If a spell you cast has {X} in its mana cost, you choose the value of X before calculating the spell's total cost.
If there are additional costs to cast a spell, or if the cost to cast a spell is increased by an effect (such as the one created by Thalia, Guardian of Thraben's ability), apply those increases before applying cost reductions.
The ability can't reduce the amount of colored mana you pay for a spell. It reduces only the generic mana component of that cost.
The ability doesn't change the mana cost or mana value of any spell. It changes only the total cost you pay.
The cost reduction can apply to alternative costs such as flashback costs.
If a creature enters the battlefield under your control and gains haste, but then loses it before attacking, it won't be able to attack that turn. This means that you can't use one Lightning Greaves to allow two new creatures to attack in the same turn.
You can't simply unequip Equipment from a creature. If Lightning Greaves is attached to the only creature you control, you won't be able to attach other equipment to it (or target it with anything else) until you have another creature onto which you can move Lightning Greaves.
If a creature enters the battlefield under your control and gains haste, but then loses it before attacking, it won't be able to attack that turn. This means that you can't use one Swiftfoot Boots to allow two new creatures to attack in the same turn.
Equipped creature has hexproof and haste. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. It can attack and no matter when it came under your control.)
Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
As Victimize resolves, you must sacrifice a creature if able. You can't change your mind and choose not to sacrifice anything.
If one of the targeted creature cards is an illegal target (for instance, because it has left your graveyard before Victimize resolves), you'll still sacrifice a creature and put the other card onto the battlefield. If both are illegal targets, Victimize won't resolve. You won't sacrifice a creature.
The creature you sacrifice isn't chosen until Victimize resolves. You can't return the creature you sacrifice because it will still be on the battlefield at the time targets are chosen.
You must choose two targets. You can't cast Victimize targeting only one creature card.
If a creature an opponent controls dies at the same time as Massacre Wurm, Massacre Wurm's last ability triggers for that creature.
If your life total is brought to 0 or less at the same time that a creature an opponent controls is dealt lethal damage, you lose the game before Massacre Wurm's last ability goes on the stack.
Massacre Wurm's first ability affects only creatures your opponents control at the time it resolves. Creatures they begin to control later in the turn won't get -2/-2.
Massacre Wurm's triggered ability triggers if a creature an opponent controls dies for any reason, including from its first ability reducing its toughness to 0, as long as Massacre Wurm remains on the battlefield.
When this creature enters, creatures your opponents control get -2/-2 until end of turn.
Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, that player loses 2 life.
Colorless and generic mana symbols ({C}, {0}, {1}, {2}, {X}, and so on) in mana costs of permanents you control don't count toward your devotion to any color.
Hybrid mana symbols, monocolored hybrid mana symbols, and Phyrexian mana symbols do count toward your devotion to their color(s).
If an activated ability or triggered ability has an effect that depends on your devotion to a color, you count the number of mana symbols of that color among the mana costs of permanents you control as the ability resolves. The permanent with that ability will be counted if it's still on the battlefield at that time.
If you put an Aura on an opponent's permanent, you still control the Aura, and mana symbols in its mana cost count towards your devotion.
Mana symbols in the text boxes of permanents you control don't count toward your devotion to any color.
The amount of life you gain is the total amount of life lost, not simply the value of X.
When this creature enters, each opponent loses X life, where X is your devotion to black. You gain life equal to the life lost this way. (Each in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to black.)
Gray Merchant of AsphodelCreature — ZombieNormal - ~$6.96
The amount of life you gain from extort is based on the total amount of life lost, not necessarily the number of opponents you have. For example, if your opponent's life total can't change (perhaps because that player controls Platinum Emperion), you won't gain any life.
The extort ability doesn't target any player.
The extort ability resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger. The ability resolves even if that spell is countered.
You may pay {W/B} a maximum of one time for each extort triggered ability. You decide whether to pay when the ability resolves.
Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay . If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.)
Whenever you tap a Swamp for mana, add an additional .
If a permanent on the battlefield has {X} in its mana cost, X is 0 for the purpose of determining its mana value.
If the target permanent is an illegal target by the time Feed the Swarm tries to resolve, the spell doesn't resolve. You don't lose any life. If the target is legal but not destroyed (most likely because it has indestructible), you do lose life.
The amount of life you lose is determined by the permanent's mana value as it last existed on the battlefield.
Destroying a creature with Patron of the Vein's first ability causes its last ability to trigger if Patron of the Vein is still on the battlefield.
If Patron of the Vein and a creature an opponent controls die simultaneously (perhaps because they fought or were in combat together), Patron of the Vein's last ability triggers, but Patron of the Vein won't be on the battlefield as that ability resolves. It can't be saved by the +1/+1 counter that would have been put on it. The same is true of any other Vampires you control that die at the same time. Your remaining Vampires will each get a +1/+1 counter.
Patron of the Vein's last ability puts a +1/+1 counter on each Vampire you control, including itself, even if the creature that died can't be exiled (most likely because it was a token).
Flying
When this creature enters,destroytarget creature an opponent controls.
Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, exile it and put a +1/+1counteron each Vampire you control.
You and the opponent you target take all the actions in the order listed. Notably, the creature or planeswalker they sacrifice won't be on the battlefield as they discard a card or lose life. If any abilities trigger, they will wait to be put on the stack until after the spell resolves. If any abilities controlled by that opponent trigger but losing 3 life causes them to lose the game, none of those abilities will be put on the stack.
Flying
Whenever this creature enters or attacks, target opponent sacrifices a creature or planeswalker of their choice, discards a card, and loses 3 life. You draw a card and gain 3 life.
All creatures on the battlefield when Toxic Deluge resolves are affected. Ones that enter the battlefield or become creatures later in the turn are not.
If you cast Toxic Deluge without paying its mana cost, you'll still choose a value for X and pay X life. This is because it doesn't have {X} in its mana cost.
If that creature deals combat damage to a player at the same time it's dealt lethal damage (perhaps because it has trample and was blocked), it will die before the triggered ability resolves and puts +1/+1 counters on it.
If an effect such as that of Magus of the Moon causes Urborg to lose its abilities by setting it to a basic land type not in addition to its other types, it won't turn lands into Swamps, no matter in what order those effects started to apply.
Land cards not on the battlefield aren't Swamps while Urborg is on the battlefield.
Urborg's ability causes each land on the battlefield to have the land type Swamp. Any land that's a Swamp has the ability "{T}: Add {B}." Nothing else changes about those lands, including their names, other subtypes, other abilities, and whether they're legendary, basic, or snow.
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth isn't a Swamp while it's not on the battlefield.
Flying
Whenever this creature attacks, you maysacrificeanother creature. If you do, put a +1/+1counteron this creature.
Whenever another nontoken creature dies, draw a card.
If multiple creatures you control (possibly including Butcher of Malakir itself) are put into their owners' graveyards at the same time, Butcher of Malakir's triggered ability will trigger that many times.
If you and an opponent each control a Butcher of Malakir and a creature is put into a graveyard, a chain reaction happens. First the ability of one player's Butcher will trigger, causing each opponent to sacrifice a creature. That sacrifice causes the ability of the other player's Butcher to trigger, and so on.
If you control more than one Butcher of Malakir and a creature you control is put into a graveyard, each of those Butchers' abilities will trigger. Each opponent will sacrifice a creature each time one of those abilities resolves.
When the triggered ability resolves, first the player whose turn it is (if that player is an opponent) chooses which creature they will sacrifice, then each other opponent in turn order does the same, then all chosen creatures are sacrificed at the same time.
Flying, protection from white
When this creature enters, each opponent loses life equal to the number of Vampires you control. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.
Hybrid mana symbols, monocolored hybrid mana symbols, and Phyrexian mana symbols do count toward your devotion to their color(s).
If an activated ability or triggered ability has an effect that depends on your devotion to a color, you count the number of mana symbols of that color among the mana costs of permanents you control as the ability resolves. The permanent with that ability will be counted if it's still on the battlefield at that time.
Mana symbols in the text boxes of permanents you control don't count toward your devotion to any color.
Numeric mana symbols ({0}, {1}, and so on) in mana costs of permanents you control don't count toward your devotion to any color.
The second ability is a mana ability. It doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.
: Add .
, : Choose a color. Add an amount of mana of that color equal to your devotion to that color. (Your devotion to a color is the number of mana symbols of that color in the mana costs of permanents you control.)
Abilities such as shroud and protection function only on the battlefield unless otherwise specified. A creature card with shroud may be targeted by Animate Dead, and Animate Dead will become attached to the creature that enters the battlefield.
Animate Dead is an Aura, albeit with an unusual enchant ability. You target a creature card in a graveyard when you cast it. It enters the battlefield attached to that card. Then it returns that card to the battlefield, and attaches itself to the card again (since the card is a new object on the battlefield). Animate Dead itself never moves into a graveyard during this process.
If Animate Dead isn't on the battlefield as its triggered ability resolves, none of its effects happen. The creature card won't be returned to the battlefield.
If the creature put onto the battlefield has protection from black—or if the creature can't legally be enchanted by Animate Dead for another reason—Animate Dead won't be able to attach to it. It will be put into the graveyard as a state-based action, causing its delayed triggered ability to trigger. When the trigger resolves, if the creature's still on the battlefield, its controller will sacrifice it.
Once the creature is returned to the battlefield, Animate Dead can't be attached to anything other than it (unless Animate Dead somehow manages to put a different creature onto the battlefield). Attempting to move Animate Dead to another creature won't work.
Enchant creature card in a graveyard
When this Aura enters, if it's on the battlefield, it loses "enchant creature card in a graveyard" and gains "enchant creature put onto the battlefield with this Aura." Return enchanted creature card to the battlefield under your control and attach this Aura to it. When this Aura leaves the battlefield, that creature's controller sacrifices it.
Enchanted creature gets -1/-0.
If the target creature or enchantment is an illegal target as Withering Torment tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won't lose life.
Drana's last ability triggers after combat damage has been dealt, so only attacking creatures that survive the combat damage step in which Drana deals combat damage will have +1/+1 counters put on them.
The +1/+1 counter won't change how much damage Drana or any other attacking creature with first strike or double strike deals during that combat damage step. However, the +1/+1 counters that are put on attacking creatures without first strike will affect the damage those creatures deal during the regular combat damage step.
Because Vito's first ability doesn't deal damage, you won't gain life when it resolves if Vito has lifelink.
Each creature with lifelink dealing combat damage causes a separate life-gaining event. For example, if two creatures you control with lifelink deal combat damage at the same time, Vito's first ability will trigger twice and you may choose a different opponent for each trigger. However, if a single creature you control with lifelink deals combat damage to multiple creatures, players, and/or planeswalkers at the same time (perhaps because it has trample or was blocked by more than one creature), the ability will trigger only once.
If an ability triggers whenever an opponent loses life and causes you to gain life, such as the ability of Exquisite Blood, this will loop until either you win the game or a player takes an action to break the loop.
If you gain an amount of life "for each" of something, that life is gained as one event and Vito's first ability triggers only once.
In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate won't cause the ability to trigger, even though it caused your team's life total to increase.
The number of Vampires you control is counted only as Champion of Dusk's ability resolves. If Champion of Dusk is still on the battlefield, it'll count itself.
If a card in a player's graveyard has {X} in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
If any abilities trigger on the creature entering the battlefield, those abilities resolve after you lose life. If losing life results in you losing the game, those abilities won't resolve.
In a multiplayer game, if a player leaves the game, all cards that player owns leave as well. If you leave the game, the creature you control from Reanimate is exiled.
The amount of life you lose is determined by the mana value of the card in your graveyard, not the creature once it's on the battlefield.
You lose life after the creature is already on the battlefield. Any abilities it has that interact with loss of life, such as that of Platinum Emperion, apply to that loss of life.
As Plaguecrafter's ability resolves, first the player whose turn it is chooses a creature or planeswalker they control, then each other player in turn order does the same, knowing the choices made before them. Then all the chosen permanents are sacrificed at the same time. Next, each player in the same order who couldn't sacrifice a permanent chooses a card in hand without revealing it, then the chosen cards are discarded at the same time.
Each player chooses a permanent to sacrifice from among the creatures and planeswalkers they control. You don't choose which type of permanent any other player has to sacrifice.
Plaguecrafter can be the creature its controller sacrifices for its own ability.
Players can lose more life than they have. For example, say you're playing a multiplayer game in which one of your opponents has 3 life and your other opponent has 10 life. If you cast Exsanguinate with X of 4, your opponents will wind up at -1 life and 6 life, respectively. You'll gain 8 life.
Attacking Vampires you control have deathtouch and lifelink. (Any amount of damage they deal to a creature is enough todestroyit. Damage dealt by those creatures also causes their controller to gain that much life.)
Whenever a Vampire you control dies, you may pay 2 life. If you do, draw a card.
Damage dealt to an opponent causes that opponent to lose life. An opponent paying life also causes loss of life.
If you and an opponent both lose life simultaneously, and this causes your life total to become 0 or less, you'll lose the game before Bloodthirsty Conqueror's triggered ability can resolve.
If the target of the reflexive triggered ability is an illegal target as that ability tries to resolve, it doesn’t resolve. You won’t gain 3 life.
Multiple instances of deathtouch and/or lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
You don’t choose a target for Sorin’s second ability at the time you activate it. Rather, a second “reflexive” ability triggers when you sacrifice a Vampire this way. You choose a target for this ability as it goes on the stack. Each player may respond to this triggered ability as normal.
+1 Target creature you control gains deathtouch and lifelink until end of turn. If it's a Vampire, put a +1/+1counteron it.
+1 You maysacrificea Vampire. When you do, Sorin deals 3 damage to any target and you gain 3 life.
−3 You may put a Vampire creature card from your hand onto the battlefield.
A modal double-faced card can't be transformed or be put onto the battlefield transformed. Ignore any instruction to transform a modal double-faced card or to put one onto the battlefield transformed.
If an effect allows you to play a land or cast a spell from among a group of cards, you may play or cast a modal double-faced card with any face that fits the criteria of that effect. For example, if an effect allows you to play lands from your graveyard, you can play Garden of Freyalise, but you can't cast Disciple of Freyalise.
If an effect allows you to play a specific modal double-faced card, you may cast it as a spell or play it as a land, as determined by which face you choose to play. If an effect allows you to cast (rather than "play") a specific modal double-faced card, you can't play it as a land.
If an effect allows you to put a card with particular characteristics onto the battlefield without instructing you to play or cast it, you consider only the characteristics of a modal double-faced card's front face to see if that card qualifies. If it does, it enters the battlefield with its front face up. For example, if an effect allows you to put a creature card from your graveyard onto the battlefield, you can put Disciple of Freyalise onto the battlefield. However, an effect that lets you return a land card from your graveyard to your hand won't let you return Garden of Freyalise to your hand, as that card has only its front face's characteristics while in the graveyard.
The mana value of a modal double-faced card is based on the characteristics of the face that's being considered. On the stack or the battlefield, consider whichever face is up. In all other zones, consider only the front face. This is different than how the mana value of a transforming double-faced card is determined.
To determine whether it is legal to play a modal double-faced card, consider only the characteristics of the face you're playing and ignore the other face's characteristics. For example, if an effect stops you from casting creature spells, you can't cast Disciple of Freyalise, but you can still play Garden of Freyalise.
A modal double-faced card can't be transformed or be put onto the battlefield transformed. Ignore any instruction to transform a modal double-faced card or to put one onto the battlefield transformed.
If an effect allows you to play a land or cast a spell from among a group of cards, you may play or cast a modal double-faced card with any face that fits the criteria of that effect. For example, if an effect allows you to play lands from your graveyard, you can play Garden of Freyalise, but you can't cast Disciple of Freyalise.
If an effect allows you to play a specific modal double-faced card, you may cast it as a spell or play it as a land, as determined by which face you choose to play. If an effect allows you to cast (rather than "play") a specific modal double-faced card, you can't play it as a land.
If an effect allows you to put a card with particular characteristics onto the battlefield without instructing you to play or cast it, you consider only the characteristics of a modal double-faced card's front face to see if that card qualifies. If it does, it enters the battlefield with its front face up. For example, if an effect allows you to put a creature card from your graveyard onto the battlefield, you can put Disciple of Freyalise onto the battlefield. However, an effect that lets you return a land card from your graveyard to your hand won't let you return Garden of Freyalise to your hand, as that card has only its front face's characteristics while in the graveyard.
The mana value of a modal double-faced card is based on the characteristics of the face that's being considered. On the stack or the battlefield, consider whichever face is up. In all other zones, consider only the front face. This is different than how the mana value of a transforming double-faced card is determined.
To determine whether it is legal to play a modal double-faced card, consider only the characteristics of the face you're playing and ignore the other face's characteristics. For example, if an effect stops you from casting creature spells, you can't cast Disciple of Freyalise, but you can still play Garden of Freyalise.
If the target creature has indestructible, it isn't destroyed this way and you won't gain life. If it is destroyed but put into a zone other than a graveyard, you'll gain life.
Use the toughness of the creature as it last existed on the battlefield to determine how much life to gain.
Discarding the card is part of the cost to activate a channel ability.
If a channel ability requires a target, you may not activate it without a target just to discard the card.
The creature or planeswalker card you return to your hand is not chosen until after you mill three cards. You may choose a creature or planeswalker card from among all the cards in your graveyard, including the milled cards.
: Add .
Channel — ,Discardthis card:Millthree cards, then return a creature or planeswalker card from your graveyard to your hand. This ability costs less to activate for each legendary creature you control.
Flying
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough todestroyit.)
Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
Gaining control of a creature doesn’t cause you gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it.
Since Captivating Vampire’s activated ability doesn’t have a tap symbol in its cost, you can tap a Vampire (including Captivating Vampire itself) that hasn’t been under your control since your most recent turn began to pay the cost.
The effect of Captivating Vampire’s activated ability has no duration. You retain control of the affected creature until the game ends, the creature leaves the battlefield, or a later effect causes someone else to gain control of it. It doesn’t matter whether Captivating Vampire remains on the battlefield. Similarly, the affected creature remains a Vampire in addition to its other types until the game ends, the creature leaves the battlefield, or a later effect changes its types or subtypes.
Other Vampire creatures you control get +1/+1.
Tap five untapped Vampires you control: Gain control of target creature. It becomes a Vampire in addition to its other types.
If Cordial Vampire dies at the same time as one or more other creatures, its ability triggers for each of them.
If a Vampire you control is dealt lethal damage at the same time as another creature, they die at the same time. That Vampire can't receive a counter from Cordial Vampire's ability in time to save it.
The "shuffle and put the card on top" is a single action. If an effect causes the top card of the library to be face up, the second card down is not revealed.
For more information on double-faced cards, see the Shadows over Innistrad mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/shadows-over-innistrad-mechanics).
For more information on double-faced cards, see the Shadows over Innistrad mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/shadows-over-innistrad-mechanics).
If a player controls fewer than thirteen creatures when Blasphemous Edict resolves, they will sacrifice all of their creatures.
Starting with the player whose turn it is, each player in turn order chooses which creatures they will sacrifice, then all the creatures chosen by all players are sacrificed at the same time. Players get to know the choices made by players who chose before them.
You may pay rather than pay this spell's mana cost if there are thirteen or more creatures on the battlefield.
Each player sacrifices thirteen creatures of their choice.
If Path of Ancestry's last ability produces two mana (most likely due to Mana Reflection), spending those two mana to cast creature spells that share a creature type with your commander will cause two abilities to trigger. Each of those abilities will cause you to scry 1. You won't scry 2. This is true whether you spend the mana on one creature spell or two.
If you cast your commander with mana from Path of Ancestry, and your commander hasn't somehow lost all of its creature types while on the stack, you'll scry 1.
If you don't have a commander, Path of Ancestry's ability produces no mana.
If your commander has no creature types, it can't share a creature type with any spell that you cast.
If your commander is a card that has no colors in its color identity, Path of Ancestry's ability produces no mana. It doesn't produce {C}.
If you have two commanders, the last ability adds one mana of any color in their combined color identities. When you spend that mana on a creature spell that shares a creature type with either of your commanders, you'll scry 1.
Your commander's creature types are checked immediately after you cast a creature spell spending mana from Path of Ancestry's last ability. They aren't set before the game begins, and they may not be the same types your commander had when you activated that ability.
This land enters tapped.
: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity. When that mana is spent to cast a creature spell that shares a creature type with your commander, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom.)
At the beginning of the next end step, the creature returned to the battlefield with Whip of Erebos is exiled. This is a delayed triggered ability. If the ability is countered, the creature will stay on the battlefield and the delayed trigger won't trigger again. However, the replacement effect will still exile the creature when it eventually leaves the battlefield.
If a creature returned to the battlefield with Whip of Erebos would leave the battlefield for any reason, it's exiled instead. However, if that creature is already being exiled, then the replacement effect won't apply. If the spell or ability that exiles it later returns it to the battlefield (as Chained to the Rocks might, for example), the creature card will return to the battlefield as a new object with no relation to its previous existence. The effects from Whip of Erebos will no longer apply to it.
The exiled creature is never put into the graveyard. Any abilities the creature has that trigger when it dies won't trigger.
Whip of Erebos grants haste to the creature that's returned to the battlefield. However, neither of the "exile" abilities is granted to that creature. If that creature loses all its abilities, it will still be exiled at the beginning of the end step, and if it would leave the battlefield, it is still exiled instead.
Creatures you control have lifelink.
, : Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. If it would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else. Activate only as a sorcery.
Whip of ErebosLegendary Enchantment ArtifactNormal
Card types that can appear on cards in a graveyard include artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, and sorcery. Legendary, basic, and snow are supertypes, not card types; Vampire and Rogue are subtypes, not card types.
Nighthawk Scavenger counts card types, not cards. If the only card in your opponents' graveyards is a single artifact creature card, Nighthawk Scavenger will be 3/3. If the only cards in those graveyards are ten artifact cards and ten creature cards, Nighthawk Scavenger will still be 3/3.
The ability that defines Nighthawk Scavenger's power applies in all zones, not just the battlefield.
If more than one player discards a card with madness simultaneously, the player whose turn it is puts their madness abilities onto the stack first, then each other player does the same in turn order. The last one put onto the stack resolves first, and a spell cast this way will resolve before resolving the next madness ability.
When you activate Geier Reach Sanitarium's last ability, first each player draws a card. Then the player whose turn it is selects a card from their hand and sets it aside without revealing it; proceeding in turn order, each other player does the same. Then the cards that were set aside are discarded at once.
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough todestroyit.)
When this creature enters, search your library for a card, put that card into your graveyard, thenshuffle
Vile EntomberCreature — Zombie WarlockNormal - ~$0.34
A modal double-faced card can't be transformed or be put onto the battlefield transformed. Ignore any instruction to transform a modal double-faced card or to put one onto the battlefield transformed.
If an effect allows you to play a land or cast a spell from among a group of cards, you may play or cast a modal double-faced card with any face that fits the criteria of that effect.
If an effect allows you to play a specific modal double-faced card, you may cast it as a spell or play it as a land, as determined by which face you choose to play. If an effect allows you to cast (rather than "play") a specific modal double-faced card, you can't play it as a land.
If an effect instructs a player to choose a card name, the name of either face may be chosen. If that effect or a linked ability refers to a spell with the chosen name being cast and/or a land with the chosen name being played, it considers only the chosen name, not the other face's name.
If an effect puts a double-faced card onto the battlefield, it enters with its front face up. If that front face can't be put onto the battlefield, it doesn't enter the battlefield.
If the target creature is an illegal target by the time Malakir Rebirth tries to resolve, the spell doesn't resolve. You don't lose 2 life.
In the Commander variant, a double-faced card's color identity is determined by the mana costs and mana symbols in the rules text of both faces combined. If either face has a color indicator or basic land type, those are also considered.
Malakir Rebirth's effect works only once. If the targeted creature dies and is then returned to the battlefield, it's considered to be a new creature. If that new creature dies, it won't come back.
The mana value of a modal double-faced card is based on the characteristics of the face that's being considered. On the stack and battlefield, consider whichever face is up. In all other zones, consider only the front face. This is different than how the mana value of a transforming double-faced card is determined.
There is a single triangle icon in the top left corner of the front face. There is a double triangle icon in the top left corner of the back face.
To determine whether it is legal to play a modal double-faced card, consider only the characteristics of the face you're playing and ignore the other face's characteristics.
Choose target creature. You lose 2 life. Until end of turn, that creature gains "When this creature dies, return it to the battlefield tapped under its owner's control."
Malakir Mire (Malakir Rebirth // Malakir Mire)#111Land
A modal double-faced card can't be transformed or be put onto the battlefield transformed. Ignore any instruction to transform a modal double-faced card or to put one onto the battlefield transformed.
If an effect allows you to play a land or cast a spell from among a group of cards, you may play or cast a modal double-faced card with any face that fits the criteria of that effect.
If an effect allows you to play a specific modal double-faced card, you may cast it as a spell or play it as a land, as determined by which face you choose to play. If an effect allows you to cast (rather than "play") a specific modal double-faced card, you can't play it as a land.
If an effect instructs a player to choose a card name, the name of either face may be chosen. If that effect or a linked ability refers to a spell with the chosen name being cast and/or a land with the chosen name being played, it considers only the chosen name, not the other face's name.
If an effect puts a double-faced card onto the battlefield, it enters with its front face up. If that front face can't be put onto the battlefield, it doesn't enter the battlefield.
If the target creature is an illegal target by the time Malakir Rebirth tries to resolve, the spell doesn't resolve. You don't lose 2 life.
In the Commander variant, a double-faced card's color identity is determined by the mana costs and mana symbols in the rules text of both faces combined. If either face has a color indicator or basic land type, those are also considered.
Malakir Rebirth's effect works only once. If the targeted creature dies and is then returned to the battlefield, it's considered to be a new creature. If that new creature dies, it won't come back.
The mana value of a modal double-faced card is based on the characteristics of the face that's being considered. On the stack and battlefield, consider whichever face is up. In all other zones, consider only the front face. This is different than how the mana value of a transforming double-faced card is determined.
There is a single triangle icon in the top left corner of the front face. There is a double triangle icon in the top left corner of the back face.
To determine whether it is legal to play a modal double-faced card, consider only the characteristics of the face you're playing and ignore the other face's characteristics.
A modal double-faced card can't be transformed or be put onto the battlefield transformed. Ignore any instruction to transform a modal double-faced card or to put one onto the battlefield transformed.
For example, if X is 3, you may target up to four creature cards: one with mana value 3, one with mana value 2, one with mana value 1, and one with mana value 0.
If X is 0 for Agadeem's Awakening, you can target one creature card with mana value 0.
If a card in a player's graveyard has {X} in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0 for that card.
If an effect allows you to play a land or cast a spell from among a group of cards, you may play or cast a modal double-faced card with any face that fits the criteria of that effect.
If an effect allows you to play a specific modal double-faced card, you may cast it as a spell or play it as a land, as determined by which face you choose to play. If an effect allows you to cast (rather than "play") a specific modal double-faced card, you can't play it as a land.
If an effect instructs a player to choose a card name, the name of either face may be chosen. If that effect or a linked ability refers to a spell with the chosen name being cast and/or a land with the chosen name being played, it considers only the chosen name, not the other face's name.
If an effect puts a double-faced card onto the battlefield, it enters with its front face up. If that front face can't be put onto the battlefield, it doesn't enter the battlefield.
In the Commander variant, a double-faced card's color identity is determined by the mana costs and mana symbols in the rules text of both faces combined. If either face has a color indicator or basic land type, those are also considered.
The mana value of a modal double-faced card is based on the characteristics of the face that's being considered. On the stack and battlefield, consider whichever face is up. In all other zones, consider only the front face. This is different than how the mana value of a transforming double-faced card is determined.
There is a single triangle icon in the top left corner of the front face. There is a double triangle icon in the top left corner of the back face.
To determine whether it is legal to play a modal double-faced card, consider only the characteristics of the face you're playing and ignore the other face's characteristics.
A modal double-faced card can't be transformed or be put onto the battlefield transformed. Ignore any instruction to transform a modal double-faced card or to put one onto the battlefield transformed.
For example, if X is 3, you may target up to four creature cards: one with mana value 3, one with mana value 2, one with mana value 1, and one with mana value 0.
If X is 0 for Agadeem's Awakening, you can target one creature card with mana value 0.
If a card in a player's graveyard has {X} in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0 for that card.
If an effect allows you to play a land or cast a spell from among a group of cards, you may play or cast a modal double-faced card with any face that fits the criteria of that effect.
If an effect allows you to play a specific modal double-faced card, you may cast it as a spell or play it as a land, as determined by which face you choose to play. If an effect allows you to cast (rather than "play") a specific modal double-faced card, you can't play it as a land.
If an effect instructs a player to choose a card name, the name of either face may be chosen. If that effect or a linked ability refers to a spell with the chosen name being cast and/or a land with the chosen name being played, it considers only the chosen name, not the other face's name.
If an effect puts a double-faced card onto the battlefield, it enters with its front face up. If that front face can't be put onto the battlefield, it doesn't enter the battlefield.
In the Commander variant, a double-faced card's color identity is determined by the mana costs and mana symbols in the rules text of both faces combined. If either face has a color indicator or basic land type, those are also considered.
The mana value of a modal double-faced card is based on the characteristics of the face that's being considered. On the stack and battlefield, consider whichever face is up. In all other zones, consider only the front face. This is different than how the mana value of a transforming double-faced card is determined.
There is a single triangle icon in the top left corner of the front face. There is a double triangle icon in the top left corner of the back face.
To determine whether it is legal to play a modal double-faced card, consider only the characteristics of the face you're playing and ignore the other face's characteristics.
As Accursed Marauder's enters-the-battlefield ability resolves, first the player whose turn it is chooses which creature they'll sacrifice, then each other player in turn order does the same. Players will know the choices of previous players when making their choice. Then all of the chosen creatures are sacrificed by their controllers simultaneously.
You may sacrifice Accursed Marauder to its own ability. If it is the only creature you control when that ability resolves, you must sacrifice it.
Surveil 2, then draw two cards. You lose 2 life. (To surveil 2, look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them into your graveyard and the rest on top of your library in any order.)
DiresightSorceryNormal - ~$0.27
Bloodletter of Aclazotz #92pCreature — Vampire Demon
Bloodletter of Aclazotz's last ability doesn't change the amount of damage dealt to opponents. For example, if a 1/1 creature with lifelink deals combat damage to an opponent on your turn, they would lose 2 life, but you'd still gain only 1 life.
Blade of the Bloodchief's ability triggers regardless of who controlled the creature and whose graveyard it was put into.
If Blade of the Bloodchief leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, the counters are put on the creature it was attached to at the time it left the battlefield. If it wasn't attached to a creature at that time, nothing gets the counters.
If the equipped creature and another creature are dealt lethal damage at the same time, the equipped creature will be put into a graveyard before it would receive any counters.
If the equipped creature itself is put into a graveyard, Blade of the Bloodchief's ability will trigger. However, it won't do anything when it resolves unless a spell or ability has caused it to become attached to another creature by that time. (Remember that you may activate an equip ability only as a sorcery.)
The +1/+1 counters are put on the equipped creature, not Blade of the Bloodchief. If Blade of the Bloodchief is moved to a different creature, the +1/+1 counters will stay where they are.
The creature that gets the counters is the one that's equipped by Blade of the Bloodchief at the time the ability resolves. It doesn't matter what creature Blade of the Bloodchief was attached to (if any) when it triggered.
This land enters tapped.
: Add .
, ,Sacrificethis land: Search your library for up to two basic land cards that share a land type, put them onto the battlefield tapped, thenshuffle
If a player controls more than one creature tied for the greatest power among creatures they control while Shadowgrange Archfiend's first ability is resolving, that player chooses which one of those creatures to sacrifice.
A card with madness that's discarded counts as having been discarded even though it's put into exile rather than a graveyard. If it was discarded to pay a cost, that cost is still paid. Abilities that trigger when a card is discarded will still trigger.
A spell cast for its madness cost is put onto the stack like any other spell. It can be countered, copied, and so on. As it resolves, it's put onto the battlefield if it's a permanent card or into its owner's graveyard if it's an instant or sorcery card.
Cards are discarded in a Magic game only from a player's hand. Effects that put cards into a player's graveyard from anywhere else do not cause those cards to be discarded.
Casting a spell with madness ignores the timing rules based on the card's card type. For example, you can cast a sorcery with madness if you discard it during an opponent's turn.
If you choose not to cast a card with madness when the madness triggered ability resolves, it's put into your graveyard. Madness doesn't give you another chance to cast it later.
If you discard a card with madness to pay the cost of a spell or activated ability, that card's madness triggered ability (and the spell that card becomes, if you choose to cast it) will resolve before the spell or ability the discard paid for.
If you discard a card with madness while a spell or ability is resolving, it moves immediately to exile. Continue resolving that spell or ability, noting that the card you discarded is not in your graveyard at this time. Its madness triggered ability will be placed onto the stack once that spell or ability has completely resolved.
Madness works independently of why you're discarding the card. You could discard it to pay a cost, because a spell or ability tells you to, or because you have too many cards in your hand during your cleanup step. You can't discard a card with madness just because you want to, though.
To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a madness cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined by only its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast that spell was.
When this creature enters, each opponent sacrifices a creature with the greatest power among creatures they control. You gain life equal to the greatest power among creatures sacrificed this way.
Madness—, Pay 8 life. (If youdiscardthis card,discardit into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not.
As these lands are entering the battlefield, they check for lands that are already on the battlefield. They won't see lands that are entering the battlefield at the same time (due to Scapeshift, for example).
If another effect puts these lands onto the battlefield tapped, they enter tapped, even if you control enough lands with the appropriate basic land type.
(: Add .)
This land enters tapped unless you control three or more other Swamps.
When this land enters untapped, you may put target creature card from your graveyard on top of your library.
The creature card that you return to the battlefield doesn't have to be one of the cards you milled. It can be a card that was already in your graveyard before you milled.
This land enters tapped.
: Add .
, , Exile this land:Millfour cards, then return a creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate only as a sorcery.
Tomb FortressLandNormal - ~$5.35
Preacher of the Schism #113sCreature — Vampire Cleric
If you are tied for most life and Preacher of the Schism attacks another player who is tied for most life, both its middle and its last ability will trigger.
Once Preacher of the Schism's middle ability triggers, it doesn't matter what happens to players' life totals before the ability resolves. You'll create a Vampire token even if the player Preacher of the Schism attacked doesn't have the most life as the ability resolves.
Preacher of the Schism's middle ability triggers only if it attacks a player. It won't trigger if Preacher of the Schism attacks a planeswalker or battle, no matter what its controller's life total is.
Similarly, once Preacher of the Schism's last ability triggers, it doesn't matter what happens to players' life totals before the ability resolves. You'll draw a card and lose 1 life even if you don't have the most life as the ability resolves.
Deathtouch
Whenever this creature attacks the player with the most life or tied for most life, create a 1/1 white Vampire creature token with lifelink.
Whenever this creature attacks while you have the most life or are tied for most life, you draw a card and you lose 1 life.
Preacher of the SchismCreature — Vampire ClericNormal - ~$6.3
To work as an evasion ability, an attacking creature must already have flying when the declare blockers step begins. Once a creature has become blocked, giving it flying won't change that.
If the top card of your library changes while you're casting a spell, playing a land, or activating an ability, the new top card won't be revealed until you finish doing so.
The top card of your library isn't in your hand, so you can't suspend it, cycle it, discard it, or activate any of its activated abilities.
When playing with the top card of your library revealed, if an effect tells you to draw several cards, reveal each one before you draw it.
If the top card of your library is black, Vampire Nocturnus will give itself +2/+1 and flying even if it's somehow not a Vampire.
Play with the top card of your library revealed.
As long as the top card of your library is black, this creature and other Vampire creatures you control get +2/+1 and have flying.
Typecycling is a form of cycling. Any ability that triggers on a card being cycled also triggers on a card being typecycled. Any ability that stops a cycling ability from being activated also stops a typecycling ability from being activated.
Unlike the normal cycling ability, typecycling doesn't allow you to draw a card. Rather, it lets you search your library for a card with the type or types indicated by the ability name. For example, a card with basic landcycling lets you search for a basic land card, and a card with Wizardcycling lets you search for a Wizard card.
This creature can't be blocked except by three or more creatures.
Swampcycling (,Discardthis card: Search your library for a Swamp card, reveal it, put it into your hand, thenshuffle)
Troll of Khazad-dûmCreature — TrollNormal - ~$1.18
As Living Death resolves, all players exile their creature cards from graveyards at the same time. Then all players sacrifice all creatures they control at the same time. Then all players put all creatures they exiled onto the battlefield at the same time.
Only cards exiled by Living Death's first instruction are put onto the battlefield. If a replacement effect (such as that of Leyline of the Void) causes any of the sacrificed creatures to be exiled instead of put into a graveyard, those cards aren't returned to the battlefield.
Each player exiles all creature cards from their graveyard, then sacrifices all creatures they control, then puts all cards they exiled this way onto the battlefield.
Living DeathSorceryNormal
Liliana of the Dark Realms #334Legendary Planeswalker — Liliana
Liliana's emblem doesn't remove any other abilities of Swamps you control.
When you activate Liliana's second ability, you choose only the target creature. You choose whether that creature gets +X/+X or -X/-X when the ability resolves. The value of X is determined by the number of Swamps you control when the ability resolves.
You can activate Liliana's first ability even if your library contains no Swamp cards (or you don't want to find one). You'll still search your library and shuffle it.
Each of Liliana's abilities refers to lands (or land cards) with the subtype Swamp, not just ones named Swamp.
+1 Search your library for a Swamp card, reveal it, put it into your hand, thenshuffle −3 Target creature gets +X/+X or -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of Swamps you control.
−6 You get an emblem with "Swamps you control have ': Add .'"
Liliana of the Dark RealmsLegendary Planeswalker — LilianaNormal
An ability that triggers from the resolution of an activated mana ability is also a mana ability. This means that if the land's ability that caused you to add mana was an activated mana ability, Caged Sun's triggered ability won't use the stack and can't be responded to.
As this artifact enters, choose a color.
Creatures you control of the chosen color get +1/+1.
Whenever a land's ability causes you to add one or more mana of the chosen color, add one additional mana of that color.
It doesn’t matter whose commander you control. Any one will do. If you have two commanders, you just need to control one of them.
Once you begin casting this spell, players can’t take any other actions until you’re done casting it. Notably, they can’t try to remove the commander you control to make you pay its cost.
At the beginning of your first main phase, choose one or more —
• Sell Contraband — Create a Treasure token. You lose 1 life.
• Buy Information — Draw a card. You lose 2 life.
• Hire a Mercenary — Create a 3/2 colorless Shapeshifter creature token with changeling. You lose 3 life. (It is every creature type.)
Black Market ConnectionsEnchantmentNormal - ~$20.65
"Flashback [cost]" means "You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack."
A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in some other way.
If a card with flashback is put into your graveyard during your turn, you can cast it if it's legal to do so before any other player can take any actions.
To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a flashback cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.
You can cast a spell using flashback even if it was somehow put into your graveyard without having been cast.
You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions, including those based on the card's type. For instance, you can cast a sorcery using flashback only when you could normally cast a sorcery.
You choose the target for Dread Return before paying any of its costs, so it's not possible to cast it using flashback and bring back one of the creatures you sacrifice.
Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Flashback—Sacrifice three creatures. (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Dread ReturnSorceryNormal - ~$0.41
Nullpriest of Oblivion #611Creature — Vampire Cleric
If a card or token enters as a copy of a permanent, the new permanent isn't kicked, even if the original was.
If a spell's kicker cost was paid, the spell is "kicked."
If you copy a kicked spell on the stack, the copy is also kicked. If the copied spell is a permanent spell, the token the copy of that spell becomes when it enters is also kicked.
If you put a permanent with a kicker ability onto the battlefield without casting it, you can't kick it.
The kicker ability doesn't let you pay a kicker cost more than once.
To determine a spell's total cost, start with the mana cost (or an alternative cost if another card's effect allows you to pay one instead), add any cost increases (such as kicker), then apply any cost reductions. The spell's mana value remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.
Kicker (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell.)
Lifelink
Menace (This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
When this creature enters, if it was kicked, return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Nullpriest of OblivionCreature — Vampire ClericNormal - ~$0.49
Whenever a creature dies, put a chargecounteron this enchantment.
At the beginning of your first main phase, add for each chargecounteron this enchantment.
Black MarketEnchantmentNormal - ~$33.74
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