The rules text of some spells reads, “You may [action] rather than pay [this object’s] mana cost,” or includes the phrase, “you may play [this object] without paying its mana cost.” These are alternative costs. Only one such alternative cost can be applied to any one spell. Other spells and abilities that ask for a spell’s mana cost still see the actual mana cost, not what was paid to play the spell. If an effect requires paying additional costs to play a spell, it still applies to the alternative cost. See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”
Amplify is a static ability. “Amplify N” means “As this object comes into play, reveal any number of cards from your hand that share a creature type with it. This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it for each card revealed this way. You can’t reveal this card or any other cards that are coming into play at the same time as this card.” See rule 502.27, “Amplify.”
Earlier versions of the Magic rules included an ante rule as a way of playing “for keeps.” Playing Magic games for ante is now considered an optional variation on the game, and it is allowed only where it’s not forbidden by law or by other rules. Playing for ante is strictly forbidden under DCI tournament rules. When using the ante rule, each player puts one random card from his or her deck into his or her ante zone at the beginning of the game. At the end of the game, the winner becomes the owner of the cards in each player’s ante zone. See rule 217.9, “Ante.”
See Active Player, Nonactive Player Order.
Artifact is a type. The active player may play artifacts during his or her main phase when the stack is empty. When an artifact spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control. See rule 212.2, “Artifacts.”
An artifact creature is a combination of artifact and creature, and it’s subject to the rules for both. (See rule 212.2, “Artifacts.”) Some artifact creatures don’t have a creature type. Those that do will say “Artifact Creature – [creature type]”; for example, “Artifact Creature – Golem.” “Artifact” isn’t a creature type.
An artifact land is a combination of artifact and land, and it’s subject to the rules for both. (See rule 212.2, “Artifacts.”) Artifact lands can only be played as lands. They can’t be played as spells. Some artifact lands don’t have a land type. Those that do will say “Artifact Land – [land type].”
Artifact subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Artifact – Equipment.” Artifact subtypes are also called artifact types. However, if an artifact creature card has subtypes printed on its type line, those subtypes are creature types. If an artifact land card has subtypes printed on its type line, those types are land types.
The list of artifact types, updated through the Time Spiral set, is as follows: Equipment.
Text that states a player may do something “as though” some condition were true or a creature can do something “as though” some condition were true applies only to the stated action. For purposes of that action, treat the game exactly as if the stated condition were true. For all other purposes, treat the game normally.
Example: Giant Spider reads, “Giant Spider can block as though it had flying.” Treat the Spider as a creature with flying, but only for the purpose of declaring blockers. This allows Giant Spider to block a creature with flying (and creatures that “can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying”), assuming no other blocking restrictions apply. For example, Giant Spider can’t normally block a creature with both flying and shadow.
If two cards state that a player may (or a creature can) do the same thing “as though” different conditions were true, both conditions could apply. If one “as though” effect satisfies the requirements for another “as though” effect, then both effects will apply.
As the combat damage step begins, the active player or team announces how each attacking creature will assign its combat damage. Then the defending player(s) announce how each blocking creature will assign its combat damage. All assignments of combat damage go on the stack as a single entry. See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.
To attach an Aura or Equipment to a permanent means to take it from where it currently is and put it onto that permanent. If the Aura or Equipment no longer exists or the object it will move onto is no longer in the correct zone when the effect would attach it, nothing happens. Similarly, an Aura or Equipment can’t be attached to a permanent it couldn’t enchant or equip. The Aura or Equipment stays where it is, with one exception: If an Aura is coming into play from the stack and there is no legal permanent for it to enchant, the Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard instead of coming into play. If an effect tries to attach an Aura or Equipment to the permanent it’s already attached to, the effect does nothing.
Attaching an Aura in play to a different permanent causes the Aura to receive a new timestamp. Nothing else about the Aura changes. The Aura never left play, so no comes-into-play or leaves-play triggered abilities will trigger. If an ability of the moved Aura affecting “enchanted [permanent]” was on the stack when the Aura moved, it will affect the new enchanted permanent when it resolves, not the old one. The same is true for moved Equipment.
A creature attacks when it’s declared as an attacker during the combat phase. (See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step.”) Playing a spell or ability (even during the combat phase) is never considered to be an attack.
A creature is attacking alone when it’s the only creature declared as an attacker in a given combat phase. See rule 306.4.
Some multiplayer games use the optional “attack left” rules. If the attack left option is used, a player can attack only an opponent seated immediately to his or her left. If a player’s nearest opponent to the left is more than one seat away, the player can’t attack. See rule 604, “Attack Left and Attack Right Options.”
Some multiplayer games allow the active player to attack multiple opponents. Each of the attacked players is a defending player. Each defending player can block only the creatures attacking him or her. See rule 602, “Attack Multiple Players Option.”