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700General701Keyword Actions702Keyword Abilities703Turn-Based Actions704State-Based Actions705Flipping a Coin706Rolling a Die707Copying Objects708Face-Down Spells and Permanents709Split Cards710Flip Cards711Leveler Cards712Double-Faced Cards713Substitute Cards714Saga Cards715Adventurer Cards716Class Cards717Attraction Cards718Prototype Cards719Case Cards720Omen Cards721Station Cards722Preparation Cards723Controlling Another Player724Ending Turns and Phases725The Monarch726The Initiative727Restarting the Game728Rad Counters729Subgames730Merging with Permanents731Day and Night732Taking Shortcuts733Handling Illegal Actions
707. Copying Objects
707.1
Some objects become or turn another object into a “copy” of a spell, permanent, or card. Some effects create a token that’s a copy of another object. (Certain older cards were printed with the phrase “search for a copy.” This section doesn’t cover those cards, which have received new text in the Oracle card reference.)
707.10
To copy a spell, activated ability, or triggered ability means to put a copy of it onto the stack; a copy of a spell isn’t cast and a copy of an activated ability isn’t activated. A copy of a spell or ability copies both the characteristics of the spell or ability and all decisions made for it, including modes, targets, the value of X, and additional or alternative costs. (See rule 601, “Casting Spells.”) Choices that are normally made on resolution are not copied. If an effect of the copy refers to objects used to pay its costs, it uses the objects used to pay the costs of the original spell or ability. A copy of a spell is owned by the player under whose control it was put on the stack. A copy of a spell or ability is controlled by the player under whose control it was put on the stack. A copy of a spell is itself a spell, even though it has no spell card associated with it. A copy of an ability is itself an ability.
707.11
If an effect refers to a permanent by name, the effect still tracks that permanent even if it changes names or becomes a copy of something else.
707.12
An effect that instructs a player to cast a copy of an object (and not just copy a spell) follows the rules for casting spells, except that the copy is created in the same zone the object is in and then cast while another spell or ability is resolving. Casting a copy of an object follows steps 601.2a–h of rule 601, “Casting Spells,” and then the copy becomes cast. Once cast, the copy is a spell on the stack, and just like any other spell it can resolve or be countered.
707.13
One card (Garth One-Eye) instructs a player to create a copy of a card defined by name rather than by indicating an object to be copied. To do so, the player uses the Oracle card reference to determine the characteristics of the copy and creates the copy outside of the game.
707.14
One card (Magar of the Magic Strings) instructs a player to note the name of a particular card in a graveyard and create a copy of the card with the noted name. To do so, use the characteristics of that card as it last existed in the graveyard to determine the copiable values of the copy. (See rule 608.2h.)
707.2
When copying an object, the copy acquires the copiable values of the original object’s characteristics and, for an object on the stack, choices made when casting or activating it (mode, targets, the value of X, whether it was kicked, how it will affect multiple targets, and so on). The copiable values are the values derived from the text printed on the object (that text being name, mana cost, color indicator, card type, subtype, supertype, rules text, power, toughness, and/or loyalty), as modified by other copy effects, by its face-down status, and by “as . . . enters” and “as . . . is turned face up” abilities that set power and toughness (and may also set additional characteristics). Other effects (including type-changing and text-changing effects), status, counters, and stickers are not copied.
707.3
The copy’s copiable values become the copied information, as modified by the copy’s status (see rule 110.5). Objects that copy the object will use the new copiable values.
707.4
Some effects cause a permanent that’s copying a permanent to copy a different object while remaining on the battlefield. The change doesn’t cause enters-the-battlefield or leaves-the-battlefield abilities to trigger. This also doesn’t change any noncopy effects presently affecting the permanent.
707.5
An object that enters the battlefield “as a copy” or “that’s a copy” of another object becomes a copy as it enters the battlefield. It doesn’t enter the battlefield, and then become a copy of that permanent. If the text that’s being copied includes any abilities that replace the enters-the-battlefield event (such as “enters with” or “as [this] enters” abilities), those abilities will take effect. Also, any enters-the-battlefield triggered abilities of the copy will have a chance to trigger.
707.6
When copying a permanent, any choices that have been made for that permanent aren’t copied. Instead, if an object enters the battlefield as a copy of another permanent, the object’s controller will get to make any “as [this] enters the battlefield” choices for it.
707.7
If a pair of linked abilities are copied, those abilities will be similarly linked to one another on the object that copied them. One ability refers only to actions that were taken or objects that were affected by the other. They can’t be linked to any other ability, regardless of what other abilities the copy may currently have or may have had in the past. See rule 607, “Linked Abilities.”
707.8
When copying a melded permanent or other double-faced permanent, use the copiable values of the face that’s currently up to determine the characteristics of the copy. See rule 712, “Double-Faced Cards.”
707.9
Copy effects may include modifications or exceptions to the copying process.