Rules
Comprehensive Rules
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310. Battles
310.1
A player who has priority may cast a battle card from their hand during a main phase of their turn when the stack is empty. Casting a battle as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 601, “Casting Spells.”)
310.10
A battle can’t be attached to players or permanents, even if it is also an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification. If a battle is somehow attached to a permanent, it becomes unattached. This is a state-based action (see rule 704).
310.11
If a battle that isn’t being attacked has no player designated as its protector, or its protector is a player who can’t be its protector, its controller chooses an appropriate player to be its protector. If no player can be chosen this way, the battle is put into its owner’s graveyard. This is a state-based action (see rule 704).
310.12
Some battles have the subtype Siege
310.2
When a battle spell resolves, its controller puts it onto the battlefield under their control.
310.3
Battle subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Battle — Siege.” Battle subtypes are also called battle types. See rule 205.3q for the complete list of battle types.
310.4
Defense is a characteristic that battles have.
310.5
Battles can be attacked
310.6
Damage dealt to a battle results in that many defense counters being removed from it.
310.7
If a Siege battle’s defense is 0 and it isn’t the source of an ability which has triggered but not yet left the stack, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)
310.8
If a non-Siege battle’s defense is 0, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)
310.9
Each battle has a player designated as its protector.