Comprehensive Rules
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If any players wish to reveal a card with a companion ability that they own from outside the game, they may do so. A player may reveal no more than one card this way, and they may do so only if their deck fulfills the condition of that card’s companion ability. The revealed card remains outside the game. (See rule 702.139, “Companion.”)
A player who has chosen a companion may pay {3} to put that card from outside the game into their hand. This is a special action. A player can take this action any time they have priority and the stack is empty during a main phase of their turn, but only if they haven’t done so yet this game. (See rule 702.139, “Companion.”)
Most abilities describe exactly what they do in the card’s rules text. Some, though, are very common or would require too much space to define on the card. In these cases, the object lists only the name of the ability as a “keyword”; sometimes reminder text summarizes the game rule.
If an effect refers to a “[keyword ability] cost,” it refers only to the variable costs for that keyword.
An effect that grants an object a keyword ability may define a variable in that ability based on characteristics of that object or other information about the game state. For these abilities, the value of that variable is constantly reevaluated.
An effect may state that “the same is true for” a list of keyword abilities or similar. If one of those keyword abilities has variants or variables and the effect grants that keyword or counters of that keyword to one or more objects and/or players, it grants each appropriate variant and variable of that keyword.
An effect may refer to an object “with [keyword ability]” or “that has [keyword ability].” This means the same thing as an object “with a [keyword ability] ability” or an object “that has a [keyword ability] ability.”
Deathtouch
Deathtouch is a static ability.
A creature with toughness greater than 0 that’s been dealt damage by a source with deathtouch since the last time state-based actions were checked is destroyed as a state-based action. See rule 704.
Any nonzero amount of combat damage assigned to a creature by a source with deathtouch is considered to be lethal damage for the purposes of determining if a proposed combat damage assignment is valid, regardless of that creature’s toughness. See rules –d.
The deathtouch rules function no matter what zone an object with deathtouch deals damage from.
If an object changes zones before an effect causes it to deal damage, its last known information is used to determine whether it had deathtouch.
Multiple instances of deathtouch on the same object are redundant.
Defender
Defender is a static ability.
A creature with defender can’t attack.
Multiple instances of defender on the same creature are redundant.
Double Strike
Double strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See rule , “Combat Damage Step.”)
If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see rule 702.7) or double strike as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step.
Intimidate
Intimidate is an evasion ability.
A creature with intimidate can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it. (See rule , “Declare Blockers Step.”)
Multiple instances of intimidate on the same creature are redundant.
Afflict
Afflict is a triggered ability. “Afflict N” means “Whenever this creature becomes blocked, defending player loses N life.”
If a creature has multiple instances of afflict, each triggers separately.
Ascend
Ascend on an instant or sorcery spell represents a spell ability. It means “If you control ten or more permanents and you don’t have the city’s blessing, you get the city’s blessing for the rest of the game.”
Ascend on a permanent represents a static ability. It means “Any time you control ten or more permanents and you don’t have the city’s blessing, you get the city’s blessing for the rest of the game.”
The city’s blessing is a designation that has no rules meaning other than to act as a marker that other rules and effects can identify. Any number of players may have the city’s blessing at the same time.
After a player gets the city’s blessing, continuous effects are reapplied before the game checks to see if the game state or preceding events have matched any trigger conditions.
Assist
Assist is a static ability that modifies the rules of paying for the spell with assist (see rules -h). If the total cost to cast a spell with assist includes a generic mana component, before you activate mana abilities while casting it, you may choose another player. That player has a chance to activate mana abilities. Once that player chooses not to activate any more mana abilities, you have a chance to activate mana abilities. Before you begin to pay the total cost of the spell, the player you chose may pay for any amount of the generic mana in the spell’s total cost.
Jump-Start
Jump-start appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities: one that functions while the card is in a player’s graveyard and another that functions while the card is on the stack. “Jump-start” means “You may cast this card from your graveyard if the resulting spell is an instant or sorcery spell by discarding a card as an additional cost to cast it” and “If this spell was cast using its jump-start ability, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack.” Casting a spell using its jump-start ability follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules and –h.
Mentor
Mentor is a triggered ability. “Mentor” means “Whenever this creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on target attacking creature with power less than this creature’s power.”
If a creature has multiple instances of mentor, each triggers separately.
An ability that triggers whenever a creature mentors another creature triggers whenever a mentor ability whose source is the first creature and whose target is the second creature resolves.
Afterlife
Afterlife is a triggered ability. “Afterlife N” means “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, create N 1/1 white and black Spirit creature tokens with flying.”
If a permanent has multiple instances of afterlife, each triggers separately.
Riot
Riot is a static ability. “Riot” means “You may have this permanent enter with an additional +1/+1 counter on it. If you don’t, it gains haste.”
If a permanent has multiple instances of riot, each works separately.
Spectacle
Spectacle is a static ability that functions on the stack. “Spectacle [cost]” means “You may pay [cost] rather than pay this spell’s mana cost if an opponent lost life this turn.” Casting a spell for its spectacle cost follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules and –h.
Escape
Escape represents a static ability that functions while the card with escape is in a player’s graveyard. “Escape [cost]” means “You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost.” Casting a spell using its escape ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules and –h.
A spell or permanent “escaped” if that spell or the spell that became that permanent as it resolved was cast from a graveyard with an escape ability.
An ability that reads “[This permanent] escapes with [one or more of a kind of counter]” means “If this permanent escaped, it enters with [those counters]” That ability may have a triggered ability linked to it that triggers “When it enters this way.” (See rule .) Such a triggered ability triggers when that permanent enters the battlefield after its replacement effect was applied, even if that replacement effect had no effect.
An ability that reads “[This permanent] escapes with [ability]” means “If this permanent escaped, it has [ability].”
Companion
Companion is a keyword ability that functions outside the game. It’s written as “Companion—[Condition].” Before the game begins, you may reveal one card you own from outside the game with a companion ability whose condition is fulfilled by your starting deck. (See rule .) Once during the game, any time you have priority and the stack is empty, but only during a main phase of your turn, you may pay {3} and put that card into your hand. This is a special action that doesn’t use the stack (see rule ). This is a change from previous rules.
If a companion ability refers to your starting deck, it refers to your deck after you’ve set aside any sideboard cards. In a Commander game, this is also before you’ve set aside your commander.
Once you take the special action and put the card with companion into your hand, it remains in the game until the game ends.
Commander Draft deck construction follows the same rules as Commander deck construction (see rule ) with three exceptions: (1) A player’s deck must contain at least 60 cards. There is no maximum deck size. (2) A player’s deck may include any number of cards from that player’s card pool with the same name. (3) If the draft contained draft boosters from Commander Masters, any card which can be a player’s commander by itself and whose color identity includes one or fewer colors is considered to have the partner ability for the purposes of deckbuilding. (See rule 702.124, “Partner.”)