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{{Short description|Overview of game play of Magic: The Gathering}} | |||
{{primary sources|date=March 2013}} | |||
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Magic: The Gathering'' rules}} | |||
{{third-party|date=March 2013}} | |||
The rules of the ] '']'' were originally developed by the game's creator, ], and accompanied the first version of the game in 1993. The game's rules have frequently been changed by the manufacturer ], mostly in minor ways, but several major rule changes have also been implemented. | |||
In its most-played form, ''Magic'' is a game in which two players play each other using their own deck of cards. Players start by drawing a hand of seven cards and then take turns. In a turn, a player can play one ]-producing ''Land'', play spells that require varying amounts and colors of mana, and attack their opponent to reduce their life total from the starting point of 20 to zero, and thus winning the game. | |||
==Beginning and ending the game== | |||
Each player uses his or her own deck to play the game. In most formats, a deck must have a minimum of 60 cards; there is no maximum deck size. With the exception of ], only four cards with the same name can be in a deck. ] have exceptions or additional limitations to the above rules. In tournaments, players may be allowed the use of a fifteen card ''sideboard''. Sideboard cards can be swapped for cards in the main deck in between games against the same opponent. | |||
== Overview == | |||
At the beginning of a game, each player shuffles his or her deck. Players then decide who will start, using any mutually agreeable method (flipping a coin, for example). Each player then draws seven cards from his or her library to form his or her starting hand. In turn order, each player may then decide to ]; that player shuffles his or her hand and library together and draws a new hand of one less card. A player can do this all the way down to a zero-card hand if he or she wishes, drawing one less card each time. In multiplayer games, players can mulligan for free one time, drawing seven cards a second time. Any further mulligans draw one card fewer each time, as normal. | |||
] | |||
A typical game of ''Magic'' involves two or more players who are engaged in a battle, acting as powerful wizards known as ]s. Each player has their own deck of cards, purchased and constructed from a limited pool of available cards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-02-27 |title=Magic for the Masses: So You Want to Play Magic: The Gathering? |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/games/magic-for-the-masses-so-you-want-to-play-magic-the/ |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=] |language=en}}</ref> A player typically starts the game with a "life total" of twenty and loses the game when the total is reduced to zero.<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2019-11-21 |title=How to play Magic: The Gathering: A beginner's guide |url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/magic-the-gathering-game/how-to/how-to-play-magic-the-gathering |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=Dicebreaker |language=en}}</ref> A player can lose the game if they must draw from an empty deck. Some cards specify other ways to win or lose the game.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |date=November 18, 2022|title=Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules |url=https://media.wizards.com/2022/downloads/MagicCompRules%2020221118.pdf|access-date=December 28, 2022|pages=6–11}}</ref><ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|50}} One of the "''Magic'' Golden Rules" is: "Whenever a card's text directly contradicts these rules, the card takes precedence".<ref name=":9" /> According to '']'', the game has many variants; "''Magic'' tends to embrace all that ], making it official when it catches on. Commander started as a fan-created format, after all."<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |last=Lancaster |first=Luke |date=January 26, 2017 |title='Mix and match' makes many kinds of Magic: The Gathering |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/gaming/magic-format-aether-revolt-commander-ben-hayes/ |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref> | |||
A player wins the game by eliminating all opponents. Players typically begin the game with 20 life and lose when any of the following conditions are met: | |||
* That player has 0 or fewer life | |||
* That player is required to draw a card but has no cards left in his or her library | |||
* That player has 10 or more poison counters (although poison cards are not printed very frequently) | |||
* Specific cards may also dictate (or prevent) other ways of winning or losing the game | |||
== |
=== Formats === | ||
{{Main|Magic: The Gathering formats}} | |||
At any given time, every card is located in one of the following "zones": | |||
''Magic'' can be played in various formats; each format provides additional rules for deck construction and gameplay, with many confining the pool of permitted cards to those released in a specified group of ''Magic'' ]. There are two main categories mandated by the ] (WPN): Tournament and Casual.<ref name=":17">{{Cite web |date=November 14, 2022|title={{title case|MAGIC: THE GATHERING® TOURNAMENT RULES}} |url=https://media.wizards.com/2022/wpn/marketing_materials/wpn/mtg_mtr_2022nov14_en.pdf|access-date=September 15, 2021 |website=Wizards Play Network}}</ref> The term "sanctioned" refers to formats the WPN allows to be run at official events.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Formats |url=http://magic.wizards.com/en/events/coverage/ptktk/friday-night-magic-changes-2014-10-14 |access-date=17 October 2016 |publisher=Wizards of the Coast|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118141614/https://magic.wizards.com/en/events/coverage/ptktk/friday-night-magic-changes-2014-10-14|archive-date=January 18, 2022}} </ref> Officially sanctioned events can add additional rules, such as the disallowance of ]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WotC Clarifies Proxy Position on 'Magic' |url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/33489/wotc-clarifies-proxy-position-magic |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=icv2.com |language=en}}</ref> | |||
Players have also invented alternative formats for playing the game, some of which Wizards of the Coast has accepted.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Švelch|first=Jan|date=2016|title=Platform Studies, Computational Essentialism, and Magic: The Gathering|url=https://analoggamestudies.org/2016/07/platform-studies-computational-essentialism-and-magic-the-gathering/|journal=Analog Game Studies|volume=3|issue=3|issn=2643-7112}}</ref> Some of these formats use rules or sets of cards that differ from those used in sanctioned tournament play.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.americanpopularculture.com/journal/articles/spring_2017/crutcher.htm|title= Magic: The Gathering, A Literary Text|journal=Americana: The Journal of American Popular Culture|date=Spring 2017|volume=16|issue=1}}</ref> One of the most popular formats of ''Magic'' is ], which is a casual sanctioned format.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=2020-05-28 |title=Commander: The definitive history of Magic's most popular format |url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/5/28/21266763/magic-the-gathering-commander-origins-elder-dragon-highlander-alaska-menery |access-date=2021-09-14 |website=Polygon |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Xavier |date=2021-07-30 |title=Deckbuilding thrives in Magic: The Gathering's casual format Commander |url=https://dotesports.com/mtg/news/deckbuilding-thrives-in-magic-the-gatherings-casual-format-commander |access-date=2021-09-14 |website=Dot Esports |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2020-01-14 |title=Magic: The Gathering's most popular formats explained |url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/categories/trading-card-game/how-to/magic-the-gathering-popular-formats |access-date=2021-09-14 |website=Dicebreaker |language=en}}</ref> | |||
'''Library''': The portion of the player's deck that is kept face down and is normally in random order (shuffled). When drawing a card, it is always the top card of the library. This is often erroneously refereed to as a players deck. However, the rules of Magic state that all cards in play (on the battlefield), in a player's hand, in the graveyard, exiled by any means, and even in the sideboard technically make up the players "deck." | |||
Formats can be further divided into Constructed and Limited formats.<ref name="SANC">{{Cite web |title=Sanctioned Formats |url=http://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/rules-and-formats/formats |access-date=17 October 2016 |publisher=]}}</ref><ref name=":14" /> Constructed formats require decks to be made prior to participation; players are allowed to use any tournament-legal cards they possess. Sanctioned Constructed formats include ], ], ], and ].<ref name="SANC" /><ref name="formats">{{cite web|url=https://dotesports.com/news/mtg-basics-competitive-formats|title=MTG Basics: Competitive formats|first1=Ferguson|last1=Mitchell|date=October 17, 2019|website=Dot Esports}}</ref> Limited formats, in contrast, use a restricted and unknown pool of cards that is usually formed by opening ''Magic'' products. Limited competition require players to select cards and build decks during the tournament. The primary two sanctioned Limited formats are Sealed Deck and Booster Draft.<ref name="SANC" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-04-28 |title=Magic for the Masses: Drafting for Dummies |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/games/magic-for-the-masses-drafting-for-dummies/ |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=] |language=en}}</ref> | |||
'''Hand''': A player's hand of cards that can be played. They are kept hidden from other players. If a player has more than seven cards in hand at the end of his or her turn, any extras must be discarded. | |||
=== Deck construction === | |||
'''Battlefield''': The zone where permanents are placed and stay until otherwise removed. (See ]) Unlike other zones, the battlefield is shared by all players. | |||
{{Main|Magic: The Gathering deck types}} | |||
Deck construction requires strategy; players must choose cards to play from thousands of cards, requiring players to evaluate the power of their cards, the possible synergies between them, and their possible interactions with the cards they expect to play against. This "metagame" can vary by location and time period.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2003 |title=A Beginners Guide to Magic the Gathering |url=http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~kel/MTG/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106070603/http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~kel/MTG/ |archive-date=November 6, 2015 |access-date=July 24, 2009 |publisher=Kim E Lumbard}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=2015-03-23 |title=Magic for the Masses: Standard Deck Construction on a Budget |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/games/magic-for-the-masses-standard-deck-construction-on/ |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=] |language=en}}</ref> The player restricts the choice of cards by deciding which colors to include in the deck.<ref name=":8" /> Starter decks, which are part of the ''Magic'' product line, are aimed at giving novice players ideas for deck construction.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carrillo |first=Jaime |date=June 13, 2019 |title=Magic: The Gathering: A definitive guide to MtG for beginners |url=https://www.dailydot.com/bazaar/magic-the-gathering/ |access-date=February 29, 2020 |website=]}}</ref> Players expand their card library for deck construction through ]s, which have a random distribution of cards from a specific ''Magic'' set and are defined by rarity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/mtg-booster-packs-guide-draft-set-theme-collectors-packs-explained/|title=Magic The Gathering Booster Packs Guide: Draft, Set, Theme And Collector's Booster Packs Explained|first1=Joe|last1=Parlock|date=September 27, 2021|website=TheGamer}}</ref> These rarities are known as Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Mythic Rare; more-powerful cards are generally the rarest.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamepur.com/guides/mtg-card-rarities-explained|title= Magic: The Gathering card rarities explained|first1=Nicholas|last1=Wilson|date=December 1, 2020|website=Gamepur}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://dotesports.com/mtg/news/magic-the-gathering-card-rarities-explained|title=Magic: The Gathering card rarities explained|first1=Max|last1=Micell|website=Dot Esports|date=4 May 2021 }}</ref> | |||
== Initial setup == | |||
'''Graveyard''': A player's discard pile. When a card on the battlefield is destroyed, a card is discarded from hand, or after a single-use card is used, it is put in its owner's graveyard. These cards are face up, and can be examined by any player at any time. | |||
===Beginning and ending the game=== | |||
'''The stack''': This is the place for spells and abilities that have been cast or played, but have not yet resolved. While there are any spells or abilities on the stack, no player may play any spells that are not instants or allowed to be played as instants. This zone is also shared by all players. See ]. Playing a land does not use the stack. | |||
Each player uses their own deck to play the game. In most formats, a deck must have a minimum of 60 cards;<ref>{{Cite web |title=Standard |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/formats/standard |website=Magic: The Gathering}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> there is no maximum deck size but a player must be able to shuffle their deck without assistance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Modern Format |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/formats/modern |website=Magic: The Gathering}}</ref><ref name="how to build">{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/magic-mtg-build-standard-format-60-card-deck/|title=How To Build A Magic: The Gathering Standard Format 60-Card Deck|first1=Sarah|last1=Lindquist|date=October 11, 2021|website=Screen Rant}}</ref> Some formats have exceptions or additional limitations to these rules.<ref name=":1" /> In tournaments, players may be allowed to use a ] containing up to 15 cards that can be swapped for cards in the main deck in between games.<ref name="for dummies">{{cite book|title=Trading Card Games For Dummies|last1=Kaufeld|first1=John|last2=Smith|first2=Jeremy|publisher=]|year=2006|isbn=0-470-04407-1|url=https://archive.org/details/tradingcardgames00kauf}}</ref>{{rp|61}} | |||
At the beginning of a game, each player shuffles their deck and draws seven cards to form their starting hand.<ref name="for dummies" />{{Rp|page=50}} The players may choose to ] if they do not like their starting hand.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2020-07-10 |title=Magic: The Gathering - When & Why to Mulligan Your Hand |url=https://www.cbr.com/magic-the-gathering-when-why-mulligan-hand/ |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> | |||
'''Exile''': Cards that have been exiled by specific effects wind up here. Unless a card says otherwise, cards in this zone are face-up. Comparatively few cards and abilities affect cards in the exile zone. | |||
A player wins the game by eliminating all opponents. Players typically begin the game with 20 life and generally lose when their life-total reaches zero or they run out of cards in their deck,<ref name=":20" /><ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|50}} although there are other ways of losing the game.<ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|50}} | |||
'''Command''': Used mainly in some variant formats of play, cards that have a special status or abilities within the game are kept here. Examples are the "scheme" cards used in ] or "plane" cards used for a ] game. Cards in the Command Zone can be affected by virtually nothing that affects cards in the other zones. | |||
==== London Mulligan ==== | |||
==Paying costs== | |||
The London Mulligan rule was implemented for all competitive ''Magic'' formats in 2019. In turn order, each player may decide to mulligan; that player shuffles their hand and library together, and draws a new hand of seven cards. A player can do this as many times as they wish. They then put a card on the bottom of their library for each time they took a mulligan.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-03 |title=Magic: The Gathering is Getting a New Mulligan Rule |url=https://screenrant.com/magic-the-gathering-london-mulligan-rule/ |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Forster |first=Danny |date=2019-06-03 |title=Magic: The Gathering will implement London Mulligan rule across all formats |url=https://dotesports.com/mtg/news/mtg-implement-london-mulligan-rule-across-all-formats |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=Dot Esports |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
===Tapping and untapping=== | |||
Some spells or abilities require the player to ''tap'' a permanent as part of their cost. To indicate that a card in play has been tapped, it is turned sideways. An ability or spell that requires tapping cannot be used if the permanent is already tapped. Furthermore, a tapped creature cannot be declared as an attacker or blocker. | |||
===Zones=== | |||
Instead of a cost, tapping can also be the effect of a spell or ability. In such a case, it makes no difference if that permanent was already tapped. A creature that attacks also gets tapped, unless it has vigilance, but a defending creature does not. Unless stated otherwise, tapping does not stop continuous abilities (e.g. enchantments or equipments) or triggered abilities from taking effect, nor does it disallow the use of abilities that do not require tapping. | |||
] | |||
At any one time, every card is located in one of the following "zones": | |||
At the beginning of each player's turn, that player ''untaps'' all cards he or she controls and can be tapped again as normal. | |||
* '''Library''': The portion of the player's deck that is kept face down and is normally in random order (shuffled).<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=October 1, 2021 |title=How to play Magic the Gathering Arena: getting started in MTG |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/magic-the-gathering-arena/how-to-play-mtg |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=] |language=en-GB}}</ref> | |||
===Mana=== | |||
* '''Hand''': A player's hidden hand of cards that can be played. If a player has more than seven cards in hand at the end of their turn, any extras must be discarded.<ref name=":18" /> | |||
When a card that can produce mana is tapped for mana, that mana is put in his or her "mana pool". There are five colors of mana: white, blue, black, red and green. Mana can also be colorless. | |||
* '''Battlefield''': Cards that are in play and actively influencing the game.<ref name="complexity" /> | |||
* '''Graveyard''': A player's discard pile.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Orf |first=Darren |date=2020-08-11 |title=So You Want to Play 'Magic: The Gathering' |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/a26331076/how-to-play-magic-the-gathering/ |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=Popular Mechanics |language=en-US}}</ref> Typically, "creatures, enchantments, and artifacts stay on the playing field whereas sorceries and instants are placed in your discard pile ... after casting their one-time effect".<ref name=":5" /> | |||
Mana in the mana pool can be used to pay costs. For example, a player plays a {{mtgcard|Swamp}}, then taps that swamp to add 1 black mana to his mana pool. Then, he uses that mana to cast {{mtgcard|Dark Ritual}}. Dark Ritual adds 3 black mana to that player's mana pool. He then uses two black mana to cast {{mtgcard|Night's Whisper}}, which costs 1 generic and 1 black mana (1B). The player has now used two of the three black mana in his mana pool. The one left over is "floating," meaning it can be used any time during the remainder of the phase. | |||
* '''The stack''': This is the place for spells and abilities that have been cast or played, but have not yet resolved.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-19 |title=How to Play 'Magic: The Gathering': The Stack |url=https://geekmom.com/2021/02/how-to-play-magic-the-gathering-the-stack/ |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=] |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
* '''Exile''': Cards that have been exiled by specific effects are put here. Unlike the graveyard, exile is "the place where cards go when they're ''really'' dead and can't be replayed back into the game".<ref name=":4" /> | |||
===Mana costs and colors=== | |||
* '''Command''': In the ] format, each player's commander is put here at the start of the game and returns when it leaves the battlefield.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/magic-the-gathering-commander-edh-guide/|title=Magic The Gathering: Everything You Need To Know About The Commander Format|first1=Joe|last1=Parlock|website=The Gamer|date=16 November 2021 }}</ref> | |||
Most cards other than lands have a mana cost. This is the amount of ] that must be spent to cast that card as a spell. Each mana symbol in the top right corner of the card represents one mana of that color that must be paid. A number in a gray circle next to the mana symbols represents how much additional generic mana must be paid; this additional mana can be of any color or colorless. For example, the cards {{mtgcard|Underworld Dreams}}, {{mtgcard|Hypnotic Specter}}, {{mtgcard|Warpath Ghoul}} and {{mtgcard|Whispersilk Cloak}} all cost three mana. However, the first card requires three black mana, while the last can be paid for with three mana of any color or combination of colors. The middle two cards require two and one mana, respectively, that must be black; the remainder can be any color. Note that the first three cards are black, but Whispersilk Cloak is colorless. | |||
== Terminology == | |||
Some cards may require their owner to pay mana of two or more colors. These cards are ''multicolored''. Some multicolored cards also use ''hybrid'' mana, which can be paid with one of two different colors. For example, the card {{mtgcard|Golgari Guildmage}} can be cast by spending either two black, two green, or one black and one green mana. Some cards have costs which can be paid with any color of mana, but are cheaper when a color requirement is met. For example, {{mtgcard|Beseech the Queen}} costs either three black mana, two black and two other, one black and four other, or six mana of any color. In all cases, a card's color is determined by the mana symbols in its cost, and not by the specific mana used to cast it. | |||
===Abilities=== | ===Abilities=== | ||
Types of abilities include: | |||
There are three main types of abilities that cards on the battlefield, or "permanents," may have: activated abilities, triggered abilities, and static abilities. | |||
* '''Activated abilities''' have a cost and an effect, which are separated using a colon. A player may activate such an ability at any time by paying the cost.<ref name="abilities primary">{{Cite web |date=November 14, 2022|title=Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules |url=https://media.wizards.com/2022/downloads/MagicCompRules%2020221118.pdf|access-date=December 28, 2022|page=23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/magic-the-gathering-activated-triggered-ability/#what-is-a-triggered-ability|title=Magic The Gathering: What Are Activated And Triggered Abilities?|first1=Joe|last1=Parlock|website=The Gamer|date=6 January 2022 }}</ref> | |||
''Activated abilities'' are abilities of a card that are always written in the form "{Cost}: {Effect}". Paying the cost allows a player to produce the effect. Costs may include paying mana, tapping the card, discarding cards, or other things. Like instants, these abilities can be played at nearly any time during the game (see timing and the stack). Activated Abilities, like instants, go on the stack. | |||
* '''Triggered abilities''' begin with the word "when", "whenever" or "at". The ability is put on the stack when the trigger event occurs.<ref name="abilities primary" /><ref name="journal" /> | |||
* '''Static abilities''' are written as statements that modify the rules of the game.<ref name="abilities primary" /><ref name="journal" /> | |||
====Keyword abilities==== | |||
''Triggered abilities'' look for a particular event, time, or game state, and then produce an effect when that occurs. These abilities contain a trigger condition (which will use one of the words "when", "whenever", or "at"), usually at the start of the ability, and then an effect. Whenever the trigger condition is met, these abilities are automatically "triggered", then go on the ] and resolve like other spells and abilities. The card may also lay out additional conditions that must be met for the effect to occur (using the word "if"). Note that abilities starting with "as" or "if" are not triggered abilities and therefore do not use the stack. If multiple triggered abilities' conditions are met at the same time, those controlled by the active player (the player whose turn it is) are put on the stack first. Each player chooses the order in which his or her triggered abilities are put on the stack. | |||
{{Main article|List of Magic: The Gathering keywords}} | |||
Some cards, which are called "keyword abilities", have abilities that are not fully explained on the card and consist of a word or phrase whose meaning is defined in the rules. Keyword abilities are usually given reminder text in the set in which they are introduced. There are over forty such abilities. In most cases, multiple instances of the same keyword on an object have no additional effect. Keywords can be classified as Evergreen and Mechanics.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Top 10 Evergreen Keywords by Abe Sargent |language=en-US |work=GatheringMagic.com |url=http://www.gatheringmagic.com/abesargent-082112-top-10-evergreen-keywords/ |access-date=2018-05-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=February 3, 2021 |title=Magic the Gathering: Arena keyword abilities explained |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/magic-the-gathering-arena/keywords-abilities |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=] |language=en-GB}}</ref> Evergreen keywords "can appear in absolutely any set, since its gameplay effects and flavor are flexible and generic enough to fit anywhere. Effects like trample, flying, deathtouch, first strike and haste are examples of this".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-07 |title=How Scrying Became Magic: The Gathering's Newest Evergreen Keyword |url=https://www.cbr.com/mtg-scry-keyword/ |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref> Abilities classified as Mechanics are rotated in and out of the game as expansions are released.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-28 |title=The 5 Mechanics You Need to Know to Play 'Magic the Gathering: Kaldheim' |url=https://geekmom.com/2021/01/the-5-mechanics-you-need-to-know-to-play-magic-the-gathering-kaldheim/ |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |date=2021-03-29 |title=Magic: The Gathering Strixhaven Mechanics Explained |url=https://gamerant.com/magic-gathering-strixhaven-mechanics-explained/ |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=Game Rant |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldberg |first=J. R. |date=March 30, 2017 |title=Magic: The Gathering's Head Designer Has A Damn Hard Job |url=https://kotaku.com/magic-the-gatherings-head-designer-has-a-damn-hard-job-1793792384 |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=Kotaku |language=en-us}}</ref> According to ''Game Rant'': "most planes have some unique rules that are only relevant on cards from specific sets" and "new mechanics are constantly added to shake things up and give the players new tools to work with".<ref name=":13" /> | |||
''Static abilities'' are general effects that alter cards on the battlefield, or the rules of the game. If an ability is not activated or triggered, it is static. These abilities are always "on". Static abilities only work while the card is on the battlefield, unless otherwise stated or if the ability only makes sense if it applies from a different zone. For example, a card that refers to casting itself from the graveyard will only work from the graveyard; one that refers to casting any other card from the graveyard will not. A static ability takes effect as soon as the card enters the battlefield. Once the card leaves the battlefield, the ability stops working. Static abilities never use the stack, although they may change the game state and trigger triggered abilities. | |||
== |
===Mana=== | ||
All objects that remain on the battlefield are called ''permanents''. Types of permanents include lands, creatures, enchantments, artifacts, and planeswalkers. In contrast, sorceries and instants go to the graveyard immediately after they are used. | |||
When a player uses an ability that produces ], that mana is put in their "mana pool". Mana can be white, blue, black, red, green or colorless. Mana in the mana pool can be used to pay costs.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Howard |first=Jeff |title=Game Magic: A Designer's Guide to Magic Systems in Theory and Practice |date=2014 |publisher=CRC Press, Taylor and Francis |isbn=978-1-4665-6787-0 |location=Boca Raton, FL |pages=105–110 |oclc=878262785}}</ref> | |||
===Types of cards=== | |||
Land cards tap to produce ] that is used to cast spells and activate abilities. They cost no mana to play; however, a player may play no more than one land per turn, and only during the main phase of his or her own turn. There are five types of basic lands, one for each color. These lands can each be tapped to produce one mana of the appropriate color. Other lands are non-basic and may produce other combinations or amounts of mana, or may have other abilities. Lands are not spells and cannot be countered. Lands are colorless, regardless of what colors of mana they may produce. Playing a land does not use the ] and therefore occurs immediately, with no way for any player to stop it. Players are allowed to have any number of basic lands in a deck, but nonbasic lands follow the usual restriction of four copies of any one card per deck. | |||
] | |||
All objects that remain on the battlefield are called ''permanents'', types of which include lands, creatures, enchantments, artifacts, and planeswalkers. Sorceries and instants go to the graveyard immediately after they are used.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Ferguson |date=2019-07-15 |title=MTG basics: Introduction to Magic: The Gathering |url=https://dotesports.com/news/mtg-basics-introduction-to-magic-the-gathering |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=2018-05-30 |title=Magic: The Gathering 101 – Deck Building Fundamentals |url=https://nerdist.com/article/magic-the-gathering-101-deck-building-fundamentals/ |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=] |language=en}}</ref> | |||
===Creatures=== | |||
Creatures represent people or beasts that are summoned to the battlefield to attack opposing players and defend their controller from the attacks of enemy creatures. They normally cannot attack or use an ability with the "tap symbol" on the first turn they enter the battlefield. This is known as "summoning sickness." Creatures have two values that represent their strength in combat, printed on the lower right-hand corner of the card. The first number is the creature's power, the amount of damage it deals in combat. The second number is its toughness; if it receives that much damage in a single turn, the creature is destroyed and placed in the graveyard. | |||
====Lands==== | |||
Creatures usually have one or more creature types, located after the word "creature" in the type line. Creature types are simply markers and have no inherent abilities; for example, having the Bird type does not automatically give a creature the "flying" ability. Some non-creature cards have the "Tribal" type, which allows them to have creature types without being creatures themselves. | |||
Land cards tap to produce mana that is used to cast spells and activate abilities. They cost no mana to play but a player may play no more than one land per turn, and only during the main phases of their own turn.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":4" /> There are six types of basic lands; Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, Forest, and Wastes, one for each color plus Wastes for colorless.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dotesports.com/mtg/news/what-do-magic-the-gathering-mana-symbols-mean|title=What do Magic: The Gathering mana symbols mean?|website=Dot Esports|date=February 25, 2021|first1=Max|last1=Miceli}}</ref> These lands can each be tapped to produce one mana of the appropriate color. Other lands are non-basic and may produce other combinations or amounts of mana, or may have other abilities.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":11" /> Playing a land does not use the stack and therefore occurs immediately and no player can stop it.<ref name="wargamer stack" /> Players are allowed to have any number of basic lands in a deck,<ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|44}} whereas all other cards are limited to four copies per deck.<ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|42}} | |||
=== |
====Creatures==== | ||
Creatures represent people or beasts that are summoned to the battlefield to attack opposing creatures or players and defend their controller from attacks by enemy creatures.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":4" /> Creatures have two values that represent their strength in combat; these are printed on the card's lower right-hand corner. The first number is the creature's power, the amount of damage it causes in combat.<ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|44}} The second number is its toughness;<ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|44}} if it receives that much damage in a single turn, the creature is destroyed and placed in the graveyard.<ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|51}} Creatures are divided into creature types, such as "goblin" or "wizard".<ref name="journal">{{cite arXiv|eprint=2003.05119|last1=Biderman |first1=Stella |title=Magic: The Gathering is as Hard as Arithmetic |year=2020 |class=cs.AI }}</ref> Creatures of the same type often synergize well with each other, causing players to build decks based entirely on one type of creature.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/magic-the-gathering-game/best-games/best-mtg-tribes|title=10 best tribes in Magic: The Gathering|first1=Jason|last1=Coles|date=October 19, 2021|website=Dicebreaker}}</ref> | |||
Enchantments represent persistent magical effects; they are spells that remain on the battlefield and alter some aspect of the game. | |||
====Enchantments==== | |||
Some enchantments are attached to other cards on the battlefield (often creatures); these are known as Auras. They describe what they can be attached to in their "Enchant <something>" ability. For example, an Aura with "Enchant green creature" can only be attached to a green creature. If the card an Aura is attached to leaves the battlefield, or stops matching the Enchant ability, the Aura goes to the graveyard. | |||
Enchantments represent persistent magical effects; they are spells that remain on the battlefield and alter some aspect of the game. Some enchantments are attached to other cards on the battlefield—often creatures); these are known as Auras. These enchantments affect that card in some way, and are automatically put into the graveyard when the card they are enchanting leaves the battlefield.<ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|46}} | |||
====Artifacts==== | |||
Early in Magic, there was a subset of enchantments known as "World Enchantments" that effected all players equally (for example, forcing them to play with their top card of their library revealed). Now, such enchantments need not carry the "World" designations. Later, Tribal Enchantments were introduced, as were Curses, enchantments that targeted one player specifically. | |||
Artifacts represent magical items, animated constructs, pieces of equipment, or other objects and devices. Like enchantments, artifacts remain on the battlefield until something removes them.<ref name=":5" /> Some artifacts are Equipment.<ref name=":5" /> Each equipment has a Equip cost; a player can pay to give that equipment to one of their creatures, strengthening the creature. Unlike Auras, which are destroyed when the object they are enchanting leaves play, equipment can be re-equipped by another creature if its original user leaves play.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/magic-gathering-equipment-weapon-war/|first1=Louis|last1=Kemner|date=December 3, 2020|website=CBR|title=Magic: The Gathering - How Equipment Became the Premier Weapons of War}}</ref> | |||
====Sorceries and instants==== | |||
===Artifacts=== | |||
Sorceries and instants represent one-shot or short-term magical spells. They never enter the battlefield but take effect and are immediately put into their owner's graveyard.<ref name=":5" /> Sorceries and instants differ only in the time they can be cast. Sorceries may only be cast during the player's own main phases,<ref name=":5" /> and only when the stack is empty. Instants can be cast at any time, including during other players' turns and while another spell or ability is waiting to resolve.<ref name=":5" /> | |||
Artifacts represent magical items, animated constructs, pieces of equipment, or other objects and devices. Like enchantments, artifacts remain on the battlefield until something removes them. Many artifacts are also creatures; artifact creatures may attack and block as other creatures, and are affected by things that affect creatures. | |||
==== Interrupts ==== | |||
Some artifacts are Equipment. Equipment cards enter the battlefield just like any other artifact, but may be attached to creatures using their Equip ability. This ability may only be used at the same time a player would be able to play a sorcery (i.e. only during the main phase of the player who controls it). The player who controls the Equipment pays the Equip cost and attaches it to a creature he or she also controls, unattaching it from any creature it was already attached to. In this way, the Equipment may be "unequipped" from a creature by paying the Equip cost and moving it to another creature. However, it may not be "unequipped" by choosing no creature; if for any reason the Equip ability cannot move the Equipment, it remains attached to its current creature. Like Auras, if control of the equipped creature changes, control of the Equipment does not change, nor is it unequipped. Unlike Auras, if an equipped creature is destroyed or otherwise leaves the battlefield, the Equipment stays on the battlefield unattached to anything; its controller can still attach it to a different creature by activating the Equip ability again. You can only equip equipment to creatures you control. | |||
Prior to the introduction of the stack in the ], there was another type of spell called an "Interrupt". Interrupts functioned similarly to instants; they could be played at any time but players could only respond to interrupts with other interrupts and could not use instants or activate abilities.<ref name="rules of the road">{{cite web|url=http://www.vintagemagic.com/blog/old-school-magic-chapter-10-rules-of-the-road/|title=Old School Magic: Chapter 10 — Rules of the Road|date=March 27, 2017|first1=Steve|last1=Menendian|website=Vintage Magic}}</ref> | |||
===Planeswalkers=== | ====Planeswalkers==== | ||
According to ''Magic'' lore, the player is a ''planeswalker'', a wizard who can travel between different realms or universes (planes);<ref name="planeswalkers">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/magic-the-gathering-what-are-planeswalker-cards/|title=Magic The Gathering: What Are Planeswalker Cards?|first1=Joe|last1=Parlock|date=April 29, 2022|website=The Gamer}}</ref> as such, planeswalker cards represent scaled-down versions of other players, whose decks are represented by the card's abilities. Planeswalker cards were originally designed to move autonomously through a roster of effects without player control.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosewater |date=2009-10-02 |title=Planeswalk on the Wild Side, part 1 |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/making-magic/planeswalk-wild-side-part-i-2007-11-05}}</ref> Most planeswalkers are legendary and subject to the "legend rule"; if a player controls more than one legendary planeswalker with the same name, that player chooses one and puts the other into their owner's graveyard.<ref>Matt Tabak. (August 28th, 2017) </ref><ref name="planeswalkers" /> | |||
Planeswalkers' abilities are based on their ''loyalty'', which is tracked with counters |
Planeswalkers' abilities are based on their ''loyalty'', which is tracked with counters. Planeswalkers' loyalty abilities each have a positive or negative loyalty cost that denotes the number of counters that must be added (if positive) or removed (if negative) to activate that ability. Regardless of the loyalty costs, a single planeswalker may use only one loyalty ability once per turn,<ref name="planeswalkers" /> and only on its controller's turn during their main phases.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-03-26 |title=Magic: The Gathering Planeswalker Rules |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/planeswalker-cards|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923193042/https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/planeswalker-cards|archive-date=September 23, 2022}}</ref> Loyalty counters equal to any damage the planeswalker takes are also removed.<ref name="planeswalkers" /> A planeswalker with no loyalty counters, either through use of its abilities or through damage, is put into the player's graveyard.<ref name="complexity">{{cite journal|doi=10.3233/978-1-61499-672-9-1432|title=The Complexity of Deciding Legality of a Single Step of Magic: The Gathering |journal=Ecai 2016 |year=2016 |pages=1432–1439 |last1=Chatterjee |first1=Krishnendu |last2=Ibsen-Jensen |first2=Rasmus }}</ref> | ||
Planeswalkers are not creatures so they cannot directly attack or block. Creatures can attack an opponent's planeswalkers rather than the opponent themself. Those creatures may be blocked normally but if not blocked, they damage the planeswalker instead of the player.<ref name="planeswalkers" /> | |||
== Gameplay == | |||
===Sorceries and instants=== | |||
Sorceries and instants both represent one-shot or short-term magical spells. They never enter the battlefield. Instead, they take effect and then are immediately put into their owner's graveyard. | |||
=== Phases === | |||
Sorceries and instants differ only in ''when'' they can be cast. Sorceries may only be cast during the player's own main phase, and only when the stack is empty. Instants, on the other hand, can be cast at any time, including during other players' turns and while another spell or ability is waiting to resolve (see ]). | |||
''Magic'' officially labels its gameplay phases "as Begin, Main Phase, Combat, Second Main Phase, and End".<ref name=":5" /> | |||
== |
====Begin==== | ||
The beginning phase has three parts:<ref name=":20">{{Cite web |date=2019-11-13 |title=Magic: The Gathering Arena - the beginner's guide |url=https://www.pcinvasion.com/magic-the-gathering-arena-beginners-guide-mtg-arena/ |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=PC Invasion |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
===Beginning phase=== | |||
The beginning phase is composed of three parts, or "steps." The first thing a player does is untap all cards he or she controls in the "untap step." Then, any abilities that trigger on the "upkeep step" happen. These often include cards that require mana payments every turn. Then the player draws a card in the "draw step." In two-player games, the player who takes the first turn does not draw a card for that turn. | |||
* '''Untap step''': a player untaps all of the cards they control.<ref name=":18">{{Cite web |date=2021-09-24 |title=Magic The Gathering Turns Explained: Phase Guide |url=https://www.thegamer.com/magic-the-gathering-turns-explained-phase-guide/ |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=TheGamer |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":19">{{Cite web |last=Knutson |first=Ted |date=November 4, 2006 |title=The Dynamics of a Turn |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/dynamics-turn-2006-11-04|access-date=2021-10-17 |website=Magic: The Gathering |language=en}}</ref> | |||
No player receives priority during the untap step, meaning that no cards or abilities can be played at that time. During the upkeep and draw steps, however, players can cast instants and activate abilities as normal. | |||
* '''Upkeep step''': then, any abilities that trigger on the "upkeep step" happen, starting with the player of the current turn. These often include cards that require mana payments at every turn.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> | |||
* '''Draw step''': a player then draws a card.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> In two-player games, the player who takes the first turn does not draw a card for that turn.<ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|50}} | |||
No cards or abilities can be played during the untap step. During the upkeep and draw steps, players can cast instants and activate abilities as normal.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> | |||
===First main phase=== | |||
Most of the Magic happens during the main phase. The main phase occurs immediately after the draw phase. During the main phase, a player may play any card from his or her hand unless that card specifies otherwise, and as long as he or she has the mana to pay its casting cost. This means creature, planeswalker, sorcery, instant, land, enchantment, and artifact cards are all acceptable to play. This is a player's chance to bring something onto the field. | |||
====Main==== | |||
Usually, players will start their main phase by playing a land. Then, as long as they have the mana to pay the casting cost, they will play any number of cards from their hand, reading the card's name so that other players may hear. | |||
The main phase occurs immediately after the draw step; in this phase, the player can put cards onto the field. They may play any card from their hand, unless that card specifies otherwise, providing they have enough mana to pay for its casting; this includes creature, planeswalker, sorcery, instant, land, enchantment, and artifact cards. Players may play only one land per turn.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> | |||
====Combat==== | |||
Once a player is ready to attack, he or she may end their main phase by declaring that the combat phase has started, or by simply attacking with their creatures. | |||
The combat phase has five steps. Players may not cast spells during combat, except for instants, activated abilities, and spells that are noted as being able to be played at any time (e.g., creatures with flash). Multiple creatures may attack at the same time but the turn player may declare their list of attackers only once.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> | |||
* '''Beginning of combat''': players may cast spells and activate abilities that may alter the progress of combat. As the commonest example, only untapped creatures may attack, so the defending player may cast instants or activate abilities that will tap a creature, preventing it from attacking.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> | |||
===Combat phase=== | |||
* '''Declare attackers''': the player whose turn it is declares which creatures they control will attack. Both players may cast instants and activate abilities after attackers have been declared.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> | |||
The combat phase is split into five steps. It represents a point in the magical duel where the active player sends his or her creatures to attack the opposing player, in the hopes of doing damage to the player or the player's creatures. Aside from instants, activated abilities, and spells that are specifically noted as being able to be played at any time (ie, creatures with flash), players may not cast spells during combat. | |||
* '''Declare blockers''': the defending player chooses creatures with which they will block. A blocking creature must be untapped. Each creature can block only one attacker, but multiple defending creatures can block the same attacker. Both players may cast instants and activate abilities after blockers have been declared.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> | |||
*'''Combat damage''': attacking and blocking creatures deal damage. If a creature has multiple blockers, that creature’s controller chooses the order in which they are damaged.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> | |||
* '''End of combat''': nothing normally happens during this phase, although players have another opportunity to act.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> | |||
==== |
====Second main phase==== | ||
The second main phase is identical to the first; the player may cast spells and play a land if they have not already played one.<ref name=":20" /><ref name=":18" /> | |||
No specific actions take place at the beginning of combat step. This step mainly exists to allow players to cast spells and activate abilities that may alter how combat progresses. As the most common example, only untapped creatures may attack, so the defending player may cast instants or activate abilities that will tap a creature, preventing it from attacking. | |||
==== |
====End==== | ||
The ending phase has two steps: | |||
The player whose turn it is declares which creatures he or she controls will attack. In most cases, creatures that are tapped, or that entered the battlefield this turn (i.e., creatures with summoning sickness) may not attack. Attacking causes a creature to become tapped. Both players are given a chance to cast instants and activate abilities after attackers have been declared. | |||
* '''End step''': abilities that trigger "at the beginning of the end step" go on the stack. This is the player's last chance to cast instants or activate abilities this turn.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> | |||
==== Declare blockers ==== | |||
* '''Cleanup''': the active player discards down to their maximum hand size, then simultaneously all damage marked on permanents is removed and all "until end of turn" and "this turn" effects end. Players can only act during the cleanup step in the rare event an ability triggers.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> | |||
After the attacking player declares attackers, the defending player chooses which creatures he or she will block with. A creature must be untapped in order for it to block. Unlike attacking, the act of blocking does not cause the blocking creatures to tap, and creatures with summoning sickness can block. Each creature can only block a single attacker, but the defending player may choose to block an attacking creature with more than one creature. Both players are given a chance to cast instants and activate abilities after blockers have been declared. | |||
After this phase is completed, the next active player starts their turn at the beginning phase.<ref name=":18" /> | |||
==== Combat damage ==== | |||
Attacking creatures that weren't blocked deal damage equal to their power to the player(s) or planeswalker(s) they are attacking. The amount of damage dealt is deducted from the player's life total or the planeswalker's loyalty counters. Attacking creatures that were blocked deal damage equal to their power to the creature(s) that blocked them, and blocking creatures deal damage equal to their power to the attacking creature they blocked. If a creature is blocked by multiple creatures, the attacking player chooses how to distribute the creature's damage among the blockers. Any attacking creature that is blocked, but whose blocker is removed from combat before this step, stays blocked and deals no combat damage. If a creature is dealt damage equal to or greater than its toughness, it is destroyed and is put into its owner's graveyard. | |||
===Paying costs=== | |||
If creatures with ] or ] are involved in combat, an extra combat damage step is created, and their damage is dealt first. If a creature without first strike or double strike is destroyed by first strike damage, it will not deal combat damage. | |||
==== |
====Tapping and untapping==== | ||
] | |||
Like the beginning of combat, nothing normally happens during this step. Players have a chance to cast instants and activate abilities after combat, but before the main part of the player's turn starts again. | |||
Some spells and abilities require the player to ''tap'' a permanent as part of their cost, meaning they cannot use the ability again for the remainder of the turn.<ref name="for dummies"/>{{rp|46}} A creature that attacks is also tapped but a creature that blocks is not.<ref name="wargamer howto">{{cite web|url=https://www.wargamer.com/magic-the-gathering/how-to-play|title=How to play Magic: The Gathering – your beginner's guide to mana, cards, and combat |website=Wargamer |first1=Matt|last1=Basil |date=May 26, 2022}}</ref> A tapped creature cannot be declared as an attacker or blocker.<ref name="wargamer howto" /> | |||
===Second main phase=== | |||
After the combat phase there is another main phase. The second main phase is identical to the first, except you can not put down land unless you did not in your first main phase. | |||
At the beginning of each player's turn, the player ''untaps'' all cards they control, unless otherwise stated by a card's effect, and they can again be tapped as normal.<ref name=":20" /><ref name="wargamer howto" /> | |||
===Ending phase=== | |||
The ending phase has two steps: "end step" and "cleanup". During the end step, abilities that trigger "at the beginning of the end step" go on the stack. This is the last chance players have to cast instants or activate abilities this turn. | |||
== |
====Mana costs and colors==== | ||
Most cards other than lands, when cast as a spell, incur a mana cost. Cards may require mana of any color or combination of colors, including generic costs that can be paid with mana of any color.<ref name=":20" /> | |||
The most versatile aspect of ''Magic'' is that after most spells and abilities are cast or activated, but before they actually take effect ("resolve"), all players get a chance to "respond" to them. This means they can cast a different spell or activate another ability that will resolve first, often either invalidating or reinforcing the effect of the first spell. The mechanism that accomplishes this is called "the stack." It is where spells and abilities go to wait for any responses that may get played. | |||
'']'' commented:<blockquote>One of the more important aspects of constructing a deck is the mana ratio. This ratio determines how many basic land cards players will need in their deck in order to 'cast' spell cards for combat and defense when playing a game. Too much mana can lead to players becoming 'mana swamped' or pulling out mostly basic mana cards and not enough spell cards to attack. The opposite can also happen where players become 'mana starved' and have too little mana to play their spell cards. ... There are a number of ways the calculate or estimate this more specifically, but a quick rule of thumb is that basic mana should make up approximately one-third of their ''Magic: The Gathering'' deck, or 20 to 24 cards in a 60-card deck.<ref name="how to build" /></blockquote> | |||
Spells that are permanents that end up on the battlefield; sorcery spells; and abilities that say "activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery" cannot be cast or activated as responses. They can only be cast or activated when the stack is empty, only on the turn of whoever casts or activates them, and only in a main phase. In contrast, activated abilities, instant spells, and spells that have the ability '']'' can be played on anybody's turn and in most steps of the game, go on the stack "on top of" anything that is already there, and will resolve first. Many players refer to this difference as "speed," but that is a misleading term, because neither is "faster" than the other; the only difference is when they can be played. | |||
==Timing== | |||
Playing lands, most abilities that produce mana, and certain other special actions do not use the stack; they bypass the rules below and take effect immediately. | |||
When a player casts a spell or activates an ability, it does not immediately take effect. The card is placed on the stack, allowing other players to respond to the ability. Most activated abilities and instant spells can be used as responses in this manner on any players' turn.<ref name=":5" /> Each new spell or ability is put on top of the stack, with the newest on top and the oldest at the bottom.<ref name="wargamer stack" /> When no player has more spells or abilities to add, spells and abilities on the stack resolve in top-to-bottom order.<ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|49}} | |||
Certain spells allow a player to ''counter'' other spells. These spells must be cast while the spells they will affect are still on the stack. If a spell is countered, it is moved from the stack to its owner's graveyard and does not resolve.<ref name="for dummies" />{{rp|49}} Playing lands and certain other special actions immediately take effect and do not use the stack.<ref name="wargamer stack">{{cite web|url=https://www.wargamer.com/magic-the-gathering/mtg-the-stack|title=MTG: The Stack – what is it, and how does it work?|first1=Jason|last1=Coles|date=January 14, 2022|website=]}}</ref> | |||
===The stack=== | |||
:''Note: This mechanic is nearly identical to the concept of a ] in computer science.'' | |||
== History == | |||
When a player casts a spell or activates an ability, it does not immediately take effect. Instead, it is placed on the stack. That player then receives ''priority'' again, which gives him or her a chance to respond to it with spells or abilities. Each new spell or ability is put on top of the stack in turn, with the newest on top and the oldest at the bottom. A player with priority can add as many spells or abilities to the stack as he or she can pay for, but is not required to; if a player declines to respond to the latest spell or ability, he or she "passes priority" to the next player in turn order. | |||
''Magic''{{'s}} Comprehensive Rules<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rules |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/rules |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=Magic: The Gathering |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Joshua |date=2019-09-27 |title="Magic: The Gathering" Comprehensive & "Oracle" Rules Changes |url=https://bleedingcool.com/games/magic-the-gathering-comprehensive-oracle-rules-changes/ |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=Bleeding Cool News And Rumors |language=en}}</ref> aim to "stabilize the rules" with errata and outline "special-case rulings".<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |last=Grey |first=Dan |date=June 1, 2009 |title=Simple Rules are the Holy Grail of Magic |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/simple-rules-are-holy-grail-magic-2009-06-01 |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=Magic: The Gathering |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128095843/https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/simple-rules-are-holy-grail-magic-2009-06-01|archive-date=January 28, 2022}} </ref> In April 1994, Wizards of the Coast attempted to simplify and formalize ''Magic'' rules with the ''Revised Edition'' card set.<ref name=":15" /> This ] streamlined many cards, introduced or clarified many terms, removed "the need for multiple artifact types" and "introduced the tap symbol".<ref name=":15" /> It also introduced the "last-in first-out" (LIFO) timing system that in a similar form is still used in the game today, instead of spells being simultaneously resolved as they were in earlier editions. Spells were now announced in batches.<ref name="rules of the road" /> During the next year it became clear to Wizards of the Coast the game needed a more-detailed rulebook, leading to the development of the Comprehensive Rules, which were introduced in mid-1995 with the ''Fourth Edition'' card set.<ref name=":15" /> | |||
The Comprehensive Rules were again revised for the 1997 ''Fifth Edition'' card set.<ref name=":15" /> The ''Fifth Edition'' rules attempted to create a complete rulebook from which card interactions could be logically determined without the need for special-case rulings.<ref name=":15" /> According to Dan Grey: "''Fifth Edition'' rules changed interrupts to work remarkably like instants, simplified the attack, and introduced several 'new' concepts that had never had formal names (including phase costs and triggered abilities)".<ref name=":15" /> ''Fifth Edition'' also introduced on-card reminder text to keywords to help beginners to more easily learn the game's keywords.<ref name=":15" /> The rules were ] for the ''Classic Sixth Edition'' core set in 1999. Instead of spells resolving in complete batches, players could now interact on the stack at any point, interrupts were removed from the game, combat damage used the stack, and the rules deactivating tapped artifacts and preventing tapped blockers from dealing damage were removed.<ref name="rules of the road" /><ref name="Buehler">{{cite magazine|title=Final Fortune|last=Buehler|first=Randy|issue=49|magazine=]|publisher=]|pages=38–43|date=May 1999}}</ref>{{rp|42}} The rules text on the cards was made more consistent, with some rules templated to achieve consistency.<ref name="Chalk">{{cite book|title=Generation Decks: the unofficial history of gaming phenomenon Magic: The Gathering|last=Chalk|first=Titus|publisher=]|date=2017|isbn=978-1-78618-067-4}}</ref>{{rp|225}} | |||
When all players have passed priority in succession, the top-most spell or ability on the stack resolves. If it was a sorcery, instant, or ability, the player carries out the instructions; if it would create a permanent, it enters the battlefield. Every time a spell or ability finishes resolving, players (starting with the player whose turn it is) can once again add more to the stack; if they don't, the new top-most spell or ability will resolve. | |||
The next major rules update occurred with the ''Magic 2010'' core set.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 10, 2009 |title=Magic 2010 Rules Changes |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/news/magic-2010-rules-changes-2009-06-10 |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=Magic: The Gathering |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620133948/https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/news/magic-2010-rules-changes-2009-06-10|archive-date=June 20, 2022}}</ref> Several rule changes were made to make the game terminology more flavorful, such as renaming the "in play-zone" to "battlefield". The main change was combat no longer using the stack, a change many veterans of the game considered reduced the strategic depth of combat situations, although it was generally accepted in many cases the change would not affect the combat situation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Henke |first=Tobias |date=June 19, 2009 |title=Berechtigte Zweifel |url=http://www.planetmtg.de/articles/artikel.html?id=4824 |publisher=planetmtg.de |language=German |access-date=October 18, 2021}}</ref> | |||
When the stack is empty, the player whose turn it is gets priority first. If all players pass priority while the stack is empty, the game proceeds to the next step or phase of the turn. | |||
=== Banned and restricted cards === | |||
====Example==== | |||
Alice is attacking Norman with a {{mtgcard|Hill Giant}}, a 3/3 creature (meaning it has 3 power and 3 toughness). Norman chooses to block with his {{mtgcard|Grizzly Bears}}, a weaker 2/2 creature. If nothing else happened, the Hill Giant would deal 3 damage to the Grizzly Bears and kill them, while the Bears would deal 2 damage to the Giant, making Hill Giant "the winner". | |||
In the event individual cards are listed as "restricted", only one copy can be included in a deck; other cards are "banned" at ]'s discretion.<ref name=":17" /> These restrictions are usually imposed for balance-of-power reasons but have been occasionally made because of gameplay mechanics.<ref name=":21" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-12 |title=Magic: The Gathering - Making Sense of the Legend Rule |url=https://www.cbr.com/magic-gathering-legend-rule-explained/ |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=LaPille |first=Tom |date=July 26, 2009 |title=Crafting a Vintage |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/latest-developments/crafting-vintage-2009-06-26 |access-date=July 24, 2009 |publisher=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028061806/https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/latest-developments/crafting-vintage-2009-06-26|archive-date=October 28, 2021}}</ref> For example, with the elimination of the "play for ante" mechanic in all formal formats,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-12-19|title=Magic: The Gathering's Worst Mechanic Was Banned to Avoid Gambling Accusations|url=https://www.cbr.com/mtg-worst-mechanic-gambling-ante/|access-date=2021-12-20|website=CBR|language=en-US}}</ref> all cards with this feature were banned.<ref name=":21">{{Cite web |date=2020-12-05 |title=Magic: The Gathering - Early on, the Game Was Just Plain WEIRD |url=https://www.cbr.com/magic-the-gathering-weird-early-game/ |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref> During the ], which drew more players to the online ''Magic'' games and generated volumes of data of popular deck constructions, Wizards of the Coast was able to track popular combinations more quickly than in a purely paper game, and in mid-2020, the company banned additional cards that in specific combinations could draw out games far longer than desired.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gault |first=Matthew |date=August 5, 2020 |title=COVID-19 Is Making 'Magic: The Gathering' Change the Game |url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/g5pmw3/covid-19-magic-the-gathering-card-bans |access-date=August 5, 2020 |website=]}}</ref> | |||
However, Norman decides to cast his {{mtgcard|Giant Growth}} spell to give +3/+3 to his Grizzly Bears before combat damage is dealt. He taps a Forest to pay for the spell, and puts Giant Growth on the stack. Alice, who does not want to give the Grizzly Bears a chance to grow to 5/5 and kill her Hill Giant, responds by casting {{mtgcard|Shock}} targeting the Grizzly Bears. She taps one Mountain to pay for the spell, and puts Shock on the stack on top of Giant Growth. If Norman had no other spells, then Alice's Shock would resolve first and deal 2 damage to the Grizzly Bears, killing them. His Giant Growth would then go to the graveyard with no effect because the Bears would no longer be on the battlefield and would thus be an illegal target. Fortunately for Norman, he has another spell to cast. He taps a Plains and casts {{mtgcard|Mending Hands}} targeting his Grizzly Bears. Now Mending Hands is on top of the stack, with Shock and then Giant Growth beneath it. | |||
Wizards of the Coast has banned some old cards from all formal play due to inappropriate racial or cultural depictions in their text or illustrations in the wake of the ], and their images have been blocked or removed from online ''Magic'' databases.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parrish |first=Ash |date=June 10, 2020 |title=Wizards of the Coast Bans 7 Racist Magic: The Gathering Cards |url=https://kotaku.com/wizards-of-the-coast-bans-7-racist-magic-the-gathering-1843987502 |access-date=2020-06-11 |website=Kotaku |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name=":16">{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=2020-06-10 |title=Racist Magic: The Gathering cards banned, removed from database by publisher |url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/10/21287154/racist-magic-the-gathering-cards-banned-removed-from-database-wizards-apology |access-date=2020-06-11 |website=Polygon |language=en}}</ref> This includes a card called "Invoke Prejudice", which was displayed on the official card-index site Gatherer "at a web URL ending in '1488', numbers that are <!-- Polygon directly links to this article --> ]".<ref name=":16" /> | |||
Since both players are out of spells to cast, the top spell on the stack resolves. Mending Hands creates a "damage prevention shield" that will prevent up to 4 points of damage to Norman's Bears, and is put into Norman's graveyard after it resolves. Neither player chooses to cast anything else at this point, so Alice's Shock resolves. It attempts to deal 2 damage to Grizzly Bears, but Norman's Mending Hands prevents the damage, and Shock is put into Alice's graveyard. Finally, Norman's Giant Growth resolves and makes Grizzly Bears a 5/5 creature until end of turn. Giant Growth then goes to Norman's graveyard. | |||
==References== | |||
Once combat damage is dealt, the now 5/5 Grizzly Bears deal 5 damage to the Hill Giant and easily kills it. Hill Giant attempts to deal 3 damage to the Grizzly Bears, but the remainder of Norman's damage prevention shield prevents a further 2 damage (totaling 4 damage) and Grizzly Bears only takes 1 damage. | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
==Further reading== | |||
When Alice's turn ends, the single point of damage is removed from the Grizzly Bears, and the Giant Growth effect wears off at the same time. As Norman's turn begins, his Grizzly Bears are undamaged and 2/2. | |||
*{{cite magazine|title=Murk dwellers: The Magic rules you've never heard of|last=Wylie|first=Tom|magazine=]|issue=3|publisher=]|date=Fall 1994|page= |pages=14–15}} | |||
*{{cite magazine|title=Murk dwellers|last=Wylie|first=Tom|magazine=]|issue=4|page= |publisher=]|pages=20–22}} | |||
*{{cite magazine|title=The philosophy of the B&R list |magazine=]|issue=35|publisher=]|page=31|date=March 1999}}<!-- banned and restricted card list --> | |||
*{{cite magazine|title=Classic moves|last=Rosewater|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Rosewater|magazine=]|issue=35|publisher=]|page=33|date=March 1999}}<!-- discussion of some Sixth Edition rule changes --> | |||
*{{cite magazine|title=Sixth Edition: one stack fits all|last=Moursund|first=Beth|magazine=]|issue=36|publisher=]|pages=26–27|date=April 1999}}<!-- discussion of Sixth Edition rule changes --> | |||
*{{cite magazine|title=Show and tell|last=Moursund|first=Beth|magazine=]|issue=37|publisher=]|pages=26–27|date=May 1999}}<!-- discussion of Sixth Edition rule changes --> | |||
*{{cite magazine|title=Classic, Sixth edition, and you|last=Rose|first=Bill|magazine=]|issue=37|publisher=]|pages=60–65|date=May 1999}}<!-- discussion of Sixth Edition rule changes --> | |||
*{{cite magazine|title=Sixth edition tricks|last=Catino|first=Charlie|magazine=]|issue=37|publisher=]|pages=60–61|date=May 1999}}<!-- discussion of Sixth Edition rule changes --> | |||
== |
==External links== | ||
* | |||
Certain spells (and abilities) allow a player to ''counter'' other spells (or abilities). These spells must be cast while the spells they will affect are still on the stack. If a spell is countered, it is moved from the stack to its owner's graveyard when counterspell resolves. It does not resolve, and has no effect unless the card states otherwise. If the spell would create a permanent, it never enters the battlefield. Some spells state that they cannot be countered. | |||
{{MTG navbox|game}} | |||
There is one other way for a spell to be "countered". If the spell targets something (such as Giant Growth or Shock), then the target must be legal both when the spell is cast and when it resolves. A spell can't be cast without a legal target; if the target becomes illegal while the spell is on the stack, then the spell is countered by the game rules (for having an illegal target) just before it would start to resolve. If a spell is countered this way, then no part of the spell — even a non-targeting part of the spell's effect — takes place. This is referred to as 'Countered Upon Resolution' (formerly "Fizzling"). | |||
===Countered Upon Resolution=== | |||
When certain spells and abilities allow a player to target other spells, abilities, or permaments, if the spell or ability is responded to in a way that makes the targeted spell, ability, or permanent illegal, the targeting spell will be countered upon resolution (this used to be referred to as "fizzling") and no effects of the countered spell will resolve. | |||
If a spell has multiple targets, then all of them must be legal for it to be cast, and all must be made illegal for the spell to be countered. For example, the card {{mtgcard|Reckless Spite}} destroys two target nonblack creatures, but its controller will lose 5 life. If there is only one legal target for Reckless Spite, then it cannot be cast. If one legal target becomes an illegal target before Reckless Spite resolves, for instance, if an instant is cast that grants ] to that creature, the other will still be destroyed and Reckless Spite's caster will lose 5 life. If they are both made illegal targets, then the entire spell is countered. | |||
==Keyword abilities== | |||
{{Main|List of Magic: The Gathering keywords}} | |||
Some cards have abilities that are not fully explained on the card. These are known as "keyword" abilities, and consist of a word or phrase whose meaning is defined by the rules. Keyword abilities are usually given reminder text in the set in which they are introduced. There are over forty such abilities. In most cases, multiple instances of the same keyword on an object have no additional effect. | |||
Some of the most notable keyword abilities include flying (a creature can't be blocked except by other creatures with flying or reach), haste (a creature can attack and tap on the first turn it is summoned), and protection (the card can't be damaged, enchanted, blocked, or targeted by cards bearing the indicated attribute). | |||
==References== | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 10:49, 3 December 2024
Overview of game play of Magic: The GatheringThe rules of the collectible card role-playing game Magic: The Gathering were originally developed by the game's creator, Richard Garfield, and accompanied the first version of the game in 1993. The game's rules have frequently been changed by the manufacturer Wizards of the Coast, mostly in minor ways, but several major rule changes have also been implemented.
In its most-played form, Magic is a game in which two players play each other using their own deck of cards. Players start by drawing a hand of seven cards and then take turns. In a turn, a player can play one mana-producing Land, play spells that require varying amounts and colors of mana, and attack their opponent to reduce their life total from the starting point of 20 to zero, and thus winning the game.
Overview
A typical game of Magic involves two or more players who are engaged in a battle, acting as powerful wizards known as Planeswalkers. Each player has their own deck of cards, purchased and constructed from a limited pool of available cards. A player typically starts the game with a "life total" of twenty and loses the game when the total is reduced to zero. A player can lose the game if they must draw from an empty deck. Some cards specify other ways to win or lose the game. One of the "Magic Golden Rules" is: "Whenever a card's text directly contradicts these rules, the card takes precedence". According to CNET, the game has many variants; "Magic tends to embrace all that house ruling, making it official when it catches on. Commander started as a fan-created format, after all."
Formats
Main article: Magic: The Gathering formatsMagic can be played in various formats; each format provides additional rules for deck construction and gameplay, with many confining the pool of permitted cards to those released in a specified group of Magic card sets. There are two main categories mandated by the Wizards Play Network (WPN): Tournament and Casual. The term "sanctioned" refers to formats the WPN allows to be run at official events. Officially sanctioned events can add additional rules, such as the disallowance of proxy cards.
Players have also invented alternative formats for playing the game, some of which Wizards of the Coast has accepted. Some of these formats use rules or sets of cards that differ from those used in sanctioned tournament play. One of the most popular formats of Magic is Commander, which is a casual sanctioned format.
Formats can be further divided into Constructed and Limited formats. Constructed formats require decks to be made prior to participation; players are allowed to use any tournament-legal cards they possess. Sanctioned Constructed formats include Standard, Modern, Legacy, and Vintage. Limited formats, in contrast, use a restricted and unknown pool of cards that is usually formed by opening Magic products. Limited competition require players to select cards and build decks during the tournament. The primary two sanctioned Limited formats are Sealed Deck and Booster Draft.
Deck construction
Main article: Magic: The Gathering deck typesDeck construction requires strategy; players must choose cards to play from thousands of cards, requiring players to evaluate the power of their cards, the possible synergies between them, and their possible interactions with the cards they expect to play against. This "metagame" can vary by location and time period. The player restricts the choice of cards by deciding which colors to include in the deck. Starter decks, which are part of the Magic product line, are aimed at giving novice players ideas for deck construction. Players expand their card library for deck construction through booster packs, which have a random distribution of cards from a specific Magic set and are defined by rarity. These rarities are known as Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Mythic Rare; more-powerful cards are generally the rarest.
Initial setup
Beginning and ending the game
Each player uses their own deck to play the game. In most formats, a deck must have a minimum of 60 cards; there is no maximum deck size but a player must be able to shuffle their deck without assistance. Some formats have exceptions or additional limitations to these rules. In tournaments, players may be allowed to use a sideboard containing up to 15 cards that can be swapped for cards in the main deck in between games.
At the beginning of a game, each player shuffles their deck and draws seven cards to form their starting hand. The players may choose to mulligan if they do not like their starting hand.
A player wins the game by eliminating all opponents. Players typically begin the game with 20 life and generally lose when their life-total reaches zero or they run out of cards in their deck, although there are other ways of losing the game.
London Mulligan
The London Mulligan rule was implemented for all competitive Magic formats in 2019. In turn order, each player may decide to mulligan; that player shuffles their hand and library together, and draws a new hand of seven cards. A player can do this as many times as they wish. They then put a card on the bottom of their library for each time they took a mulligan.
Zones
At any one time, every card is located in one of the following "zones":
- Library: The portion of the player's deck that is kept face down and is normally in random order (shuffled).
- Hand: A player's hidden hand of cards that can be played. If a player has more than seven cards in hand at the end of their turn, any extras must be discarded.
- Battlefield: Cards that are in play and actively influencing the game.
- Graveyard: A player's discard pile. Typically, "creatures, enchantments, and artifacts stay on the playing field whereas sorceries and instants are placed in your discard pile ... after casting their one-time effect".
- The stack: This is the place for spells and abilities that have been cast or played, but have not yet resolved.
- Exile: Cards that have been exiled by specific effects are put here. Unlike the graveyard, exile is "the place where cards go when they're really dead and can't be replayed back into the game".
- Command: In the Commander format, each player's commander is put here at the start of the game and returns when it leaves the battlefield.
Terminology
Abilities
Types of abilities include:
- Activated abilities have a cost and an effect, which are separated using a colon. A player may activate such an ability at any time by paying the cost.
- Triggered abilities begin with the word "when", "whenever" or "at". The ability is put on the stack when the trigger event occurs.
- Static abilities are written as statements that modify the rules of the game.
Keyword abilities
Main article: List of Magic: The Gathering keywordsSome cards, which are called "keyword abilities", have abilities that are not fully explained on the card and consist of a word or phrase whose meaning is defined in the rules. Keyword abilities are usually given reminder text in the set in which they are introduced. There are over forty such abilities. In most cases, multiple instances of the same keyword on an object have no additional effect. Keywords can be classified as Evergreen and Mechanics. Evergreen keywords "can appear in absolutely any set, since its gameplay effects and flavor are flexible and generic enough to fit anywhere. Effects like trample, flying, deathtouch, first strike and haste are examples of this". Abilities classified as Mechanics are rotated in and out of the game as expansions are released. According to Game Rant: "most planes have some unique rules that are only relevant on cards from specific sets" and "new mechanics are constantly added to shake things up and give the players new tools to work with".
Mana
When a player uses an ability that produces mana, that mana is put in their "mana pool". Mana can be white, blue, black, red, green or colorless. Mana in the mana pool can be used to pay costs.
Types of cards
All objects that remain on the battlefield are called permanents, types of which include lands, creatures, enchantments, artifacts, and planeswalkers. Sorceries and instants go to the graveyard immediately after they are used.
Lands
Land cards tap to produce mana that is used to cast spells and activate abilities. They cost no mana to play but a player may play no more than one land per turn, and only during the main phases of their own turn. There are six types of basic lands; Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, Forest, and Wastes, one for each color plus Wastes for colorless. These lands can each be tapped to produce one mana of the appropriate color. Other lands are non-basic and may produce other combinations or amounts of mana, or may have other abilities. Playing a land does not use the stack and therefore occurs immediately and no player can stop it. Players are allowed to have any number of basic lands in a deck, whereas all other cards are limited to four copies per deck.
Creatures
Creatures represent people or beasts that are summoned to the battlefield to attack opposing creatures or players and defend their controller from attacks by enemy creatures. Creatures have two values that represent their strength in combat; these are printed on the card's lower right-hand corner. The first number is the creature's power, the amount of damage it causes in combat. The second number is its toughness; if it receives that much damage in a single turn, the creature is destroyed and placed in the graveyard. Creatures are divided into creature types, such as "goblin" or "wizard". Creatures of the same type often synergize well with each other, causing players to build decks based entirely on one type of creature.
Enchantments
Enchantments represent persistent magical effects; they are spells that remain on the battlefield and alter some aspect of the game. Some enchantments are attached to other cards on the battlefield—often creatures); these are known as Auras. These enchantments affect that card in some way, and are automatically put into the graveyard when the card they are enchanting leaves the battlefield.
Artifacts
Artifacts represent magical items, animated constructs, pieces of equipment, or other objects and devices. Like enchantments, artifacts remain on the battlefield until something removes them. Some artifacts are Equipment. Each equipment has a Equip cost; a player can pay to give that equipment to one of their creatures, strengthening the creature. Unlike Auras, which are destroyed when the object they are enchanting leaves play, equipment can be re-equipped by another creature if its original user leaves play.
Sorceries and instants
Sorceries and instants represent one-shot or short-term magical spells. They never enter the battlefield but take effect and are immediately put into their owner's graveyard. Sorceries and instants differ only in the time they can be cast. Sorceries may only be cast during the player's own main phases, and only when the stack is empty. Instants can be cast at any time, including during other players' turns and while another spell or ability is waiting to resolve.
Interrupts
Prior to the introduction of the stack in the 6th Edition, there was another type of spell called an "Interrupt". Interrupts functioned similarly to instants; they could be played at any time but players could only respond to interrupts with other interrupts and could not use instants or activate abilities.
Planeswalkers
According to Magic lore, the player is a planeswalker, a wizard who can travel between different realms or universes (planes); as such, planeswalker cards represent scaled-down versions of other players, whose decks are represented by the card's abilities. Planeswalker cards were originally designed to move autonomously through a roster of effects without player control. Most planeswalkers are legendary and subject to the "legend rule"; if a player controls more than one legendary planeswalker with the same name, that player chooses one and puts the other into their owner's graveyard.
Planeswalkers' abilities are based on their loyalty, which is tracked with counters. Planeswalkers' loyalty abilities each have a positive or negative loyalty cost that denotes the number of counters that must be added (if positive) or removed (if negative) to activate that ability. Regardless of the loyalty costs, a single planeswalker may use only one loyalty ability once per turn, and only on its controller's turn during their main phases. Loyalty counters equal to any damage the planeswalker takes are also removed. A planeswalker with no loyalty counters, either through use of its abilities or through damage, is put into the player's graveyard.
Planeswalkers are not creatures so they cannot directly attack or block. Creatures can attack an opponent's planeswalkers rather than the opponent themself. Those creatures may be blocked normally but if not blocked, they damage the planeswalker instead of the player.
Gameplay
Phases
Magic officially labels its gameplay phases "as Begin, Main Phase, Combat, Second Main Phase, and End".
Begin
The beginning phase has three parts:
- Untap step: a player untaps all of the cards they control.
- Upkeep step: then, any abilities that trigger on the "upkeep step" happen, starting with the player of the current turn. These often include cards that require mana payments at every turn.
- Draw step: a player then draws a card. In two-player games, the player who takes the first turn does not draw a card for that turn.
No cards or abilities can be played during the untap step. During the upkeep and draw steps, players can cast instants and activate abilities as normal.
Main
The main phase occurs immediately after the draw step; in this phase, the player can put cards onto the field. They may play any card from their hand, unless that card specifies otherwise, providing they have enough mana to pay for its casting; this includes creature, planeswalker, sorcery, instant, land, enchantment, and artifact cards. Players may play only one land per turn.
Combat
The combat phase has five steps. Players may not cast spells during combat, except for instants, activated abilities, and spells that are noted as being able to be played at any time (e.g., creatures with flash). Multiple creatures may attack at the same time but the turn player may declare their list of attackers only once.
- Beginning of combat: players may cast spells and activate abilities that may alter the progress of combat. As the commonest example, only untapped creatures may attack, so the defending player may cast instants or activate abilities that will tap a creature, preventing it from attacking.
- Declare attackers: the player whose turn it is declares which creatures they control will attack. Both players may cast instants and activate abilities after attackers have been declared.
- Declare blockers: the defending player chooses creatures with which they will block. A blocking creature must be untapped. Each creature can block only one attacker, but multiple defending creatures can block the same attacker. Both players may cast instants and activate abilities after blockers have been declared.
- Combat damage: attacking and blocking creatures deal damage. If a creature has multiple blockers, that creature’s controller chooses the order in which they are damaged.
- End of combat: nothing normally happens during this phase, although players have another opportunity to act.
Second main phase
The second main phase is identical to the first; the player may cast spells and play a land if they have not already played one.
End
The ending phase has two steps:
- End step: abilities that trigger "at the beginning of the end step" go on the stack. This is the player's last chance to cast instants or activate abilities this turn.
- Cleanup: the active player discards down to their maximum hand size, then simultaneously all damage marked on permanents is removed and all "until end of turn" and "this turn" effects end. Players can only act during the cleanup step in the rare event an ability triggers.
After this phase is completed, the next active player starts their turn at the beginning phase.
Paying costs
Tapping and untapping
Some spells and abilities require the player to tap a permanent as part of their cost, meaning they cannot use the ability again for the remainder of the turn. A creature that attacks is also tapped but a creature that blocks is not. A tapped creature cannot be declared as an attacker or blocker.
At the beginning of each player's turn, the player untaps all cards they control, unless otherwise stated by a card's effect, and they can again be tapped as normal.
Mana costs and colors
Most cards other than lands, when cast as a spell, incur a mana cost. Cards may require mana of any color or combination of colors, including generic costs that can be paid with mana of any color.
Screen Rant commented:
One of the more important aspects of constructing a deck is the mana ratio. This ratio determines how many basic land cards players will need in their deck in order to 'cast' spell cards for combat and defense when playing a game. Too much mana can lead to players becoming 'mana swamped' or pulling out mostly basic mana cards and not enough spell cards to attack. The opposite can also happen where players become 'mana starved' and have too little mana to play their spell cards. ... There are a number of ways the calculate or estimate this more specifically, but a quick rule of thumb is that basic mana should make up approximately one-third of their Magic: The Gathering deck, or 20 to 24 cards in a 60-card deck.
Timing
When a player casts a spell or activates an ability, it does not immediately take effect. The card is placed on the stack, allowing other players to respond to the ability. Most activated abilities and instant spells can be used as responses in this manner on any players' turn. Each new spell or ability is put on top of the stack, with the newest on top and the oldest at the bottom. When no player has more spells or abilities to add, spells and abilities on the stack resolve in top-to-bottom order.
Certain spells allow a player to counter other spells. These spells must be cast while the spells they will affect are still on the stack. If a spell is countered, it is moved from the stack to its owner's graveyard and does not resolve. Playing lands and certain other special actions immediately take effect and do not use the stack.
History
Magic's Comprehensive Rules aim to "stabilize the rules" with errata and outline "special-case rulings". In April 1994, Wizards of the Coast attempted to simplify and formalize Magic rules with the Revised Edition card set. This codification of rules streamlined many cards, introduced or clarified many terms, removed "the need for multiple artifact types" and "introduced the tap symbol". It also introduced the "last-in first-out" (LIFO) timing system that in a similar form is still used in the game today, instead of spells being simultaneously resolved as they were in earlier editions. Spells were now announced in batches. During the next year it became clear to Wizards of the Coast the game needed a more-detailed rulebook, leading to the development of the Comprehensive Rules, which were introduced in mid-1995 with the Fourth Edition card set.
The Comprehensive Rules were again revised for the 1997 Fifth Edition card set. The Fifth Edition rules attempted to create a complete rulebook from which card interactions could be logically determined without the need for special-case rulings. According to Dan Grey: "Fifth Edition rules changed interrupts to work remarkably like instants, simplified the attack, and introduced several 'new' concepts that had never had formal names (including phase costs and triggered abilities)". Fifth Edition also introduced on-card reminder text to keywords to help beginners to more easily learn the game's keywords. The rules were more-drastically revised for the Classic Sixth Edition core set in 1999. Instead of spells resolving in complete batches, players could now interact on the stack at any point, interrupts were removed from the game, combat damage used the stack, and the rules deactivating tapped artifacts and preventing tapped blockers from dealing damage were removed. The rules text on the cards was made more consistent, with some rules templated to achieve consistency.
The next major rules update occurred with the Magic 2010 core set. Several rule changes were made to make the game terminology more flavorful, such as renaming the "in play-zone" to "battlefield". The main change was combat no longer using the stack, a change many veterans of the game considered reduced the strategic depth of combat situations, although it was generally accepted in many cases the change would not affect the combat situation.
Banned and restricted cards
In the event individual cards are listed as "restricted", only one copy can be included in a deck; other cards are "banned" at WPN's discretion. These restrictions are usually imposed for balance-of-power reasons but have been occasionally made because of gameplay mechanics. For example, with the elimination of the "play for ante" mechanic in all formal formats, all cards with this feature were banned. During the COVID-19 pandemic, which drew more players to the online Magic games and generated volumes of data of popular deck constructions, Wizards of the Coast was able to track popular combinations more quickly than in a purely paper game, and in mid-2020, the company banned additional cards that in specific combinations could draw out games far longer than desired.
Wizards of the Coast has banned some old cards from all formal play due to inappropriate racial or cultural depictions in their text or illustrations in the wake of the George Floyd protests, and their images have been blocked or removed from online Magic databases. This includes a card called "Invoke Prejudice", which was displayed on the official card-index site Gatherer "at a web URL ending in '1488', numbers that are synonymous with white supremacy".
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Further reading
- Wylie, Tom (Fall 1994). "Murk dwellers: The Magic rules you've never heard of". The Duelist. No. 3. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 14–15.
- Wylie, Tom. "Murk dwellers". The Duelist. No. 4. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 20–22.
- "The philosophy of the B&R list". The Duelist. No. 35. Wizards of the Coast. March 1999. p. 31.
- Rosewater, Mark (March 1999). "Classic moves". The Duelist. No. 35. Wizards of the Coast. p. 33.
- Moursund, Beth (April 1999). "Sixth Edition: one stack fits all". The Duelist. No. 36. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 26–27.
- Moursund, Beth (May 1999). "Show and tell". The Duelist. No. 37. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 26–27.
- Rose, Bill (May 1999). "Classic, Sixth edition, and you". The Duelist. No. 37. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 60–65.
- Catino, Charlie (May 1999). "Sixth edition tricks". The Duelist. No. 37. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 60–61.