Rules
Comprehensive Rules
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9 Sections147 chapters
Spells, Abilities, and Effects17 chapters
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600General601Casting Spells602Activating Activated Abilities603Handling Triggered Abilities604Handling Static Abilities605Mana Abilities606Loyalty Abilities607Linked Abilities608Resolving Spells and Abilities609Effects610One-Shot Effects611Continuous Effects612Text-Changing Effects613Interaction of Continuous Effects614Replacement Effects615Prevention Effects616Interaction of Replacement and/or Prevention Effects
601. Casting Spells
601.1
Previously, the action of casting a spell, or casting a card as a spell, was referred to on cards as “playing” that spell or that card. Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference so they now refer to “casting” that spell or that card.
601.2
To cast a spell is to take it from where it is (usually the hand), put it on the stack, and pay its costs, so that it will eventually resolve and have its effect. Casting a spell includes proposal of the spell (rules 601.2a–d) and determination and payment of costs (rules 601.2f–h). To cast a spell, a player follows the steps listed below, in order. A player must be legally allowed to cast the spell to begin this process (see rule 601.3). If a player is unable to comply with the requirements of a step listed below while performing that step, the casting of the spell is illegal; the game returns to the moment before the casting of that spell was proposed (see rule 733, “Handling Illegal Actions”).
601.3
A player can begin to cast a spell only if a rule or effect allows that player to cast it and no rule or effect prohibits that player from casting it.
601.4
While announcing the choices of any modes, alternative costs, and/or additional costs as described in rule 601.2b, some options may be available to a player only if other choices are made that would normally be made later in that rule’s instructions. In that case, the spell’s controller may consider any other choices to be made in that step. If any such choices could allow them to choose a particular mode, alternative cost, or additional cost, they may do so.
601.5
While announcing the choices of any targets and/or the division or distribution of any effects as described in rules 601.2c–d, some options may be available to a player only if other choices are made later in spellcasting process. In that case, the spell’s controller may consider any other choices to be made during that process, including the choice of any objects that may be used to pay costs for that spell.
601.6
If a player is no longer allowed to cast a spell after completing its proposal (see rules 601.2a–d), the casting of the spell is illegal and the game returns to the moment before the casting of that spell was proposed (see rule 733, “Handling Illegal Actions”). It doesn’t matter if a rule or effect would make the casting of the spell illegal while determining and paying that spell’s costs (see rules 601.2f–h) or any time after the spell has been cast.
601.7
Some spells specify that one of their controller’s opponents does something the controller would normally do while it’s being cast, such as choose a mode or choose targets. In these cases, the opponent does so when the spell’s controller normally would do so.
601.8
Casting a spell that alters costs won’t affect spells and abilities that are already on the stack.