Q: What is Commander and how is it played? A: Commander is a casual multiplayer variant that uses special decks and rules to allow players the feel of fielding an army under the command of a specific hero. (Or villain, as the case may be.) Each player's deck must consist of exactly 100 cards, including one legendary creature designated as the deck's commander. Each deck can contain only one of any given card, and most importantly, the choice of commander defines the deck's 'color identity', which determines which cards can be included in the deck. A card's color identity is the color of all of the mana symbols that appear in its mana cost and rules text--a card can't be in your deck if one of the colors in its color identity isn't also in the color identity of the commander.
Players start with 40 life. As the game begins, each player announces the identity of his or her commander, and the commanders are set aside in the 'command zone' (basically, just put them out of the way for now). Players then proceed to play as normal, with the following caveats:
Any player may cast his or her commander from the command zone in the same manner in which they could be cast from the player's hand.
If a commander would be put into a graveyard or get exiled from anywhere, its owner may choose to put it in the command zone instead.
A commander being cast from the command zone costs an additional for each time that player has previously cast that commander in this manner.
A player who has been dealt 21 or more combat damage by the same commander over the course of the game loses the game.
If a player would add mana to his or her mana pool of any color that's not in the color identity of his or her commander, that player adds that much colorless mana to his or her mana pool instead.
Q: Can I put multicolor hybrid or split cards into my deck if they only half-match my comander? eg, Could I put Dovescape into an Azami, Lady of Scrolls deck? Or Fire // Ice into a Kamahl, Pit Fighter deck? A: No. The restriction is that the mana symbols on the cards in your deck cannot be of any colors that don't appear in your commander's mana cost or rules text. It doesn't matter that you'd be able to use the card with just the colors of mana you are allowed to use. Dovescape 's mana symbols, from the example, are both white and blue, and Azami, Lady of Scrolls doesn't have any white mana symbols on her.
Q: Are commanders subject to the legend rule? A: Yes. If two or more legendary permanents with the same name are on the battlefield, all of them get put into the graveyard before anyone can do anything. Nothing about being a commander will prevent this. (Though the commander could end up being put into the command zone instead of the graveyard.)
Q: If a commander is being put into my hand or library, can I put it into the command zone instead? A: No. The replacement that allows you to put the commander into the command zone only kicks in if the commander was going to the graveyard or being exiled. If it was going anywhere else, it'll go there just fine, like any other card.
Q: If I'm casting my commander from somewhere other than the command zone, do I have to pay the extra mana? A: No. The additional cost of casting your commander only applies when you're casting it from the command zone. Casting it from your hand or somewhere else won't force you to pay the additional mana--you'll only have to pay its normal mana cost.
Q: If I put my commander into the command zone instead of the graveyard, will things that look for it going to the graveyard still trigger? A: No. Your commander is being put into the command zone instead of the graveyard--it never actually hits the graveyard.
Q: How does 'commander-ness' work? eg, if I make a copy of a commander somehow, is that copy also a commander? Does removing a commander's abilities or types make it stop being a commander? A: Being a commander is an inherent property of that specific card that cannot be copied or removed. Nothing will ever cause something to make a commander not a commander any more, and there's no way to make something that's not a commander into one, nor to create a new commander.
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 is Emperor and how is it played? A: Emperor is a casual multiplayer variant that divides the table into multiple three-player teams, with each team consisting of one 'Emperor' and two 'Lieutenants'. Players sit so that each emperor is flanked by his lieutenants. The game uses the limited range of influence option, with each lieutenant having a range of 1 and each emperor having a range of 2. All players on a team lose the game when their emperor loses, and they win the game when all opposing emperors have been defeated. Lastly, each creature inherently has the ability, ": Target teammate gains control of this creature."
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 is Planechase and how is it played? A: Planechase is a casual variant where players engage in an ongoing battle roaming across multiple planes of the multiverse. Special plane cards represent various locations around the planes of the multiverse, with the game's current locale having unique effects upon the game. (There are multiple options for how to use plane cards during a planechase game, which are laid out below.) On each player's turn, any time that player could cast a sorcery, he or she may roll a special (6-sided) planar die to attempt to "planeswalk", moving the battle to a different, possibly more advantageous locale. The attempt may succeed, may trigger special abilities of the current plane (rolling 'chaos'), or may simply fail entirely. The first such roll is free, but each additional roll costs an additional . So the second roll costs , the third costs , and so on and so forth.
Q: How are the plane cards used? A: Planechase is played with special 'planar decks', consisting of the oversized plane cards. No planar deck may contain multiples of the same plane card. There are three basic options for using plane cards, depending on how you like to play. The first requires each player to have their own planar deck, and the second and third only require one, which is shared between all players.
In the first (default) option, the player who takes the first turn flips over the first card of their planar deck; this is the game's starting plane. During the game, whenever a player rolls the planar die and hits the planeswalker symbol ( ), the current plane is put face-down on the bottom of its owner's planar deck. The next card in the planar deck of the player who rolled is flipped over, and the game then continues on that new plane. Planar decks have a 10-card minimum.
In the second, the single planar deck option, there is only one communal planar deck, which must be either 40 cards or ten cards for each player in the game, whichever is smaller. Whenever a player rolls , the current plane is put face-down on the bottom of the planar deck and the next card is flipped over to become the game's new plane.
The third option is known as the Eternities Map, and is explained here. It that allows players to move between planes on a 'map', rather than on the random basis the normal method uses.
Q: Do I have to use the special planar die? A: No. If you don't happen to have a planar die handy, you can just use an ordinary d6. Designate one side to be the planeswalker symbol ( ); the opposite side is the chaos symbol ( ). (I recommend 6 for planeswalking, leaving 1 for chaos; it's just easier to remember.) Then proceed as normal.
Q: Is there any limit to the number of times I can roll the planar die? A: No. You can roll the planar die as many times as you choose, as long as you can continue to pay for it. It also doesn't matter whether or not you've managed to planeswalk or rolled chaos earlier in the turn.
Q: Can I respond to a roll of the planar die? A: No; rolling the planar die is a special action that can't be responded to. However, while the roll itself is a special action, chaos abilities and planeswalking themselves are triggered abilities, and can be responded to. So while you can't do anything before the die is rolled, you can do things in between the die being rolled and the result of that roll occurring.
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 is Two-Headed Giant and how is it played? A: Two-Headed Giant is perhaps one of the oldest team multiplayer variants. Players are divided into teams of two, with the members of each team having a shared life total of 30. Teammates ('Heads') also share turns. (See the questions on sharing turns above.) Other things, such as permanents and mana, are not shared between teammates--each player has their own. A team loses when its life total drops to 0 or less, or when one of the 'heads' loses for some other reason. (Say, decking.)
Q: How does combat work? A: In combat, the attacking team's creatures attack the opposing team as a whole, not either of the heads individually. Creatures controlled by either head may block. The attacking team chooses which head is actually dealt the damage from each attacking creature at the time the damage is assigned, if that matters for some reason. (Say, Hypnotic Specter or Story Circle .) The damage from any one creature must be dealt to the same head--you can't have one creature deal some of its damage to one player and some to the other.
Q: How do things that care about a player's life total or about life loss or gain work? A: If something wants to know the life total of any one player, it uses the team's life total. If something is trying to set a player's life total to a specific number, it sets the team's life total to that number. If something is trying to set the life totals of multiple heads at the same time, that team chooses which of them applies; the team's life total is set to that number.
If one player gains life, loses life, and/or is dealt damage, the game doesn't consider their teammate to have done the same, even though their life total has technically changed.
Q: Can I attach Equipment to my teammate's creatures? A: No. The Equip ability can only target a creature you control; while your teammate isn't an opponent, they're still not you.
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 parts of a card can be copied? A: When you copy a card, you copy all of that card's characteristics: name, mana cost, color, type(s), rules text, power and toughness--even its expansion symbol! And when copying a spell, you also copy all the decisions that were made when it was played: targets, modes, the value of X, and so on.
Note however, that anything that isn't an inherent property of the card (or the result of another copy effect) can't be copied.
Q: I copy something that has been changed somehow--by a spell, by an Aura, or by something else. Are those changes copied as well? A: No, not unless the thing that changed it was a copy effect itself. When something is copied, the only things that are copied are the card (or token)'s own inherent properties and other copy effects.
Copying a card will not copy any counters, Auras, or Equipment that are on that card, nor will it copy any abilities, properties, or bonuses that were granted to it by something other than a copy effect.
Q: I play a card that copies some other card "as" it enters the battlefield, and copy something that has an "enters-the-battlefield ability". Will that ability trigger? A: Yes. The card turns into a copy before it actually hits the field, so it will have the ability in time for it to trigger.
Q: My creature that's already on the battlefield turns into a copy of something that has an " enters-the- battlefield ability". Will the ability trigger? A: No. Your creature is not entering the battlefield; it was already on the battlefield. It just changed what it looks like a bit.
Q: Does "copying" a spell count as "casting" a spell? A: No. "Casting" a spell is the process of putting it onto the stack, choosing targets and so on, and paying its cost. (See Casting Spells and Activated Abilities for more information.) Just copying a spell simply creates a copy already on the stack and bypasses that process.
Note that some effects create a copy of a card and then have you cast that copy. These effects are different--you actually cast the copy, so things that trigger on you casting spells will do so.
Q: I create a copy of a permanent on the battlefield that's legendary--will they both die due to the Legend rule? A: Yes; copying a card will also copy the name and legendary supertype of the card, and that's what the legend rule keys off of, so say goodbye to both the original and your copy.
Q: Can I use Clone , Body Double , Vesuvan Shapeshifter , or similarly worded cards to copy a card that has protection from them? A: Yes. Protection only stops a certain specific set of things (see the FAQ entry for a list of them), and anything that doesn't do those things can't be stopped by protection. Since these types of abilities don't use the word "target", they don't target (and they obviously don't do any of the others, either), so protection can't stop them.
Q: I copy a face-down morph creature. What does my copy look like? A: It's a face-up, nameless, colorless, creature-type-less 2/2 creature with no mana cost. It does not have morph and you can't turn it face-up into anything--it already is face-up.
Q: I copy a flip card . Do I get the flipped or unflipped side? A: Your copy will be of the unflipped part of the card...at least until something flips it.
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 are prevention and replacement effects? A: Replacement effects are a type of effect that looks for some specific event that would happen, and somehow modifies that event or causes something else to happen instead of what would normally have happened. Prevention effects are a special kind of replacement effect that prevent the dealing of damage by replacing it with nothing.
Q: How can I recognize a replacement/prevention effect? A: Most replacement/prevention effects can be easily recognized by the use of specific words that are only used to denote replacement effects. If a card uses either of the words "instead" or "skip" it is using some kind of replacement effect, and prevention effects use the word "prevent". Effects that modify the way an object changes zones or status are also replacement effects--such effects will read along the lines of "As [something] enters the battlefield,..." or "[This] enters the battlefield [tapped/with counters/as something unusual]".
Many spells and activated or triggered abilities will set up replacement or prevention effects that will linger for a specified duration. Such cards will often read "The next time [this event would happen]..." or "If [this event would happen] [during this duration]..."
There's also a special game rule for Planeswalkers that creates a replacement effect. If a spell or ability you control would cause damage to be dealt to one of your opponents, you can have all of that damage dealt to one of that player's planeswalkers instead. (For more information on this replacement effect, see the question below and the Planeswalkers FAQ entry.)
Q: So how do replacement/prevention effects work? A: Simple: a replacement/prevention effect is constantly looking for a specific kind of event--if that event would happen, the effect kicks in and causes a different event to occur instead, at the same time the original event would have happened.
For example, you cast Shock targeting a Phytohydra . This is the event that would happen normally:
Shock deals 2 damage to Phytohydra.
However, Phytohydra's ability has a replacement effect, and the event it's looking to replace is damage being dealt to Phytohydra. This qualifies, so the ability kicks in, changing the event like this:
Shock deals 2 damage to Phytohydra. Put two +1/+1 counters on Phytohydra.
So as Shock resolves, instead of it dealing damage to the Hydra, +1/+1 counters are put on it.
Let's look at some more examples. I have enchanted your Grizzly Bears with Pariah , and you cast a Shock targeting me. This is what would normally happen:
Draw a card. Look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of those cards into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order..
Q: How does the Planeswalker replacement effect work? A: The rules create a special replacement effect that allows you to redirect damage from spells or abilities from your opponent to one of his planeswalkers. This replacement effect is always available if the opponent controls a planeswalker and will work for any non-combat damage dealt by a source you control.
Let's say your opponent controls Ajani Goldmane and you want to deal damage to it with Shock . You cast Shock targeting your opponent. If no one has any response to Shock, it resolves. Normally, at this point it would deal 2 damage to your opponent, end of story. But because your opponent controls a planeswalker, the replacement effect kicks in and gives you the option of having that damage dealt to Ajani instead. If you do, all the damage will be dealt to Ajani. If you don't, all the damage will be dealt to your opponent.
If you do redirect the damage, Ajani takes 2 damage and thus loses 2 loyalty. Note that you do not need to let your opponent know in advance that you plan on damaging Ajani--you only make the choice as the Shock resolves. Also, if your opponent has more than one planeswalker, you can choose any one of them to redirect damage to. You must either redirect all of the damage to that planeswalker or none; you can't redirect part of the damage.
Q: What happens if two replacement effects are trying to affect the same event? A: If two or more replacement or prevention effects are trying to modify the same event, then the player who would be affected by that event (or the owner/controller of the object that would be affected by it) chooses the order in which to apply them. Note that this may cause some replacement effects to never apply at all.
For example, you control a Furnace of Rath and cast Incinerate targeting me. In response, I cast Mending Hands . When Incinerate resolves, it tries to deal 3 damage to me, and both the Furnace and Hands want to replace that. Since I'm the player who would be affected by the Incinerate, I get to choose the order in which to apply them.
If I applied the Furnace of Rath first, it would replace Incinerate's 3 damage with 6. Then I would apply Mending Hands and prevent 4 of that damage, so the remaining 2 would be dealt to me. Or I could do it the other way, choosing to apply the Hands' effect first. The Hands would prevent all 3 of the damage from the Incinerate, and then there would be no damage left for the Furnace to try to double, so it would no longer apply and wouldn't do anything.
Q: Can a replacement effect apply more than once? Say, I control two Furnace of Rath s and Shock you. The first Furnace doubles the damage, and then the second doubles it again, the first doubles it again... A: No. Any given replacement effect can only affect a given event once, even if some other replacement effect modifies the event again.
So in the case of two Furnaces, one Furnace would double the damage, the other Furnace would double it again, and then both Furnaces would see that they've already applied to this event and not try to replace it again.
Q: Can a replacement effect become applicable to an event thanks to some other replacement effect? A: Yes. Let's say I control a Cho-Manno, Revolutionary enchanted with Pariah and you Shock me. Pariah replaces damage being dealt to me with damage being dealt to Cho-Manno, and then Cho- Manno's ability kicks in and prevents that damage.
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 are state-based actions? A: State-based actions (or SBAs, as they're commonly called here) are essentially the game's janitorial staff. They make sure that everything that's supposed to be dead and gone dies and is put into the right place.
The state-based actions are as follows:
Any player with 0 or less life loses the game.
Any player who tried to draw a card from an empty library (since the last time SBAs were checked) loses the game.
Any player with 10 or more poison counters loses the game.
All tokens in zones other than the battlefield and all phased-out tokens cease to exist.
All spell- or card-copies in zones other than the stack or the battlefield cease to exist.
Any creature with 0 or less toughness is put into its owner's graveyard.
Any creature with lethal damage marked on it is destroyed.
Any creature that has been dealt damage by a source with deathtouch (since the last time SBAs were checked) is destroyed.
Any planeswalker with 0 loyalty is put into its owner's graveyard.
Any planeswalker with the same planeswalker type as another planeswalker is put into its owner's graveyard.
Any legendary permanent with the same name as another legendary permanent is put into its owner's graveyard.
If two or more world permanents are on the battlefield, all but the one that entered the battlefield most recently are put into their owners' graveyards. If there's a tie, they all die.
Any Aura attached to an illegal or nonexistent permanent dies.
Any Equipment attached to an illegal or nonexistent permanent becomes unattached from that permanent but remains on the battlefield.
Anything that's not an Aura or Equipment but is attached to something becomes unattached from that something but remains on the battlefield.
If there are both +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters on a permanent, they annihilate each other in pairs until only one kind is left.
SBAs aren't checked during the casting/activating or resolution of a spell or ability, but are always checked just before any player receives priority. Thus, it's impossible for any player to do anything before SBAs do their thing.
Q: Can I respond to a state-based action by doing...? A: No. State-based actions apply before any player can do anything--there's no way you can take any action before they take effect.
Q: Can I regenerate a creature from an SBA that would kill it? A: The only SBAs that regeneration will stop are the ones that kills creatures for having lethal damage or being dealt damage by a source with deathtouch. (Note you have to regenerate the creature before the damage is actually dealt, or SBAs kill it before you can do anything). The other SBAs that kill creatures can't be stopped by regeneration, as they aren't technically destroying the creature, and regeneration can only affect destruction. (See the section on Damage and Regeneration.)
Q: That one about removing +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters... does that apply to other kinds of counters too? A: No. Only +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters are affected. Any other counters are immune.
Q: What happens if I try to draw a card from an empty library, but control a Platinum Angel ? A: Nothing. SBAs will try to make you lose the game, but they'll fail because the Angel says you can't lose.
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
Each turn in Magic is divided into a number of phases, which in turn may be divided into a number of steps; each individual step generally has a special action associated with it. The player whose turn it is is referred to as "the active player". Here's an outline of the basic turn structure, listing the phases and the steps (if any) that each phase consists of.
Beginning Phase
Untap Step
Upkeep Step
Draw Step
(First / Precombat) Main Phase
Combat Phase
Beginning of Combat Step
Declare Attackers Step
Declare Blockers Step
First Strike Combat Damage Step (Doesn't happen if no creatures with first or double strike are involved with combat.)
Combat Damage Step
End of Combat Step
(Second / Postcombat) Main Phase
Ending Phase
End Step
Cleanup Step
The following sblock contains a more detailed listing of the turn structure, listing the actions that typically occur in each step or phase, along with some additional information.
Red denotes special game actions--these actions are defined as part of the turn. They do not use the stack and cannot be responded to; if you'd like to cast/activate a spell or ability before these game actions take place, you must do so in an earlier step. Once they start, it's too late to do anything about them. Blue denotes a time when players recieve priority. If players don't receive priority, they can't do much of anything. Purple denotes important reminders.
Beginning phase
Untap step
Phased-out objects phase in, permanents with phasing phase out.
Permanents the active player controls untap.
Note: Players do not receive priority in this step.
Upkeep step
Triggered abilities that triggered during the untap step or at the beginning of the upkeep are put on the stack.
Players receive priority (starting with the active player).
Draw step
Active player draws a card.
Triggered abilities that triggered at the beginning of the draw step or by the active player drawing are put on the stack.
Players receive priority (starting with the active player).
(First / Precombat) Main phase
Triggered abilities that triggered at the beginning of this phase are put on the stack.
Players receive priority (starting with the active player).
Note: The active player can play non-instant cards and activate loyalty abilities only during a main phase when the stack is empty.
Combat phase
Beginning of combat step
Triggered abilities that triggered at the beginning of combat are put on the stack.
Players receive priority (starting with the active player).
Declare attackers step
Active player declares attackers.
Triggered abilities that triggered at the beginning of this step or upon declaration of attackers are put on the stack.
Players receive priority (starting with the active player).
Skip to end of combat step if no attackers have been declared.
Declare blockers step
Defending player declares blockers.
Players declare their creatures' damage assignment orders.
Triggered abilities that triggered at the beginning of this step or upon declaration of blockers are put on the stack.
Players receive priority (starting with the active player).
First strike combat damage step (This step doesn't happen if no creatures with first or double strike are involved with combat.)
First/double strike combat damage is assigned and dealt.
Players receive priority (starting with the active player).
Combat damage step
Regular/double strike combat damage is assigned and dealt.
Players receive priority (starting with the active player).
End of combat
Triggered abilities that trigger "at end of combat" are put on the stack.
Players receive priority (starting with the active player).
(Second / Postcombat) Main Phase
Triggered abilities that triggered at the beginning of this phase are put on the stack.
Players receive priority (starting with the active player).
Note: The active player can play non-instant cards and activate loyalty abilities only during a main phase when the stack is empty.
Ending Phase
End Step
Triggered abilities that trigger at the beginning of the end step ("at end of turn") are put on the stack.
Players receive priority (starting with the active player).
Note: "At the beginning of the end step"/"At end of turn" triggers created after the end step has begun wait until the next end step to go on the stack.
Cleanup Step
Active player discards down to maximum hand size.
Damage is removed from permanents and "until end of turn" and "this turn" effects end.
If triggered abilities have triggered or conditions for SBAs exist, triggered abilities are put on the stack, players receive priority (starting with the active player), and there is another Cleanup Step after this one.
Note: Players do not normally receive priority in this step.
Q: What happens when multiple "take an extra turn after this one" effects are used? A: When something creates an extra turn, it essentially "inserts" that turn into the turn order right behind the current one. If something else later creates another turn during the same turn, that turn is again inserted right after the current one--right before the other extra turn that was created previously. The extra turns are taken, one after the other, in the reverse of the order in which they were created. After that, the turn order reverts back to normal.
For example, if you played Time Warp on your turn, and then your opponent played one (thanks to, say, a Quicken ), your opponent would take an extra turn, then you will, and then the regular turn order continues from where it left off.
Q: Can I do something on a player's turn before that player untaps? A: No. Players do not get priority during the Untap Step, so it is impossible to do anything before the player untaps. If you want to do something before a player untaps, you have to do it during the previous turn's End Step.
Q: What happens when a triggered ability triggers during the Untap Step? A: When a triggered ability triggers, it waits until the next time a player would receive priority to go on the stack. In this case, that means that the triggered ability wouldn't go on the stack until the upkeep step.
Q: Can I do something on a player's turn before "at the beginning of upkeep" triggers happen? A: Well, sort of. You can't do things before those abilities trigger (because they trigger and go onto the stack before players receive priority), but you can respond to those triggered abilities and do things before they resolve.
Q: I have a card that says "During [player's] upkeep..."--when does that happen? A: Check the Oracle text of the card in question; you'll find that the card's current wording is a triggered ability that triggers at the beginning of the upkeep. That's when it happens.
Q: I do something that has an effect "at the beginning of the end step" during the end step. What happens? A: That effect happens at the beginning of the next end step. The end step only begins once per turn. If it's too late to catch the one from this turn, it'll wait 'till the next applicable end of turn step.
Q: I do something that does something "until end of turn" during the end of turn step. What happens? A: You probably just wasted a spell--as soon as the end step ends, the cleanup step comes around and ends the effect you just worked so hard to create.
Q: Can I do something after the active player has discarded and damage has worn off and everything, but before the next player begins his turn and untaps? A: Only if you can find a way to make a triggered ability trigger or the condition for an SBA occur (See the section on State-based Actions) during Cleanup without doing anything. (It's not as easy as it sounds.)
Q: Is there any way I can make something that lasts "until end of turn" carry over to the next turn? A: No. No matter what you try, there will always be another cleanup step after everything's said and done that will end the effect and erase all your hard work.
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: How many cards does my deck need to contain? What's the maximum and minimum number? A: In Limited formats (see the Tournament Procedure section), decks have a minimum size of 40 cards. In Constructed formats (again, see the Tournament Procedure section), the minimum is 60 cards. There is no maximum number of cards that can be in your deck except that you must be able to properly shuffle it in a reasonable amount of time.
So yes, you can put as many cards in your deck as you like; most competitive decks, however, stick to the minimum or as close to it as they can manage and still function. Why they do so is a bit beyond the scope of this FAQ, but basically it's because with fewer cards, they have a better chance of drawing their best cards when they need them.
Q: How many copies of a given card may I have in my deck? A: You may have a maximum of four copies of any given card with a particular English name in your deck. The only exceptions are basic lands, of which you may have any number, and Relentless Rats , which explains itself.
Note that only basic lands are an exception; if a card is basic, it will say "Basic" on its type line. Anything that doesn't is not basic. Any land that is not basic is called a nonbasic land, and is subject to the normal four-of rule. (The existing basic lands are Plains , Island , Swamp , Mountain , Forest , and their snow-covered equivalents.)
Q: Can I include cards from different sets or blocks in my deck? A: Absolutely; that's a big part of the appeal of Magic to many, in fact. The game consists of over ten thousand different pieces which can be combined in any of an unbelievably large number of ways. The only restriction is that some tournament formats will specify that only cards that were a part of certain sets are allowed; see the next question for more information on this.
Q: Which sets can I use cards from in my Constructed decks? A: That depends on which format you're playing.
Standard permits cards from the two most recently-printed blocks, plus the core sets that follow them.
Extended permits cards from the seven most recently-printed blocks, plus the core sets that follow them.
Legacy and Vintage permit cards from all sets; the two are sometimes referred to as the "Eternal" formats for that reason.
Block Constructed (or more specifically, [Block Name] Block Constructed), allows only cards from within the sets that form the specified block.
Depending on the format, there may also be one or more specific cards that are banned or restricted. You can see here for a listing of which sets are currently legal in which formats and which cards (if any) are banned or restricted in those formats.
Q: What's a banned or restricted card? A: A banned card is a card that you are not allowed to include in your deck. A card is generally banned in a format if it or a deck it's a key part of becomes too dominant and begins to warp the format around it, meaning that the only way to win is to either play that card/deck or to play a deck built to specifically counteract that card/deck.
A restricted card is a card that you can only have one copy of in your deck. Restricted cards only exist in one format: Vintage. (Vintage likes to have as few cards as possible banned, but some cards too powerful or degenerate to allow in normal play, so they're restricted instead of banned so that you can still play with them, but only with one copy. Even with just the one copy, many restricted cards are so powerful they define the format even as a one-of.)
Note that banning and restricting are format-specific; Just because a card is banned or restricted in one format does not mean it's banned in all formats. For example, AEther Vial is banned in Extended but not in Vintage or Legacy.
Q: How often is the list updated? And when do the updates take effect? A: The DCI announces updates to the banned and restricted lists every three months, on March 1st, June 1st, September 1st, and December 1st of each year. Any updates to the lists take effect on the 20th of the month they're announced.
Q: I have an old version of a card that was reprinted in a legal set. Can I play with it? A: Yes. As long as a card was printed in a legal set, any version of that card is also legal, no matter how old. So for example, you could play with your TempestForest s in Standard, because Forest is a legal card in Standard, and that means that any version of it is legal. The only caveat to this rule is that the card must be black- or white-bordered and have a normal Magic card back; cards with silver or gold borders or that have a different back from normal Magic cards are not legal for play in any tournament format.
Note that cards from Alpha have different corners than cards in later sets; this means that if your deck contains both cards from Alpha and cards from some other set, you must use opaque sleeves so as to hide the corners.
It should also be mentioned that old versions of a card, especially ones printed before Sixth Edition, may have outdated wordings that have since been changed slightly to accomodate changes in the game's rules structure. Thus, it's important to always be sure to check the Oracle text of old cards so you can be sure how they work; a card's Oracle text can be found by looking it up in Gatherer. The creature types of old creatures are especially likely to have been changed.
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: I'm at a tournament, so now what? A: Okay, we'll assume you've got the right deck, which can be tricky at times. The first step is to get registered. Find the front desk, and politely wait through the line until you can pay and fill out whatever forms they want you to fill out. If you don't have a DCI number (the DCI is Magic's tournament wing), you'll get to sign up with them and get a number. This number can get you free stuff if you sign up online to get it. Be nice to these people! They work long hours with no pay, and often get hated on. Be sure to follow whatever instructions they give you.
After a while you'll get pairings announced. Find out where you're supposed to sit and go sit down. (More casual tournaments may simply have you find your opponent and sit down wherever you can.) Once everyone is seated you'll be told to start the round; each round consists of a best-of-three-games match against a single opponent.
Q: So how does the match start? A: You and your opponent will roll dice to determine who goes first; the winner decides if they wish to go first or second. (The player who goes first won't draw a card on his or her first turn.) Shuffle up your deck, then present it to your opponent to allow them to do so; they may either cut or shuffle at their preference. Once they do so you cannot do anything further to it. (You must always present your deck to your opponent in this manner after any time you shuffle.) Draw your seven cards, mulligan if necessary, and start playing.
Q: Help, I feel like I'm doing everything wrong! A: Don't worry about it. The rules are set up and the judges are there to make sure you play properly, not to punish you. When in doubt, don't be afraid to call a judge to ask if a play is legal ahead of time.
Q: I just finished game one; now what? A: Okay, after the game, it's time to sideboard. See the entry on Sideboards just below. Once both you and your opponent are done sideboarding, you can begin the next game in the same manner as you did the previous, except the player who lost the first game decides whether to play or draw first in the next.
Q: Help! I think my opponent's cheating! A: If you think they are cheating, or they made a mistake, call for a Judge. Just raise your hand, shout "Judge!", and keep your hand raised until one shows up. It's better to catch these things early so that if something goes wrong, it doesn't wreck the game. Calmly explain things to the judge (you can do so away from the table if you want), and if you made a mistake, don't lie about it. That only makes things worse for you.
Q: Okay, the match is over; now what? A: Okay, first you have to sign the match slip. This is how you report to the tournament organizer who won the round. Be nice and respectful to your opponent, you may have to play them later. The next step: remember the sideboard? You have to take out all the sideboarded cards and restore your deck to the same deck and sideboard that you started game one with. After this, you're on your own to look around or check out the vendors until everyone else is finished with the round. Just be back in time for the next set of pairings.
Q: I think I can get a prize if I win. Can I offer my opponent half to drop to me? A: Absolutely not. If you're offering or being offered something to change the natural result of a game or match, it's bribery, and it's one of the biggest things judges watch for. You will be disqualified if you are caught even making the offer.
You can concede or offer an intentional draw to your opponent, but only under two conditions: 1) it doesn't involve luck or chance (so no rolling a die), and 2) it doesn't involve bribery.
Q: Okay, but what about Limited events--what are those? A: A limited tournament is one where your deck is limited to a specific set of cards. There are two types, Sealed and Draft. Sealed is where you get a pool of cards (usually six boosters) and you get to build the best possible deck you can from those cards. Draft is where people sit at a table and pick single cards from a series of packs, then build decks from the cards they picked.
The tournament organizers will usually supply you with as many regular basic lands as you need. (Special basic lands, like Snow-Covered lands , are not provided.) If the organizer is not providing lands, you will probably be told about that before the tournament begins.
Q: So how do I start in a Sealed tournament? A: Registering works the same way, only they will either give you some product (usually six boosters), or they may just hand you a bunch of cards. Important! Don't open the packs until they tell you to. The deckbuilding section may be timed, so if you open early they may think you are trying to cheat.
Once everyone has their cards, you'll be told to open them up, and you build a 40-card-minimum deck out of the cards you received.
Q: What about Drafting? A: To draft, everyone in the draft (generally about eight people) sits around a table, and gets three boosters. At a signal you'll open the first pack. Take out the token or tips and tricks card and the nonfoil basic land and put them in the middle of the table, then pick one card you want to keep. Pass the rest of the cards to the person on your left. Taking the pack you just got passed you'll again pick one card and pass the rest on. This continues until you have 14 cards in front of you. You'll get another signal, and you'll do the same thing with Booster #2, except it passes to the right. Then finally, Booster #3 goes to the left, just like Booster #1. After that, you'll be given time to build a 40-card-minimum deck from the cards you just drafted, and you'll begin playing.
You can only look at the cards you have already drafted between packs. You will normally get at least 30 seconds to review your prior picks before the new pack is opened. Once that happens, keep your hands off your old picks, or someone might wonder if you're trying to cheat.
Q: Help! None of my cards are any good. A: It's very difficult to build a "good" deck in any limited event. You have access to very few uncommons and rares. Generally, you're looking for a bunch of creatures that are decent for their price as well as some creature-kill. Don't forget the cheap creatures!
Important Note: It's called Limited because you are limited to the cards you either draft or get in the Sealed. Don't use any other cards; if you do, you'll get in trouble.
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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), the current plane is put face-down on the bottom of its owner's planar deck. The next card in the planar deck of the player who rolled 
). (I recommend 6 for planeswalking, leaving 1 for chaos; it's just easier to remember.) Then proceed as normal.