Comprehensive Rules

A player who has a card with suspend in their hand may exile that card. This is a special action. A player can take this action any time they have priority, but only if they could begin to cast that card by putting it onto the stack. See rule 702.62, “Suspend.”

Equipment spells are cast like other artifact spells. Equipment enter the battlefield like other artifacts. They don’t enter the battlefield attached to a creature. The equip keyword ability attaches the Equipment to a creature you control (see rule 702.6, “Equip”). Control of the creature matters only when the equip ability is activated and when it resolves. Spells and other abilities may also attach an Equipment to a creature. If an effect attempts to attach an Equipment to an object that can’t be equipped by it, the Equipment doesn’t move.

Some artifacts have the subtype “Fortification.” A Fortification can be attached to a land. It can’t legally be attached to an object that isn’t a land. Fortification’s analog to the equip keyword ability is the fortify keyword ability. Rules 301.5a–f apply to Fortifications in relation to lands just as they apply to Equipment in relation to creatures, with one clarification relating to rule 301.5c: a Fortification that’s also a creature (not a land) can’t fortify a land. (See rule 702.67, “Fortify.”)

The two abilities represented by the champion keyword are linked abilities. See rule 702.72, “Champion.”

To time travel means to choose any number of permanents you control with one or more time counters on them and/or suspended cards you own in exile with one or more time counters on them and, for each of those objects, put a time counter on it or remove a time counter from it. See rule 702.62, “Suspend.”

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 301, “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.”

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 302.6.)

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 302.6.)

Casting a spell using its madness ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.

Choose targets for the added text normally (see rule 601.2c). Note that a spell with one or more targets won’t resolve if all of its targets are illegal on resolution.

You choose which permanent to sacrifice as you make choices for the spell (see rule 601.2b), and you sacrifice that permanent as you pay the total cost (see rule 601.2h).

Ripple

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.”

If a spell has multiple instances of ripple, each triggers separately.

Split Second

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.”

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.

Multiple instances of split second on the same spell are redundant.

Suspend

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, you may play it without paying its mana cost if able. If you don’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.”

A card is “suspended” if it’s in the exile zone, has suspend, and has a time counter on it.

While determining if you could begin to cast a card with suspend, take into consideration any effects that would prohibit that card from being cast.

Casting a spell as an effect of its suspend ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.

Vanishing

Vanishing is a keyword that represents three abilities. “Vanishing N” means “This permanent enters 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.”

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.”

If a permanent has multiple instances of vanishing, each works separately.

Absorb

Absorb is a static ability. “Absorb N” means “If a source would deal damage to this creature, prevent N of that damage.”

Each absorb ability can prevent only N damage from any one source at any one time. It will apply separately to damage from other sources, or to damage dealt by the same source at a different time.

If an object has multiple instances of absorb, each applies separately.

Aura Swap

Aura swap is an activated ability of some Aura cards. “Aura swap [cost]” means “[Cost]: You may exchange this permanent with an Aura card in your hand.”

If either half of the exchange can’t be completed, the ability has no effect.

Delve

Delve is a static ability that functions while the spell with delve is on the stack. “Delve” means “For each generic mana in this spell’s total cost, you may exile a card from your graveyard rather than pay that mana.”

The delve ability isn’t an additional or alternative cost and applies only after the total cost of the spell with delve is determined.

Multiple instances of delve on the same spell are redundant.

Fortify

Fortify is an activated ability of Fortification cards. “Fortify [cost]” means “[Cost]: Attach this Fortification to target land you control. Activate only as a sorcery.”

For more information about Fortifications, see rule 301, “Artifacts.”

If a Fortification has multiple instances of fortify, any of its fortify abilities may be used.

Frenzy

Frenzy is a triggered ability. “Frenzy N” means “Whenever this creature attacks and isn’t blocked, it gets +N/+0 until end of turn.”

If a creature has multiple instances of frenzy, each triggers separately.

Gravestorm

Gravestorm is a triggered ability that functions on the stack. “Gravestorm” means “When you cast this spell, copy it for each permanent that was put into a graveyard from the battlefield this turn. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for any of the copies.”

If a spell has multiple instances of gravestorm, each triggers separately.

The two abilities represented by champion are linked. See rule 607, “Linked Abilities.”

Casting a spell as an effect of its rebound ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.

Miracle is a static ability linked to a triggered ability. (See rule 603.11.) “Miracle [cost]” means “You may reveal this card from your hand as you draw it if it’s the first card you’ve drawn this turn. When you reveal this card this way, you may cast it by paying [cost] rather than its mana cost.”

Overload’s second ability creates a text-changing effect. See rule 612, “Text-Changing Effects.”

You choose which permanent to sacrifice as you choose to pay a spell’s emerge cost (see rule 601.2b), and you sacrifice that permanent as you pay the total cost (see rule 601.2h).

Assist is a static ability that modifies the rules of paying for the spell with assist (see rules 601.2g-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.

Cleave’s second ability is a text-changing effect. See rule 612, “Text-Changing Effects.”