Comprehensive Rules
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Each planeswalker card has a loyalty number printed in its lower right corner. This indicates its loyalty while it’s not on the battlefield, and it also indicates that the planeswalker enters the battlefield with that many loyalty counters on it (see rule 306.5b).
A player who has priority may cast a planeswalker card from their hand during a main phase of their turn when the stack is empty. Casting a planeswalker as a spell uses the stack. (See rule , “Casting Spells.”)
When a planeswalker spell resolves, its controller puts it onto the battlefield under their control.
Planeswalker subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Planeswalker — Jace.” Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. Planeswalker subtypes are also called planeswalker types. Planeswalkers may have multiple subtypes. See rule for the complete list of planeswalker types.
Previously, planeswalkers were subject to a “planeswalker uniqueness rule” that stopped a player from controlling two planeswalkers of the same planeswalker type. This rule has been removed and planeswalker cards printed before this change have received errata in the Oracle card reference to have the legendary supertype. Like other legendary permanents, they are subject to the “legend rule” (see rule ).
Loyalty is a characteristic only planeswalkers have.
The loyalty of a planeswalker card not on the battlefield is equal to the number printed in its lower right corner.
A planeswalker has the intrinsic ability “This permanent enters with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to its printed loyalty number.” This ability creates a replacement effect (see rule ).
The loyalty of a planeswalker on the battlefield is equal to the number of loyalty counters on it.
Each planeswalker has a number of loyalty abilities, which are activated abilities with loyalty symbols in their costs. Loyalty abilities follow special rules: A player may activate a loyalty ability of a permanent they control any time they have priority and the stack is empty during a main phase of their turn, but only if none of that permanent’s loyalty abilities have been activated that turn. See rule , “Loyalty Abilities.”
Planeswalkers can be attacked. (See rule , “Declare Attackers Step.”)
Previously, planeswalkers were subject to a redirection effect that allowed a player to have noncombat damage that would be dealt to an opponent be dealt to a planeswalker under that opponent’s control instead. This rule has been removed and certain cards have received errata in the Oracle card reference to deal damage directly to planeswalkers.
Damage dealt to a planeswalker results in that many loyalty counters being removed from it.
If a planeswalker’s loyalty is 0, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)