number
stringlengths
5
7
text
stringlengths
4
2.56k
examples
listlengths
0
4
__index_level_0__
int64
0
2.94k
615.1a
Effects that use the word “prevent” are prevention effects. Prevention effects use “prevent” to indicate what damage will not be dealt.
[]
1,300
615.2
Many prevention effects apply to damage from a source. See rule 609.7.
[]
1,301
615.3
There are no special restrictions on casting a spell or activating an ability that generates a prevention effect. Such effects last until they’re used up or their duration has expired.
[]
1,302
615.4
Prevention effects must exist before the appropriate damage event occurs—they can’t “go back in time” and change something that’s already happened. Spells or abilities that generate these effects are often cast or activated in response to whatever would produce the event and thus resolve before that event would occur.
[ "A player can activate an ability that prevents damage in response to a spell that would deal damage. Once the spell resolves, though, it’s too late to prevent the damage." ]
1,303
615.5
Some prevention effects also include an additional effect, which may refer to the amount of damage that was prevented. The prevention takes place at the time the original event would have happened; the rest of the effect takes place immediately afterward.
[]
1,304
615.6
If damage that would be dealt is prevented, it never happens. A modified event may occur instead, which may in turn trigger abilities. Note that the modified event may contain instructions that can’t be carried out, in which case the impossible instruction is simply ignored.
[]
1,305
615.7
Some prevention effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability refer to a specific amount of damage—for example, “Prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt to any target this turn.” These work like shields. Each 1 damage that would be dealt to the “shielded” permanent or player is prevented. Preventing 1 damage reduces the remaining shield by 1. If damage would be dealt to the shielded permanent or player by two or more applicable sources at the same time, the player or the controller of the permanent chooses which damage the shield prevents. Once the shield has been reduced to 0, any remaining damage is dealt normally. Such effects count only the amount of damage; the number of events or sources dealing it doesn’t matter.
[]
1,306
615.8
Some prevention effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability refer to the next time a specific source would deal damage. These effects prevent the next instance of damage from that source, regardless of how much damage that is. Once an instance of damage from that source has been prevented, any subsequent instances of damage that would be dealt by that source are dealt normally.
[]
1,307
615.9
Some effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability prevent damage from a source of a player’s choice with certain properties. When the source would deal damage, the shield rechecks the source’s properties. If the properties no longer match, the damage isn’t prevented or replaced and the shield isn’t used up. See rule 609.7b.
[]
1,308
616.1
If two or more replacement and/or prevention effects are attempting to modify the way an event affects an object or player, the affected object’s controller (or its owner if it has no controller) or the affected player chooses one to apply, following the steps listed below. If two or more players have to make these choices at the same time, choices are made in APNAP order (see rule 101.4).
[]
1,309
616.1a
If any of the replacement and/or prevention effects are self-replacement effects (see rule 614.15), one of them must be chosen. If not, proceed to rule 616.1b.
[]
1,310
616.1b
If any of the replacement and/or prevention effects would modify under whose control an object would enter the battlefield, one of them must be chosen. If not, proceed to rule 616.1c.
[]
1,311
616.1c
If any of the replacement and/or prevention effects would cause an object to become a copy of another object as it enters the battlefield, one of them must be chosen. If not, proceed to rule 616.1d.
[]
1,312
616.1d
If any of the replacement and/or prevention effects would cause a card to enter the battlefield with its back face up, one of them must be chosen (See rule 701.28, “Transform,” and rule 701.50, “Convert.”). If not, proceed to 616.1e.
[]
1,313
616.1e
Any of the applicable replacement and/or prevention effects may be chosen.
[]
1,314
616.1f
Once the chosen effect has been applied, this process is repeated (taking into account only replacement or prevention effects that would now be applicable) until there are no more left to apply.
[ "Two permanents are on the battlefield. One is an enchantment that reads “If a card would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, instead exile it,” and the other is a creature that reads “If [this creature] would die, instead shuffle it into its owner’s library.” If the creature is destroyed, its controller decides which replacement to apply first; the other does nothing.", "Essence of the Wild reads “Creatures you control enter the battlefield as a copy of Essence of the Wild.” A player who controls Essence of the Wild casts Rusted Sentinel, which normally enters the battlefield tapped. As it enters the battlefield, the copy effect from Essence of the Wild is applied first. As a result, it no longer has the ability that causes it to enter the battlefield tapped. Rusted Sentinel will enter the battlefield as an untapped copy of Essence of the Wild." ]
1,315
616.1g
While following the steps in 616.1a–f, one replacement or prevention effect may apply to an event, and another may apply to an event contained within the first event. In this case, the second effect can’t be chosen until after the first effect has been chosen.
[ "A player is instructed to create a token that’s a copy of Voice of All, which has the ability “As Voice of All enters the battlefield, choose a color.” Doubling Season has an ability that reads “If an effect would create one or more tokens under your control, it creates twice that many of those tokens instead.” Because entering the battlefield is an event contained within the event of creating a token, the effect of Doubling Season must be applied first, and then the effects of the two Voice of All tokens may be applied in either order." ]
1,316
616.2
A replacement or prevention effect can become applicable to an event as the result of another replacement or prevention effect that modifies the event.
[ "One effect reads “If you would gain life, draw that many cards instead,” and another reads “If you would draw a card, return a card from your graveyard to your hand instead.” Both effects combine (regardless of the order they came into existence): Instead of gaining 1 life, the player puts a card from their graveyard into their hand." ]
1,317
700.1
Anything that happens in a game is an event. Multiple events may take place during the resolution of a spell or ability. The text of triggered abilities and replacement effects defines the event they’re looking for. One “happening” may be treated as a single event by one ability and as multiple events by another.
[ "If an attacking creature is blocked by two creatures, this is one event for a triggered ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] becomes blocked” but two events for a triggered ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] becomes blocked by a creature.”" ]
1,318
700.10
Some effects refer to a permanent “that was activated this turn.” This means that the permanent was the source of an ability that was activated this turn, regardless of whether that permanent still has that activated ability or the player who activated it is still in the game.
[]
1,319
700.11
Some effects refer to whether a player has “descended this turn.” This means that a permanent card has been put into that player’s graveyard from anywhere this turn. “The number of times [a player] descended this turn” means “the number of permanent cards put into [that player’s] graveyard from anywhere this turn.” In both cases, no permanent cards put into the player’s graveyard that turn are required to still be in that graveyard.
[]
1,320
700.2
A spell or ability is modal if it has two or more options in a bulleted list preceded by instructions for a player to choose a number of those options, such as “Choose one —.” Each of those options is a mode. Modal cards printed prior to the Khans of Tarkir™ set didn’t use bulleted lists for the modes; these cards have received errata in the Oracle card reference so the modes do appear in a bulleted list.
[]
1,321
700.2a
The controller of a modal spell or activated ability chooses the mode(s) as part of casting that spell or activating that ability. If one of the modes would be illegal (due to an inability to choose legal targets, for example), that mode can’t be chosen. (See rule 601.2b.)
[]
1,322
700.2b
The controller of a modal triggered ability chooses the mode(s) as part of putting that ability on the stack. If one of the modes would be illegal (due to an inability to choose legal targets, for example), that mode can’t be chosen. If no mode is chosen, the ability is removed from the stack. (See rule 603.3c.)
[]
1,323
700.2c
If a spell or ability targets one or more targets only if a particular mode is chosen for it, its controller will need to choose those targets only if they chose that mode. Otherwise, the spell or ability is treated as though it did not have those targets. (See rule 601.2c.)
[]
1,324
700.2d
If a player is allowed to choose more than one mode for a modal spell or ability, that player normally can’t choose the same mode more than once. However, some modal spells include the instruction “You may choose the same mode more than once.” If a particular mode is chosen multiple times, the spell is treated as if that mode appeared that many times in sequence. If that mode requires a target, the same player or object may be chosen as the target for each of those modes, or different targets may be chosen.
[]
1,325
700.2e
Some spells and abilities specify that a player other than their controller chooses a mode for it. In that case, the other player does so when the spell or ability’s controller normally would do so. If there is more than one other player who could make such a choice, the spell or ability’s controller decides which of those players will make the choice.
[]
1,326
700.2f
Modal spells and abilities may have different targeting requirements for each mode. Changing a spell or ability’s target can’t change its mode.
[]
1,327
700.2g
A copy of a modal spell or ability copies the mode(s) chosen for it. The controller of the copy can’t choose a different mode. (See rule 707.10.)
[]
1,328
700.3
Some effects cause objects to be temporarily grouped into piles.
[]
1,329
700.3a
Each of the affected objects must be put into exactly one of those piles, unless the effect specifies otherwise.
[]
1,330
700.3b
Each object in a pile is still an individual object. The pile is not an object.
[]
1,331
700.3c
Objects grouped into piles don’t leave the zone they’re currently in. If cards in a graveyard are split into piles, the order of the graveyard must be maintained.
[ "Fact or Fiction reads, “Reveal the top five cards of your library. An opponent separates those cards into two piles. Put one pile into your hand and the other into your graveyard.” While an opponent is separating the revealed cards into piles, they’re still in their owner’s library. They don’t leave the library until they’re put into their owner’s hand or graveyard." ]
1,332
700.3d
A pile can contain zero or more objects.
[]
1,333
700.4
The term dies means “is put into a graveyard from the battlefield.”
[]
1,334
700.5
A player’s devotion to [color] is equal to the number of mana symbols of that color among the mana costs of permanents that player controls. A player’s devotion to [color 1] and [color 2] is equal to the number of mana symbols among the mana costs of permanents that player controls that are [color 1], [color 2], or both colors.
[]
1,335
700.5a
A player’s devotion to each color and combination of colors, taking into account any effects that modify devotion, is calculated after considering any copy, control, or text-changing effects but before any other effects that modify the characteristics of permanents. This is an exception to 613.10. See also rule 613, “Interaction of Continuous Effects.”
[ "Altar of the Pantheon is an artifact with no colored mana in its cost and an ability that says “Your devotion to each color and each combination of colors is increased by one.” Purphoros, God of the Forge is a permanent mana cost {3}{R} and an ability that says “As long as your devotion to red is less than five, Purphoros isn’t a creature.” If a player controls both of these permanents and another permanent that costs {R}{R}{R}, that player’s devotion to red is calculated to be five before Purphoros’s type-changing effect is applied, and Purphoros is a creature." ]
1,336
700.6
The term historic refers to an object that has the legendary supertype, the artifact card type, or the Saga subtype.
[]
1,337
700.7
If an ability uses a phrase such as “this [something]” to identify an object, where [something] is a characteristic, it is referring to that particular object, even if it isn’t the appropriate characteristic at the time.
[ "An ability reads “Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Destroy that creature at the beginning of the next end step.” The ability will destroy the object it gave +2/+2 to even if that object isn’t a creature at the beginning of the next end step." ]
1,338
700.8
Some cards refer to a player’s party. A player’s party consists of up to one Cleric creature that player controls, up to one Rogue creature they control, up to one Warrior creature they control, and up to one Wizard creature they control.
[]
1,339
700.8a
If a spell, ability, or effect needs to determine the number of creatures in a player’s party, the calculation of that number is performed automatically by the game and results in a number between zero and four. Players don’t declare which specific creatures they control are in their party for such an effect.
[]
1,340
700.8b
If a creature has multiple creature types for which it could be the party member, it is counted as the party member for only one of those types. If there are different ways to count such a creature that results in different numbers of creatures in a player’s party, it is counted in such a way to get the highest result.
[]
1,341
700.8c
A player has a full party if there are four creatures in that player’s party.
[]
1,342
700.8d
One card, Stick Together, instructs players to choose a party from among creatures they control. To do so, for each of the creature types listed in rule 700.8, each player chooses up to one creature they control of that type.
[]
1,343
700.9
Some cards refer to modified creatures. A creature is modified if it has one or more counters on it (see rule 122), if it is equipped (see rule 301.5), or if it is enchanted by an Aura that is controlled by that creature’s controller. (see rule 303.4). If an ability of a permanent checks to see whether that permanent is modified, the answer is always no if that permanent isn’t a currently a creature.
[]
1,344
701.1
Most actions described in a card’s rules text use the standard English definitions of the verbs within, but some specialized verbs are used whose meanings may not be clear. These “keywords” are game terms; sometimes reminder text summarizes their meanings.
[]
1,345
701.10
Exchange
[]
1,346
701.10a
A spell or ability may instruct players to exchange something (for example, life totals or control of two permanents) as part of its resolution. When such a spell or ability resolves, if the entire exchange can’t be completed, no part of the exchange occurs.
[ "If a spell attempts to exchange control of two target creatures but one of those creatures is destroyed before the spell resolves, the spell does nothing to the other creature." ]
1,347
701.10b
When control of two permanents is exchanged, if those permanents are controlled by different players, each of those players simultaneously gains control of the permanent that was controlled by the other player. If, on the other hand, those permanents are controlled by the same player, the exchange effect does nothing.
[]
1,348
701.10c
When life totals are exchanged, each player gains or loses the amount of life necessary to equal the other player’s previous life total. Replacement effects may modify these gains and losses, and triggered abilities may trigger on them. A player who can’t gain life can’t be given a higher life total this way, and a player who can’t lose life can’t be given a lower life total this way (see rules 119.7–8).
[]
1,349
701.10d
Some spells or abilities may instruct a player to exchange cards in one zone with cards in a different zone (for example, exiled cards and cards in a player’s hand). These spells and abilities work the same as other “exchange” spells and abilities, except they can exchange the cards only if all the cards are owned by the same player, and they can exchange the cards even if one zone is empty.
[]
1,350
701.10e
If a card in one zone is exchanged with a card in a different zone, and either of them is attached to an object, that card stops being attached to that object and the other card becomes attached to that object.
[]
1,351
701.10f
If a spell or ability instructs a player to simply exchange two zones, and one of the zones is empty, the cards in the zones are still exchanged.
[]
1,352
701.10g
A spell or ability may instruct a player to exchange two numerical values. In such an exchange, each value becomes equal to the previous value of the other. If either of those values is a life total, the affected player gains or loses the amount of life necessary to equal the other value. Replacement effects may modify this gain or loss, and triggered abilities may trigger on it. A player who can’t gain life can’t be given a higher life total this way, and a player who can’t lose life can’t be given a lower life total this way (see rules 119.7–8). If either of those values is a power or toughness, a continuous effect is created setting that power or toughness to the other value (see rule 613.4b). This rule does not apply to spells and abilities that switch a creature’s power and toughness.
[]
1,353
701.10h
One card (Exchange of Words) instructs a player to exchange the text boxes of two creatures. This creates a text-changing effect (see rule 612, “Text-Changing Effects”). In such an exchange, the rules text of each permanent becomes the previous rules text of the other.
[]
1,354
701.11
Exile
[]
1,355
701.11a
To exile an object, move it to the exile zone from wherever it is. See rule 406, “Exile.”
[]
1,356
701.12
Fight
[]
1,357
701.12a
A spell or ability may instruct a creature to fight another creature or it may instruct two creatures to fight each other. Each of those creatures deals damage equal to its power to the other creature.
[]
1,358
701.12b
If one or both creatures instructed to fight are no longer on the battlefield or are no longer creatures, neither of them fights or deals damage. If one or both creatures are illegal targets for a resolving spell or ability that instructs them to fight, neither of them fights or deals damage.
[]
1,359
701.12c
If a creature fights itself, it deals damage to itself equal to twice its power.
[]
1,360
701.12d
The damage dealt when a creature fights isn’t combat damage.
[]
1,361
701.13
Mill
[]
1,362
701.13a
For a player to mill a number of cards, that player puts that many cards from the top of their library into their graveyard.
[]
1,363
701.13b
A player can’t mill a number of cards greater than the number of cards in their library. If given the choice to do so, they can’t choose to take that action. If instructed to do so, they mill as many as possible. Similarly, the player can’t pay a cost that includes milling a number of cards greater than the number of cards in their library.
[]
1,364
701.13c
An effect that refers to a milled card can find that card in the zone it moved to from the library, as long as that zone is a public zone.
[]
1,365
701.13d
If an ability checks information about a single milled card but more than one card was milled, that ability refers to each of the milled cards. If that ability asks for any information about the milled card, such as a characteristic or mana value, it gets multiple answers. If these answers are used to determine the value of a variable, the sum of the answers is used. If that ability performs any actions on “the” card, it performs that action on each milled card. If that ability performs any actions on “a” card, the controller of the ability chooses which card is affected.
[]
1,366
701.14
Play
[]
1,367
701.14a
To play a land means to put it onto the battlefield from the zone it’s in (usually the hand). A player may play a land if they have priority, it’s the main phase of their turn, the stack is empty, and they haven’t played a land this turn. Playing a land is a special action (see rule 116), so it doesn’t use the stack; it simply happens. Putting a land onto the battlefield as the result of a spell or ability isn’t the same as playing a land. See rule 305, “Lands.”
[]
1,368
701.14b
To play a card means to play that card as a land or to cast that card as a spell, whichever is appropriate.
[]
1,369
701.14c
Some effects instruct a player to “play” with a certain aspect of the game changed, such as “Play with the top card of your library revealed.” “Play” in this sense means to play the Magic game.
[]
1,370
701.14d
Previously, the action of casting a spell, or casting a card as a spell, was referred to on cards as “playing” that spell or that card. Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference so they now refer to “casting” that spell or that card.
[]
1,371
701.14e
Previously, the action of using an activated ability was referred to on cards as “playing” that ability. Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference so they now refer to “activating” that ability.
[]
1,372
701.15
Regenerate
[]
1,373
701.15a
If the effect of a resolving spell or ability regenerates a permanent, it creates a replacement effect that protects the permanent the next time it would be destroyed this turn. In this case, “Regenerate [permanent]” means “The next time [permanent] would be destroyed this turn, instead remove all damage marked on it and its controller taps it. If it’s an attacking or blocking creature, remove it from combat.”
[]
1,374
701.15b
If the effect of a static ability regenerates a permanent, it replaces destruction with an alternate effect each time that permanent would be destroyed. In this case, “Regenerate [permanent]” means “Instead remove all damage marked on [permanent] and its controller taps it. If it’s an attacking or blocking creature, remove it from combat.”
[]
1,375
701.15c
Neither activating an ability that creates a regeneration shield nor casting a spell that creates a regeneration shield is the same as regenerating a permanent. Effects that say that a permanent can’t be regenerated don’t preclude such abilities from being activated or such spells from being cast; rather, they cause regeneration shields to not be applied.
[]
1,376
701.16
Reveal
[]
1,377
701.16a
To reveal a card, show that card to all players for a brief time. If an effect causes a card to be revealed, it remains revealed for as long as necessary to complete the parts of the effect that card is relevant to. If the cost to cast a spell or activate an ability includes revealing a card, the card remains revealed from the time the spell or ability is announced until the time it leaves the stack. If revealing a card causes a triggered ability to trigger, the card remains revealed until that triggered ability leaves the stack. If that ability isn’t put onto the stack the next time a player would receive priority, the card ceases to be revealed.
[]
1,378
701.16b
Revealing a card doesn’t cause it to leave the zone it’s in.
[]
1,379
701.16c
If cards in a player’s library are shuffled or otherwise reordered, any revealed cards that are reordered stop being revealed and become new objects.
[]
1,380
701.16d
Some effects instruct a player to look at one or more cards. Looking at a card follows the same rules as revealing a card, except that the card is shown only to the specified player.
[]
1,381
701.17
Sacrifice
[]
1,382
701.17a
To sacrifice a permanent, its controller moves it from the battlefield directly to its owner’s graveyard. A player can’t sacrifice something that isn’t a permanent, or something that’s a permanent they don’t control. Sacrificing a permanent doesn’t destroy it, so regeneration or other effects that replace destruction can’t affect this action.
[]
1,383
701.18
Scry
[]
1,384
701.18a
To “scry N” means to look at the top N cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library in any order and the rest on top of your library in any order.
[]
1,385
701.18b
If a player is instructed to scry 0, no scry event occurs. Abilities that trigger whenever a player scries won’t trigger.
[]
1,386
701.18c
If multiple players scry at once, each of those players looks at the top cards of their library at the same time. Those players decide in APNAP order (see rule 101.4) where to put those cards, then those cards move at the same time.
[]
1,387
701.18d
An ability that triggers whenever a player scries triggers after the process described in rule 701.18a is complete, even if some or all of those actions were impossible.
[]
1,388
701.19
Search
[]
1,389
701.19a
To search for a card in a zone, look at all cards in that zone (even if it’s a hidden zone) and find a card that matches the given description.
[]
1,390
701.19b
If a player is searching a hidden zone for cards with a stated quality, such as a card with a certain card type or color, that player isn’t required to find some or all of those cards even if they’re present in that zone.
[ "Splinter says “Exile target artifact. Search its controller’s graveyard, hand, and library for all cards with the same name as that artifact and exile them. Then that player shuffles their library.” A player casts Splinter targeting Howling Mine (an artifact). Howling Mine’s controller has another Howling Mine in her graveyard and two more in her library. Splinter’s controller must find the Howling Mine in the graveyard, but may choose to find zero, one, or two of the Howling Mines in the library." ]
1,391
701.19c
If a player is instructed to search a hidden zone for cards that match an undefined quality, that player may still search that zone but can’t find any cards.
[ "Lobotomy says “Target player reveals their hand, then you choose a card other than a basic land card from it. Search that player’s graveyard, hand, and library for all cards with the same name as the chosen card and exile them. Then that player shuffles their library.” If the target player has no cards in their hand when Lobotomy resolves, the player who cast Lobotomy searches the specified zones but doesn’t exile any cards." ]
1,392
701.19d
If a player is searching a hidden zone simply for a quantity of cards, such as “a card” or “three cards,” that player must find that many cards (or as many as possible, if the zone doesn’t contain enough cards).
[]
1,393
701.19e
If the effect that contains the search instruction doesn’t also contain instructions to reveal the found card(s), then they’re not revealed.
[]
1,394
701.19f
If searching a zone is replaced with searching a portion of that zone, any other instructions that refer to searching the zone still apply. Any abilities that trigger on a library being searched will trigger.
[ "Aven Mindcensor says, in part, “If an opponent would search a library, that player searches the top four cards of that library instead.” Veteran Explorer says “When Veteran Explorer dies, each player may search their library for up to two basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield. Then each player who searched their library this way shuffles it.” An opponent who searched the top four cards of their library because of Veteran Explorer’s ability would shuffle the entire library." ]
1,395
701.19g
If an effect offers a player a choice to search a zone and take additional actions with the cards found, that player may choose to search even if the additional actions are illegal or impossible.
[]
1,396
701.19h
An effect may instruct a player to search a library for one or more cards more than once before instructing a player to shuffle that library. This is the same as a single instruction for that player to search that library for all those cards. The player searches that library only once.
[]
1,397
701.19i
If multiple players search at once, each of those players looks at the appropriate cards at the same time, then those players decide in APNAP order (see rule 101.4) which card to find.
[]
1,398
701.19j
If an effect instructs a player to search outside the game for a card, that player may choose an appropriate card they own from outside the game.
[]
1,399