100.5.

Most Magic tournaments have special rules (not included here) and may limit the use of some cards, including barring all cards from some older sets. See the most current Magic: The Gathering DCI(r) Floor Rules for more information. They can be found at www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home.

102.2c.

In a multiplayer game between teams, a team with at least one player still in the game wins the game if all other teams have lost the game. Each player on the winning team wins the game, even if one or more of those players had previously lost that game.

102.5.

If a player loses the game, he or she leaves the game. Likewise, if a player leaves the game, he or she loses the game. The multiplayer rules handle what happens when a player leaves the game; see rule 600.4.

104.3.

The mana symbols are {W}, {U}, {B}, {R}, {G}, {X}, {Y}, {Z}, the numerals {0}, {1}, {2}, {3}, {4}, and so on, and the half-half symbols {W/U}, {W/B}, {U/B}, {U/R}, {B/R}, {B/G}, {R/G}, {R/W}, {G/W}, and {G/U}.

200.2.

Use the Oracle (tm) card reference when determining a card's wording. A card's Oracle text can be found using the Gatherer card database at http://gatherer.wizards.com.

212.1d.

An object's supertype is independent of its type and subtype. Changing an object's type or subtype won't change its supertype. Changing an object's supertype won't change its type or subtype. When an object gains or loses a supertype, it retains any other supertypes it had.

Example: An ability reads, "All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands." If any of the affected lands were legendary, they are still legendary.

212.2h.

An Equipment is played and comes into play just like any other artifact. An Equipment doesn't come into play attached to a creature. The equip keyword ability moves the Equipment onto a creature you control (see rule 502.33, "Equip"). Control of the creature matters only when the equip ability is played and when it resolves. The creature to which the Equipment is to be moved must be able to be equipped by it. If it can't, the Equipment doesn't move.

212.3c.

Creature subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: "Creature — Human Soldier," "Artifact Creature — Golem," and so on. Creature subtypes are also called creature types. Creatures may have multiple subtypes.

Example: "Creature — Goblin Wizard" means the card is a creature with the subtypes Goblin and Wizard.

212.4e.

An Aura spell requires a target, which is restricted by its enchant ability. Other restrictions can limit what a permanent can be enchanted by. If an Aura is coming into play by any other means than being played and the effect putting it into play doesn't specify what it will enchant, the player putting it into play chooses a permanent for it to enchant as it comes into play. The player must choose a legal permanent according to the Aura's enchant ability. If an Aura is coming into play from the stack and there is no legal permanent for it to enchant, the Aura is put into its owner's graveyard instead of coming into play. If an Aura is coming into play from any zone other than the stack and there is no legal permanent for it to enchant, the Aura remains in the zone from which it attempted to move instead of coming into play. The same rule applies to moving an Aura from one permanent to another: The permanent to which the Aura is to be moved must be able to be enchanted by it. If it can't, the Aura doesn't move.

212.6d.

The basic land types are Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. If an object uses the words "basic land type," it's referring to one of these subtypes. A land with a basic land type has an intrinsic ability to produce colored mana. (See rule 406, "Mana Abilities.") The land is treated as if its text box included, "{T}: Add [mana symbol] to your mana pool," even if the text box doesn't actually contain text or the card has no text box. Plains produce white mana; Islands, blue; Swamps, black; Mountains, red; and Forests, green.

212.6e.

If an effect changes a land's type to one or more of the basic land types, the land no longer has its old land type. It loses all abilities generated from its rules text and its old land types, and it gains the appropriate mana ability for each new basic land type. Note that this doesn't remove any abilities that were granted to the land by other effects. Changing a land's type doesn't add or remove any types (such as creature) or supertypes (such as basic, legendary, and snow-covered) the land may have. If a land gains one or more land types in addition to its own, it keeps its land types and rules text, and it gains the new land types and mana abilities.

212.7e.

If a spell, ability, or effect states that a player can do something only "any time he or she could play a sorcery," it means only that the player must have priority, it must be during the main phase of his or her turn, and the stack must be empty. The player doesn't need to have a sorcery he or she could actually play.

217.9a.

Earlier versions of the Magic rules included an ante rule as a way of playing "for keeps." Playing Magic games for ante is now considered an optional variation on the game, and it's allowed only where it's not forbidden by law or by other rules. Playing for ante is strictly forbidden under the DCI Universal Tournament Rules (www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home).

308.1.

As the declare attackers step begins, the active player declares attackers (this game action doesn't use the stack). If the game allows the active player to attack multiple other players, he or she declares which player each creature is attacking. Effects from a creature that refer to a defending player refer only to the defending player it is attacking. Then any abilities that triggered on attackers being declared go on the stack. (See rule 410, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.

Example: Tanglewalker reads, "Creatures you control are unblockable as long as defending player controls an artifact land." Whether a creature you control is unblockable depends only on whether the player being attacked by it controls an artifact land.

Example: Guiltfeeder reads, in part, "Whenever Guiltfeeder attacks and isn't blocked, defending player loses 1 life for each card in his or her graveyard." Only the player being attacked loses life due to Guiltfeeder's ability.

405.2.

Some objects have intrinsic static abilities which state that the object "has" one or more characteristic values; "is" a particular type, supertype, subtype, or color; or that one or more of its characteristics "is" or "are" a particular value. These abilities are characteristic-setting abilities. Abilities of an object that affect the characteristics of another object are not characteristic-setting abilities; neither are abilities that an object grants to itself. See rule 201, "Characteristics," and rule 418.5a.

408.1d.

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

409.1a.

The player announces that he or she is playing the spell or activated ability. It moves from the zone it's in to the stack and remains there until it's countered or resolves. In the case of spells, the physical card goes onto the stack. In the case of activated abilities, the ability goes onto the stack without any card associated with it. Each spell has all the characteristics of the card associated with it. Each activated ability on the stack has the text of the ability that created it, and no other characteristics. The controller of a spell is the player who played the spell. The controller of an activated ability is the player who played the ability.

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 player wishes to splice any cards onto the spell, he or she reveals those cards in his or her hand. 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, kicker, or convoke costs), the player announces his or her intentions to pay any or all of those costs (see rule 409.1f). You can't apply two alternative methods of playing or two alternative costs to a single spell or ability. Previously made choices (such as choosing to play a spell with flashback from his or her graveyard or choosing to play a creature with morph face down) 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 player can't play a spell or ability unless he or she chooses the required number of legal targets. The same target can't be chosen multiple times for any one instance of the word "target" on the spell or ability. If the spell or ability uses the word "target" in multiple places, the same object, player, or zone can be chosen once for each instance of the word "target" (as long as it fits the targeting criteria).

Example: If an ability reads "Tap two target creatures," then the same target can't be chosen twice; the ability requires two different legal targets. An ability that reads "Destroy target artifact and target land," however, can target the same artifact land twice because it uses the word "target" in multiple places.

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. The same is true for cards with abilities that trigger when they leave a graveyard, as they may move to a zone that is hidden from a player.

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.

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 player adds one mana of that type to his or her mana pool." 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.

415.1.

An instant or sorcery spell is targeted if the text that will be followed when it resolves uses the phrase "target [something]," where the "something" is a phrase that describes an object, player, or zone. (If an activated or triggered ability of an instant or sorcery uses the word target, that ability is targeted, but the spell is not.)

Example: A sorcery card has the ability "When you cycle this card, target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn." This triggered ability is targeted, but that doesn't make the card it's on targeted.

415.2.

An activated or triggered ability is targeted if it uses the phrase "target [something]," where the "something" is a phrase that describes an object, player, or zone.

418.5a.

The values of an object's characteristics are determined by starting with the actual object, then applying continuous effects in a series of layers in the following order: (1) copy effects (see rule 503, "Copying Objects"); (2) control-changing effects; (3) text-changing effects; (4) type-, subtype-, and supertype-changing effects; (5) all other continuous effects, except those that change power and/or toughness; and (6) power- and/or toughness-changing effects. Inside each layer from 1 through 5, apply effects from characteristic-setting abilities first, then all other effects. Inside layer 6, apply effects in a series of sublayers in the following order: (6a) effects from characteristic-setting abilities; (6b) all other effects not specifically applied in 6c, 6d, or 6e; (6c) changes from counters; (6d) effects from static abilities that modify power and/or toughness but don't set power and/or toughness to a specific number or value; and (6e) effects that switch a creature's power and toughness. See also the rules for timestamp order and dependency (rules 418.5b-418.5g).

Example: Crusade is an enchantment that reads "White creatures get +1/+1." Crusade and a 2/2 black creature are in play. If an effect then turns the creature white, it gets +1/+1 from Crusade, becoming 3/3. If the creature's color is later changed to red, Crusade's effect stops applying to it, and it will return to being a 2/2.

Example: Gray Ogre, a 2/2 creature, is in play. An effect puts a +1/+1 counter on it, making it 3/3. An effect that says "Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn" is applied to it, making it 7/7. An enchantment that says "Creatures you control get +0/+2" enters play, making it a 7/9. An effect that says "Target creature becomes 0/1 until end of turn" is applied to it, making it a 1/4 (0/1, plus +1/+1 from the counter, plus +0/+2 from the enchantment).

Example: Svogthos, the Restless Tomb, is in play. An effect that says "Until end of turn, target land becomes a 3/3 creature that's still a land" is applied to it. An effect that says "Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn" is applied to it, making it a 4/4 land creature. Then you activate Svogthos's ability ("Until end of turn, Svogthos, the Restless Tomb becomes a black and green Plant Zombie creature with 'This creature's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard.' It's still a land.") while you have ten creature cards in your graveyard. It becomes a 10/10 land creature. If a creature card enters or leaves your graveyard, Svogthos's power and toughness will be modified accordingly. If the first effect is applied to it again, it will become a 3/3 land creature again.

418.5b.

If an effect should be applied in different layers, the parts of the effect each apply in their appropriate layers. If an effect starts to apply in one layer, it will continue to be applied to the same set of objects in each other applicable layer, even if the ability generating the effect is removed during this process.

Example: An effect that reads "Wild Mongrel gets +1/+1 and becomes the color of your choice until end of turn" is both a power- and toughness-changing effect and an "other" kind of effect. The "becomes the color of your choice" part is applied in layer 5, and then the "gets +1/+1" part is applied in layer 6.

Example: Grab the Reins has an effect that reads "Until end of turn, you gain control of target creature and it gains haste." This is both a control-changing effect and an "other" effect. The "you gain control" part is applied in layer 2, and then the "it gains haste" part is applied in layer 5.

Example: An effect that reads "All noncreature artifacts become 2/2 artifact creatures until end of turn" is both a type-changing effect and a power- and toughness-setting effect. The type-changing effect is applied to all noncreature artifacts in layer 4 and the power- and toughness-setting effect is applied to those same permanents in layer 6, even though those permanents aren't noncreature artifacts by then.

418.5c.

An effect is said to "depend on" another if (a) it's applied in the same layer (and, if applicable, sublayer) as the other effect (see rule 418.5a) and (b) 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 other effect.

418.5d.

An effect dependent on one or more other effects waits to apply until just after all of those effects have been applied, even if this causes a characteristic-setting ability to apply after another effect. If multiple dependent effects would apply simultaneously in this way, they're applied in "timestamp order" relative to each other. If several dependent effects form a dependency loop, then this rule is ignored and the effects in the dependency loop are applied in timestamp order.

418.5e.

An object's timestamp is the time it entered the zone it's currently in, with three exceptions: (a) If two or more objects enter a zone (or zones) simultaneously, the active player determines their timestamp order at the time they enter that zone. (b) Whenever an Aura or Equipment becomes attached to a permanent, the Aura or Equipment receives a new timestamp. (c) Permanents that phase in keep the same timestamps they had when they phased out.

418.5f.

A continuous effect generated by a static ability has the same timestamp as the object the static ability is on, or the timestamp of the effect that created the ability, whichever is later.

418.5g.

A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability receives a timestamp at the time it's created.

418.5i.

Some effects switch a creature's power and toughness. When they're applied, they take the value of power and apply it to the object's toughness, and take the object's toughness and apply it to the object's power. These effects are applied after all other effects that affect power and toughness. (See rule 418.5a.)

Example: A 1/3 creature is given +0/+1 by an effect. Then another effect switches the creature's power and toughness. Its new power and toughness is 4/1. A new effect gives the creature +5/+0. Its "unswitched" power and toughness would be 6/4, so its actual power and toughness is 4/6.

Example: A 1/3 creature is given +0/+1 by an effect. Then another effect switches the creature's power and toughness. Its new power and toughness is 4/1. If the +0/+1 effect ends before the switch effect ends, the creature becomes a 3/1.

419.5b.

Some abilities read, "you may [X]. If you do, [Y]." An "if you do" clause that follows an "if you may [X]" clause refers to choosing to do the event X, regardless of what events actually occur as a result of that decision. If X is replaced entirely or in part by a different event, the "if you do" clause refers to the event that replaced X.

420.5d.

An Aura attached to an illegal permanent or not attached to a permanent is put into its owner's graveyard.

420.5e.

If two or more legendary permanents with the same name are in play, all are put into their owners' graveyards. This is called the "legend rule." If only one of those permanents is legendary, this rule doesn't apply.

420.5k.

An Equipment attached to an illegal permanent becomes unattached from that permanent but remains in play.

421.3.

If a loop contains optional actions controlled by two players and actions by both of those players are required to continue the loop, the first player (or the first involved player after the active player in turn order) chooses a number. The other player then has two choices. He or she can choose a lower number, in which case the loop continues 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 first player chose, in which case the loop continues that number of times plus whatever fraction is necessary for the second player to "have the last word." (Note that either fraction may be zero.) This sequence of choices is extended to all applicable players if there are more than two players involved.

Example: In a two-player game, one player controls a creature with the ability "{0}: [This creature] gains flying," and 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.)

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 and no effects apply as a result of an undone action. If the action was playing a spell, the spell 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 a library or from a library to any zone other than the stack.

500.1.

Some effects restrict declaring attackers or blockers in combat or require certain creatures to be declared as attackers or blockers. (See rule 308, "Declare Attackers Step," and rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step.") A restriction is an effect that says a creature can't block (or attack) or it can't block (or attack) unless some condition is met. A requirement is an effect that says a creature must block (or attack) or it must block (or attack) if some condition is met.

502.7d.

A permanent with protection can't be equipped by Equipment that have the stated quality. Such Equipment become unattached from that permanent, but remain in play. (See rule 420, "State-Based Effects.")

502.9b.

The controller of an attacking creature with trample first assigns damage to the creature(s) blocking it. If all those blocking creatures are assigned lethal damage, any remaining damage is assigned as its controller chooses among the blocking creatures and the defending player. When checking for assigned lethal damage, take into account damage already on the creature and damage from other creatures that will be assigned at the same time (see rule 502.9e). The controller need not assign lethal damage to all blocking creatures but in that case can't assign any damage to the defending player.

502.12a.

Rampage is a triggered ability. "Rampage N" means "Whenever this creature becomes blocked, it gets +N/+N until end of turn for each creature blocking it beyond the first." (See rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step.")

502.15d.

Permanents phasing in or out don't trigger any comes-into-play or leaves-play abilities, and effects that modify how a permanent comes into play are ignored. Abilities and effects that specifically mention phasing can modify or trigger on these events, however. (Because no player receives priority during the untap step, any abilities triggering off of the phasing event won't go onto the stack until the upkeep step begins.)

502.15h.

Phased-out cards "remember" their past histories and will return to play in the same state. They "remember" any counters they had on them, any choices made when they first came into play, whether they were flipped when they left play, and whether they were tapped or untapped when they left play. They also "remember" who controlled them when they phased out, although they may phase in under the control of a different player if a control effect with limited duration has expired.

Example: Diseased Vermin reads, in part, "At the beginning of your upkeep, Diseased Vermin deals X damage to target opponent previously dealt damage by it, where X is the number of infection counters on it." If Diseased Vermin phases out, it "remembers" how many counters it has and also which opponents it has previously damaged. When it phases back in, it will still be able to target those opponents with its upkeep-triggered ability.

502.20a.

Fading is a keyword that represents two abilities. "Fading N" means "This permanent comes into play with N fade counters on it" and "At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a fade counter from this permanent. If you can't, sacrifice the permanent."

502.27a.

Amplify is a static ability. "Amplify N" means "As this object comes into play, reveal any number of cards from your hand that share a creature type with it. This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it for each card revealed this way. You can't reveal this card or any other cards that are coming into play at the same time as this card."

502.33a.

Equip is an activated ability of artifact Equipment cards. "Equip [cost]" means "[Cost]: Attach this Equipment to target creature you control. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery."

502.35a.

Modular represents both a static ability and a triggered ability. "Modular N" means "This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it" and "When this permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter on this permanent."

502.36a.

Scry is a static ability that functions while a spell or ability is resolving. "Scry N" means "Look at the top N cards of your library. Put any number of them on the bottom of your library in any order and the rest on top of your library in any order."

502.37a.

Sunburst is a static ability that functions as an object is coming into play from the stack. "Sunburst" means "If this object is coming into play from the stack as a creature, it comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost. If this object is coming into play from the stack and isn't coming into play as a creature, it comes into play with a charge counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost."

502.38a.

Bushido is a triggered ability. "Bushido N" means "Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +N/+N until end of turn." (See rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step.")

502.39a.

Soulshift is a triggered ability. "Soulshift N" means "When this permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost N or less from your graveyard to your hand."

502.43c.

A ninjutsu ability may be played only while a creature in play is unblocked (see rule 309.2f). The creature with ninjutsu is put into play unblocked. It will be attacking the same player as the creature that was returned to its owner's hand.

502.44a.

Epic represents both a static ability and a delayed triggered ability. "Epic" means, "For the rest of the game, you can't play spells," and "At the beginning of each of your upkeeps, copy this spell except for its epic ability. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for the copy." See rule 503.10.

503.2.

When copying an object, the copy acquires the copiable values of the original object's characteristics (name, mana cost, color, type, supertype, subtype, expansion symbol, rules text, power, and toughness) and, for an object on the stack, choices made when playing it (mode, targets, the value of X, whether a kicker cost was paid, how it will affect multiple targets, and so on). The "copiable values" are the values that are printed on the object, as modified by other copy effects, plus any values set for face-down spells or permanents and any values set by "comes into play as" abilities. Other effects (including type-changing effects) and counters are not copied.

Example: Chimeric Staff is an artifact that reads "{X}: Chimeric Staff becomes an X/X artifact creature until end of turn." Clone is a creature that reads, "As Clone comes into play, you may choose a creature in play. If you do, Clone comes into play as a copy of that creature." After a Staff has become a 5/5 artifact creature, a Clone comes into play as a copy of it. The Clone is an artifact, not a 5/5 artifact creature. (The copy has the Staff's ability, however, and will become a creature if that ability is activated.)

600.3.

Many multiplayer Magic tournaments have additional rules not included here, including rules for deck construction. See the most current Magic: The Gathering DCI Floor Rules for more information. They can be found at www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home.

601.5c.

If an effect requires a choice and there's no player who can make that choice within its controller's range of influence, the closest appropriate player to its controller's left makes that choice.

Example: In an Emperor game in which all players have range of influence 1, an emperor plays Fact or Fiction, which reads, "Reveal the top five cards of your library. An opponent separates those cards into two piles. Put one pile into your hand and the other into your graveyard." Since no opponent is within the emperor's range of influence, the nearest opponent to the emperor's left separates the cards into piles.

602.2a.

Any rule, object, or effect that refers to a "defending player" refers to one specific defending player, not to all of the defending players. This will usually be the defending player that the creature with the ability is attacking; if there are multiple defending players that could be chosen, the controller of the ability chooses one.

605.2b.

Exactly one of the attack left, attack right, and attack multiple players options must be used. See rule 604, "Attack Left and Attack Right Options," and rule 602, "Attack Multiple Players Option."

605.2c.

The deploy creatures option isn't used in the Free-for-All variant.

606.5.

With the exception of life total, a team's resources (cards in hand, mana, and so on) are not shared in the Two-Headed Giant variant. Teammates may review each other's hands and discuss strategies at any time. Teammates can't manipulate each other's cards or permanents.

606.6d.

A player may play a spell or activated ability, or take a special action, only when his or her team has priority. If both players on a team want to take an action at the same time, the primary player decides who takes the action. Each player on a team draws a card during that team's draw step. Each player on a team may play a land during each of that team's turns.

606.9c.

If an effect would set a single player's life total to a number, that player's individual life total becomes that number. The team's life total is adjusted by the amount that player's life total was adjusted.

Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player on a team that has 25 life plays a spell that reads, "Your life total becomes 20." That player's life total is considered to be 13 for the purpose of the spell, so it becomes 20 and the team's life total becomes 32 (25 + (20 — 13)).

609.4.

A player can't attack opponents who aren't seated next to him or her.

609.5.

Team games use the normal rules for winning and losing the game (see rule 102).

609.6.

In the Teams variant, a team's resources (cards in hand, mana, and so on) are not shared. Teammates can't review each other's hands unless they are sitting next to each other. Teammates may discuss strategies at any time. Teammates can't manipulate each other's cards or permanents.

"As though"

Text that states a player may do something "as though" some condition were true or a creature can do something "as though" some condition were true applies only to the stated action. For purposes of that action, treat the game exactly as if the stated condition were true. For all other purposes, treat the game normally.

Example: Giant Spider reads, "Giant Spider can block as though it had flying." Treat the Spider as a creature with flying, but only for the purpose of declaring blockers. This allows Giant Spider to block a creature with flying (and creatures that "can't be blocked except by creatures with flying"), assuming no other blocking restrictions apply. For example, Giant Spider can't normally block a creature with both flying and shadow. If two cards state that a player may (or a creature can) do the same thing "as though" different conditions were true, both conditions could apply. If one "as though" effect satisfies the requirements for another "as though" effect, then both effects will apply.

Ability

"Ability" and "effect" are often confused with one another. An instruction in an object's text is an ability. The result of following such an instruction is an effect. For more information, see section 4, "Spells, Abilities, and Effects." When an activated ability is played, it goes onto the stack and stays there until it's countered, it resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. When an effect states that an object "gains" or "has" an ability, it's granting that object an ability. If an effect defines a property of an object ("[card or permanent] is [property]"), it's not granting an ability. For example, an Aura might read, "Enchanted creature is red." The Aura isn't granting an ability of any kind; it's simply changing the enchanted creature's color to red.

Active Player, Nonactive Player Order

Whenever players are instructed to make choices at the same time, the active player makes all his or her choices first, then the nonactive players do so in turn order. This is called the "Active Player, Nonactive Player order" rule, or "APNAP order" rule. See rule 103.4. This rule is modified for Two-Headed Giant play; see rule 606.6c.

Affinity

Affinity is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. "Affinity for [text]" means "This spell costs you {1} less to play for each [text] you control." The affinity ability reduces only generic mana costs. It doesn't reduce how much colored mana you have to pay for a spell. It can't reduce the cost to play a spell to less than 0. See rule 502.31, "Affinity."

Alternative Cost

The rules text of some spells reads, "You may [action] rather than pay [this object's] mana cost," or includes the phrase, "you may play [this object] without paying its mana cost." These are alternative costs. Only one such alternative cost can be applied to any one spell. Other spells and abilities that ask for a spell's mana cost still see the actual mana cost, not what was paid to play the spell. If an effect requires paying additional costs to play a spell, it still applies to the alternative cost. See rule 409, "Playing Spells and Activated Abilities."

Amplify

Amplify is a static ability. "Amplify N" means "As this object comes into play, reveal any number of cards from your hand that share a creature type with it. This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it for each card revealed this way. You can't reveal this card or any other cards that are coming into play at the same time as this card." See rule 502.27, "Amplify."

Artifact Type

Artifact subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: "Artifact — Equipment." Artifact subtypes are also called artifact types. However, if an artifact creature card has subtypes printed on its type line, those subtypes are creature types. If an artifact land card has subtypes printed on its type line, those types are land types. The list of artifact types, updated through the Ravnica: City of Guilds (tm) set, is as follows: Equipment.

Assign Combat Damage

As the combat damage step begins, the active player or team announces how each attacking creature will assign its combat damage. Then the defending player(s) announce how each blocking creature will assign its combat damage. All assignments of combat damage go on the stack as a single entry. See rule 310, "Combat Damage Step.

Attach

To attach an Aura or Equipment to a permanent means to take it from where it currently is and put it onto that permanent. If the Aura or Equipment no longer exists or the object it will move onto is no longer in the correct zone when the effect would attach it, nothing happens. Similarly, an Aura or Equipment can't be attached to a permanent it couldn't enchant or equip. The Aura or Equipment stays where it is, with one exception: If an Aura is coming into play from the stack and there is no legal permanent for it to enchant, the Aura is put into its owner's graveyard instead of coming into play. Attaching an Aura in play to a different permanent causes the Aura to receive a new timestamp. Nothing else about the Aura changes. The Aura never left play, so no comes-into-play or leaves-play triggered abilities will trigger. If an ability of the moved Aura affecting "enchanted [permanent]" was on the stack when the Aura moved, it will affect the new enchanted permanent when it resolves, not the old one. The same is true for moved Equipment.

Attack

A creature attacks when it's declared as an attacker during the combat phase. (See rule 308, "Declare Attackers Step.") Playing a spell or ability (even during the combat phase) is never considered to be an attack.

Attacking Creature

A creature becomes an attacking creature when (a) it's declared as part of a legal attack during the combat phase and (b) all costs to attack, if any, have been paid. It remains an attacking creature until it's removed from combat, it stops being a creature, its controller changes, or the combat phase ends. Attacking creatures don't exist outside of the combat phase. See rule 308, "Declare Attackers Step."

Aura

Some enchantments have the subtype "Aura." An Aura spell requires a target whose properties are indicated by its enchant keyword ability. An Aura permanent comes into play attached to the permanent or player the spell targeted. See rule 212.4, "Enchantments," and rule 502.45, "Enchant." An Aura can enchant only a permanent or player whose properties are indicated by its enchant keyword ability. An Aura attached to an illegal permanent or not attached to a permanent is put into its owner's graveyard. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)

Banding, "Bands with Other"

Banding is a static ability that modifies the rules for declaring attackers and assigning combat damage. "Bands with other" is a specialized version of the ability. See rule 502.10, "Banding," and rule 502.11, "Bands with Other."

Becomes

Some trigger events use the word "becomes" (for example, "becomes tapped" or "becomes blocked"). These trigger only at the time the named event happens-they don't trigger if that state already exists or retrigger if it persists. For example, "becomes tapped" triggers only when a permanent's status changes from untapped to tapped.

Blocking Creature

A creature becomes a blocking creature when (a) it's declared as part of a legal block during the combat phase and (b) all costs to block, if any, have been paid. It remains a blocking creature until it's removed from combat, it stops being a creature, its controller changes, or the combat phase ends. Blocking creatures don't exist outside of the combat phase. See rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step."

Bury (Obsolete)

Some older cards were printed with the term "bury," which meant to put a permanent into its owner's graveyard. In general, cards that were printed with the term "bury" now read, "Destroy [a permanent]. It can't be regenerated," or "Sacrifice [a permanent]."

Bushido

Bushido is a triggered ability. "Bushido N" means "Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +N/+N until end of turn." The bushido bonus is calculated only once per combat, when the triggered ability resolves. Adding or removing blockers later in combat won't change the bonus. (See rule 309, "Declare Blockers Step.")

Buyback

Buyback is a static ability of some instants and sorceries that functions while the spell is on the stack. "Buyback [cost]" means "You may pay an additional [cost] as you play this spell. If you do, put the spell into your hand instead of into your graveyard as it resolves." Paying a spell's buyback cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h. If the spell goes to some zone other than its owner's graveyard as it resolves, buyback's effect "loses track" of it, and it isn't returned to its owner's hand. See rule 502.16, "Buyback."

Characteristic-Setting Ability

Some objects have intrinsic static abilities which state that that object "has" one or more characteristics; "is" a particular type, supertype, subtype, or color; or that one or more of its characteristics "is" or "are" a particular value. These abilities are characteristic-setting abilities. See rule 405.2.

Characteristics

An object's characteristics are name, mana cost, color, type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, abilities, power, and toughness. Characteristics don't include any other information, such as whether a permanent is tapped, a spell or permanent's controller, a spell's target, what an Aura enchants, and so on. See rule 201, "Characteristics."