 

  Permanent spells include creatures, artifacts, enchantments, and

 
Static Abilities: Text that is always true while the card is on the battlefield.
planeswalkers. While lands are also permanents, they are not spells.

You can cast permanent spells during your Main Phases, and it remains on
the battlefield until it’s destroyed, sacrificed, exiled, or otherwise
removed. Triggered Abilities: Triggered by a specific event occurring in the game.
They will always start with the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.”
Some spells might be multiple types. For example, a creature can be an
Artifact Creature, and counts as both types simultaneously.

Creatures
Creatures fight for you. They can attack during the Combat Phase of your Activated Abilities: You can activate whenever you want as long as you
turn and block during the Combat Phase of an opponent's turn. They can pay the cost. Always formatted “Cost: Effect.”
always have a power and toughness rating in the bottom right corner.
Some activated abilities cost mana. Others may contain the tap  symbol
Creatures with 0 or less toughness die and are sent to the graveyard.
which means that you must tap the card to activate the ability. You can’t
Creatures you cast enter the battlefield with Summoning Sickness and activate these abilities if the permanent is already tapped or if it’s a creature
can’t attack (or use an ability that has  in its cost) until your next turn. with summoning sickness.
The amount of mana it costs to cast the spell.
Mana Cost Serra Angel’s mana cost is . Creatures with Summoning Sickness are still allowed to block. Dragon Hatchling’s ability costs  for every time you want to activate it.
 See “Mana and Casting Spells.”
Every card in Magic has a type, and some cards also Artifacts and Enchantments
have subtypes or supertypes that provide more Artifacts represent machines or magical objects. Enchantments have
Type Line information. Serra Angel’s type is Creature, and its persistent magical effect that affect the game as long as they’re on the
subtype is Angel. battlefield. Mazemind Tome’s ability costs  in addition to requiring you to tap  it.
Lists the rules and abilities of the card. If the artifact is already tapped, you can’t activate its ability until the next
Serra Angel has Flying and Vigilance. Planeswalkers time it’s untapped.
Text Box  See “Types of Abilities.” Planeswalkers come to your aid in your duel and start with an amount of
 See Glossary for “Flying” and “Vigilance.”
Loyalty Counters  shown in the bottom right corner.
Power/ All creature cards have a power and toughness in the
You may activate one Loyalty Ability per turn on your Main Phases by
bottom right corner. Serra Angel is 4/4.
Toughness
Its toughness (the 2nd
adding or removing the amount of Loyalty Counters beside the ability. You
can’t activate the ability if it makes the Loyalty Counters drop to less than  
A creature’s power (the zero. Some spells or abilities create permanents, and they are represented by
number) is the amount
1st number) is the
amount of damage it 4/4 of damage that must be
dealt to it in a single Most Planeswalkers have a very powerful Loyalty Ability that costs many
tokens. They can only exist on the battlefield and cease to exist once they
leave and go to another zone (hand/library/graveyard/exile).
deals in combat. Loyalty Counters. This ability is usually informally referred to as an
turn to destroy it.
“ultimate ability” or “ult”. This Liliana Vess’ ult is her -8 ability. For example, the creature Thopter Mechanic generates a 1/1 colorless
Thopter artifact creature token with flying upon its death. This is
  Opponents’ creatures can attack Planeswalkers, and they will lose Loyalty
Counters equal to damage dealt.
represented by the token card on the right.

Lands Planeswalkers with 0 or less Loyalty Counters are destroyed.

• Lands generate mana for you to use to cast spells and activate abilities.
• Most lands can tap  to generate mana as long as they are untapped.
• Each Basic Land makes a mana of a particular color.

Plains Islands Swamps Mountains Forests

←
 to add  to add  to add  to add  to add

    
White Mana Blue Mana Black Mana Red Mana Green Mana
→ ← Counters are small markers (such as
• Some nonbasic lands can make colorless mana () (that can only pay for pebbles, dice, or cardboard markers)
generic mana costs), some let you choose a color, and some enter tapped, placed on an object or player to keep
which is a downside, but usually with some added benefit for the next turn. track of a number or attribute.
Thopter Mechanic lets you put
Sorceries and Instants have a one-time effect. You do what the card says, +1/+1 counters on itself that boost
and then put the card into your graveyard. They are never on the its power and toughness while the
battlefield. counters exist on the card.
• You can play one land on each of your turns by putting it from Sorceries and Instants Counters are removed from the game
your hand onto the battlefield during either of your Main Phases. Sorceries are spells that you can only cast during your Main Phases. as soon as the permanent they are on
Instants are spells that can be cast at any time, even during your changes zones (moves to a
opponent’s turn or during combat. hand/library/graveyard/exile).
  
     
Beginning of Combat Step Example 1: An opponent is attacking you with a variety of creatures:
Some triggered abilities are triggered at this step.
Untap Step (No one can cast spells/activate abilities.)
• Untap  all of your tapped permanents by turning them upright. (Players have an opportunity to cast instants or activate abilities right now.)

Upkeep Step (Players can cast instants/activate abilities.) Declare Attackers Step
You choose which of your creatures will attack, and you choose which opponents they
• “At the beginning of your upkeep” effects trigger. will attack. In games with multiple opponents, you can choose different creatures to
attack different opponents simultaneously. Tap  your creatures to show that
Draw Step they are attacking.
• Draw a card from your library.
If no creatures are declared as attackers (or put onto the battlefield attacking), the
• Afterwards, players can cast instants/activate abilities. Declare Blockers Step and Combat Damage Step are skipped.

(Players have an opportunity to cast instants or activate abilities right now.) Their creature deals The red creature is Both creatures The blue creature is
2 damage to you. destroyed. survive. destroyed.
• Play a land (only 1 per turn). Declare Blockers Step
• You may cast spells as long as you have the mana to pay for them. Your opponents choose which of their creatures will block, if any. Tapped creatures can’t Example 2: Your opponent is the controller of a black
 See “Mana and Casting Spells”. be declared as blockers. Blocking with creatures does not cause them to become creature and is making it attack you, and you have two
• Opponents can cast instants/activate abilities. tapped. green creatures that can block.

(Players have an opportunity to cast instants or activate abilities right now.) When you block one attacker with two or more creatures,
your opponent must choose the order in which your blocks
 See “Your Combat Phase” for detailed rules. First Strike Combat Damage Step will take damage. The attacking player always chooses the
Skip this step if there are no attacking or defending creatures with First Strike or order in which blocking creatures receive damage.
Beginning of Combat Step (Players can cast instants/activate abilities.) Double Strike.
• “At the beginning of combat” effects trigger. Your green creatures will deal a total of 5 damage to
If any creatures in combat have the First Strike or Double Strike keyword abilities, the black creature, which is enough to destroy it.
Declare Attackers Step they will deal their damage in an additional Combat Damage Step before the main
Combat Damage Step. Meanwhile, the black creature can deal enough damage to destroy one of your
• You may choose creatures to attack opponents/planeswalkers.
• Then, players can cast instants/activate abilities. (Players have an opportunity to cast instants or activate abilities right now.) blockers (Creature A), but not enough to destroy the other one (Creature B). Since
your opponent’s creature will be destroyed in either case, they order Creature A before
Creature B to destroy at least one of your creatures.
Declare Blockers Step Combat Damage Step
• Opponents may choose creatures to block attackers, if any. Once all blockers have been chosen, each Once blockers have been ordered, damage is dealt. The black creature deals 2
• Then, players can cast instants/activate abilities. creature – both attackers and blockers – damage to Creature A, destroying it, and deals no damage to Creature B. The green
simultaneously deals damage equal to its creatures deal a total of 5 damage to the black creature, destroying it.
power.
Combat Damage Step
• Attackers and blockers simultaneously deal damage to each other equal Its toughness (the 2nd Example 3: Your opponent has attacked with a Thundering Giant (4/3) and a Torch
to their power. Unblocked damage is dealt to opponents/planeswalkers. A creature’s power (the 1st number) is the amount of Fiend (2/1). Your only untapped creature is a Runeclaw Bear (2/2). What will you block?
• Then, players can cast instants/activate abilities. number) is the amount of
damage it deals in combat.
4/4 damage that must be dealt
to it in a single turn to \ Thundering Giant Torch Fiend Runeclaw Bear
destroy it.
End of Combat Step (Players can cast instants/activate abilities.)
• “At the end of combat” effects trigger.
• An attacking creature that isn’t blocked deals direct combat damage to the player
it’s attacking, and they lose that much life.
4/3 2/1 2/2
• An attacking creature that is blocked deals damage to the creature(s) that are
blocking it, and vice versa.
• Play a land (only 1 per turn). • If one of your attacking creatures is blocked by multiple creatures, you decide how
• You may cast spells as long as you have the mana to pay for them. to divide it’s combat damage among them. You must assign at least enough damage
 See “Mana and Casting Spells.” to the first blocking creature to destroy it before you can assign damage to the second
• Opponents can cast instants/activate abilities. one, and so on.

• If a creature is dealt damage equal to or greater than its toughness over the course
of a single turn (whether it be combat damage, damage from spells or abilities, or a
combination of both), that creature is destroyed, and it’s goes to its owner’s graveyard
End Step (Players can cast instants/activate abilities.) (or “dies”). Option A: Option B: Option C:
• “At the beginning of your end step” effects trigger. You Don’t Block Block Thundering Giant Block Torch Fiend
• If a creature isn’t dealt enough damage to destroy it in a single turn, that creature
• You’ll take a total of 6 • Your Runeclaw Bear will • Runeclaw Bear and Torch
stays on the battlefield, and the damage wears off later at the end of the turn.
damage from both unblocked die from combat with Fiend will destroy each other
Cleanup Step (No one can cast spells/activate abilities.) creatures. Thundering Giant. in combat.
• If you have more than seven cards in your hand, choose and discard (Players have an opportunity to cast instants or activate abilities right now.)
• You will take 2 damage • You will take 4 damage
cards until you have only seven.
from Torch Fiend. from Thundering Giant.
• All damage on creatures is healed.
• “Until the end of turn” effects end.
End of Combat Step • You might choose not to • You didn’t destroy any of • You might block this way if
block if your life total is high, your opponent’s creatures, you want to destroy one of
• Pass the turn. Some triggered abilities are triggered at this step. and you want to save your but you might block this way your opponent’s creatures
creature for a counterattack. if your life total was low. and don’t mind being dealt a
(Players have an opportunity to cast instants or activate abilities right now.)
little damage.
  
     Mana Value: 3
To tap  a card is to turn it sideways to show that it has been used This symbol means you need to pay  of any kind of
for the turn. Mana Value: 1
 mana. That means , , , , , or .
This symbol means you need to pay one  mana. Each Phyrexian Mana  can be paid with either  or
You do this when you use a land to make mana, when you attack with a
creature, or when you activate an ability that has the tap  symbol as part
 This cannot be paid with any other kind of mana.  2 life. That means ,  and 2 life, or 4 life.
of the cost ( means “tap this permanent”). When a card is tapped, you
can’t tap it again until it’s been untapped (turned back upright). As your turn Mana Value: 2 Mana Value: 1
begins, during your untap step, untap your tapped cards so you can use
These symbols mean you need to pay two  mana. This symbol means you need to pay  which is mana
them again.
 This cannot be paid with any other kind of mana.  from a snow source, e.g., a Snow-Covered Plains.

  Mana Value: 3
Example of a
snow source:
Mana is the magical energy and resource used to cast spells and
activate abilities. It is usually generated by tapping lands. This symbol means you need to pay  of any kind of
There are five colors of mana in addition to colorless mana.  mana. That means , , , , , or . Mana Value: 1
(Despite )
      Some spells have  in the casting cost.
White
Mana
Blue
Mana
Black
Mana
Red
Mana
Green
Mana
Colorless
Mana
Mana Value: 2
 You get to choose the number that  stands for.
This symbol means you need to pay  of any kind of This symbol means you need to pay one  mana.
When you tap a basic land, one mana of that color is added to your  mana. That means , , , , , or .  This cannot be paid with any other kind of mana
This symbol means you need to pay one  mana.
Mana Pool, an imaginary “wallet” you can spend from until the end of the
current phase in the turn.  This cannot be paid with any other kind of mana. Note:  is referenced
in the ability.
For example, tapping a Basic Forest Land will add  to your Mana Pool. Mana Paid Resulting Effect
Mana Value: 5
You would target and destroy 0 artifacts,
This symbol means you need to pay  of any kind of
 because =0 and you only paid for the lone .
 mana. That means , , , , , or .

You would target and destroy 2 artifacts, =2,

 
These symbols mean you need to pay three  mana.
This cannot be paid with any other kind of mana.

one for each mana after paying for the lone .
You would target and destroy 4 artifacts, =4,
one for each mana after paying for the lone .

You have one untapped Basic You have one tapped Basic Mana Value: 2
Forest Land, and your Mana
Pool is empty.
→ Forest Land, and your
Mana Pool has . This symbol means you need to pay one  mana.
Mana Value: 0

 This cannot be paid with any other kind of mana.

 You get to choose the number that  stands for.
Some nonbasic lands let you have a choice of This symbol means you need to pay one  mana.
which type of mana you can tap it for, but  This cannot be paid with any other kind of mana.
Note:  is referenced
usually with some sort of drawback. Cinder
Barrens lets you add  or . Its drawback in the ability.
is that it enters the battlefield tapped, Mana Value: 3
making you wait until your next turn before Mana Paid Resulting Effect
This symbol means you need to pay  of any kind of
it’s useful.
 mana. That means , , , , , or . 
=0. The creature would die due to having
0 +1/+1 counters on it, making its toughness 0.
This symbol means you need to pay one  mana.
Some non-land cards can be tapped to
generate mana. The artifact Talisman of
 This cannot be paid with any other kind of mana. 
=4. The creature would enter the battlefield with
4 +1/+1 counters and have power/toughness 4/4.
This symbol means you need to pay one  mana.
Dominance lets you choose to tap it to add
 to your Mana Pool or tap it to add  or 
 This cannot be paid with any other kind of mana.
but with a small penalty of taking 1 damage. Mana Value: 0
Mana Value: 2 You get to choose the number that  stands for and
Some spells can add mana directly to your
mana pool. The instant Dark Ritual adds to These symbols mean you need to pay one of the
 you must pay twice that number.
your mana pool.  following combinations of mana: , , or .
Note that  is
referenced in the
This symbol means you need to pay one  mana.
 This cannot be paid with any other kind of mana.
Mana Paid Resulting Effect
ability.
To cast a spell, you must pay it’s Mana Cost with mana in your Mana Pool.
=0. The creature would die due to having
Once a spell has been paid for and cast: Mana Value: 5
 0 +1/+1 counters on it, making its toughness 0.
• If the spell is an instant or sorcery, it goes on The Stack, you follow the =1. The creature would enter the battlefield with
This symbol means you need to pay  of any kind of  1 +1/+1 counter and have power/toughness 1/1.
instructions on the card, and then you put the card into your graveyard.
• If the spell is a permanent (creature, artifact, enchantment, or  mana. That means , , , , , or . This is an illegal value for .  Must be an even
These symbols mean you need to pay one of the  number because you must pay twice that number.
planeswalker), it goes on The Stack, you put the card on the table in front  following combinations of mana: , , or .
of you. The card is now on the battlefield.  =4. The creature would enter the battlefield with
 See “The Stack.”
 4 +1/+1 counters and have power/toughness 4/4.
  
     
You are one of the most powerful spellcasters in the Multiverse. Other planeswalkers will  When a card contradicts the rules of Magic, the A game of Magic starts with only players’ libraries and life counters on the table. The play
challenge you with arsenals of spells and legions of creatures. To emerge victorious, card’s rules win. area is divided into several game zones.
you must outwit them with weapons of your own. Those weapons are in your hands now.
How you wield them will determine your destiny. Example: You normally have a maximum hand size Library: Your library is your draw pile and remains facedown throughout the game. If you
of 7 cards, but Spellbook lets you “break” that are forced to draw a card but cannot because your library is out of cards, you lose the
rule. game.
  When a rule or effect allows something to Hand: You start the game by drawing a hand of seven cards. The original hand you have
This Cheat Sheet is meant to be a supplemental learning tool and reference for players happen, and another effect prohibits it, the when you start the game is called your “opening hand”. If you have more than seven
new to Magic the Gathering so they can glance at it during their turn. Rules, explanations, prohibiting effect takes precedence. cards in your hand as your turn ends, you must discard down to seven.
fonts, and images came from the following sources and are not owned by me:
Example: Even though Vivien, Monsters’ Battlefield: You and your opponents share the battlefield. Cards on the battlefield are
• Magic Official Comprehensive Rules • Game Night 2022 Rulebook Advocate allows you to cast creature spells from called permanents and include lands, creatures, artifacts, enchantments, and
(Updated 11/18/2022) • 2014 Rulebook the top of your library, Grafdigger’s Cage’s planeswalkers. Instants and sorceries are never on the battlefield. You can arrange your
• magic.wizards.com • 9th Edition Rulebook ability prohibiting players from casting spells from permanents however you want, but your opponents must be able to see all of them. It is
• scryfall.com • MTG Wiki libraries would take precedence. recommended to keep lands closest to you.

 Casey Warrer  www.caseywarrer.com  12/24/2022  Graveyard: Each player has their own graveyard. Creatures and planeswalkers that die,
sorceries and instants you cast, artifacts and enchantments that are destroyed, and cards
Any part of an instruction that’s impossible to you discard from your hand go here. Cards in your graveyard are always face up, and
  perform is ignored. anyone can look at them at any time.
In Magic, you and at least one friend will each start the game with a deck of cards (called Example: You cast Distress, target an opponent, Exile: If a spell or ability exiles a card, that card is set apart from the rest of the game in
a library) and a life total. You will each cast spells and fight with creatures until life totals and then their hand is revealed. If their hand the exile zone. Cards in exile are normally face-up. This is essentially a holding area for
are reduced to 0 and one only player is left standing. There are multiple playstyles of doesn’t include any nonland cards for you to cards.
Magic, but only two are covered on this cheat sheet. choose, you ignore the rest of the effects of the
sorcery, and it is sent to the graveyard.
The Stack: The stack is the game zone where spells and abilities are put when they are
Game Format Library Size Starting Life Total played and where they wait to resolve. The stack system allows players to "respond" to
Any If multiple players would make choices the actions of other players before those actions take full effect.
Constructed  60+ ❤ 20 and/or take actions at the same time, the active  See “The Stack.”
player makes their choices, then the next player in
Commander/EDH  100 ❤ 40 the turn order makes their choices, and so on.
Command Zone: At the beginning of a Commander game, your commander starts in the
command zone, and while in the command zone, it may be cast by paying its casting cost
At the start of the game, each player shuffles their library. Afterwards, other players may Example: If Innocent Blood resolves, the active
in addition to Commander Tax.
“cut the deck” and may shuffle the deck an additional time if they wish. player makes their choice first, and then you go
 See Glossary for “Commander Tax.”
around the table for each other player to make
Each player then rolls a die until there is a winner with the highest roll. That player will go their choices. After all players have made their
first. The turn order will move around the table clockwise. choice, all creatures are sacrificed simultaneously.

Each player then draws 7 cards from the top of their library – but if you don’t like your

 
hand, you can take a mulligan to exchange it. It is usually recommended to mulligan if
you have 2 or less land cards in your hand when you start the game.
 See “Mulligan Rules.”
Rule 0: These are the official rules. Your playgroup is welcome to modify them as
you see fit. Get the approval of other players before the game begins.
Once everyone is ready, the starting player begins their first turn.
There are some gameplay differences depending on the number of players:
Rule 1: Each player chooses a legendary creature as their commander for their
deck. Some Planeswalkers are also legal if they say so on the card.
Number of Players Gameplay Differences
Rule 2: The cards in the deck must only be colors in the commander’s color identity.
The starting player skips their first draw step to
2 Players
balance the advantage of going first. Rule 3: The deck must contain exactly 100 cards including the commander.
Each player, including the starting player, draws a
3+ Players
card on their first turn. Rule 4: Except for basic lands, no two cards in the deck may have the same name.
Some cards may have rules texts that overrides this restriction. (Singleton Format)

  Rule 5: Players begin with 40 life.

At the beginning of the game, after you draw your 7 cards, if you don’t like your starting Rule 6: At the beginning of a Commander game, your commander starts in
hand for any reason, you can take a mulligan. The choice to take a mulligan is made after the command zone, and while in the command zone, it may be cast by paying
the starting player is determined, but before doing anything else. To take a mulligan, its casting cost in addition to “Commander Tax”, an additional  for each
shuffle your hand back into your library and draw a new hand of 7 cards. If you are time that player has previously cast it from the command zone this game.
satisfied with that hand, put one card from it on the bottom of your library. If not, you can
take a mulligan as many times as you want, but you put one card on the bottom of your Rule 7: If a commander is put into its owner’s graveyard, is exiled, or is
library for each mulligan you’ve taken this game. returned to a player’s hand or library from anywhere, that player may
choose to put it into the command zone as a state-based action.
In games with more than two players, the first mulligan for each player is “free”, meaning
you don’t have to put one card back. Below are some special mulligan considerations: Rule 8: Being a commander is a property of the card for the entirety of the game,
regardless of zone or control.
Game Setting Game Format
Constructed
2 Players
Standard mulligan
3+ Players
1st mulligan is free Rule 9: If a player has been dealt 21 points of combat damage by a
 
particular Commander during the game, that player loses the game. If a player controls two or more Legendary permanents with the same name, they must
Official Games
Commander/EDH Standard mulligan 1st mulligan is free put all but one into their owner’s graveyards.
Rule 10: Abilities that bring cards you own from outside the game do not function in
Constructed Standard mulligan 1st mulligan is free
Casual Games commander.
Commander/EDH 1st mulligan is free 1st mulligan is free
  
     
Some spells and abilities use the word “target” to describe something the The stack is a game zone shared by all players where spells and abilities wait to Monarch: When a game starts, nobody is the monarch. Only one player at a time can
spell or ability will affect. resolve. Resolving a spell or ability simply means that its effect happens – but that be the monarch. The monarch has the following ability:
doesn’t happen right away! The stack gives players and opportunity to respond to one
another’s spells and abilities, making the game more interactive and fun. “At the beginning of the monarch’s end step, draw a card.
You must choose all targets for a spell
Whenever a creature deals combat damage to you, its controller becomes the
when you cast it, and for an ability when When you cast a spell or ability, it goes on the stack. Triggered abilities also go on the monarch.”
it triggers or when you activate it, and you stack. Spells and abilities remain on the stack until all players choose not to cast any
can’t change your mind later. Opponents new spells or activate any new abilities. If the monarch leaves the game, the turn player becomes the new monarch. If the turn
can respond to the spell with knowledge of player was the monarch, the next player in turn order becomes the new monarch.
Each time you put a spell or ability on the stack, each other player has an opportunity
the intended targets before it has any to cast an instant spell or active an activated ability in response, in turn order. If a
effect and targets may not be changed player does respond with a spell or ability, or if something in the game has caused a Day/Night: When a game starts, it’s neither day nor night. If it becomes day or night
after seeing these responses. triggered ability to trigger, that spell or ability goes on the stack on top of what was or if a daybound permanent enters the battlefield, track day/night for the rest of the
already waiting there. When all players pass, the spells and abilities on the stack begin game.
Example: You must choose both target to resolve.
creatures at the time of casting Curtain’s  Day   Night 
Spells and abilities on the stack resolve on by one, beginning with the last one put on • As it becomes day, transform all • As it becomes night, transform all
Call. If an opponent responds by making the stack. The stack is LIFO: Last In, First Out. After a spell or ability resolves, all nightbound permanents. daybound permanents.
one of them indestructible, you can’t take players again get the change to respond. If no one does, the next thing waiting on the • If a player casts no spells during their • Permanents enter the battlefield
the spell back or change your mind about stack resolves. If the stack is empty when this happens, the current steps of the turn own turn, it becomes night next turn. nightbound.
your targets. ends, and the game proceeds to the next step. • If a player casts at least two spells during
their own turn, it becomes day next turn.
The following things don’t go on the stack:
Spells and abilities that require
• If an ability produces mana, it doesn’t go on the stack. You get the mana Venture into the Dungeon: If you venture into the dungeon while you don't have
targets may only be played if valid immediately. any dungeons in the command zone you put the dungeon of your choice into the
targets can be chosen. If you can’t meet • Static abilities don’t go on the stack. They “turn on” as soon as the permanent with command zone and put a venture marker on the first room, at the top.
the targeting requirements, you can’t cast the ability comes into play.
the spell or use the ability. If all targets are • When you play a land, you just put it into play. Land cards aren’t spells so they don’t The next time you venture into the dungeon, you'll move to the next room by placing
invalid, no part of the spell or ability has go on the stack. the marker on that room. When you enter a room, the room ability of that room
any effect, even if some parts of the spell triggers. After the final room ability resolves or otherwise leaves the stack, the
Example 1: You own Centaur Courser, a 3/3 creature, and your opponent attempts dungeon is removed from the game. Removing it from the game results in you
or ability would’ve affected something to destroy it by dealing 3 damage with Lightning Bolt. When Lightning Bolt is on completing the dungeon. When you complete a dungeon, certain cards receive a
other than the targets. the stack, you respond with Giant Growth, an instant. bonus.

Example: You can’t even begin to cast Giant Growth will make Centaur Courser become a 6/6 creature. Lightning Bolt The next time you venture into the dungeon, you can choose the very same dungeon
Annihilate if there are no nonblack will do three damage to Centaur Courser, which will now be 6/3, and will survive. you were just in, or you can head into a new one.
creatures on the battlefield. You won’t even
Cast First, Cast Second, Venture into The Undercity: If you’re in a dungeon, advance to the next room. If
be allowed to cast it to use it to draw a Target you’re not, enter Undercity.
Resolves Second Resolves First
card.
Initiative: When a game starts, nobody has The Initiative. Only one player at a time
A targeted spell will not resolve if its can have The Initiative. The player with The Initiative has the following ability:
targets become invalid. When a spell
resolves, it checks the targets to make sure “Whenever one or more creatures a player controls deals combat damage to you, that
they’re still legal. If none are legal, the spell player takes The Initiative.
or ability is removed from the stack and
Whenever you take The Initiative and at the beginning of your upkeep, venture into
does nothing at all. A spell or ability with at Undercity. (If you’re in a dungeon, advance to the next room. If you’re not, enter
least one valid target remaining will still Undercity. You can take the initiative even if you already have it.)”
resolve, but any of its effects that related to
invalid targets will not happen. If the player with The Initiative leaves the game, the turn player takes The Initiative. If
the turn player had The Initiative, the next player in turn order takes The Initiative.
Example: Blood Curdle has you choose a Example 2: Alternatively, if you cast Giant Growth first to pump up your Centaur
target creature twice. If you targeted the Courser, an opponent can react to Giant Growth on the stack with Lightning Bolt
Adventure: Adventure spells are instants or sorceries that are on permanent spells. If
an Adventure card is in your hand, you can do one of the following actions:
same creature that you control, the spell targeting Centaur Courser as well, doing 3 damage, making it a 3/0 and sending it to
would still resolve. It would destroy the the graveyard. Now, Giant Growth will fizzle out because the target is no longer valid
• You may cast the adventure spell from your hand for its adventure cost. If it resolves,
creature and the second effect would “fizzle and be sent to the graveyard from the stack as well.
the card will go to exile and be “on an adventure”. If it does not resolve for some
out.” reason (like due to a counter spell), it does not go to exile. For example, Murderous
Cast First, Cast Second, Rider has an adventure named Swift End that costs  that you can play from
Targeting is always signified by the Target
Resolves Second Resolves First
word “target” or another keyword that your hand. If it resolves, it will now be “on and adventure” in exile.
uses targets (such as equip or enchant). • You can cast the permanent spell and ignore the adventure spell. For example,
Damage, destroying, and choosing are not Murderous Rider can be cast as a creature and Swift End will not be relevant at all.
classified as targeting unless the word
“target” appears. The adventurer card can be cast as a creature
while it’s in exile “on an adventure.”
Example: Damnation does not target any
An adventurer card is a permanent card in every
creatures, avoiding effects like Hexproof, zone except the stack, as well as while on the
Protection, Shroud, Ward, and more. stack if not cast as an Adventure. Ignore its
alternative characteristics in those cases. While it's
in your graveyard, Murderous Rider is a black
creature card whose mana cost is 3 and can't be
the target of anything targeting instants.
  
creature if you discarded a non-land card this way.
 
Cost: A cost is something you have to pay to take most actions. You must pay a cost to
Counter (a spell or ability): Countering a spell or ability causes it to have no effect. If a cast a spell or activate an activated ability.
spell is countered, it’s removed from the stack and put into its owner’s graveyard. Counter (on a permanent): Counters are small markers (such as pebbles, dice, or
Once a spell or ability starts to resolve, it’s too late to counter it. Lands aren’t spells, so cardboard markers) placed on an object or player to keep track of a number or attribute.
Deathtouch: Any creature dealt any amount of damage by this creature is destroyed. Has they can’t be countered. Counters are removed from the game as soon as the permanent they are on changes
no effect on players or planeswalkers. Cycling [cost]: Discard this card: Draw a card. Cycling is an ability that can be activated zones (moves to a hand / library / graveyard / exile).
Decayed: This creature can’t block and when it attacks, sacrifice it at the end of combat. from your hand that happens at instant speed. Damage: Damage reduces a player’s life total and destroys creatures.
Defender: This creature can’t attack. Disturb: You may cast this card transformed from your graveyard for its disturb cost. • Attacking and blocking creatures deal damage equal to their power.
Double Strike: This creature deals First-Strike combat damage and normal combat Eminence: Eminence abilities are triggered abilities that still trigger when a creature is  See Glossary for “Combat Damage.”
damage. in the command zone. • Some spells and abilities can also deal damage. Damage can be dealt only to creatures,
Exploit: When this creature enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a creature. planeswalkers, or players. Damage dealt to a player causes “loss of life” and is
First Strike: This creature deals combat damage before creatures without First Strike or
This creature can be cast from the graveyard rather for its Escape cost. subtracted from the player’s life total. If a creature is dealt damage equal to or greater
Double Strike in an extra combat damage step before the normal combat damage step.
Flashback [Cost]: You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying [Cost] rather than its toughness in a single turn, it is destroyed. Damage dealt beyond a creature’s
Fear: This creature can only be blocked by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.
than paying its mana cost. If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of toughness is “excess damage.”
Flash: This spell can be cast any time you could cast an instant.
putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack. Destroy: Destroyed permanents move from the battlefield to its owner’s graveyard.
Flying: This creature can only be blocked by creatures with Flying or Reach.
Goad: Target creature becomes Goaded until your next turn. Discard: To take a card from your hand and put it into your graveyard. You get to choose
Goaded: This creature is forced to attack and to attack a player other than the player that which cards to discard unless it says otherwise.
caused it to be goaded. Investigate: Create a Clue token with the ability: “, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a
card”. Devotion: Devotion is a numerical value a player has, equal to the number of mana
Haste: This creature is not affected by summoning sickness. symbols of a certain color among the mana costs of permanents that player controls.
Kicker [Cost]: You may pay an additional [Cost] as you cast this spell. If a spell’s
Hexproof: This permanent or player cannot be the target of spells or abilities that an Draw: To take the top card of your library and put it into your hand. You draw one card
controller declares the intention to pay any of that spell’s kicker costs, that spell has
opponent controls. during each your turns during the Draw Step. If a spell or ability lets you draw cards, it
been “kicked.” Multikicker [Cost] lets you pay the additional cost multiple times.
Indestructible: This permanent can’t be destroyed by damage or by effects that say doesn’t affect your normal draw for the turn. Putting cards into your hand counts as
“destroy,” but it can still be put into the graveyard for other reasons, such as an effect Regenerate: The next time this permanent would be destroyed this turn, it isn’t.
Instead, tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat. drawing them only if the spell or ability says “draw.”
that reduces its toughness to 0. Enters The Battlefield: Some triggered abilities start with “When [this permanent] enters
Landwalk: This creature can’t be blocked if it’s attacking a player that owns the specified Riot: This creature enters the battlefield with your choice of a +1/+1 count or haste.
Scry [X]: Look at the top [X] cards of your library, then put any number of them on the the battlefield, …” When a permanent spell with an ability like this is successfully cast
type of land. and is put onto the battlefield, the ability triggers right away. Some abilities also trigger
Lifelink: When this creature deals damage, you simultaneously gain that much life. bottom of your library in any order and rest on top of your library in any order.
Surveil [X]: Look at the top [X] cards of your library, then put any number of them into when certain other permanents enter the battlefield.
Menace: This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures. Exile: Put the card into the Exile Zone. Exile is unaffected by Indestructible.
your graveyard and the rest on top of your library in any order.
Mentor: Whenever this creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on target attacking Fight: When you creatures fight, each deals damage equal to its power to the other.
creature with power less than this creature. Unearth [Cost]: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste.
Exile at the beginning of the next end step. If it would leave the battlefield, exile it Leaves The Battlefield: A permanent leaves the battlefield when it moves from the
Protection From [X]: Permanent or player cannot be damaged, enchanted, equipped, battlefield zone to any other zone (hand/library/graveyard/exile). If a card leaves the
instead of putting it anywhere else. Activate only as a sorcery.
fortified, blocked, or targeted by [X]. battlefield and later returns to the battlefield, it’s like a brand-new card and doesn’t
Reach: This creature can block a creature with flying. “remember” anything from the last time it was on the battlefield.
Shroud: This permanent or player cannot be the target of spells or abilities. Mana Ability: An ability that generates mana. Mana abilities can be activated abilities or
Vigilance: This creature doesn’t become tapped when attacking. ★, ★/★: Some creatures’ power and toughness are set by their abilities. triggered abilities. Mana abilities don’t go on the stack or wait to resolve – you simply get
(Tap): This symbol means “tap this permanent” (turn it sideways to show that it’s the mana immediately.
been used). It appears in activation costs. You can’t pay a tap cost if the card is already Mana Cost: Previously known as “casting cost”. Mana Cost is equal to the default cost to
tapped, or if it’s a creature with summoning sickness. cast a spell as defined on its card.
+1/+1 Counter: Increases a creature’s power and toughness by one.
Additional Cost: Some spells have an additional cost to cast it and you must pay both Mana Value: Previously known as “total casting cost” or “converted mana cost”. Mana
-1/-1 Counter: Reduces a creature’s power and toughness by one. Value is equal to a card’s Mana Cost ignoring colors. Cards without a mana cost, such as
Poison Counter: A player with 10 or more poison counters loses the game. the mana cost and its additional cost. If you can’t pay the additional cost, you can’t
cast the spell. lands, have a mana value of 0.
Shield Counter: Permanents with a Shield Counter gain “If this permanent would be Mill [X]: Put [X] cards from the top of your library into your graveyard.
destroyed as the result of an effect, instead remove a shield counter from it” and “If Color Identity: A card’s color identity is the combination of all colors its mana cost, any
color indicator or color-setting characteristic-defining abilities on a card, and any mana Opponent: A person you’re playing against is your opponent. If a card says, “an
damage would be dealt to this permanent, prevent that damage and remove a shield opponent,” it means one of its controller’s opponents.
counter from it.” symbols in the card’s rules text. Mana symbols inside reminder text are ignored. Color
identity also ignores colors when they are written as words. Cards which set the color Owner: The person who starts the game with a card in their deck is that card’s owner.
Stun Counter: If a permanent with a Stun Counter would become untapped, instead Even if your opponent gains control of one of your permanents, you’re still its owner. The
of another object don’t count towards their own color identity. Cards that have no
remove a stun counter from it. owner of a token is the player who controlled it when it entered the battlefield.
colors following these rules have no color identity.
Colorless: Lands and most artifacts are colorless. Colorless is not a color. If something Permanent: A card or token on the battlefield. Permanents can be lands, creatures,
tells you to choose a color, you can’t choose colorless. artifacts, enchantments, or planeswalkers. Once a permanent is on the battlefield, it
Aura: Type of enchantment that you attach to a player or permanent. When the Color: The five Magic colors are white, blue, black, red, and green. If a spell or ability stays there until it is destroyed, exiled, sacrificed, or otherwise removed according to the
permanent or player it’s attached to leaves the battlefield, the Aura is sent to the tells you to choose a color, you must choose one of those five. A card’s color is game rules. You can’t remove a permanent from the battlefield just because you want to,
graveyard. determined by its mana cost. For example, a color that costs  is blue, and a card even if you control it.
Changeling: This object is every creature type everywhere, even outside the game. that costs  is both red and white. Player: You and your opponents are all players. If a spell or ability lets you choose a
Combat Damage: Damage done by a creature’s power while they attack or block. Other player, you can choose yourself. You can’t choose yourself if the spell or ability says, “an
Enchant: All Auras have this keyboard ability, and it is always followed by the kind of
object that the Aura can be attached to (for example, “enchant creature” or “enchant types of damage are not combat damage, even if its during the combat phase. opponent.”
land”). When you cast the Aura, you must target that kind of permanent. When an ability Commander: The central card of a commander deck which determines which other Put onto the Battlefield: When a spell or ability tells you to put something onto the
of an Aura says, “enchanted creature,” it means “the creature the Aura is attached to.” cards can be played in the deck by determining that deck’s color identity. battlefield, you move that card into the battlefield zone. This is different than casting it –
Equipment / Equip [Cost]: A type of artifact that represents a weapon, armor, or other • Commanders must be a legendary creature or a planeswalker that has an ability to you just put it onto the battlefield without paying its costs.
items that your creatures can use. Once an Equipment card is on the battlefield, you can allow it to be a commander. Two commanders are allowed if each has the partner Sacrifice: To move a permanent you control to its owner’s graveyard.
pay it’s equip cost to attach it to a creature you control any time you could play a sorcery. ability or a similar ability. Shuffle: Some cards will instruct you to shuffle. This is a keyword action that has you
• If the equipped creature leaves the battlefield, the Equipment “drops to the ground” • While in the command zone, it may be cast by paying its casting cost in addition to randomize the cards of your library, so that no one knows the order of its contents.
and stays on the battlefield. Commander Tax.  See Glossary for “Commander Tax.” Source: Damage and abilities each come from a spell or permanent – the source of that
• You can move Equipment from one creature to another by paying it’s equip cost. • If a commander is put into its owner’s graveyard, is exiled, or is returned to a damage or ability. Once an ability is on the stack, removing its source doesn’t stop it from
Historic: Artifacts, Legendary spells, and Sagas are all Historic spells. player’s hand or library from anywhere, that player may choose to put it into the resolving.
Legendary: A card supertype. A player may not control two or more legendary command zone as a state-based action. Spell: All types of cards, except lands, are spells while you’re casting them. For example,
permanents with the same name. • If a player has been dealt 21 points of combat damage by a particular commander, Angler Turtle is a creature card. While you’re casting it, it’s a creature spell, and when it
that player loses the game. resolves, it becomes a creature.
Commander Tax: An additional cost to the player casting it includes  for each time Reveal: To show a card to all players for a brief time.
that player has previously cast it from the command zone. Token: Some spells or abilities create permanents, and they are represented by tokens.
Blitz [Cost]: You may cast this card by paying [cost] rather than its mana cost. If this Control: You control spells you cast, permanents that enter the battlefield on your side, They can only exist on the battlefield and cease to exist once they leave and go to
spell’s Blitz cost was paid, sacrifice the permanent this spell becomes at the beginning of and abilities that come from permanents you control. Only you can make decisions for another zone (hand/library/graveyard/exile).
the next end step. As long as this permanent’s Blitz cost was paid, it has haste and things you control. If you control a permanent, only you can activate its activated Trample: This creature deals excess combat damage to the player it’s attacking, even if
“When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.” abilities. Some spells and abilities let you gain control of a permanent, which usually the creature is blocked.
Casualty [X]: As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may sacrifice a creature with means the card will move from their side to yours. X: When you see  in a cost, you get to choose the number that  stands for.
power X or greater. When you cast this spell, if a casualty cost was paid for it, copy it. If Controller: A spell or permanent’s controller is the player who cast it unless another You: The word “you” on a spell or ability refers to the current controller of that spell or
the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for the copy. spell or ability changes who controls it. ability.
Connive: Draw a card, discard a card, and then put a +1/+1 counter on the creature this