Comprehensive Rules
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If the spell is modal, the player announces the mode choice (see rule ). If the player wishes to splice any cards onto the spell (see rule 702.47), they reveal those cards in their hand. If the spell has alternative or additional costs that will be paid as it’s being cast such as buyback or kicker costs (see rules and ), the player announces their intentions to pay any or all of those costs (see rule ). A player can’t apply two alternative methods of casting or two alternative costs to a single spell. If the spell has a variable cost that will be paid as it’s being cast (such as an {X} in its mana cost; see rule ), the player announces the value of that variable. If the value of that variable is defined in the text of the spell by a choice that player would make later in the announcement or resolution of the spell, that player makes that choice at this time instead of that later time. If a cost that will be paid as the spell is being cast includes hybrid mana symbols, the player announces the nonhybrid equivalent cost they intend to pay. If a cost that will be paid as the spell is being cast includes Phyrexian mana symbols, the player announces whether they intend to pay 2 life or a corresponding colored mana cost for each of those symbols. Previously made choices (such as choosing to cast a spell with flashback from a graveyard or choosing to cast a creature with morph face down) may restrict the player’s options when making these choices.
A splice ability changes a spell’s text by adding the rules text of the card with splice to the spell, following that spell’s own rules text. It doesn’t modify or replace any of that spell’s own text. (See rule 702.47, “Splice.”)
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.
Removing double strike from a creature during the first combat damage step will stop it from assigning combat damage in the second combat damage step.
Giving double strike to a creature with first strike after it has already dealt combat damage in the first combat damage step will allow the creature to assign combat damage in the second combat damage step.
Multiple instances of double strike on the same creature are redundant.
Enchant
Enchant is a static ability, written “Enchant [object or player].” The enchant ability restricts what an Aura spell can target and what an Aura can enchant.
For more information about Auras, see rule , “Enchantments.”
If an Aura has multiple instances of enchant, all of them apply. The Aura’s target must follow the restrictions from all the instances of enchant. The Aura can enchant only objects or players that match all of its enchant abilities.
Auras that can enchant a player can target and be attached to players. Such Auras can’t target permanents and can’t be attached to permanents.
Equip
Equip is an activated ability of Equipment cards. “Equip [cost]” means “[Cost]: Attach this permanent to target creature you control. Activate only as a sorcery.”
For more information about Equipment, see rule , “Artifacts.”
Equip abilities may further restrict what creatures may be chosen as legal targets. Such restrictions usually appear in the form “Equip [quality]” or “Equip [quality] creature.” These equip abilities may legally target only a creature that’s controlled by the player activating the ability and that has the chosen quality. Additional restrictions for an equip ability don’t restrict what the Equipment may be attached to.
If a permanent has multiple equip abilities, any of its equip abilities may be activated.
“Equip planeswalker” is a variant of the equip ability. “Equip planeswalker [cost]” means “[Cost]: Attach this permanent to target planeswalker you control as though that planeswalker were a creature. Activate only as a sorcery.”
First Strike
First 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 or double strike (see rule 702.4) 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.
Giving first strike to a creature without it after combat damage has already been dealt in the first combat damage step won’t preclude that creature from assigning combat damage in the second combat damage step. Removing first strike from a creature after it has already dealt combat damage in the first combat damage step won’t allow it to also assign combat damage in the second combat damage step (unless the creature has double strike).
Multiple instances of first strike on the same creature are redundant.
Flash
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.”
Multiple instances of flash on the same object are redundant.
Flying
Flying is an evasion ability.
A creature with flying can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying and/or reach. A creature with flying can block a creature with or without flying. (See rule , “Declare Blockers Step,” and rule 702.17, “Reach.”)
Multiple instances of flying on the same creature are redundant.
Haste
Haste is a static ability.
If a creature has haste, it can attack even if it hasn’t been controlled by its controller continuously since their most recent turn began. (See rule .)
If a creature has haste, its controller can activate its activated abilities whose cost includes the tap symbol or the untap symbol even if that creature hasn’t been controlled by that player continuously since their most recent turn began. (See rule .)
Multiple instances of haste on the same creature are redundant.
Hexproof
Splice
Splice is a static ability that functions while a card is in your hand. “Splice onto [quality] [cost]” means “You may reveal this card from your hand as you cast a [quality] spell. If you do, that spell gains the text of this card’s rules text and you pay [cost] as an additional cost to cast that spell.” Paying a card’s splice cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules and –h.
You can’t choose to use a splice ability if you can’t make the required choices (targets, etc.) for that card’s rules text. You can’t splice any one card onto the same spell more than once. If you’re splicing more than one card onto a spell, reveal them all at once and choose the order in which their effects will happen. The effects of the main spell must happen first.
The spell has the characteristics of the main spell, plus the rules text of each of the spliced cards. This is a text-changing effect (see rule , “Text-Changing Effects”). The spell doesn’t gain any other characteristics (name, mana cost, color, supertypes, card types, subtypes, etc.) of the spliced cards. Text gained by the spell that refers to a card by name refers to the spell on the stack, not the card from which the text was copied.
Choose targets for the added text normally (see rule ). Note that a spell with one or more targets won’t resolve if all of its targets are illegal on resolution.
The spell loses any splice changes once it leaves the stack for any reason.