101.4b.

The Two-Headed Giant variant uses the multiplayer mulligan rule, with some modifications. First, the starting team takes any mulligans. For a team to take a mulligan, each player on that team decides whether or not to take a mulligan, then all players who chose to do so take their mulligans at the same time. The first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of seven cards. After each player on that team who took a mulligan looks at his or her new hand, the team repeats the process. (Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal.) Once a player has decided to keep a hand, those cards become his or her opening hand. That player can't take any more mulligans, but his or her teammate may. Once each player on the starting team decides to keep an opening hand, the other team may take mulligans.

Example: Bob and Clare are the starting team in a Two-Headed Giant game. They each draw seven cards. After reviewing each other's hands, both Bob and Clare decide to mulligan. Each shuffles his or her hand into his or her deck and draws seven cards. Clare isn't sure about Bob's new hand, but he decides to keep it. Clare decides to take another mulligan. Bob's hand becomes his opening hand, and Clare shuffles her hand into her deck and draws six cards. Then only Clare has the option to mulligan. She decides to keep her hand of six cards and that becomes her opening hand. After that, the other team decides whether to take mulligans.

102.2b.

An effect may state that a player wins the game. (In certain multiplayer games, this may not cause the game to end; see rule 102.3g.)

103.4.

If multiple players would make choices and/or take actions at the same time, the active player (the player whose turn it is) makes any choices required, then the next player in turn order (usually the player seated to the active player's left) makes any choices required, followed by the remaining nonactive players in turn order. Then the actions happen simultaneously. This rule is often referred to as the "Active Player, Nonactive Player (APNAP) order" rule.

Example: A card reads "Each player sacrifices a creature." First, the active player chooses a creature he or she controls. Then each of the nonactive players chooses a creature he or she controls. Then all creatures are sacrificed simultaneously.

104.3.

The mana symbols are {W}, {U}, {B}, {R}, {G}, and {X}; the numerals {0}, {1}, {2}, {3}, {4}, and so on; the hybrid symbols {W/U}, {W/B}, {U/B}, {U/R}, {B/R}, {B/G}, {R/G}, {R/W}, {G/W}, and {G/U}; and the snow symbol {S}.

104.3c.

The symbol {X} represents an unspecified amount of mana. When playing a spell or activated ability with {X} in its cost, its controller decides the value of that variable.

200.5a.

A spell's owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it. The owner of a copy of a spell is the controller of the effect that created it. A spell's controller is the player who played it.

200.7a.

The controller of an activated ability is the player who played the ability. The controller of a triggered ability is the player who controlled the ability's source when it triggered, unless it's a delayed triggered ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability is the player who controlled the spell or ability that created it.

200.9.

If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes a card type or subtype, but doesn't include the word "card," "spell," or "source," it means a permanent of that card type or subtype in play.

200.10.

A counter is a marker placed on an object or player, either modifying its characteristics or interacting with an ability. A counter is not a token, and a token is not a counter. Counters with the same name or description are interchangeable.

200.11.

The parts of a card are name, mana cost, illustration, type line, expansion symbol, text box, power and toughness, loyalty, illustration credit, legal text, and collector number. Some cards may have more than one of any or all of these parts.

201.1.

An object's characteristics are name, mana cost, color, card type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, abilities, power, toughness, and loyalty. Objects can have some or all of these characteristics. Any other information about an object isn't a characteristic. For example, characteristics don't include whether a permanent is tapped, a spell's target, an object's owner or controller, what an Aura enchants, and so on.

203.2e.

An object with one or more hybrid mana symbols in its mana cost is each of the colors of that mana symbol, in addition to any other colors the object might be. Most cards with hybrid mana symbols in their mana costs are printed in a two-tone frame. See rule 104.3f.

205.1.

The card type (and subtype and supertype, if applicable) of a card is printed directly below the illustration. (See rule 212, "Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype.")

205.2.

Card Types

205.2a.

The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal.

205.2b.

Some objects have more than one card type (for example, an artifact creature). Such objects satisfy the criteria for any effect that applies to any of their card types.

205.3c.

Subtypes of a [card type] object are also called [card type] types. For example, creature subtypes are also called creature types. Objects may have multiple subtypes.

Example: "Basic Land — Mountain" means the card is a land with the Mountain subtype. "Creature — Goblin Wizard" means the card is a creature with the subtypes Goblin and Wizard. "Artifact — Equipment" means the card is an artifact with the subtype Equipment.

205.3d.

Artifact, enchantment, land, and planeswalker each have their own unique set of possible subtypes. Instant and sorcery share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. Creature and tribal also share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types. (You can find complete lists of subtypes in the glossary at the end of this document under "Creature Types," "Land Types," and so on.)

205.3e.

If a card with multiple card types has one or more subtypes, each subtype is correlated to its appropriate card type.

Example: Dryad Arbor's type line says "Land Creature — Forest Dryad." Forest is a land type, and Dryad is a creature type.

205.4a.

A card can also have one or more supertypes. These are printed directly before its card types. If an object's card types or subtypes change, any supertypes it has are kept, although they may not be relevant to the new card type.

208.1.

A creature card has two numbers separated by a slash printed in its lower right corner. The first number is its power (the amount of damage it deals in combat); the second is its toughness (the amount of damage needed to destroy it). For example, 2/3 means the object has power 2 and toughness 3. Power and toughness can be modified or set to particular values by effects.

209.

Loyalty

210.

Information Below the Text Box

210.1a.

The illustration credit for a card is printed on the first line below the text box. It follows the abbreviation "Illus." or, in more recent years, a paintbrush icon.

210.1b.

Legal text (the fine print at the bottom of the card) lists the trademark and copyright information.

210.1c.

Some card sets feature collector numbers. This information is printed in the form [card number]/[total cards in the set], immediately following the legal text.

211.

[This section has been intentionally left blank to preserve the ordering of other rules.]

212.

Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype

212.1a.

Cards, tokens, permanents, and spells can all have card types, supertypes, and subtypes. Abilities don't have card types, supertypes, or subtypes. Instead, there are various categories of abilities. (See rule 402, "Abilities.")

212.1b.

When an object's card type changes, the new card type(s) replaces any existing card types. Counters, effects, and damage affecting the object remain with it, even if they are meaningless to the new card type. Similarly, when one or more of an object's subtypes changes, the new subtype(s) replaces any existing subtypes from the appropriate set (creature types, land types, artifact types, enchantment types, planeswalker types, or spell types). If an object's card type is removed, the subtypes correlated with that card type will remain if they are also the subtypes of a card type the object currently has; otherwise, they are also removed for the entire time the object's card type is removed. Removing an object's subtype doesn't affect its card types at all.

212.1c.

Some effects change an object's card type, supertype, or subtype but specify that the object retains a prior card type, supertype, or subtype. In such cases, all the object's prior card types, supertypes, and subtypes are retained. This rule applies to effects that use the phrase "in addition to its types" or that state that something is "still a [card type]." Some effects state that an object becomes an "artifact creature"; these effects also allow the object to retain all of its prior card types and subtypes.

Example: An ability reads, "All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands." The affected lands now have two card types: creature and land. If there were any lands that were also artifacts before the ability's effect applied to them, those lands would become "artifact land creatures," not just "creatures," or "land creatures." The effect allows them to retain both the card type "artifact" and the card type "land."

Example: An ability reads, "All artifacts are 1/1 artifact creatures." If a permanent is both an artifact and an enchantment, it will become an "artifact enchantment creature."

212.1d.

An object's supertype is independent of its card type and subtype. Changing an object's card type or subtype won't change its supertype. Changing an object's supertype won't change its card 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.

212.1e.

If an instruction requires choosing a subtype, you must choose one, and only one, existing subtype, and the subtype you choose must be for the appropriate card type. For example, you can't choose a land type if an instruction requires choosing a creature type. (Use the Oracle card reference to determine whether a creature type exists; see rule 200.2. You can also find complete lists of subtypes in the glossary at the end of this document under "Creature Types," "Land Types," etc.)

Example: When choosing a creature type, "Merfolk" or "Wizard" is acceptable, but "Merfolk Wizard" is not. Words like "artifact," "opponent," "Swamp," or "truck" can't be chosen because they aren't creature types.

212.2a.

A player who has priority may play an artifact card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing an artifact as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, "Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.")

212.2d.

Artifacts have no characteristics specific to their card type. Most artifacts have no colored mana symbols in their mana costs, and are therefore colorless. However, there is no correlation between being colorless and being an artifact: artifacts may be colored, and colorless objects may be card types other than artifact.

212.2e.

Artifact creatures combine the characteristics of both creatures and artifacts, and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types.

212.2f.

Artifact lands combine the characteristics of both lands and artifacts, and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types. Artifact lands can only be played as lands. They can't be played as spells.

212.3a.

A player who has priority may play a creature card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a creature as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, "Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.")

212.3d.

Power and toughness are characteristics only creatures have. A creature's power is the amount of damage it deals in combat, and its toughness is the amount of damage needed to destroy it. To determine a creature's power and toughness, start with the numbers printed in its lower right corner, then apply any applicable continuous effects. (See rule 418.5, "Interaction of Continuous Effects.")

212.3g.

Creature lands combine the characteristics of both lands and creatures, and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types. Creature lands can only be played as lands. They can't be played as spells.

212.4a.

A player who has priority may play an enchantment card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing an enchantment as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, "Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.")

212.5a.

A player who has priority may play an instant card from his or her hand. Playing an instant as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, "Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.")

212.5c.

Instant subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: "Instant — Arcane." Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. The set of instant subtypes is the same as the set of sorcery subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. Instants may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of instant subtypes under "Spell Types" in the glossary at the end of this document.)

212.6a.

Playing a land card is a special action (see 408.2d). To play a land card, the player simply puts it into play. The land card doesn't go on the stack, and is never a spell, so players can't respond to it with instants or activated abilities.

212.6b.

A player who has priority may choose to play a land card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn, when the stack is empty. Continuous effects may allow the player to play land cards from other zones this way, or to play land cards at other times.

212.6f.

Land subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash. Land subtypes are also called land types. Lands may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of land subtypes under "Land Types" in the glossary at the end of this document.)

Example: "Basic Land — Mountain" means the card is a land with the Mountain subtype.

212.6g.

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.

212.6h.

If an effect changes a land's subtype 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 subtype doesn't add or remove any card types (such as creature) or supertypes (such as basic, legendary, and snow) 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.

212.6i.

Any land with the supertype "basic" is a basic land. Any land that doesn't have this supertype is a nonbasic land.

212.6j.

If an object is both a land and another card type, it can be played only as a land. It can't be played as a spell.

212.7a.

A player who has priority may play a sorcery card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a sorcery as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, "Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.")

212.7c.

Sorcery subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: "Sorcery — Arcane." Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. The set of sorcery subtypes is the same as the set of instant subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. Sorceries may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of sorcery subtypes under "Spell Types" in the glossary at the end of this document.)

212.8a.

Each tribal card has another card type. Playing and resolving a tribal card follows the rules for playing and resolving a card of the other card type.

212.8b.

Tribal subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: "Tribal Enchantment — Merfolk." The set of tribal subtypes is the same as the set of creature subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types. Tribals may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of tribal subtypes under "Creature Types" in the glossary at the end of this document.)

213.2.

A spell's card type, supertype, and subtype are the same as those of its card.

213.3.

The term "spell" is used to refer to a card, or a copy of a spell or card, while it's on the stack.

214.1.

A permanent is a card or token in play. Permanents stay in play unless moved to another zone by an effect or rule. There are five permanent types: artifact, creature, enchantment, land, and planeswalker. Instant and sorcery cards can't come into play. Some tribal cards can come into play and some can't, depending on their other card types.

214.1a.

The term "permanent card" is used to refer to a card that could be put into play. Specifically, it means an artifact, creature, enchantment, land, or planeswalker card.

214.2.

A nontoken permanent's card types, supertypes, and subtypes are the same as those printed on its card. A token's card types, supertypes, and subtypes are set by the spell or ability that created it.

216.2.

A token is subject to anything that affects permanents in general or that affects the token's card type or subtype. A token isn't a card (even if represented by a card that has a Magic back or that came from a Magic booster pack).

217.1c.

An object that moves from one zone to another is treated as a new object. Effects connected with its previous location will no longer affect it. There are four exceptions to this rule: (1) Effects that change the characteristics of an artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker spell on the stack will continue to apply to the permanent that spell creates. (2) Abilities that trigger when an object moves from one zone to another (for example, "When Rancor is put into a graveyard from play") can find the object in the zone it moved to when the ability triggered. (3) Prevention effects that apply to damage from an artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker spell on the stack will continue to apply to damage from the permanent that spell becomes. (4) Permanents that phase out or in "remember" their earlier states. See rule 217.8c.

217.6a.

When a spell is played, the physical card is put on the stack. When an ability is played, it goes on top of the stack without any card associated with it (see rule 409.1a).

217.6c.

Each spell has all the characteristics of the card associated with it. Each activated or triggered ability that's on the stack has the text of the ability that created it and no other characteristics. The controller of a spell is the person who played the spell. The controller of an activated ability is the player who played the ability. The controller of a triggered ability is the player who controlled the ability's source when it triggered, unless it's a delayed triggered ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability is the player who controlled the spell or ability that created it.

217.7a.

Objects can be removed from the game. Some effects may provide a way for a card to return to a zone and use the term "set aside." Cards that are set aside this way are still removed from the game, even though that removal may be temporary. Objects that aren't cards that would return to a zone remain removed from the game instead.

305.3.

As the main phase begins, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of that main phase go on the stack. (See rule 410, "Handling Triggered Abilities.") Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities. (This is the only phase in which a player can normally play artifact, creature, enchantment, planeswalker, and sorcery spells, and only the active player may play these spells.)

306.1.

The combat phase has five steps, which proceed in order: beginning of combat, declare attackers, declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat. The declare blockers and combat damage steps are skipped if no creatures are declared as attackers or put into play attacking (see rule 308.5). There are two combat damage steps if any attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see rule 502.2) or double strike (see rule 502.28).

306.2.

During the combat phase, the active player is the attacking player; creatures that player controls may attack. As the combat phase starts, the active player chooses one of his or her opponents. The chosen opponent is the defending player; that player and planeswalkers he or she controls may be attacked. Some multiplayer games allow the active player to attack multiple other players. See rule 602, "Attack Multiple Players Option," and rule 606, "Two-Headed Giant Variant."

306.4.

A creature or planeswalker is removed from combat if it leaves play (such as by being destroyed or removed from the game); if its controller changes; if it stops being a creature or planeswalker, respectively; or if an effect removes it from combat. A creature is also removed from combat if it regenerates (see rule 419.6b). A creature that's removed from combat stops being an attacking, blocking, blocked, and/or unblocked creature. A planeswalker that's removed from combat stops being attacked.

306.4a.

Once a creature has been declared as an attacking or blocking creature, spells or abilities that would have kept that creature from attacking or blocking don't remove the creature from combat.

306.4b.

Tapping or untapping a creature that's already been declared as an attacker or blocker doesn't remove it from combat and doesn't prevent its combat damage.

306.5.

An attacking creature is attacking alone if no other creatures are attacking. A blocking creature is blocking alone if no other creatures are blocking.

308.1.

As the declare attackers step begins, the active player declares attackers. This game action doesn't use the stack. If the defending player controls any planeswalkers, or the game allows the active player to attack multiple other players, he or she declares which player or planeswalker each creature is attacking. Effects from a creature that refer to a defending player refer only to the defending player it's attacking (if it's attacking a player) or the controller of the planeswalker it's attacking (if it's attacking a planeswalker). 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.

308.2a.

For each untapped creature the active player controls that he or she has controlled continuously since the beginning of the turn or that has haste, that player either chooses not to attack with it, or chooses an opponent or a planeswalker controlled by an opponent for that creature to attack. Then he or she determines whether this set of attackers is legal. (See rule 500, "Legal Attacks and Blocks.")

308.2g.

Each chosen creature becomes an attacking creature if all costs have been paid, but only if it's still controlled by the active player. It remains an attacking creature until it's removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 306.4.

308.3.

Abilities that trigger on a creature attacking trigger only at the point the creature is declared as an attacker. They will not trigger if a creature attacks and then that creature's characteristics change to match the ability's trigger condition.

Example: A permanent has the ability "Whenever a green creature attacks, destroy that creature at end of combat." If a blue creature attacks and is later turned green, the ability will not trigger.

308.5.

If no creatures are declared as attackers or put into play attacking, skip the declare blockers and combat damage steps.

309.2a.

For each untapped creature the defending player controls, that player either chooses not to block with it, or chooses one creature for it to block that's attacking him, her, or a planeswalker he or she controls. Then he or she determines whether this set of blocks is legal. (See rule 500, "Legal Attacks and Blocks.")

309.2e.

Each chosen creature becomes a blocking creature, but only if it's controlled by the defending player. Each one is blocking the attacking creature chosen for it. It remains a blocking creature until it's removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 306.4.

309.3.

Abilities that trigger on a creature blocking trigger only at the point the creature is declared as a blocker. They will not trigger if a creature blocks, and then that creature's characteristics change to match the ability's trigger condition.

310.2a.

Each attacking creature and each blocking creature will assign combat damage equal to its power. Creatures that would assign 0 or less damage this way don't assign combat damage at all.

310.2b.

An unblocked attacking creature that's attacking a player will assign all its combat damage to the defending player. An unblocked attacking creature that's attacking a planeswalker will assign all its combat damage to the planeswalker it's attacking. If the creature isn't currently attacking anything (if, for example, it was attacking a planeswalker that has left play), it will assign no combat damage.

310.4c.

If a creature or planeswalker that was assigned combat damage is no longer in play, or is neither a creature nor planeswalker, the damage assigned to it isn't dealt.

311.2.

As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are removed from combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase begins.

400.1.

An ability is something an object does or can do. Abilities generate effects. An object's abilities are defined in the object's text box (if it has one) or by the effect that created the object. Abilities can also be granted to objects by effects or rules. Reminder text and flavor text are not abilities. Reminder text and flavor text always appear in italics.

401.7.

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, enchantment, or planeswalker spell's resolution, the card becomes a permanent and is put into the in-play zone under the control of the spell's controller. (See rule 413, "Resolving Spells and Activated Abilities.") 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.

402.8g.

A trigger condition that can trigger only in a zone other than the in-play zone triggers from that zone. Other trigger conditions of the same triggered ability may function in different zones.

Example: Absolver Thrull has the ability "When Absolver Thrull comes into play or the creature it haunts is put into a graveyard, destroy target enchantment." The first trigger condition triggers from the in-play zone and the second trigger condition functions from the removed-from-the-game zone. (See rule 502.51, "Haunt.")

408.1b.

Spells and activated abilities are played by players (if they choose) using a system of priority, while other kinds 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 or ability, take a special action (such as playing a land), or pass, as governed by the rules for that phase or step.

408.2d.

Playing a land is a special action consisting of putting that land into play. (See rule 212.6, "Lands.") A player can choose to perform this special action only during a main phase of his or her turn, when he or she has priority and the stack is empty. If a player had priority before playing a land, that player gets priority after this special action.

408.2g.

Game actions don't use the stack. The game actions are phasing in and out at the start of the untap step (see rule 302.1), untapping at the start of the untap step (see rule 302.2), drawing a card at the start of the draw step (see rule 304.1), declaring attackers at the start of the declare attackers step (see rule 308.1), declaring blockers at the start of the declare blockers step (see rule 309.1), the active player discarding down to his or her maximum hand size at the start of the cleanup step (see rule 314.1), removing damage from permanents and ending "until end of turn effects during the cleanup step (see rule 314.2), and mana burn as each phase ends (see rule 300.3).

409.1b.

If the spell or ability is modal (uses the phrase "Choose one -," "Choose two -,"or "[specified player] chooses one -"), the player announces the mode choice. If the player wishes to splice any cards onto the spell (see rule 502.40), 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.

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 is controlled by the player who controlled its source at the time it triggered,unless it's a delayed triggered ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability is the player who controlled the spell or ability that created it. The ability doesn't do anything when it triggers, but it's automatically put on the stack by its controller as soon as a player would receive priority. Each triggered ability on the stack has the text of the ability that created it, and no other characteristics.

410.9e.

If an ability triggers when a creature blocks or becomes blocked by a particular number of creatures, the ability triggers if the creature blocks or is blocked by that many creatures when blockers are declared. Effects that add or remove blockers can also cause such abilities to trigger. This applies to abilities that trigger on a creature blocking or being blocked by at least a certain number of creatures as well.

410.10.

Trigger events that involve objects changing zones are called "zone-change triggers." Many abilities with zone-change triggers attempt to do something to that object after it changes zones. During resolution, these abilities look for the object in the zone that it moved to. If the object is unable to be found in the zone it went to, the part of the ability attempting to do something to the object will fail to do anything. The ability could be unable to find the object because the object 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 object leaves the zone and returns again before the ability resolves.) The most common zone-change triggers are comes-into-play triggers and leaves-play triggers.

410.11.

Some triggered abilities trigger on a game state, such as a player controlling no permanents of a particular card type, rather than triggering when an event occurs. These abilities trigger as soon as the game state matches the condition. They'll go onto the stack at the next available opportunity. 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 ability has resolved, has been countered, or has otherwise left the stack. Then, if the object with the ability is still in the same zone and the game state still matches its trigger condition, the ability will trigger again.

Example: A permanent's ability reads, "Whenever you have no cards in hand, 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 that many cards," the ability will trigger during the spell's resolution because the player's hand was momentarily empty.

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] . . . ," "You can't play [this card] . . . ," and "Play [this card] only . . . ."

413.2e.

If an effect gives a player the option to pay mana, he or she may play mana abilities before taking that action. If an effect specifically instructs or allows a player to play a spell during resolution, he or she does so by putting that spell on top of the stack, then continuing to play it by following the steps in rules 409.1a-i, except no player receives priority after it's played. The currently resolving spell or ability then continues to resolve, which may include playing other spells this way. No other spells or abilities can normally 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 only once, when the effect is applied. If the effect requires information from a specific object, including the source of the ability itself, the effect uses the current information of that object if it hasn't changed zones; otherwise, the effect uses the last known information the object had before leaving the zone it was expected to be in. There are two exceptions: (1) if an effect deals damage divided among some number of creatures or players, the amount and division were determined as the spell or ability was put into the stack (see rule 402.6), and (2) static abilities can't use last known information (see rule 412.5). If the ability text states that an object does something, it's the object as it exists-or as it most recently existed-that does it, not the ability.

416.1.

When a spell or ability resolves, it may create one or more one-shot or continuous effects. Static abilities may create one or more continuous effects. Some effects are replacement effects or prevention effects. State-based effects are not created by spells or abilities; they are generated by specific rules of the game (see rule 420).

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-changing effects (which includes effects that change an object's card type, subtype, and/or supertype); (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-defining abilities first, then all other effects in timestamp order. Inside layer 6, apply effects in a series of sublayers in the following order: (6a) effects from characteristic-defining 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. Within each sublayer, apply effects in timestamp order. Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are applied within a layer or sublayer. 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 (layer 5), it gets +1/+1 from Crusade (layer 6d), becoming 3/3. If the creature's color is later changed to red (layer 5), 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 (layer 6c), making it 3/3. An effect that says "Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn" is applied to it (layer 6b), making it 7/7. An enchantment that says "Creatures you control get +0/+2" enters play (layer 6d), making it a 7/9. An effect that says "Target creature becomes 0/1 until end of turn" is applied to it (layer 6b), making it a 1/4 (0/1, plus +1/+1 from the counter, plus +0/+2 from the enchantment).

419.6c.

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