5c Whenever one effect depends on another, the independent one is applied first. If several dependent effects form a loop, or if none depends on another, they're applied in "timestamp order." A permanent's timestamp is the time it came into play, with two exceptions: (1) If two or more permanents enter play simultaneously, the active player determines their timestamp order at the time they come into play, but a local enchantment must be timestamped after what it enchants; (2) Whenever a local enchantment becomes attached to a permanent, the enchantment receives a new timestamp. Continuous effects generated by static abilities have the same timestamp as the permanent that generated them. Continuous effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability receive a timestamp when the spell or ability creating them resolves.

418.5d A continuous effect can override another. Example: Two enchantments are played on the same creature: "Enchanted creature gains flying" and "Enchanted creature loses flying." Neither of these depends on the other, since nothing changes what they affect or what they're doing to it. Applying them in timestamp order means the one that was generated last "wins." It's irrelevant whether an effect is temporary (such as "Target creature loses flying until end of turn") or global (such as "All creatures lose flying").

418.5e The value of a permanent's characteristic is determined by starting with the printed or token value, then applying copy effects (see rule 503, "Copying Spells and Abilities"), then applying continuous effects generated by type-changing abilities, then applying any power or toughness changes due to counters, and then applying all other continuous effects.

419. Replacement and Prevention Effects

419.1. Replacement and prevention effects are continuous effects that watch for a particular event to happen and then completely or partially replace that event. (A prevention effect replaces an event with nothing or with a lessened version of the event.) These effects act like "shields" around whatever they're affecting. All replacement effects use the word "instead" to indicate what events will be replaced with other events, and prevention effects use "prevent" to indicate what events will not occur. Abilities that contain "instead" or "prevent" generate replacement or prevention effects, respectively.

419.2. Replacement and prevention effects apply continuously as events happen—they aren't locked in ahead of time.

419.3. There are no special restrictions on playing a spell or ability that generates a replacement or prevention effect. Such effects last until they're used up or their duration has expired.

419.4. Replacement or prevention effects must exist before the appropriate event occurs—they can't "go back in time" and change something that's already happened. Usually spells and abilities that generate these effects are played in response to whatever would produce the event and thus resolve before that event would occur. Example: A player can play a regeneration ability in response to a spell that would destroy a creature he or she controls.

419.5. If an event is prevented or replaced, it never happens. A modified event occurs instead, which may in turn trigger abilities. Note that the modified event may contain instructions that can't be carried out, in which case the player simply ignores the impossible instruction. If a source would deal 0 damage, it does not deal damage at all. That means abilities that trigger on damage being dealt won't trigger. It also means that replacement effects that increase damage dealt have no event to replace when 0 damage is dealt, so they have no effect. Some abilities read, "Whenever [X], you may [Y]. If you do, [Z]." The "if you do" clause refers to doing any part of the event Y. If Y is replaced entirely or in part by a different event, the "if you do" clause refers to the event that replaced Y.

419.6. Replacement Effects

419.6a A replacement effect doesn't invoke itself repeatedly and gets only one opportunity for each event.
Example: A player controls two permanents, each with an ability that reads "Instead of dealing their normal damage, creatures you control deal double that damage." A creature that normally deals 1 damage will deal 4 damage—not just 2, and not an infinite amount.

419.6b Regeneration is a destruction-replacement effect. The key word "instead" doesn't appear on the card but is implicit in its definition. "Regenerate [permanent]" means "The next time [permanent] would be destroyed this turn, instead remove all damage from it, tap it, and (if it's in combat) remove it from combat." Note that if destruction is caused by lethal damage, any abilities that trigger from that damage being dealt still trigger even if the permanent regenerates.

419.6c Some effects replace damage dealt to one creature or player with the same damage dealt to another creature or player; such effects are called "redirection" effects. If either creature is no longer in play or is no longer a creature when the damage would be redirected, the effect does nothing. Likewise, if either player is no longer in the game, the effect does nothing.

419.6d Some spells and abilities replace part or all of their own effect(s) when they resolve. Such effects are called "self-replacement effects." When applying replacement effects to an event, apply self-replacement effects first, then apply other replacement effects.

419.7. Prevention Effects

419.7a Prevention effects usually apply to damage that would be dealt.

419.7b Some prevention effects refer to a specific amount of damage—for example, "Prevent the next 3 damage to target creature or player this turn." These work like ablative shields. Each 1 damage that would be dealt to the "shielded" creature or player is prevented. Preventing 1 damage reduces the remaining shield by 1. If damage would be dealt to the shielded creature or player by two or more sources at the same time, the player or the controller of the creature can choose which damage the shield prevents first. Once the
shield has been reduced to 0, any remaining damage is dealt normally. Such effects count only the amount of damage; the number of events or sources dealing it doesn't matter.

419.7c Some prevention effects apply to damage from a specified source—for example, "The next time a red source of your choice would deal damage to you this turn, prevent that damage." The source is chosen when the spell or ability resolves. If an effect requires a player to choose a source, he or she may choose either a permanent or a spell on the stack (including one that creates a permanent) or any card or permanent referred to by a spell or pseudospell on the stack. If the player chooses a permanent or a permanent spell, the prevention will apply to the next damage from that permanent or the permanent resulting from the spell, regardless of whether it's from one of that permanent's abilities or combat damage dealt by it. It's possible for the source to be out of play by the time the spell or ability resolves. Some abilities that generate prevention effects can affect damage only from a source with certain characteristics, such as a creature or a source of a particular color. When the chosen source would deal damage, a prevention "shield" with this type of restriction rechecks the source'. If the characteristics no longer match, the damage isn't prevented. If for any reason the shield prevents no damage, the shield isn't used up.

419.8. Interaction of Replacement or Prevention Effects

419.8a If two or more replacement or prevention effects are attempting to modify the way an event affects a permanent or player, the affected permanent's controller or the affected player chooses one to apply to that permanent or player. Then the other applies if it is still appropriate. If one or more of the applicable replacement effects is a "self-replacement effect" (see rule 419.6d), that effect is applied before any other replacement effects.Example: Two cards are in play. One is an enchantment that reads "If a card would be put into a graveyard, instead remove it from the game," and the other is a creature that reads "If [this card] would be put into a graveyard, instead shuffle it into its owner's library." The controller of the creature that would be destroyed decides which replacement to apply first; the other does nothing.

419.8b A replacement effect can become applicable to an event as the result of another replacement effect that modifies the event.Example: One effect reads, "For each 1 life you would gain, instead draw a card," and another reads, "Instead of drawing a card, return target card from your graveyard to your hand." Both effects combine (regardless of the order they came into play): Instead of gaining 1 life, the player puts a card from his or her graveyard into his or her hand.

420. State-Based Effects

420.1. State-based effects are a special category that applies only to those conditions listed below. Abilities that watch for a specified game state are triggered abilities. (See rule 410.8.)

420.2. State-based effects are always active and are not controlled by either player.

420.3. Whenever a player would get priority to play a spell or ability (see rule 408, "Timing of Spells and Abilities"), the game checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based effects. All applicable effects resolve as a single event, then the check is repeated. Once no more state-based effects have been generated, triggered abilities go on the stack, then the appropriate player gets priority. This check is also made during the cleanup step (see rule 314); if any of the listed conditions apply, the active player receives priority.

420.4. Unlike triggered abilities, state-based effects pay no attention to what happens during the resolution of a spell or ability.Example: A player controls a creature with the ability "This creature's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand" and plays a spell whose effect is "Discard your hand, then draw seven cards." The creature will temporarily have toughness 0 in the middle of the spell's resolution but will be back up to toughness 7 when the spell finishes resolving. Thus the creature will survive when state-based effects are checked. In contrast, an ability that triggers when the player has no cards in hand goes on the stack after the spell resolves, because its trigger event happened during resolution.

420.5. The state-based effects are as follows:

420.5a A player with 0 life or less loses the game.

420.5b A creature with toughness 0 or less is put into its owner's graveyard. Regeneration can't replace this event.

420.5c A creature with lethal damage is destroyed. Lethal damage is an amount of damage greater than 0 and greater than or equal to a creature's toughness. Regeneration does replace this event.

420.5d A local enchantment that enchants an illegal or nonexistent permanent is put into its owner's graveyard.

420.5e If two or more Legends or legendary permanents with the same name are in play, all except the one that has been a Legend or legendary permanent with that name the longest are put into their owners' graveyards. This is called 'the Legend rule.' In the event of a tie, each Legend or legendary permanent with the same name is put into its owner's graveyard. (If two permanents have the same name but only one is a Legend or is legendary, this rule doesn't apply.)

420.5f A token in a zone other than the in-play zone ceases to exist.

420.5g A player who was required to draw more cards than were in his or her library loses the game.

420.5h A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game.

420.5i If two or more enchant worlds are in play, all except the one that has been an enchant world for the shortest amount of time are put into their owners' graveyards. In the event of a tie for the shortest amount of time, all are put into their owners' graveyards.

421. Handling "Infinite" Loops

421.1. Occasionally the game can get into a state where a set of actions could be repeated forever. The "infinity rule" governs how to break such loops.

421.2. If the loop contains one or more optional actions and one player controls them all, that player chooses a number. The loop is treated as repeating that many times or until the other player intervenes, whichever comes first.

421.3. If the loop contains at least one optional action controlled by each player and actions by both players are required to continue the loop, the active player chooses a number. The nonactive player then has two choices. He or she can choose a lower number, in which case the loop ontinues that number of times plus whatever fraction is necessary for the active player to "have the last word." Or he or she can agree to the number the active player chose, in which case the loop continues that number of times plus whatever fraction is necessary for the nonactive player to "have the last word." (Note that either fraction may be zero.) Example: One player controls a creature with the ability "0: [This creature] gains flying."
Another player controls a permanent with the ability "0: Target creature loses flying." The "infinity rule" ensures that regardless of which player initiated the gain/lose flying ability, the nonactive player will always have the final choice and therefore be able to determine whether the creature has flying. (Note that this assumes that the first player attempted to give the creature flying at least once.)

421.4. If the loop contains only mandatory actions, the game ends in a draw. (See rule 102.6.)

421.5. If the loop contains at least one optional action controlled by each player and these actions don't depend on one another, the active player chooses a number. The nonactive player can either agree to that number or choose a higher number. Note that this rule applies even if the actions could exist in separate loops rather than in a single loop.

422. Handling Illegal Actions

422.1. If a player realizes that he or she can't legally take an action after starting to do so, the entire action is reversed and any payments already made are canceled. No abilities trigger as a result of an undone action. If the action was playing a spell, the spell card returns to the zone it came from. The player may also reverse any legal mana abilities played while making the illegal play, unless mana from them or from any triggered mana abilities they triggered was spent on another mana ability that wasn't reversed. Players may not reverse actions that moved cards to or from a library or that involved a random choice or random zone change.

422.2. When reversing illegal spells and abilities, the player who had priority retains it and may take another action or pass. The player may redo the reversed action in a legal way or take any other action allowed by the rules.