702.54a Replicate is a keyword that represents two abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the spell with replicate is on the stack. The second is a triggered ability that functions while the spell with replicate is on the stack. "Replicate [cost]" means "As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay [cost] any number of times" and "When you cast this spell, if a replicate cost was paid for it, copy it for each time its replicate cost was paid. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for any of the copies." Paying a spell's replicate cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2e-g.
702.54b If a spell has multiple instances of replicate, each is paid separately and triggers based on the payments made for it, not any other instance of replicate.
Specific Questions
Q: What does replicate do? A: Replicate lets you make a whole bunch of copies of your spells when you cast them. When you cast a spell with Replicate, you can pay the Replicate cost as many times as you like in addition to the normal mana cost; then you get that many extra copies of your spell.
Q: How exactly does replicate work? A: As you cast a spell with replicate, you can choose to pay its replicate cost any number of times. Once you finish casting the spell, a triggered ability goes on the stack. When that ability resolves, it will create a copy of the original spell for each time you paid the replicate cost.
Q: So if I cast a spell with replicate, and my opponent responds with something, can I then respond to that by replicating it again? A: No. The only chance you get to pay the replicate cost is as you are casting the original spell. After that, it's too late.
Q: How does replicate interact with storm? A: It doesn't. At all. Replicate copies are never cast, so they don't count for storm, and if you somehow replicate a storm spell, the replicate copies will not themselves storm, for that very same reason. (And you can't replicate storm copies, either, again, because you're not casting them.)
Q: So how can I stop the copies? A: You could cast something that will counter the triggered ability that creates the copies; this will stop the copies from ever being created, but it won't stop the original spell. You could also cast something that counters all the spells at once .
...And, of couse, you can try to counter each individual copy with a different regular counterspell , but that's probably going to be a bit difficult.
Q: If I give a mana-cost-less spell (such as Ancestral Visions ) replicate with Djinn Illuminatus , can I replicate it as many times as I want? A: No. In fact, you can't replicate it at all. Djinn Illuminatus makes the replicate cost equal to the mana cost of the spell, which is nonexistent. That means that the replicate cost is also nonexistent, and a nonexistent cost cannot be paid.
And so people say to me, "How do I know if a word is real?" You know, anyone who's read a children's book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it! That makes it real. Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction; it doesn't make the word any more real than any other word. If you love a word, it becomes real. --Erin McKean, Redefining the Dictionary
702.55a A forecast ability is a special kind of activated ability that can be activated only from a player's hand. It's written "Forecast -- [Activated ability]."
702.55b A forecast ability may be activated only during the upkeep step of the card's owner and only once each turn. The controller of the forecast ability reveals the card with that ability from his or her hand as the ability is activated. That player plays with that card revealed in his or her hand until it leaves the player's hand or until a step or phase that isn't an upkeep step begins, whichever comes first.
Specific Questions
Q: What does forecast do? A: A forecast ability is a special activated ability that you can activate from your hand during your upkeep. To activate a Forecast ability, you reveal the card from your hand and pay the required cost. The Forecast card remains revealed until the end of your upkeep, and you can't activate the same card's Forecast ability twice in one upkeep.
Q: Can I counter forecast with a counterspell ? A: No. Forecast is an ability, not a spell. If you want to counter a forecast ability, you have to use something that can counter activated abilities, like Squelch .
Q: If I have multiple copies of the same card with Forecast in my hand, can I activate the Forecast ability multiple times? A: You can activate the forecast ability of each individual card once, for a total of however many of those cards you have in your hand.
Q: If I (somehow ) get multiple upkeeps, can I forecast the same card more than once per turn? A: Yes. Each upkeep is seperate from the others for purposes of Forecasting.
And so people say to me, "How do I know if a word is real?" You know, anyone who's read a children's book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it! That makes it real. Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction; it doesn't make the word any more real than any other word. If you love a word, it becomes real. --Erin McKean, Redefining the Dictionary
702.56a Graft represents both a static ability and a triggered ability. "Graft N" means "This permanent enters the battlefield with N +1/+1 counters on it" and "Whenever another creature enters the battlefield, if this permanent has a +1/+1 counter on it, you may move a +1/+1 counter from this permanent onto that creature."
702.56b If a creature has multiple instances of graft, each one works separately.
Specific Questions
Q: What does graft do? A: A creature with graft X enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it. Then, whenever any creature enters the battlefield (even under your opponent's control), you can choose to move a +1/+1 counter from your creature with graft onto the new creature.
Q: Can I move all of my creature's +1/+1 counters onto another creature? A: Graft only lets you move one counter at a time. While you can graft away all of your creature's counters if you wish, you have to do it one at a time.
Q: Can I move my +1/+1 counters onto my opponent's new creatures? A: Yes, you can. Graft triggers whenever any creature enters the battlefield, not just when yours do.
Q: I have multiple graft creatures on the battlefield, and I cast a new creature. Can I move multiple counters onto my new creature? A: Yes. You may move up to one counter from each creature with graft onto it.
Q: Can graft move counters onto untargetable creatures, or creatures with protection? A: Yes, it can. Graft isn't targeted, and doesn't do anything protection stops.
And so people say to me, "How do I know if a word is real?" You know, anyone who's read a children's book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it! That makes it real. Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction; it doesn't make the word any more real than any other word. If you love a word, it becomes real. --Erin McKean, Redefining the Dictionary
702.57a Recover is a triggered ability that functions only while the card with recover is in a player's graveyard. "Recover [cost]" means "When a creature is put into your graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay [cost]. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, exile this card."
Specific Questions
Q: What does recover do? A: Recover allows you to get the card it's on back from your graveyard when a creature is put into your graveyard from the battlefield. When a creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay the card's recover cost to return it from your graveyard to your hand. But if you don't pay the cost, the card with recover is exiled permanently.
Q: Can I choose not to bring back the card with recover and wait until later to do so? A: No. If you choose not to (or can't) bring back the recover card when a creature is put into your graveyard, the card exiled for good.
Q: What happens if I forget about the trigger, and find out about it later? A: Exile the card. Forgetfulness is no excuse: you missed your opportunity to bring it back.
Q: If one of my creatures with recover dies at the same time as another of my creatures, does its recover ability trigger? A: No; recover will not trigger from creatures that die at the same time as the creature it's on.
Q: I have a card with recover in my graveyard, and several of my creatures die at once. What happens? A: The recover ability will trigger multiple times. When the first of those triggers resolves, it will remove the card from your graveyard (one way or the other). Then the other triggers will resolve. You can still choose to pay the recover cost for those triggers if you like, but they won't do anything.
And so people say to me, "How do I know if a word is real?" You know, anyone who's read a children's book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it! That makes it real. Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction; it doesn't make the word any more real than any other word. If you love a word, it becomes real. --Erin McKean, Redefining the Dictionary
702.58a Ripple is a triggered ability that functions only while the card with ripple is on the stack. "Ripple N" means "When you cast this spell, you may reveal the top N cards of your library, or, if there are fewer than N cards in your library, you may reveal all the cards in your library. If you reveal cards from your library this way, you may cast any of those cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs, then put all revealed cards not cast this way on the bottom of your library in any order."
702.58b If a spell has multiple instances of ripple, each triggers separately.
Specific Questions
Q: What does ripple do? A: Ripple potentially allows you to cast many copies of the same spell at once. When you cast a card with ripple X, you may reveal X cards from the top of your library and cast for free any of the revealed cards that have the same name as the spell you just cast.
Q: I cast a spell with ripple. What happens first, the ripple or the spell? A: The ripple. Ripple triggers on you casting the spell, thus, it goes onto the stack on top of that spell, and will therefore resolve first.
Q: Do I have to cast all the copies of the spell I revealed? A: No. You can choose to cast all of them, just some of them, or even none of them if you wish.
Q: If a card somehow gets multiple ripple abilities, what happens? A: You will ripple multiple times for that spell--each trigger acts seperately. (Note that any spells you cast off of the first ripple will resolve before the second of those ripples.)
And so people say to me, "How do I know if a word is real?" You know, anyone who's read a children's book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it! That makes it real. Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction; it doesn't make the word any more real than any other word. If you love a word, it becomes real. --Erin McKean, Redefining the Dictionary
Q: What exactly is an ability word? A: An ability word is a word printed in italics that is used to visibly link cards with related abilities together in a way that cannot be achieved (or would be awkward to achieve) with a regular keyword.
The important thing to remember about ability words is that the ability word has no rules significance whatsoever. Ever. The card would function exactly the same if the ability word wasn't there. That's the primary difference between them and keywords, which do have rules significance.
Q: How do I tell if my card has a keyword or an ability word? A: If the word is printed in italics and separated from the rest of the ability by a long dash, it's an ability word. If it's not, it's a keyword.
Note: Some true keywords (Forecast) are separated from abilities by a long dash, but these are printed in regular text.
Note: Older cards with Threshold and Imprint have the word in regular text, but those are now ability words.
Q: What's up with Threshold and Imprint? A: Threshold and Imprint were originally printed as keyword abilities, but were later altered to be ability words instead. Compare the printed and oracle text of, say, Epicenter and Spellbinder to see examples. This change did not significantly functionally alter any cards.
And so people say to me, "How do I know if a word is real?" You know, anyone who's read a children's book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it! That makes it real. Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction; it doesn't make the word any more real than any other word. If you love a word, it becomes real. --Erin McKean, Redefining the Dictionary
702.8a Flash is a static ability that functions in any zone from which you could play the card it's on. "Flash" means "You may play this card any time you could cast an instant."
702.8b Multiple instances of flash on the same object are redundant.
Specific Questions
Q: What does flash do? A: Flash allows you to cast a noninstant spell any time you have priority, just like you could with an instant.
Q: Do I have to be able to cast an instant right then to be able to cast the card with flash? A: No; when the rule says "any time you could cast an instant", it means "any time the timing rules would permit you to cast an instant". Lack of instants to cast (and cards that specifically stop you from casting instants) won't stop you from casting cards with flash.
And so people say to me, "How do I know if a word is real?" You know, anyone who's read a children's book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it! That makes it real. Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction; it doesn't make the word any more real than any other word. If you love a word, it becomes real. --Erin McKean, Redefining the Dictionary
702.59a Split second is a static ability that functions only while the spell with split second is on the stack. "Split second" means "As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't cast other spells or activate abilities that aren't mana abilities."
702.59b Players may activate mana abilities and take special actions while a spell with split second is on the stack. Triggered abilities trigger and are put on the stack as normal while a spell with split second is on the stack.
702.59c Multiple instances of split second on the same spell are redundant.
Specific Questions
Q: What does split second do? A: Split second makes it hard for players to respond to your spells. While a spell with split second is on the stack, players (including you) can't cast spells or activate abilities that aren't mana abilities.
Q: So what can I do while a card with split second is on top of the stack? A: You can activate mana abilities (activated abilities that produce mana) and perform special actions that aren't spells or abilities, like turning a face-down permanent with Morph face-up. Triggered abilities work as normal, since you don't actually cast them.
Q: Can I cast a spell with split second in response to some other spell to prevent my opponent from stopping that other spell? A: No. Spells and abilities on the stack resolve one at a time, and players have the chance to respond to each in turn. Your opponents won't be able to stop the split second spell, but they can wait until it resolves and then stop the other.
For more information on how the stack works, see the post on The Stack and Priority in the Main Rules FAQ.
Q: How does split second interact with suspend? A: It generally doesn't, apart from a few isolated situations. You cannot normally use split second to stop suspended spells from being cast, because there is no way to get the suspend trigger that removes the last time counter to be on the stack above the split second spell. It will always be below, because you can't cast the split second spell before the remove-counter triggers go on the stack at the beginning of the upkeep.
The three exceptions to this rule involve Deep-Sea Kraken , Timebender , and Nihilith , respectively. If you have a Deep-Sea Kraken suspended with one time counter on it, and your opponent casts a split-second spell, the Kraken's secondary remove-time-counters ability will trigger and go onto the stack above the split second spell. This will mean that the counter will be removed and the cast-me trigger will go off while the split second spell is still on the stack. In that case, split second prevents you from casting the Kraken.
The Timebender exception makes use of the fact that turning a face-down creature with morph face-up isn't stopped by split second. With a split second spell on the stack, you can flip up Timebender to remove the last time counters from a suspended spell. The counters will be removed and the cast-me trigger will go off with the split second spell still on the stack, preventing the suspended spell from being cast.
Nihilith 's exception is much the same. With a split second spell on the stack, you can flip up a morph creature with some sort of triggered ability that will somehow cause enough cards to be put into the appropriate graveyard for all of Nihilith's counters to be removed.
And so people say to me, "How do I know if a word is real?" You know, anyone who's read a children's book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it! That makes it real. Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction; it doesn't make the word any more real than any other word. If you love a word, it becomes real. --Erin McKean, Redefining the Dictionary
702.60a Suspend is a keyword that represents three abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the card with suspend is in a player's hand. The second and third are triggered abilities that function in the exile zone. "Suspend N -- [cost]" means "If you could begin to cast this card by putting it onto the stack from your hand, you may pay [cost] and exile it with N time counters on it. This action doesn't use the stack," and "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this card is suspended, remove a time counter from it," and "When the last time counter is removed from this card, if it's exiled, play it without paying its mana cost if able. If you can't, it remains exiled. If you cast a creature spell this way, it gains haste until you lose control of the spell or the permanent it becomes."
702.60b A card is "suspended" if it's in the exile zone, has suspend, and has a time counter on it.
702.60c Casting a spell as an effect of its suspend ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2e-g.
Specific Questions
Q: What does suspend do? A: Suspend essentially allows you the option of paying for your spells with time instead of with mana. You can choose to cast a card with suspend N for its full cost and get the effect (or permanent) right now, or you can choose to suspend it, paying its suspend cost (which is generally smaller) and exiling it with N time counters on it. At the beginning of each of your upkeeps, you remove a time counter from the suspended card, and when all of them are gone, you cast it for free. You can suspend a card any time you could cast that particular card normally.
Q: I suspend a non-Instant card, and somehow the last time counter is removed during my opponent's turn or some other time when I couldn't normally cast that card. Can I cast the suspended card even though I couldn't normally cast it? A: Yes; in fact, you have to. It doesn't matter whose turn it is or what step or phase it is when the last time counter is removed; the suspend ability allows you to cast the card during the ability's resolution, no matter when that might be.
Q: When can I counter a card that's been suspended? A: The action of suspending a card is a special action that cannot be responded to or countered. However, when the last time counter is removed, the card will be cast as normal. That's when it becomes counterable.
Q: Can I use cards like Stifle to delay the card with suspend, or even stop it altogether? A: Yes. The counter-removal ability and the ability that lets you cast the card once all the counters are gone are both triggered abilities that can be countered by spells or abilities. Countering the first will delay the card by a turn, while countering the second ability will stop the card from being cast at all, stranding it in the exile zone forever.
Q: The last time counter is removed from my suspended card--do I have to cast it? A: If possible, yes. You have to cast the card even if you no longer want to. You committed to it when you suspended the card.
Q: The last time counter is removed from my suspended card, but I can't cast it. (Due to having no legal targets or a play restriction such as Teferi .) What happens? A: The card will be stranded in the exile zone forever.
Q: I suspend a creature, and it enters the battlefield a few turns later--does it have summoning sickness? A: No. Creatures that have been suspended have haste until you lose control of them, so you can use them right away.
Note: If your opponents steal the creature somehow, that instance of haste will disappear forever. The creature might still have haste for some other reason, though.
Q: If there's a card on the battlefield that imposes an additional cost to cast spells, does that apply to cards that are being cast after being suspended? How does that affect things? A: Yes, it does apply (though it doesn't apply to suspending the card in the first place, as that's not casting a spell).
If casting the suspended card involves an additional cost, you must pay that cost if able. (Remember, you committed to casting the card when you suspended it.) If you can't, the card remains exiled forever.
If the additional cost includes mana, the situation is a bit more complex: if you have enough mana in your mana pool to pay the cost outright, you must do so. If you can't possibly pay the cost, the card remains exiled. However, if you have the means to produce enough mana to pay the cost, then you have a choice: you may cast the spell, produce mana, and pay the cost... or you may choose to activate no mana abilities, thus making the card impossible to cast because the additional mana can't be paid. It's up to you.
Q: How does suspend interact with split second? A: It generally doesn't, apart from a few isolated situations. Suspended spells cannot normally be stopped by casting a split second spell, because there is no way to get the trigger that removes the last time counter to be on the stack above the split second spell. It will always be below, because you can't cast the split second spell before the remove-counter trigger goes on the stack at the beginning of the upkeep.
The three exceptions to this rule involve Deep-Sea Kraken , Timebender , and Nihilith , respectively. If Deep-Sea Kraken has a single time counter on it, and your opponent casts a split-second spell, the Kraken's secondary remove-time-counters ability will trigger and go onto the stack above the split second spell. This will mean that the counter will be removed and the cast-me trigger will go off while the split second spell is still on the stack. In that case, split second prevents you from casting the Kraken.
The Timebender exception makes use of the fact that turning a face-down morph creature face-up isn't stopped by split second. With a split second spell on the stack, you can flip up Timebender to remove the last time counters from a suspended spell. The counters will be removed and the cast-me trigger will go off with the split second spell still on the stack, preventing the suspended spell from being cast.
Nihilith 's exception is much the same. With a split second spell on the stack, you can flip up a morph creature with some sort of triggered ability that will somehow cause enough cards to be put into your opponent's graveyard for all of Nihilith's counters to be removed.
And so people say to me, "How do I know if a word is real?" You know, anyone who's read a children's book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it! That makes it real. Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction; it doesn't make the word any more real than any other word. If you love a word, it becomes real. --Erin McKean, Redefining the Dictionary
702.61a Vanishing is a keyword that represents three abilities. "Vanishing N" means "This permanent enters the battlefield with N time counters on it," "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent has a time counter on it, remove a time counter from it," and "When the last time counter is removed from this permanent, sacrifice it."
702.61b Vanishing without a number means "At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent has a time counter on it, remove a time counter from it" and "When the last time counter is removed from this permanent, sacrifice it."
702.61c If a permanent has multiple instances of vanishing, each works separately.
Specific Questions
Q: What does vanishing do? A: Vanishing is an ability that causes permanents to only remain on the battlefield a short time. A permanent with vanishing X enters the battlefield with X time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, you remove a time counter from that permanent, and when the last is removed, you must sacrifice it.
Q: What happens if I counter the sacrifice ability when the last counter is removed? A: Your permanent with Vanishing will remain on the battlefield indefinitely. The sacrifice ability only triggers once, when the last time counter is removed. After that, it won't trigger again unless you somehow get more time counters on it.
Q: Isn't Vanishing just a new name for Fading? How are they different? A: Fading and Vanishing are very similar, but have a few subtle differences. Here are the main ones:
Vanishing uses time counters. Fading uses fade counters. The only difference is the name, but this is important for things like Timebender that manipulate specific kinds of counters.
Vanishing causes the permanent to be sacrificed when the last counter is removed. Fading causes the permanent to be sacrificed at the beginning of your upkeep if you can't remove a counter. Usually, this just means a permanent with Fading N will stay on the battlefield a turn longer than a permanent with Vanishing N. Also, Vanishing's sacrifice ability triggers as soon as the last counter is removed, no matter when that is. Fading only triggers at the beginning of the upkeep, no matter how many counters are present.
Vanishing can be permanently circumvented by countering the sacrifice ability. Fading can only be temporarily circumvented this way. If you counter Vanishing's sacrifice ability, the permanent will stay on the battlefield indefinitely. If you counter the Fading ability that would cause your permanent to be sacrificed, it will simply trigger again at the beginning of your next upkeep.
And so people say to me, "How do I know if a word is real?" You know, anyone who's read a children's book knows that love makes things real. If you love a word, use it! That makes it real. Being in the dictionary is an artificial distinction; it doesn't make the word any more real than any other word. If you love a word, it becomes real. --Erin McKean, Redefining the Dictionary
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